2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 66 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 5 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
66
Complaints
5
Recalls
4
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
1
Injuries
36.4
Severity index
Severity index 36.4 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 90 2021 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV ranks 70 of 90 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 22% of its model-year peers. See the full 2021 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 33 | 50.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 15 | 22.7% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 12 | 18.2% |
| POWER TRAIN | 10 | 15.2% |
| STEERING | 8 | 12.1% |
| ENGINE | 4 | 6.1% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 | 4.5% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 4.5% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 33 of 66 complaints (50.0%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 25 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 3 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V650000 | 20/08/2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity. |
| 22V930000 | 15/12/2022 | STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. After a crash with seat belt pretensioner deployment, the pretensioner exhaust may ignite carpet fibers near the B-pillar, causing a fire. |
| 23V845000 | 14/12/2023 | STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. This recall includes certain vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under NHTSA recall number 22V-930. After a crash with seat belt pretensioner deployment, the pretensioner exhaust may ignite |
| 24V481000 | 27/06/2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles that were previously remedied under recall number 21V-650. The advanced diagnostic software may have been incorrectly installed and fail to detect defective battery mod |
| 24V812000 | 31/10/2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV vehicles previously repaired under Recall 21V-650. The installation of advanced diagnostic software may have failed. As such, the high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to fu |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.