Chevrolet Bolt Reliability Problems

Bolt owners have made 7 complaints over 5 model years. Using our PainRank™ system we've ranked it 4th in overall reliability out of 40 Chevrolet models, with plenty of electrical concerns.

The Most Common Bolt Problem

A list of some of the most common issues Bolt owners have to deal with.

  1. Chevrolet Bolt Fires

    GM believes new software updates will allow Bolt owners to fully charge their batteries once again. Owners were asked to temporarily limit their battery's charging capacity to stop defective cells from sparking a flame and make the EV extra…

    Continue reading article "Chevrolet Bolt Fires" An orange and yellow flame on a black background

  2. What Are We Missing?

    We know there's more problems than this. Let us know which one you'd like to see us cover next.

    Continue An orange and yellow flame on a black background

What Bolt Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks the Most

Years to Avoid

Full Lists on CarComplaints.com

Bolt Generations

Generations are groups of model years where few, if any, changes were made to the vehicle which means their model years tend to break in similar ways. The Bolt has 1 generation available in North American markets.

Bolt Key Numbers

  1. 7 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

Bolt Class-Action Lawsuits

The Bolt has been named as a class vehicle in the following lawsuits.

  • Torres, et al., v. General Motors LLC.

    1. Case Filed

      A Chevy Bolt fire recall has caused a car owner to file a lawsuit alleging the Bolt recall is causing him "range anxiety." General Motors issued the Chevy Bolt fire recall after the automaker received 12 claims alleging the high-voltage batteries may have caused fires.

Recent Bolt News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Chevy says battery scans and software update will allow 2017-2019 Bolt owners to once again charge their batteries to full capacity.

    The EVs were recalled last November following reports of the batteries catching on fire while charging near 100%. As a temporary measure, owners were asked to limit their battery's charging capacity to 90% until a more permanent fix could be found.…

    keep reading article "Chevy Says They Have A More Permanent Fix to Prevent Bolt Battery Fires"

  2. Another owner is suing GM following their decision to cap the Bolt's battery capacity at 90%, even if that's a temporary fix to prevent fires.

    The automaker recalled the Chevy EVs last November after learning that the batteries can spark a flame as they are charging and nearing 100%. By temporarily capping them at 90%, GM can stop those fires while they search for a more permanent solution.

    But a plaintiff in Michigan says Bolt owners need to contend with range anxiety and diminished resale value while they wait. Call me crazy, but a temporary restriction on range feels a lot more desirable than a permanently charred engine.…

    keep reading article "Another Chevy Bolt Owner Sues GM Over Range Anxiety"

  3. The combination of cold-weather and a recent software update is diminishing the Chevy Bolt's range by an estimated 33%

    according to a new class-action lawsuit. That has sparked some serious range anxiety for Canadian owners. Most EV owners are aware that cold weather is going to slow the battery down a bit, but that problem has been compounded by GM's decision to limit the Bolt's charging capacity to 90%.…

    keep reading article "Canadian Bolt Owners Already Had Winter Range Anxiety, a Recent Software Update Only Made it Worse"

  7. General Motors has been sued for last month's Bolt EV recall which temporarily limits the battery's capacity to 90%, bringing the car's range down from 238 miles to roughly 214.

    The plaintiff says the software update is giving him "range anxiety" and that's only heightened by the impending cold weather months which can also limit range. Last I checked, winter was going to happen regardless of the recall and it could just be me but I'd be more anxious about the possibility of my car catching on fire than losing 14 miles of range.…

    keep reading article "A Bolt EV Owner Cites Range Anxiety in His Lawsuit Against GM's Latest Recall"

  8. General Motors is recalling roughly 68,700 Bolt EVs to temporarily limit their battery capacities hoping it'll prevent further battery fires.

    The automaker has confirmed five fires are the result of a defect inside the EV's high-voltage battery systems. The batteries contain cells from LG Chem and as they approach a 100% charged state there's an issue that can cause a short-circuit and spark a flame.

    The issue has been under investigation by the safety regulators since last month.…

    keep reading article "Why Bolt Owners Need to Park Outside Until They Get This Recall"

See All Bolt News

Other Chevrolet Models