Problems · NHTSA complaints

2019 Chevrolet Bolt problems

Owners filed 179 complaints about the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt with NHTSA between Nov 2018 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (85).

Complaints
179
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system85
  2. Steering47
  3. Fuel/propulsion system44
  4. Power train13
  5. Service brakes5
  6. Forward collision avoidance5
  7. Visibility/wiper4
  8. Air bags3
  9. Seat belts3
  10. Lane departure3
  11. Wheels2
  12. Back over prevention2
  13. Engine2
  14. Suspension2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20182
201911
202013
202177
202223
202317
202410
202511
202615

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

85 reports9 fires2 related recalls
“Water has infiltrated the lower trunk area and fried the sound amplifier. The result is no sounds can be heard from the speakers. This includes sounds and warnings from the safety systems. Seat belt, ADAS, BLIS, OnStar, Turn Signals, Radio. The rear hatch seals seem to be intact and it is unclear how water is entering this lower area as there is no evidence of water anywhere else in the rear cargo area. A google search reveals many other Bolt owners are experiencing the same issue”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 11, 2026Electrical system, Seat belts, Lane departureODI 11717281

Steering

47 reports
“When driving the car and turning the wheel, the steering wheel does not go back to center by itself. I have to physically turn it back to straight. This is a safety risk as the car isn't straightening out of a turn and physically harder to get back to center and center of the lane. I took it back to the dealership I purchased and their service team is saying they don't notice an issue, which is untrue, it's clearly seen when driving.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2026SteeringODI 11774481

Fuel/propulsion system

44 reports3 fires
“While driving on the freeway at 65 mph during morning rush-hour, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated without warning and came to a stop. The vehicle was barely able to make it to the shoulder before losing all momentum. There is a high-risk of a fatal collision when a vehicle unexpectedly stops or drastically slows on a freeway with 65 - 70 mph traffic, which is compounded during peak travel times. This is a risk to not only the vehicle occupants, but other drivers and vehicles as well. Several error messages were displayed on the dashboard as the car was decelerating: Drivetrain malfunction: Stop and turn off engine; Service high voltage battery system; Service Vehicle Soon; Unable to shift. The battery range dropped from just under 50% (~115 mi) to 0 while attempting to pull over on the shoulder. After the vehicle was stopped, it was unable to be powered off for about an hour. It was not successful in shifting or moving and the battery range showed 0. An hour and a half (1.5 hours) after the incident, the vehicle would power on and show a battery range between 121 - 110, which would drop to 0 within 15 seconds with a message that it is unable to charge. At…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 10, 2023Power train, Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11521369

Power train

13 reports1 fire
“Vehicle without warning stopped moving while making a left turn in an intersection at night. Power to dashboard was on but no propulsion, brakes or steering. Was unable to put car into gear to move forward or in reverse. Message was displayed, "Unable to Initalize Propulsion System" Extremely dangerous situation, I turned on flashers and left car in intersection. Called tow truck. When tow truck arrived, we pushed car to curb and he hauled it away. Cheverolet dealer diagnosed the problem as a defective wiring harness. He said there was a GM alert regarding this as a known issue that led him to the defective wiring harness. They charged $1567 to replace it which included $1200 in labor and recommended I contact GM to see if they would compensate me since it was a known issue and the car was only 2 months off warrantee. GM refused to compensate me for the faulty harness. The Bolt has 19K miles on it, is kept in a garage and has never been in an accident.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2023Power train, Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11508757

Service brakes

5 reports
“I am reporting a recurring safety defect with our 2019 Chevrolet Bolt (~80,000 miles). On multiple occasions the left front wheel has overheated severely while driving, accompanied by a rapid, severe side-to-side steering wheel wobble and a burning smell. On XXX after ~35 miles of driving (10+ miles at 50-63 mph), the steering wheel began shaking. We had to pull over and drive slowly along the shoulder, stopping twice to let the wheel cool. The left front wheel measured 627.9°F, while other wheels were under 200°F. On XXX, only three days after replacing the front brake pads and rotors, the left front wheel again overheated to 355°F (other wheels 116-139°F), with a burning smell. The problem is intermittent and has not been reproduced during dealership inspections. The vehicle was inspected by Bennett Chevrolet ([XXX]) and RK Chevrolet ([XXX]) multiple times; each time no cause was found and no repair made, aside from new tires and, most recently, replaced front brake pads/rotors, which did not resolve the issue. We believe this may involve the left front brake/caliper system or another component causing intermittent excessive heat and resistance at the wheel.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 21, 2026Wheels, Service brakesODI 11765956

Forward collision avoidance

5 reports
“Issue: Total failure of Frontview Camera ADAS sensor, disabling Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Front Pedestrian Braking, and Lane Keep Assist. Technical Evidence: GDS2 telemetry confirms a "No Communication" status for the camera hardware. Core safety modules including the Electronic Brake Control (EBCM) and the Inflatable Restraint (Airbag) Sensing Module report active communication failures (DTC U026A/U216A). These safety-critical modules are currently unable to receive the sensor data required for crash avoidance and occupant protection. Forensic Timeline: Vehicle NVRAM reveals a manual "Clear Codes" event occurred at 46,838.3 miles—exactly 0.4 miles after the sale contract was signed. The fault reappeared with a 0 km offset (immediate return) and has been active for 162 ignition cycles, proving the defect existed throughout the dealership's possession. Dealer Response: The selling dealer delivered the vehicle with an unsigned 125-Point Inspection. Despite being presented with GDS2 telemetry proof of the braking and airbag communication blackout, management refused repair, mischaracterizing the disabled emergency braking system as a "luxury feature" and…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2026Air bags, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11736792
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.