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There is an urgent recall on this vehicle. Find out if your Bolt is included in the recall.
The 2021 Chevrolet Bolt made national headlines and got worldwide attention after batteries in these cars caught on fire. Unveiled in 2016 and produced from 2017, the Chevy Bolt was dubbed the first truly mass-market all-electric car. Now, every single car is on recall by General Motors (GM) because of fire dangers.
So, if you are a Chevrolet Bolt owner, regardless of the model year, your car is included in the recall. The United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) media release on its website explains it all. This includes the fact that you must park your car outside, away from any structures, and mustn’t charge it overnight. You must also get it to “a local dealer immediately to have the change made.”
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2018 2019 2020 2022
Contents
- 1| NHTSA Complaints for the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV
- 2| The Most Common Problems with the 2021 Chevy Bolt
- 3| 2021 Chevy Bolt Electrical System Problems
- 4| 2021 Chevy Bolt Fuel System Problems
- 5| 2021 Chevy Bolt Powertrain Problems
- 6| What to do if Your 2021 Chevy Bolt is a Lemon? Your Lemon Rights
- 7| Complaint Data
Don’t be stuck with a lemon. You have legal rights to cash, return or buyback.
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Power Train | |
| Engine | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | |
| Steering | |
| Seat Belts | |
| Structure |
Additionally, the company said it will focus on making replacement batteries and won’t build new Chevy Bolt electric vehicles until at least the end of January 2022.
In August 2021, GM blamed the fires on two possible manufacturing defects, a folded separator and a torn anode tab. LG battery plants resumed production in September and were due to start shipping to dealers in October.
Despite the scenario, complaints issued to the NHTSA indicate that many Bolt owners asking for buybacks or other compensation are hitting a blank. The reality is that while GM confirmed in November 2021 that 16 cars caught fire, about 141,000 cars are known to be affected by the recall. So, this is one big problem.
What makes it worse is that many complaints to the NHTSA, as recently as December, say that parts needed to make the recall aren’t available. If they can’t fix a recall problem, Bolt owners need another recourse. Lemberg Law can help you.
The Most Common Problems with the 2021 Chevy Bolt
It isn’t surprising that the most common 2021 Bolt problems reflected in complaints to the NHTSA are electrical. But it isn’t the only problem.
There are 7 fuel/propulsion system complaints, 5 powertrain complaints, 3 that relate to service brakes, and 2 to do with steering. Airbag, lane departure, suspension, tires, and vehicle speed control issues also feature.
Also, batteries catching on fire isn’t the only issue with batteries. Bradley Berman, who writes for Autoweek, says he leased a 2017 Bolt for three years. During that time, his battery pack was replaced three times due to cell failure. The car didn’t go up in flames, it simply stopped on the road leaving him stranded!
2021 Chevy Bolt Electrical System Problems
Of the 30 complaints registered by NHTSA for the 2021 model, 15 are related to the electrical system, most of which relate to the recall. Some who have settlement agreements say there hasn’t been any follow-through and months later they are still stuck with a car that, according to the recall notification, might spontaneously combust.
At least one complaint is unrelated to the battery and relates to the camera and infotainment system.
Additionally, one complainant who got emergency power failure alerts, and then discovered the battery disconnect lever had failed, was offered a vehicle buyback after the car was repaired. It is not clear if this issue has been solved.
Another states: “On 16/11/21 GM offered me a horrible buyback that didn’t cover all my down payment and fees at the time of lease. I rejected it and I am still paying and insuring a car unsafe at zero speeds.”
2021 Chevy Bolt Fuel System Problems
Problems include a car that stopped while errors about propulsion were displayed. The car was towed away for a diagnosis. Another decelerated abruptly from 91 to 20 mph on the highway, displaying a “propulsion power is reduced” error. This incident and another similar one on a different freeway almost caused an accident.
Other fuel/propulsion-related problems relate to battery defects.
2021 Chevy Bolt Powertrain Problems
Most of these problems show up as the car lurching either forward or backward. But the scenarios are all different. One driver was changing gears. Another was in park mode. Another was in the forward-driving position leaving the driveway.
Who knows what Chevrolet will make of these?
