190 of the
1,361 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Bolt EV
are about the fuel system —
14% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2017.
2027 CHEVROLET BOLT – SUDDEN FORWARD LURCH / PROPULSION EVENT WITH MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION FAULT CODES While driving my new 2027 Chevrolet Bolt, I was stopped at a traffic light. When the light changed, I applied the accelerator gently to move forward. The vehicle suddenly produced a loud bang or clunk and lurched sharply forward. All of the yellow instrument panel lights flashed on for a few seconds. The acceleration was abrupt and substantially different from my accelerator input. Surrounding drivers were alarmed. The event was sufficiently forceful and unexpected that I considered it a safety issue involving propulsion control. I was not accelerating aggressively; this was a gentle acceleration, in traffic, making a left turn onto a freeway ramp. I subsequently brought the vehicle to the Chevrolet dealer for diagnosis. The dealer retrieved the following diagnostic trouble codes: U164B; U164E (5 times); U0485; U11FD; P3013; U1A25; U160A (3 times)l U197A (3 times); U0159; U1126 (2 times); U1150; B1A25; U1607; U1151 Several of the retrieved codes are U-series communication/data-network codes. The vehicle has now been at the dealership for three days; so far the dealer has not provided an explanation for the sudden lurch or identified the underlying cause of the diagnostic codes. Previously the car was at the dealership for 15 days. I am concerned that an intermittent electronic, communication-network, propulsion-control, power-supply, software, or related fault could cause another unexpected propulsion event. The vehicle has also experienced charging/range abnormalities, and code P3013 was among the codes retrieved by the dealer. I do not know whether those issues are related to the lurch event, and I am not asserting that they are. I am reporting them because they may be relevant to NHTSA’s evaluation of the vehicle’s electrical and control systems. I am requesting that this incident be recorded as a potential safety defect
NHTSA complaint #11755494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle suffers from severe, unresolvable electrical failures causing recurring loss of propulsion, shifting lockouts ("No Driving Conditions" / stuck in Park), complete exterior lighting failures, and loss of communication with the Restraints Control Module (RCM) and airbag impact sensors. The primary failure involves short circuits, open circuits, poor terminal contact, and thermal damage with melted, charred wiring and exposed copper in the main harness[cite: 6]. On May 25, 2026, OnStar telematics issued a critical red alert for the Regenerative Braking System[cite: 7]. All damaged components and diagnostic reports are available for inspection upon request[cite: 6, 7]. Safety risks include sudden loss of propulsion at highway speeds, total headlight and tail light loss during night driving, and potential non-deployment or malfunction of airbag restraint systems during a collision. The issues have been repeatedly reproduced and confirmed by an authorized dealership through 7 repair attempts between Sept 2024 and Apr 2025. Diagnostic steps included opening GM TAC Case 9-13634782861, consulting GM engineers, and testing 33 ground points. On Oct 28, 2024, the dealer and an insurance adjuster officially confirmed the failures are covered under GM warranty and unrelated to any accident[cite: 8]. Symptoms first appeared on Sept 10, 2024 (at 5,144 miles) with a "Waiting initialization to shift" message, blown Fuse 58, and loss of power to the ECM. Warning signs prior to subsequent failures included "Service Trans" warnings, "Reduced Propulsion" alerts, dim headlights, Check Engine Lights, SRS/Airbag warning lights, and total shifting lockouts after hitting road bumps. Despite replacing Fuse 58 (multiple times), Fuse 64, IP Fuse 7, the underhood fuse block, ECM connector terminals, headlamp assemblies, the RCM module, and multiple airbag impact sensors, the underlying electrical instability remains unresolved.
NHTSA complaint #11754113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
GM installed Advanced Monitoring Software on the car rather than replace the battery. The software detected a battery fault. Under the battery recall if a fault is detected the battery is replaced free of charge. GM is refusing to replace the battery. Now the car will not move.
NHTSA complaint #11748422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
General Motors is using the arbitrary 6,213-mile tracking window of Recall 944 to deny coverage for a diagnosed Cell Section 3 hardware failure at 123,582 miles. However, this vehicle is directly impacted by the failure parameters outlined in the expanded GM Safety Recall N242470160 / N242470162, where GM openly acknowledges to federal regulators that the advanced diagnostic software has failed to properly detect defective battery modules. By denying a physical battery replacement when a manufacturing defect is caught during a mandatory corporate software reconfiguration, GM is violating the spirit and legal intent of their ongoing federal safety recall campaigns.
