2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2017 Bolt EV most often describe two different kinds of trouble: a steering wheel that will not return to center after a turn, and sudden losses of propulsion in which the car slows to a stop and must be towed. The propulsion complaints cluster at lower mileage, and several mention the car stopping while the battery still showed a substantial charge, while steering complaints tend to come in later in the car's life. A brake booster that makes a rapid tapping noise, battery recall and charge-limit concerns, and various electrical glitches also appear repeatedly.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Sudden loss of propulsion / reduced power

   • 31 complaints (9%)
   • median 13,250 mi at 1.8 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2026

   Owners describe a chime and a 'propulsion power is reduced' message followed by the car rapidly losing speed, sometimes at highway speeds with the battery showing substantial charge remaining. Many report that after stopping the car would not shift into gear and had to be towed, and a number say the problem came back after dealer reprogramming. Some complaints note that the car sat at the dealer without a firm diagnosis. Often at low mileage, many under about 20,000 miles, and reported at various battery levels and temperatures.

   Recall 21V560000Recall 20V7010002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask the seller whether the recall software for the high-voltage battery has been applied and whether any propulsion-loss repairs or battery module replacements were done. A scan-tool check for stored codes and a review of service records can show past events.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On the night of march 2, 2019 I was driving at about 50 MPH on a state highway when I suddenly, without warning, lost propulsion. A note came on on the dash indicating that I needed to pull over and put the car into park. Happily there was no traffic so that I was able to do so without an accident. I was unable to restart the car and put it into drive after that, so I called a tow truck. It was very cold waiting for the tow truck as the car had no heat. The car reported approximately 50% battery capacity the entire time. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11204814, filed 2019-04, 11,050 miles

   “Service engine light came on along with the message propulsion power reduced while driving on the freeway. I pulled off to the side and read what the warning light meant and decided to head home. I stopped on the way home at the grocery store and when I came back out and started the car the warnings were still there and then it wouldn't shift into gear. I kept getting a message that conditions were not right to shift and please put the car in park. (it would go into neutral) when I tried to shut the car off it wouldn't shut off. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11023667, filed 2017-09, 1,281 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Infotainment and electrical glitches

   • 48 complaints (14%)
   • median 14,139 mi at 2.0 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2026

   Owners describe a rear camera image that freezes or stays on while driving, unresponsive or fractured touchscreens, and pop-up messages on the display. Others report the whole electrical system going dead so the car would not start, a main fuse blowing, and intermittent warning lights tied to wheel speed sensor or harness faults. Complaints describe dealers resetting software, replacing fuses, or being unable to determine a cause. Scattered across a wide mileage range, from a few hundred miles to around 80,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Cycle through the touchscreen, rear camera and climate controls during the test drive and watch for freezing or unresponsive areas. Ask about any history of dead-battery no-starts, fuse replacements, or software updates.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Despite having a fully charged battery, when we parked our vehicle, it would not start. The entire electrical system was down. We jumped the starter battery and that provided enough power to allow us to shift into neutral so that we could have the car towed. After a week, and multiple calls to the engineers in detroit, the dealer has still not been able to determine the problem.my concern is that they are attempting to repair an issue without having a full understanding of the problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11091674, filed 2018-05, 3,100 miles

   “While driving the speed limit of 45 miles per hour, the car jolted and lights in the car went on. Transmission light, brake light, stability track light, service park assist light, service steering light, etc. This caused me a challenge in driving the car on a two lane road because the steering became more difficult and there was not a big enough shoulder to pull onto the side of the road. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11338172, filed 2020-07, 40,779 miles
3. 3
   Steering

