Ownership Cost for 2011 Chevrolet Volt Base
Estimated: $35136 over the next 5 years
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $2695 | $1294 | $1132 | $1024 | $916 | $7061 |
| Insurance | $1807 | $1870 | $1935 | $2003 | $2073 | $9688 |
| Fuel | $422 | $434 | $449 | $467 | $488 | $2260 |
| Maintenance | $2565 | $1725 | $1075 | $1125 | $2200 | $8690 |
| Repairs | $908 | $1075 | $1224 | $1345 | $1549 | $6101 |
| Taxes & Fees | $900 | $900 | $900 | $900 | $900 | $1333 |
| Total Ownership Costs | $9297 | $6501 | $5947 | $6049 | $7343 | $35136 |
| Model year | COMPONENT | Complaint |
| 2012 | POWER TRAIN | DRIVER HAD RETURNED HOME, STOPPED CAR, DEPRESSED GEAR SHIFTER BUTTON TO PUT GEAR IN PARK, AND WAS ELECTROCUTED FROM THE POINT OF GEAR SHIFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY SLATED TO BE "REPURCHASED" BY GM DUE TO OTHER ONGOING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DRIVER FOR USE WHILE THE NEW VEHICLE WAS BEING BUILT BY GM FOR DELIVERY TO THE DRIVER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ADDITIONAL MALFUNCTIONING REPAIRS, THE LAST TIME BEFORE INCIDENT (INCLUDING A MALFUNCTION WITH THE MAIN BATTERY COMPONENT THE DEALER DETERMINED) THE DEALER'S MECHANIC REPORTED FINDING A "STIFFNESS" OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE GEAR SHIFTER. THE DEALER ORDERED AND REPLACED A PART TO THE GEAR SHIFTER. THE DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTROCUTION OCCURRED. GM WAS INFORMED OF THE INCIDENT IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. GM INSTRUCTED DRIVER TO CALL 911 TO HAVE "FIRST RESPONDERS" DISCONNECT THE POWER IN VEHICLE. FIRE DEPT REFUSED TO CUT POWER CABLES IN VEHICLE, FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE SYSTEMS, AND FEAR OF THEIR SAFETY, SINCE THE DRIVER WAS NO LONGER IN DANGER INSIDE OF VEHICLE. LUCKILY, WHEN INCIDENT OCCURRED, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY REMOVE THEIR POINT OF CONTACT FROM GEAR SHIFTER BEFORE THE HAND AND ARM MUSCLES HAD INVOLUNTARILY CONTRACTED IN PLACE PERMANENTLY CLOSING THE CONTACT AND RESULTING IN FURTHER ELECTROCUTION. DRIVER SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT ELECTRICAL SHOCK INJURY TO HAND/ARM INCLUDING PAIN, SHOCK, SORENESS, NUMBNESS, AND TINGLING SENSATION. SINCE INCIDENT, GM IS ONLY WILLING TO TRANSFER DRIVER TO THEIR PRODUCT ALLOCATION DEPARTMENT WHICH ACTS IN A LEGAL CAPACITY AND ACCEPTS CLAIM REPORTS FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. DRIVER'S IMMEDIATE CONCERN IS NOT TO SUE GM BUT TO INSURE ALL REASONABLE EFFORTS ARE MADE TO INFORM OTHER VOLT DEALERS OF INCIDENT AND HOPEFULLY PREVENT OTHER DRIVERS FROM BEING ELECTROCUTED. *TR.....UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF UPDATED 2/4/2013 *JS |
| 2011 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | AS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, WHEN RUNNING ON BATTERY, IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LEFT RUNNING. UPON RETURNING HOME ONE DAY, I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND PLUGGED IT IN. I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THE TIME, THAT I HAD NOT TURNED OFF THE VOLT BY PRESSING THE BLUE POWER SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD. THE NEXT MORNING, I CAME INTO MY ENCLOSED GARAGE AND COULD HEAR THE VOLT'S GAS POWERED GENERATOR RUNNING. I LOOKED AT THE DASH DISPLAY AND COULD SEE THE VOLT HAD NOT CHARGED, HAD USED UP ALL REMAINING BATTERY, AND HAD BEEN RUNNING ON GAS GENERATOR FOR SOME TIME. MY CONCERN IS REGARDING CARBON DIOXIDE POISONING RISKS. I HAVE TRIED OVER THE PAST 60 DAYS TO GET A RESPONSE OUT OF GM AS A VOLT OWNER AND I FEEL THEY ARE STONEWALLING ME AS THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO ME ON THIS CONCERN DESPITE THREE DIFFERENT INQUIRIES ON MY BEHALF. THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR GM WHO NORMALLY IS QUITE RESPONSIVE. I PROPOSE IF THE VEHICLE CAN SENSE IT IS PLUGGED IN THAT IT SHOULD SHUT DOWN SHOULD THE BATTERY BECOME DEPLETED RATHER THAN TURN ON THE GAS GENERATOR TO KEEP THE CAR RUNNING. I'M CONFIDENT GM CAN DETECT THE CAR IS PLUGGED IN SO PROGRAMMATICALLY I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE TO SOLVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. ELECTRIC CARS ARE NOT LIKE OTHER CARS IN THAT YOU CAN'T HEAR WHEN THEY ARE ON. CHANCES ARE, IF THE VEHICLE IS PLUGGED IN IT'S IN A GARAGE. NO GM EMPLOYEE WHO I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAS EXPLAINED WHY IT'S REASONABLE TO RUN THE GENERATOR IN THE SCENARIO I HAVE DESCRIBED. I DO HOPE NO ONE DIES BEFORE THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED. IT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE VOLT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. *TR |
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