What Chevrolet Bolt EV owners have reported to NHTSA, the service bulletins the manufacturer sent dealers, and any federal defect investigations, by model year. See Chevrolet Bolt EV safety recalls or check your VIN.
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA, by the model year of the vehicle. A high count can also mean a popular year, so compare it with how many were sold.
| Year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injured | Deaths | TSBs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 202 |
| 2023 | 60 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 364 |
| 2022 | 59 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 515 |
| 2021 | 67 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 506 |
| 2020 | 174 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 601 |
| 2019 | 178 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 630 |
| 2018 | 89 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 819 |
| 2017 | 348 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1,056 |
The vehicle systems named most often in Chevrolet Bolt EV complaints (one complaint can name several).
In the owners’ own words, as filed with NHTSA. Unverified reports; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
The steering rack is binding and has malfunctioned. The steering wheel does not return to center after turning and vibrates or wobbles while driving, which may impair steering control and makes the vehicle unsafe to drive. The problem was diagnosed and confirmed by a certified automotive repair shop. No warning lights or messages appeared. The only prior symptom was progressively worsening steering-wheel operation over time.
I have this exact issue with my car, this is service Bulletin No.: 21-NA-064 published on the NHTSA web site. The dealership wants to charge me hundreds of dollars to fix this problem, it is a software problem. This impacts safety as this heater is also necessary to safely defrost the windows. I have called GM and they are telling me they will not repair the software defect for free. This creates incentive for the car manufacturer to create bad software that will need updates. It's an easy fix, but they prevent the customer from being able to do this simple software fix which any reasonable computer person could do if they didn't have this locked down. 114401456 is the complaint I …
I am reporting a recurring safety defect with our 2019 Chevrolet Bolt (~80,000 miles). On multiple occasions the left front wheel has overheated severely while driving, accompanied by a rapid, severe side-to-side steering wheel wobble and a burning smell. On XXX after ~35 miles of driving (10+ miles at 50-63 mph), the steering wheel began shaking. We had to pull over and drive slowly along the shoulder, stopping twice to let the wheel cool. The left front wheel measured 627.9°F, while other wheels were under 200°F. On XXX, only three days after replacing the front brake pads and rotors, the left front wheel again overheated to 355°F (other wheels 116-139°F), with a burning smell. The p…
The steering wheel on my 2019 Chevy bolt is feeling stiff and harder to turn when making a right and left turn.
This is in regard to the automatic emergency braking function in my new 2027 Chevrolet Bolt. While driving, the emergency braking system suddenly activated the brakes. It was unanticipated, unnecessary, and violent to the extent my wife, in the passenger seat, later reported headache and neck pain. I did not report this to the dealer and it has not been inspected. Apparently, this is what the car is designed to do. I have managed to turn off this system but it defaults to "on" every time I turn the car off. There appears no permanent way to deactivate this system.
A rear passenger side door handle/latch stopped working. The door cannot be opened from the inside, only from the outside. Itâs a safety issue and it has affected other 2019-2020 Bolts which resulted in their recall. Why not this one?
Steering has resistance and will not to return to center/neutral position without driver manipulation. I've never experienced this probelm with another car and See many other Chevrolet Bolt owners have experienced the same problem. IT definitely seems to be a design and /or assembly flaw. Local GM dealer service department insists it's an isolated issue. Very costly repair required.
Camera(s) stopped working altogether after intermittent issues. The vehicle has no functioning backup camera.
Repair instructions and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about known issues. A TSB is not a recall, and the repair is usually free only while the car is under warranty; ask your dealer for the bulletin number.
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
Certain vehicles listed above may have a condition in which there is a water leak due to a partially seated tail-lamp harness grommet. Dealers will inspect and reseat grommet if necessary.
This PI is to instruct dealer on diagnostic procedures that need to be completed prior to replacing a radio or IPC display
Certain vehicles may have a condition in which the roof to body side structure has a pinhole in it. Dealers are to inspect the right hand side of the roof-to-body joint for pinholes and, if necessary, reseal the area.
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
⢠Better performance and reliability of wireless phone charging
This preliminary information is to inform technicians and customers that GM is aware of the issue and the vehicle can still be driven. When a repair is available, this PI will be updated.
This Preliminary information communications information on a Short Range Radar software anomaly causing false / ghost left or right side object detection alerts.
This Preliminary information communicates to the technicians a diagnostic tip if a technician loses communication with the image processor #2 and how to restore communication
This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues
Certain vehicles may have a condition where a false diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is set. Dealers are to reprogram the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2.
⢠Fixes to help ensure start reliability and prevent battery drain ⢠Improved charging performance and messages ⢠Improved performance for anti-lock braking system
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opens these when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Many end in a recall.
On October 3, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE24028 to investigate alleged failures of Enel X Way's JuiceBox Level 2 residential EV chargers. The allegations were described as thermal incidents and electrical malfunctions, which could trip the circuit breakers in Juicebox ownersâ homes and disrupt electric vehicle charge cycles. On October 2, 2024, Enel X Way posted on its website that Enel X Way North America would cease operations in the United States and Canada on
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-spe
In October 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) on 2017-2020 Model Year (MY) Chevrolet Bolt vehicles based on complaints received alleging that the vehicles caught fire under the seating area while parked and unattended. At the time, ODI had received 2 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) and several field reports. All complaints alleged vehicles caught fire during or after electrical charging.ODI's review found vehicle thermal events occurred durin
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation public data (complaints, manufacturer communications, investigations), model years 2010 and later. Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA.
In complaints filed with NHTSA for model years 2017–2027, owners most often name: electrical system, steering, fuel/propulsion system. 980 complaints are on record.
No. A complaint is an unverified report from an owner. A technical service bulletin (TSB) is the manufacturer telling dealers how to fix a known issue; it is not a safety recall and is usually covered only under warranty. A recall is a formal safety action, and its repair is free.
File a vehicle safety complaint at NHTSA.gov. NHTSA reads every report, and patterns of complaints are what open defect investigations and, eventually, recalls.
