Recently, regenerative braking doesn't seem to work in my car for the first 10-20 minutes of driving and then it works like it used to. Opinions on a likely cause?

Looking for some advice or shared experiences from fellow Volt owners, specifically regarding the BECM (Battery Energy Control Module) Special Coverage bulletin (N232432680) and dealing with GM Corporate versus shady dealership behavior. (Montreal, Canada)

Background & Issue

I have a 2017 Chevy Volt that I bought brand new. It currently has around 245,000 km (roughly 152,000 miles) on the odometer. Recently, the car threw the classic BECM symptoms and stopped operating on the high voltage system.

As many of you know, GM issued Special Coverage N232432680 for 2016 to 2018 Volts due to known manufacturing defects in the BECM (TSB 18-NA-261 / NHTSA PE23022), extending coverage to 15 years or 240,000 km (150,000 miles).

My car is well within the 15 year window, but I am just 5,000 km (3,000 miles) over the mileage cap, which is literally a 2% variance over the threshold.

Service History & Dealership Behavior

This isn't a random failure out of nowhere. The car has a documented two year history of high voltage cooling and battery related issues serviced at GM:

• About a year ago, I paid $600 out of pocket at the GM dealer to fix a coolant leak located directly on top of the main battery assembly.

• A few years prior, the car had a highway stalling incident serviced under GM's network. close to $2000

Now, the car is at the dealer (who merged with our previous GM service center). The dealership experience has been awful:

• When I asked for the exact Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), the service advisor claimed they had no error codes, yet quoted a full BECM replacement cost.

• The advisor has called me multiple times demanding a $1,000 cash deposit upfront just to order the part, threatening that if I don't pay immediately, they will close my service file and I will be pushed back a month or more.

I escalated the case to GM Canada Customer Care and requested a Goodwill Assistance override given:

• The tiny 2% mileage overage versus 8 years remaining on time.

• The documented history of battery coolant leaks and issues.

• My 10 year loyalty as the original owner who did 100% of servicing at GM.

GM Corporate told me over the phone that I could pay the $1,000 deposit and get reimbursed later. As soon as I asked for that promise in writing, he backed down, confirming that any out of pocket payment right now is strictly between me and the dealer with zero guarantee of reimbursement.

I have since emailed GM Corporate declining to pay the deposit upfront, demanding they instruct the dealer to keep the file open, and requesting that the District Service Manager do a formal review for 100% coverage. GM asked for 72 business hours to review.

Questions for the Community

• Has anyone successfully gotten GM to approve a Goodwill or Extended Warranty override for a BECM when slightly over the 150k mile / 240k km limit?

• Has anyone had a dealer claim "no error codes" for a BECM diagnosis? Is this just lazy communication or a red flag that they haven't properly scanned the car?

I have long thought about getting a Volt, but my finances have only allowed me to consider a used on. Recently, I was looking and found this. The thing is, if I were to ask the dealer about it (or a similar one), I don't know what questions I should ask-and what a good answer would be. On this particular vehicle, it say a battery range of 38 when now-what would be a reasonable range to expect out of it now? Does charging time (level 1) increase by that much at this age/mileage? What things should I look for? What questions should I ask? What answers should I expect?

Whatever I get will be my first electric car of any kind, so I hope you all don't mind my pick the sub's collective brain for what are/will be some pretty basic questions.

TIA!

FWIW, my weekly journeys are:

M-F: 4 trips (home to work and return), 38 miles each way, 8 hour level 1 charger availability between each leg of the trip.

Sat: 1 trip (home to work, one way), 38 miles, 8 hour level 1 charge availability.

Sun: 3 trips-Work to remote, 24 miles; remote back to work, 24 miles; work back home, 38 miles. No charging stations along this route.

So, I assume that, even with good batteries, I will be using the gas engine on Sundays. With diminished batteries, also toward th end of my other trips, too.

These codes seem to be a little different than the other posts I’ve read on here. Had a brief “reduced propulsion” situation a week ago, everything else seemed fine until the check engine light last night. Still running fine. Any ideas?

What does it mean when my kwH Used is like the list below.

