Most common 2018 Chevrolet Volt problems
Share of the 225 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 →
2018 Chevrolet Volt recalls (2)
Seat belts › Rear/other
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2018 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 2018 Chevrolet Volt owners say
Electrical system all 87 →
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Engine Not Available" was displayed and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not able to be restarted and was towed to a local dealer where a reset of the engine code was performed. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The contact was able to pull the vehicle to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was advised that the battery of the engine control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure with the Technical Service Bulletin: 18-NA-261 (Malfunction Indicator Lamp Illuminated and/or Intermittent No Start with Battery Circuit DTCs Set); however, the vehicle was not included. …
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Bolt. The contact stated while driving at a moderate speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the "Propulsion Power" message was displayed. The contact pulled over and upon an attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that the BECM (Battery Engine Control Module) was defective. The mechanic discovered that the vehicle was under warranty and contacted that the local dealer for assistance. The mechanic drove the vehicle to the dealer who acknowledged the failure; however, the dealer stated that the failure was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 85 →
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and shifted to park(P), the message "Shift to Park" was displayed on the instrument panel and the vehicle was inoperative. The contact stated that the vehicle was operative while in low power mode; however, the vehicle intermittently failed to charge in low power mode. No warning light was illuminated. However, the vehicle displayed the full battery icon on the display, but 1 EV Mile. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the battery energy control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while the gear shifter was in PARK, the shift to park warning light illuminated and the vehicle failed to turn off or change gears. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the gear shifter assembly mechanism failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximate 28,995.
Fuel & propulsion system all 74 →
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the EVAP pipe was rubbing against the air conditioning hose connector. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under GM Campaign Number: N192273600; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 84,800.
The issue started with a forward push while lowering my speed while coming to a stop. It then progressed to a trembling engine. Then it progressed to the car struggling to effectively switch from electric to gas and back. It then would only be usable on electric range and the engine would not start and would be greyed out. Now, it only works on engine mode, it uses fuel like a pick up truck, it loses power while driving due to trying to switch to electric mode and back, and it struggles to accelerate. It will do it while idle as well as while driving 45mph and up. It barely has any propulsion power and I have to turn my hazards on any time I am going to accelerate. If I brake hard the engine will shake violently and then shut off. I then have to switch gears from drive to park or neutral to park to drive to reengage the engine. …
2018 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 2018 Chevrolet Volt a good car?
Based on 225 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Volt rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Volt at the same age. It is one of the Volt years we suggest avoiding. 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 2018 Chevrolet Volt?
The electrical system — 87 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about 12v/24v/48v battery. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (85) and fuel & propulsion system (74).
How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Volt have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Volt, the most recent from September 26, 2018 (rear/other). 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 2018 Chevrolet Volt problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 25,000 miles; 78% 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.