NHTSA complaint #11745256 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When driving the car through a busy intersection there was a sudden, brief surge of acceleration, followed by deceleration and the vehicle cutting all motor power and becoming inoperable. The MIL lamp illuminated and the "Ready" light went out. I was unable to move the vehicle out of traffic until I got out and disconnected / reconnected the 12v battery to reset the car systems. The problem is difficult to reproduce, happening randomly, sometimes with multiple months between incidents. The incidents happen with no warning, and there are no other symptoms associated with the issue. The dealer mechanic indicated it is likely the issue indicated in Chevrolet TSB 19-NA-220, indicating the root cause is the resolver feedback connector on the electric drive unit damaged during vehicle assembly.
NHTSA complaint #11741473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I purchased a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV in late 2023, already equipped with GM's recall diagnostic software (part of NHTSA Recall 21V650), which monitored battery health and limited charging to 80%. After the monitoring period, the software detected critical voltage variation failures across all 5 battery cell module rows. The dealer (Lee Johnson KIA, Kirkland WA) opened a TAC case (#9-14753041951), GM authorized a full high voltage battery replacement, and the work was completed on May 27, 2025 at no charge (Job Card 603815). Despite the replacement being triggered entirely by recall-installed software and authorized through GM's own TAC process, GM classified the repair as a standard warranty repair rather than a recall repair — denying me the fresh 8-year/100,000-mile parts warranty that applies to recall battery replacements.
NHTSA complaint #11736147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This is the second time since owning car this has happened the recall battery is not working again this time me and my sister were at the gas station were I work and this is all on camara at Chevron gas station were I work I went inside sister stayed in car it started making a buzzing sound under my dash car shut off windows wouldn't go down locked doors could not get car to turn on trapped us in car this is scary and smelled a wire burning smell started to get scared pounded on window couldn't get out ! Couldn't unlock doors this is very scary tried hitting window and it would not break we were stuck this has happened once before car just needed plug in to dealership computer to reset car it was fine for 2weeks and bam a month later I'm again having to take it back to have it reset because of this battery recall it's not fixed I still owe 14k for car I totally have been ripped off it's scary that these cars catch fire and u can not get out! Can't unlock doors windows nothing and u just get stuck I don't feel safe whatsoever in this car
NHTSA complaint #11730613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2021 Chevy Bolt keeps showing a battery or power-Propulsion warning light related to the high-voltage system. The warning keeps coming back even after multiple repairs. The first repair was on April 28, 2025, the second was on December 17, 2025, and it is scheduled again for another repair on March 3, 2026. The light is the same every time and affects the car’s performance and reliability. I’m concerned this could be a safety issue involving the battery or propulsion system. The dealer repairs it temporarily, but the warning keeps returning, and the problem has never been fully resolved.
NHTSA complaint #11721358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving on the highway above 60 mph, and I suddenly got a "propulsion power reduced" alert, along with a yellow indicator light. I almost immediately thereafter got a message saying "speed reduced to 50 mph" and then "speed reduced to 30 mph." I got no acceleration when I depressed the accelerator pedal. In fact, it felt like the car had engaged the regenerative braking to actively slow me down. This is a life-threatening safety flaw, as it was difficult to get to the breakdown lane. The only reason there was no collision was that there was relatively light traffic. I managed to get to a breakdown lane and then, after restarting the car, to get off the highway and into a parking lot, where I called for a tow. The car was towed to the dealer I bought it from and, the next day, they inspected the car and determined that the auxiliary transmission fluid pump had failed and needed to be replaced. I've seen many reports on reddit that this part fails on chevy bolts. What makes this truly unsafe is that there was no warning whatsoever that something was wrong. Everything seemed fine (after I got a new battery under the big bolt battery recall) until the car suddenly cut power and slowed me down in the middle of the highway. This car needs to be recalled again.
