Might be worth trying to get reimbursement if you still have receipts.
2018 Battery Energy Control Module (BECM)
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Year of the car ( in service date) 2017
mileage ( km / mile ) 84,000 km
percentage ( electric/gas) 57% Electric
type of driving ( % on Highway/city) 75% Highway
charging ( 120v Level1 / 240v Level 2) Level 2
environment ( parking outside / garage)Garage
Climate ( state/province) Southern Ontario Canada
Update on my 2018 Volt LT with the BECM failure - got the car back on 3/7/2022, first towed it to the dealer on 1/10/2022. I had to return to the dealer about halfway into that to renew the rental agreement on the loaner, but no updates on the car at that time.
Turns out there is a TSB for this issue: 18-NA-261 "Internal failure of battery energy control module setting false codes"
Looks like they drained and filled the cooling system also. It's working like a champ now. For a while the myChevrolet app was still freaking out like my car had some sort of fatal issue, but that cleared itself in a few days.
Turns out there is a TSB for this issue: 18-NA-261 "Internal failure of battery energy control module setting false codes"
Looks like they drained and filled the cooling system also. It's working like a champ now. For a while the myChevrolet app was still freaking out like my car had some sort of fatal issue, but that cleared itself in a few days.
Thanks for the update and congrats on getting your car back!
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Very informative. I posted on the home page before I found this thread. didn’t even know enough to tag the right words in my post. I guess I’m lucky my BECM didn’t go out until 125k of hard commute driving and constant charging in my 2016. Not under warranty I assume. Did have to wait 2 weeks. Got a rental only after I demanded just the last few days. 2600$ repair. Has anyone gotten any relief from Chevy for out of warranty repair for this?
I haven't heard of anyone who's gotten GM to pony up - but there aren't that many gen 2 Volts that are out of their Voltec warranty. It's been less than 7 years since the first gen 2s were sold in late 2015, so no warranty has timed out yet (8 years), and with typical driving patterns of 12 to 15k miles per year, I'm guessing only a few gen 2s have reached 100k miles.
Given the number of BECM failures being reported, I think in the next few years there are going to be LOTS of people like you who have this happen to them after the Voltec warranty expires.
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I'm curious if the folks that had becm failures used different types of charging times? Type 2 at home or community chargers. Or maybe only 110 charger that came with vehicle?
I actually kind of wonder if it's a late build issue. The vast majority of reports are from 2017 and 2018 Volts, with a few 2019s. But hardly any 2016s. Maybe that is wishful thinking (I have a '16), but I did spend some time on the NHTSA's complaints database (Recalls | NHTSA). Searching by keywords "BECM" or "battery energy", I get 9 hits for 2017 Volts and 0 hits for any other year (2016, 2018, 2019).
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I am using a L2 at home and just took it to my dealer for BECM failure on my 2017 with 38K miles. Seems like this should be a proactive recall at the moment given the amount of failures. But GM will never do that. They say they are on "National Back order" however a 15 min phone call to other dealers yields that there is stock availiable. Dealers are lazy and do not want to do the leg work. GM is the worst. I took a chance because I liked the idea of the Volt and I really do like the car but the company and their build quaility is at the bottom of the list. I have NEVER had any issues with a vehicle with this low of mileage. I heard Mazda is toying with a MX-30 or CX-30 build similiar to the volt with a decent electric only range and a gas engine for longer trips. If so this thing is gone for a car from a comopany that builds decent vehicles. Ths is my first and last GM car....Fool me once....well you know the saying.
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Me too. My 2011 Volt was the first GM I purchased. However unlike you, I have found the car to be very well built. The few issues I have had have been minor. I do expect a main battery issue at some point, hopefully a few more years down the road instead of now.
My positive Volt experience convinced me to get the Bolt EV. That has been very good s well. GM just replaced the battery for free, I got an extra 29 miles range in the bargain, and the battery comes with a new warranty. Very delighted. Might end up replacing the Volt with a Chevy EQuinox (based on the Ultium battery platform). Given that the Ultium batteries will be used in almost all GM EV's and given it's designed to enable swapping out bad modules with those that may have new chemistry, I expect replacement parts to be more readily available including after warranty battery modules.
