Ownership Cost for 2013 Chevrolet Volt Base
Estimated: $34771 over the next 5 years
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $2967 | $1424 | $1246 | $1127 | $1009 | $7773 |
| Insurance | $1905 | $1972 | $2041 | $2113 | $2186 | $10217 |
| Fuel | $402 | $414 | $429 | $446 | $466 | $2157 |
| Maintenance | $2095 | $1581 | $1056 | $1186 | $1984 | $7902 |
| Repairs | $731 | $912 | $1036 | $1159 | $1346 | $5184 |
| Taxes & Fees | $1037 | $1037 | $1037 | $1037 | $1037 | $1536 |
| Total Ownership Costs | $9138 | $6422 | $5958 | $6128 | $7125 | $34771 |
| Model year | COMPONENT | Complaint |
| 2012 | STRUCTURE | THE STANDARD CHARGE CORD UNIT SUPPLIED WITH THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALER HAS FAILED TWICE, AND I BELIEVE IT POSES A FIRE RISK. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS 9/1/12 AT APPROX. 18,000 MILES. CORROSION WAS NOTED ON THE PLUG. THE DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN BLAMED RUST FROM A RECENT RAINSTORM AND REPLACED THE CHARGE CORD UNIT. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS YESTERDAY AT 32,350 MILES. THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED CHARGING. ON INSPECTION THE CHARGE UNIT AND CORD WERE EXTREMELY HOT, HOT ENOUGH TO HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED A BURN OR AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IN MY GARAGE. OVER THE PAST 2-3 MONTHS, I HAVE NOTED GRADUAL ONSET OF CORROSION ON THE OUTLET AND THE CHARGER PLUG. (OF NOTE, THERE HAS BEEN NO RAIN HERE IN LAS VEGAS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS). THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CHARGE CORD UNIT TODAY. I COMMENTED TO THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM USING SOLELY THE 110 VOLT CHARGER IN A REGULAR HOUSEHOLD OUTLET. DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL IMPLIED THAT THE VOLT IS SUPPOSED TO BE CHARGED ON A DEDICATED CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH NO OTHER USE. HOWEVER, THIS INFORMATION DOES NOT APPEAR ANYWHERE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, NOR IN THE CHARGE CORD UNIT MANUAL I RECEIVED TODAY, NOR HAVE I BEEN TOLD THIS AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, NOR AT THE TIME OF THE INITIAL CHARGE CABLE RECALL IN EARLY 2012, NOR ON 9/1/12. THE ONLY PRINTED INFORMATION ABOUT CHARGING IS THAT THE VOLT CAN BE PLUGGED INTO A REGULAR HOUSEHOLD OUTLET (OWNERS MANUAL 1-20), AND THAT IT IS RECOMMENDED TO LEAVE IT PLUGGED IN TEMPERATURES OVER 90 DEGREES F. TO PRESERVE BATTERY LIFE (OWNER'S MANUAL 9-44). ON REVIEW OF WEBSITES AND BLOGS, I NOTE THAT OTHER VOLT OWNERS HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. *TR |
| 2013 | ENGINE | I LEASED A NEW 2013 VOLT ON FRIDAY AND DROVE IT TO WORK AND HOME ON MONDAY. THE BATTERY DISPLAY SHOWED IT WAS AT MINIMUM, ZERO MILES REMAINING. THE VOLT WAS RUNNING WITH THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. AS I PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT, "їPROPULSION POWER IS REDUCED"ќ, "їENGINE NOT AVAILABLE"ќ, AND "SERVICE STABILITRAC" DISPLAYED ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER. AFTER GOING ABOUT 500 FEET, I STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THE VOLT STALLED. I TURNED ON THE FLASHERS AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE POWER BY PRESSING THE BRAKE AND THE POWER BUTTON. THE DISPLAYS LIT UP BUT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CONTINUED TO DISPLAY "їINITIALIZING-WAIT TO SHIFT"ќ. I TURNED THE VOLT OFF BY PRESSING THE POWER BUTTON AGAIN AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE POWER SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULT. CARS BEHIND ME WERE ATTEMPTING TO PULL AROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE BUT WERE BLOCKED BY CARS TURNING ONTO THE TWO-LANE STREET. I PUSHED THE ON-STAR BUTTON AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE. SOON, A VOLT SPECIALIST CAME ON THE LINE AND SAID SHE SUSPECTED THE SECURITY SYSTEM OR THE 12V BATTERY. SHE HAD ME TURN EVERYTHING OFF AND WALK 200 FEET FROM THE CAR. WHEN I RETURNED AND TRIED TO START THE VOLT, IT STARTED BRIEFLY BUT SHUT DOWN. SHE SAID THE 12V BATTERY MIGHT BE LOW AND THEY WOULD HAVE THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER BRING BOOSTER CABLES TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. I HAD MANAGED TO PUSH THE VOLT TO THE CURB AND GOT SOME CABLES TO BOOST IT. THE VOLT INITIALIZED AND THE DISPLAYS LOOKED NORMAL. I DROVE TO THE NEXT INTERSECTION AND STOPPED FOR THE LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED, IT STALLED AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MY HOUSE ON BATTERY POWER BUT IT WOULD NOT GO UP THE SLOPE OF THE DRIVEWAY. I TRIED TO CHARGE IT BUT THE CHARGE CYCLE WOULD NOT START. THE NEXT MORNING, IT HAD "їPLUG IN TO CHARGE" LIGHT ON. I STARTED THE CHARGE CYCLE. IT GOES TO THE DEALER TONIGHT. *TR |
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