2017 making sense of various warranties on a used Volt

16901 Views 47 Replies 10 Participants Last post by wordptom, May 30, 2022

niccolo

Discussion Starter · Mar 13, 2021 (Edited)

I could use help making sense of the warranties on my new-to-me, used Gen2 Volt.

In February 2021, I purchased a 2017 Volt Premier with 23K miles from a Chevy dealer (but not CPO). The vehicle was previously leased, by a single owner, in California, starting in September 2017. According to my.chevrolet.com, the Voltec Component Limited Warranty, which I thought was the key one covering the battery, ICE, and related components, expires in August 2025. I thought California mandated a 10-year, 150K mile warranty? I thought in other states it was the eight years I'm seeing.

There are several additional warranties that expire in August 2032, including PZEV Emission Limited Warranty and Emission Limited Warranty. So these are 15-year warranties? But I'm not sure how much is actually covered.

And then there's a Powertrain Limited Warranty that expires in August 2022. So that's a 5-year warranty, but I'm not sure what it covers distinct from the other warranties.

Insights to help make sense of this appreciated!

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269983

· #2 · Mar 13, 2021

There are three "major" warranties on the 2017 Volt:

3 year / 36K miles bumper to bumper warranty
5 year / 50K miles powertrain warranty
8 year / 100K mile VOLTEC warranty

I can't say what exactly the powertrain and VOLTEC warranties cover but they should cover most of the major parts in the Volt.

As for the extended CA warranty I do not believe it applies to the Volt. There is some criteria CA places on such a warranty and I read somewhere what that is and why it doesn't apply to the Volt. I would recommend performing some research on the details.

niccolo

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 14, 2021

Thanks! People sporadically mention the CA/CARB 10-year warranty on this forum, possibly mistakenly. Googling also brings up references. According to info from this forum, California and other states adopting CARB standards, the Volt is a PZEZ and qualifies for the 10-year, 150K warranty. In other states it's an ULEV and doesn't qualify. For example: Qualifying for the 15yr/150,000 Mile Warranty (PZEV)--how to tell if my car does? | GM Volt Forum (gm-volt.com)

JuneBug

· #4 · Mar 14, 2021

niccolo said:
Thanks! People sporadically mention the CA/CARB 10-year warranty on this forum, possibly mistakenly. Googling also brings up references. According to info from this forum, California and other states adopting CARB standards, the Volt is a PZEZ and qualifies for the 10-year, 150K warranty. In other states it's an ULEV and doesn't qualify. For example: Qualifying for the 15yr/150,000 Mile Warranty (PZEV)--how to tell if my car does? | GM Volt Forum (gm-volt.com)

If you buy a PZEV Volt from a CARB state, and REGISTER it in another CARB state, the vehicle will retain the 10 year/150K mile warranty. If you register it in a NON-CARB state, the warranty reverts back to the Voltec 8 year/100K warranty.

niccolo

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 14, 2021

JuneBug said:
If you buy a PZEV Volt from a CARB state, and REGISTER it in another CARB state, the vehicle will retain the 10 year/150K mile warranty. If you register it in a NON-CARB state, the warranty reverts back to the Voltec 8 year/100K warranty.

Right. My vehicle was originally leased in California and now I'm the second owner, also in California. Are you saying that when the GM website says my Voltec Component Limited Warranty expires after 8 years, in August 2025, that must be an error?

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Dizle

· #6 · Mar 14, 2021

niccolo said:
Right. My vehicle was originally leased in California and now I'm the second owner, also in California. Are you saying that when the GM website says my Voltec Component Limited Warranty expires after 8 years, in August 2025, that must be an error?

Mine says the same thing

niccolo

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 14, 2021

Dizle said:
Mine says the same thing

Interesting. I wonder how we could get accurate information, i.e. figure out whether Chevy is mistaken about specifying our Voltec warranties at 8 years?

JuneBug

· #8 · Mar 16, 2021

niccolo said:
Right. My vehicle was originally leased in California and now I'm the second owner, also in California. Are you saying that when the GM website says my Voltec Component Limited Warranty expires after 8 years, in August 2025, that must be an error?

