2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 98 electrical system complaints for the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 56% of all 174 complaints for the year. Three recalls (24V812000, 24V481000, 21V650000) cover the high-voltage battery fire risk, with a median failure mileage of 30,000 miles.
- Electrical System complaints
- 98
- 56% of 174
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 4
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 30,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 3
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Owners report the high-voltage battery catching fire or exploding while parked and charging, or hours after charging finished.
- Some owners describe the vehicle making an abnormally loud sound and becoming very hot while plugged in, without any warning light coming on.
- Several complaints describe waiting for recall repair parts that were unavailable for extended periods, leaving the fire risk unresolved.
- Owners report being told to park the car outside and away from structures or other vehicles because charging indoors was considered a fire hazard.
- One complaint describes the vehicle lunging forward into a wall while in 'L' mode, resulting in a crash.
- A related complaint describes brake lights shutting off unexpectedly while the car is held by one-pedal electric motor braking at a stop.
When 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Jan 31, 2020, latest Sep 16, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV
- 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 21V650000Aug 20, 2021Electrical System52,414 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. 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. Defective battery modules will be replaced by GM, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 1, 2021 and June 23, 2023. Owners may contact the Bolt EV Concierge Team at 1-833-382-4389. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall 21V-560. GM's number for this recall is N212345940.
Electrical System complaints by Bolt EV model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV have an electrical system recall?
- Yes. NHTSA lists three related recalls: 21V650000, 24V481000, and 24V812000, all tied to the high-voltage battery and advanced diagnostic software that could fail after earlier repairs.
- How common are electrical system complaints for the 2020 Bolt EV?
- Electrical system issues account for 98 of the 174 total complaints filed for the 2020 model year, or 56% of all complaints.
- At what mileage do 2020 Bolt EV electrical problems typically show up?
- NHTSA data shows a median failure mileage of 30,000 miles for electrical system complaints on this model year.
- Were there any fires reported for the 2020 Bolt EV electrical system?
- Yes. NHTSA complaint data for this problem area lists 4 fires and 1 crash among the 98 electrical system complaints.
- Do other Bolt EV model years have similar electrical complaint rates?
- The 2020 model year's 56% share is the highest among the years listed, compared to 34% in 2017, 48% in 2019, and 51% in 2022.