GM needs your car to keep going. They should fix it so you can keep logging miles. Best advertising money spent. We want to see how long this car will last.
Wow man, that mileage is insane. I'm amazed that it has gotten as far as it had, Chevy missed a massive opportunity to market this vehicle as it should have and they most definitely should recognize your acomplishment.
My 2012 chevy volt has 191k miles and range on electric now is reduced to 32 miles. No problems with car till I wrecked into a post at Walmart and the ecu located in the left fender wire harness got damages bad so I will be replacing the engine wire harness and then front bumper and left fender. I get 40 miles per gallon with non ethanol gas and or 93 octane gas. I did a trick to keep engine from high rpm in low propulsion mode, I took tape and blocked the amount of air coming to the intake tube. That may be why it still gets 40 miles per gallon. Since GM updated the software for the propulsion problem it don't jump into low propulsion any more.
At your mileage you certainly got your money's worth it. Mine will rust out before it gets anything near that mileage being in the rust belt.. I like how you just keep driving it into the ground.. Get every last value for your dollar from it.
So true. I'm just very disappointed in our Dealerships that we trust to repair and maintain our Vehicles. I feel due to their errors I totally lost all my fuel savings vs a conventional vehicle. I do realize I don't believe a regular gas car could come close to the abuse I put this vehicle through on a daily basis! This is the most over built over engineered vehicle I have Every Owner. Zero Complaints with this vehicle!! It is still and ALWAYS will be My Dream Car!!!
Thinking of buying a used Chevy Volt. I got carjacked on May 9th and the police recovered it full of bullet holes and blood on the door. My car is a total loss. Regarding your Volt: The fact that you got over 400k miles is AMAZING. You definitely have more patience than I do!
Be careful about buying older volts. More than 7 years old. The battery doesn't care about miles but it does seem to react negatively to time. The battery did show weakness after about year 6 and around 400,000 miles. If you're looking at a used volt and have a moment to test drive it. Run the battery to about half empty (15-20) miles left and find an on ramp with an uphill grade and floor the volt for about 5-8 seconds. If the generator starts that's a sign the battery had dropped to a low voltage and it called on the generator to keep the volt around 360v. This means the battery had more degradation than you're willing to buy. Leave it because you're heading for problems with it.
I just bought gen 2 2016 LT with 75k miles for $14k currently getting 32-36 miles on ev. Probably go up once it warms up in the summer to 40-47 miles on ev I’m estimating and at 85-90k miles I’ll just complain to Chevy and have them replace the battery for free since it’s still under warranty. I love this car so much it’s so nice, base model means less weight more mpgs. Cheers.
It car is Absolutely Over Engineered!! I must tell you I think the Older the battery gets the more problems you may encounter. My wife's 13 only had 145k and started having charging issues like mine towards the end. If you can fix it yourself, buy one!
@@undeadkhaos9096 No Issues around 130k except wheel bearing replacement which is every 100k. I would get a used volt but it would be a 14 or newer to get HOLD MODE in the software. 13's have it but the software is slower and less polished. I don't think miles matter on a volt. More about time with the battery than miles on the battery.
@@erickbelmer9350 yeah, I'm trying to find a bolt that's 2013+ for Bluetooth audio streaming, but I saw a video by Barnacules Nerdgasm about his volt having charge issues, and the charge door breaking, but anyways, thanks for the input, the wheel bearings shouldn't be too difficult for me to do myself, hopefully, anyways
Just takes one cell to read low to give the appearance of low state of charge and of course the engine will run. 400k miles is most likely past it's design life. Thanks for the updates over the years and so sorry about Lords Town. My 2012 has 115k and so far behaves like when new, it's garage kept in Colorado.
Totally awesome report. Hope you can get a Chevy tech rep to check in on this so that you get proper service. When new our 2013 had cooling system problems. It took several dealer trips to fix. Unfortunately the dealer service folks were learning on our car. Then our Volt had issues with the battery charging system when it had less that 5000 miles on it. It took several trips to the dealer and yes, they replaced the charging port too, but that wasn't the issue. I finally told them I wanted to swap under the state lemon law. They asked for one more chance before doing this. I told them to keep the car as long as they needed. They had the car for 12 days and along with a lot of consulting with Chevy tech they got it fixed properly and now it has been trouble-free for the past four years.
Man your Volt experience is really inspiring. I’ve had my 2013 for 5 1/2 years (80,000 miles odo) and was honestly getting a little bored, thinking of changing up. I keep seeing your vids and other’s similar stories and realize I probably have the best thing on the road! I’ve decided to keep this thing as long as it keeps doing its thing. I want to be the weird old guy that’s still driving his gen 1 Volt in twenty years.
Do you use yours in a warm or cold climate? I have a new '19 Volt Premier, and they're much better even, than the old Generation 1 Volts! I love the hell outta my car! I'm averaging over 90 MPG, and sometimes well over 100.
Poor Sparkie, I hope that accident won't be the sad end to a great story. But that depends entirely on the dealership repair skills I guess. Good to hear the internet folks could help you out in some regards. Still, my Ampera (european Volt) is the dream car and I want to get at least 310k miles on it (500k kilometers) Your car is the example that it's possible, thank you sir! Greetings from Germany
Wow....you are my hero.....I love driving my cars over 200,000 miles, so someone going over 400,000 is my hero! I am sorry to hear about your car issues, but man, to see a car even get around at that mileage is wonderful! Best of luck!
Thank you for the update . Sad to hear that your Volt is struggling. I don't know if you're is the highest mileage Volt but it gives me hope that ultra high mileage is possible. Please keep us posted on your progress and how things are going.
Wow, thanks for the upate, Erick! You have far more patience than me. Kudos for keeping Ol' Sparkie going for so long. I hope you get it all sorted once Springtime comes.
Just dropped $6,500 on my 2014 115,000 mile Volt on AC evaporator, both front axles, motor mounts and complete fluid change. You can buy a similar used one for a thousand more but I've had this since new and never spent a penny on it till now. If I get another 100,000 out of it I'll be happy.
@@erickbelmer9350 Just dropped $40,000 in repairs on my 1991 porsche 911 turbo, $6,500 is baby shit, I love my Volt more as it handles better and has saved my life more than once.
I racked up so many miles so quickly due to driving 7800 miles a month back then the the 10,000 mile insurance claim was gone in a month in a half. I was screwed after that. The insurance company wanted to total it due to miles anyway. With this many miles, any mechanical failure could not be proven to be from the accident.
I took my 2012 volt on a trip of 2200 km from Edmonton to Las Vegas, all kilometres with the engine light on, the “ service high voltage battery” code. The car drove like a regular gas car with low fuel consumption of 6.3l/100 km. Car gave me no issues of any kind even with temperature of 115 F / 46 C in Vegas. Drove to Grand Canyon and back to Edmonton, all in 10 days and 6000km total mileage. This just proves how well made this car is, a true plug in hybrid. Even if not in electric mode it performs just fine. Drove like that for last 20,000km. Planning to fix it eventually, currently have 148000km on it. Just love my Volt!!!
We bought a 2017 Volt in 2020 with about 32,000 miles on it. We drove out to the desert on a cool April day. My husband drove the car at almost 80 mph on the empty road. We stopped for a restroom break. When I got out of the car, it was still running. I realize now that it was due to the operating temperature. We were using the gas engine. It had gotten to 255! I've read on forums that 225 is alright for the Volt. Do you have any experience with understanding high temperatures? I'm paranoid now. We mostly drive electric and I rarely need to buy gas (went 5 months once.) Thanks.
I totally agree with dealers trying to rip you off. I had a similar experience with my Volt. Charge port failed. Brought it in, and they absolutely insisted that it needed a new $500 shifter. I balked. Told them to fix the port. Then they wanted to bill me for diagnossing the shifter problem that didn't exist. 3000 miles later, it was all the charge port.
Same here, David. The shift stick on my Ampera was stuck. The shop said they needed to replace the onboard charger, a really expensive job. I measured a short on the charge port and decided to swap it myself. Cost was $70 and it took me 10 minutes to figure out how to disconnect the high voltage system and another 10 minutes to do the physical swap of the charge port. It's just secured with a few screws. Nothing needs to come off. I see Eric was charged $800 for this job, which is similar to what the shop wanted here in Norway. Ridiculous. If I had taken their advice, they still would've had to replace the port! It seems like shops view this car as an alien artifact and always over-quote in the hopes that we just give up. Don't be fooled. Do the research. The gm-volt.com forum is a good resource.
What, there's no 500,000 mile power train warranty!? Lol I say you got your money's worth from your volt! I appreciate your follow up and your general candor. I bought a used volt based on your original 400,000 mile video and do not regret the decision. Thank you for your videos!
Your coolant leak is what is causing the "service high voltage system" to come on. You need to top off the antifreeze, then clear the code and it will start charging again. Problem is, once it gets low of coolant it will stop charging again and the process has to start all over. If you top off, clear code, then keep it topped off it will continue to charge.
Hey there, this video still impresses even over 3 years later. My 2015 is running strong at a relatively paltry 175K miles, with the only odd thing an intermittent CEL that never appears for the mechanics. Ah well, doesn't seem to impact driving it!
@@erickbelmer9350 You don't want cooling problems as that affects the battery. Don't let battery fall to 0 before engaging mountain mode, helps with the range
I have a 2013 volt bought new with 90k miles. It's a great car. I was sideswiped once and the car survived very well. I had a Prius that was rear ended and it was totaled. Glad I can put a lot more miles on the car. Drives like new!
I kept getting the service high voltage warning and took it to Chevy and had it fixed with a software upgrade for about $200. Still getting great service out of mine.
I got that message about 10 times with 8 dealership visits at about $200 each. Would only stage off about 60 days. I have up and had to drive it's last 30,000 miles on the generator 🙁.
@@erickbelmer9350 I bought mine (2013 model) in 2018 with 92k miles on it. Had the recall done before 100k and had no problems until I replaced the 12v battery and it started again. Took it to the dealership and they gave me 2 software upgrades and the problem was resolved. Before that, I would use a code reader to clear the code and it will charge as normal. I just kept it in the car with me.
I had a 2013 volt and got T-boned the other day and lost it, they totaled it. I sure miss that car, loved it!! By the way , I didnt get a scratch on me the good Lord and the curtain airbags saved me. He hit me on the drivers side right at the mirror, no wonder they have a 5 star safety rating!!
GM put alot of time into the research and development of this. Since they realize cross overs are selling so much, they stopped making the Volt because of this. So hopefully the Bolt and Bolt EUV can inherit all the greatness the first Volt gave us.
