2016 Chevrolet Volt Power Train Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 14, 2026 · 51 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 40,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “shift park” (65% of reports).

51power train complaints
40,000median miles at failure
0mention a crash
0mention an injury
0related recalls
38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

Shift park: mentioned in 33 of 51 complaints (65%)
Turn off: mentioned in 15 of 51 complaints (29%)
Action required: mentioned in 10 of 51 complaints (20%)
Battery energy control: mentioned in 5 of 51 complaints (10%)

At what mileage do power train problems happen?

Based on 22 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles1 · 5%

10k–25k miles1 · 5%

25k–50k miles15 · 68%

50k–75k miles3 · 14%

75k–100k miles1 · 5%

100k–150k miles1 · 5%

150k+ miles0 · 0%

How serious are the reports?

None of the 51 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.

Chevrolet Volt power train complaints by model year

Peak: 2017, with 221 complaints

n = 432 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model year	Power Train complaints	Share of that year	Median miles
2019 Volt	16	47%	5,200
2018 Volt	85	38%	23,200
2017 Volt	221	32%	34,599
2016 Volt	51	30%	40,000
2015 Volt	6	14%	2,000
2014 Volt	4	4%	2,000
2013 Volt	24	8%	47,083
2012 Volt	22	9%	57,500
2011 Volt	3	6%	101,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2020, with 16 complaints

n = 51 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists power train for the 2016 Chevrolet Volt. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

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…
Received Mar 20, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11725794

While I driving in the past week, a warning that "propulsion power reduced" appeared on my dashboard several times. The last time that I had driven the car, the heater would not turn off, and the smell of burnt rubber filled the car and then dissipated soon after. The car would only run in it's gas…
Received Jan 14, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11711001

Driving at 75 MPH on the freeway the power completely cuts off an a message appears on my dash "Propulsion Power is Reduced" - Pressing the gas barely gives any power, Imagine being in the middle of flowing traffic doing 75 mph to close to 20 mph. Research shows me this is a KNOWN issue with GM and…
Received Jul 25, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11676109

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2016 Chevrolet Volts have power train problems?

No. NHTSA has 51 owner complaints about power train for the 2016 Chevrolet Volt (30% of the 170 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt power train?

No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.

At what mileage do power train problems start?

The median reported mileage is 40,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about power train problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt?

The most frequent phrase is “shift park”, in 33 of 51 complaints, followed by “turn off” (15).