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 | ENGINE | WAS DRIVING VOLT AT LOW SPEED IN TRAFFIC. ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH MODES (NORMAL TO SPORT). THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY PRESSING A BUTTON ON THE DASHBOARD TWICE IN QUICK SUCCESSION. THE BUTTON IS LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE START/STOP BUTTON. I ACCIDENTALLY PRESSED THE START/STOP BUTTON TWICE IN QUICK SUCCESSION, WHICH SHUTS THE CAR OFF. THE CAR SHUT OFF AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT UNTIL I CAME TO A FULL STOP, SHIFTED THE CAR TO PARK, AND PRESSED THE BRAKE. THE RESULTED IN A SMALL TRAFFIC BACKUP BEHIND ME. HOWEVER, THIS THE DESIGN AND PLACEMENT OF THESE BUTTONS IS VERY POOR. I BELIEVE THE START/STOP BUTTON HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO SHUTOFF THE CAR RELATIVELY EASILY IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT AND PUBLIC "SUDDEN ACCELERATION" PROBLEMS BY OTHER MANUFACTURERS. HOWEVER, ACCIDENTALLY SWITCHING OFF THE CAR IS ALSO AN UNDESIRABLE CONSEQUENCE. HAD THIS EVENT HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEEDS (ON THE HIGHWAY) IT COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS. *TR |
| 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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