Thanks for the video, Eric! Mine crossed 100.000 km yesterday, so I thought it'd be good to see what issues to expect down the road. Sorry about that accident, though. It seems you could've driven all electric had you just been able to replace that charger. I had a similar thing happen to mine, where the car would no longer charge and only displayed that same error message. The shop quoted something like $2500 for replacing the charger (Norwegian prices), which was not going to happen. I measured a short in the charge port, bought one for $60 and replaced it myself in less than 10 minutes. That's what they charged you $800 for. For those inspired; Just remember to disconnect the high voltage system by popping out the center console and pulling out the orange plug first. I know it won't be as easy in your case, as the charger itself needs replacement, but maybe you can find one from a wreck. I'm sure it could be cheaper than what you were quoted if you find someone who would dare to do the replacement. Or perhaps you could just find out where the system is leaking and seal it. Anyway, looking forward to your 500.000 mile update! Edit: I see you sold it now. Hope the new owner reaches 999.999! :)
Thank you for the update! Sadly, it sounds like Volt owners will need to question every repair the dealership tells them they will need. I hope you are able to find a more competent and more honest dealership to service your car.
Dealerships are now charging up to $200 per hour. They owe it to customers to spend what's necessary to train their mechanics. A neighbors son spent $10,000 training through a Ford apprenticeship program. The dealership where he completed his training started this recent high school graduate $30 an hour once he completed the 10 month program. More highschools should direct students to tech programs. With the advent of high tech vehicles, the days of the shade tree mechanic are past. Thank you for sharing your story. The GM headquarters might provide assistance in getting Sparkie back on the road and continuing your inspiring story.
I’m driving a 2012 Volt with 87k km and found that the famous “service high voltage charging system” code had to do with low coolant in both of the front coolant reservoirs, once topped up and code cleared it was all good, when code was on, so was the check engine light and could not charge the vehicle until codes were cleared, keep updating us man on your high mileage Volt, that’s really great info. Also there is a recall stating “Loss of propulsion due to low cell voltage”, when requested to have it addressed ( basically it’s a software update) here in Canada at the dealer, was told they have no remedy for it yet, but the recall was issued in September of 2019, what a joke, my car drives ok so I left it as is for now but want to get different opinions from other service techs as it sounds odd, till later guys
That's crazy. I just bought a 2014 Shevy Volt and it's an amazing car. The only problem I've had with it is a bad Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensor but that ain't a big deal. It's good to see what condition it can end up in with more and more miles on it. Very informal video.
Sorry to hear about your problems. I’ve got a 2012 (14-plate registered U.K.) Vauxhall Ampera and I’ve only done 42,000 on mine. Averaging about 8-9,000 a year so mine will probably rust and fall apart before getting anywhere near your mileage. Hope yours gets sorted soon.
Be Encouraged about the body holding up. I only wash my volt about 5 times a year and it still doesn't have significant rust under it or on body panels. Ohio uses lots of salt and road deicing chemicals.
@@erickbelmer9350 Erick, that is awesome to hear. I have a 2014 kept in Wisconsin (we also use lots of road salt) and I'm only putting on about 4,000 miles a year. I was hoping to keep this car a very loooong time. Thanks so much for documenting your experiences with the Volt over the long-haul!
Chevy Volt uses less gas than Tesla, Nissan Leaf or Chevy Bolt In March 2019 General Motors will stop producing the Chevy Volt forever. Please help spread the word by sharing and retweeting this article hopefully to convince GM to continue the production of this legendary car, or to convert the Bolt from an All-Electric to an Electric Gas Hybrid plug in The state of California gives a larger rebate to Tesla owners than to Chevy Volt owners because the Tesla is a “Zero Emission” car. In reality the Chevy Volt is closer to zero emission than the Tesla. This may not make sense to you so please read on to see my reasoning. As an owner of three different Chevy Volts Plug in electric / gas hybrid cars since 2011, I can affirm you that my experience with those three cars and my experience with the Chevy Volt is that they use much less fossil fuel (Gas) than Tesla, Nissan leaf or Chevy Bolt. This may sound as an absurd statement but if you let me explain to you why, then it may make more sense, When a person owns an all electric car (Tesla, Leaf, Bolt) it is never a primary car. The owner must own a second car as the primary car. This is usually a regular gas car that in the long run it uses much more fossil fuel than a Chevy Volt. In other words the total fossil fuel usage for this household is much more than that for a person who owns a Chevy Volt. The Chevy Volt for this household is the primary car (no range limit) and there is no need for a second (more long distant) reliable car. Also should note the environmental impact of owning two cars over one car which would include parts that needs to be replaced and those used parts will eventually end in the dump, 4 additional rubber tires to care for, oil changes, transmission oil, brake pads, tune ups, cost for the additional insurance etc. As soon as a person purchases an all electric car he develops a (RAD) range anxiety disorder, it is a disease I invented in my head to explain to you how a new owner of an all electric car starts to thinks shortly after purchasing the car ( sort of similar to buying a Boat: as the saying goes: the two happiest days in a man’s life is the day he buys a Boat and the day he sells it). Most of the general public (even most owners of the Chevy Volt) are not aware of this “RAD”. When an owner of a Chevy Volt travels any distant he will always be going from point A to point B. When an owner of a Tesla, Leaf, Bolt travel any distance that is close to the 50% range of the car’s battery capacity or more, he or she no longer can travel from point A to point B. It will always will be point A to point C. The reason is point B will HAVE TO BE a stop to use some form of a commercial charger thus diverting from A to B path (travel distance increased so is the fossil fuel usage) and the commercial charger uses of (fossil fuel) to charge the car. Example if a Tesla owner lives in Pasadena, Ca. wants to visit relatives in San Diego, Ca.. This Tesla owner will be very apprehensive that his or her car my not make the round trip and they could get stranded somewhere in between putting their life on the line. They have to stop at some Tesla charging station in between to get the Tesla charged or the battery switched while the relative who lives in San Diego will use their gas guzzling (fossil fuel) car to pick them up at the Tesla charging station to bring them to their house and when they are done visiting, this relative will have to take them back to the charging station using the same gas guzzling car, that is four trips. When owners of an all electric car taking any extended trip they must be on their toes learning and knowing the whole network that they can use to recharge their car (Point B to point C). If those charge stations are busy charging other cars then they must wait possibly buying foods and drinks (that used fossil fuel to make, and produce more trash to fill landfills). If the car is completely discharged then they will have to stay at a hotel overnight, because those All- Electric cars can take as much as 18 hours to fully recharge. Boy think about the amount of fossil fuel used to keep a person in a hotel overnight, electricity to operate AC / Heater, watching TV, hair drying, washing sheets and towels, laundry, food and the trash generated by such a one night stay. They also will need some form of transportation from the charging station to the hotel and back (more fossil fuel). Those all electric car companies may use sells gimmicks like DC charging where you can get quick charging in a short period of time. I say nonsense, you have to find a charging station with such a DC charging capability and hopefully there is nobody else ahead of you waiting to use it. Some people might thing in the back of their head that some hotels may have a one or two charging station for customers to use, I can guarantee you that those charging station will charge you an arm & a leg (more direct and indirect fossil fuel use) before you charge your car. In other word they: CHARGE LOTS OF MONEY TO CHARGE YOUR CAR. My experience with hotels chargers is that they either don't work or you can not charge your car with them (Tesla requires a special charger). If Tesla owners think that they can knock on peoples doors and ask them if they would allow them to use their electrical outlet in their garage to charge their car while they are sitting in their car, they better think again. It is not only unpractical, not workable and damn right dangerous. In some areas around the country if you knock on peoples door to recharge your car then you could end up on some TV true crime show. When I was a child my father told me the following saying “Good health is like a crown on the heads of healthy people, only sick people can see”. Chevy Volts drivers wear a crown (No Range Anxiety Disorder) only owners of Tesla, Leaf & Bolt drivers can see this crown. The state of California calls those all electric cars as “Zero Emission” while in fact they either directly or indirectly use more gas than the Chevy Volt. The Chevy Volt should be the car that gets the White pool lane sticker and should get more state rebate than the Tesla. People who have never owned a Chevy Volt have no idea how little gas it uses. Over the past almost 8 years of using my Chevy Volts most of the times I can not even remember the last time I purchased gas. Chevy Volt is also a great maintenance free car, I can write a real long article about all the benefits of owning a Chevy Volt but not this time. I think Mr. Bob Lutz (the person who forced GM to make the Volt) against all odds i.e. “GM engineers” should receive the Nobel prize for his idea and persistence. Had GM added a gas generator in the Chevy Bolt the same size as the gas generator in the Chevy Volt then the Chevy Bolt would have become (BVOLT) and would have become the greatest selling car in the world. Unfortunately Mr. Bob Lutz no longer works for GM and GM executive are now forced to listen to “GM engineers” to make their decisions. Even if I lived in an apartment building with no electric outlets in the parking section I will still purchase a Chevy Volt to use it as a gas only car. On gas only, without ever being plugged in for charging, it gets more than 40 miles per gallon. This mileage combined with almost no maintenance and the incredible torque this car has, makes this car better than the gas cars made by Honda, Toyota, Nissan combined. The 100% electric drive makes the main function of the gas engine is to charge the battery or run the electric motor. This means this gas engine is under no stress to propel the car which make this engine run under little mechanical degradation, which means it can easily run half a million to one million miles without much of a problems. Until someone makes an All-Electric car that is powered by a super-capacitor (or other means) that can be fully charged in minutes AND those charging facilities are present at all gas stations, then All-Electric cars are not “Zero Emission” and not even close to being the lowest emission cars on the market. Super-capacitor cars I do not envision to be around anytime soon and until such a car becomes a reality then I say to the whole world that is watching : “The Emperor's New Clothes, he hasn't got anything on,". To all the auto industry CEO's with visions, missions of a “Zero Emission” cars : the jig is up because it is not in the All-Electric cars. The Volt has the lowest emission of most if not all (including All-Electric) cars and should receive the Nobel prize for being the greatest car ever built. Owner of 3 Chevy Volts for 8 years.
Fantastic write-up. Spot on about needing a second car too. My wife and I owned a Nissan Leaf and a second (first) car. RAD was a very real issue. My wife drove the Leaf to work and around town. We otherwise drove my Mercury Milan. This was my sleeper. With an HO v6. Oh it was fast and very comfortable to ride in. But it only got 21 not. Knock on wood,my Volt with50k+ miles will keep going for a long while. Let's hope GM transitions the Volt architecture and technology into future vehicles .
The third generation Volt was cancelled due to GM not paying. I have retired from freelance vehicle design but I still do some research Ect. My newest prototype allows for optimum ignition timing advance. Which makes engines more powerful and efficient. So when the Volt is using the gas engine it could possibly get around 50 MPG. A short demonstration video if the prototype is on my page. Don't waste your time watching the video. The money GM failed to pay me would have been used to build A different prototype and the world will never see the benefits from that unfinished work.