What to do if Your 2021 Chevy Bolt is a Lemon? Your Lemon Rights
Sometimes car owners manage to negotiate settlements on their own. Sometimes they find finalizing offers is a challenge all on its own.
You don’t need to go through the unnecessary stress of fighting for your rights to settlement. Lemberg Law has helped countless car owners with buyback agreements, trade-ins, replacement vehicles, and other settlements. We can do the same for you.
If you think you’ve bought a lemon, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by contacting us. Once we evaluate your case and you become a client, we are on your side. It won’t cost you a cent because the law makes the manufacturer pay in cases like these. So phone our Helpline today.
Complaint Data
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Feb 20, 2023 |
| State | MO |
| Description | Chevrolet issued a recall for our 2021 bolt, manufacturer recall number n212345940 nhtsa recall number 21v650 over a year ago. At the time of the recall issue in late 2021, we were told to bring in the car for service that would reduce the risk of fire by lowering the charge capacity to 80%. We did so and were told that the actual battery module replacement would be "any day now." we have contacted the chevrolet ev concierge (833-382-4389) several times over the past year, including today, feb. 20, and each time we were told that the recall service would happen "soon," and that there was no way to estimate when it would occur. We have been told that the 2020-2022 models had recall service started in august 2021, proceeding "in batches." as it has been about 15 months since the recall was issued, we suspect that chevrolet has no intention of performing this service in a timely fashion. We do not know the probability of a fire. We do not know when the full charge capacity will be restored, and this has constrained our ability to travel. Has nhtsa imposed a deadline or guideline for the recall completion? What is a reasonable time frame for a recall of this magnitude? 1 year? 3? 5? 10? As a car owner, 1 year would appear to be reasonable. However, we have little ability to hold chevrolet to a reasonable standard and no knowledge of what percentage of the cars are done. We appeal to nhtsa to hold chevrolet to a reasonable standard. Thank you for your time. |
| Category | Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery |
| Date | Feb 07, 2023 |
| State | WA |
| Description | 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. Consumer writes in regard to battery recall. |
| Category | Electrical System, Seat Belts, Structure |
| Date | Jan 27, 2023 |
| State | WI |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system) and 22v930000 (structure, seat belts) however, the parts to do the recall repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 07, 2023 |
| State | MD |
| Description | The recall is not yet completed on the battery after more than a year. The range of my car is limited severely since I can neither charge the battery completely nor let the charge decline below about 30%, essentially reducing the range to 60% of what was promised. This is a known issue and gm has had plenty of time to fix it. I have contacted the dealer on many occasions and they have not been at all helpful. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Dec 28, 2022 |
| State | MI |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Dec 20, 2022 |
| State | WY |
| Description | I received an email notifying me of a safety recall related to the propulsion battery on july 26, 2021. This notice did not offer an opportunity to schedule a repair. I have contacted my dealer periodically requesting a repair. On november 25, 2022, I received a text message specifying recall # n212345941, which corresponds with a propulsion battery replacement. This text, and a subsequent notice by mail, offered my first opportunity to schedule the battery replacement. My local dealer is not authorized to make the repair. I have contacted a dealer authorized to make the repair, 70 miles away, and I am awaiting notice that the replacement battery is available to install. The delay in offering this repair has been unreasonable, and unsafe. Because my daily commute is long, mountainous, cold, and windy, I cannot safely limit my battery charge in the manner instructed in the initial recall notice. I have relied on the express warranty indicating I will be able to charge the propulsion battery to 100 percent, and I believe the sequence of recalls and delayed repair constitute a breach of express warranty, and a breach of an implied warranty of merchantability. This manufacturer should be systematically compensating its customers for supplying an inherently dangerous defective product, and for failing to repair the unsafe condition in a timely fashion. The defective propulsion battery has placed me and my family (and my passengers and neighbors) at risk of death due to fire and toxic smoke inhalation in the vehicle and in my driveway and attached garage. Nhtsa should investigate both the deadly defect and the unnecessary and unreasonable delay in the repair offered by the manufacturer, and impose proper penalties. I will be pleased to participate in your investigation and provide any information you need, including testimony and other evidence. You should be aware I entered into a settlement agreement with gm to buy back a defective 2019 boltev (vin 1g1fy6s07k4107084). |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Dec 14, 2022 |