NHTSA complaint #11710387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While waiting to turn left at a light and driving in "L" (one pedal) mode, I started to release the break in anticipation of oncoming lanes clearing, as I lifted the pedal the car lurched into the intersection. The Bolt normally accelerates very gently in L mode when no break is applied, but does not lurch forwards like this under normal conditions. The breaks did work, and I was able to stop, but I was now in the middle of the intersection and slightly encroaching into oncoming lanes. I tried to accelerate to pull through, but the car did not respond. After several second of frantically pushing the accelerator, the car slowly and jerkily moved forward and cleared the intersection. My Chevy dealer says this is a known problem with service bulletin "Chevrolet TSB 19-NA-220". In my opinion this is incredibly dangerous and should have been recalled. However, there is no recall that I can find and outrageously Chevy will not cover this manufacturing defect under warranty as they specifically exclude wiring harnesses due to past issues with rodent damage, and they are hiding behind that rule.
NHTSA complaint #11709509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle started to surge while driving (both small acceleration forward and large deceleration) without any change in brake or accelerator position. Eventually a "Propulsion Power Reduced" message was presented on the console followed immediately by no forward propulsion (accelerator completely unresponsive) and forced to coast to a stop on the side of the highway. Car refused to shift out of park or neutral following breakdown. Car taken to dealer to troubleshoot and was told that a P0A3F code was present and that the engine harness needed to be replaced in accordance with NHTSA bulletin 19-NA-220. This bulletin calls out that the harness was likely damaged during initial install at factory and the dealer representative confirmed that the pins were damaged as described. Car was given back to drive home after harness was checked (owner decided to explore options before scheduling repair), but broke down due to surging and complete loss of power within 2 miles of dealer. Troubleshooting to confirm harness damage is suspected to have worsen the condition and made un-commanded accel/deceleration followed by complete loss of power likely. Uncertain why this condition would be exempt from recall if OEM is aware of installation issues at factory. Driving with this condition was as bad or worse than other type model loss of power conditions that have been recalled. Recommend at least clarifying that cars confirmed to fall under this bulletin and associated inspection should not be deemed roadworthy until a repair is made.
NHTSA complaint #11706654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle arrived with windshield chip, transport company provided proof happened before transport. Brake failure on first use after delivery. Reduced-propulsion warning triggered. Both passenger-side door locks failed. Center-console power and data failed (replacements pending). Rear and passenger-side cameras blurry (replacements pending). GM manufacturer buyback vehicle. Safety defect occurred immediately after delivery. Vehicle down more than 50 days. Dealer delayed title paperwork to Tennessee for 44 days and delayed delivering finance contract/payment instructions to buyers for 50 days. GM Financial issued late notices before contract was delivered. Dealer has not responded to reimbursement deadline. Safety and delivery failures created unsafe condition and administrative harm.
NHTSA complaint #11696706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
High-voltage battery failure left Bolt EV immobilized after recall fix: Our 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV (VIN: [XXX] ) became completely immobilized on [XXX], due to high-voltage battery failure. The vehicle previously underwent all recall remedies, including a full propulsion battery replacement in May 2023, but less than two years later the same issue has reoccurred. This failure left us stranded and unable to operate the car. Loss of propulsion without warning presents a serious safety risk, particularly if it were to occur while driving at speed. Out of concern for fire risk, the dealer (Colonial Chevrolet in Milford, CT) parked the disabled vehicle approximately 500 feet away from other cars and structures. The dealer diagnosed the failure as HV battery pack malfunction and confirmed the pack requires replacement. The vehicle remains in their custody and is available for inspection upon request. GM Customer Assistance has denied two separate repurchase claims (case #[XXX] and #[XXX]), despite the prolonged immobilization and repeated delays. The car has been inspected by Colonial Chevrolet and GM representatives. Despite prior recall service and battery replacement, the Bolt is inoperable again, raising concerns that the recall remedy was ineffective and that other Bolt EV owners may face the same hazard. No warning lamps or error messages appeared prior to failure. The vehicle simply would not start on [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11683892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am filing this complaint regarding my 2022 Chevrolet Bolt, which has been awaiting battery replacement at McCluskey Chevrolet for over 30 days, creating significant safety concerns and violating federal warranty requirements. Safety Concerns: The vehicle's safety systems detected a battery defect serious enough to automatically restrict functionality. This demonstrates GM recognized an immediate safety risk. Despite this urgency, my vehicle remains inoperable after 30 days with no completion date provided. This delay indicates systemic failures in GM's remedy program for known battery defects. GM has known about this issue for years and has yet to source replacement batteries within a reasonable timeframe for drivers awaiting a replacement. Federal Law Violations: This situation violates the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which requires warranty repairs be completed within a reasonable time period. Thirty days for a safety-critical component replacement, particularly after the vehicle self-diagnosed a dangerous condition, exceeds any reasonable standard. Requested NHTSA Actions: Investigate GM's compliance with recall remedy requirements and parts availability Assess whether GM's battery replacement program meets federal safety standards Determine if GM is violating the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act through excessive repair delays Consider enforcement action to ensure timely remediation of safety defects Require GM to provide loaner vehicles during extended safety-related repairs Documentation Available: I request NHTSA's immediate intervention to address both the individual and systematic failures of GM in handling these repairs.
