2017 Chevrolet Volt

While driving at highway speeds over 100 miles away from home with my child in the vehicle, the car experienced a sudden, catastrophic loss of propulsion power and entered 'Propulsion Power Reduced' mode, dropping vehicle speed immediately and creating an extreme hazard with high-speed highway traffic. A full computer scan revealed active diagnostic codes U2603 through U2624, confirming an internal hardware communication failure of the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM). This matches GM Technical Service Bulletin 18-NA-261. The vehicle has over 150,000 miles, but I have only owned the car since January. This is a known, systemic manufacturing defect (cracked internal circuit board solder joints) that creates a critical safety liability regardless of vehicle mileage. GM has refused to remedy the safety defect due to the mileage limit.

Received "reduced propulsion" message, with no engine detected. Car slowed to a near stop while driving on the Interstate highway. Very dangerous to have that suddenly happen. Message popped up randomly with no prior warning.

I was not going to put in a complaint about this failure but after learning about GM creating a special extended warranty program for this issue, I felt it should be addressed and treated as a recall. The battery energy control module (BECM) failed on my 2017 Chevrolet Volt at exactly 170,000 miles in December of 2024, leaving me in a dangerous position on the roadway and almost causing me to be rear ended due to losing the ability to accelerate. I had no choice but to have the vehicle towed to a dealership where it was eventually repaired with an out of pocket cost of $1900. My vehicle was not eligible for the extended warranty program which I find to be unacceptable.

BECM failure. My car is available for inspection upon request. This car has unexpectedly stopped adequately accelerating all of a sudden while on the road! This problems has been confirmed by the dealership. The manufacturer has not inspected it. Not much warning. I found out SOME not ALL chevrolet volt 2017 users got their BECM replaced without cost because it is a WELL KNOWN ISSUE with the car. Chevrolet did not provide extended warranty for all chevrolet volt users even though it is an issue with most volts. I do drive much. I got the car when it was brand new and in 8 years accumulated 77k miles. If I had known all of the cars would have had this safety issue I would not have bought the car in the first place. Chevrolet expects me to pay 2500 out of pocket for something they know is faulty and dangerous in their vehicles.

Egr valve went out ; causing a fuse to go out; which triggered a limp home mode: stranding me on side of road

Brought car into Chevrolet dealership for intermittent “miss” when driving. Dealer diagnosed it needed an EGR valve replaced at a cost of around $4,000.00 which is a significant portion of the cars value.

Failure of Battery Energy Control Module (BECM), within the high voltage battery. Vehicle is unable to charge and sets “reduced power” message. GM released special coverage bulletin for this issue (N232432680), but this vehicle is not listed due to which state it was registered. Continued failure of the BECM will lead to inoperability of the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while parked. The check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair would be at the owner's expense. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed or while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was unexpectedly illuminated. Additionally, there were several error codes provided through the Mobile App for engine-related failures. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.

Coolant was found inside the Lithium-Ion battery module when the dealership opened it to repair a different issue. They condemned the battery on the spot. There was no damage to the battery module. All PMs were performed at Chevrolet dealerships throughout the life of the car. All recalls were fixed. Including the BECM replacement the car is known have problems with. Car had 127,000 miles on it. One of the service reps even admited that he's seen it on multiple cars and that it is a manufacturing problem. Dealership said the repair is 29,000. The car was 35000 new 10 years ago. Thank God there was no fire, I drove my family around in that car for years. The dealership won't even let me see the diagnosis report online anymore...

