Electrical System Problems of Chevrolet Bolt Ev - part 1

This is the second time since owning car this has happened the recall battery is not working again this time me and my sister were at the gas station were I work and this is all on camara at chevron gas station were I work I went inside sister stayed in car it started making a buzzing sound under my dash car shut off windows wouldn't go down locked doors could not get car to turn on trapped us in car this is scary and smelled a wire burning smell started to get scared pounded on window couldn't get out ! couldn't unlock doors this is very scary tried hitting window and it would not break we were stuck this has happened once before car just needed plug in to dealership computer to reset car it was fine for 2weeks and bam a month later I'm again having to take it back to have it reset because of this battery recall it's not fixed I still owe 14k for car I totally have been ripped off it's scary that these cars catch fire and u can not get out! can't unlock doors windows nothing and u just get stuck I don't feel safe whatsoever in this car.

See all problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt Ev 🔎.

While driving at approximately 45 mph, the regenerative braking feature of the vehicle suddenly failed, and also generated a master caution light on the dashboard display. This is the second time this has happened while driving and resulted in a sudden, alarming change in vehicle dynamics. Regenerative braking is the normal operation regime of the vehicle, with the traditional mechanical-hydraulic brake pedal available for added braking, as demonstrated by the Chevrolet dealership during a test drive and confirmed with the vehicle manual. Furthermore, the vehicle will no longer shut itself off and could pose a fire risk when stored in a garage, parking deck, other vehicles, etc. These issues happened in November 2024. The car was returned to the dealer for warranty repair. Even after extensive repairs to the electrical system, the car has repeated the alarming failure mid-drive. This indicates that there is a serious problem with the electronic and poses a serious safety risk.

See all problems of the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt Ev 🔎.

Vehicle fails to charge. Receiving error message that the vehicle fails to accept a charge. I've attempted charging using 3 separate chargers and all fail. This issue has been in service at numerous dealerships with no resolve. I was able to charge previously at a reduced rate but now the battery will no longer accept a charge and gives me an error message.

Recurring electronic transmission shift control failure on a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt Ev. The electronic transmission shift control pushbutton circuit board (gm part designation k212) has failed twice within approximately 9,300 miles. First failure occurred at approximately 45,695 miles in July 2025. The dashboard displayed a malfunction indicator and a "service transmission" warning. Diagnostic trouble code u18d2 was set: lost communication with transmission range selector control module on the powertrain sensor can bus. The selling Chevrolet dealer replaced the k212 pushbutton circuit board and reprogrammed the hpcm2 module. Second failure occurred at approximately 54,969 miles in March 2026, only about 9,300 miles after the first repair. Same diagnostic code family, including the identical u18d2 code, plus u0076, u18c6, and u240e. The same dealer replaced the same k212 pushbutton circuit board a second time. The repair was processed under manufacturer warranty. Safety risk: when the failure occurs, communication with the transmission range selector is lost intermittently and without warning, leaving the vehicle unable to be reliably shifted into drive, reverse, or park. This creates a clear hazard in traffic, parking lots, and on inclines. The failure mode is sudden and the warning lamps appear only after the malfunction has begun. The component is located beneath the center cup holder area. There is no visible waterproofing or moisture isolation around the circuit board, despite its location directly under a known liquid exposure zone. The failed component from the second repair was reportedly shipped back to gm by the dealer. The vehicle is available for inspection. The failure has been confirmed twice by an authorized Chevrolet dealer.

I started losing regen braking intermittently, when this happens the brakes themselves don't work well and there's no warning, you lift of the pedal expecting the car to stop and its rolling freely, to push brake and its not stopping like you expect, then it thuds and lunges forward a bit and stops. It was rarely happening, now the car can barely be driven. I have not got it into a shop yet. It throws dtc p182b, p182d, p1840, and u0401 every time. Clearing them, even while still moving brings it all back to normal, except an image of my previous drive will be frozen on infotainment that I have to hard reset to get it to work. Also backup camera does now work when these codes are active. I have found 1 person online that is having this exact issue. It's terrifying to approach a stop light and used to 1 pedal driving and I'm rolling freely instead. The first incident of it was 03/05/26 and has progressively worsened. My code scanner keeps records of when I clear the codes,.