| State | MI |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Oct 19, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | This vehicle left me on sept 13 in the middle of the freeway bc it lost propulsion. I had plenty of charge and all of a sudden my charge was gone. The car wouldn't speed up. Had to pull over and wait 4 hours for tow truck. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Sep 25, 2022 |
| State | NH |
| Description | Miles that can drive are very limited. Been waited for replaced fuel cells. I have called a local dealership but was told my vin isn't up yet for battery replacement. How to get on the list and need all battery's working so I can drive the distances I need to. |
| Category | Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System, Power Train |
| Date | Jul 27, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | Merging onto freeway from about 50 mph to 70 mph. Blind zone alert indicated there was a vehicle was in my blind spot. Proceeded to accelerate full throttle into traffic when car began shuddering and then suddenly lost power. Car would not restart and needed to be towed to dealer for warranty repair. Car was at dealer for 9 days waiting for repair. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jun 29, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and the contact was provided a case number. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available. |
| Category | Engine, Fuel/propulsion System, Power Train |
| Date | Jun 29, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Four times during a cross country trip, after a level 3 dc charging session, the car would either not start or if it did would not shut off. The gear could not be shifted into reverse or drive and the radio, ac all shut down even though the car was still on. The service soon indicator light came on. Diagnostics from on-star said that it was the propulsion system. Another indicator light came on saying conditions not right shifting. The fifth time it occured while the car was moving and unlike the four previous times the gear couldn't be jiggled or temporarily rebooting the car by removing the 12-volt battery. The car had to be towed to the dealer where it was announced that drive control wiring harness needed to be replaced. This problem is well documented on gm bolt forums. The car should have been recalled before my family was put at risk. I wasted 12 hours during a 19 hour move across the country due to this known problem. I was stranded in life threatening triple digit heat indices. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Jun 03, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | Propulsion power is reduced on my new 2021 chev bolt. The battery recall problem has not been addressed yet now I just lost my on propulsion power is reduce problem. My car is in the shop and can not be driven. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | May 22, 2022 |
| State | CT |
| Description | Chevy is not communicating with owners and putting batteries in cars on dealer lots so they can be sold and producing new cars with the new batteries. I was told by their ev hotline that new cars are being sold for ,000 to ,000 over msrp, making a cash payout not an option because I couldn't repurchase a car. They had an unadvertised program to do msrp to msrp trades. They have denied my request, due to a high level of interest in the program. I found out about this from a blog post, not chevy. They are not responding to my requests for a time frame of when my car will be fixed. I'm hearing on blogs that it's going to be more than a year. I'm seeing on line that some people are being told the repair will be more than a year from now, which will exceed connecticut's lemon law. The lemon law states you have 2 years to report an issue. I purchased the car in june, 2021 with a range of 259. In august, 2021 it was recall and had restrictions put on it lowering my range to 216, a software update was released in february, 2021. This was advertised as removing the restrictions, but it reduced range again to 207. They offered to pay rental fees and gas, but failed mention that reimbursement would take 6-8 weeks, in february and now it's taking 8-10 weeks. I do not have the money to put up front for the rental. I tried to reach out to ebony, evconcierge@chevrolet. Com, to see if they would pick up interest on my credit card or expedite the reimbursement. She will not respond or call me back and her extension asks for a password, which I do not have. Please help. I have a funeral for a beloved uncle and the trip is going to take over 6 hours due to rerouting to get to supper chargers and the hour long wait to charge. On a full charge this trip can be done in 3 1/2 hours. I don't have the money to rent and I never pay interest on credit cards. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Jan 13, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | While involved in a side impact collision, and significant force, airbags failed to deploy. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Jan 10, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | My vehicle is part of recall 21v650 to replace my vehicle's battery. The current solution until a battery for my vehicle is available is a software update. I tried to take my vehicle in for the software update that is part of the recall on 1/10/22 via an appointment that I had scheduled and confirmed with the dealership. The dealership refused my appointment upon arrival and refused to install the software update. Not having the recall applied affects my safety by potentially allowing a fire to occur in my high voltage battery, the software update is supposed to prevent that from occurring until a new battery can be provided. This issue is part of the wider recall number, noted above and the manufacturer not handling repairs in a timely and professional manner to ensure that everyone has a safe vehicle to utilize as it was intended when purchased. