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EV models have come a long way in recent years, with the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt gaining a lot of popularity. The manufacturer claims that this vehicle is “road trip ready,” but many people are scared to drive it anywhere. With reports of fire, defective service brakes and issues with the powertrain, this car is shaping up to be a lemon.
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Steering | |
| Power Train | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Engine | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery |
Problems with the Electrical System and Battery Fires
Even without the vehicle being an EV, owners would rely on the electrical system. However, the fact that this is electric-powered should make the automaker even more conscious of how it is built, but it didn’t.
One NHTSA complaint states, “The first year of the lease, the main computer began to fail and the entire screen would become black, with the entire car intermittently losing power on the freeway. The computer was replaced. Later on, the blind spot sensors became erratic, but this is likely due to a shoddy repair by the dealership after someone rear-ended the car.”
It turns out that something much more dangerous is occurring. In fact, the NHTSA has an open investigation. NHTSA Action Number PE20016 states that vehicles are catching on fire under the rear seat while the car is parked and unattended. At this time, it’s unclear why the EV battery compartment is bursting into flames, especially while the vehicle is not in use. Do owners want to be the test dummies to see if this car blows up or not? Probably not.
Problems with the Brakes
Many EVs also have a unique braking system that is supposed to be efficient and reliable, but that’s not what is happening with the Bolt.
One NHTSA user stated, “The Bolt EV has a steering-wheel mounted regenerative braking paddle, which applies the regenerative braking, slowing the vehicle. However, when the battery is fully charged, this paddle does nothing, which has resulted in some near misses. A warning indicator should be present, or the documentation should suggest enabling ‘Hilltop Reserve’ to prevent this from occurring. I have reported this to Chevy, but no responses were received.”
There are a lot of people paying attention to this braking system, mainly because there is also a recall. NHTSA Campaign Number 18V675000 states that more than 200,000 vehicles contain rear brake caliper pistons with an insufficient amount of coating, which creates gas pockets. When these form, drivers struggle to get the stopping power needed, which can increase the chance of an accident. While having a vehicle that can burst into flames is scary, thinking about this ball of fire heading down the road with non-functioning brakes is even worse. The Chevy Bolt is surely going down in a blaze of glory.
Problems with the Transmission
Even as an electric vehicle, the Bolt contains a powertrain that must be dependable, but it’s not.
Here is one Cars.com review to read. “The mileage has been extremely disappointing and have a quality issue. I drive 200 miles every weekend and have only been able to make that drive a few times without charging. In the winter in California I often get under 170 miles. Chevy should also invest in a mileage estimator that learns from previous drives.”
It turns out the GM is fully aware of many issues happening with the Bolt’s powertrain; that’s why there are so many communications between the automaker and technicians. One in particular, Service Bulletin #19NA220, says that the engine wiring harness might be damaged, requiring a replacement. This defect can cause service lights to come on, as well as a loss of propulsion. It’s simply not something that should be occurring in a well-made vehicle. Bottom line – this electric car is not “road trip ready” at all. In fact, it’s not safe to drive out of the driveway.
Your Lemon Law Legal Rights
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Chevrolet pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Complaint Data
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Mar 26, 2023 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The factory installed steering rack is binding and fails to return to center. The car has 96,000 miles on it. The steering is dangerous and the vehicle does not track straight even after multiple attempts to align the front end suspension. We replaced the tires, front struts and aligned the vehicle only to discover there is a manufacturing defect in the design of the steering rack. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Mar 17, 2023 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Driving 65mph in middle lane the vehicle suddenly dropped in speed to 45mph and on the dash a warning came up that said “propulsion power is reduced†this almost caused a semi truck to rear end me. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Feb 13, 2023 |
| State | CA |
| Description | I received a "propulsion power reduced" warning indicator on my 2018 chevy bolt while driving on the highway. Although I did not lose power, I am afraid to drive my car. I am advised by the car repairer that I should not drive the vehicle until it is repaired because it may stop suddenly without warning. Gm has never contacted me about this safety issue despite being aware of the problem. The national highway traffic safety administration should open an investigation and issue a safety recall on this issue. This problem should be categorized as a severe safety hazard and listed on the nhtsa website for the benefit of consumers. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Dec 17, 2022 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | I purchased this car at 15,000 miles in october 2021. It's my first electric car, and I just assumed that the stiffness in the steering wheel was part of the electric car experience. Big mistake! I took it into the dealer last week and they want 00 to replace the steering mechanism, I've been looking online and I see lots of other people having this issue. This seems like a severe safety issue and chevy needs to take responsibility for it. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Oct 21, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | This car has only 33,000 miles and has been driven gently, mostly on the highway. My wife took her car into the dealer to have the computer software updated (from the battery fiasco-it has never worked correctly since the batteries were changed) and the dealer advised that the car has a "stuck" steering gear, and it was unsafe to drive. The dealer produced an estimate for 83. 24 to change the steering gear, with the same presumably defective parts that were originally used. Now that it has been pointed out my wife said that the steering was getting harder and harder over time and that it probably was starting within the 3 year warranty period. Chevrolet does not consider the vehicles steering to be part of the "drivetrain", even though you cannot drive the car without steering and the dealer says that it is "unsafe to drive" |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Sep 16, 2022 |
| State | MN |
| Description | The steering binds up while turning and the steering wheel does not return to its center neutral position. This is a major safety issue because it takes significant effort to get the car to go straight again. I have nearly gone off the road because of the car's unpredictable steering. The problem was reproduced and confirmed by my chevy dealer. The technician attributes the problem to a defective steering gear. After some research online, I see that this problem is common with the bolt. This is a major safety concern and there should be a recall to correct the problem and hold chevrolet accountable. There were no warning lights or other signs of malfunction. The problem has made the wheels out of alignment, however. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Sep 02, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Our vehicle's power steering is intermittent. It randomly shuts off, leaving the driver with no power steering. Most frequently, the problem surfaces just after start-up, however, this problem also occurs after driving the car for several minutes, such as when the vehicle is parked but turned on, when the vehicle is in motion while driving, and even once in the middle of a u-turn. Once out, the power steering stays off for several minutes, sometimes only 5 minutes, sometimes 15. Once out, the power steering has a) come back on without warning 5-15 minutes later, while the vehicle is in motion while driving, or b) not returned at all for the duration of a drive. It feels unsafe to drive a car that will lose power steering in the middle of a drive. Imagine you are turning the vehicle around a tight corner at 30mph, and all of a sudden the vehicle's trajectory is instantly changed and/or affected because you aren't prepared to grip the steering wheel and apply force strong enough to hold its position without the power assist. Or, imagine the power steering goes out, and you're driving on natural power, applying force strong enough to keep the vehicle on its intended trajectory, but then, without warning, power steering returns, and you suddenly have to correct by lightening your hold? In both scenarios, the power steering is unreliably putting the driver and passengers, along with other motorists or pedestrians, at risk due to the intermittent and unpredictable power steering problem. Yes, it has been inspected by the manufacturer at a chevy dealership and it was determined: "internal power steering module failure. Verified on road test. Found no communication from steering control module. Test power and ground. Recommend replacement." a warning sound and a flash notice on the indicator screen both emerge simultaneously when the problem occurs, however, no messages or indications happen prior to the failure. For us, they first appeared in february 2022. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Aug 31, 2022 |
| State | VT |
| Description | Over the last month I have noticed that the steering fails to return to center once I turn the front wheels more than a few degrees to the right or left. I thought it could be a tire wear or miss-alignment issue so I got new tires and an alignment but the problem is still quite bad. While I noticed it starting at the end of july, it is an ongoing problem. It seems to be getting worse - the steering now ‘sticks' consistently in both directions. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Aug 21, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The steering wheel. Does not turn back to the center once I make a turn. Mechanics say it is a steering gear that is out of order. My wife and I got into the accident multiple times due to this. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Aug 19, 2022 |
| State | HI |
| Description | While driving at highway speed, the steering wheel started to shimmy, making the vehicle difficult to control. On inspection, the front wheel was very hot. The mechanic advised that the front caliper is defective. The bolt ev is equipped with a regenerative braking system that stops the vehicle. This vehicle has been stopped by using this regenerative braking system about 99% of the time. The mechanic advised that since the caliper has not been used, it has started freezing, causing the brakes to continue to be applied after they are used. This causes the wheel to heat during driving, and at continuous highway speeds, causes the steering wheel to shimmy and makes the vehicle difficult to control. The vehicle has less than 10,000 miles. The brake dragging also causes reduced acceleration. The unexpected reduced acceleration can cause a hazard in the event of passing where the vehicle is unable to pass and return to the driving lane before oncoming vehicles arrive. There were no warning lamps, and the part has not been removed from the vehicle at this writing. It is not known whether the mechanic reproduced this fault. The fault has been intermittent, but has occurred on more than one occasion. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jun 20, 2022 |
| State | CO |
