YearToAvoid

2017 Chevrolet Volt Transmission & Powertrain Problems

Owners filed 219 Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2017 Chevrolet Volt, 31% of all complaints for the year. The median mileage at failure was 34,598. NHTSA lists no related recalls for this issue on this year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
219
31% of 698
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
34,599 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle suddenly loses propulsion while driving at highway speed, with the dash showing a "shift to park" message.
  • Car stalls or shuts off unexpectedly while switching between electric and gas power, sometimes at speeds around 60 mph.
  • Vehicle enters an unresponsive state after loss of power, requiring a tow or dealer intervention to restart.
  • Dash displays "action required, shift to park" even when the shifter is already in park, and the vehicle will not turn off.
  • Loss of power occurs shortly after the gas tank runs empty, putting the car into a reduced power mode.
  • Some owners report the issue happening within the first few thousand miles of ownership, including near-new vehicles.

When 2017 Chevrolet Volt transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 9, 2016, latest Aug 5, 2026.

2017 Chevrolet Volt transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter222016 Q32018 Q32020 Q22021 Q32022 Q42024 Q22025 Q3
219 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2020 Q3 (22).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2017 Chevrolet Volt

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Volt model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20113 (6%)
  2. 201222 (9%)
  3. 201324 (8%)
  4. 20144 (4%)
  5. 20156 (14%)
  6. 201651 (30%)
  7. 2017219 (31%)
  8. 201884 (38%)
  9. 201916 (47%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission and powertrain problems on the 2017 Chevrolet Volt?
NHTSA lists 219 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2017 Volt, which is 31% of the 698 total complaints filed for that year.
Is there a recall for the 2017 Chevrolet Volt transmission or powertrain?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2017 Volt.
At what mileage do 2017 Volt powertrain problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 34,598 miles, though sample complaints show issues occurring anywhere from very low mileage upward.
What does the "shift to park" warning mean on the 2017 Volt?
Owners report this message appears when the vehicle unexpectedly loses propulsion or when the vehicle refuses to shut off despite being in park, a pattern seen repeatedly in NHTSA complaints.
Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these powertrain complaints?
NHTSA records 0 crashes and 1 injury among the 219 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2017 Volt.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.