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Jan 08, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | First the selfseal tire fiasco on 7/2/21 then in late august with the recall gm agreed to buy back the bolt. The dealer picked up the bolt on 9/3/21. On 11/16/21 gm offered me a horrible buy back that didn't cover all my downpayment and fees at the time of lease. I rejected it and I am still paying and insuring for a car unsafe at zero speeds. Anyway ntsa can hold gm accountable over the bolt failure? This defect was present when I leased this car new on 1/31/21 and gm was already buying back bolts. This should have never been sold to me in the first place. |
| Category | Tires |
| Date | Jan 08, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | On 7/2/21 I hit a curb at two miles per hour which caused a gash in the passenger front tire sidewall. I purchased the 21 chevrolet bolt and these michelins are bolt specfic, michelin a/s selfseal because I work in construction and had a lot of flat repairs so selfseal was a primary driver for the lease. The tires have the sealant already inside which makes the tires heavy and cumbersome in handling. The sidewalls feel like they are buckling because the weight is in the tread and around it. These low rolling resistance tires have bad traction especially in wet conditions. I had to leave my car in an unsafe location and it took gm roadside assistance four days to get the car to the dealer. The bolt has no spare or sealant kit. I complained to gm and they offered me goodwill gm points which they later reneged on. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jan 03, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The part was not available for repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts are not available. |
| Category | Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System, Power Train |
| Date | Dec 20, 2021 |
| State | PA |
| Description | While accelerating, the vehicle's drive system stopped functioning. The vehicle slowly came to a stop while displaying errors about the propulsion, and was no longer able to move under it's own power. All other systems were still working, however the hazard lights do not stay on when I had to try powering the vehicle off and back on again. The vehicle has been towed to a chevrolet dealership for diagnosis. |
| Category | Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Dec 01, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Not happy. I bought my bolt assuming I would get the convivence and range of a fully functional vehicle. The restrictions imposed upon my and my bolt are unacceptable. I can only charge in my garage unless I go the a pay for power source and wait around. I also prefer charging at overnight, after 2100 hrs, as I feel I am using less valuable energy. My employer has requested I do not park in the company lot or near any buildings. Very reasonable request under the circumstances. I think gm should allow me to rent a safe vehicle until my bolt can be brought back to the original quality/range/safety standards! Please forward this to the powers that can make this happen. I will also be in contact with the appropriate governmental agencies, especially if my requests are ignored or denied. Happy holidays, hope I do not burn up, [xxx] on monday, november 29, 2021, 11:36:09 am pst, your friends at quality chevy of escondido |
| Category | Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Nov 30, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | This is regarding the battery defect. I initially called into gm on august 31, 2021 to start this buyback and have not driven this since. It's been parked on the street because I have a newborn and a 2 year old. It would be irresponsible of me to drive and charge this car while my children are here. There has been no progress while working with gm. They have ignored me and are unreachable. I went through bbb and the settlement has been approved, but gm still has not contacted me and is unreachable. My case number with gm: sr:9-6913861036 my case number with bbb (settlement has been reached but no response from gm): chv2125923 |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Nov 22, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded at a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available. |
| Category | Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery |
| Date | Oct 21, 2021 |
| State | NC |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact stated while driving 55 mph, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The warning message " emergency power failure, seek service immediately" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated he was unable to restart the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that the battery disconnect lever had failed. The contact stated the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer has notified the failure and offered the contact a vehicle buyback. The approximate failure mileage was 2,700. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Power Train |
| Date | Sep 25, 2021 |
| State | MI |