I stopped reading when you stated that electric cars owners need a second car. Absolutely not true for the Tesla. None of the Tesla owners that I know have second cars. The Tesla has more than sufficient range for daily use and for the once a year road trip you can just rent a gas car.
@@markman63 I recently traveled cross country in my Gen II Volt recently. Once outside of any urban centers, out there on the open road (the boonies), I did "not see one" full electric car, no Teslas, Leafs, or Bolts, not a single one. I got an honest 40 - 42 mpg traveling at 75 mph and charged when I could, but range anxiety never entered my mind. When I researched buying an electric car in 2017, I looked at all the available offerings the Bolt, Leaf, and the Tesla. There was only one car that could satisfy our local commuting needs and that 320 mile monthly round trip out in the boonies to visit one of my children. "Regardless of cost" no other electric car could get me there round trip, other than the Volt, where there is no charging infrastructure. We own two Gen II Volts and for my work commute and my wife's daily errands we use zero gas, 90 percent of the time. But we can still climb in either car and head to the boonies making it round trip without fueling. The Volt doesn't fit everyone's niche needs, but fits ours perfectly.
It is the insurance companies responsibility to repair the vehicle after a claim to the same state it was in before. I would be so pissed it that were me. But, at least it lasted you over 400,000 miles! I bet it would have gone further if the repairs were done by a competent dealer.
My insurance company only covered mechanical for 1 year or 12,000 miles which was only a month in a half coverage for me due to the miles I drove. 7000 miles a month.
Last accident the body shop told me they do the best they can. With unibody vehicles he said ( take a shoe box and crumple it and then try to straighten it out ). Every time I got rear ended by three different women stopped at a light the vehicle was never the same !
Very interesting report. To my mind it is only practical to run an older or high mileage vehicle if you do your own maintenance. Dealers tend not to have the experience of the faults vehicles have when they get older.
2:26 Geordi LaForge: "Coolant Leak! Bridge, we've got a coolant leak in the engine core, I can't shut it down. I estimate 2 minutes to a warp core breach!"
11/28/2022- Thanks to you and your videos. I drive a 150mi (to work and back) commute daily. I get reimbursed mileage for all but 50 miles. About $1200 a month. I take possession of a 2017 Volt Premier with 50k miles on 11/28. My loan is for six l o n g years. This thing will be twelve with about 250k miles on it. I prey I can get the mileage you have. Using my reimbursement, I can easily make the payment, fuel bill, insurance…and even put money away for it’s eventual replacement. Hopefully the battery will hold out that long. After stating all this, my current daily driver is a 2002 Chevy Avalanche with 180k miles that averages 14mpg or less $800 or more in fuel, every month. Let’s not to forget it’s maintenance bills, oil changes, brakes, etc. My 2003 VW Passat 1.4T with 240k miles needs to retire. Embarrassing to drive anymore. This is a no-brain, right?
Yep! You should do well with the volt with these circumstances. I level 2 charged 3 time every day 7 days a week. My commute was only 115 one way but 7 days a week. No real issues until I wrecked it at 360,000 miles. After they tried to put it back together it was never the same. Other than that, it was a Wonderful Vehicle!!!
If either coolant loop for the battery or Epack reads low, the Volt won't charge as a safety feature. You will get that "service high voltage" message. This is the only failure I've had with my Volt. That sensor is a $13 part btw.
@@wojtekmatus6058 there are multiple sensors that can trigger that message. You need a dealer level scan tool to narrow it down or your just throwing parts and time into it. Also make sure your 12v AGM battery in the trunk is good. Weird (and I do mean weird) stuff happens when they start to fail. The GM/ AC Delco part number for the sensor I replaced is: 22922224. Best of luck.
@@AZsmoothrider Thank you kindly for your insight, I’ll keep watching for unusual behaviour, 12 v battery shows nearly 14 V but may fail soon being original ( 8 years old). Cheers
Interesting you’ve proven what I’ve always thought of the volt longevity. That it can be a 500k car, half of it’s life on battery and the rest of it’s life on the generator. Shame that accident happened, no telling how long this wonderful car could have survived. Definitely find a new dealership. Wonder if the battery coolant is leaking from within the battery itself?
If the coolant gets low charging is inhibited automatically even if you too up the reservoir. The non charging issue could be a result of that. The dealership tool is needed to clear the low coolant fault in the HV system.
Commenting as someone who has a Vauxhall Ampera and absolutely loves it, and also a Tesla Model 3 Performance, I'm actually quite surprised that this car has only lasted 468,000 miles. sure, it's new technology, but some guy with a 1968 Volvo did 3,000,000 miles in it, what's 468,000 these days ? the volt is a great car, but a fair amount of those miles were gas powered anyway, seems that the Volt doesn't really suit Ericks needs because he (previously) drove so many miles per year
I wrecked it. That's the only reason it failed prematurely. The guy in Canada has repaired it and it's Still driving. I just couldn't afford the $11k repair bill. Also had No Confidence the dealership could repair it correctly since it wasn't put back together correctly after the accident.
So far my 2012 volt has 173 000 on it... No issues but some may be starting... I got check engine on. AutoZone says emissions related... I hope to hit 2-300 000 maybe more if it keeps going. I got a video of it on my channel when I got it around 70k miles
When that happens, it really takes away from how you feel about the car. I spent thousands of $$$ trying to turn my charging ability back on and failed. I then realized I'd been way ahead spending those $$$$ on gasoline versus trying to get my 40 electric miles back!!! Very hard lesson. But on the bright side, Ol Sparkie ran 100,000 miles after not being able to charging just on the generator. And I would often put the car in mountain mode on the highway to put 10 ev miles back in my battery pack. 🔋 Good Luck!
I thought by now, the battery reconditioning specialists, would be setting up all over the country, Europe has a few battery specialists, upgrading and extending battery packs
Great video, dear friend, the generator comes up only because the setting is set to come up at the temperature getting to 32 change it to lower setting and the engine will not come on. with respect to things not working, try to check the fuses if you can, just pull and look at it and put it back in place, do it one out a time.
Scotty Kilmer would be pissed to find out that this car has 467,000 miles and works still decently despite the accident. Scotty would lose his hair trying to figure out how is it that those Volts are not money pits as he claims it to be.
Starting from 3:10 ... I feel really sorry about that you paid for the possible unnecessary charging port replacement because the dealership's misdiagnose!? Also, isn't that both of the replacement on-board charger and coolant level senor should come with at least 1-yr or 12k miles warranty?
How much or the problems do you feel are caused by the accident? Still 400+K on a car with so much new tech not too bad. Too bad about the serviceability issues. The coolant leak sounds like somebody missed something during a repair.
Yep. A Non Volt technician repaired the vehicle. The dealership won't admit anything they may have done wrong. They also got me for a master cylinder I didn't need.
Well, I was interested in buying a 2013 Volt I found online with 90k miles for $7800. With the prices you're quoting for repairs I may just stick with buying a VW Golf diesel I found. Less money, great fuel mileage, and mechanics know what's wrong with it. Bums me out because I REALLY wanted one of these. I can assure you my local GM shops couldn't fix one of these, and my regular mechanic said he wouldn't touch anything other than oil/lube/brakes on these. Too complex he said.
@Erick Belmer I had no idea Chevy MADE a diesel Equinox? How's the reliability been? I just looked up the prices on the nearest ones to me. Oof. Guess I’ll wait a few years until the used ones hit the market. I never buy new.
I guess I don't understand how all 4 wheel bearings can be damaged, from one truck tire. I hope you continue to have good luck with your Volt! I've seen videos about replacing battery cells in these types of batteries.....I hope yours can be fixed. One was a prius, and their batteries don't last as long as a Volt.
I hit the tire at 62 mph. Launched the vehicle off the ground. Lots of damage to under carriage and all 3 radiators. Really hard impact. Lots of problems after that accident. Ol Sparkie is gone now. Guy from Canada has her now. He will Absolutely fix her!
Erick Belmer, I had one hit the side of my car once, but never like that! I'm glad you didn't get seriously hurt or killed. It scared the crap outta me, so I can only imagine what it was like for you.
@@erickbelmer9350 Where in Canada does the guy live, Hope to run into him and his “Refurbished” Sparkie. I’m in Edmonton, Alberta and love my 2012 Volt, having it only for a month, waiting to see how it handles the winter and deeper snow 😀
You should take it back to the people that fixed it and get those leaks fixed. The aluminum is thinner and much more fragile than other radiators so you have to use cardboard around them when installing.
Was out of the 12 month 12,000 mile warranty when I realized what was happening. I drive 7,700 miles per month and didn't catch this soon enough. Absolutely my fault for not paying attention. I have a tough work schedule and the car was so trouble free until I missed this problem. Only had a month and a half to go back on them.
Keep in mind that you are going to have problems with most Volts.....if you're willing to put up with those problems and keep going then more power to you. As for me....I don't like dealing with all these issues....I would have dumped the care well before 400K.
@@erickbelmer9350 I understand and it was a good video. I would never go pure EV but would consider hybrid like this vehicle. Too much inconvenience for me reference pure EV's. I do think there is a future for Hybrids though.
My volt 2012 battery dies right after 100k miles warranty. The replacement cost is 9k for the whole pack or 5k for just the bad section. Not gonna touch EV again until battery replacement cost is more affordable.
I agree. Cost of EV repair is very Expensive if something malfunctions. If you must rely on the dealership EV may not be cost effective. Unless you just own or lease until something goes wrong.😉
I mean it's an amazing car isn't it to get you 400 000 miles? That's kind of what I would expect, that the engine will keep running forever because it's used as a generator, not to deliver torque through a transmission.
Erick Belmer i’m looking at buying one. im in sales and drive ALOT!!! sometimes 200 miles a day. I am selling my Lexus ISF super sedan due to it being a v8 that drinks 10 quarts of oil per oil change. lol, cant justify driving that beast so many miles any more. The Volt seems like a good long range commuter
@@erickbelmer9350 yeah, I'm getting the impression that the dealership didn't have enough training... So I need to find a COMPETENT mechanic with this type of car. Thank you!
It's a shame when an accident happens to a car you were planning on running into the ground, however that's what lead me here. You've definitely convinced me to get this car. From what I've gathered, should you find a better dealership that can fix the coolant issue, you still might have some time with the battery since the leak and the reduction of pressure that goes with it means its temperature can't be regulated properly. P.S. Midwesterner here too, how is it in the snow and ice?
Tesla model S 75 or above drivetrain and battery is warranty covered unlimited miles, 8 years... Just saying :) tesla.com/used may be worth looking at (more affordable options). We bought a used S with 3 more years left on the unlimited miles batt and drivetrain warranty and it came with 2 year up to 100k odometer full warranty. (Car had around 60k miles at purchase). Worth a look. Your leak may be leaking into the battery or charger? Great update! Glad to hear your commute is shorter.