   Steering wheel will not return to center

   • 135 complaints (39%)
   • median 36,600 mi at 3.1 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,550 (median of 10 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe the steering wheel staying where it is put after a turn instead of straightening out, so the driver has to pull it back to center by hand, and some say it feels sticky or hard to turn in either direction. Owners report the car wanting to keep curving into right turns, and some describe creaking noises on tight turns. According to complaints, dealers or independent mechanics diagnosed a failing steering rack or gear, and quotes for replacement appear in the complaints. Most often reported between roughly 35,000 and 62,000 miles, frequently noticed first on curves and highway ramps.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: On a test drive, take a few slow turns in both directions and let go of the wheel slightly to see whether it straightens itself. Ask whether the steering rack has been replaced or inspected, and get any diagnosis in writing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The steering is binding and sticky. The car will not re-center it self in the road after making a turn. All of the oil apparently leaked out of this sealed rack and pinion and is now dry and you have to use extra effort to keep the car centered while driving and to make turns and be ready to fight it back to center once the turn is complete. Took the car to GM and they sold me a set of tires because they said the brand I bought at walmart 6 months ago was not recommended and said only michelin energy tires were recommended. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11341475, filed 2020-07, 54,000 miles

   “The steering gear is failing to return the wheels to center. When you steer into a curve and you complete the curve the steering does not return to center, you must physically turn it back out of the curve. The steering wheel is tight but operates. This could be a problem for me to perform and it is hard to keep within the lines of a lane. Billion Chevy in Iowa City Iowa has confirmed the malfunction. This is a $2100 repair. There are many complaints online of this problem. Why is this not a recall???? …”

   NHTSA complaint #11421720, filed 2021-06, 38,058 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Battery charge limits and charging/fire recall work

   Mentioned in 8 of 60 sampled complaints

   Several complaints concern the high-voltage battery recalls: owners describe being told to limit charging, losing range, and waiting for a remedy. Some report the car stopped charging fully and a dealer called it normal battery depreciation, while others describe charging behavior changes or battery failure after dealer reprogramming. One complaint describes a fire while the car was charging unattended at home. Reported across a wide mileage range, often during home charging and in cars with several years of use.

   Recall 21V560000Recall 20V7010003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for written confirmation of which battery recalls were completed and whether the battery was replaced or software-updated. Watch the state of charge during a charge session and confirm the car will accept a full charge if that matters to you.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Gm recall due to battery fires affects this car. The recall solution to simply limit my driving to 90% of the range is abhorrent. My car is now less than 90% effective--there are destinations I can no longer reach in a single charge, and recharging is nowhere near as fast or ubiquitous as gas. Gm needs a solution that restores the full distance ability of this car, otherwise it's outright fraud.”

   NHTSA complaint #11376136, filed 2020-11, 32,000 miles

   “2017 bolt EV was parked nose into garage plugged into wall charger charging unattended with my phone set to alert me when estimated to be fully charged. When I came out of the house to unplug charger there was fire visible under back seat in passenger compartment of vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11374956, filed 2020-11, 25,000 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Rapid tapping noise from the brake booster

   • 49 complaints (14%)
   • median 23,100 mi at 2.9 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe a rapid knocking or tapping sound from the brake booster or master cylinder, heard inside the cabin, that starts when a door is opened and continues while driving until the brake pedal is pressed. Owners say it worsened over time and could persist for a couple of minutes after parking. Others report uneven brake wear, with one wheel getting hot and a dealer recommending caliper slide pin service. Most often reported between roughly 12,000 and 45,000 miles, often noticed when unlocking or opening the car.

   What to check: Open the door with the car off and listen for the tapping sound before starting it, and drive a short loop with the radio off. Ask whether the brake booster has been inspected and check for uneven rotor wear or a hot wheel after a drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Brakes started making noise at 27,000 miles . We drive in l mode never touch the brakes. Dealership said metal to metal on all 4 wheels. I said that's impossible we don't use the brakes . They wouldn't consider a warranty problem. Raped me for new brakes. $800.”

   NHTSA complaint #11408490, filed 2021-04, 27,000 miles

   “18k miles in, 1 wheel is getting very hot. Dealer cannot find anything wrong. Has never mentioned it before, but says they recommend regular caliper slide pin cleaning and lubing. Wants $200. If it's a bad caliper, then it should be covered under warranty. They will do nothing. So I have at least 1 non-functional brake at 18k miles. Sounds like a safety hazard.”

   NHTSA complaint #11207687, filed 2019-05, 18,000 miles

Buying note. Check the completed recall history for the high-voltage battery and confirm how the car charges and holds range, then test the steering return-to-center and listen for brake booster noise on a test drive. Service records showing steering rack, brake, and software repairs are the most useful thing to ask for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.