Most common 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems
Share of the 174 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Bolt EV complaints by model year
Best Bolt EV years: 2021, 2022. Compare all years →
2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV recalls (8)
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery thermal › Management › Software
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 full or nearly full capacity.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70…
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 modules, possibly resulting in a battery fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70…
Seat belts › Pretensioner
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 carpet fibers near the B-pillar, causing a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect both front seat belt pretensioners and, if necessary, install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust. Certain vehicles will also need a pretensioner cover installed.
Seat belts › Pretensioner
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.
Remedy: Dealers will install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust, and install a pretensioner cover as necessary, free of charge.
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.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70…
Seat belts › Critical fasteners
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at…
Show 2 more recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. These vehicles may have an improperly cast front left brake caliper that can fracture during a high-pressure braking event.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the casting lot number on the front left brake caliper and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. The door-handle cable inside the rear doors may be too long, allowing contact with the window when it is opened, possibly damaging the cable. A damaged cable may cause the rear door to open unintentionally when the rear window is opened.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear inside door-handle cables, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV:
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
In October 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) on 2017-2020 Model Year (MY) Chevrolet Bolt vehicles based on complaints received alleging that the vehicles caught fire under the seating area while parked and unattended. At the time, ODI had received 2 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) and several field reports.
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV owners say
Electrical system all 94 →
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 around the rear wheel well. The police were contacted attempted to extinguish the flames however failed. The fire department was contacted and came out to extinguish the flames. The vehicle did damage the driveway. The vehicle was not repaired or diagnosed. …
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.
Fuel & propulsion system all 31 →
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "Propulsion Power Reduced - Service Soon" was displayed, and check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that upon investigation, it was discovered that the power output was limited. Despite the failure, the contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer. The contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The contact was then informed that the battery replacement was on an indefinite backorder. The contact was not provided an estimate for when the battery would become available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 25,100.
I received recall notices in the fall of 2021 and at that time I did the suggested changes to the vehicle's menu as to charging percentage etc.. I did not get full use out of the vehicle through the winter for fears of lack of charge during the colder months and concerns about safety. On 3/31/22 I took the vehicle to the dealer, Central Maine Motors Auto Group -Waterville Maine, for the suggested software updates. At first there might have been an improvement in charge allowed, but difficult to tell because with the warming weather it would show more. On or around 6/15 the car behaved erratically while in stop and go driving and I noticed a warning on the dash which said something about propulsion problems and to take it to a dealer. The charge left did not read correctly on the way home and the vehicle would not charge when I got there. …
Steering all 22 →
Steering sticks and does not return to center in sweeping turns. Clicking noise over bumps in very cold weather (may or may not be related--steering issue most concerning). Most prominent at higher speeds (for example, getting off of the highway) but occurs at any speed. Once you turn the wheel, it will return slightly then stick in place. It takes a small amount of extra force to correct it back towards center. During these occurrences it may continue to stick or may begin to act normally after the "correction." I would be alright with providing the vehicle for inspection and/or demonstration if requested. The first time this happened, I was driving along twisting roads in northern Michigan. The occurrence caught me off guard, and I traveled over the lines. …
I first noticed an issue with the steering wheel not returning to center after a turn, and also when in a slow sweeping curve that the wheel would hold the position and keep in the turn/curve unless corrected by manually turning it straight. I had new tires installed on 11/6/2024 and the alignment was checked and was correct. The tires that I chose turned out to be way harsher riding and noisy then the OEM's so I went with a different tire that was more EV specific. Nothing changed in regards to the steering issue. I checked online at the Chevy Bolt EV forum site to see if anyone else was having this problem and it appears to be a common issue with these cars. The steering rack should not be failing after 33K miles of use. …
2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | CVT | FWD | 127 / 108 / 118 MPGe | 259 mi |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV a good car?
Based on 174 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 Bolt EV rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Bolt EV at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
The electrical system — 94 complaints, 54% of all complaints for this model year, most often about propulsion system › traction battery. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (31) and steering (22).
How many recalls does the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV have?
There are 8 recalls for the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the most recent from October 31, 2024 (software). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Bolt EV?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021 and 2022. See the full Chevrolet Bolt EV years comparison.
At what mileage do 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 7,000 miles; 95% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.