| Description | The battery in this vehicle was replaced pursuant to the current recall at the morehart murphy dealership in durango, co about two(2) months ago. On approximately june 5, 2022, the car began showing a "propulsion power is reduced" warning, despite the fact that the battery was approximately 3/4 fully charged and showing a range of 248 miles. We made arrangements to take the car into the dealership on june 9, 2022. Once the car was at the dealership, the ev technician reported that the dealership had just received a bulletin from gm about this problem on that same day, that the problem was with the replaced battery, that gm engineers were working on the problem, that the car was not safe to drive, and that the car would have to be left with the dealership until a solution was found. We have heard nothing from the dealership since that time. I called the dealership this morning (june 20, 2022). The dealership advised that gm had not responded to the calls from the dealership and that no solution to the problem has been offered. The dealership suggested that I call gm directly and "raise a stink." I called gm this morning and reported the problem. Gm offered no solution other than stating that it would call a "district manager." this identical problem has been reported online by other bolt owners who have had their batteries replaced pursuant to the recall. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jun 03, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | The contact owns a 2018 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v560000 (electrical system). The contact stated that the battery power had decreased by 25 percent. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the battery was on back order. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 1. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jun 02, 2022 |
| State | MO |
| Description | I have tried to schedule service for the high voltage battery recall using a gm recommended service provider in jefferson city mo named rusty drewing chevrolet. I was turned away after scheduling my service over 1 month prior because they will not service the vehicle stating they are not getting the appropriate tools from gm. I was told that even if I left the vehicle with them for a month they would not be able to service it because gm is not sending them the replacement tools that they need to properly discharge the hv battery. I am now forced to continue operating a potentially dangerous vehicle because I am being refused service to get a recall performed on my vehicle. |
| Category | Power Train, Service Brakes |
| Date | Apr 21, 2022 |
| State | TN |
| Description | Intermittent extreme vibrations of the vehicle when driving. This issue come and goes with out any warning lights displaying. The vibrations are so extreme that I must slow down to 30 miles per hour our less to maintain controll. I took the vehicle to the local dealership and left it for a eweek and they could never reproduce the problem. The problem has occured several times since taking the vehicle to the dealership early 2022. If you drive the vehicle long enough it will usually stop the vibrations and if you turn off the vehicle and let sit overnight; the vibrations are not present when you drive the vehicle the next morning. If you turn off the vehicle for just a few minutes the vibrations are still there, but mnay stop if you can drive it loger. I can not tell if the problem is the brakes or the drive train. I do not know if the vehicle may just lock up in the middle of traffic. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Mar 15, 2022 |
| State | CO |
| Description | It appears the steering rack is binding up. On sweeping corners at moderate speed (30-50mph) the steering wheel must forcefully be returned to center, regardless of direction and wants to turn a little further into the corner, the driver must always forcefully maintain control of the wheel at moderate speeds. The car has recently had a 4 wheel alignment, and steers straight otherwise. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The failure may put drivers at risk if they are not able to overcome the force required to straighten the wheel (which is far beyond the typical force required to drive a car with power steering) or are inattentive to the behavior. The vehicle has not yet been diagnosed by an independent service center. I have diagnosed it myself by putting the vehicle up on jack stands. With the front wheels off the ground, and the steering column disconnected from the steering rack, you can feel that the steering rack has bound up. While gripping the sides of the wheels, with them off the ground, and the steering column disconnected, the wheels are very difficult to steer, and you can feel the rack skips and jumps discontinuously. I will have the failure inspected by a gm dealer within the next few weeks as time allows. There are no warning lamps or messages. The primary symptom is that the steering wheel does no return to center upon exiting turns. This is a discussed failure on the bolt ev forums & internet here: https://www. Chevybolt. Org/threads/steering-wheel-not-centering-after-a-turn. 33873/ https://www. Carproblemzoo. Com/chevrolet/boltev/2017/steering-problems. Php https://www. Carproblemzoo. Com/chevrolet/boltev/steering-problems. Php https://www. Chevybolt. Org/threads/2018-chevy-bolt-46k-miles-needs-steering-rack-3k-dollar-repair. 37332/page-2#post-701932 https://www. Chevybolt. Org/threads/steering-rack-oil-leak. 28129/ |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Mar 08, 2022 |
| State | IN |
| Description | In march 2021, I drove my bolt in very cold weather, and parked the bolt in my garage with only 7 miles range remaining. I did not plug in the bolt to charge until 24 hrs later and found out the bolt would not charge. The bolt was towed to a local chevy dealer for service. The dealer found two parts had failed. 1) drive motor battery coolant heater, and 2) high voltage battery control wiring junction box. According to the dealer part 1 was not warrantied, and part 2 was warrantied. Here's my problem. Part 1 was replaced first but that did not fix the problem. Only after part 1 was replaced did the dealer find part 2 had failed. Obviously these two parts are interdependent. Part 2 caused part 1 to fail, therefore part 1 should be covered by part 2 warranty. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Feb 09, 2022 |
| State | NV |
