2011 Chevrolet Volt: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt
On the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, the failure owners report most often is other electrical problem, and the reports cluster around 70,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 57,500 miles. Overall it scores 67 out of 100, high risk for a 2011.
High risk for a 2011 — 228th riskiest of the 283 2011 vehicles we can rate. 64 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 21 named failure modes on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, and the three most-reported carry 38% of everything filed.
Other electrical problem leads with 12 reports, about 1.4 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 36k to 95,000 miles.
Instrument cluster or gauge failure follows with 7 reports, median 85,000 miles.
Software fault or failed update follows with 5 reports, median 100,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into electrical (19), infotainment (7) and fuel (6).
The mileage the reports cluster at
49 of the reports on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 57,500 miles.
Cumulatively, 41% by 50,000 miles, 78% by 100,000 miles and 98% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 1 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 80,000 and 90,000 miles, which alone holds 16% of the dated reports.
35% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 21. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 1 report came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 4 mention a crash and 3 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.36, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, instrument cluster or gauge failure at $350–$1,400, software fault or failed update at $0–$600 and alternator or charging system failure at $450–$1,600. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
13% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 12 | 8 | 36k | 70k | 93k | 1.4 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 7 | 7 | — | 85k | — | 0.8 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Software fault or failed update | software | 5 | 5 | — | 101k | — | 0.6 | $0–$600 | Moderate |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 4 | 1 | — | 104k | — | 0.5 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 4 | 2 | — | 40k | — | 0.5 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 29k | — | 0.4 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Fuel gauge or level sensor failure | fuel | 3 | 3 | — | 85k | — | 0.4 | $300–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 3 | 2 | — | 76k | — | 0.4 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 1 | — | 58k | — | 0.2 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 2 | 2 | — | 12k | — | 0.2 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 45k | — | 0.2 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 2 | 1 | — | 45k | — | 0.2 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 16k | — | 0.2 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Electrical fire or melted wiring | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 8k | — | 0.1 | $1,500–$9,000 | Critical |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure | body | 1 | 1 | — | 45k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 65k | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 1 | — | 55 | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 17k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 1 | 1 | — | 53k | — | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 5 | 4 | — | 89k | — | 0.6 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt draws about 7.6 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 90th percentile of complaint rates among 2011 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 8,372 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2011 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other electrical problem
Driver's instrument panel (lcd display) blackout. The lcd display simply did not come on as it normally did when I turned on the vehicle. I am driving "blind" can't tell how fast I'm going, how much gas is left, can't see if the turn signals are blinking, don't know how much charge I have on the battery etc. Etc. I've waited for 4 days now to see if the display comes on on its own for some reason; however, it is time to take it to the dealer; it is not safe to drive it this way.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet volt. The contact stated that the instrument panel lighting failed to illuminate. As a result, the contact was unable to read the speedometer or any other information displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or local mechanic for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000.
Software fault or failed update
As an electric vehicle, when running on battery, it is difficult to know when the vehicle is left running. Upon returning home one day, I exited the vehicle and plugged it in. I didn't realize at the time, that I had not turned off the volt by pressing the blue power switch on the dashboard. The next morning, I came into my enclosed garage and could hear the volt's gas powered generator running. I looked at the dash display and could see the volt had not charged, had used up all remaining battery, and had been running on gas generator for some time. My concern is regarding carbon dioxide poisoning risks. I have tried over the past 60 days to get a response out of gm as a volt owner and I feel they are stonewalling me as they have not responded to me on this concern despite three different inquiries on my behalf. This is very unusual for gm who normally is quite responsive. I propose if the vehicle can sense it is plugged in that it should shut down should the battery become depleted rather than turn on the gas generator to keep the car running. I'm confident gm can detect the car is plugged in so programmatically I'm not…
Recalls on the 2011 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, affecting an estimated 8,372 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
50,236 vehicles 2015-03-13- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2011 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2011 — 228th riskiest of the 283 2011 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.
Across the 9 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2011 comes out best at 67 and 2018 worst at 78, with 2011 itself at 67.
No other year of this model scores meaningfully better than 2011, so if this generation is what you want, the year is not the lever.
Within the 2011–2014 generation specifically, 2011 is the strongest year at 67 and 2013 the weakest at 70.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2011-2014 generation, 2011 Chevrolet Volt scores best at 67 and 2013 Chevrolet Volt worst at 70.
What the numbers say to check
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other electrical problem from about 36k.
On a 2011 Chevrolet Volt with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other electrical problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.
The limits of complaint data
64 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 64 reports, 49 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 77% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Chevrolet Volt?
The most-reported failures are other electrical problem (12 reports, median 70,000 miles), instrument cluster or gauge failure (7 reports, median 85,000 miles) and software fault or failed update (5 reports, median 100,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2011 Chevrolet Volt problems start?
Other electrical problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 70,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 35,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 57,500 miles.
Is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt reliable?
It scores 67 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 228th riskiest of the 283 2011 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2011 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Chevrolet Volt is best?
Within the 2011–2014 generation, 2011 scores best at 67 out of 100 and 2013 worst at 70. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed