2012 Chevrolet Volt: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 245 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
245
Complaints
2
Recalls
6
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
11
Injuries
50.6
Severity index
Severity index 50.6 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Chevrolet Volt ranks 85 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 34% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 86 | 35.1% |
| AIR BAGS | 86 | 35.1% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 37 | 15.1% |
| ENGINE | 26 | 10.6% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 23 | 9.4% |
| POWER TRAIN | 22 | 9.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 17 | 6.9% |
| SEATS | 14 | 5.7% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 86 of 245 complaints (35.1%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2015 | 15 |
| 2016 | 16 |
| 2017 | 21 |
| 2018 | 31 |
| 2019 | 40 |
| 2020 | 33 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 4 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15V145000 | 13/03/2015 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 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 |
| 13V271000 | 27/06/2013 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Volt vehicles manufactured March 1, 2012, through April 17, 2012. Due to a brake pressure modulator valve problem, the vehicles do not relieve brake pressure from the front brakes during an anti-lock brake system |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.