Chevrolet
Chevrolet Bolt EV years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2017 and 2020. Best years: 2018.
The 2017 and 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2017 has 348 complaints (35 for each year on the road) and 2020 has 174 complaints (25 for each year on the road), against a median of 15 a year across the 7 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2017 is dead battery (70 reports).
- 700complaints
- 11recall campaigns
- 3model years with a page
Newest report Sep 26, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2017
Most reported: dead battery (70 reports, median 25,000 miles) and sticky steering (39 reports, median 40,000 miles).
2020
Most reported: dead battery (37 reports) and infotainment (21 reports).
Best years
2018
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2017 alone holds 348 of the 700 complaints across the 3 model years with a page here (50%).
- Problem across the years
- Dead battery is the top problem in every model year with a page, 153 reports in all. Pooled across the years, half of the 33 owners who gave a mileage for dead battery were under about 20,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 6% of Chevrolet Bolt EV complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2019, 12 of its 178 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- Every model year where owners report dead battery also has a recall on the same system. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings jumped in 2021, with 230 complaints, 2.1 times the next busiest year. So far in 2026, 47 more have come in.
Photo: Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2018 (89), 2021 (67), 2022 (59), 2023 (60).
Year by year
2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV avoid
174 owner complaints, 25 for each year on the road (1.7 times the model median). Most reported: dead battery (37 reports), infotainment (21 reports) and hybrid system (11 reports). 7 reports involved a crash. 8 recalls, including 24V-812 on the electrical system and 24V-481 on the electrical system.
2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
178 owner complaints, 22 for each year on the road (1.5 times the model median). Most reported: dead battery (46 reports, median 15,000 miles), hybrid system (22 reports, median 12,813 miles) and infotainment (12 reports). 2 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 6 recalls, including 21V-560 on the electrical system and 20V-701 on the electrical system.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV avoid
348 owner complaints, 35 for each year on the road (2.3 times the model median). Most reported: dead battery (70 reports, median 25,000 miles), sticky steering (39 reports, median 40,000 miles) and hybrid system (30 reports). 11 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 21V-560 on the electrical system and 20V-701 on the electrical system.
Recalls that cover several model years
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.
The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
The door-handle cable inside the rear doors may be too long, allowing contact with the window when it is opened, possibly damaging the cable. A damaged cable may cause the rear door to open unintentionally when the rear window is opened.
Compare the Bolt EV with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Bolt EV vs Nissan Leaf2019 to 2020
Questions
What Chevrolet Bolt EV years should you avoid?
The 2017 and 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2017 has 348 complaints (35 for each year on the road) and 2020 has 174 complaints (25 for each year on the road), against a median of 15 a year across the 7 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2017 is dead battery (70 reports).
What are the best years for the Chevrolet Bolt EV?
The 2018 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 89, or 10 for each year on the road.
What is the most common problem on the Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Dead battery, with 153 reports across the 3 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2017, 2019 and 2020.
How many recalls does the Chevrolet Bolt EV have?
11 recall campaigns cover the Chevrolet Bolt EV model years 2017 to 2020 on this site. The widest, 22V-930 on the structure, covers 3 model years.
How many Chevrolet Bolt EV complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
6% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2019 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for dead battery on the Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Yes, on every model year where owners report it.