NHTSA Opens Investigation Into the Chevy Volt
The Chevrolet Volt was a surprisingly decent car with an innovative powertrain and attractive styling, but its time came to an end a few years back. The NHTSA hasn’t forgotten about it, however, as the government agency recently opened an investigation into the car and its reported tendency to lose power while driving.
The NHTSA is looking at 2016 to 2019 Volts after it said it received 61 complaints related to the car’s battery energy control module. Some owners said the car gave no warning before losing power, and others said their vehicles failed to restart after the problem occurred.
GM is aware of the complaints and previously issued a service bulletin advising shops that the BECM may need a replacement or reprogramming. The problem has not yet reached the recall stage but could move in that direction if the investigation findings support it.
This will be the third recall for some Bolt models, which had initial recalls in 2018 related to the rear seatbelt retractor and the rear brake caliper coatings. The plug-in hybrid was uncommon at the time, but there are now several PHEV options from automakers of all stripes. Chevrolet doesn’t currently offer a PHEV but has new EVs on the way, including the Equinox EV, Blazer EV, and Silverado EV.
[Image: Chevrolet]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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Tassos - the reason some luxury dealers have a quiet lounge.
Telluride with it's maximus optimus ATPs has similarly impressive recall performance giving us unique customer experience advantages resulting in segment leadership across the board.
Kudos to NHTSA for protecting owners who would otherwise be without a remedy.
PHEV is a dead end.