YearToAvoid

2018 Chevrolet Volt Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 84 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Volt, 38% of its 222 total complaints for the year. There is no related recall on file. Median mileage at failure is 23,200 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
84
38% of 222
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
23,200 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report a persistent "shift to park" error message that appears even when the shifter is already in the park position, preventing the vehicle from powering off.
  • Some drivers had to shift out of and back into park multiple times before the car would finally shut down.
  • In several cases the vehicle lost power or stalled while driving on the highway at speeds around 55 to 65 mph, sometimes with a check engine light and a dashboard message telling the driver to shift to park.
  • One owner described the shifter becoming unresponsive afterward, with no power delivered to the wheels when placed in drive or reverse.
  • A dealership repair in at least one case involved replacing a shifter in-line wire harness jumper, and owners report the shift-to-park issue recurring on every use of the vehicle.

When 2018 Chevrolet Volt transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 14, 2018, latest Aug 27, 2026.

2018 Chevrolet Volt transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month9Oct 2018Apr 2020Jun 2021Feb 2022Jan 2023Jan 2024Oct 2024May 2026
84 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2018 to Aug 2026; peak Dec 2023 (9).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2018 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 complaints on the 2018 Chevrolet Volt?
NHTSA lists 84 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Volt, which is 38% of the 222 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2018 Chevrolet Volt shift-to-park issue?
No. There are no related recalls listed in NHTSA data for the 2018 Volt's Transmission & Powertrain complaints.
At what mileage do transmission problems typically show up on the 2018 Volt?
The median mileage at failure for these complaints is 23,200 miles.
Do these transmission issues cause crashes or injuries?
NHTSA records 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries associated with these Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Volt.
How does the 2018 Volt compare to other years for this problem?
The 2018 Volt's share of Transmission & Powertrain complaints is 38%, higher than most other model years except 2019 at 47%; 2017 had the most complaints in raw numbers at 219.

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.