That doesn't sound right, UNLESS the car was never a CARB certified PZEV to begin with. Not all Volts sold in California were. There is a character in the VIN that confirms this. There also may be a sticker under the hood.

Dizle

· #9 · Mar 16, 2021

Mine says PZEV but character in VIN doesn’t agree with the vin tracking thing I’ve googled. Warranty Tracker on the my Chevy website isn’t loading but it says 8yr/100k Voltec warranty for sure

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Dizle

· #10 · Mar 16, 2021

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niccolo

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 16, 2021 (Edited)

JuneBug said:
That doesn't sound right, UNLESS the car was never a CARB certified PZEV to begin with. Not all Volts sold in California were. There is a character in the VIN that confirms this. There also may be a sticker under the hood.

Sticker under my hood says "California class/stds: PC/PZEV"

Anyone have a Gen2 California PZEV and can confirm that my.chevrolet.com specifies their Voltec Component Limited Warranty at 10 years/150K miles rather than 8 years/100K miles?

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niccolo

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 17, 2021

niccolo said:
Sticker under my hood says "California class/stds: PC/PZEV"

Anyone have a Gen2 California PZEV and can confirm that my.chevrolet.com specifies their Voltec Component Limited Warranty at 10 years/150K miles rather than 8 years/100K miles?

Surely there must be other California Gen2 owners active on the forum?

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Dizle

· #13 · Mar 18, 2021

I’ve been poking around online with my VIN code and it seems to confirm that my volt is “low emissions”, aka CARB certified. The 5th letter of my vin is D. This screen shot says that means it’s a Premier Low Emissions. A, B are standard emissions, C is LT Low Emissions.

What gives with the Chevy Voltec warranty not showing the extended carb warranty??

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niccolo

Discussion Starter · #14 · Mar 19, 2021

Maybe we're mistaken about the California requirements? Maybe the longer emissions-related warranties meet the California requirements, so the Voltec warranty can be 8 years/100K?

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Dizle

· #15 · Mar 19, 2021

niccolo said:
Maybe we're mistaken about the California requirements? Maybe the longer emissions-related warranties meet the California requirements, so the Voltec warranty can be 8 years/100K?

I’m beginning to think the extended Voltec CARB warranty is a myth! Will sell before mine expires in 2025

niccolo

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 19, 2021

Dizle said:
I’m beginning to think the extended Voltec CARB warranty is a myth! Will sell before mine expires in 2025

This New York Times article from 2014 suggests that both the longer warranty applies and that it's more stringent, i.e. would cover even battery degradation that was considered within spec. Seems dubious.

A Battery Warranty With a Warning - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

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wordptom

· #17 · Mar 19, 2021

Here’s what the Volt warranty booklet says on the California warranty:

This warranty applies if your vehicle meets both of the following requirements:
. Your vehicle is registered in California or other states adopting California emission and warranty regulations.
. Your vehicle is certified for sale in California as indicated on the vehicle's emission control information label.

Note that second item. A Volt might well meet the California emissions standards, but if it has not been officially certified as meeting them, then it is not covered by the California warranty. Not all the Volts that meet the standards have necessarily been certified "for sale in California."

I note that in one forum thread on the topic, one member posted, "If the fifth character in your VIN is "G", which is likely if your car came from California, then it is deemed a AT-PZEV vehicle and the emissions warranty is mandated by CARB for the length of time and miles you listed in your post."

The question is, is California certification necessary for a vehicle to be sold in California, or does lack of certification merely mean you are not entitled to get certain California benefits (HOV lane stickers, rebates)? I ran across a couple of articles written some 10 years ago that indicated GM did not expect to get the Volt designated as meeting the PZEV standards until the 2013 models, which would suggest that no 2011/2012 Volts have been certified as meeting the standards. Is it possible that all Volts were manufactured to meet the standards, but GM obtained certification for only a designated group of vehicles intended for sale in that state?