| Description | The contact owns a 2018 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received a notification of nhtsa campaign number 21v560000 (electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and it was confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery, Engine |
| Date | Oct 25, 2021 |
| State | AK |
| Description | 2018 chevrolet bolt. Consumer writes in regards to engine failure. The consumer stated the vehicle failed to start. The dealer advised the battery had a bad cell and a program issue. The vehicle was not operational and it was unknown when a fix would become unavailable. The consumer requested a requested a loaner vehicle. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Sep 25, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Driving curvy mountain road and the steering wheel fails to return to center. Nearly caused a terrible accident. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 17, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Parking like this is not practical and gm needs to expedite this buyback: https://insideevs. Com/news/533584/chevrolet-bolt-ownership-becoming-impossible/ https://www. Kbb. Com/car-news/gm-tells-some-chevy-bolt-owners-park-50-ft-from-other-cars/ https://www. Cnbc. Com/2021/09/15/gm-advising-some-bolt-ev-owners-to-park-50-feet-away-from-other-cars. Html |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Sep 13, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The contact leased a 2018 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v560000 (electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and informed the contact about a buyback program. The contact stated that the manufacturer was unable to provide a solution. The contact had not experienced a failure. The contact was concerned about driving the vehicle. Vin tool confirms parts are not available. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Aug 21, 2021 |
| State | CO |
| Description | Steering on this vehicle failed at less than 40,000 miles. Car is almost uncontrollable and drifts off the road; steering now requires enormous force to maintain a straight course. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine |
| Date | Aug 20, 2021 |
| State | CT |
| Description | I received a recall notice for my 2018 chevy bolt and my complaint is in reference to that. It is not a new issue. The remedy suggested by the recall notice is completely unrealistic. To use the car, I have to charge it overnight when I am sleeping. As is the case with almost every other bolt owner, my charging station is in the garage. So it's unrealistic to (1) avoid depleting below 70 mph range, (2) park my vehicle outside immediately after charging, and (3) avoid charging the car in my garage overnight. I just want to make sure gm does not escape liability if there is a problem and I did not follow these unrealistic guidelines |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Aug 16, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Battery fire hazard not resolved. Recommendation from gm to not charge above 90% and not discharge below about 40%, giving an effective range of half of the stated range. Risk that I may need to go below the 40% charge state when travelling, causing fire. I need to charge in my attached garage, posing safety risk to me and family. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Aug 10, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | My chevrolet bolt was subject to the recall for battery problems causing fires, as was described by nstb above. I took it in for free servicing at chuck olson chevrolet kia, in shoreline, wa on july 26, 2021 as directed. (I bought the vehicle new from them). After servicing was completed and supposedly the computer was reset so as not to allow the car to charge beyond 80% of its battery capacity, I took it to a public charger operated by chargepoint, inc. At the woodland park zoo in seattle to charge it. I left it attached to the charger on the assumption that it would shut off electric charge to the vehicle automatically, once it had reached the 80% level. It greatly exceeded this before automatically shutting down when the charge reached a 300 mile range estimate of charge. The vehicle's officially stated charge range estimate is 238 miles. I expect that the recall repair done by chuck olson chevrolet would have prevented this from happening. This action puts my vehicle and me at risk of a serious battery fire problem that was the official reason that ntsb initiated the recall requirement. I would like a clarification of whether the ntsb expected the repair done by chuck olson chevrolet to prevent this, as they may be causing a fire for which they or the manufacturer would be liable. |
| Category | Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Aug 09, 2021 |
| State | MN |
| Description | The battery system has a defect that gm admits could lead to a fire. Since november 2020, they advised me to not charge the car above 90% of capacity. They now are also advising not to discharge below 30%, to not charge overnight, and to park outside once charged. One car fire involved a vehicle that regularly only charged to 75%, so, to be safe, I won't charge to more than 70%. That leaves me with only 40% of my battery (24% in winter). My system in my garage only has power during overnight hours, so no charging overnight means I can't charge my car. Gm has a final remedy that involves analyzing the battery for defective modules and installing advanced diagnostic software to detect performance issues before they cause a problem. The huge problem with that remedy is that there have been two fires in cars that had their batteries analyzed and had the diagnostic software installed. That means their system for detecting and preventing fires does not work. In the final remedy, gm will only replace modules that they find are defective. After the remedy work is done, gm says customers can charge their vehicles to 100% with full confidence. If their detection system is faulty, as evidenced by subsequent fires, how can anyone confidently go to sleep at night and charge to 100%? Their detection system relies on software to detect issues. My vehicle has had software problems that include charging to full when only programmed to charge for 2 hours, infotainment system fails to initiate, vehicle fails to recognize key fob, cruise control fails to initiate, touch screen won't respond which prevents operation of all systems controlled through the screen. I have no confidence that gm can detect the known battery defect in modules with 100% certainty. Anything less than 100% means I can't charge my car in my garage and still sleep at night. Also, gm has no idea when final remedy will be ready, and I shouldn't have to live with 40% of my battery for an unknown time. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Aug 09, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Gm is aware of a defect that may cause my vehicle to catch fire. They have advised me to park outside so in case it catches fire, the fire is less likely to injure or kill anyone. But, uh, I would like my vehicle to not catch fire actually. |