Get a land cruiser for your next vehicle. You will only pay more in gas but it will last you 25 years,take a beating and drive through most road conditions.
I would be tempted to try another dealer. Your current one may feel it is time for you to buy another car. What about used/salvaged parts? Are they available?
Salvage parts are available. I normally replace everything with original GM parts for reliability as well as accountability of the dealership. They really try but the technicians may not have the proper training for such an advanced product. This is the Best Service Department we have near us. I may truly need to ship it somewhere with trained technicians.
Every 150,000. Fyi, the tech doing it at 305,000 says it was so clean he brought me out to the service garage to show me. There were 5 other techs looking on in disbelief. 10 days after that I had it at another service garage in galion ohio for a wheel bearing change and the service guy called me at home advising me his Tech just checked my transmission oil and it's in desperate need of service because it's almost Black. I asked for his name and the Tech's name and immediately drove over to confront them both in front of my vehicle. I asked them to show me how you checked it and show me that it's almost black. This isn't possible since the system is sealed, so they stood there. Then the service manager admitted he only went by the mileage and was attempting to get more service work. I reported him to GM customer service.
@@erickbelmer9350 I see for every 150.000 mile, and manuel writes DEXRON VI transmission fluid and does it important for company or every DEXRON VI available for volt ? Otherwise, I hope you chanced one times DEXCOOL coolant for electronic and batteries..my volt just 37.000 miles :)...and thanks for attention...
Yeah I agree. About 4 times a month my daily commute is 292 miles one way. In ohio we have winter. My buddy has a bolt and his one way commute is 80 miles. The bolt in the summer had 218 mile ev range. In the winter it's now 155 ev range without using the heater. He installed an external diesel heater under the hood in case charger at his job is unavailable. Bolt couldn't work for me.
@@erickbelmer9350 GM didn't have EV chargers at work for GM employees driving GM EV cars to the job, even if the charge fees are paid by the car owner?
I have a 2013 Chevy Volt with 66,000 miles at 35,000 miles I had 1 of the 3 battery cells replaced by the factory at 66,000 miles the other 2 cells went bad. Chevrolet discontinued the 3 cell battery requiring Volt owners to replace the 3 cell with a single cell battery at a cost of $20,000 not including installation. A 2013 with 66,000 miles will retail for around $13,000 basically making a 2013 Volt worthless. No one would pay over $ 20,000 to put a battery in a $13,000 car. Chevrolet basically told me it's your junk not our be problem.
No. My GM plant closed in my town. The plant I was assigned to was 115 miles away. I couldn't move my Family closer because my parents and wife's parents are getting up there in age a need us to be around. I'm the only one inconvenienced so I brought a Volt for fuel economy and tires to drive daily. Tough schedule but I need to be home daily so my kid sees me. Just So Thankful To have a job in my State! Others had to relocate to other states. I now am in a plant much closer so I no longer have a long commute to work.
@@stanleykinzinger Not really, mostly just a lack of proper planning on my part. Had no idea my GM Plant would suddenly close and was forced to follow GM due to Wonderful medical insurance package. My parents are elderly and had just started declining. I have a wonderful family infrastructure for raising my daughter so moving closer to the job was Not an option. This was Not a good time to move around the state for my own Convenience when so many people depend on me. My daughter needs to see me every day and that Volt was the tool that made it possible!! The volt has always been my dream car and NEVER thought I'd own one due to price and not spoiling myself by selfishly buying my dream car just because I wanted it. But to my pleasant surprise my wife (Accountant) ran the numbers and turned out if I'm to drive solo (because I don't play well with others 😉) 250 miles per day,,, the Volt was the Only Option!!! Less maintenance for the volt was the deciding factor. An oil change ever 40,000 miles verse 5,0000 on other vehicles. 1st brake job at 423,000 miles! This car worked Perfectly for this transitional part of my life! Best Car Ever!!! I really miss that car!💚 But the strong driver part is kinda like having kids, you're never ready for it, you just do it because you have to. This being my Dream Car didn't hurt either!!😁
I use to commute 30 miles a day in LA, but driving or train was anywhere from 1.5-2.5 hours each way. 200 miles can be 3 hours daily if you can move at a decent speed. The commute is long, but not unreasonable in many cities.
Hope you're dealership can keep it from popping up later. Mine did this 9 times before I gave up and just used it as a gas car. $250 for each time it happened. Happened more when the battery got older.
@@erickbelmer9350I have the same error currently at the dealership to get it cleared, you said you can drive as a gas only car. Is it possible? I thought you need the electric charge to keep it going, I own a 2012 chevy volt
Absolutely. It was A1 reliable for the 1st 270,000 miles with only a computer failure that was under the passenger seat. It was great until I wrecked it!
I came to this video bc I'm having issues with my O2 sensors and catalytic converter. I have 160k miles on my 2013 and I am dreading this might be a big issue I'm not willing to fix. So far, it's been pretty mtx free, just a coolant pump. I was searching to see if anyone has done a cat on a volt themselves. Also, I have the passenger presence sensor error... Decided I'm going to replace the whole seat from a junkyard and see if that fixes it. The seat covers and plastic pieces can all be switched over to a new seat so it doesn't have to be matching part. I feel like I've gotten my money worth but I want to keep going as long as it's reasonable. You gave me hope I can keep it going for a while!
Such a shame how this ended for you, still a functioning car I suppose. Thanks for the update, still amazing how long you’ve managed to go with this car and what elec car company do you think you’ll eventually go with as I see you’re waiting for better battery tech.
The moral of the story is not to go to the dealer for repairs, if you went to a reputable local garage they would have solved most of your problems without thousand dollar guesses. There are even independent repair shops that specialize in electric vehicles now.
Seems like most of OP issue are an incompetent service dept. Properly identifying the issues might have been reasonable repair costs and still everything working today. Sad... But I hear things like this all the time... And it makes people give up on decent cars.
![🎤 ไปกันต่อออ! จับฉลากร้องเพลง x P’ #XXSIVK [EP.2] (1/2) เพลงของใครจึ้งสุดน้าา 💓🎤 #MXFRUIT](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mLI_K0sAS4o/mqdefault.jpg)
GM needs your car to keep going. They should fix it so you can keep logging miles. Best advertising money spent. We want to see how long this car will last.
I so wish GM thought that way! I Love driving this car! It's Still my DREAM CAR!!!
I wish that 2
We can all write, picket, protest. I'm a ford man and I wish they had stuff like this.
@@erickbelmer9350 did you ever call them ?
@@nezerac 2020 Escape has a plugin Hybrid now, but not sure if it's financially worth buying one.
Erick thank you for keeping us informed during your journey. We owe you a huge debt as fellow Volt owners!
Wow man, that mileage is insane. I'm amazed that it has gotten as far as it had, Chevy missed a massive opportunity to market this vehicle as it should have and they most definitely should recognize your acomplishment.
Thanks Man!😊 it's my dream car!!
My 2012 chevy volt has 191k miles and range on electric now is reduced to 32 miles. No problems with car till I wrecked into a post at Walmart and the ecu located in the left fender wire harness got damages bad so I will be replacing the engine wire harness and then front bumper and left fender. I get 40 miles per gallon with non ethanol gas and or 93 octane gas. I did a trick to keep engine from high rpm in low propulsion mode, I took tape and blocked the amount of air coming to the intake tube. That may be why it still gets 40 miles per gallon. Since GM updated the software for the propulsion problem it don't jump into low propulsion any more.
At your mileage you certainly got your money's worth it. Mine will rust out before it gets anything near that mileage being in the rust belt.. I like how you just keep driving it into the ground.. Get every last value for your dollar from it.
So true. I'm just very disappointed in our Dealerships that we trust to repair and maintain our Vehicles. I feel due to their errors I totally lost all my fuel savings vs a conventional vehicle. I do realize I don't believe a regular gas car could come close to the abuse I put this vehicle through on a daily basis! This is the most over built over engineered vehicle I have Every Owner. Zero Complaints with this vehicle!! It is still and ALWAYS will be My Dream Car!!!
Thinking of buying a used Chevy Volt. I got carjacked on May 9th and the police recovered it full of bullet holes and blood on the door. My car is a total loss. Regarding your Volt: The fact that you got over 400k miles is AMAZING. You definitely have more patience than I do!
Be careful about buying older volts. More than 7 years old. The battery doesn't care about miles but it does seem to react negatively to time. The battery did show weakness after about year 6 and around 400,000 miles. If you're looking at a used volt and have a moment to test drive it. Run the battery to about half empty (15-20) miles left and find an on ramp with an uphill grade and floor the volt for about 5-8 seconds. If the generator starts that's a sign the battery had dropped to a low voltage and it called on the generator to keep the volt around 360v. This means the battery had more degradation than you're willing to buy. Leave it because you're heading for problems with it.
I just bought gen 2 2016 LT with 75k miles for $14k currently getting 32-36 miles on ev. Probably go up once it warms up in the summer to 40-47 miles on ev I’m estimating and at 85-90k miles I’ll just complain to Chevy and have them replace the battery for free since it’s still under warranty. I love this car so much it’s so nice, base model means less weight more mpgs. Cheers.
I'm looking at getting a used one, which is sketchy, I know, but this video gives me a bit of confidence since this one has made it 467,000 miles
It car is Absolutely Over Engineered!! I must tell you I think the Older the battery gets the more problems you may encounter. My wife's 13 only had 145k and started having charging issues like mine towards the end. If you can fix it yourself, buy one!
@@erickbelmer9350 so, if you were to do it again, would you buy used or new? Also, did you have any issues around 120k-130k?
@@undeadkhaos9096 No Issues around 130k except wheel bearing replacement which is every 100k. I would get a used volt but it would be a 14 or newer to get HOLD MODE in the software. 13's have it but the software is slower and less polished. I don't think miles matter on a volt. More about time with the battery than miles on the battery.
@@erickbelmer9350 yeah, I'm trying to find a bolt that's 2013+ for Bluetooth audio streaming, but I saw a video by Barnacules Nerdgasm about his volt having charge issues, and the charge door breaking, but anyways, thanks for the input, the wheel bearings shouldn't be too difficult for me to do myself, hopefully, anyways
@@undeadkhaos9096 just need silicone stray on the moving parts WD-40 will fix most people's issue if it just getting stuck closed.
Just takes one cell to read low to give the appearance of low state of charge and of course the engine will run. 400k miles is most likely past it's design life. Thanks for the updates over the years and so sorry about Lords Town. My 2012 has 115k and so far behaves like when new, it's garage kept in Colorado.
