Chevrolet Bolt EV Complaints

185 consumer complaints on file.

#11433701September 20, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V650000 (Electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the recall instructions to set the the vehicle’s high-voltage battery system to a 90% state of charge limitation using Target Charge Level mode does not work for her when she has to travel long commutes more than 70 miles. The dealer was made aware of the recall but informed the contact that they were not aware of the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that they would contact back. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433698September 20, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V650000 (Electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the recall instructions to set the high-voltage battery system to a 90% state of charge limitation using Target Charge Level mod did not work for her when she had to travel long commutes of more than 70 miles. The dealer was made aware of the issue but informed the contact that they were not aware of the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that they would provide a callback. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433485September 18, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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 $12,000 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 $222 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 $12,000 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 sue”. Because they know just as the average Bolt buyer can’t shell out $12k for a rental he also can’t spend $15k for an Attorney to sue them. This is outrageous and GM shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433427September 18, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
GM issued a recall for fires on 20 August 2021. I immediately called to have the vehicle returned via their team and was given case SR:9-6888176701. GM has ignored five emails for update and many many phone calls have gone unanswered from my representative. Calls to the generic line have stated I would be contacted within 48 hours twice with no call or email. GM now says you cannot park within 50 feet of cars, your home or be inside your garage or even use the battery fully without risk of fire that would burn down the car and possibly your home or the cars around it. GM Needs to buyback all the bolt vehicles on the road
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433409September 17, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am hoping to get a full refund on my car. When I bought it, I was never warned of the fire dangers. I park it in a carport and there is no other area where I park it. I worry every night because I can’t park far from other cars. Also, the carplay constantly freezes and the maps show completely different areas
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433405September 17, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433306September 17, 2021
STEERING, SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433284September 16, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The battery of my car is at risk of catching fire and i am concerned that my life and others are in danger. The car does not meet my needs anymore as GM has decreased the number of miles it may be driven and thus is not the vehicle I purchased. GM is taking too long to discuss options for me to get rid of this dangerous vehicle and i am concerned for safety of my life and others.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433275September 16, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11432889September 14, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11432040September 7, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11432039September 7, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11430469August 25, 2021
POWER TRAIN
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.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11430440August 25, 2021
POWER TRAIN
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11430210August 23, 2021
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
As everyone knows right now, the Bolt has been recalled due to fire safety issues with the battery. This recall was issued last Friday...I purchased the car on Tuesday...pretty hard to believe that the executives at GM weren't very aware of this issue three days earlier. Today they suspended sales of my Bolt (2022 EUV Premier)...a little too late. Per GM's recommendations, I have: 1. Reduced the maximum battery charge to 90% (or a reduction of 25 miles from 250-225) 2. I am charging the car outside, and parking the car outside as well. 3. We can no longer drive the car with less than 70 miles left of range. With the new range restrictions, the car has gone from a 250 miles range to about 155...or nearly 40%. I would never have purchased the car with such a short range. My wife won't drive the car for fear of being burned alive. I live in the canyons of Los Angeles...should this car catch fire, it could easily endanger the entire community (one road in/out) creating massive loss of life and property. Including mine! There has been no communication from the dealer, and I initially heard of the recall when clients of mine sent me texts about it...still haven't gotten any direct communication from General Motors. This battery replacement issue won't be resolved anytime soon...they have to design new cells and manufacture them for over 100,000 cars...and then install them. So, and this is just a guess, I'd be amazed if this gets fixed before next summer...I'll be driving a crippled and dangerous car. GM should offer to buy back my car, and reimburse me for all my associated costs/payments at this point. I don't want it anywhere near my home.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11429985August 21, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Back tailgate glass exploded in my garage for no apparent reason. It just shattered. While the car was parked in my garage. I think this is a major issue that need to be addressed, call the dealership and they won’t assume responsibility in this matter. This is a safety concern.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11429528August 18, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The Bolt EUV suddenly and unintentionally sped forward when being parked in our garage. My wife slammed on the brakes and stopped the vehicle before it could hit the garage wall. No damage occurred.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11426174July 23, 2021
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11423388July 4, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11423219July 2, 2021
STEERING, SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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