[Starsmiley]

SUMMARY:
GM appears to have a problem with service when a high voltage battery needs to be replaced. My 2012 volt has been at my dealership service center since mid December due to a high voltage battery issue. I've been driving a loaner car. I really want my Volt back or I want GM to replace my car with another Volt. I'm really tired of driving a car with a gas engine.

DETAIL:
My 2012 Volt has been at the service center since mid December. The service center has been good about keeping me informed but GM hasn't given them much to tell me about when my replacement battery will arrive.

I opened up a ticket with a Volt advisor last month to see if she could get more details from GM but the only thing she could tell me is that someone named Kevin checks on the status of my replacement battery daily and that the dealership is contacted with updates regularly. One positive that came from my contacting the volt advisor, other than my piece of mind that GM was working on the issue, is that the volt advisor asked me if the experience was costing me anything and I mentioned the gasoline use that I wouldn't normally pay by driving electric. So the Volt advisor entered what I said into her computer and told my dealership and my dealership service advisor told me to submit receipts for my gas usage and GM would cover it.

I've had an ICE loaner car, supplied by the dealership, since day one. In fact, I'm on my second loaner car at the moment and soon I will be onto my third loaner car. The reason for the change in loaners is that the dealership doesn't want me to go above a certain mileage on each loaner car.

Background: During the winter, I saw a couple of system messages while I was driving that said (paraphrasing) Battery too cold, plug in to charge. These messages came up when driving on gas and went away soon after coming up. Then one morning after a particularly cold night, the system message (paraphrasing) Service High Voltage Charging System came up and I could only drive on ICE.

I took the car to the dealership and showed them the service message. The dealership gave me the loaner car and started working to resolve the issue. At first, the dealership tech thought the problem was with one section of the 3 section high voltage battery so I waited a month for that section to be shipped from GM, arrive, and be installed. While the tech was road testing the vehicle prior to returning it to me, after installing the one battery section, the Service High Voltage Charging System alert came up again so the tech got GM back on the phone and while they were running tests, another battery section started to alert as being a problem. So, the tech from GM made the decision to have a whole new high voltage battery shipped; that was in late January.

Now it's the first week of April and the status hasn't changed. The dealership is still waiting for GM to ship a replacement Volt battery, can't give me any further update on the shipping status, and they are very sorry for the delay and lack of news.

I want to add that the dealership has been good to me, I like my dealership service advisor, and I believe that the dealership service department is truly doing all that they can; the Volt advisor I spoke with confirmed that GM was aware of the battery replacement being needed and was working on it.

I remember reading an article a couple of weeks ago about a Tesla owner who was waiting for the return of his Model S, which had been in a body shop for 8 months. I sympathized with the Model S owner and I wondered at the time if I would be waiting 8 months for my high voltage Volt battery replacement.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Svc]

We truly regret to learn of this experience, Starsmiley. We'd like to discuss this further, and we just sent you a private message to get the conversation started. Please review it and follow up at your earliest convenience.

We'll keep an eye out for your message!

Kindly,
Lauren E.
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[jbakerjonathan]

It's my understanding that any car rental company will increase the price of renting by a very, very substantial amount beyond the first month to discourage the use of the rental as a quasi-lease vehicle. That's based on personal experience. It makes sense from the rental company's point of view.

So, switching out rental vehicles every month makes economic sense for GM.

 

[volt spain]

''SERVICE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY",,,There are multiple threads about,,,most likely failure of the water reservoir sensor/ monitor,,,best resolved with the inexpensive WOT DEFAULT bypass device installed in minutes.!!!.

 

[Steverino]

''SERVICE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY",,,There are multiple threads about,,,most likely failure of the water reservoir sensor/ monitor,,,best resolved with the inexpensive WOT DEFAULT bypass device installed in minutes.!!!.

Yup, totally agree on the wisdom of installing the WOT Sensor. Also the VoltScreen (another <$30 device) to prevent a $1000-$1200 radiator repair.

 

[Starsmiley]

This morning, I replied to the private message from Lauren E. with Chevrolet Customer Care. Thanks to volt spain and Steverino for your suggestions but the local dealership was on the phone with an engineer from Chevrolet trying to diagnose the main battery issue so I'm fairly confident that this isn't the typical battery coolant issue. Also, I already have a voltscreen. I don't have the WOT Sensor yet but I've been considering it.

 

[Starsmiley]

Well a Chevrolet Customer Service representative has offered the following:

"At this time, we're going to reach out to [dealership] to discuss this parts delay and get things rolling. We'd love to see you back in your Volt." "Please look forward to hearing from me again, once I've been able to connect with the team at your dealership."

I'm happy that someone is trying to help but I'm curious why the customer service representative chose to contact my dealership. My dealership, like me, is just waiting for the battery to be delivered from Chevrolet, so it would make more sense to me if customer service contacted Chevrolet manufacturing first to find out the status of the replacement battery order. Maybe they have some procedure or protocol that they need to follow or maybe they need more information. Like I said, I'm just happy that someone is trying to help.

 

[Steverino]

Expect 2-3 weeks. Sorry to deliver the bad news, but some have waited that long for a relay. Low volume cars share this parts delay issue

 

[VoltenRock]

I am utterly shocked that it's mid-April and you haven't had your Volt since the end of 2016.

I've had parts delays, but the most my vehicle was ever "out-of-service" was 6 weeks -- granted, not short either -- but certainly not 4 months.

