Second opinion on battery pack replacement on 2014 Volt

3528 Views 49 Replies 24 Participants Last post by ms2000, 2 d ago

UfMcguf

Discussion Starter · 27 d ago (Edited)

So I have a 2014 Volt with 120,000 miles that's been giving a me a check engine light and "Service High Voltage Battery System" daily since September. Back in September, I took it into the my local Chevy dealership to troubleshoot. They billed me $150 in diagnostic charges but didn't have a diagnosis. I think they ran out of time that day and told me I could bring it back the next day for another look. I didn't do that and kept running the car without issue until recently (Actually the only issue I had was having to clear the check engine light everyday so I could charge it).

Just this week I had to take it in for an emissions test. As I suspected, it didn't pass because of the recent check engine codes. So I took it back to the dealership just yesterday. They ran more diagnostics, confirmed a bad battery pack, and quoted $24k for a new one. I told them that doesn't seem like a good investment. Should I seek out a second opinion from another Chevy dealer (Milwaukee area) or just cut my losses and start shopping for a new EV? I'm already short $600 in diagnostic costs from this issue.

I should add that I'd be willing to keep the car and keep clearing the engine codes everyday if it weren't for having to pass the emissions test. I think the DMV told me if I spent over $900 trying to fix the problem that they might waive the emissions test.

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Steverino

· #2 · 27 d ago

The SHCS error has nothing to do with the gas engine emissions. In Illinois, a problem with the battery does not sink the gas engine emissions test (it has been reported).

You'l spend about $8k to 10K at Greentec Auto for a replacement battery, a considerable savings over a dealer.

I'd question whether the entire battery needs replacement.More likely it's one of the modules in a section. Replacing a module or a section should be considerably less. GM even has a kit for the dealers.

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UfMcguf

Discussion Starter · #3 · 27 d ago

Steverino said:
The SHCS error has nothing to do with the gas engine emissions. In Illinois, a problem with the battery does not sink the gas engine emissions test (it has been reported).

It's not failing the emissions test, rather just being rejected since the engine codes are in some way standing in the way of getting an accurate read on EGR, Fuel, Catalyst, Evap, O2, and HeatedO2 monitors.

Steverino said:
I'd question whether the entire battery needs replacement.More likely it's one of the modules in a section. Replacing a module or a section should be considerably less. GM even has a kit for the dealers.

Are you advocating a second opinion to confirm it's a module in a section? I'm just afraid to take it somewhere else, spends hundreds just to get the same "replace the whole battery" diagnosis.

bboaze

· #4 · 27 d ago

Maybe they can stick a probe in your exhaust pipe to measure emissions when engine is running with hood open, the same way they might do an 80s car.

UfMcguf

Discussion Starter · #5 · 27 d ago

I picked up the Volt from the dealership tonight. Yeah, based on the service report below, is it fair to say they really don't know if the battery is bad? I think they concluded it wasn't worth the time to take it out for further evaluation and I'd be better off paying $24k for a new battery pack.

Find another dealership for second opinion?

Handwriting Font Paper Paper product Document

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dvb

· #6 · 26 d ago (Edited)

Maybe you'd better use the MyGreenVolt app to check the battery element's voltages for yourself?

UfMcguf

Discussion Starter · #7 · 26 d ago

dvb said:
Maybe you'd better use the MyGreenVolt app to check the battery element's voltages for yourself?

Thanks, I hadn't heard of this before. Looks like I'd need to use my wife's Android as I can't find an iOS version. Also want to get a compatible OBDII reader. Get iCar or possibly something else?

I just hope I don't need to be a Volt enthusiast to interpret the findings from the app.

Danno

· #8 · 26 d ago

I believe that code is for an isolation fault. Did you put anything in the car's coolant other than the exact coolant specific for the car? If you put an off-the-shelf coolant or, God forbid, tap water, into the coolant reservoir, it would throw that code .

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hellsop

· #9 · 26 d ago

It's rarely an actual isolation fault. P0AA6 is also the code that was overloaded to handle the "low battery coolant" sensor trip in the overflow tank, and we've seen a couple of people with trouble with those sensor lately. There's a documented process to check whether it's ACTUALLY isolation or not: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2014/SB-10073367-9133.pdf As warranty work, that was billable as about a half an hour, so there's no legitimate reason that it will take more than a basic diagnostic charge to get a real answer.

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UfMcguf

Discussion Starter · #10 · 26 d ago (Edited)

Steverino said:
I'd question whether the entire battery needs replacement.More likely it's one of the modules in a section. Replacing a module or a section should be considerably less. GM even has a kit for the dealers.

I just talked to a different Chevy dealership service dept. They said replacing sections of the battery isn't even an option. It's the whole thing or nothing.

Would this remanufactured battery for $6k be a decent option?

www.greentecauto.com

2013-2015 Chevy Volt Remanufactured Battery Pack & Modules Assembly

Entire Chevy Volt battery pack with newer higher capacity cells from newer Volts + FREE Shipping, 18mo Unlimited mileage Warranty.

www.greentecauto.com

Off Oil

· #11 · 26 d ago

UfMcguf said:
I just talked to a different Chevy dealership service dept. They said replacing sections of the battery isn't even an option. It's the whole thing or nothing.

