2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Problems, Recalls & Reliability
464 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Steering leads the reports, typically around 41,750 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2021–2022.
Avoid
Where 2017 sits among all Bolt EV years
What owners report
“Sticking steering wheel. Does not return to center, stiff steering. If steering wheel is not manually return to center, vehicle will continue to turn.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Bolt EV
“2017 Chevrolet Bolt. Consumer writes in regards to high voltage battery safety recall. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAFETY RECALL SOLUTION WAS UNACCEPTABLE.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Bolt EV
“The batteries are known to catch fire about 90% state of charge and below 30% state of charge.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Bolt EV
“I'm upset that this car doesn't have the range it's supposed to because of battery defects and recalls”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Bolt EV
“The battery may be faulty and burst on fire. This was recall last year and this year and the remedie didn’t work. 2 more fires where confirm after the final remedy”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Bolt EV
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 105 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 27,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 12,500 and 41,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
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…
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: Dealers will install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust, and install a pretensioner cover as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between January 23,…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 20V-701. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
Fix: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Activate either the Hill Top Reserve (2017 and 2018 models) or Target Charge Level (2019 models) feature in their vehicle to limit the charge…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling all 2017-2018 and certain 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
Fix: This recall has been superseded by recall number 21V-560. Vehicles previously repaired under 20V-701 will still need to have the new remedy under recall 21V-560. GM will notify owners, and as an…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 22V063000.
Led to recall campaign 20V701000.
Technical service bulletins
1,054 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2017 Bolt EV TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV reliable?
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV drew 464 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems?
The top reported problems for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV are steering (120 complaints), electrical (117), and fuel system (70).
At what mileage do 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems show up?
Owners most often report 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems around 27,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 12,500 and 41,000 miles.
Does the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.