It's smart to get the Volt Advisor involved. I would also start working up the corporate GM customer service ladder to a manager/supervisor level. Get some things in writing and start asking for detailed information on precisely why there is a hold-up. I had the same error and it took almost a month for my battery part replacement. Might be worth asking for something in return -- an extended warranty, compensation for all the gas, etc

4 months seems completely unreasonable and just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Starsmiley]

@VoltenRock. Thanks. I have spoken to my dealership about an extended warranty on the voltec components (beyond the 8 year, 100,000 miles) since I've been told that I'm getting a brand new high voltage battery but the dealership warranty advisor told me that they don't offer such an extended warranty. I wanted an extended warranty because I can't imagine how much this would be costing me if it was out of pocket, 4 months of rental car expenses alone would be exorbitant. As it stands, I'm now planning to sell the volt before the voltec warranty expires because of this experience; I love my volt but I wouldn't want to be paying expenses for an event like this out of pocket.

 

[firehawk72]

@VoltenRock. Thanks. I have spoken to my dealership about an extended warranty on the voltec components (beyond the 8 year, 100,000 miles) since I've been told that I'm getting a brand new high voltage battery but the dealership warranty advisor told me that they don't offer such an extended warranty. I wanted an extended warranty because I can't imagine how much this would be costing me if it was out of pocket, 4 months of rental car expenses alone would be exorbitant. As it stands, I'm now planning to sell the volt before the voltec warranty expires because of this experience; I love my volt but I wouldn't want to be paying expenses for an event like this out of pocket.

This is the real problem for Volts above the Voltec Warranty. Are you really willing to risk a very large expense that is no longer covered by the Voltec Warranty? I personally am not. So, for me, the Volt is an 8 year or 100k mile car

 

[Starsmiley]

I decided to submit a complaint against General Motors with the Better Business Bureau. Today is almost 4 months to the day without my car and I'm on my 3rd loaner car from my dealership. Hopefully GM will take the Better Business Bureau more seriously than they have taken me and my local Chevy dealer service advisors.

 

[Starsmiley]

I got a message from the BBB saying that the complaint has been sent to General Motors and that the BBB is now waiting for GM to reply.

 

[Steverino]

This is the real problem for Volts above the Voltec Warranty. Are you really willing to risk a very large expense that is no longer covered by the Voltec Warranty? I personally am not. So, for me, the Volt is an 8 year or 100k mile car

Are you referring to a new HV battery? Transmission issues with a conventional car can be almost as expensive.

 

[firehawk72]

Are you referring to a new HV battery? Transmission issues with a conventional car can be almost as expensive.

Not really, although of course that is a component.

 

[Steverino]

I'll be hitting 90k miles this week, 100k in about 8 or 9 months. Based on my experience so far, I think I may have another 5 years or more before I start thinking about selling it.

 

[firehawk72]

I'll be hitting 90k miles this week, 100k in about 8 or 9 months. Based on my experience so far, I think I may have another 5 years or more before I start thinking about selling it.

My Volt was basically trouble free other than the BCM going out but that was covered under warranty and I would have sold it to a family member feeling really good about it; however, it was still under the Voltec Warranty. The Volt is amazing and I think it is awesome, but I am very practical about it too. There are things here that could go wrong that could add up quick. For the most part, it will need to be dealer serviced. What does that mean, that means that it is really too complicated for the average mechanic to easily repair. Most repair bills, when something does crop up, will be expensive. For me, it is better to let the car go before the Warranty is gone so the car still has more value and peace of mind. Could the Volt go many more years being trouble free? Of course, but geez, all it would take is a few things to have a hiccup and you may be without your Volt for many days or weeks and the bills could potentially pile up fast. I am not a worry wart, just being practical. For me, letting the car go before 100k or eight years makes better sense than trying to drive it into the ground. Resale value on these cars will be very low compared to a traditional car once that Voltec Warranty is gone.

 

[Starsmiley]

I got an email today from a Chevrolet Customer Service representative that my replacement high voltage battery has been shipped. So hopefully I will get my Volt back soon, assuming this information is accurate and the dealership doesn't have any further issues with installing the battery and testing the car. I wish I could say that I am happy but I think I'm more disappointed that this process has taken so long and I can't help but wonder how much longer I would have had to wait if I hadn't posted the details in this forum and filed with the Better Business Bureau.

 

[Starsmiley]

@Steverino, I understand how you feel. I had my last car, a Honda Civic HX for 11 years. When I bought my Volt in October, 2011, I wanted to keep it for a minimum of 10 years. I loved the car and when GM sent me the small scale model gift car, I showed it to everyone I worked with. I told everyone that asked me that the Volt was an amazing car, went to EV events, and offered to drive so that other people would experience the joy of riding in it.

However, I don't feel comfortable recommending it any longer because of my experience with my Volt, especially this experience, has led me not to trust it. I haven't been as lucky as you when it came to repairs, my Volt has been at the Chevy dealer at least once a year for "Service High Voltage Battery System" every year since I've owned it. It had to be towed to the dealer once because a technician at a central Florida dealership had forgotten to tighten the bolts on the metal frame covering the battery pack after servicing the high voltage system. Last year a dealership in Colorado Springs wanted to charge me over $1,000 for a repair that a second dealership covered under warranty. This year, well if you've read this whole post then you already know what's happened this year.

I love electric cars and I don't ever want to own an ICE car ever again but I can't recommend the Volt. My hope is that the Bolt is a better car because it's all electric with less parts to cause problems but I don't know. Anyway, long story short, I don't trust my car anymore and I don't want to be out of pocket for the costs after the voltec warranty expires, so I'm planning to sell before then.

All that being said, I remember reading a story about a volt owner who drove his Volt over 300,000 miles so my hope is that you and all the other Volt owners on this forum are able to do the same. Electric cars are the future and the sooner more of them are made, the better it will be for all of us.

 

[volt spain]

The NEW replacement battery from GM probably will come with another 8 yrs warranty, or not?...If you sale the repaired Volt with new battery you will not get much money either, perhaps use it for down payment on a BOLT...Good luck anyway.