2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems & reliability
174 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV, alongside 8 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles were involved in 8 fatal crashes with 5 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 94 | 54% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 30 | 17% |
| Steering → | 22 | 13% |
| Unknown / Other | 21 | 12% |
| Power Train → | 11 | 6% |
| Engine | 8 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 3% |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 3% |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 21 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 20 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 8,300 miles (middle 50% between 2,334 and 35,250 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Camera(s) stopped working altogether after intermittent issues. The vehicle has no functioning backup camera.”
Electrical System · filed Sep 16, 2026
“Steering rack is starting to fail at under 47000 miles, car pulls to right during acceleration and pulls left when decelerating. Steering wheel does not return to the center and a slight left pull on the wheel has to be maintained at all times so the car doesn't merge right into traffic. It is available upon…”
Steering · filed Aug 6, 2026
“GM installed Advanced Monitoring Software on the car rather than replace the battery. The software detected a battery fault. Under the battery recall if a fault is detected the battery is replaced free of charge. GM is refusing to replace the battery. Now the car will not move.”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Jul 6, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds
Defect Petition DP22005 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
- Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
Preliminary Evaluation PE20016 · opened Oct 9, 2020 · closed Feb 7, 2022 · led to recall 21V650000
Technical service bulletins
599 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The 10 most recent:
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 4, 2026
Certain vehicles may have a condition where a false diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is set. Dealers are to reprogram the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2.
N252530430-01 · Service Campaign · issued Aug 19, 2026
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIT3271Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP6104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902V · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
Certain vehicles may have been sold with a GM NACS Level 2 EV charging adapter (NACS to J1772) in which a quality issue was identified. Dealers are to provide the customer with the latest design charging adapter.
N252541510 · Service Campaign · issued Mar 3, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC'ss
PIT6425D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 2, 2026
Certain vehicles may have a condition where a false diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is set. Dealers are to reprogram the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2.
N252530430 · Service Campaign · issued Jan 27, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC's
PIT6425C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 8,300 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.