Three separate high-voltage battery section failures within one year, each causing complete loss of propulsion. Two occurred at freeway speeds on [XXX]. FAILURE 1 ([XXX]): Vehicle lost propulsion. Dealer diagnosed DTC P0AFA (low voltage), failed cell in Battery Section 3. Section 3 replaced under GM Special Coverage N232432680 (BECM, 15yr/150k). Vehicle out of service approximately six months awaiting GM authorization and parts. FAILURE 2 ([XXX]): Vehicle lost propulsion on [XXX] at night at freeway speeds. Required towing. Dealer diagnosed DTC P0AFA, Cell 85 at 1.85V in Battery Section 1 (different section). Section 1 replaced under same Special Coverage. Vehicle returned Jan 28, 2026. FAILURE 3 ([XXX], ~300 miles after Failure 2 repair): Vehicle again lost propulsion on the freeway with check engine light, then progressed to no-start condition. Towed to dealer. Diagnosed Feb 20, 2026: DTC P0AFA, Cell 57 at 1.5V in Battery Section 2 (GM minimum spec 2.5V). Third distinct section failure. Vehicle remains at dealer awaiting GM repair authorization as of filing date. SAFETY CONCERN: Loss of propulsion at freeway speeds is an immediate safety hazard. During the Nov 2025 event, the vehicle lost power on [XXX] at night in active traffic. The progressive failure pattern (three different sections failing sequentially in the same pack, identical DTC) suggests a systemic defect rather than isolated component failures. Prior section replacements have not resolved the underlying problem. Vehicle has been usable approximately 20 total days in the past 12 months. All repairs performed or pending under GM Special Coverage N232432680. GM Case [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I am reporting a series of safety concerns regarding my 2017 Chevy Volt, which have persisted despite multiple attempts to address them with the dealership. These issues pose significant risks to my safety and that of others on the road. On January 18th, 2024, I brought my vehicle to the dealer after experiencing reduced propulsion power while driving on the highway, coupled with the illumination of the check engine light. The mechanic performed a quick inspection and used a GM scan tool to diagnose the issue, revealing the code P1E00 for the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2, which was cleared without a thorough investigation. I was advised to return if the issue reoccurred. Despite the reset, the problem persisted, and on February 9th, 2024, I scheduled another appointment due to my Chevy Volt's High Voltage battery charging only to 65% capacity despite indicating a full charge. Subsequently, on February 11th, 2024, the check engine light illuminated again, and on February 12th, 2024, November 25th, 2025, January 11th, 2026, and February 12, 2026 while driving to work, both times I experienced a loss of propulsion power on the highway, placing my safety at risk and lost all power in a traveling lane of traffic. These ongoing issues with propulsion power and the high-voltage battery charging system are not only inconvenient but also potentially dangerous. Despite multiple visits to the dealership and attempts to diagnose and resolve the problem, it persists, indicating a systemic issue that requires immediate attention. The reduced propulsion power while driving on the highway, coupled with the illumination, I urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate this matter thoroughly to ensure the safety of Chevy Volt drivers and passengers. It is imperative that General Motors addresses these issues promptly and implements appropriate measures to prevent further incidents.

Several years ago, when I was driving the vehicle, I got a sudden "reduced propulsion alert" and the onboard coolant temperature gauge showed a significant spike in temperature. To avoid overheating, I had to pull over on the side of the highway. In the onboard fuse box, there was a blown F3 fuse. I replaced the fuse and the same issue happened again last year. After some online research, it is clear that the EGR valve failed. Unplugging the valve and replacing the fuse has returned the vehicle to normal operations, but it's now out of compliance with local emissions regulations. GM has failed to properly produce replacement parts. As of Feb 11, 2026, a local GM dealer in Bloomington, IN quoted a backorder and unclear wait time on a replacement part and quoted me at $2,000+ just for the part. If not for my quick thinking, this part failure could have overheated my vehicle causing extensive damages. GM has failed to produce enough replacement parts and given the safety issues associated with a blown fuse and overheating, NHTSA should order a recall on this part and force GM to replace the parts for owners. This is a widespread problem documented among Volt owners, and the only stopgap issue is to drive the vehicle out of compliance with local emissions rules.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 - 40 MPH, the message stating that the propulsion was reduced was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact continued to drive the vehicle, and the vehicle unintendedly decelerated. The contact arrived at the destination and parked the vehicle, and the message “Shift to Park” was displayed even though the gear shifter was in park(P). The message “Charging Unavailable” was displayed. The contact stated that while charging the vehicle, the mileage was reduced from 72 miles to approximately 29 miles during the winter months, and 42 miles during the summer months, while still indicating a FULL charge. The “Shift to Park” failure had occurred twice the previous year, and the vehicle was turned off and restarted to correct the failure. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed that the hybrid power train control module had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the website, and a case was filed; however, a representative was not reached. The failure mileage was approximately 26,500.

There is a ongoing problem with the BECM on 2016-2018 volts. Mine is one of them. Contacted Chevrolet and they say my vin isn’t under the extended coverage. I believe it should be and can’t stand they won’t cover my car under warranty. Is there anything you can do?

My car started having issues with the hybrid system, with fault alerts related to the drive motor control module, hybrid powertrain control module, and battery energy control module in the transmission, and the vehicle is available for inspection if needed. The engine light had been on for about a week, and I was waiting for availability at work to take it to a mechanic. While driving around 70 mph on the highway, a “Propulsion Power Reduced” message suddenly came on and the car started limiting its speed. As I kept driving, the power continued to drop, making it unsafe to stay at highway speeds and putting both me and other drivers at risk since the car couldn’t keep up with traffic and could slow down unexpectedly. I took it to an independent mechanic who confirmed the issue and warned me it was dangerous to drive because the speed would keep decreasing as power dropped. So far, only an independent mechanic has inspected it. After doing some research, I found this is a very common problem with 2016–2018 Chevy Volts, with many people reporting similar situations where their cars lost power or started jerking at high speeds and they had to pull over.

