The 2012 Chevrolet Volt has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 50,240 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 359 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. 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.
SERVICE BRAKES13V2710002013-06-274 affected
Defect
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 (ABS), electronic stability control…
Consequence
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.
Remedy
General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will install a new brake pressure modulator valve free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 12, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-866-694-6546. GM's recall number is 13184.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
84
3crashes3injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
78
2crashes1fires5injuries
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
37
ENGINE
26
SERVICE BRAKES
23
2crashes
POWER TRAIN
22
2injuries
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
17
1crashes1fires1injuries
SEATS
14
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
11
1crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
6
Total complaints359
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Message on dash "service high voltage charging system" . Code cleared by inexperienced mechanic. Stalled on the side of the road with "engine not available" , "low propulsion" . My local chevy dealership confirmed a high volt battery leak its now at risk for catching on fire”
“Message on dash "service high voltage charging system" . Code cleared by inexperienced mechanic. Stalled on the side of the road with "engine not available" , "low propulsion" . My local chevy dealership confirmed a high volt battery leak its now at risk for catching on fire”
“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…”
“Car will randomly accelerate when not on gas pedal and/or a delay in brakes working. Has happened on more than one occasion.”
“Car will randomly accelerate when not on gas pedal and/or a delay in brakes working. Has happened on more than one occasion.”
“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…”
“Airbag sensor failure in seat.”
“Passenger presence detection system is malfunctioning, and causing a "service airbag" warning. This is a huge safety issue that could be detrimental or deathly in the event of an accident. This is a common issue among generation 1 volt owners, and should be considered for a recall or warranty…”
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…
InvestigationPE19013 Opened 2019-09-17 · closed 2021-07-02
Passenger Sensing System
In September 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-013 to assess the potential safety related effects of a malfunction of the Passenger Sensing System (PSS) in 2012-2013 Model Year (MY) Chevrolet Volt vehicles. Consumers reported that due to a malfunction of the PSS, the air bag system…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.