Showing the 2013 Volt Premium. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2013 Volt
The 2013 Chevrolet Volt has 308 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most for air bags at 161, followed by electrical system at 63. It is rated 37 mpg combined on gasoline and earns 5 stars in NHTSA's overall rating. There are 3 recall campaigns, covering air bags, hybrid system, electrical system, and others, which may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
37 mpgcombined; city 35, highway 40; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 98 MPGe on electricity
Five years of fuel
$11,000EPA's own estimate for plug-in hybrids: its national gasoline and electricity prices and the share of miles it expects on electricity; not priced for any state; every version of this model year; fuel only, 15,000 miles a year
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2013 Volt. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 308 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Volt. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air bags
161
1
0
1
Electrical system
63
1
1
3
Fuel/propulsion system
53
2
1
2
Engine
37
1
0
2
Seats
31
0
0
0
Power train
24
2
0
2
Service brakes
19
4
0
1
Unknown or other
15
1
0
1
Structure
6
0
0
0
Tires
6
1
0
1
Vehicle speed control
6
0
0
1
Steering
5
2
0
1
12 more parts
Hybrid propulsion system
4
0
0
0
Seat belts
4
1
0
3
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Wheels
2
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
0
0
0
Parking brake
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
1
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2013 Volt over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Camero, Sonic, and Volt vehicles. The driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag module, free of charge. On some 2013 Volt vehicles, the steering wheel will be replaced as well, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2023. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N232413120.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. An update to the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2 (HPCM2) may have disabled the cell balancing function causing a low-voltage condition.
Risk: If the voltage drops, the vehicle may lose propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the HPCM2, free of charge. The recall began July 24, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18215.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Risk: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,953 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2013 Volt, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (835), electrical system (593), engine and engine cooling (149), power train (138), engine (116).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2013 Volt.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: compact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Volt Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Premium Gasoline or Electricity 38 miles on electricity, 380 miles in all
35 / 40 / 37 on gasoline 98 MPGe on electricity
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data