2017 Chevrolet Bolt Ev problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Steering (119) · Fuel/Propulsion System (52) · Electrical System (50)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Chevrolet Bolt Ev model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
81 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (4)
Seat Belts:pretensioner 2023-12-14 · campaign 23V845000 · 6,771 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. This recall includes certain vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under NHTSA recall number 22V-930. After a crash with seat belt pretensioner deployment, the pretensioner exhaust may ignite carpet fibers near the B-pillar, causing a fire.
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect both front seat belt pretensioners and, if necessary, install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust. Certain vehicles will also need a pretensioner cover installed. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2024. These vehicles were previously recalled for this same issue under recall number 22V-930 and will need to have the new remedy performed. Owners may contact GM EV Concierge at 1-833-EVCHEVY (1-83
Seat Belts:pretensioner 2022-12-15 · campaign 22V930000 · 111,242 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. After a crash with seat belt pretensioner deployment, the pretensioner exhaust may ignite carpet fibers near the B-pillar, causing a fire.
Risk: A vehicle fire can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust, and install a pretensioner cover as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between January 23, 2023 and April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N222383790.
Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery 2021-07-23 · campaign 21V560000 · 57,414 vehicles ⚠ PARK OUTSIDE
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 20V-701. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
Risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Activate either the Hill Top Reserve (2017 and 2018 models) or Target Charge Level (2019 models) feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, park outside after charging, and do not charge the vehicle indoors overnight. Defective battery modules will be replaced by GM, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners o
Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery 2020-11-13 · campaign 20V701000 · 50,932 vehicles ⚠ PARK OUTSIDE
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling all 2017-2018 and certain 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
Risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: This recall has been superseded by recall number 21V-560. Vehicles previously repaired under 20V-701 will still need to have the new remedy under recall 21V-560. GM will notify owners, and as an interim repair, beginning on November 17, 2020, dealers will reprogram the hybrid propulsion control module 2 (HPCM2) to limit the full charge to 90%, free of charge. Owners are advised to activate either the Hill Top Reserve (2017 and 2018 models) or Target Charge Level (2019 models) feature in their
Service bulletins (1,056)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-26 · PIT5698F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi provides diagnostics tips on how the lin bus works and how to diagnosis it.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-04 · PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email gds2 session logs into technical assistance.
Unknown Or Other 2026-07-21 · PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
pi to help diagnose a/c concern
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-01 · PIT3271Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
Unknown Or Other 2026-03-09 · PIP6104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a gds2 session log and upload to a technical assistance case in cx connect.
Unknown Or Other 2026-03-09 · PIP4902V · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email gds2 session logs into technical assistance.
Showing the 6 most recent of 1,056 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-26 · Suspension“i was driving on a smooth road when i felt a mild bump and started smelling smoke and saw smoke trailing from behind the car. i immediately pulled into a parking lot and saw that the rear driver side wheel was at an extreme odd angle relative to the car. a suspension beam under the rear of the car was fractured. it was very significant but at th…”
2026-10-13 · Steering“the steering (rack and pinion) is dangerous. my previous 2019 bolt with 43000 miles handled great and this one (17 with 36xxx) i have to keep both hands on the wheel at all times because it pulls after a turn and the wheel doesn’t find center so i am constantly sawing at the steering wheel. at highway speeds this could become dangerous and cause an…”
2026-09-26 · Steering“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…”
2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other“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…”
2026-09-01 · Steering“i am reporting a potential steering system safety defect involving my 2017 chevrolet bolt ev. the problem began at approximately 22,800 miles. the steering wheel developed a grinding noise, a noticeable catching/binding sensation when turned, and would not return to center normally after a turn. the condition could be felt even while the vehicle wa…”
2026-08-30 · Steering“the steering rack on the chevrolet bolt ev does not return to center on turns. over the course of the past 25k miles, my particular model has slowly began to lock up on deep turns. this occurs on sharp rights, lefts, and on both on and off ramps - especially the ones that loop around. the steering rack gets stuck on sharper turns and continuous tur…”
2026-08-27 · Unknown Or Other“without any warning, the info-tainment computer system on the dashboard (bolt ev) fails to come on, sometimes lasting up to 5 minutes. this has happened intermittently for the last 8 years and can be problematic. when the computer info-tainment is not on, i cannot control anything on the dashboard. for example: i have no back up camera and canno…”
2026-08-22 · Steering“component: electric power steering (eps) steering gear / rack and pinion assembly. what happened: the steering gear binds internally. after a turn the wheel does not return to center and must be forced back to straight; steering feel is stiff and clunky. on at least one occasion the wheel felt stuck in place partway through a turn and i had to fig…”
2026-08-12 · Steering“i am experiencing a commonly reported issue with the steering rack binding and failing to self-center after a turn. turning the steering wheel left and right has become increasingly more stiff over time. unreliable steering, especially during turns could potentially lead to an accident/collision.…”
2026-07-30 · Steering“steering is binding, does not return to center when turning, it has play in the steering, and rattles and shakes when driving in the highway. dealer said it needs a steering shaft replacement. the car has been doing this since it had less than 50k miles. there were no warning lamps or messages. since this is steering, it is dangerous and puts oth…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.