| Description | High voltage battery has been recalled due to fire risk on 8. 20. 2021. No remedy for repair has been performed and I have had difficulty getting information from gm regarding my vehicle swap due to the recall. The vehicle is becoming more unusable as the weather gets colder due to the charging limitations set in the recall. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Sep 23, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | Vehicle is under recall. Gm has gone beyond what would be considered a reasonable time resolve the issue. The vehicle remains a danger and the suggested restrictions by gm are impossible to follow and still use the vehicle as intended. Gm is considering a buy back of the vehicle on a case by case basis. Gm should honor all requests for a buy back of the vehicle since they are unable to render the car safe and should not decide that some customers should continue to be in danger while others granted a buy back are able to be safe. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Sep 20, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had a exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact contacted the dealer and the dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available. |
| Category | Electrical System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 18, 2021 |
| State | KS |
| Description | Gm has rendered my vehicle useless. I drive hundreds of miles a day. I bought the 2021 bolt in july with an estimated 259 mile range which was fine. That has now been slashed by 40% which isn't adequate and is not the car I purchased. And parking it outside full time will likely result in rodent damage as they apparently like the soy plastic wrapping on the wires. Lastly, the gm spokesman on twitter stated that bolt owners need to park 50' away from other cars. This is all quite impossible. I bought this car brand new just 2 months ago and it's now ruined for my use. I contacted gm on 8/24/21 and they stated that I could rent a car and submit the rental receipts and gas receipts to them for reimbursement. But, they would not commit to a timeframe for reimbursement. Anecdotally, people online who have gone this route have waited 6 months for reimbursement of their first month rental and gas. Which would mean that I would have to spend ,000 before I would receive my first reimbursement check for the first months rental and gas. This I'm addition to the payments for the lemon I purchased. This is absurd. For a company that grossed 2 billion last year to expect their customers to spend that kind of money out of pocket. I bought the bolt because it was the cheapest ev and I don't have ,000 to front gm. I recall in the not-too-distant past gm received a bailout with taxpayer dollars. The nhtsa should have the authority to force gm to pay for our rentals until they can fix their mess. It is clear that gm isn't going to do the right thing. Just take a look at the case of the guy who's bolt burned up and gm said “fire invalidates the warranty†and refused to make him whole. Gm told him if he didn't like it then “he should sueâ€. Because they know just as the average bolt buyer can't shell out k for a rental he also can't spend k for an attorney to sue them. This is outrageous and gm shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Sep 17, 2021 |
| State | CO |
| Description | I have been advised, my vehicle, (2021 chevrolet bolt with less than 2,000 miles) may spontaniously burst into flame because a faulty battery. I'm supposed to park thr car outside, away from other vehicles for an indefinate time. No repair is being offered by the dealer or general motors. I am 81 years old, unable to safely acces my vehicle if is parked on the street in snowy weather. As a result, I am in danger due the weather conditions, let alone due to fires started in my garage while the chevrolet bolt is being charged. I demand immediate return of the money I paid for this worthless chevrolet so I can buy another car. |
| Category | Service Brakes, Steering, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Sep 17, 2021 |
| State | NC |
| Description | At random times even while driving: first and most importantly, speed will read 0 mph while driving. Second the following errors will appear on the dash: "steering assist reduced drive with care" "pedestrian friendly alert system" also, the following lights in the dash light up: brake system warning light service vehicle soon light antilock brake system (abs) warning light service electric parking brake light traction control system (tcs)/stabilitrak light if this happens while driving I have experienced the following: if turning, the steering wheel will jerk because the vehicle loses power steering. If vehicle is in cruise control, the cruise control will disengage and the regenerative braking will quickly slow down the vehicle. I have taken the vehicle to the gm dealership. They had the vehicle in their shop for a month and could not resolve the issue. The last thing they did to the vehicle was a complete reset. This has not resolved the issue and it is happening more frequently now. |
| Category | Electrical System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 16, 2021 |
| State | KS |
| Description | How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Drivers have to follow unfair guidelines that cripple the car. I am not able to follow the gm guidelines without affecting my livelihood and how I use the car to commute and charging procedures overnight to achieve the needed range for daily commute. 1. Set your vehicle to a 90 percent state of charge limitation using hilltop reserve mode (for 2017-2018 model years) or target charge level (for 2019-2022 model years) mode. Instructions on how to do this are available in the videos below. If you unable to successfully make these changes, or do not feel comfortable making these changes, gm is asking you to visit your dealer to have these adjustments completed. 2. Charge your vehicle more frequently and avoid depleting their battery below approximately 70 miles (113 kilometers) of remaining range, where possible. 3. Park your vehicle outside immediately after charging and do not leave your vehicle charging indoors overnight. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Nationwide recall confirmed by nhtsa has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, appeared 8/20/21 according to nhtsa recall |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 14, 2021 |