NHTSA complaint #11683726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I own a 2023 Chevy Bolt EV. Around 9/27/24 at 5,144 miles, the vehicle began experiencing serious electrical and propulsion issues. It has been to the dealership six times, each requiring a tow due to total loss of function. Issues include blown fuses, charging failures, shifting problems, propulsion loss, and repeated warning messages. Repairs have involved fuse box replacements, a new wiring harness, and other electrical components. The car has spent over 100 hours inactive at the dealership. Problems have been confirmed by technicians, but persist despite repairs. Additional safety concerns include a defective impact sensor, airbag warning lights, and a burned-out headlamp. These compromise crash readiness and visibility. Due to ongoing issues, the vehicle has been parked and unused for months, as it is unsafe and unreliable to drive. The manufacturer has not inspected the vehicle. Based on repeated failures and unresolved safety risks, I believe this vehicle qualifies as a lemon and request further investigation.
NHTSA complaint #11678653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In 2022 under a recall the Propulsion battery was replaced that was a complete battery assembly. At 60K miles the High Voltage battery relay has become defective. Confirmed by a GM diagnostic test. Defective High Voltage relay. Was informed to get it replaced soon as it would cause a fire. Very dangerous in their words. Get repaired as soon as possible. The battery assembly is warranty of 8-years 100k miles. Looks to be a so called gray area on the high voltage relay as it’s considered a wear item. 60k of normal use and now it’s a fire hazard and it’s my responsibility to replace the relay under normal wear and tear. Im I the only one who is experiencing a high voltage relay in the battery assembly that is deemed a fire hazard? We are in our 70’s and we take great care of the car, no abuse and sits in a garage. Normal wear? Or a potential fire waiting to happen? I’m confused. Thanks for your time.
NHTSA complaint #11668241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "Propulsion Power Reduced - Service Soon" was displayed, and check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that upon investigation, it was discovered that the power output was limited. Despite the failure, the contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer. The contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The contact was then informed that the battery replacement was on an indefinite backorder. The contact was not provided an estimate for when the battery would become available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 25,100.
NHTSA complaint #11663413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This car several times while driving has shaken and then shifted into neutral. I have had to pull the car off to the side of the road during normal vehicle operation. The car will then not shift into drive. There is a warning sign "Conditions Not Correct For Shift." The first incident was March 2023. The vehicle was towed to a Chevrolet dealer and the power inverter module was replaced under warranty. This next occurred in December 2024. The vehicle was towed to a dealer again and reprogrammed. The cost was $400. The vehicle was fine for two months and about 1,000 miles when it happened again in March 2025. This time the dealer states that the engine harness needs to be replaced for about $1,500 (not covered under warranty). These incidents all occur while driving the vehicle (it has happened while approaching an intersection and once while going through an intersection).
NHTSA complaint #11648731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On January 8, 2025 the battery in my car began to fail and had a message in the display to take it to my dealer. I drove it to the nearest dealer on January 10, 2025, about 10 miles (Billion Automotive in Iowa City.) While driving the power steering and braking began to fail. The dealer said that GM would need to replace the battery. It has been at the dealer for 2 months, and I was told today that it will be at least another 2 months before GM will replace the battery. The car is well under warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11647627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.