Your vehicle report
2013 Chevrolet Volt
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 308
- Received Oct 2012 to Apr 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off89 complaints · 29% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbag warning light stays on41 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates8 complaints · 2.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V516000General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Camero, Sonic, and Volt vehicles. The driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect.
- Recall #18V397000General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. An update to the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2 (HPCM2) may have disabled the cell balancing function causing a low-voltage condition.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows offFirst signal: Apr 2018
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 2 fires, 9 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 15 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
- Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off
- Airbag warning light stays on
- Seat belt fails to latch or retract
1 more problem
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 37 |
| 2019 | 71 |
| 2020 | 51 |
| 2021 | 35 |
| 2022 | 22 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2025 | 8 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 3 |
| Total | 308 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 89 | 29% | 91.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Apr 2018 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.3% |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 41 | 13% | – | |
| Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates | 8 | 2.6% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 8 | 2.6% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 2.3% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 6 | 1.9% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 1.9% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 6 | 1.9% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 1.6% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 3 | 1.0% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 3 | 1.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V516000July 27, 2023767 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Camero, Sonic, and Volt vehicles. The driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag module, free of charge. On some 2013 Volt vehicles, the steering wheel will be replaced as well, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2023. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N232413120.
NHTSA recall #18V397000June 14, 20184,606 vehicles affected
hybrid propulsion system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. An update to the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2 (HPCM2) may have disabled the cell balancing function causing a low-voltage condition.
If the voltage drops, the vehicle may lose propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the HPCM2, free of charge. The recall began July 24, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18215.
NHTSA recall #15V145000March 13, 201550,236 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition; engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2013 Chevrolet Volt.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN