[Steverino]

This topic has been discussed and debated for years. Even within the past month there were some who doubted or remained unconvinced that the low Volt battery replacement cost we have seen advertised at around $3000 by online parts suppliers was real. This despite our own WOT saying it was real but required an exchange.

Finally we have someone out of warranty to help put the question to rest (I think) and with some added tidbits about the "replacement" battery worth noting.

Jeff N:

The discounted ~$3,500 price is real.

I recently had a battery issue with the cell balancing circuitry for one of the battery modules. The first dealer I took the car to tried talking me into replacing the entire battery pack. My battery pack is out of warranty because I have a 2011 car that doesn't qualify for the CA HOV lane stickers, rebate, and 150,000 battery warranty. My car had 112,000 miles on the odometer and a 100,000 mile pack warranty. The dealer quoted a non-discounted battery part cost of a bit over $4,000.

It's an exchange so GM gets your original pack. The new battery is not guaranteed to be new -- only that it's cells have not degraded any more than your original pack. Also, I suspect that GM has to specifically approve whole pack exchanges and they likely only do that when a dealer mechanic has provided evidence that the replacement is required.

in any case, I had a service manual and the benefit of another owner here who had a similar part failure. I ended up switching dealers and paying only about $300 in parts cost for one new battery interface circuit board and I kept the rest of my original pack.

https://gm-volt.com/forum/showthrea...ds-a-new-battery-module&p=2511129#post2511129

UPDATE: A 3rd party supplier with locations in about two dozen cities across the US, sells refurbished (?) battery pack with 36 month warranty for $5000 USD when the old battery pack is returned to them: https://greentecauto.com/hybrid-battery/chevrolet/volt/chevrolet-volt-battery They will also do the installation.

 

[Ziv]

Interesting. Can't say I am surprised that a re-furb pack with a CORE (return of equipment) is around $3000 for parts and $500 for labor. Nice to have it confirmed. Sad to see that the service department was telling him to replace the battery when all that was needed was $300 in parts.

 

[Steverino]

Interesting. Can't say I am surprised that a re-furb pack with a CORE (return of equipment) is around $3000 for parts and $500 for labor. Nice to have it confirmed. Sad to see that the service department was telling him to replace the battery when all that was needed was $300 in parts.

You mean the same departments that recommend the Volt get oil changes every 3k miles?

 

[Dakster]

You mean the same departments that recommend the Volt get oil changes every 3k miles?

They will also sell you replacement muffler bearings and headlight fluid. Gotta keep the headlights full or they won't work.

This issue is NOT limited to getting your Volt serviced either.

When we used to get our Terrain taken in for warranty, the service writer always had about $300 - $600 worth of things not needed at the time, that "should be done." From $100 windshield wiper replacements to doing the brakes with plenty of life left in the pads, flushing the radiator when the car had only 30k miles on it... etc... etc... I finally had to just tell him, fix the stuff under warranty, I do my own maintenance at the house. I had bought 4 - oil change kits for the car for $7 a piece when Autozone had a special... And it was semi-syn Valvoline oil too....

In other words, nothing surprises me at the mechanic shop.

The other amazing thing - why is it when I take the car in I don't get the stupid recommendations for un-needed service nearly as much as when my wife takes the car in? (Paging Elemental)

 

[steve2150]

Doesn't the battery have an 8 year warranty?

 

[canehdian]

Doesn't the battery have an 8 year warranty?

8 year or 100 000 mi / 160 000 km, whichever comes first.

 

[solar_dave]

Doesn't the battery have an 8 year warranty?

Yes an 8 year/100k mile warranty unless you are in California where the ZEV rules require a 10 year/15000 mile warranty.

 

[Jeff N]

Interesting. Can't say I am surprised that a re-furb pack with a CORE (return of equipment) is around $3000 for parts and $500 for labor. Nice to have it confirmed. Sad to see that the service department was telling him to replace the battery when all that was needed was $300 in parts.

The dealers will want closer to $1,000 for the labor. The retail battery exchange will probably be quoted as around $4,400.

 

[peterdaniel]

Your "semi-synthetic" oil is the same as "made with real fruit" Throw in one strawberry for the entire package and its officially "made with real fruit"

Semi-Synthetic oil is like near drowning... You either did or you didn't

 

[jal]

At the risk of reviving a zombie thread, it still comes up tops in search results so it needs to be updated with current information.

The real, today, price for a 2012 volt battery replacement from a GM dealer, including all three battery modules and tax, is $13,721.60. It is very frustrating that there is a narrative on the internet that it can be done for a few thousand dollars, or that a salvage pack can be installed by a dealership. I have evidence that the complete cost for a battery replacement from GM is substantially more, and the dealer has told me in no uncertain terms that they will not consider a salvage pack.

 

[supchrgamx]

https://parts.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.sectionDiagram&siteid=2&vehicleid=377434&diagram=ZB7080
parts.com $7200.00

 

[Steverino]

https://parts.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.sectionDiagram&siteid=2&vehicleid=377434&diagram=ZB7080
parts.com $7200.00

Note, no core return required. The cheaper pricing included a core (the old battery) return.

 

[supchrgamx]

2 choices
personally id go for 7200.00 choice
except that i could buy a 2012 volt for that price

 

[Aseras]

My 2015 whole pack was $7960. ( price on gm invoice ) that didn't include the FedEx custom critical shipping or labor. It came compete covered and sealed ready to install.

That said if you WANT a whole new pack then just get under the car, open the inspection port and dump some gm coolant in there. Presto that's a whole replacement pack per gm tech docs.

I actually don't believe there was anything wrong with my pack. I'm certain the tech working on my car had no farking clue what he was doing and proceeded to screw up and destroy everything he touched until TAC and the ev team took over and they flew in a competent tech to sort it out, and still failed miserably by not properly coding the car HPCM2 and each of the BECM in the new pack.

 

[jal]

https://parts.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.sectionDiagram&siteid=2&vehicleid=377434&diagram=ZB7080
parts.com $7200.00

Trying to type in my most un-frustrated tone of voice and still get the point across: Without a shop to install it, this is just a price on a website. And even with a shop to install it inclusive of labor and shipping, it is still a non-starter price on a car worth about $7K.
There are cheaper options maybe, like find a shop that specializes in rebuilding hybrid packs to fix your failing pack with ebay parts, but we're into project-car territory.

My point: There is no $3500 replacement battery available through GM. If you use $3500 in your calculus of whether or not to buy a car, you've used the wrong number. Prove me wrong; get a quote.

 

[jal]

My 2015 whole pack was $7960. ( price on gm invoice ) that didn't include the FedEx custom critical shipping or labor.

Well, to be a fair comparison, the actual battery components of my quote are only 10581.48. Was this recent?

I believe my tech is absolutely as competent as your tech; he told me that it was perfectly normal for the car to strand me under 32 degrees F. But that's another story.

 

[Aseras]

My pack was replaced late Novemeber 2016. It took them until december 15th to get it working and went right back to service high voltage as soon as it made it home 13 miles... so I shoved it down GM's throat in May.

Your quote sounds much more like they are buying each module separate and rebuilding your pack.

 

[canehdian]

My point: There is no $3500 replacement battery available through GM. If you use $3500 in your calculus of whether or not to buy a car, you've used the wrong number. Prove me wrong; get a quote.

Again, re-read post #1 and #12.
There is a core value associated with your battery. It is in the thousands.
Did you ask your dealer what they're paying you for your battery? Or are they conveniently "disposing of it for free" for you (and then claiming $ back from GM for it)?

Core charges exist on most expensive parts that can be refurbished. (even on less expensive parts as well, like brake calipers)
The invoice value of a brand new part and the actual out of pocket cost are very different things when you take the full transaction into account.

And even if the GM no longer has a core program (for whatever reason) you yourself could take the old battery and sell it for thousands to someone looking for secondary use (off grid storage, etc).
That is how the $3500 came to be. If you ignore the value of the existing battery, of course you're never going to get near the price mentioned in OP because it's apples to oranges.

 

[jal]

Again, re-read post #1 and #12.

Post 1 doesn't mention anything about a core value. It says an exchanged battery part quote was a bit over $4000. That's consistent with the quote I got for refurbished battery modules, presumably sending mine back. Post number #12 alludes to a cheaper price on parts.com but I don't see it. I see $7,198.74 / each. Where do you see core value? And why would a dealership agree to use parts.com as a part source? If it is obvious and I'm missing it, I apologize.

And even if the GM no longer has a core program (for whatever reason)

Maybe someone here can tell us. My dealer conveniently ignored it if there is one. That would be valuable knowledge. Has anyone had a battery replaced on their dime and got a substantial core return?

you yourself could take the old battery and sell it for thousands

Unlikely since they are all over car-part.com in salvage yards for as little as $900, presumably working, right now. There's one in Dubuque for $900 outright, no core charge, local pick up only, that only has 82603 miles and gave 10.2KWh on its final trip per the photos. Sadly no dealership I know of will touch it and the salvage yard lady "isn't into shipping hazardous materials", but others I have found don't have those hang-ups. There's one in Dallas for $845 plus $100 core, which wouldn't even cover shipping mine back. I doubt my known-troublesome pack would fetch even half those prices, and through what venue? Unlike lead-acid, they have little or no value to recyclers. I'd have to bust it up and sell it 2KWh at at time to hobbyists on ebay to see thousands from it.

Sorry for all the words, but near as I can tell, the core value of my pack is exactly $100 to a junkyard in Dallas, and nothing to GM.

 

[hellsop]

Post 1 doesn't mention anything about a core value. It says an exchanged battery part quote was a bit over $4000. That's consistent with the quote I got for refurbished battery modules, presumably sending mine back.

That's the core value. It's the value of the core, the refurbishable part. And "a bit over $4000" is the same as $3500 for these purposes, in that it is NOT (for example) $7500. Without the "exchanged" part, it would be a hell of a lot more money.