| State | GA |
| Description | It was recently brought to my attention that the bolt ev vehicles have a very serious battery issue. I have not received any written or emailed information regarding this issue from chevrolet and instead happened upon this issue in my social feeds. It is my understanding that the batteries pose a very serious risk of fire to the point that I must charge my vehicle below maximum capacity/range, I must not drive the vehicle to it's maximum listed range, and park it outside while charging so that the potential of my house catching on fire might be averted. As mentioned chevrolet has not reached out to me to warn me of this issue, rather I've had to look up my vin on their website for open recalls of which there is one regarding this specific issue. Outlining exactly what I've listed above, with no time frame or foreseeable fix available. |
| Category | Electrical System, Electrical System |
| Date | Sep 07, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Gm chevy has sold me a vehicle that has an explosive lithium lg battery. On 09/07/2021 gm called me and offered me a choice of having the battery replaced in my vehicle at a future unknown date or having the vehicle sold back to gm via the buy back program. Gm refused to go into detail about either option and instead wanted me to make a decision without knowing the details on either option. I personally believe that gm does not give a [xxx] about the bolt or the customer. Gm has instructed me to park my vehicle out side my home and I stated "I live in a rural area and if the vehicle were to explode it would reduce the forest area around my home to ash. The vehicle is probably better off in my garage. I will install a fire detector in the garage, since gm doesn't give a [xxx] about the customers or the people that can be hurt. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6). |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Aug 25, 2021 |
| State | OH |
| Description | The contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. The contact stated while parking the vehicle and placing it into park, the vehicle lunged forward which resulted in the contact hitting the vehicle in front of them. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,700. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Aug 25, 2021 |
| State | GA |
| Description | Driver had pulled up and stopped at red light with vehicle in d mode (normal drive). Driver had placed hand on gear shift lever and went to shift into l mode (one pedal driving) by using normally accepted procedure of pulling gear shift lever one click back to engage l mode or switch back to d mode. Hand or finger was apparently resting too far on top of gear shift lever push button and without knowing, vehicle shifted into r (reverse) instead of l mode (one pedal driving). When driver pushed accelerator pedal, vehicle lurched backward. Driver immediately applied braking to stop car and narrowly avoid collision with vehicle behind driver. Driver was able to duplicate this issue a second time. |
| Category | Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection |
| Date | Jul 23, 2021 |
| State | VA |
| Description | The blind spot warning system fails to work adequately. It triggers both false negative and false positives on both sides of the vehicle. It is available for inspection upon request. Even when there are no cars within a quarter mile of me, the lights may come on, alerting me to a non-existent car in my blind spot. If the light turns on properly, it doesn't always turn off when the car leaves my blind spot, just staying on indefinitely. It fails to detect approximately 50% of cars accurately when they enter or leave my blind spot. This defect puts others at risk, increasing the possibility of a side collision when the blind spot warning system fails to adequately inform the driver of an accurate blind spot status. The vehicle was taken to a dealership with an appointment, they refused to inspect or diagnose the problem, stating that myself, the driver, should read the manual and tinker with the vehicle settings. I informed them that I had already read the manual, it stated it may take some time to calibrate and it didn't mention any user accessible settings menu, but I had over 100 miles on the new vehicle at this point and was unable to locate any user settings. The dealership still refused to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle has only been inspected by myself. Besides the false negatives and false positives of the blind spot warning system, no other error messages have occurred. This issue propped up the day I was driving the new vehicle home from the dealership after purchasing. I have attempted to personally improve the performance of the blind spot warning system using documentation found online regarding previous models of my vehicle having similar issues, I have had moderate success with using metal tape akin to duct tape on the rear of the radar sensor that powers the blind spot warning system. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 04, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | I am reporting an issue that may affect every chevy bolt ev owner and possess a serious safety issue for children. I discovered this issue while being an owner of two 2021 chevy bolts. I discovered that if a key is locked in the vehicles back storage area while the vehicle is running no door will open. If children are in car seats and the child lock is enabled the children will be trapped until a window is broken. This could be fatal if the vehicle was set in motion some how, which is not hard. Below I am giving a step by step on how to replicate this issue for the safety of other owners and the general public. 1. Engage children locks on door 2. Start vehicle 3. Lock doors with remote 4. Open trunk 5. Place keys in trunk/hatch closest to the plastic locking wall 6. Close trunk 7. Attempt to open trunk/hatch |