Totally awesome report. Hope you can get a Chevy tech rep to check in on this so that you get proper service. When new our 2013 had cooling system problems. It took several dealer trips to fix. Unfortunately the dealer service folks were learning on our car. Then our Volt had issues with the battery charging system when it had less that 5000 miles on it. It took several trips to the dealer and yes, they replaced the charging port too, but that wasn't the issue. I finally told them I wanted to swap under the state lemon law. They asked for one more chance before doing this. I told them to keep the car as long as they needed. They had the car for 12 days and along with a lot of consulting with Chevy tech they got it fixed properly and now it has been trouble-free for the past four years.
Did they ever say what the issue was? Thinking of grabbing a Volt and am curious
Man your Volt experience is really inspiring. I’ve had my 2013 for 5 1/2 years (80,000 miles odo) and was honestly getting a little bored, thinking of changing up. I keep seeing your vids and other’s similar stories and realize I probably have the best thing on the road! I’ve decided to keep this thing as long as it keeps doing its thing. I want to be the weird old guy that’s still driving his gen 1 Volt in twenty years.
Me also Brother!!
Me too!
Do you use yours in a warm or cold climate?
I have a new '19 Volt Premier, and they're much better even, than the old Generation 1 Volts!
I love the hell outta my car!
I'm averaging over 90 MPG, and sometimes well over 100.
Ditto! My burgundy 2013 Premium Edition has a mere 43,000 miles. I will keep it until it dies.
Poor Sparkie, I hope that accident won't be the sad end to a great story. But that depends entirely on the dealership repair skills I guess.
Good to hear the internet folks could help you out in some regards.
Still, my Ampera (european Volt) is the dream car and I want to get at least 310k miles on it (500k kilometers)
Your car is the example that it's possible, thank you sir!
Greetings from Germany
My Dream Car Also!
Wow....you are my hero.....I love driving my cars over 200,000 miles, so someone going over 400,000 is my hero! I am sorry to hear about your car issues, but man, to see a car even get around at that mileage is wonderful! Best of luck!
Enjoy that Wonderful Machine!!
Thank you for the update . Sad to hear that your Volt is struggling. I don't know if you're is the highest mileage Volt but it gives me hope that ultra high mileage is possible. Please keep us posted on your progress and how things are going.
Will Do.
Wow, thanks for the upate, Erick! You have far more patience than me. Kudos for keeping Ol' Sparkie going for so long. I hope you get it all sorted once Springtime comes.
Just dropped $6,500 on my 2014 115,000 mile Volt on AC evaporator, both front axles, motor mounts and complete fluid change. You can buy a similar used one for a thousand more but I've had this since new and never spent a penny on it till now. If I get another 100,000 out of it I'll be happy.
Good luck. These vehicles are really expensive to repair!!
@@erickbelmer9350 Just dropped $40,000 in repairs on my 1991 porsche 911 turbo, $6,500 is baby shit, I love my Volt more as it handles better and has saved my life more than once.
Sounds like the repair work was never completed properly
Correct!
I racked up so many miles so quickly due to driving 7800 miles a month back then the the 10,000 mile insurance claim was gone in a month in a half. I was screwed after that. The insurance company wanted to total it due to miles anyway. With this many miles, any mechanical failure could not be proven to be from the accident.
I,d read about Sparkie in 2018. When it got 650000 km the press here in Spain wrote about. Just by Sparkie I buyed my Ampera. Thanks Eric and Sparkie.
I took my 2012 volt on a trip of 2200 km from Edmonton to Las Vegas, all kilometres with the engine light on, the “ service high voltage battery” code. The car drove like a regular gas car with low fuel consumption of 6.3l/100 km. Car gave me no issues of any kind even with temperature of 115 F / 46 C in Vegas. Drove to Grand Canyon and back to Edmonton, all in 10 days and 6000km total mileage. This just proves how well made this car is, a true plug in hybrid. Even if not in electric mode it performs just fine. Drove like that for last 20,000km. Planning to fix it eventually, currently have 148000km on it. Just love my Volt!!!
We bought a 2017 Volt in 2020 with about 32,000 miles on it. We drove out to the desert on a cool April day. My husband drove the car at almost 80 mph on the empty road. We stopped for a restroom break. When I got out of the car, it was still running. I realize now that it was due to the operating temperature. We were using the gas engine. It had gotten to 255! I've read on forums that 225 is alright for the Volt. Do you have any experience with understanding high temperatures? I'm paranoid now. We mostly drive electric and I rarely need to buy gas (went 5 months once.) Thanks.
I totally agree with dealers trying to rip you off. I had a similar experience with my Volt. Charge port failed. Brought it in, and they absolutely insisted that it needed a new $500 shifter. I balked. Told them to fix the port. Then they wanted to bill me for diagnossing the shifter problem that didn't exist. 3000 miles later, it was all the charge port.
What a shame. Most Discouraging.
Same here, David. The shift stick on my Ampera was stuck. The shop said they needed to replace the onboard charger, a really expensive job. I measured a short on the charge port and decided to swap it myself. Cost was $70 and it took me 10 minutes to figure out how to disconnect the high voltage system and another 10 minutes to do the physical swap of the charge port. It's just secured with a few screws. Nothing needs to come off. I see Eric was charged $800 for this job, which is similar to what the shop wanted here in Norway. Ridiculous. If I had taken their advice, they still would've had to replace the port! It seems like shops view this car as an alien artifact and always over-quote in the hopes that we just give up. Don't be fooled. Do the research. The gm-volt.com forum is a good resource.
What, there's no 500,000 mile power train warranty!? Lol
I say you got your money's worth from your volt!
I appreciate your follow up and your general candor. I bought a used volt based on your original 400,000 mile video and do not regret the decision.
Thank you for your videos!
My 2017 has 90,000 now. Still brand new haha. Not a single issue so far.
Is that because of a lot of electric driving? I'm assuming the more EV driving you do in the city, the less maintenance required?
88k on my 2017. 85% electric driving.
Thanks for the update. I've got the UK version of the chevy volt called a Vaxhall Ampera.
Your coolant leak is what is causing the "service high voltage system" to come on. You need to top off the antifreeze, then clear the code and it will start charging again. Problem is, once it gets low of coolant it will stop charging again and the process has to start all over. If you top off, clear code, then keep it topped off it will continue to charge.
Hey there, this video still impresses even over 3 years later. My 2015 is running strong at a relatively paltry 175K miles, with the only odd thing an intermittent CEL that never appears for the mechanics. Ah well, doesn't seem to impact driving it!
Gen 1 volts are Wonderfully built!! Just Enjoy it!!!
Erick; I'm driving 154 miles/day and averaging 35K per year in my 2015 Volt... I'll be happy with 200K miles in a few years.
You should get that no problem. You should also be able to use regular 87 fuel. I've used 87 octane since 2013.
@@erickbelmer9350 i have a question about the hub bearings. What engine code? I just got a c1233.
If the coolant keeps leaking, I think that should be the first thing to fix before trying to throw money at the electric powertrain issues.
Agreed!
@@erickbelmer9350 You don't want cooling problems as that affects the battery. Don't let battery fall to 0 before engaging mountain mode, helps with the range
I have a 2013 volt bought new with 90k miles. It's a great car. I was sideswiped once and the car survived very well. I had a Prius that was rear ended and it was totaled. Glad I can put a lot more miles on the car. Drives like new!
I kept getting the service high voltage warning and took it to Chevy and had it fixed with a software upgrade for about $200. Still getting great service out of mine.
I got that message about 10 times with 8 dealership visits at about $200 each. Would only stage off about 60 days. I have up and had to drive it's last 30,000 miles on the generator 🙁.
@@erickbelmer9350 I bought mine (2013 model) in 2018 with 92k miles on it. Had the recall done before 100k and had no problems until I replaced the 12v battery and it started again. Took it to the dealership and they gave me 2 software upgrades and the problem was resolved. Before that, I would use a code reader to clear the code and it will charge as normal. I just kept it in the car with me.
$200 for the software upgrade?? Wow!!!They do it here in Armenia for $40-60 in the shops
Please keep in mind that since the Volt is a Rocket Ship it requires a scientist....not a garage mechanic.
That's exactly why I only let the dealership work on it ☺️
I had a 2013 volt and got T-boned the other day and lost it, they totaled it. I sure miss that car, loved it!! By the way , I didnt get a scratch on me the good Lord and the curtain airbags saved me. He hit me on the drivers side right at the mirror, no wonder they have a 5 star safety rating!!
Thankful you are safe my brother 🤠!
@@erickbelmer9350 Thank you!
GM put alot of time into the research and development of this. Since they realize cross overs are selling so much, they stopped making the Volt because of this. So hopefully the Bolt and Bolt EUV can inherit all the greatness the first Volt gave us.
I currently have a Bolt EUV! Have it 4 months now. 30k miles already!
Thanks for the video, Eric! Mine crossed 100.000 km yesterday, so I thought it'd be good to see what issues to expect down the road. Sorry about that accident, though. It seems you could've driven all electric had you just been able to replace that charger. I had a similar thing happen to mine, where the car would no longer charge and only displayed that same error message. The shop quoted something like $2500 for replacing the charger (Norwegian prices), which was not going to happen. I measured a short in the charge port, bought one for $60 and replaced it myself in less than 10 minutes. That's what they charged you $800 for. For those inspired; Just remember to disconnect the high voltage system by popping out the center console and pulling out the orange plug first. I know it won't be as easy in your case, as the charger itself needs replacement, but maybe you can find one from a wreck. I'm sure it could be cheaper than what you were quoted if you find someone who would dare to do the replacement. Or perhaps you could just find out where the system is leaking and seal it. Anyway, looking forward to your 500.000 mile update! Edit: I see you sold it now. Hope the new owner reaches 999.999! :)
Thank you for the update! Sadly, it sounds like Volt owners will need to question every repair the dealership tells them they will need. I hope you are able to find a more competent and more honest dealership to service your car.
Dealerships are now charging up to $200 per hour. They owe it to customers to spend what's necessary to train their mechanics. A neighbors son spent $10,000 training through a Ford apprenticeship program. The dealership where he completed his training started this recent high school graduate $30 an hour once he completed the 10 month program. More highschools should direct students to tech programs. With the advent of high tech vehicles, the days of the shade tree mechanic are past.
Thank you for sharing your story. The GM headquarters might provide assistance in getting Sparkie back on the road and continuing your inspiring story.
