I got a check engine light a few days back. I got it to the dealer today and they told me that it was a bad solenoid valve. Apparently it is the one that is in the coolant loop for the li-ion battery. Has anyone else had this problem?

The dealer is doing a great job and has been very helpful and polite. Apparently they are over-nighting the part in from Michigan for arrival tomorrow and it will be repaired in the same day. They also told me the car would be fully charged as well :)

What was the diagnostic code? Mine was P26A9 for Engine Coolant Bypass Valve Position Sensor (http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?9179-Check-Engine-comes-on-DIC-switches-to-Nav-Address-Book&highlight=p26a9). But yours sounds different by the description.

Did they tell you exactly WHICH DTC was being set? This would be helpfult to establish if its something others my have encountered. There really isnt a "solenoid" valve for the Li-Ion battery coolant loop that I am aware of but there is a 3-way motorized valve so... maybe that?
WOT

What was the diagnostic code? Mine was P26A9 for Engine Coolant Bypass Valve Position Sensor (http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?9179-Check-Engine-comes-on-DIC-switches-to-Nav-Address-Book&highlight=p26a9). But yours sounds different by the description.


Did they tell you exactly WHICH DTC was being set? This would be helpfult to establish if its something others my have encountered. There really isnt a "solenoid" valve for the Li-Ion battery coolant loop that I am aware of but there is a 3-way motorized valve so... maybe that?
WOT

Yeah, I should have gotten that code. When I tried to get it before I took it to the dealer, I called OnStar but they said I had to be physically in the car. Unfortunately I was out of town so that wasn't possible. I'll see if they can give my buddy the code when he goes to pick up the car tomorrow. The dealer did say it was a solenoid valve, though and it was in the cooling loop of the li-ion battery. Obviously if there's isn't such a valve, it must have been something else.

Did they tell you exactly WHICH DTC was being set? This would be helpfult to establish if its something others my have encountered. There really isnt a "solenoid" valve for the Li-Ion battery coolant loop that I am aware of but there is a 3-way motorized valve so... maybe that?
WOT

OK, I have the codes now. Apparently it was the battery pack coolant bypass valve.

The codes were P1E00, P1EA9, and P0CE0.

So what does the valve do and what is the significance of the codes?

They also replaced/fixed the driver's side seatbelt male buckle that is on the shoulder harness that you click in the buckle by your hip. I think they put it on in the factory backwards as I had to make a twist in the seatbelt in order to get it to click in. They also put the front license plate bracket on for free.

I didn't deal with them as I was out of town and my friends took care of it for me, but it was Ed Bozarth/Park Meadow Chevrolet in Lone Tree, CO. My friends said that they were very nice and they also were nice when I talked to them on the phone.

So far I am loving the car. I just completed a 2000+ mile journey from CA to IL. I spent half of the trip over very mountainous terrain, and I rarely drove slower than 70mph except for brief periods of time. The car averaged 38.1mpg over the length of this trip. I was very surprised the mpg's were that high as I drove so fast and the terrain was extremely hilly.

I got a check engine light today. I called into OnStar (from the car) and they reported it was P0CE0 , and that I should get into the dealer within 7 days.

From http://www.autocats.net/manual/chevrolet/tis0911/en/documents_2012/Volt/SM-R/92555105.en.html :


DTC P0CE0: Hybrid/EV Battery Pack Coolant Control Valve Performance

The hybrid/EV battery pack coolant control valve drive circuit in the hybrid/EV powertrain control module 2 is two control circuit, terminal 1 (Drive A) and terminal 2 (Drive B), that can drive the valve motor in a forward or reverse direction. One end position of the range is the Radiator connection, the middle position is the bypass position and the other end is the chiller position.

Conditions for Setting the DTC
P0CE0
• The control circuit terminal 1 (Drive A) or control circuit terminal 2 (Drive B) is open.
OR
• If during any learn procedure the valve does not reach the end-stops of approximately 42% and 50% in 30 seconds or goes past the end-stops of approximately 30% and 70% or the difference between the two end-stops is less than 15% or greater than 33%.
OR
• Hybrid/EV Battery Pack Coolant Control Valve has not reached its commanded position within 30 seconds.
OR
• Hybrid/EV Battery Pack Coolant Control Valve feedback position is not within 3% of valve commanded position.
OR
• Hybrid/EV Battery Pack Coolant Control Valve feedback position signal is erratic and its noise level sum is greater than 12% over 4 seconds.


I'll call my dealer in the morning, get them to order the replacement part, and get it installed pronto. I'm going on a roadtrip on Sept 6th so I need it fixed by then for sure.

I got a check engine light today. I called into OnStar (from the car) and they reported it was P0CE0 , and that I should get into the dealer within 7 days.

From http://www.autocats.net/manual/chevrolet/tis0911/en/documents_2012/Volt/SM-R/92555105.en.html :



I'll call my dealer in the morning, get them to order the replacement part, and get it installed pronto. I'm going on a roadtrip on Sept 6th so I need it fixed by then for sure.That's not good.
Doubtful they would just order a valve without checking out the electrical circuits first. (ie following the diagnostic steps in the chart)
Even a bad or intermittent connection can set this DTC. GM warranty processes just do not facilitate it happening like that.
WOT

OK, thanks WopOnTour for that. I'm waiting for a call back from the dealer, but if they don't have the part in stock I won't press themt o pre-order it. I'll plan to be without my car for two days :(

EDIT 1: never did hear back. I called them again, and they gave me the generic "we need to see it" spiel so I've gone ahead and made the appointment to bring it in tomorrow morning. This dealer is quite busy/slow so I'll leave the car with them for the day.

On the plus side, I'll take this opportunity to rent a Nissan Leaf from Enterprise for a day and get a feel for that car!

EDIT 2: Volt is at dealer, they do need to replace the valve, they do need to keep the car overnight, and I am now driving a rental Leaf :)

I'll post here (properly) once I get it back and perhaps hear more from them about the problem.

Fixed! From the dealer's paperwork:
Battery coolant control valve open on feedback circuit
Replaced battery coolant control valve

Covered under warranty. Glad to have my Volt back.

The Leaf sucks. Acceleration is slightly weaker, braking is uneven, wheels are skinny, and had a couple torque steer surprises. Feels cheap in every way. Doesn't have the keyfob pre-condition capability (I looove that in my Volt) and no a timer is not a substitute. The guess-o-meter range fluctuations are startling. Damn straight they better improve the range and drop the price (http://insideevs.com/nissan-leaf-to-getmore-range-cheaper-model/) in the 2013 model year.

The one thing I really wish the Volt had was the Leaf's power consumption displays -- kW in the drivetrain etc.