Would this remanufactured battery for $6k be a decent option?

2013-2015 Chevy Volt Remanufactured Battery Pack & Modules Assembly

Entire Chevy Volt battery pack with newer higher capacity cells from newer Volts + FREE Shipping, 18mo Unlimited mileage Warranty.

www.greentecauto.com

Keep in mind those cells are used, so they already have significant calendar age, and all batteries degrade due to time. It's your call if spending 6k+installation for 18 months of guaranteed use (the warranty period) is worth it.

Danno

· #12 · 26 d ago

It doesn't look to me like the dealer has even done any analysis to see what the problem is and whether a new battery is needed. They're supposed to do the procedure in the TSB posted by hellsop above but I don't see where they've done that.

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UfMcguf

Discussion Starter · #13 · 26 d ago

I think my best option now is to drive 2 hours down to Greentec in Chicago and take advantage of their free diagnostistic appointment.

Reactions: 1

Steverino

· #14 · 26 d ago

UfMcguf said:
to Greentec in Chicago

Villa Park,IL (Chicago western suburb)

Vegaman_Dan

· #15 · 25 d ago

That dealership doesn't want your business, simple as that. Find another GM dealership. Or look here for the process to reset the code for low battery coolant. It is a problem caused by GM's remote update changing the coolant level setting. Honestly this should be addresses by GM as they caused it, but they have chosen to ignore Volt owners.

pepperboyer9

· #16 · 25 d ago

I replaced my battery pack in my 2012 a year ago. Greentec said the cells combined have 20k or less miles on it. I’m getting 38-40 miles registered on a charge. I’ve gone above 40 in actual driving. For me it was worth the price to replace due to the crazy prices of new and used cars and because this was the first issue with this car ever at then 119k miles. I also replaced the 12 volt battery at that time too.

Reactions: 5

jhardis

· #17 · 25 d ago

UfMcguf said:
Just this week I had to take it in for an emissions test. As I suspected, it didn't pass because of the recent check engine codes

FYI, any diagnostic codes may cause a failure of the “emission” test. In my case it was for a charging socket that needed replacement.

Rhepler

· #18 · 25 d ago

You said you were able to charge after clearing codes. How does you battery mileage before & after the codes appeared. Also if it is an isolation issue it could be the battery heater. I would look for another dealer or Volt competent repair facility to properly troubleshoot it.

Reactions: 1

imanjunk1963

· #19 · 25 d ago

Did you search this forum for the codes you should have detected if you used Autozone to show you all the codes before resetting. I had 3, 2 generic and one that pointed to a tsb that wound up apply the latest software for my 2014 that included the CELL REBALANCING but more so the sensor RECALIBRATION fix that GM did not tell me about but eventually came to my 2014. Hopefully you also have changed your 3 coolant loops at least once already. Once they applied the TSB my high voltage alert went away permanently but I too reset my codes daily to charge until I could get into the dealer. The 3 codes escapem me so search this forum where I am sure I posted too.

Gregn

· #20 · 25 d ago

UfMcguf said:
So I have a 2014 Volt with 120,000 miles that's been giving a me a check engine light and "Service High Voltage Battery System" daily since September. Back in September, I took it into the my local Chevy dealership to troubleshoot. They billed me $150 in diagnostic charges but didn't have a diagnosis. I think they ran out of time that day and told me I could bring it back the next day for another look. I didn't do that and kept running the car without issue until recently (Actually the only issue I had was having to clear the check engine light everyday so I could charge it). Just this week I had to take it in for an emissions test. As I suspected, it didn't pass because of the recent check engine codes. So I took it back to the dealership just yesterday. They ran more diagnostics, confirmed a bad battery pack, and quoted $24k for a new one. I told them that doesn't seem like a good investment. Should I seek out a second opinion from another Chevy dealer (Milwaukee area) or just cut my losses and start shopping for a new EV? I'm already short $600 in diagnostic costs from this issue. I should add that I'd be willing to keep the car and keep clearing the engine codes everyday if it weren't for having to pass the emissions test. I think the DMV told me if I spent over $900 trying to fix the problem that they might waive the emissions test.

Im actually going through something similar right now. Just head in the sand and resetting the codes every time I plug in. Talked to a guy over the phone and he said “oh yeah, this is happening a lot. You’ve got a bad charge controller”. I looked in the forums and this seems to be an issue with 2017s, not 2013s like mine. So no official diagnosis yet. But riddle me this: when you reset the codes, can you get normalbattery range on a full charge? Because if yes, how could it possibly be a bad battery? Sounds like lazy and uninformed troubleshooting to me. From the forums I’ve read the first two things to check are battery coolant level, maybe even to a flush and fill, and next is battery Coolant float level sensor. I’d give those a try first. And no.. you’re not going to spend $24k on a new battery for a car worth $11k. Also, i think it would only he $24k if you threw your existing battery in the trash and bought a new one. There’s a substantial core trade in value. Furthermore, they should be able to replace the bad cells, not the whole battery pack. Still, the labor is going to kill you, but you wouldn’t ne anywhere near $24k from my understanding.

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