See all problems of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt Ev 🔎.

While waiting to turn left at a light and driving in "l" (one pedal) mode, I started to release the break in anticipation of oncoming lanes clearing, as I lifted the pedal the car lurched into the intersection. The bolt normally accelerates very gently in l mode when no break is applied, but does not lurch forwards like this under normal conditions. The breaks did work, and I was able to stop, but I was now in the middle of the intersection and slightly encroaching into oncoming lanes. I tried to accelerate to pull through, but the car did not respond. After several second of frantically pushing the accelerator, the car slowly and jerkily moved forward and cleared the intersection. My chevy dealer says this is a known problem with service bulletin "Chevrolet TSB 19-na-220". In my opinion this is incredibly dangerous and should have been recalled. However, there is no recall that I can find and outrageously chevy will not cover this manufacturing defect under warranty as they specifically exclude wiring harnesses due to past issues with rodent damage, and they are hiding behind that rule.

This vehicle just stopped in the middle of traffic, not giving me time to pull over. The screen just said, "service mode", and would not go into neutral to enable the car to be pushed to a safe spot. Highway petrol had to stop traffic and have it towed off. This was endangering everyone involved. If this is a common problem with other chevy bolts, it definitely needs addressing.

Water has infiltrated the lower trunk area and fried the sound amplifier. The result is no sounds can be heard from the speakers. This includes sounds and warnings from the safety systems. Seat belt, adas, blis, onstar, turn signals, radio. The rear hatch seals seem to be intact and it is unclear how water is entering this lower area as there is no evidence of water anywhere else in the rear cargo area. A google search reveals many other bolt owners are experiencing the same issue.

See all problems of the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt Ev 🔎.

I am reporting a safety issue involving the high-voltage battery system of my vehicle. Vehicle: 2017 Chevrolet Bolt Ev VIN: 1g1fx6s07h4137617 mileage: 87,125 miles the vehicle has generated a p302f diagnostic trouble code, which indicates high-voltage battery cell imbalance. This condition may pose a safety risk related to battery performance and thermal stability. The authorized Chevrolet dealership has refused to diagnose the issue under warranty unless I pre-authorize a $600 diagnostic fee. The vehicle is covered under an active gm buyback warranty and a 10-year / 100,000-mile battery warranty due to a recall battery replacement. Due to the safety implications of a high-voltage battery fault, I believe refusal to diagnose the issue under warranty may pose a risk and warrants review. I am submitting this complaint to document the issue and request investigation. Thank you.

See attached document for complaint.

Vehicle arrived with windshield chip, transport company provided proof happened before transport. Brake failure on first use after delivery. Reduced-propulsion warning triggered. Both passenger-side door locks failed. Center-console power and data failed (replacements pending). Rear and passenger-side cameras blurry (replacements pending). Gm manufacturer buyback vehicle. Safety defect occurred immediately after delivery. Vehicle down more than 50 days. Dealer delayed title paperwork to tennessee for 44 days and delayed delivering finance contract/payment instructions to buyers for 50 days. Gm financial issued late notices before contract was delivered. Dealer has not responded to reimbursement deadline. Safety and delivery failures created unsafe condition and administrative harm.

See all problems of the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt Ev 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt Ev. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked unattended, the vehicle exploded. The contact believed the failure was due to the battery. The front left tire message was displayed. The battery was previously replaced. The local dealer was contacted regarding the battery purchase. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called another local dealer.  la quinta chevy cady service, 79225 CA-111, la quinta, CA 92253, to obtain the service records, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. There were no reported injuries, police report filed, or airbag deployments. The manufacturer was contacted, who filed an incident report. The failure mileage was approximately 53,030.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt Ev. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21v560000 (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. Parts distribution disconnect.