It's Barry thank you for your time I do appreciate it mine is the vauxhall ampera on 12 reg it as 97000 Barry
I’m driving a 2012 Volt with 87k km and found that the famous “service high voltage charging system” code had to do with low coolant in both of the front coolant reservoirs, once topped up and code cleared it was all good, when code was on, so was the check engine light and could not charge the vehicle until codes were cleared, keep updating us man on your high mileage Volt, that’s really great info. Also there is a recall stating “Loss of propulsion due to low cell voltage”, when requested to have it addressed ( basically it’s a software update) here in Canada at the dealer, was told they have no remedy for it yet, but the recall was issued in September of 2019, what a joke, my car drives ok so I left it as is for now but want to get different opinions from other service techs as it sounds odd, till later guys
I’m sorry that happened to you and your car
400k+ miles is extremely impressive
Thank you for sharing
That's crazy. I just bought a 2014 Shevy Volt and it's an amazing car. The only problem I've had with it is a bad Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensor but that ain't a big deal. It's good to see what condition it can end up in with more and more miles on it. Very informal video.
Sorry to hear about your problems. I’ve got a 2012 (14-plate registered U.K.) Vauxhall Ampera and I’ve only done 42,000 on mine. Averaging about 8-9,000 a year so mine will probably rust and fall apart before getting anywhere near your mileage. Hope yours gets sorted soon.
Be Encouraged about the body holding up. I only wash my volt about 5 times a year and it still doesn't have significant rust under it or on body panels. Ohio uses lots of salt and road deicing chemicals.
@@erickbelmer9350 Erick, that is awesome to hear. I have a 2014 kept in Wisconsin (we also use lots of road salt) and I'm only putting on about 4,000 miles a year. I was hoping to keep this car a very loooong time. Thanks so much for documenting your experiences with the Volt over the long-haul!
I’m at 148k just bought it 8mths ago. No issues. #Blessing
Just hit 100K on my 2013 Volt, glad to see that they run that long
Yep!!! Just Don't Wreck It like I did!!!!🤣😂
Chevy Volt uses less gas than Tesla, Nissan Leaf or Chevy Bolt
In March 2019 General Motors will stop producing the Chevy Volt forever.
Please help spread the word by sharing and retweeting this article hopefully to convince GM to continue the production of this legendary car, or to convert the Bolt from an All-Electric to an Electric Gas Hybrid plug in
The state of California gives a larger rebate to Tesla owners than to Chevy Volt owners because the Tesla is a “Zero Emission” car. In reality the Chevy Volt is closer to zero emission than the Tesla.
This may not make sense to you so please read on to see my reasoning.
As an owner of three different Chevy Volts Plug in electric / gas hybrid cars since 2011, I can affirm you that my experience with those three cars and my experience with the Chevy Volt is that they use much less fossil fuel (Gas) than Tesla, Nissan leaf or Chevy Bolt. This may sound as an absurd statement but if you let me explain to you why, then it may make more sense,
When a person owns an all electric car (Tesla, Leaf, Bolt) it is never a primary car. The owner must own a second car as the primary car. This is usually a regular gas car that in the long run it uses much more fossil fuel than a Chevy Volt. In other words the total fossil fuel usage for this household is much more than that for a person who owns a Chevy Volt. The Chevy Volt for this household is the primary car (no range limit) and there is no need for a second (more long distant) reliable car. Also should note the environmental impact of owning two cars over one car which would include parts that needs to be replaced and those used parts will eventually end in the dump, 4 additional rubber tires to care for, oil changes, transmission oil, brake pads, tune ups, cost for the additional insurance etc.
As soon as a person purchases an all electric car he develops a (RAD) range anxiety disorder, it is a disease I invented in my head to explain to you how a new owner of an all electric car starts to thinks shortly after purchasing the car ( sort of similar to buying a Boat: as the saying goes: the two happiest days in a man’s life is the day he buys a Boat and the day he sells it). Most of the general public (even most owners of the Chevy Volt) are not aware of this “RAD”.
When an owner of a Chevy Volt travels any distant he will always be going from point A to point B. When an owner of a Tesla, Leaf, Bolt travel any distance that is close to the 50% range of the car’s battery capacity or more, he or she no longer can travel from point A to point B. It will always will be point A to point C. The reason is point B will HAVE TO BE a stop to use some form of a commercial charger thus diverting from A to B path (travel distance increased so is the fossil fuel usage) and the commercial charger uses of (fossil fuel) to charge the car. Example if a Tesla owner lives in Pasadena, Ca. wants to visit relatives in San Diego, Ca.. This Tesla owner will be very apprehensive that his or her car my not make the round trip and they could get stranded somewhere in between putting their life on the line. They have to stop at some Tesla charging station in between to get the Tesla charged or the battery switched while the relative who lives in San Diego will use their gas guzzling (fossil fuel) car to pick them up at the Tesla charging station to bring them to their house and when they are done visiting, this relative will have to take them back to the charging station using the same gas guzzling car, that is four trips. When owners of an all electric car taking any extended trip they must be on their toes learning and knowing the whole network that they can use to recharge their car (Point B to point C). If those charge stations are busy charging other cars then they must wait possibly buying foods and drinks (that used fossil fuel to make, and produce more trash to fill landfills). If the car is completely discharged then they will have to stay at a hotel overnight, because those All- Electric cars can take as much as 18 hours to fully recharge. Boy think about the amount of fossil fuel used to keep a person in a hotel overnight, electricity to operate AC / Heater, watching TV, hair drying, washing sheets and towels, laundry, food and the trash generated by such a one night stay. They also will need some form of transportation from the charging station to the hotel and back (more fossil fuel).
Those all electric car companies may use sells gimmicks like DC charging where you can get quick charging in a short period of time. I say nonsense, you have to find a charging station with such a DC charging capability and hopefully there is nobody else ahead of you waiting to use it. Some people might thing in the back of their head that some hotels may have a one or two charging station for customers to use, I can guarantee you that those charging station will charge you an arm & a leg (more direct and indirect fossil fuel use) before you charge your car. In other word they: CHARGE LOTS OF MONEY TO CHARGE YOUR CAR. My experience with hotels chargers is that they either don't work or you can not charge your car with them (Tesla requires a special charger). If Tesla owners think that they can knock on peoples doors and ask them if they would allow them to use their electrical outlet in their garage to charge their car while they are sitting in their car, they better think again. It is not only unpractical, not workable and damn right dangerous. In some areas around the country if you knock on peoples door to recharge your car then you could end up on some TV true crime show.
When I was a child my father told me the following saying “Good health is like a crown on the heads of healthy people, only sick people can see”. Chevy Volts drivers wear a crown (No Range Anxiety Disorder) only owners of Tesla, Leaf & Bolt drivers can see this crown.
The state of California calls those all electric cars as “Zero Emission” while in fact they either directly or indirectly use more gas than the Chevy Volt. The Chevy Volt should be the car that gets the White pool lane sticker and should get more state rebate than the Tesla.
People who have never owned a Chevy Volt have no idea how little gas it uses. Over the past almost 8 years of using my Chevy Volts most of the times I can not even remember the last time I purchased gas.
Chevy Volt is also a great maintenance free car, I can write a real long article about all the benefits of owning a Chevy Volt but not this time. I think Mr. Bob Lutz (the person who forced GM to make the Volt) against all odds i.e. “GM engineers” should receive the Nobel prize for his idea and persistence. Had GM added a gas generator in the Chevy Bolt the same size as the gas generator in the Chevy Volt then the Chevy Bolt would have become (BVOLT) and would have become the greatest selling car in the world. Unfortunately Mr. Bob Lutz no longer works for GM and GM executive are now forced to listen to “GM engineers” to make their decisions.
Even if I lived in an apartment building with no electric outlets in the parking section I will still purchase a Chevy Volt to use it as a gas only car. On gas only, without ever being plugged in for charging, it gets more than 40 miles per gallon. This mileage combined with almost no maintenance and the incredible torque this car has, makes this car better than the gas cars made by Honda, Toyota, Nissan combined. The 100% electric drive makes the main function of the gas engine is to charge the battery or run the electric motor. This means this gas engine is under no stress to propel the car which make this engine run under little mechanical degradation, which means it can easily run half a million to one million miles without much of a problems.
Until someone makes an All-Electric car that is powered by a super-capacitor (or other means) that can be fully charged in minutes AND those charging facilities are present at all gas stations, then All-Electric cars are not “Zero Emission” and not even close to being the lowest emission cars on the market. Super-capacitor cars I do not envision to be around anytime soon and until such a car becomes a reality then I say to the whole world that is watching : “The Emperor's New Clothes, he hasn't got anything on,". To all the auto industry CEO's with visions, missions of a “Zero Emission” cars : the jig is up because it is not in the All-Electric cars.
The Volt has the lowest emission of most if not all (including All-Electric) cars and should receive the Nobel prize for being the greatest car ever built.
Owner of 3 Chevy Volts for 8 years.
Fantastic write-up. Spot on about needing a second car too. My wife and I owned a Nissan Leaf and a second (first) car. RAD was a very real issue. My wife drove the Leaf to work and around town. We otherwise drove my Mercury Milan. This was my sleeper. With an HO v6. Oh it was fast and very comfortable to ride in. But it only got 21 not. Knock on wood,my Volt with50k+ miles will keep going for a long while. Let's hope GM transitions the Volt architecture and technology into future vehicles
.
I agree. I have one too. Very impressive car and very efficent even in Cleveland winter
The third generation Volt was cancelled due to GM not paying.
I have retired from freelance vehicle design but I still do some research Ect.
My newest prototype allows for optimum ignition timing advance. Which makes engines more powerful and efficient. So when the Volt is using the gas engine it could possibly get around 50 MPG. A short demonstration video if the prototype is on my page. Don't waste your time watching the video.
The money GM failed to pay me would have been used to build A different prototype and the world will never see the benefits from that unfinished work.
I stopped reading when you stated that electric cars owners need a second car. Absolutely not true for the Tesla. None of the Tesla owners that I know have second cars. The Tesla has more than sufficient range for daily use and for the once a year road trip you can just rent a gas car.
@@markman63
I recently traveled cross country in my Gen II Volt recently.
Once outside of any urban centers, out there on the open road (the boonies), I did "not see one" full electric car, no Teslas, Leafs, or Bolts, not a single one.
I got an honest 40 - 42 mpg traveling at 75 mph and charged when I could, but range anxiety never entered my mind.
When I researched buying an electric car in 2017, I looked at all the available offerings the Bolt, Leaf, and the Tesla. There was only one car that could satisfy our local commuting needs and that 320 mile monthly round trip out in the boonies to visit one of my children.
"Regardless of cost" no other electric car could get me there round trip, other than the Volt, where there is no charging infrastructure.
We own two Gen II Volts and for my work commute and my wife's daily errands we use zero gas, 90 percent of the time.
But we can still climb in either car and head to the boonies making it round trip without fueling.
The Volt doesn't fit everyone's niche needs, but fits ours perfectly.
