Most common 2016 Chevrolet Volt problems
Share of the 170 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Volt complaints by model year
Best Volt years: 2011, 2015, 2019. Years to avoid: 2017, 2013, 2018, 2012. Compare all years →
2016 Chevrolet Volt recalls (1)
Air bags › Frontal
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.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2016 Chevrolet Volt:
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE23022 to investigate allegations of a loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) in model year (MY) 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt passenger car vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM).
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2016 Chevrolet Volt owners say
Electrical system all 77 →
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while the daughter was driving in reverse the warning message "Reduced Propulsion" had displayed and suddenly the power steering failed and the vehicle lurched backward and crashed into a utility pole. During the incident, the driver pressed the brake pedal but the vehicle did not stop. No injuries were reported and no police report was taken. The daughter was able to drive the vehicle home in "Limp" Mode. The contact later examined the vehicle and diagnosed that the engine battery ECM had failed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the manufacturer's extended coverage for the failure. The failure mileage was 89,800.
The car has experienced a 'BECM' failure, which is very common on the Chevy volt. When it fails the car becomes undrivable and will slow down into reduced propulsion mode. It will not start and required us to have it towed to the dealer. The 2016-2019 Chevy volt BECM issue has been investigated by the nhtsa and gm. It is a common enough issue that gm has voluntarily issued 'special coverage N232432680'. This covers the becm failure on 2016-2019 volts for free for up to 150k miles 10 years. We have a 2016 volt with 144k miles so we assumed it would be covered. The dealer said it wasn't covered based on my vin but they didn't know why our vin was left out of the coverage. Obviously if they thought our car didn't have a suspect becm, they were wrong because it failed during the special coverage time. The repair is $2600 and gm will not assist us with this repair. …
Fuel & propulsion system all 65 →
The car has experienced a 'BECM' failure, which is very common on the Chevy volt. When it fails the car becomes undrivable and will slow down into reduced propulsion mode. It will not start and required us to have it towed to the dealer. The 2016-2019 Chevy volt BECM issue has been investigated by the nhtsa and gm. It is a common enough issue that gm has voluntarily issued 'special coverage N232432680'. This covers the becm failure on 2016-2019 volts for free for up to 150k miles 10 years. We have a 2016 volt with 144k miles so we assumed it would be covered. The dealer said it wasn't covered based on my vin but they didn't know why our vin was left out of the coverage. Obviously if they thought our car didn't have a suspect becm, they were wrong because it failed during the special coverage time. The repair is $2600 and gm will not assist us with this repair. …
The contact's son owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer due to an oil leak caused by a puncture in the oil filter. The vehicle was repaired. The contact's son had informed the dealer that he had been smelling a fuel odor inside the vehicle; however, the dealer informed the contact's son that the odor was probably a burning oil odor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuel rail was leaking and needed to be replaced. The mechanic contacted the dealer who informed him that the part was on a national backorder. The mechanic replaced the part with a used part; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 51 →
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while starting and driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Reduced Propulsion" message was displayed. Additionally, after parking the vehicle, the "Shift To Park" message was displayed, and the vehicle failed to turn off. The contact pressed the Start/Stop button and then opened and closed the front driver's side door to turn off the vehicle. The vehicle later failed to charge and start as needed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 83,574. The VIN was unavailable.
I had just left my house about to enter the on-ramp to Interstate 95 south when my 2016 Volt abruptly and without warning stopped. I was unable to coast or pull the car to the side of the road. I was in the middle of the lane in a dangerous place to stop a car and a dangerous place to get out of the car due to the steady traffic entering the interstate. My car would not restart and I had it towed to the Portsmouth NH Chevy dealer. As it was the beginning of the GM strike I had to wait several days for the replacement battery control sensor then I had to wait for another 4 weeks or so for a replacement transmission to be installed. The day after I got my car back, about 2 weeks ago, the transmission fluid was leaking onto the garage floor. The Chevy dealer has ordered new transmission hoses but only one has come in and I was told not to drive my car until these were replaced. …
2016 Chevrolet Volt engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl plug-in hybrid | CVT | FWD | 43 / 42 / 42 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Volt a good car?
Based on 170 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Volt rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Volt at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Chevrolet Volt?
The electrical system — 77 complaints, 45% of all complaints for this model year, most often about propulsion system › traction battery. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (65) and transmission & drivetrain (51).
How many recalls does the 2016 Chevrolet Volt have?
There is 1 recall for the 2016 Chevrolet Volt, the most recent from October 5, 2017 (frontal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Volt?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2015 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017, 2013, 2018 and 2012. See the full Chevrolet Volt years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Volt problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 44,000 miles; 62% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.