High-voltage battery failure left Bolt Ev immobilized after recall fix: our 2020 Chevrolet Bolt Ev (VIN: [xxx] ) became completely immobilized on [xxx], due to high-voltage battery failure. The vehicle previously underwent all recall remedies, including a full propulsion battery replacement in may 2023, but less than two years later the same issue has reoccurred. This failure left us stranded and unable to operate the car. Loss of propulsion without warning presents a serious safety risk, particularly if it were to occur while driving at speed. Out of concern for fire risk, the dealer (colonial Chevrolet in milford, CT) parked the disabled vehicle approximately 500 feet away from other cars and structures. The dealer diagnosed the failure as hv battery pack malfunction and confirmed the pack requires replacement. The vehicle remains in their custody and is available for inspection upon request. Gm customer assistance has denied two separate repurchase claims (case #[xxx] and #[xxx]), despite the prolonged immobilization and repeated delays. The car has been inspected by colonial Chevrolet and gm representatives. Despite prior recall service and battery replacement, the bolt is inoperable again, raising concerns that the recall remedy was ineffective and that other Bolt Ev owners may face the same hazard. No warning lamps or error messages appeared prior to failure. The vehicle simply would not start on [xxx]. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My 2021 chevy bolt keeps showing a battery or power-propulsion warning light related to the high-voltage system. The warning keeps coming back even after multiple repairs. The first repair was on April 28, 2025, the second was on December 17, 2025, and it is scheduled again for another repair on March 3, 2026. The light is the same every time and affects the car’s performance and reliability. I’m concerned this could be a safety issue involving the battery or propulsion system. The dealer repairs it temporarily, but the warning keeps returning, and the problem has never been fully resolved.

See all problems of the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt Ev 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt Ev. The contact stated that the vehicle's charge was designed to last for 259 miles, but failed to exceed 100 miles. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 24v812000 (electrical system); however, the failure persisted. The vehicle recently failed to charge, with an error message that the vehicle was unable to charge displayed. The contact stated that the recall repair failed to correct the issue. The dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

Video available and was given to usaa insurance company. This 2021 gm Chevrolet Bolt Ev premier trim vehicle experienced a sudden uncommanded extreme acceleration when I selected "d" (drive) mode on the transmission selector after using "r" (reverse) to back out of a parking lot parking space. The vehicle, despite my stomping and holding the brake pedal down and repeatedly selecting a different mode on the transmission selector, could not be stopped and still wanted to accelerate. The vehicle traveled an estimated 250 feet through a parking lot, crossing a street, hitting the curbs at high speed and through a field. The vehicle stopped against some concrete debris in the field pushing in the bumper slightly but with no airbag deployment. The mishap incident was video recorded and thankfully, there were no passengers or public / private property damages / injuries.

12v battery warning light and ion lucian battery light came on manufacture does not want to buy back and apple car play keeps breaking.

This car several times while driving has shaken and then shifted into neutral. I have had to pull the car off to the side of the road during normal vehicle operation. The car will then not shift into drive. There is a warning sign "conditions not correct for shift. " the first incident was March 2023. The vehicle was towed to a Chevrolet dealer and the power inverter module was replaced under warranty. This next occurred in December 2024. The vehicle was towed to a dealer again and reprogrammed. The cost was $400. The vehicle was fine for two months and about 1,000 miles when it happened again in March 2025. This time the dealer states that the engine harness needs to be replaced for about $1,500 (not covered under warranty). These incidents all occur while driving the vehicle (it has happened while approaching an intersection and once while going through an intersection).

I just purchased this vehicle from hertz authorized dealer in December 2024, January 2025 the electrical system, infotainment became non functioning. This caused my vehicle to stall, on star safety charge, etc to fail and not function. No communication within the vehicle that is an electric vehicle that requires this system for all components to function and provide a safe car to drive. Power to vehicle, back up camera, on star for emergencies, charging, this affects all the adas components in this vehicle to function properly causing a safety hazard. Took this vehicle into the dealer they diagnosed this system is down and no communication with radio. Also set false dtc was completed. It is scary that a radio component can cause an emergency service to fail and other components in the vehicle to fail all electrical components in this vehicle. I am writing a complaint to hertz since they stated all was okay when the radio, on star never worked, an update for the main system was no corrected and they failed to make sure the ev batteries were properly connected.

