2018 Chevrolet Volt Problems, Recalls & Reliability

362 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2018 Chevrolet Volt, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 29/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 34,150 miles.

362Complaints
29/100Trouble index
2Recalls
25,500Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 2018 sits among all Volt years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Electrical 86 complaints (24%) · typically ~34,150 miles
“Why in operation the car goes into Shift to Park and Also getting a Propulsion Power Reduce”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Volt
Transmission & drivetrain 83 complaints (23%) · typically ~23,200 miles
“Shift to park issue. When the car is in park the car still reports shift to park when you try to turn it off.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Volt
Fuel system 71 complaints (20%)
“After getting some repeated "propulsion power is reduced" display warnings, my 2018 Chevrolet Volt literally died without warning while I was driving it on New Year's Eve and could not be restarted.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Volt
Engine 51 complaints (14%) · typically ~51,000 miles
“Lost power when battery power used up and gas engine would not switch over on highway. Car would not re-start and died in the middle of highway”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Volt
Other 40 complaints (11%) · typically ~27,000 miles
“I cannot turn the vehicle off due to a notice to shift to park even though the vehicle is in park”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Volt
Brakes & stability 9 complaints (2%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 72 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 25,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 12,125 and 40,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (2)

SEAT BELTS 18V673000 2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer…

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 18V576000 2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac…

Federal defect investigations

Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module PE23022 opened 2023, closed 2025
Pedestrian alert sounds DP22005 opened 2023, closed 2023

Led to recall campaign 22V063000.

Technical service bulletins

848 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Volt. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2018 Volt TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2018peak 79 in 20242026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Volt reliable?

The 2018 Chevrolet Volt drew 362 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 29/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).

What are the most common 2018 Chevrolet Volt problems?

The top reported problems for the 2018 Chevrolet Volt are electrical (86 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (83), and fuel system (71).

At what mileage do 2018 Chevrolet Volt problems show up?

Owners most often report 2018 Chevrolet Volt problems around 25,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 12,125 and 40,000 miles.

Does the 2018 Chevrolet Volt have recalls?

2 recall campaigns apply to the 2018 Chevrolet Volt. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.