2016 Chevrolet Volt Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Volt years
- About as many complaints as other years 5th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 170 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Volt. That ranks 5th out of 9 Volt model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (77 complaints, 45%), typically at around 45,558 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 170owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Chevrolet Volt problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 77 | 45% | 45,558 | “shift park” (34%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 64 | 38% | 55,000 | “propulsion power” (27%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 51 | 30% | 40,000 | “shift park” (65%) | — |
| Engine | 48 | 28% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 20 | 12% | 42,090 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 4% | 20,004 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 2% | 76,400 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 2% | 36,080 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 1% | 133,400 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 55,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Chevrolet Volt recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17387.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module (PE23022) — opened Nov 29, 2023, closed Mar 3, 2025.
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
BECM failed reducing propulsion. Known issue with several volts. Yes. Propulsion reduced. No start. Stuck in middle of street. Yes. Confirmed by dealership service department that becm is bad. Check engine, propulsion reduced, shift to park. Started appearing intermittently around 84000 miles.
The Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) on my 2016 Chevrolet Volt has failed. The vehicle and the component are currently located at my home address and are available for inspection upon request. As of writing this now. This failure caused the vehicle to enter a "reduced power mode" and…
I purchased the above-listed 2016 Chevrolet Volt through Carvana, relying on the contractual promise that the BECM was covered under Special Coverage N232432680 for up to 15yrs or 150k miles. The vehicle has suffered persistent, severe mechanical and electrical issues resulting in a prolonged loss…
My 2016 Chevy Volt started experiencing the "Propulsion Power is Reduced" issues associated with a faulty BCEM unit. I brought my vehicle in for service at a Chevy dealer and they confirmed that the BCEM needed to be replaced. This is a known issue resulting in special coverage under N232432680…
I have a 2016 Chevy volt. It had to be towed to a Chevy dealership because it will not drive. The BECM module has failed, as is apparently the case with so many volt owners. GM, as a result of lawsuits about this car, extended the warrantee to fix the issue, but my vin number is not included in the…
Other Chevrolet Volt years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Volt | 34 | 2 |
| 2018 Volt | 225 | 2 |
| 2017 Volt | 701 | 0 |
| 2016 | 170 | 1 |
| 2015 Volt | 44 | 1 |
| 2014 Volt | 93 | 0 |
| 2013 Volt | 308 | 3 |
| 2012 Volt | 245 | 2 |
| 2011 Volt | 49 | 1 |
See all Chevrolet Volt problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Volt?
Owners most often report electrical system, fuel/propulsion system, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 77 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Chevrolet Volt a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Volt model years, the 2016 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.