My 2017 Chevy Volt stalled, wont charge, safely concerns. safety-related special coverage is being denied by local Chevy dealer. Check Engine light codes U2603-06, U2623, well known issue in chevy volt community, that points to Chevy faulty BECM. Chevy replace these to some selected 2016-2018 vehicles, but they wont cover mine, while I have same exact issue. Please help to push on Chevy to cover all 2016-2018 Chevy Volt by recalls repairs with no cost to owner. thanks

I am reporting a series of safety concerns regarding my 2017 Chevy Volt, which have persisted despite multiple attempts to address them with the dealership. These issues pose significant risks to my safety and that of others on the road. On January 18th, 2024, I brought my vehicle to the dealer after experiencing reduced propulsion power while driving on the highway, coupled with the illumination of the check engine light. The mechanic performed a quick inspection and used a GM scan tool to diagnose the issue, revealing the code P1E00 for the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2, which was cleared without a thorough investigation. I was advised to return if the issue reoccurred. Despite the reset, the problem persisted, and on February 9th, 2024, I scheduled another appointment due to my Chevy Volt's High Voltage battery charging only to 65% capacity despite indicating a full charge. Subsequently, on February 11th, 2024, the check engine light illuminated again, and on February 12th, 2024, November 25th, 2025, and January 11th, 2026, while driving to work, both times I experienced a loss of propulsion power on the highway, placing my safety at risk and lost all power in a traveling lane of traffic. These ongoing issues with propulsion power and the high-voltage battery charging system are not only inconvenient but also potentially dangerous. Despite multiple visits to the dealership and attempts to diagnose and resolve the problem, it persists, indicating a systemic issue that requires immediate attention. The reduced propulsion power while driving on the highway, coupled with the illumination I urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate this matter thoroughly to ensure the safety of Chevy Volt drivers and passengers. It is imperative that General Motors addresses these issues promptly and implements appropriate measures to prevent further incidents.

Experiencing intermittent propulsion system failure with multiple simultaneous warning messages on 2017 Chevrolet Volt at approximately 59,000 miles. WARNINGS DISPLAYED: - "Propulsion Power Reduced" message - "Check Tire Pressure Monitoring System" (false alert - all tires properly inflated and recently replaced) - Multiple dashboard warning lights including exclamation point indicators - Vehicle exhibits abnormal driving characteristics PATTERN: Issue occurs intermittently while driving. Vehicle can be restarted and may operate normally afterward, then fault returns unpredictably. SAFETY CONCERN: This matches documented Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) failure pattern referenced in GM investigation N232432680/PE23022 and Customer Satisfaction Program 17228 recall N172096420 for reduced propulsion power in 2016-2018 Volts. Review of owner complaints shows other 2017 Volt owners experiencing sudden complete loss of propulsion while driving at highway speeds, creating dangerous situations requiring evasive action by other drivers. RISK: Loss of propulsion power while driving with dependent passengers creates serious crash risk. Vehicle is used for daily transportation of minor children. REQUEST: Vehicle exhibits known defect pattern but manufacturer has not extended recall coverage. Request investigation into whether recall should be expanded to cover additional affected vehicles.

Following a day trip involving sub-freezing temperatures and full depletion of the traction battery, the vehicle was plugged in at home and appeared to be charging. The following morning, I enable the preheat via the remote before leaving the house for work, and notice the CEL/MIL before starting the car. Car was cold, charging indicator was flashing green as if it was accepting charge. I went to investigate and was met with the following list of codes: P1E00, U2603, U2604-U2606, U2617-U2624, P1FD2, P1FD3, P3042, C326C, P0096. Car turns on but seems to only be accessories; no power steering. Seems like the state of charge indication kept transitioning from empty to full. I unplugged the car to see if it could still drive, but no luck. getting "Shift to Park" when I put it in drive. Switching to HOLD does not engage the engine. After plugging it in again, the car no longer receives charge and simply holds the orange charge indicator light. In an attempt to get the car into limp mode, I tried clearing the codes, but no luck. After reading the codes again in the afternoon, the following codes posted: P1E00, U2622, U2623, P1FD4, P0AFA. These codes and behavior are consistent with the following NTSB service documents, which call for the replacement of the BECM: Special Coverage N232432680 Technical Service Bulletin 18-NA-261 However, the vehicle in question does not appear to be one of the 19,000 vehicles covered under the special coverage, per GM’s warranty look-up. The vehicle has not yet been serviced for the above events, but it is assumed the BECM is failing, which is available for inspection. My safety was not put at risk this time, but it is possible for the BECM to fail in an unsafe manner. Additionally, the associated repairs are costly since the BECM is not easily accessible, requiring lifting the car and removing the entire traction battery.