Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Chevrolet Volt owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
7/6/2024 Was driving 45 mph on a busy road (running only on the gas engine of this plug-in hybrid). Propulsion Power Reduced message showed near the speedometer. My speed was immediately decreased. The check engine light also came on. Despite pressing the gas pedal, the speed could not be maintained and I had to pull off quickly before causing an accident. Luckily, no accident occurred but I fear would could have happened if I wasn't in the right place to pull over quickly. After getting the car towed to a Chevy dealership, they diagnosed the problem as being with the hybrid battery - it needs to be replaced. I don't understand why I had a full tank of gas, was running on gas, and that a bad EV battery would cause ALL propulsion to stop so quickly.
This is a report on a previous safety recall that has failed to fix the problem. The recall is GM Program # N172130462 for sudden-onset reduced propulsion. The recall repair was performed on this vehicle at 91,064 miles. However, since the recall, a reduced propulsion condition has recurred multiple times. Subsequent to the most recent episode, the vehicle has been in the dealer's repair shop for 5.5 months. The dealer technician affirms it is a software problem, but is unable to figure out how to repair it, even with assistance of a General Motors field engineer. The dealer technician told me that the GM field engineer knows of other cars with the same problem.
Message on dash "Service High Voltage charging system" . Code cleared by inexperienced mechanic. Stalled on the side of the road with "Engine not available" , "Low propulsion" . My local Chevy dealership confirmed a high volt battery leak its now at risk for catching on fire
My 2012 Chevy Volt has completely shut off at freeway speeds, and surface streets on over 15 occasions. The power steering assist goes out, the brake assist goes out and it's very difficult to steer and break the car, I have nearly avoided several accidents, there is no warning that this will occur.the power steering assist goes out, the brake assist goes out and it's very difficult to steer and break the car, I have nearly avoided several accidents, there is no warning that this will occur once I have attempted to safely pull over the car says engine not available, propulsion power reduced, the car will not turn off and it says waiting to initialize on the screen. …
Driver's side front wheel began making extremely loud whining-like sound while highway driving. Parked the car until it could be accepted at the certified Chevrolet service department at a local dealership. Technician immediately diagnosed the problem and expressed it as "common." the issue is a separation of the "electric driver motor b rotor bearing cage" requiring a revised bearing installation. This is clearly a design flaw as GM requires a new/revised bearing installation, and is likely progressed with the vehicles regenerative braking. Gen1 models do not have a customizable regenerative braking option to alleviate this stress on the rotor bearings. In researching the issue, the service bulletin provided by GM is has progressed to an appended letter l (bulletin no. Pip5081l). A large number of Volt owners share this experience, many of which qualify for warranty repair. …
My car has had ongoing problems with power propulsion, electrical system, and start-up since new and several items were replaced in 2017. I purchased 6 year / 100,000 extended warranty when new. Several items have been replaced. But updates are needed to keep the car running properly. Now the warranty has expired but the vehicle still needs updates to run properly and the dealer wants paid to install updates. This is a scam if the car wont run with out being updated yearly. I have a video of the car in 2017 when I started it up and it sounded as though it was going to blow up. I couldn't shut it off and called OnStar to shut off the vehicle. That is when several items were replaced. The car is in the dealership again for another update. 8-28-20. There was an updated performed 11-11-19 and 10-10-18. It seems as though there is always an update being performed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the brake pedal was applied and did not respond numerous times. The failure occurred intermittently. While driving, the transmission brackets fractured and caused the transmission to become detached. The vehicle was towed to a dealer for inspection and repair. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13V271000 (electronic stability control, service brakes). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.
Air bag sensor pad in front passenger seat is faulty. Dash light comes on and off at random in front seat. May lead to airbags failing to go off. Front passenger seat faulty, air bag sensor pad is not installed beneath the foam in the seat, instead it is on top. Has lead to numerous problems when even just setting a bag on the seat. This is a safety problem. Powertrain issue, battery section 3 failed prematurely due to a $5 temperature sensor failing. Cost to replace the entire battery section was $3000+ dollars for a $5 part.
Came to stop at busy intersection when the car lunged forward several times until I threw it into neutral. This unintended acceleration has happened three times since I had the car's battery serviced a little over a month ago. In addition, the car will sporadically not go into regeneration mode as it is supposed to do when coming to a stop or slowing down. This also just started happening since the battery service was performed.
When the vehicle would come to a stop, the parking brake would engage by itself. The only way to disengage it was to turn the vehicle off and on again. The second time I did this, the vehicle failed to shift out of park, and the vehicle was disabled in the middle of a roadway. The cause was a faulty charging port sending out a false proximity signal to the car's computer, making it think it was charging...updated 08/27/15
Transmission complaints in other Volt years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Volt?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, 9% of the model year's 245 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2012 Chevrolet Volt transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2012 Chevrolet Volt transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.