It is the insurance companies responsibility to repair the vehicle after a claim to the same state it was in before. I would be so pissed it that were me. But, at least it lasted you over 400,000 miles! I bet it would have gone further if the repairs were done by a competent dealer.
My insurance company only covered mechanical for 1 year or 12,000 miles which was only a month in a half coverage for me due to the miles I drove. 7000 miles a month.
Last accident the body shop told me they do the best they can. With unibody vehicles he said ( take a shoe box and crumple it and then try to straighten it out ). Every time I got rear ended by three different women stopped at a light the vehicle was never the same !
Very interesting report. To my mind it is only practical to run an older or high mileage vehicle if you do your own maintenance. Dealers tend not to have the experience of the faults vehicles have when they get older.
Agreed. I purchased it brand new.
thanks for updating and cool you def got your money from your purchase
2:26
Geordi LaForge: "Coolant Leak! Bridge, we've got a coolant leak in the engine core, I can't shut it down. I estimate 2 minutes to a warp core breach!"
🤣🤣🤣 I Love It!!!
11/28/2022- Thanks to you and your videos. I drive a 150mi (to work and back) commute daily. I get reimbursed mileage for all but 50 miles. About $1200 a month. I take possession of a 2017 Volt Premier with 50k miles on 11/28. My loan is for six l o n g years. This thing will be twelve with about 250k miles on it. I prey I can get the mileage you have. Using my reimbursement, I can easily make the payment, fuel bill, insurance…and even put money away for it’s eventual replacement. Hopefully the battery will hold out that long. After stating all this, my current daily driver is a 2002 Chevy Avalanche with 180k miles that averages 14mpg or less $800 or more in fuel, every month. Let’s not to forget it’s maintenance bills, oil changes, brakes, etc. My 2003 VW Passat 1.4T with 240k miles needs to retire. Embarrassing to drive anymore. This is a no-brain, right?
Yep! You should do well with the volt with these circumstances. I level 2 charged 3 time every day 7 days a week. My commute was only 115 one way but 7 days a week. No real issues until I wrecked it at 360,000 miles. After they tried to put it back together it was never the same. Other than that, it was a Wonderful Vehicle!!!
Erick, thank you for your video with this amazing car ;-) Greetings from Europe like Opel Ampera. We wish you many happy miles ;))
My Pleasure! Hoping to get back into another Wonderful EV Soon!!😊
If either coolant loop for the battery or Epack reads low, the Volt won't charge as a safety feature. You will get that "service high voltage" message. This is the only failure I've had with my Volt. That sensor is a $13 part btw.
Good to know. Both my Volts did this multiple times. Good info 👍.
Looking to change that sensor if the high voltage message keeps popping up, what is that sensor called exactly and how difficult is it changing it?
@@wojtekmatus6058 there are multiple sensors that can trigger that message. You need a dealer level scan tool to narrow it down or your just throwing parts and time into it. Also make sure your 12v AGM battery in the trunk is good. Weird (and I do mean weird) stuff happens when they start to fail. The GM/ AC Delco part number for the sensor I replaced is: 22922224. Best of luck.
@@AZsmoothrider Thank you kindly for your insight, I’ll keep watching for unusual behaviour, 12 v battery shows nearly 14 V but may fail soon being original ( 8 years old). Cheers
Interesting you’ve proven what I’ve always thought of the volt longevity. That it can be a 500k car, half of it’s life on battery and the rest of it’s life on the generator. Shame that accident happened, no telling how long this wonderful car could have survived. Definitely find a new dealership. Wonder if the battery coolant is leaking from within the battery itself?
Battery is Not leaking. Coolant is on the ground in front left side.
If the coolant gets low charging is inhibited automatically even if you too up the reservoir. The non charging issue could be a result of that. The dealership tool is needed to clear the low coolant fault in the HV system.
Commenting as someone who has a Vauxhall Ampera and absolutely loves it, and also a Tesla Model 3 Performance, I'm actually quite surprised that this car has only lasted 468,000 miles. sure, it's new technology, but some guy with a 1968 Volvo did 3,000,000 miles in it, what's 468,000 these days ? the volt is a great car, but a fair amount of those miles were gas powered anyway, seems that the Volt doesn't really suit Ericks needs because he (previously) drove so many miles per year
I wrecked it. That's the only reason it failed prematurely. The guy in Canada has repaired it and it's Still driving. I just couldn't afford the $11k repair bill. Also had No Confidence the dealership could repair it correctly since it wasn't put back together correctly after the accident.
@@erickbelmer9350 it's been repaired and is still running ?
Good to know that the wheel bearings are covered for life! How did that happen?
If replaced by dealership the part is lifetime warranty. Only pay labor.
So far my 2012 volt has 173 000 on it... No issues but some may be starting... I got check engine on. AutoZone says emissions related... I hope to hit 2-300 000 maybe more if it keeps going. I got a video of it on my channel when I got it around 70k miles
At 160,000 miles my 2014 volt hybrid battery has taken a dump. Car still runs on gas as a regular hybrid without being charged.
When that happens, it really takes away from how you feel about the car. I spent thousands of $$$ trying to turn my charging ability back on and failed. I then realized I'd been way ahead spending those $$$$ on gasoline versus trying to get my 40 electric miles back!!! Very hard lesson. But on the bright side, Ol Sparkie ran 100,000 miles after not being able to charging just on the generator. And I would often put the car in mountain mode on the highway to put 10 ev miles back in my battery pack. 🔋 Good Luck!
I thought by now, the battery reconditioning specialists, would be setting up all over the country, Europe has a few battery specialists, upgrading and extending battery packs
We may have them. I actually didn't check.
@@erickbelmer9350 drive-green.co.uk/ev-info/electric-car-battery-faq/ they reckon it costs around 1500 to recondition a complete battery.
Great video, dear friend, the generator comes up only because the setting is set to come up at the temperature getting to 32 change it to lower setting and the engine will not come on. with respect to things not working, try to check the fuses if you can, just pull and look at it and put it back in place, do it one out a time.
WOW 400k ..... Thats amazing ....
Scotty Kilmer would be pissed to find out that this car has 467,000 miles and works still decently despite the accident. Scotty would lose his hair trying to figure out how is it that those Volts are not money pits as he claims it to be.
Agreed!
sounds to me like it was a money pit. But anyway there are always Outliers or exceptions to the norm in almost any vehicle.
@@dalephillips8250 This volt was involved in an accident, so no surprise there. And despite that, it went over 400,000 miles.
Starting from 3:10 ... I feel really sorry about that you paid for the possible unnecessary charging port replacement because the dealership's misdiagnose!? Also, isn't that both of the replacement on-board charger and coolant level senor should come with at least 1-yr or 12k miles warranty?
It did, I usually do 12,000 miles in 2 and a half months.
You can get rid of the error with an OBD II reader and be able to charge the car, just unplug the reader each time you reset the error
Mine cleared but came right back.
How much or the problems do you feel are caused by the accident? Still 400+K on a car with so much new tech not too bad. Too bad about the serviceability issues. The coolant leak sounds like somebody missed something during a repair.
Yep. A Non Volt technician repaired the vehicle. The dealership won't admit anything they may have done wrong. They also got me for a master cylinder I didn't need.
This car was practically trouble free besides wheel bearings every 100,000 miles. After accident it started failing.
Well, I was interested in buying a 2013 Volt I found online with 90k miles for $7800. With the prices you're quoting for repairs I may just stick with buying a VW Golf diesel I found. Less money, great fuel mileage, and mechanics know what's wrong with it. Bums me out because I REALLY wanted one of these.
I can assure you my local GM shops couldn't fix one of these, and my regular mechanic said he wouldn't touch anything other than oil/lube/brakes on these. Too complex he said.
I'm driving a diesel Chevy Equinox now. 49mpg.🙂
@Erick Belmer I had no idea Chevy MADE a diesel Equinox? How's the reliability been? I just looked up the prices on the nearest ones to me. Oof. Guess I’ll wait a few years until the used ones hit the market. I never buy new.
@@m1cajah I've had zero issues so far but it only has 48,000 miles on it.
@@m1cajah Also GMC Terrain also comes with a diesel option.
Seatbelt chime not working seems like a good thing lol. Can’t believe you’re still running
I'm not still running. Stopped years ago. The guy that brought it in Canada has it running. 😊
I guess I don't understand how all 4 wheel bearings can be damaged, from one truck tire.
I hope you continue to have good luck with your Volt!
I've seen videos about replacing battery cells in these types of batteries.....I hope yours can be fixed.
One was a prius, and their batteries don't last as long as a Volt.
I hit the tire at 62 mph. Launched the vehicle off the ground. Lots of damage to under carriage and all 3 radiators. Really hard impact. Lots of problems after that accident. Ol Sparkie is gone now. Guy from Canada has her now. He will Absolutely fix her!
Erick Belmer,
I had one hit the side of my car once, but never like that!
I'm glad you didn't get seriously hurt or killed.
It scared the crap outta me, so I can only imagine what it was like for you.
@@erickbelmer9350 Where in Canada does the guy live, Hope to run into him and his “Refurbished” Sparkie. I’m in Edmonton, Alberta and love my 2012 Volt, having it only for a month, waiting to see how it handles the winter and deeper snow 😀
The welcome sound sounded off too.
You should take it back to the people that fixed it and get those leaks fixed. The aluminum is thinner and much more fragile than other radiators so you have to use cardboard around them when installing.
Was out of the 12 month 12,000 mile warranty when I realized what was happening. I drive 7,700 miles per month and didn't catch this soon enough. Absolutely my fault for not paying attention. I have a tough work schedule and the car was so trouble free until I missed this problem. Only had a month and a half to go back on them.
Keep in mind that you are going to have problems with most Volts.....if you're willing to put up with those problems and keep going then more power to you. As for me....I don't like dealing with all these issues....I would have dumped the care well before 400K.
Makes sense! I just really like EV's!!
@@erickbelmer9350 I understand and it was a good video. I would never go pure EV but would consider hybrid like this vehicle. Too much inconvenience for me reference pure EV's. I do think there is a future for Hybrids though.
@@dalephillips8250 Agreed, I literally now have to plan my life around my car's state of charge. But it does save me a lot of $$$!
The problem of Chevy volt is that no garage knows how to do maintenance on the car. You are pretty much toasted when you service the cat
Agreed
Erick, please provide us with an update on your Volt. The people need you to provide them with info brother!
Sold it. Broke down with a shorted out main motor. A guy in Canada brought it and repaired it. It's still driving.
Sylvain Belanger in Canada has her. She's still running.
My volt 2012 battery dies right after 100k miles warranty. The replacement cost is 9k for the whole pack or 5k for just the bad section. Not gonna touch EV again until battery replacement cost is more affordable.