| Category | Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System, Power Train |
| Date | Aug 04, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | My vehicle is being affected by 2 recalls for a battery that might melt or burn. The vehicle is also experiencing issues with the infotainment system that is malfunctioning/restarting/shutting down while driving. This is extremely distracting and dangerous and causes the vehicle speed area to fade out as the system restarts. Our family is severely limited by the charge limit, minimum miles, or by having to park it outside and not charge it overnight. We live in an fire brush area and are very stressed about having the vehicle potentially catch on fire and burn down our neighborhood. I tried to trade in the vehicle so that we could move on and they won't accept the car with an open warranty recall. The carfax information literally states that the remedy is not yet available. How can we move on and what do we do with our original investment of over k? I have taken the vehicle into the dealership to have the software update installed twice and still don't know if it has been done or whether the cars battery has been tested and the numbers are within the acceptable parameters. The infotainment system still does not work properly and I am worried that the vehicle is malfunctioning. My wife has now issued the ultimate - I cannot park the car or charge the car at our home. She is stressed beyond belief and I will have to leave the car at the local dealership to charge it and wait for whatever remedy they come up with whenever it might happen. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 03, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | We own a 2018 chevrolet bolt ev which has once again been recalled due to battery fires. We are not limited to how we charge our vehicle, where to hark and limited to 60% of the mileage range that we paid for while we wait to see if gm can fix this issue. Replacing individual cells in a dirty auto dealers show in a battery that was built in a clean room does not seem like a good idea. I'm not comfortable that gm can be successful identifying whether or not my battery is defective. This is a serious safety issue. My family, our home, people and property where I drive and park are all at risk. I no longer feel comfortable driving this car. The restrictions on charging are onerous. We are on time of use for our electricity so that we can charge at night when it is cheaper. Now we are told we have to charge during peak hours at triple the cost. We can't park in the garage so the vehicle is sun damaged and the battery is overheated while sitting all day in the hot socal sun. We also are at high risk for damage to the wiring from rats now. We already have an issue with the rats eating the wires in our rv. Gm must be forced to replace the entire battery pack in every vehicle affected by this recall. They must provide loaner vehicles or details on reimbursement for rental cars. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Aug 02, 2021 |
| State | MD |
| Description | The incident is that my car just had a second recall about the exact same problem about the battery and to keep my car to erupt on fire I won't be able to use it as intended. I purchased this car because of its range and now I can't get that range if I can only charge it up to 90% and cannot let go below 30%. That is unacceptable. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System, Power Train |
| Date | Jul 31, 2021 |
| State | CO |
| Description | The remedy proposed by gm for the risk of catastrophic fire is inadequate. I live in an area with frequent hail storms and leaving the car outside at night would subject it to severe damage. More importantly, I live in a high-wildfire-risk area with almost daily high winds (30-50 mph) especially at night and morning. Even if the car were parked outside, it is likely to ignite the foliage and create an uncontrollable wildfire that would consume this entire valley with approximately 1500 homes with an average value of over |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jul 29, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | “I own a 2018 chevrolet bolt which is part of the recall announced by gm. This is the second recall in less than a year for the same battery-related issue. It was supposed to have been fixed with a software update that I had completed in june. This software was supposed to identify defective batteries but it has not been successful as evidenced by the mounting number of fires that have happened after the “fixâ€. As such, we are now under a recall a second time. As a result of their own manufacturing issue, we are now limited to how we charge our vehicles, where we park and even the mileage range that we paid for, while gm attempts another fix. Gm stated today that they will again be using software to identify defective cells in our batteries and only the ones that are determined to be defective will have those cells or battery packs replaced. As you can imagine, I no longer trust gm to be able to successfully identify whether or not my battery is defective. I'm extremely disappointed by the fact that gm continues to cut corners in an effort to save money, despite such a serious safety issue that can affect so many. Myself, my livelihood, my family and even people I park next to while out in public are at risk. Gm must be forced to replace the entire battery pack in every vehicle affected by this recall, provide mrsp swaps or buybacks to those impacted by this significant issue. They must also provide loaner vehicles, or details on reimbursement for rental cars, to those who need them due to the fact that their vehicle is virtually unusable while they clean up their mess.†|