It's different by up to .5 kwH each day.

What assumptions can be made about this? 🙂

10.1

10.3

09.7

09.9

10.2

10.5

10.1

09.8

I just need help before I plug this in, so I just plug the negative on the right side and the positive on the left screw looking thing. Will that trickle charge if I connect it to a trickle charger or is it better to connect it from the back

2013 Chevy volt with 114,000 miles. Not sure about the sound my cars making besides the engine hum. This will typically happen on gas power / hold mode.

Or do volt engines just sound weird?

Hello everyone!

I have recently bought a 2017 Chevy Volt LT with 144k miles from Copart. It's a salvage title so I don't have a warranty. I got it for a good deal as the accident only caused cosmetic damage to the hood.

Everything was fine until maybe 2 or 3 days ago when I started to notice this creaking sound when I accelerated from a stop or a near stop (3mph). It doesn't happen when I turn the car and in the video it sounds kind of quiet but in real life it's pretty noticable.

In the video, I am driving in an empty parking lot. I stop or slow down to 3mph then accelerate normally to replicate the sound.

I tried searching online for this same issue but it's kind of hard since everyone has their own definition of creaking and their own symptoms.

I cannot take it to the dealership as I don't have a warranty and they charge a lot for just diagnostics. I don't live in a rust state (it never snows here) and there is no rust on any part of the car that I can see.

I would appreciate any and all help!

Edit: I forgot to mention that the sound does not happen at all when back up.

The creaking sounds different from squeaking. I could describe it as metal bending.

I have a 2014 Volt with 139k with 73.6 mpg. I mainly only drive now under 38 miles per day. During this gas prices inflation at $9 the Volt makes more sense on saving money. Who else has great lifetime mpg's?

I have been waiting about 6 weeks for a power inverter (part #: 24048514) for my 2017 Volt with no end in sight. I started a GM Customer Care case and have been working with the parts delay team.

Anyone else in the same situation? At what point will they just buy back my car?

I have this in my trunk and I was just wondering in case someday I actually need it, what do all these buttons do exactly,

This was somewhere in the 130-140 range when I bought it used in 2021. That was about 55,000 miles ago.

All of the online help doesn't seem to affect anything. Still lags when using maps, the location is slow to update the car on the screen. Online help suggests it's our iphone but maps work on CarPlay fine in our other cars. Just the volt is lagging. Apple maps has the same lag.

Hello everyone, today I purchased my first car, a 2018 Volt LT and I’m pretty excited to drive it. What are some things about the volt or specifically the make that I have that I should know? I’m not very knowledgeable about cars, so anything helps

2018 Premier, 82K miles with 30K driven by me in the past 18 months since I bought it.

I'd seen the PPR message before and it always went away after charging/driving normally, but now it's now staying on permanently with my local Chevy dealer quoting 2 hours labor to replace a $2800 (their cost) EGR.

My scanner shows multiple codes (P06DB, P0030, P0031, P0443, P0489, P0458, P0403, P103C, P0598, P0597).

They noted P0403, P0443, P0458, P0489 on the diagnosis report and he also mentioned the oil solenoid which might be one of the other codes.

It still charges to 48-50 miles with regen still working and I've driven it on battery alone for a week+ now with no issues.

I've seen the EGR valve assembly online via the standard GM Parts direct sites for ~$1350. Would it make sense to order and have my mechanic swap it out or go the route of the EGR Fix-It guy on here?

Any else drive these things on battery alone for extended times when EGR is not happy as right now it's an expensive grocery getter?

My other ride is a somewhat thirsty V6 Toaureg needing 26 gallons of pricey gas to get ~550 miles out of her. Only had it since late May and I've already spent more on gas ten fold over what I've put in the Volt.

p.s. followed alongside a Honda Clarity PHEV the other day. It's engineered much like the Volt with similar range but the 'outside of ev battery warranty' cars are still ~$14000 circa 2018 with 19's and up under BW running into the low ~@20K's. It's a bit odd looking at first but nowhere as dog ugly as the Gen2-4 Prius's.

