The 2011 Chevrolet Volt has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 50,236 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.
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…
Consequence
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.
Complaints by component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
22
1crashes1injuries
AIR BAGS
8
1crashes1injuries
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
6
ENGINE
4
POWER TRAIN
3
SERVICE BRAKES
3
2crashes1injuries
STEERING
3
SEATS
2
SUSPENSION
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
1
Total complaints64
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The contact owns a 2011 chevrolet volt. The contact stated that water was accumulating inside the driver's side taillight assembly. The contact stated that the water caused a short circuit in the taillight, and the passenger’s side turn signal became inoperable. The contact had taken the vehicle…”
“I was stopped at a red light with my foot on the brake. When the light turned green, I released the brake and the car suddenly accelerated forward on its own, without me touching the accelerator. As soon as the car surged forward, I immediately pressed the brake pedal hard to stop it but instead…”
“Driver display is blank (no speed, gear position, odometer, gas tank, etc), with the exception of some warning icons like tire pressure and passenger seat belt status. Does no return after turning off power.”
“'11 chevy volt hybrid was daily driver of 100+ miles, multiple trips both highway and city for last 2 1/2 months. Breaks and rotors have been replaced all the way around, fresh oil changes as needed and filters. Warning on dash "service high voltage charging system", â€�service airbag" and check…”
“'11 chevy volt hybrid was daily driver of 100+ miles, multiple trips both highway and city for last 2 1/2 months. Breaks and rotors have been replaced all the way around, fresh oil changes as needed and filters. Warning on dash "service high voltage charging system", â€�service airbag" and check…”
“'11 chevy volt hybrid was daily driver of 100+ miles, multiple trips both highway and city for last 2 1/2 months. Breaks and rotors have been replaced all the way around, fresh oil changes as needed and filters. Warning on dash "service high voltage charging system", â€�service airbag" and check…”
“The contact owns a 2011 chevrolet volt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal whining sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of…”
“The car quit running when my wife was driving the car when the mileage range went down to 4 miles range remaining. The car was towed to the local chevrolet dealership who charged over $1,000 to reset the electronics so car would run. I was advised that if battery range was run down to a low…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationDP22005 Opened 2023-01-27 · closed 2023-08-07
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for…
InvestigationPE11037 Opened 2011-11-25 · closed 2012-01-20
Post-Crash EV Fire Hazard
The subject vehicles, which employ emerging technology, are range-extended electric vehicles that utilize a high voltage (HV) battery to provide energy for propulsion. The HV battery is lithium-ion based technology that has a nominal full charge of 390 VDC, a 16 kWh capacity, and a control system that incorporates…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.