| Category | Electrical System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 23, 2021 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | I own a 2018 chevy bolt and gm has issues 3 different recalls on the battery due to risk of combustion. First was a software fix to reduced charge capacity, second was a supposed to be a permanent fix to resolve the issue, and finally gm has issues a 3rd recall where they state they will replace failing modules. With each recall the requirements on the owner to keep the battery from combusting have become more and more strict. Effectively, I only have about 140 miles of battery charge out of 230 because they suggest not charging past 90% and not going below 70 miles remaining. Also I cannot charge my car indoors or unattended. At this point I feel unsafe having this car near my home or family because of risk of combustion. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jul 23, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Vehicle is useless to me due to the new range restrictions. My medical provider is a little over 100 miles away, and I cannot make the round trip with the reduced range, thus I cannot get my prescription medications. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Jul 23, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | The safety of myself and my family and my house is put at risk from the second recall related to the battery. Also the range of the car during the recall is about half of what was the advertised range when I purchased the vehicle. Come winter, this may leave me stranded depending on the weather. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Jul 22, 2021 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | The contact owns a 2018 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact stated that when the driver (his wife) drove at 45mph a vehicle failed to yield the right of way and made a left turn. The driver was unable to stop and crashed into the vehicle's front passenger side and bumper. The contact stated that the driver's air bag and the front passenger air bag failed to deploy causing the driver injuries to the neck, shoulder, sides, right leg, and back. The front passenger was a ten-year-old child who received injuries to the right shoulder. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 22,000. |
| Category | Electrical System, Power Train |
| Date | Jul 15, 2021 |
| State | OR |
| Description | I own a 2018 chevy bolt that is part of the battery recall for possible fires started in the powertrain battery. I have been through both gm recommended appointments at my local chevy dealer to have the software patches installed and the battery inspected for nominal voltage. While my car's battery passed the voltage inspection this week, there were 2 new fires reported to gm resulting in new recommendations on july 14 to park outside and not charge over night. The real issue here is gm not providing enough information to the owners of bolts in this recall. Questions such as: what kind of charger was used (110, 220, ccs)? If after market chargers were used before a fire, what brands, what commonality amongst the group of bolts that have caught fire? What is the minimum battery remaining on the cars that charged before a fire? What is the maximum charge the owners of bolts that burned charged their cars to? What operational steps can the rest of bolt owners take to minimize future fire risk? Why isn't gm simply replacing all of the batteries in recalled bolts rather than pursuing a very poorly run "buyback" process? Why doesn't my ev battery warranty that is still in effect allow for replacement of the battery with this serious safety situation? Why is nhtsa allowing gm to be so non-communicative about what they are learning of the commonalities of all bolts that have caught fire? This is a serious safety issue for existing 2017-2019 bolt owners. We need nhtsa's help getting gm to provide more information about the cars that have caught fire. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 02, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The incident involves a 2018 chevy bolt ev. I arrived at a parking space next to the electric charging station where I generally park the car. I park perpendicular to the side wall of a house. There is a small garden bed (about 2 ft wide) between the house and the parking area. As I pulled up I was not exactly perpendicular to the wall. I believe I was in drive low and had completely stopped or perhaps nearly stopped when I decided to tweak my parking position a bit to be exactly perpendicular to the wall. My intent was to apply the accelerator and ease over a few inches to park, but when I began to do so the car took off suddenly and uncontrollably and crashed into the side of the house. The front end of the car was damaged and the house sustained both exterior and interior damage, leaving a hole through the wall. To me, it felt like I was in a rocket launch. I don't know whether I applied the brakes or if the wall stopped the car. The car is currently at a shop where the insurance company has ordered an inspection scan for error codes. No one has driven the car since, and so the problem has not been reproduced or confirmed. No warning messages appeared before the crash although the the car is equipped with front collision warning systems. Consumer stated diagnostic report she received from her service department prior to repairing the car. To repairing the car. |
