'service airbag' chime and light coming on, routinely, even with or with anybody in the passenger seat. I have not taken the car to a dealer yet since I have been reading forum input about this issue and seeing huge cost to repair. Car has only 81k miles and has never been flooded or had water on the seat(passenger).
2011 Chevrolet Volt airbags problems
moderate 6 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
When does it fail?
Of the 6 airbags complaints filed for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 6 model years of Chevrolet Volt we track for airbags problems, this one has the fewest owner complaints on file (6).
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
The airbag light has turned and airbag sensor is bad. Passenger airbag will not illuminate and work for someone sitting in the passenger seat. The car has not been in an accident.
Air bag warning light is illuminated due to a failed sensor in the passenger seat. Had to replace with a used seat.
Air bag warning light is illuminated due to a failed sensor in the passenger seat. Had to replace with a used seat.
Had airbags trouble with your 2011 Chevrolet Volt?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 6 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 6 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 98,031 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Chevrolet/Volt.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.