I agree. Cost of EV repair is very Expensive if something malfunctions. If you must rely on the dealership EV may not be cost effective. Unless you just own or lease until something goes wrong.😉
Never will be the same after that type of accident. Time to trade for a 100,000 no accident normally working Volt!!
Agreed 👍🏾
Volts were definitely underrated
Agreed!
Truck tire is no joke. This is the main reason why these newer semi trucks are using the single fat tires
I mean it's an amazing car isn't it to get you 400 000 miles? That's kind of what I would expect, that the engine will keep running forever because it's used as a generator, not to deliver torque through a transmission.
Yep, and it still runs. The new owner keeps in touch. Over 500,000 miles now.
good review but it sounds like you are complaining when you should be applauding this vehicle.
My apology. Only upset with my dealerships. I Truly Adore this car!!! If I could afford to fix it I would have.
Erick Belmer i’m looking at buying one. im in sales and drive ALOT!!! sometimes 200 miles a day. I am selling my Lexus ISF super sedan due to it being a v8 that drinks 10 quarts of oil per oil change. lol, cant justify driving that beast so many miles any more. The Volt seems like a good long range commuter
@@jasonh8212 Absolutely Is a Great Long Range vehicle! Fit my life Perfectly!!!
@@erickbelmer9350 yeah, I'm getting the impression that the dealership didn't have enough training... So I need to find a COMPETENT mechanic with this type of car. Thank you!
three computer modules need replacing but replacing wheel bearings fixes computer moduel problems? What crazy wrold is this Volt living in.
It was still getting 36+ miles of battery range at 400k miles? That's impressive.
Try adding more coolant to the high voltage battery overflow tank it to the top of the sticker that should fix it and enable ev mode again.
Thanks. I filled it to the cap. No change. I no longer own Ol Sparkie.
@@erickbelmer9350 oh no that’s to bad oh well
Electric ranged dropped from 42 to 38 after 400,000 miles on original battery? Is that right?
Yep.
It's a shame when an accident happens to a car you were planning on running into the ground, however that's what lead me here. You've definitely convinced me to get this car.
From what I've gathered, should you find a better dealership that can fix the coolant issue, you still might have some time with the battery since the leak and the reduction of pressure that goes with it means its temperature can't be regulated properly.
P.S. Midwesterner here too, how is it in the snow and ice?
One year ago I bought a 2015 Volt. Not a single complaint about it's drivability.
Tesla model S 75 or above drivetrain and battery is warranty covered unlimited miles, 8 years... Just saying :) tesla.com/used may be worth looking at (more affordable options). We bought a used S with 3 more years left on the unlimited miles batt and drivetrain warranty and it came with 2 year up to 100k odometer full warranty. (Car had around 60k miles at purchase). Worth a look. Your leak may be leaking into the battery or charger? Great update! Glad to hear your commute is shorter.
Please do a video on your Tesla! I would love to hear your perspective.
At least, when the battery charging system gives up, the car is still capable of being driven on gas, and that's a major plus........
Absolutely!! Like having two power trains!
Get a land cruiser for your next vehicle. You will only pay more in gas but it will last you 25 years,take a beating and drive through most road conditions.
I would be tempted to try another dealer. Your current one may feel it is time for you to buy another car. What about used/salvaged parts? Are they available?
Salvage parts are available. I normally replace everything with original GM parts for reliability as well as accountability of the dealership. They really try but the technicians may not have the proper training for such an advanced product. This is the Best Service Department we have near us. I may truly need to ship it somewhere with trained technicians.
Hi,Eric I m interest about change transmission oil, how often do you chance transmission oil in this mileage ?
Every 150,000. Fyi, the tech doing it at 305,000 says it was so clean he brought me out to the service garage to show me. There were 5 other techs looking on in disbelief. 10 days after that I had it at another service garage in galion ohio for a wheel bearing change and the service guy called me at home advising me his Tech just checked my transmission oil and it's in desperate need of service because it's almost Black. I asked for his name and the Tech's name and immediately drove over to confront them both in front of my vehicle. I asked them to show me how you checked it and show me that it's almost black. This isn't possible since the system is sealed, so they stood there. Then the service manager admitted he only went by the mileage and was attempting to get more service work. I reported him to GM customer service.
@@erickbelmer9350 I see for every 150.000 mile, and manuel writes DEXRON VI transmission fluid and does it important for company or every DEXRON VI available for volt ? Otherwise, I hope you chanced one times DEXCOOL coolant for electronic and batteries..my volt just 37.000 miles :)...and thanks for attention...
@@brk00034 Yes. I did. 😊
Burak TEPELİ,
There is no transmission, in a Volt.
Great update.
This is really cool and informative.
EV Family Brother. We're in this together! We all share as much information as possible!👍🏽🙂
400k miles i think you should belittle the car.... It took care of you even after you put it threw a big wreck.
Car is Great. Still my work car as it has been since day one. Just wish dealerships understood this vehicle.
How would your car be so far if you never had accident? Whats your opinion with no accident.
I'm pretty sure there would be far less problems.
Yeah... I would not be buying an equinox diesel personally. Would buy a Bolt as a commuter instead hands down without question
Yeah I agree. About 4 times a month my daily commute is 292 miles one way. In ohio we have winter. My buddy has a bolt and his one way commute is 80 miles. The bolt in the summer had 218 mile ev range. In the winter it's now 155 ev range without using the heater. He installed an external diesel heater under the hood in case charger at his job is unavailable. Bolt couldn't work for me.
@@erickbelmer9350 who's that, lol. If I charged all the way instead of 87%, I'd be around 150-175 in winter. Summer at 100% is about 220-240.
@@stretch44875 Cool. I still couldn't get away with a bolt. To far away.
@@erickbelmer9350 yep. It's a good commuter car, not a road trip car
@@erickbelmer9350 GM didn't have EV chargers at work for GM employees driving GM EV cars to the job, even if the charge fees are paid by the car owner?
I have a 2013 Chevy Volt with 66,000 miles at 35,000 miles I had 1 of the 3 battery cells replaced by the factory at 66,000 miles the other 2 cells went bad. Chevrolet discontinued the 3 cell battery requiring Volt owners to replace the 3 cell with a single cell battery at a cost of $20,000 not including installation. A 2013 with 66,000 miles will retail for around $13,000 basically making a 2013 Volt worthless. No one would pay over $ 20,000 to put a battery in a $13,000 car. Chevrolet basically told me it's your junk not our be problem.
shoulda paid extra for that Million Mile Bumper to Bumper Warranty.
I know! Right 👍🏾👍🏾😂😂
How you manage to drive 200 miles per day? Are you an uber driveR?
No. My GM plant closed in my town. The plant I was assigned to was 115 miles away. I couldn't move my Family closer because my parents and wife's parents are getting up there in age a need us to be around. I'm the only one inconvenienced so I brought a Volt for fuel economy and tires to drive daily. Tough schedule but I need to be home daily so my kid sees me. Just So Thankful To have a job in my State! Others had to relocate to other states. I now am in a plant much closer so I no longer have a long commute to work.
Erick Belmer bro get a prius and you wont have all this problems
@@erickbelmer9350 youre a really strong person commuting that far daily!
@@stanleykinzinger Not really, mostly just a lack of proper planning on my part. Had no idea my GM Plant would suddenly close and was forced to follow GM due to Wonderful medical insurance package. My parents are elderly and had just started declining. I have a wonderful family infrastructure for raising my daughter so moving closer to the job was Not an option. This was Not a good time to move around the state for my own Convenience when so many people depend on me. My daughter needs to see me every day and that Volt was the tool that made it possible!! The volt has always been my dream car and NEVER thought I'd own one due to price and not spoiling myself by selfishly buying my dream car just because I wanted it. But to my pleasant surprise my wife (Accountant) ran the numbers and turned out if I'm to drive solo (because I don't play well with others 😉) 250 miles per day,,, the Volt was the Only Option!!! Less maintenance for the volt was the deciding factor. An oil change ever 40,000 miles verse 5,0000 on other vehicles. 1st brake job at 423,000 miles! This car worked Perfectly for this transitional part of my life! Best Car Ever!!! I really miss that car!💚
But the strong driver part is kinda like having kids, you're never ready for it, you just do it because you have to. This being my Dream Car didn't hurt either!!😁
I use to commute 30 miles a day in LA, but driving or train was anywhere from 1.5-2.5 hours each way. 200 miles can be 3 hours daily if you can move at a decent speed. The commute is long, but not unreasonable in many cities.
I just went through the service high voltage charging system after 40,000 miles.
Hope you're dealership can keep it from popping up later. Mine did this 9 times before I gave up and just used it as a gas car. $250 for each time it happened. Happened more when the battery got older.
@@erickbelmer9350I have the same error currently at the dealership to get it cleared, you said you can drive as a gas only car. Is it possible? I thought you need the electric charge to keep it going, I own a 2012 chevy volt
Also about the antifreeze, change after 5 years?Thanks
Every 150,000 miles at 82,000 miles per year.
So Erick, would you recommend this car to other people?
Absolutely. It was A1 reliable for the 1st 270,000 miles with only a computer failure that was under the passenger seat. It was great until I wrecked it!
@@muadhnate It was wrecked at 360,000. Was a lot more damage than dealership estimated. I ended up paying for the things they missed.
Erick Belmer - It sounds like it was a peach until the accident. That’s not surprising, and it doesn’t sound like this is a fault of the car itself.
I came to this video bc I'm having issues with my O2 sensors and catalytic converter. I have 160k miles on my 2013 and I am dreading this might be a big issue I'm not willing to fix. So far, it's been pretty mtx free, just a coolant pump. I was searching to see if anyone has done a cat on a volt themselves. Also, I have the passenger presence sensor error... Decided I'm going to replace the whole seat from a junkyard and see if that fixes it. The seat covers and plastic pieces can all be switched over to a new seat so it doesn't have to be matching part. I feel like I've gotten my money worth but I want to keep going as long as it's reasonable. You gave me hope I can keep it going for a while!
Such a shame how this ended for you, still a functioning car I suppose. Thanks for the update, still amazing how long you’ve managed to go with this car and what elec car company do you think you’ll eventually go with as I see you’re waiting for better battery tech.
Something from GM since I still work there.
Carefully, he’s a hero
Not,, Just a fellow EV guy that got to drive his "Dream Car" Every day for 7 Years!! Loved That Volt!! Can't Wait to get back into a EV Again!!🙂👍🏾
The moral of the story is not to go to the dealer for repairs, if you went to a reputable local garage they would have solved most of your problems without thousand dollar guesses. There are even independent repair shops that specialize in electric vehicles now.
Seems like most of OP issue are an incompetent service dept. Properly identifying the issues might have been reasonable repair costs and still everything working today. Sad... But I hear things like this all the time... And it makes people give up on decent cars.