I suggest you contact the California Air Resources Board with any questions (e.g., how can I determine if my Volt is certified for sale in California?). Their website says:
CONTACT US
(800) 242-4450 | [email protected]
1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
P.O. Box 2815, Sacramento, CA 95812

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niccolo

Discussion Starter · #18 · Mar 19, 2021

wordptom said:
Here’s what the Volt warranty booklet says on the California warranty:

This warranty applies if your vehicle meets both of the following requirements:
. Your vehicle is registered in California or other states adopting California emission and warranty regulations.
. Your vehicle is certified for sale in California as indicated on the vehicle's emission control information label.

Note that second item. A Volt might well meet the California emissions standards, but if it has not been officially certified as meeting them, then it is not covered by the California warranty. Not all the Volts that meet the standards have necessarily been certified "for sale in California."

I note that in one forum thread on the topic, one member posted, "If the fifth character in your VIN is "G", which is likely if your car came from California, then it is deemed a AT-PZEV vehicle and the emissions warranty is mandated by CARB for the length of time and miles you listed in your post."

The question is, is California certification necessary for a vehicle to be sold in California, or does lack of certification merely mean you are not entitled to get certain California benefits (HOV lane stickers, rebates)? I ran across a couple of articles written some 10 years ago that indicated GM did not expect to get the Volt designated as meeting the PZEV standards until the 2013 models, which would suggest that no 2011/2012 Volts have been certified as meeting the standards. Is it possible that all Volts were manufactured to meet the standards, but GM obtained certification for only a designated group of vehicles intended for sale in that state?

I suggest you contact the California Air Resources Board with any questions (e.g., how can I determine if my Volt is certified for sale in California?). Their website says:
CONTACT US
(800) 242-4450 | [email protected]
1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
P.O. Box 2815, Sacramento, CA 95812

I've emailed them.

Here are the CARB standards: California Vehicle and Emissions Warranty Periods | California Air Resources Board

It clearly says the battery should be covered for 10 years/150K miles. The Volt warranties don't separately identify the battery, it's covered as part of the 8 year, 100K miles "Voltec Component Limited Warranty."

So either the battery should separately have its own 10 year, 150K mile warranty from GM, or the Voltec warranty, which includes the battery but also substantial other components, should be 10 year, 150K miles.

wordptom

· #19 · Mar 19, 2021

Well, there you have it, "Only covers vehicles that have been certified..." Doesn’t matter what is covered if the vehicle itself has not been certified for coverage.

Defects and Performance Warranty for PZEV: Only covers vehicles certified to the PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) standard Reference: CCR §1962

How does a Volt owner determine if their Volt has been CERTIFIED as meeting the standards? Is that information included in the vehicle’s vin number? Does the California Air Resources Board maintain a list of the vin numbers of the Volts that have been certified to meet the PZEV standards in California? The warranty booklet for my 2012 Volt seems to indicate that because my Volt is registered and operated in Oregon, my Volt meets the appropriate emission standards to qualify for the 10 year battery warranty... but the booklet also seems to say my Volt qualifies only if it has also been certified for sale in California. I don’t think my Volt meets that certification requirement, so no 10 year battery warranty.

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niccolo

Discussion Starter · #20 · Mar 19, 2021 (Edited)

CARB responded to my email. Here's what they said:

"If you have a California certified vehicle the California emissions warranty periods are 3 years/ 50,000 miles for all emissions related components and 7 years/ 70,000 miles for high priced emission related parts which are determined by the manufacturer and are listed in your owner’s manual. If the product is not listed it is not covered.

California also mandates that PZEV certified vehicles be covered for 15 years/ 150k miles and batteries or energy storage devices of vehicles certified to the Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) emissions standard be covered for 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. To determine your vehicle's emissions standard, refer to the emissions label under the hood of the vehicle to verify eligibility or contact the manufacturer directly for verification.

Also, the emission warranties that California mandates do not include vehicles that have been certified as Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV). To confirm warranty information on a ZEV, you would need to contact the manufacturer directly and they would be able to inform you what the warranty is for the vehicle or battery. Their contact information can be found in the owner's manual or on their website.

You may also speak to the manufacturer directly if you are uncertain as to what parts are covered as CARB does not have that information. Their number can be found in your owner's manual or on their website.

View the link below to view our warranty coverage information in full:
California Vehicle and Emissions Warranty Periods | California Air Resources Board"

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