| Category | Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | May 24, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Dear sir/ madam, I want to report to you the serious problem I have had with my chevy bolt ev ( 2018 vin [xxx]) in the month of november 2020, after a full charge of my ev bolt, the mileage on the dashboard kept fluctuating when my husband and I were driving from santa cruz to berkeley. I had to charge it again after 70 miles in berkeley. On our way back the mileage showed almost zero. I got so anxious that I had to stop the car and move it from highway 101 south bound to santa cruz and get it recharged in san jose. Second, on three separate occasions, the speed limit on the dashboard also kept fluctuating. Since this model was recalled we took our car to a chevy dealer in watsonville and got it repaired. We had to leave the car at the dealer for two weeks since the dealer was getting appropriate parts from michigan to fix the car. Now my speed has been compromised after the repair. I have been told the car will be recalled soon for a final repair. We are not happy with this model and we are negotiating with the manufacturer to get this car replaced. Thank you so much for your help. Sincerely yours, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6). |
| Category | Electrical System, Power Train |
| Date | May 03, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | 03/21/2019, 9/05/2019, 1/19/2020, 10/21/2020, 04/14/2021 have had 5 warranty repair orders to fix rear view camera stays on while driving forward at freeway speeds, very distracting and dangerous it also locks out all climate and radio controls. Also while vehicle is stopped crunches when trying to put in " park" |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Apr 16, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | At 25,000 miles my brake pads are crumbling and the rotor are scored and pock marked .. I drive the car in l mode exclusively and I don't use the brakes. Ed shuts chevy cadillac says the brakes are warranted. I say there is a problem with the brake system. They should not wear out or crumble if I don't use them on a 2 year old car. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Apr 16, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The drivers window has vertical scratches on the outside of the glass. My car is one week past the 36 month warranty and ed shults chevy won't fix it under warranty. |
| Category | Electrical System, Power Train |
| Date | Feb 11, 2021 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Battery fire recall. Dealer limited the battery full charge to 90% in november 2020. Gm promised a fix by first of 2021. No fix as of this date and my driving range is limited and now requires frequent charging. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Dec 31, 2020 |
| State | CO |
| Description | This vehicle as 42987 miles on the odometer and has been used only in standard highway driving. The steering started to make a "clicking" noise and became harder to handle. A search of the internet indicated that this problem is common in chevrolet bolt cars, often occurring when the vehicle has less than a few thousand miles. I took my car to the local chevrolet dealer who ran a computer diagnostic that showed the car's steering was operating "within manufacturer's specs." I was able to persuade the dealer to do an additional examination. The tech determined that the steering rack/gear assembly was shot and the problem could not be repaired simply by re-torquing the steering head bolts. The cost of replacing the defective steering rack was quoted at text="Who are we? We are Lemberg Law, a Consumer Law Firm" smalltext="Lemberg Law is a consumer law firm helping victims of bad manufacturing and run-arounds from auto companies. We are ranked A+ by the BBB. Call our Helpline today! There is no charge unless we win." img="balance" color="green",033. Posts on the internet suggest that the defective steering rack is often discovered by owners within the warranty period and then repaired by chevrolet. What is not clear is how often the defective steering rack is discovered just after the vehicle is out of warranty (the "bumper to bumper" warranty on a bolt is only 36,000 miles, so my defective steering rack failed just after the end of the warranty and chevrolet will not cover this defect.) I respectfully request that the nhtsa investigate how often this defect occurs and order a recall. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 20, 2020 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The first year of the lease, the main computer began to fail and the entire screen would become black, with the entire car intermittently losing power on the freeway. The computer was replaced. Later on, the blind spot sensors became erratic, but this is likely due to a shoddy repair by the dealership after someone rear-ended the car. The primary concern is the powertrain. The battery range decreased by nearly half while driving, which would have been dangerous in a remote location. There seems to be an issue with the battery modules on the 2018 chevrolet bolt. |
| Category | Power Train, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jan 12, 2020 |
| State | CA |
| Description | On friday, dec 27, 2019, as I was parking in front of my house, using "l" mode, the car suddenly accelerated. If I hadn't slammed on the brakes, the bolt would have hit the car parked about 15 ft ahead of me. Two other people were in the car at the time, and we all shared the perception that the car had suddenly accelerated on its own. We were all scared, and we all believe this car is unsafe. Details: the car was charged to about 50% capacity, the outside temperature was 50f, humidity at 65%, the weather was clear, and the pavement was dry. After a 10 minute drive, I pulled up along the curb in front my home, as usual, and had nearly stopped, when suddenly the car lurched forward on its own. Fortunately, I was able to slam on the brakes and stop the car before it plowed into another car parked about 15 feet in front of where I was. I had been driving our bolt in "l" mode (automatic regenerative-braking), which is my habit, so I am accustomed to the characteristics of stopping the car in "l" mode. I have tried to replicate this behavior by the car since, but so far have been unable. This was not a case of mistakenly pressing the accelerator, because in "l" mode (where I parked), the car will stop by itself, just by easing my foot off of the accelerator. And note that I quickly stepped on the brake. I took the car to a gm dealership, and they didn't find a problem in the obd codes. They said they would send detailed logs to gm. But it has been over a week, and gm has yet to contact me. This car frequently has other problems that appear to be due to computer systems, including: - problems starting - problems charging - the center console display freezing, leading to: cameras remaining on while I drive, or loss of hvac controls see a similar report at: https://www. Nhtsa. Gov/vehicle/2018/chevrolet/bolt#complaints issue # 11270898 |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 24, 2019 |
