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2013 Chevrolet Volt electrical problems

63 complaints (20% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 60,000. 1 crash reported.

owner complaints
63
of this car's complaints
20%
typical mileage
60,000
crashes
1
recalls
1

Which part fails

  • Propulsion system
    5
  • 12v/24v/48v battery
    4
  • Wiring
    1
  • Propulsion system: charging: cable/cord: accessory
    1

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

Chevrolet Volt electrical problems in other years

201120122013201420152016201720182019

Related recalls

Electrical system: ignitionReported March 13, 2015 · 50,236 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Risk
If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.

Recall number 15V145000 · Recall details

Related investigations

Pedestrian alert soundsOpened January 27, 2023, closed August 7, 2023

the federal safety agency 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 under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, the federal safety agency opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified the federal safety agency he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by the federal safety agency regarding the subject matter of the petition.

DP22005

What 2013 Chevrolet Volt owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Apr 30, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · UT

Fully charged. Goes from electric to generator/gas propulsion and abruptly slowes about 1/2 speed. Very dangerous.

Filed Feb 26, 2026 · Airbags, Electrical · LA

The passenger presence sensor is failing or failed because every time someone sit in there the airbag turns on and off repeatedly every 2-3 mins and gives a service airbag warning and if no one is sitting in the passenger seat then it just stays on. Could be really dangerous if a wreck happens while it’s glitching in the off mode and could cause death. Multiple people have had this problem with the volts and there is even a thing you can by to completely bypass the airbag going off which shows how common the problem is if there is a solution to eliminate it in an unsafe/not factory manner

Filed Feb 4, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · GA

I received the "Propulsion Power is Reduced" Alert engine light while driving in "Normal" mode on the freeway at around 60mph with 8-9 miles of Battery capacity, it showed 0 miles of Battery forcing the Gas Engine on and the vehicle hesitated upon applying the accelerator for the remainder of the drive. My safety and that was others was at risk because the acceleration dropped quickly and I was on a busy freeway at the time when the Alert happened causing further hesitation. Upon stopping I could not get the vehicle to take a charge nor would it start up until a mechanic arrived and was able to confirm the problem.

Filed Dec 16, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · 141,323 miles · NE

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The Check Engine warning light was flashing, and the messages "No Propulsion Power" and "No Power To Engine" were displayed. The contact stated that two individuals pulled over and assisted the contact in pushing the vehicle to the side of the road to prevent a crash. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who made the contact aware of an unknown the federal safety agency Campaign Number; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact requested vehicle rental assistance, but the dealer was unable to provide assistance. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance in initiating a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 141,323.

Filed Mar 31, 2025 · Electrical, Fuel system · 61,000 miles · KY

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while driving approximately 76-77 MPH, the vehicle experienced reduced power. The message "Low Propulsion" was displayed, and the engine revved significantly. The contact moved over to the far-right lane to pull over to the side of the road as needed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring temporarily. The contact had researched the failure online and became aware that the release of the accelerator pedal while the failure was occurring could temporarily correct the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

Filed Apr 26, 2024 · Electrical · 186,000 miles · GA

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the propulsion system warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 186,000.

Filed Apr 24, 2024 · Electrical, Fuel system · CA

When starting the vehicle, which had some charge on the batteries, the engine immediately started and a message appeared on the speedometer screen which stated, "Propulsion Power Reduced,” and another message said, “speed limited to 25mph.” I was in a very busy part of Hollywood running errands for my job when this happened. I felt very unsafe driving under these circumstances as I often need to drive above 25mph to keep up with traffic and cross busy streets to avoid other cars. The vehicle is available for inspection. It has not been taken to a dealership or anywhere else to have the issue looked at. The problem has occurred a few other times. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. There were no warnings or other symptoms whatsoever prior to this issue occurring.

Filed Dec 25, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · IL

I was driving my plugin hybrid Volt on a highway when the engine stalled and the engine light turned on. I tap the throttle a few times to get it to stay on. It worked, but I had to continue to tap the throttle to keep it going. It also revved up sharply when it was in low gear. The vehicle was out of battery, so it was as running on engine.

Filed Dec 25, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · IL

My 2013 Volt will not charge or start. This happened suddenly. It has been working fine.

Filed Dec 5, 2023 · Electrical, Fuel system · CA

I received a notification on the dashboard that the engine is not in service and propulsion has been reduced. The car is available for inspection upon request. The safety and myself has been deeply compromised because the issues cause the car to suddenly not accelerate without warning. The issue happened to me on a freeway and could have caused an accident due to the engine and propulsion systems stop functioning without warning. The vehicle has been inspected. There were no warnings on why the car was doing what it was doing. The only warning I received was that the engine and propulsion system has now stopped functioning.

Questions about the 2013 Chevrolet Volt electrical

Does the 2013 Chevrolet Volt have electrical problems?

Owners have filed 63 complaints about the electrical of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt, 20% of all its complaints.

At what mileage do 2013 Chevrolet Volt electrical problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 60,000 miles.

Was there a recall on the 2013 Chevrolet Volt electrical?

Yes, 1 recall: 15V145000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Chevrolet Volt have the most electrical problems?

The Chevrolet Volt model years with the most electrical complaints are 2017 (313 complaints), 2018 (90 complaints) and 2012 (86 complaints).

Other 2013 Chevrolet Volt problems

Airbags 161Fuel system 57Engine 38Seats 31Transmission 24Brakes 20Acceleration 6Body 6Tires 6Steering 5Seat belts 4Visibility 4Driver assistance 2Wheels 2Lights 1Suspension 1

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