2020 Chevrolet BOLT EV problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
173 owner complaints analyzed
8 distinct recall campaigns
5,800 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: . 22 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 87 of 173 complaints (50.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 81 | 46.8% |
| Steering behavior | 26 | 15.0% |
| Braking behavior | 15 | 8.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 2.9% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 1.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 87 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 30 |
| Steering | 22 |
| Unknown Or Other | 21 |
| Power Train | 11 |
| Engine | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 |
| Air Bags | 6 |
Electrical System: 87; Fuel/Propulsion System: 30; Steering: 22; Unknown Or Other: 21; Power Train: 11; Engine: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Air Bags: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 14 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (14). 151 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 35 |
| 2022 | 33 |
| 2023 | 41 |
| 2024 | 29 |
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2026 | 15 |
2020: 2; 2021: 35; 2022: 33; 2023: 41; 2024: 29; 2025: 18; 2026: 15
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 81 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11422802 · 2021-06-29 (June 29, 2021)
I have had people following me, and almost hit me when stopped at a stop sign, or waiting to turn left, because the brake lights go off while the car is still being held to some degree by electric motor braking. When driving the car in L mode, one pedal driving, the brake lights come on when decelerating, but when stopped they turn off. The issue is, there is some electrical braking applied when stopped at a stop sign or light, even with no foot on the brake pedal. The car will hold on a slight grade when in L, with no foot on the brake pedal…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11422802 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11429891 · 2021-08-20 (August 20, 2021)
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt. The contact stated that while the vehicle was plugged into the charge box however not being fully charged. The contact stated that prior to the failure occurring the vehicle was already charged fully, without warning a couple of hours later, the vehicle exploded in the driveway of the contact's residence. The contact looked out the window and noticed smoke appear under the vehicle. The contact ran outside and within a minute the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Flames were seen underneath the vehicle and a…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11429891 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11398130 · 2021-02-26 (February 26, 2021)
ANDROID AUTO SKIP AND PAUSE ON STEERING WHEEL STOPPED WORKING UNLESS INFOTAINMENT RESET DAILY OR RE-ENTER CAR. WAS AN ABNORMAL TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE SOUNDED AS IF IT WERE COMING FROM THE AREA OF THE CONSOLE/ GEAR SHIFT
Owner-reported narrative. 2,136 miles reported. Look up ODI 11398130 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11402704 · 2021-03-12 (March 12, 2021)
LANE KEEPING ASSIST (LKA) AND LANE DEPARTURE WARNING (LDW) ARE IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURES, PARTICULARLY FOR OLDER DRIVERS. THESE FEATURES, TOUTED IN CHEVROLET'S ONLINE AND PRINT ADVERTISING, ARE POORLY, AND POTENTIALLY FATALLY, IMPLEMENTED IN THE 2020 CHEVROLET BOLT EV PREMIER. THE 2020 BOLT EV OWNER'S MANUAL DESCRIBES THESE FEATURES BEGINNING ON PAGE 213. WHEN TURNED ON, LKA IS UNDETECTABLE AND NO STEERING CORRECTION CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. WHILE LDW MAY ILLUMINATE A SMALL AMBER WARNING SIGNAL ON THE GRAPHICALLY COMPLICATED DRIVER'S …
Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11402704 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11402707 · 2021-03-12 (March 12, 2021)
THE 2020 CHEVROLET BOLT EV PREMIER HAS EXCELLENT CRUISE CONTROL, HOLDING SPEED TO WITHIN 1 MPH OF SET SPEED THROUGH AUTOMATIC ACCELERATION GOING UPHILL AND AUTOMATIC REGENERATIVE BRAKING GOING DOWN HILL. THE CAR HAS COLLISION DETECTION AND CAN REPORT TIME TO IMPACT TO THE TENTH OF A SECOND. WHAT IT CAN'T DO IS APPLY REGENERATIVE BRAKING WHEN A DETECTED CRASH MAY BE IMMINENT. IT JUST FLASHES A WARNING LIGHT AND SOUNDS AN ALARM BEEP, BUT DOESN'T TRY TO PREVENT A CRASH, ALLOWING A DRIVER WITH SLOWED REFLEXES TO PLOW INTO THE VEHICLE AHEAD.
Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11402707 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11430166 · 2021-08-23 (August 23, 2021)
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the accelerator pedal became stuck causing the speed to increase to approximately 65 mph. The contact indicated that the vehicle would not slow down while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was shifted into neutral and turned off to stop the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. After the failure, the floor mats were inspected, and no…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11430166 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11472777 · 2022-07-07 (July 7, 2022)
The contact owns a 2020 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 while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle shifted into limp mode with several warning messages displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 45 MPH. The contact initially drove the vehicle back to the residence and attempted to recharge the vehicle however, the vehicle was not charged. The vehicle was then taken…
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11472777 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11611119 · 2024-08-27 (August 27, 2024)
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated while driving approximately 4 MPH and exiting the driveway, the check engine warning light and the check gear shifter warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The contact was able to drive the vehicl…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11611119 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11632822 · 2024-12-28 (December 28, 2024)
While traveling at highway speeds, my Chevrolet Bolt (2020 with 20K miles) made a clunking noise followed by a loss of speed. The clunking noise had previously been reported to the dealer, but they were not able to identify any issues at the time. During this incident, however, the car ultimately lost all speed, forcing me to pull over to the side of the highway. This sudden loss of propulsion posed a significant risk to my safety and the safety of other motorists, not only due to the loss of power, but because it happened at an interchange whe…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11632822 at NHTSA ↗