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My 2012 Volt falling apart???

5K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  TheStepChild 
#1 ·
First off, if you asked me for the first 2 1/2 years if I loved the car, I would not have hesitated and would swear to anyone that I would get another for my next car. Now??? Hmm let me think about it.

Thanks to this forum a lot of the issues that I have experienced I was able to find on this forum and when it happened to me it was useful ammunition to call GM for assistance, so thank you all for that!!!!!

To recap my issues
- 2011 – 2013 if I went to the dealer it was for any recalls and oil changes then the fun began.

May 2014 49k miles – Service Engine or Charger error msg came on I believe.
• Dealer did the following: Reprogram Power Inverter Module N130202 and did a Hybrid HV Battery Cooling System Pressure test

August 2014 52k miles – That "noise" that some unfortunately experienced

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2ulyuyBVE8
• Dealer replaced Drive Motor Rotor Bearing Replacement

March 2015 60k miles – This might have been a recall
• Dealer did N140274 Liftgate Strut Replacement

May 2015 62k miles – Service Engine or Charger error msg
• This time dealer does a Drive Motor Battery Coolant Level Sensor Replacement, a N140617 Body Control Module Reprogramming with SPS, and N140522 Replace Evaporative Emission Canister and Evaporative Emission Hose

July 2015 65k miles – Servie Engine or Charger error msg
• This time dealer does a Connector with Leads Assembly Replacement

October 2015 69k miles – service light on again I believe
• This time dealer does a battery energy control module reprogramming with SPS (2nd time this year)

November 2015 – 71k Miles – Leaking fluid, engine light on
• This one I found on the forum thankfully otherwise I would have been stuck with this bill. Dealer needed to replace Drive Motor battery coolant, the cracked Radiator, and add 2nd Grille Screen. Apparently due to poor design (location) others are having this happen to them.

January 2016 – 73k Miles – Service light on again I believe
• Drive Motor Battery charger receptacle replacement

May 2016 – 79k miles – Notice a humming noise coming from somewhere (more prevalent over 35 mph) and my passenger side headlight sometimes works, sometimes doesnt.
o Dealer had to replace the wheel bearing to fix the humming noice and for the light, they found that condensation was insight the headlamp assembly which needed a complete replacement.

So whats next? What haven’t I experience from the lovely service bulletins??
 
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#2 ·
At least half (maybe more?) of those items are recalls. It sounds like your car could have been one of the first that indicated to GM that a recall was required. I know this doesn't make you feel better, but that is still half the number of times my mom has had to take her C-Max in for a recall in the same period of time. I hate to say it, but it is one of the risks you face purchasing the first generation of any new drivetrain assembly.

Now this isn't meant as an effort to blame the victim, but I've also had some of those service charger/coolant issues. However, the only time they came up is when the car was undergoing borderline abuse. We had a really hot summer and my garage at the time was not ventilated. The morning I first got the error, I opened my garage door at 5 am and it was still between 90 and 100 F. You wouldn't happen to be in an extremely hot climate or have a poorly ventilated garage?
 
#5 ·
I've had many of the same issues with my Volt and yes, the number of times I've been to the dealer is much higher than my previous car. However, as others have said, this is a first generation vehicle offering many first-time technologies. Most of these items are not major failures IMO (except for the bearing failure...GM should have caught that design issue during validation).

The last time my car was at the dealership was last summer for a charging issue. I think they replaced the on-board charger, charge port, and did some other stuff. It was all covered under the Voltec warranty. No issues since. I'm also in MI and I drive my car REALLY hard, plus it gets to full charge/discharge cycles every day. Overall, I'm still happy with the purchase if not my monthly payment.

GM has learned a LOT since the launch of the first Gen Volt and I would be VERY comfortable purchasing Gen II or a Bolt, confident that Gen I learnings have been built in to the new platforms.
 
#6 ·
You have 3 or 4 trips for service related to battery coolant. I'm not the tech inspecting that car but it could have been an inability to diagnose that damaged front radiator.
You might consider another service facility. Your Volt Adviser may be of help.

All Volt owners should make monthly checks of the battery coolant level.
 
#8 ·
Sounds like you have had some bad luck with your car. I think a lot of Volt owners are willing to overlook a certain amount of that, considering it is new technology and generally has been covered under warranty. I think most of us have had half of those things done. And it helps to have optimism about getting past those issues. But if you think your car is going downhill, I get your frustration. I hope my car does not start having a lot of problems. Might get rid of it if it does.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I don't really see how you leap frog to falling apart. Any new car could experience a damaged radiator. The other items were recalls and know issues for the most part and not that many. Some were just software updates

It looks like you had it to the dealer fewer times in the 80K miles that you have had it than you would have had in oil changes and brake pad replacements. And it all was covered under warranty, (except the radiator I presume).

I can think of 70 million owners that wish the only problem they had with their car was what you have listed.
 
#10 ·
Well for those who think its just recalls your crazy. Now at 82k miles I have been to the dealer 3 more times in 8 days for the same issue. Both Engine and Service Voltec lights are on and vehicle wont charge. They replaced a wiring harness and another part so far. GM actually sent out an engineer today and are trying a couple software updates that are only on the engineers laptop. Time will tell....
 
#11 ·
mines ok, but aging. its developed a few rattles now, albeit less than other daily drivers i've owned over the last decade, and in general its ok.

I do think its reasonable to say its been the simplest and lowest issue daily driver to own that I've ever owned.

The fact that its worth 9 grand doesn't make me feel like a smart consumer. And I guess for that reason I'd be disinclined to buy another, but it has been a good car.
 
#12 ·
there is one issue, it has charred outlets over and over. I've replaced them several times, it charges on a standard 110 outlet, but they do actually char. I suppose that could be considered disconcerting.
 
#14 ·
Sorry to hear about your issues.

If it makes you feel better, I've got everyone beat I do believe. Tuesday will be 3 weeks straight my volt has been at Milford proving grounds for repairs, this time. Last trip to Milford was almost 2 weeks long. I had the car back for a week in between. Yup, 5 out of the last 6 weeks it's been out for repairs. Do I need to mention the 19 visits for repairs and issues before....

Truly sucks.

Hope yours gets fixed faster
 
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