| Category | Steering, Suspension, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 02, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Groan, squeak or rubbing type noise when turning steering wheel. Vehicle turning sluggish, is a safety hazard. Sounds like premature failure of steering parts on vehicle at 3500 miles. Others are having the same problem on the internet forums. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jun 17, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Backup camera on while driving at freeway speeds: while driving on the highway, the infotainment system started having trouble. First my carplay disconnected and I couldn't reconnect. When trying to fix it, I hit the 'home' button. Then the backup camera displayed on the display covering all other functions (battery info, temperature, etc). I was driving at freeway speeds with the backup camera stuck on. When I was able to stop, putting it in park, briefly turning off the car with the door open did not correct the problem. Only when the car sat (infotainment fully powered off?) did the problem correct. I have not seen the issue on a few drives since then. I have a video of the problem but it's too big (16mb) to upload on this website. |
| Category | Engine, Power Train, Service Brakes |
| Date | Jun 17, 2021 |
| State | OR |
| Description | As I started to leave the driveway in a forward driving position, my brand new chevy bolt with only 2430 miles on it put itself into park. It made a terrible metal grinding noise and jolted us forward. My foot was still on the accelerator because I thought it was going to drive but it stopped then I looked around trying to figure out why. The “e†break was not on and I realized that the car was in park. Nothing was around the drive stick. Nothing touched it and I believe it put it's self into park when I was driving. This was very scary to us and I did not know what to do so I called the chevy dealer where I bought the car and they said to bring it into get checked. On my way the accelerator pedal started to wiggle and shake slightly. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | May 27, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | I recently purchased a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev (vin [xxx]) with current mileage about 1800 on odometer. Two days ago my wife was driving on the 91 freeway going at normal highway speed when all of a sudden the car just decelerated abruptly to 20 mph with an error “propulsion power is reducedâ€. Two ford f-150 trucks immediately behind her had to veer quickly around her (but this could've easily caused other accidents as well). She had to cross three lanes of traffic to get on to the shoulder while only able to drive at 20 mph. There was still 131 miles of battery charge left so it wasn't because of low battery. Overall it was an extremely dangerous situation whenever a car decelerates abruptly without any warning especially while driving on freeway. I don't know how she escaped unscathed and was not rear-ended, but she is traumatized by the entire incident. I want to report this so that you are aware of the situation since this poses a serious public safety concern that could have fatal ramifications. Yours truly [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6). |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | May 22, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | My bolt 2021 had break locking issue within 20 days had to get it to dealer n after 12 days they return the car without fixing this particular issue but fixed some 25 other faults.. And after two days again same issue happened and now after more than 2 weeks they asked me to take car back but not giving assurance that same issue reproduced n fixed.. Fortunately both times issue happened in parking lot but I am afraid about it that while on freeway if that happens so dont want to take chance I requested dealer for replacement vehicle which is thoroughly inspected but they asked to deal that with gm directly and I opened case with gm but there is little to no communication from them |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | May 04, 2021 |
| State | NV |
| Description | I purchased the vehicle new from diamond chevrolet on april 17 the 2021 chevy bolt had 3 miles on the odo I drove the bolt 3 more miles and the vehicle lost power and reduced speed on the freeway almost causing an accident. The display flashed a warning of reduced power and the bolt would not accelerate requiring the vehicle to be towed. After ten days at dealership problem was a bad transmission oil cooler pump. I think a defective pump lasting only 6 miles is a safety concern |
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About the Author:
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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