On January 8, 2025 the battery in my car began to fail and had a message in the display to take it to my dealer. I drove it to the nearest dealer on January 10, 2025, about 10 miles (billion automotive in iowa city. ) while driving the power steering and braking began to fail. The dealer said that gm would need to replace the battery. It has been at the dealer for 2 months, and I was told today that it will be at least another 2 months before gm will replace the battery. The car is well under warranty.

Hmi module failed. Distraction from road because the display pops on and off. Im not taking in my car because there are forums and forums discussing this issue. Not inspected by anybody either. There were no warnings, it just stopped working 2 weeks ago.

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 where multiple highways are connecting. I was left on the side of the road waiting for a tow because the car was inoperable. Prior to this sudden failure, there were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms, aside from the previously reported clunking noise. After this incident, the dealer diagnosed the issue as the one listed in the technical service bulletin, which states that "the terminals may not have been perfectly aligned during installation at the vehicle assembly plant. " unfortunately, this issue was not covered under the warranty and currently this problem is not a recall item for the Chevrolet bolt.

The vehicle was driving and lost all power and came to a stop. After about 5 seconds vehicle regained power. The "check engine light" illuminated on the dash. Took to dealer and stated could not replicate problem. Only have the report from vehicle computer and the ev technician did not understand the information and had to call gm for help. Got car back and problem happen again. Dealer had gm specialist out to help. Gm reset computer and problem just happens again.

I own a 2023 chevy Bolt Ev. Around 9/27/24 at 5,144 miles, the vehicle began experiencing serious electrical and propulsion issues. It has been to the dealership six times, each requiring a tow due to total loss of function. Issues include blown fuses, charging failures, shifting problems, propulsion loss, and repeated warning messages. Repairs have involved fuse box replacements, a new wiring harness, and other electrical components. The car has spent over 100 hours inactive at the dealership. Problems have been confirmed by technicians, but persist despite repairs. Additional safety concerns include a defective impact sensor, airbag warning lights, and a burned-out headlamp. These compromise crash readiness and visibility. Due to ongoing issues, the vehicle has been parked and unused for months, as it is unsafe and unreliable to drive. The manufacturer has not inspected the vehicle. Based on repeated failures and unresolved safety risks, I believe this vehicle qualifies as a lemon and request further investigation.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Bolt Ev. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power, and the digital screen failed to display as intended. The battery warning light was occasionally illuminated during rainy weather. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

See all problems of the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt Ev 🔎.

The reverse camera (and all cameras) is no longer working. This is a required safety feature and thousands of bolt owners have reported this on chevy forums and reddit groups.

While at a remote location, I unlocked and entered the vehicle normally. When I tried to start the vehicle, numerous unrelated error messages appeared on-screen. The instrument panel was energized, but the vehicle could only shift into neutral and park. Power steering was lost, as was window functionality. The vehicle could not be fully started, nor could not it be fully shut off either. It was stuck in a peculiar, unsafe, and unresolvable state of energized limbo. Aaa towed the car to watson Chevrolet who determined that the 12v system (vs propulsion) battery malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. There is no information in the owner’s manual about this issue. The tow truck mechanic had no clue what was wrong. Fortunately, we were in a safe location. But under different circumstances, such as being roadside, this could have been a very unsafe situation. This is the original battery. The car was recently serviced and there was no indication the battery was failing. This problem was only an annoyance for us, but it could have been much much worse under less favorable circumstances.

The cameras around the car collectively stop working intermittently. When I try to access the cameras or put the car into reverse, I get a black screen with a camera with a line through it. It happens right after it has rained and remains that way for several days. There are not any warning lamps that come on during this time. This situation makes me feel extremely uncomfortable as I have difficulty backing the car up and ensuring that there is not any incoming traffic that I may run into. This can be reproduced, but a dealer has not inspected it yet. Looking at online forums, it would appear this is a common issue that cost several thousand dollars to repair.

