YearToAvoid

2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

67/100

#3 most-complained of 7 Bolt EV years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV has 178 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 67 out of 100 — #3 highest of 7 Bolt EV model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is electrical system (85 complaints, 48% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes, 10 fires, and 5 injuries.

Complaints
178
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
2 / 10
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
119
128 city / 110 hwy

Top 2019 Chevy Bolt EV problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System85 (48%)
  2. Steering46 (26%)
  3. Fuel System44 (25%)
  4. Other22 (12%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain13 (7%)
  6. Brakes6 (3%)
  7. Collision Avoidance & Cameras6 (3%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers4 (2%)
  9. Airbags3 (2%)
  10. Lane Departure3 (2%)
2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV complaints: complaints filed per quarter782018 Q42020 Q12021 Q12022 Q12023 Q12024 Q12025 Q22026 Q2
242 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2018 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2021 Q3 (78).

2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V845000Dec 14, 2023Seat Belts6,771 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.

    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. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2024. These vehicles were previously recalled for this same issue under recall number 22V-930 and will need to have the new remedy performed. Owners may contact GM EV Concierge at 1-833-EVCHEVY (1-833-382-4389) (TTY 711 / 1-800-833-2438) or Customer Service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N232421970.

  2. NHTSA 22V930000Dec 15, 2022Seat Belts111,242 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: A vehicle fire can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: 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, 2023 and April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N222383790.

  3. NHTSA 21V560000Jul 23, 2021Electrical System57,414 vehiclesPark Outside

    Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery

    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.

    Risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy: 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 level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, park outside after charging, and do not charge the vehicle indoors overnight. Defective battery modules will be replaced by GM, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on August 13, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 13, 2021. Owners may contact the Bolt EV Concierge Team at 1-833-382-4389. GM's number for this recall is N212343880.

See all 6 recalls for the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV →

2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV fuel economy and fuel cost

City
128 MPG
Highway
110 MPG
Combined
119 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$650
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Electricity
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2019 compared with other Bolt EV years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002017201820192020202120222023
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Avoid1003464119
2018Best0895119
2019Caution671786119
2020Avoid831748118
2021Good33675118

All Chevrolet Bolt EV years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV ranks #3 of 7 among Bolt EV model years (Complaint Index 67/100, verdict: Caution). It has 178 complaints and 6 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (85 complaints), steering (46 complaints), and fuel system (44 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 10,230 miles.
Does the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV, most recently reported 2023, covering seat belts, electrical system, structure & body, and brakes.
What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
EPA rates the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV at 119 MPG combined (128 city / 110 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $650. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.