I agree that the dealer experience can vary from one to the next. I'm fortunate to have at least two good ones available, though they rarely see me. I think the supply chain issues are the root cause for the BECM replacement delays. Not that that is much comfort if your car is sitting waiting months for a part. And being a low volume vehicle does not help. Now if you had a Silverado...
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Thanks I will post when/if my car ever gets out of the shop
Tricoat_beauty,
Curious to know how long it took for your Volt to be repaired; hopefully it was done quickly. My 2018 Volt went to the dealership today and needs a BECM that myst be ordered. I have located an OEM part online I’m tempted to order soon in case the dealership doesn’t receive their order (they offered no promises on delivery time for this part.). Thanks for your time!
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I have looked online. All sites I can find are just GM dealers that don't reflect their actual inventory. Mine is two weeks out now rotting at a dealer with them telling me not to hold my breath.
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How long did it take for the BECM to arrive and be installed into your Volt, assuming that this has already been resolved? My 2018 Volt with only about 23,500 miles gas it’s BECM fail almost two weeks ago. It’s been at the dealership since then, with no promises of when this part will arrive. One would have thought that Chevy dealerships with Volt technicians would have stocked up on these BECMs, especially considering GM has known this to be a problem with the Volt for many model years! Love the car but this is a huge bummer, especially with the supply chain in the condition it is in.
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Waiting for a BECM to come into my dealer as of 04.01.22. Not sure if it will ever come, can't afford to pay for rental out of pocket and dealer won't provide loaner car. My car will not drive and when it does, it won't charge and says propulsion system reduced. If this keeps on I am afraid I'll have to sell it and buy something else. Anyone in the same boat? Any ideas?
In the same boat with my BECM after 65k miles. When the failure happened I still was able to drive with the engine. I drove it directly to dealer I bought it from, but dropped that plan when they said no rentals and 7 days to look at. So I drove to work 20 miles away on gas with the dash telling me I had no charge and then full charge, Went to lunch it was dead and had to have it towed from the company parking lot to a different dealer. Rented car down the street. It took 2+ weeks for them to even look at it. And I had to be the one calling them. That is well outside all my GM,Ford, Honda service experience, You have my property on your lot…maybe give me an update on a regular basis? 3+ weeks plus and no promise date. Anyone know where the BECM assembly comes from? I suspect the production line was not longer in place. Are they always providing new BECMs? Can they qualify a “good” BECM from a salvage. GM seems to have miscalculated support for this vehicle. Long term I was worried more about the complex transmission(s) than an electrical control device. If they had a nice big mechanical switch in the back of the Volt where you could convert to 100% gas hybrid it would have been golden for drivers and service departments alike….
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This is bigger than one car manufacturer. The auto industry in general is having trouble getting replacement parts. You'll see similar complaints on Ford forums blaming Ford for long back order times on repair parts.
How Can I Fix My Car If There’s a Auto Parts Shortage? | Gardner Auto Parts
Shortages, shipping issues and labor problems are making it impossible to get your car repaired. Before you give up, look into buying quality used car parts.
gardnerautoparts.com
Matt Overbeck owns a repair shop, Overbeck Auto Services. "We are seeing car parts delays and shortages in some areas," he said. "Day, weeks, and in some cases months."
Besides catalytic converters, he says parts in short supply include:
ABS brake modules
Engine sensors
Transmission control modules
Windshields
Car parts shortage has drivers waiting months for repairs
Car owners are finding parts on back order, leaving dealers unable to make some repairs for months
www.thedenverchannel.com
Yes and no. Last fall I hit a deer going 65 in my '08 Honda Civic. (Everyone was fine, except the deer.) The damage was extensive and the auto shop owner pissed and moaned about how long it was going to take to get the parts and how it was going to take a long time to finish the work. Then, whaddya know, he completes the repairs on time, within the insurance budget, using mostly Honda OEM parts.
So... if Honda is able to maintain inventory for repairs to a 13 year old car, why can't GM do the same for a 5 year old car?
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As a counter to this... we have a Honda Odyssey van. One member on the forum had a similar accident with his van - and has been waiting 6 months for a front core support from Honda. For a 2014 (model built until 2017, so also '5 years' old). They built way more Odysseys than GM built Volts too.
-Charlie
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