| State | WA |
| Description | With the vehicle in the "l" mode driving forward, on both city streets and highways,the regen braking does not consistently engage, thereby creating the potential for not being able to stop the car in time with the regular brakes to avoid a collision. It has been to 2 different dealerships a total of 6 times with no resolution of the issue. Dealership #1 was not able to replicate problem. Dealership #2 had tech ride with me and problem occurred multiple times. Tech stated he would have to research the issue. Chevy seems to deny this is a problem. I'm very concerned this will result in a rear end or pedestrian collision. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Power Train |
| Date | Jul 29, 2019 |
| State | PA |
| Description | Tl* the contact owns a 2018 chevrolet bolt ev. While driving 20 mph, "system shutting down" appeared on the instrument panel and the vehicle seized in the middle of the road. The contact was unable to power off the vehicle with the start button. The vehicle was towed to faulkner chevrolet of lancaster (located at 2000 bennet ave, lancaster, pa 17601, (717) 299-0961) where it was diagnosed that the drive module, inverter, and a power cable (harness) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 7,403. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jul 08, 2019 |
| State | MA |
| Description | On march 17, 2019 at approximately 3:45p. M., we parked the bolt in the driveway of our home. We exited the bolt and plugged it into our juicebox (level 2) charger as usual. At approximately 5:00 pm, we were alerted that the bolt was on fire. We discovered smoke billowing out of the rear of the bolt and the bolt apparently combusting from within in the area of the battery cells. The fire department was contacted and took approximately 3 hours to control the fire and smoke. The fire department evacuated us, our downstairs neighbors, and both units of the home next door during the fire. The fumes from the burning materials was so thick and noxious it permeated our home, requiring professional cleaning. We experienced headaches following contact with the smoke. The bolt is a total loss. It took chevy a few days to respond to our claim. Eventually chevy sent two engineers from detroit to our driveway to inspect the juice box. Chevy purchased the car from the insurance company. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System, Power Train, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Feb 27, 2019 |
| State | VA |
| Description | 35% reduction in range with normal driving conditions, additional 27% reduction in range after courtesy recall #18125 los of propulsion high voltage battery without notification. Gm acknowledges range loss, they informed me this is normal, unable to use vehicle for work commuting |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Feb 23, 2019 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Front wipers can freeze and to bottom of windshield and become immobilized while driving, impairing visibility. This has happened several times this winter, our first with this car, while driving at various speeds when outdoor temp was about 25 deg f, even though car interior temps were comfortable. Defrost heat duct on dashboard hits glass several inches above wipers and does not adequately heat the lowermost windshield where wipers rest at bottom of swipe. Seems like a couple of inches of laminated heating elements similar to the rear window should be required, with a button to control it, and there should be a heated drain hole to remove the water. |
| Category | Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System, Power Train |
| Date | Aug 31, 2018 |
| State | IL |
| Description | While approaching a busy intersection of a busy city street, as coming to a stop first using regenerative braking, then applying the mechanical brakes, the gauge cluster read "limited driving capability" (or something like that). As I came to a stop the car shifted itself to park and applied the parking brake. I attempted to shift into drive and take off the parking brake, with no success. The vehicle instructed to go back into park, which it did without my intervention. I tried reverse and neutral with no effect. All other electronics appeared to work properly. I put on the hazard lights. I tried turning the vehicle off and back on by pressing the start button, but the car rebooted showing a globe like graphic which said something to the effect of "re-initializing". Police were called at this point as I was limiting safe traffic movement by blocking a lane. I attempted the restarting procedure repetitively, with no success to get the vehicle moving again. A tow truck was required to move the vehicle from the road as the road was too dangerous to try pushing the vehicle, and the car did not appear to be able to go into neutral. My dealership states they are going to replace the "transmission" to resolve the problem. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System, Service Brakes, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Feb 13, 2018 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The bolt ev has a steering-wheel mounted regenerative breaking paddle, which applies the regenerative breaking, slowing the vehicle. However, when the battery is fully charged, this paddle does nothing, which has resulted in some near misses. A warning indicator should be present, or the documentation should suggest enabling "hilltop reserve" to prevent this from occurring. I have reported this to chevy, but no responses were received. |
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Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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