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2012 Chevrolet VoltProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 245 owner complaints about the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-145 the manufacturer reports only 90% of affected cars repaired.

2012 Chevrolet Volt
40
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.5× the Volt median · #3 of 9 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 90%Owner complaints24516 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage74kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 25, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Michael Sheehan, CC BY 2.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Chevrolet Volt has problems

245 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system865
Air bags863
Fuel/propulsion system370
Engine260
Service brakes232
Power train222
Seats140
Vehicle speed control111
Steering60
10 other systems293

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2012 Chevrolet Volt recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

90%repaired · 2016 Q3

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 15V-145 · Mar 13, 2015 · 50,236 vehicles · 45,106 repaired

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Recall 13V-271 · Jun 27, 2013 · 4 vehicles

Risk. If the brakes lock up it could cause a loss of steering control and/or a lengthened distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Mileage at failure

When do electrical system problems start?

74kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 72 electrical system complaints. 67% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
13under 30k miles48under 100k miles24100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Air bags

27 owners mentioned a cost

$1,000median

Middle half: $849 – $1,050

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2012 vs. every other Volt year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Volt median. How we score

'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Pedestrian alert soundsDP22005 · closed Aug 7, 2023
    Led to recall 22V-063
  2. Post-Crash EV Fire HazardPE11037 · closed Jan 20, 2012
    No recall
  3. Passenger Sensing SystemPE19013 · closed Jul 2, 2021
    No recall
In owners' words

What Volt owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, the contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the instrument panel displayed a blank screen. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to…
Complaint 11746435 · Jun 25, 2026 · 132,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start, and the lights inside and outside of the vehicle failed to illuminate. The vehicle was jump-started. The failure reoccurred while attempting to restart the vehicle, and the contact was unable to drive the…
Complaint 11712016 · Jan 20, 2026
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT. WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEED OF 70MPH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE, ALONG WITH THE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT WAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE OR ANY WARNING LAMPS. THE INCIDENT…
Complaint 11607202 · Aug 8, 2024

Own a 2012 Volt?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.