2017 Chevrolet Volt: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
695 NHTSA owner complaints · 0 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. 2017 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 695 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Volt, Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf: the years to avoid, including 2017 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 695 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 77.22
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 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that he had experienced a recurring loss of propulsion that would occur shortly after vehicle startup, which was attributed to a failure with the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM). The failure caused the check engine, ABS, Stabili-Trak, and Forward Collision Avoidance warning lights to illuminate. The contact informed the local dealer of the failure and wa…
Chevrolet is denying that my car is included in Special Coverage Bulletin N232432680, because of where it was built. The car is now in Kentucky, which is not a CARB state. Was the reason for a vehicle not to be included in the bulletin because it would be included under CARB? It seems like a loophole they are using not to fix my car. Am I wrong?
While driving down highway rapidly slowed to 15mph. "reduced propulsion" was displayed with significant battery and gas left. Caused cars to swerve and pile up behind me. The car was inspected by dealer and received a variety of U26XXX codes. Dealer states its a faulty BECM. There was no warning lights on before the incident and have had no issues till then. We were lucky this was during the day. Nighttime would have…
Recalls: 0 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
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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 42 MPGe · estimated annual energy cost $1,450 · EPA range 53 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 System309 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System233 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Power Train219 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine181 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other113 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Vehicle Speed Control32 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Chevrolet Volt years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Chevrolet Volt?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (309 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 Chevrolet Volt a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 47/100, computed from 695 NHTSA complaints and 0 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 Chevrolet Volt's most common problem?
309 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 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 2017 Chevrolet Volt cost to run per year?
About $4,846 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $24,232 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.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2017 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.
Strong evidence — 695 complaints, 0 recalls on record
- 695 NHTSA complaints on record (77.2/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (16.9/yr)
- 0 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems