2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV ranks 2nd worst out of 7 model years, with a Complaint Index of 83 and 174 complaints, mostly tied to electrical system issues and 8 recalls including a battery fire recall. It's rated Avoid relative to other Bolt EV years.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 83/100
- #2 of 7 Bolt EV years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 174
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 8
- 3 Park Outside
- Crashes
- 7
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 4
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 118
- 127 city / 108 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2020 Chevy Bolt EV problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System98 (56%)
- Fuel System31 (18%)
- Other23 (13%)
- Steering22 (13%)
- Engine16 (9%)
- Transmission & Powertrain11 (6%)
- Airbags6 (3%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras6 (3%)
- Seat Belts6 (3%)
- Lane Departure5 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Some owners report sudden unintended forward lunging or acceleration while parking or at low speed, sometimes resulting in a crash into a wall or another vehicle.
- Owners describe the high-voltage battery catching fire, in one case while parked and unattended, in another while charging in a driveway.
- Owners report delays getting recall parts for the electrical system fire recall, with vehicles left unrepaired for extended periods.
- Some drivers report the brake pedal traveling to the floor without stopping the vehicle, leading to a rear-end collision.
- Owners describe the accelerator pedal getting physically stuck against the floor mat, requiring manual pulling to release.
- One owner reported that lane keeping assist and lane departure warning were poorly implemented and potentially unsafe.
2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV recalls
8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 24V812000Oct 31, 2024Electrical System107 vehiclesPark Outside
Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery thermal:management:software
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV vehicles previously repaired under Recall 21V-650. The installation of advanced diagnostic software may have failed. As such, 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: Set the Target Charge Level 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. Dealers will reinstall advanced diagnostic software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 3, 2024. Owners may contact the Bolt EV Concierge Team at 1-833-382-4389. GM's number for this recall is N242470160.
- NHTSA 24V481000Jun 27, 2024Electrical System72 vehiclesPark Outside
Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles that were previously remedied under recall number 21V-650. The advanced diagnostic software may have been incorrectly installed and fail to detect defective battery modules, possibly resulting in a battery fire.
Risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level 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. Dealers will reinstall the advanced diagnostic software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 1, 2024. Owners may contact the Bolt EV Concierge Team at 1-833-382-4389. GM's numbers for this recall are N242443000 and N242443002.
- 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.
2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 127 MPG
- Highway
- 108 MPG
- Combined
- 118 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.
2020 compared with other Bolt EV years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2020 Bolt EV ranks 2nd worst of 7 model years with a Complaint Index of 83 and is rated Avoid relative to other Bolt EV years.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
- Electrical system issues are the top problem area, accounting for 98 of 174 complaints (56%), including battery fires that led to a major recall.
- Does the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV have a battery fire recall?
- Yes. NHTSA recall 21V650000 covers the 2020-2022 Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV for a high-voltage battery that could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity. Two related follow-up recalls (24V481000 and 24V812000) address software fixes for the original repair.
- How many recalls does the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV have?
- NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2020 Bolt EV, covering electrical system, seat belts, brakes, and structure/body components.
- At what mileage do 2020 Bolt EV electrical problems show up?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 30,000 miles at failure for electrical system complaints on the 2020 Bolt EV.