I was sitting in the passenger seat of my new 2023 chevy Bolt Ev while parked at a convenience station. The vehicle was on and not hooked up to a charger. I smelled something burning and quickly thereafter I saw smoke coming from under the driver side seat. The driver exited the vehicle and looked under the seat. The driver attempted to put out the fire with his hand and the carpeting under the seat. The fire got bigger. I ran to the closest extinguisher and pulled the pin to extinguish the fire. It was out for several seconds before re-igniting again. Another round of extinguisher foam was released and the fire was put out. I reported the damage to the dealership, the car manufacturer and my insurance company. I towed it to the dealership where it has been sitting since 6/1/24. Nothing further has been done since then. The dealership refuses to assess the vehicle and to date the manufacturer has not sent any inspectors to diagnose the reason of the fire. As a matter of fact my insurance company, the dealership and the manufacturer all advised me to get and pay for my own inspection from a 3rd party inspector which I am working on scheduling now.

The radio antenna/receiver/reception in my 2018 chevy bolt is very poor. There are many areas I receive almost no radio stations, or stations are extremely fuzzy. The reception is getting worse over time. In searching for a solution to this, I have found that there are many accounts, complaints, and forums related to this issue in all model years of this vehicle. The greater community has not found a viable solution outside of buying a separate radio and hooking it up to the auxiliary input. Many others have brought their vehicle to get inspected repaired and told by the dealers that everything is functioning as it should. The quality and operation of this part pales in comparison to all other vehicles and devices I, and others as they describe, have owned. Understanding this is not a "life and death" safety concern, I hope that this issue can be addressed. This is a basic piece of equipment found in all vehicles, and it is important to have access to at minimum public radio in order to receive potential emergency alerts. It seems chevy has done a disservice to their customers in their failure to provide a properly functioning basic component in these vehicles. I hope you can assist the community of bolt drivers in this headache. Thank you.

The engine compartment wiring harness part number: 42765196 wiring shorted out due to the chaffing of wires in the harness. The dealer is replacing the harness but there is no known changes that will prevent this in the future. $3,000 repair bill. I have asked for the defective harness to be returned to me for examination. This is a major safety concern as in my case, the Chevrolet bolt would not move either in forward or reverse (note: the other electrical systems and battery continue to work. This failure happen in rush hour traffic and the vehicle was nearly hit by passing cars. There was no warning that the propulsion would entirely shut down. The dealer reported that they had seen this problem before. No one from the manufacturer are interested in this. A check engine light had come on the night before and I had set up an appointment with the dealer for the next day and add reported the vehicles' issues that I had observed. There is no warning to indicate that the problem would result in the complete loss of propulsion.  .

My 2020 chevy Bolt Ev premier has had intermittent problems with the rear camera mirror going to a black screen and shutting down. After re-seating the wiring harness, which didn't fix the problem, they replaced the wiring harness, and then when it continued to happen, they replaced the rear camera. This cleared things up for a while, but then intermittently, it started to happen again. Over the past week, things have become worse, and the mirror assembly would turn off and get extremely hot. It was so hot to the touch, almost at the stage of burning my hand. I have not gotten a resolution from the chevy dealership as they are too busy and won't be able to diagnose the issue for a week and a half. I am concerned that this is a safety issue that might result in a vehicle fire.

I recently purchased a 2020 chevy bolt. I was never told that the battery could catch on fire and that they have a range limit. My work has banned this vehicle from their parking lot. The current recall for the battery requires software that reduces the battery by 80% which interferes with my driving schedule. This is a huge safety risk parking a vehicle that could potentially light on fire. I talked with gm and they can't guarantee that the software will detect if the battery has an issue.

In sept 2020, gm issued service bulletin 20-na-170 regarding rapid popping or clicking noises coming from the I-booster hardware under the hood in the braking system. Earlier fixes for this issue involved replacing the I-booster hardware, but that didn't solve the problem. The new fix called for a software update to the brake booster control module. The bulletin states: "correction -- do not replace the I-booster assembly. Update the brake booster control module with the latest software. " I reported this brake/electrical system issue to NHTSA on April 24, 2022 (# 11461966) and January 25, 2023 (# 11503678), and have had no response or investigation by NHTSA regarding the hazard of this software defect. When the hardware eventually fails--and it will due to 1000's of unnecessary use cycles--what happens to the braking system?.