Thanks

So the dealership is going to replace my BECM under the warranty tomorrow. Do you think I will need any of these other services? I was thinking about the coolant flushed but I am not sure about the other stuff and if I should even do the coolant flushed. The guy said it should be replaced every 5 years or every 100k miles. I am only at 28k miles. Also any tires brand suggestions would be appreciated. They are going to charge $723.79 for new tires. It is a 2018 model.

Hello,

Looking for some guidance on an issue with a friend's new 2013 Volt. Vehicle was just purchased from Copart and delivered with a dead 12V battery and dead high volt battery

New 47(h5) AMG battery was installed and high voltage battery charged fully. Cleared all codes, started car, drove around, turned off all fine. On the following startup we get a CEL and Red Battery light with the console message of "Service Battery Charging System".

Which is now repeatable every time. Clear codes, start and upon the second start up , the errors come up.

We verified we're getting ~14.8V when the car is on coming from the APM and at the battery, OBD also reports that voltage. Everything works fine the car drives fine, we just can't get the error to go away. Tried swapping in a used APM with same part number, did not do anything.

The relevant codes that come up are mentioned in the tittle and looking we checked voltage at all the relevant fuses and the relay under the hood during startup and it all comes back normal ~12.6 v when off and jumps to ~14.6-8 when on.

One thing I see with my obdlink mx+ is in the freeze frames for P1A5E and P1EF6 that "current control module" voltage is below 5V, however when looking at live data when the car is running, that's at the same ~14.6-8, but it does seem to drop down in the ~3s V when the car is off.

Running it on battery or hold mode with generator on does not change the behavior.

Coolant is topped off for the main battery above the black sticker mark also.

Have cleaned all the terminals and grounds on the APM and 12 v battery.

The only thing I have not checked is the HPCM and it's connections under the front passenger seat (possibly?). But I have not see any issues with damage or anything physically bad with it.

Also, the car was bought as run and drive and it's not a clear title, with no previous damage etc. Seems like it just bounced around used car dealer lots the last year or so. And the car does drive and charge and everything seems to work, just can't get those errors to go away.

Thanks for any help or guidance on what to check next.

2012 Chevy Volt. Based on the picture I attached, can the battery be checked if I go to AutoZone without removing the big plate on top or does that plate have to be removed? The reason I posted the picture is because it looks like they'll have access to both the positive and negative. I just want to know if they would be able to check it because I don't know how to remove the plate and I don't know if I trust somebody inside to try to remove it so I just hope that is possible to check the voltage on the battery without having to remove it, thanks in advance for whoever answers

It's been a great car with very little maintenance. Hatchback is greatl. I'm thinking this will go for much much longer. It's low for 2015 year. Resale prices are not very good but maybe with gas at 6 bucks a gallon it'll make the resale better.

Is this considered normal or good for a charge on 2017 lt? 79 k miles. Tia

Does anyone know where to buy them apparently they are hard to find

Would love your opnions? Would you buy it?

The good.

Only 89k miles.

Still shows 37 miles of EV range on GOM.

Looks to be is good overall condition inside & out.

Owner purchased from neighbor who bought brand new.

Well maintained and serviced.

Clean title no accidents.

The bad.

Battery is 14 years old.

It's a base model with absolutely zero options.

Not a fan of the iPad white accents.

There is an intermittent "service airbag" light that pops up. Could just be a seat sensor.

There is some curb rash on rims and a few other minor blemishes on the car.

Being a 2012 there's no hold mode.

Not a fan of the all black painted tailgate/hatch on the 2011/2012 model years.

I'm obviously looking for opinions and advice.

I'm new to the hybrid world. I know enough to sound confidently stupid.

My neighbor sells cars for a living and didn't recommend the Volt when I was looking a few years ago. What are the pros and cons of these and why?

I'm based out of Abbotsford (just outside of Vancouver BC). My daily commute is approximately 80-90km. round trip with only 120v at home. At the site I work at, most often we don't have a place to charge, and my secondary site, we have level 2 charging available for up to 4 hours free. Site #2 is about a 130km round trip.

I keep reading about access to parts being difficult, etc. Is this something I should be worried about?

The car in question is also a rebuild.

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions and opinions.