2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV Problems, Recalls & Reliability
241 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 54/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 15,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2019 sits among all Bolt EV years
What owners report
“2019 chevrolet bolt. Consumer writes in regards to defective battery in vehicle. The consumer stated the vehicle was not safe to own. The manufacturer was notified.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2019 Bolt EV
“Steering does not return to center. Must manually turn wheel back to center after turning.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2019 Bolt EV
“Failure of the "drive motor battery high voltage manual disconnect lever" caused immediate and complete loss of power on the road.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2019 Bolt EV
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 48 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 12,157 miles. Half of those reports fall between 4,000 and 27,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
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…
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…
Fix: 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.…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 22V063000.
Led to recall campaign 20V701000.
Technical service bulletins
628 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and wheels & tires — are on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2019 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 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV reliable?
The 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV drew 241 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 54/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems?
The top reported problems for the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV are electrical (85 complaints), steering (45), and fuel system (44).
At what mileage do 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems show up?
Owners most often report 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems around 12,157 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 4,000 and 27,000 miles.
Does the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2019 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.