Reliable Auto DB

2018 Chevrolet Volt reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 222 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Volt over 9 years — 13 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Volt years here — over the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Rear or other and Caliper.

2012 Chevrolet Volt
Photo by SsmIntrigue, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

222

Per year

13

Recalls

2

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (86 of 222), then Powertrain (84) and Fuel and propulsion system (71). Those filings include 4 that report a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Volt has 698 complaints, 26 per year, and the 2019 has 34 complaints, 2 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Chevrolet Volt. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall seat belts, rear or other 2018-09-26 · NHTSA campaign 18V673000
Summary 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 pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy 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 at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18315.
Recall hydraulic brakes, foundation components, disc, caliper 2018-08-30 · NHTSA campaign 18V576000
Summary 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 rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Remedy 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 customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.

Complaints by component (222 total)

Electrical system
86
Powertrain
84
Fuel and propulsion system
71
Engine
50
Service brakes
9
Speed control
8
Steering
5
Visibility and wipers
4
Air bags
2
Engine and engine cooling
2
Structure
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Tires
1
Show 6 more Show less
Crash-flagged

4

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

6201882019242020262021312022322023432024372025152026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I was driving back from [XXX] on XXX, when I received a "propulsion power limited" message on my dash with a check engine light. I pulled off to a nearby gas station and tried to scan the code to figure out what was…"
    Unknown or other, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-08-27
  • "The vehicle frequently fails to register that the transmission has been shifted into Park. When this happens the instrument cluster displays "Action Required / Shift to Park" and the power (STOP/START) button will not…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system · filed 2026-08-27
  • "I was driving on an interstate in Seattle, and the car completely died. A check engine light went on. I had to roll into the shoulder and call for a tow to the dealership's service department. Here is what they found:…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-08-17
  • "What component or system failed? When the BCEM failed on my car, it led directly to the transmission failing as well as the PIM. I was driving normally then had a completely inoperable car with no warning. I was told to…"
    Powertrain, Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-07
  • "While driving on a highway the car started to hesitate, a message appeared on the console "Propulsion power is reduced" and the engine light turn on. After driving some miles, a new message appeared: "Engine…"
    Electrical system, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-08-05

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Chevrolet Volt 5 HB FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Volt 1.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 43 42 42 MPG / 420 mi range $1550

Specs and fitment

Second generation, 2016–2019
Body styles Hatchback
Oil SAE 5W-20 (0W-20 may be used as an alternative) , 4.2 qt capacity
Tire size 215/50R17

Compare

Previous year 2017 Chevrolet Volt Next year 2019 Chevrolet Volt See every Chevrolet Volt model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Volt reliable?

Owners have filed 222 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Volt over 9 years — 13 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Volt years here — over the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Rear or other and Caliper.

What are common problems with a 2018 Chevrolet Volt?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (86 of 222), then Powertrain (84) and Fuel and propulsion system (71). Those filings include 4 that report a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Volt more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Volt has 698 complaints, 26 per year, and the 2019 has 34 complaints, 2 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Chevrolet Volt been recalled?

The 2018 Chevrolet Volt has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Chevrolet Volt?

Owners have filed 222 complaints about the 2018 Chevrolet Volt with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Chevrolet Volt get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Chevrolet Volt is 42 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

How much oil does a Chevrolet Volt take?

First-generation US manuals list about 3.7 qt with filter (dexos1 5W-30). Second-generation manuals list about 4.2 qt with filter (5W-20).

What generation is the 2017 Chevrolet Volt?

Second generation (2016-2019).

What tire sizes does a Chevrolet Volt use?

First-gen US pages list 215/55R17; second-gen pages list 215/50R17.