2011 Chevrolet Volt: common problems and reliability
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt has 49 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 1 recall on record. The most-reported areas are electrical system and air bags. Owners most often flag shift-to-park failure — micro-switch in the shifter fails, preventing the car from recognizing it is in park, causing inability to turn off the vehicle. frequency: very frequent.
Safety record for the 2011 model year
49
Owner complaints
1
Recalls
2
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2011 Chevrolet Volt vehicles (US, public record).
Where owners report problems
electrical system
23
air bags
8
fuel/propulsion system
6
engine
4
service brakes
3
Recalls affecting the 2011 Volt
electrical system:ignition
Campaign 15V145000
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 d…
What owners say across generations
Mixed to highly positive sentiment, heavily dependent on model year and specific ownership experience. The vehicle is widely praised for its innovative plug-in hybrid design, offering substantial all-electric range (reported 40-60 miles for Gen 2, 35-43 miles
Shift-to-Park failure — Micro-switch in the shifter fails, preventing the car from recognizing it is in Park, causing inability to turn off the vehicle. Frequency: very frequent.
Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) failure — Causes stalling, reduced propulsion, inability to start, or failure to restart. Parts are frequently on extended backorder. Frequency: very frequent.
12V accessory battery problems — Parasitic drain or failure causes a multitude of error messages (Service High Voltage Charging System, Service Stabilitrak, Service Power Steering, Theft Deterrent) and complete no-start conditions. Frequency: very frequent.
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve failure — Causes check engine lights and can lead to blown "no walk home" fuses. Frequency: recurrent.
Infotainment/Projection issues — Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity problems, screen freezes, failure to boot. Requires specific software updates (e.g., bulletin 16-NA-042 for 2016 models). Frequency: recurrent.
Owner insights cover all generations of the Volt.
Typical used price
Used Volt listings typically run $9,138–$13,665 across 2011 to 2019 model years.