2011 Chevrolet Volt: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
49 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2017 Volt, which has 695 complaints and a score of 47 against 93 complaints and a score of 94 for the 2014; the years to buy are 2014, 2015 and 2019, and 2013 and 2018 are CAUTION verdicts. The first-generation car (2011 to 2015) settles after a 2013 with 308 complaints, and the second generation from 2016 has one bad year in an otherwise clean run. Read the full note on the model page. 2011 specifically: a year the record favours — 49 complaints, score 93/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Volt, Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf: the years to avoid, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 49 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 3.27
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that water was accumulating inside the driver's side taillight assembly. The contact stated that the water caused a short circuit in the taillight, and the passenger’s side turn signal became inoperable. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and determined that the wiring harness for the driver's side taillight a…
Driver display is blank (no speed, gear position, odometer, gas tank, etc), with the exception of some warning icons like tire pressure and passenger seat belt status. Does no return after turning off power.
The car quit running when my wife was driving the car when the mileage range went down to 4 miles range remaining. The car was towed to the local Chevrolet dealership who charged over $1,000 to reset the electronics so car would run. I was advised that if battery range was run down to a low mileage range that car would quit running again and that it would have to be towed back to the dealership for the electronics …
Recalls: 1 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 15V145000 | Electrical System:Ignition | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 37 MPGe · estimated annual energy cost $2,050 · EPA range 35 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System23 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Air Bags8 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Fuel/Propulsion System6 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Engine4 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Service Brakes3 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Steering3 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
Other Chevrolet Volt years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Chevrolet Volt?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (23 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 93/100, computed from 49 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Chevrolet Volt's most common problem?
23 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Chevrolet Volt sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Chevrolet Volt cost to run per year?
About $4,601 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $23,008 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Chevrolet Volt have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 13/03/2015. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
What will a 2011 Chevrolet Volt really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 49 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 49 NHTSA complaints on record (3.3/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (16.9/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality