2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV Problems

What owners report

Most complaints about this model year center on the high-voltage propulsion battery recall and how long the remedy took: owners describe charge limits, reduced range and repeated dealer visits while waiting for battery parts. A separate, smaller but recurring group describes sudden loss of propulsion power, and several owners report steering that binds and will not return to center. The sampled complaints are mostly filed at very low mileage, often within the first few thousand miles.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Battery recall remedy delays and reduced charging range

   Mentioned in 27 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe being told to limit charging to a reduced state of charge or park the car outdoors while waiting for a high-voltage battery remedy, which they say cuts usable range and daily driving flexibility. Complaints describe repeated dealer and manufacturer contacts, parts reported as unavailable at some dealers, and long waits for battery module replacement. Some owners report that a software update was offered as an interim step, and a few say a dealer declined to apply it. Mostly reported within the first year or two of ownership in 2021-2023 filings, often at low mileage.

   Recall 21V650000Recall 24V481000Recall 24V812000

   What to check: Ask for written confirmation that recall 21V-650 and any follow-up battery diagnostic software recalls (24V-481, 24V-812) were completed, and whether the battery modules were actually replaced. Confirm the current usable range and charge limit settings before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “High voltage battery has been recalled due to fire risk on 8.20.2021. No remedy for repair has been performed and I have had difficulty getting information from GM regarding my vehicle swap due to the recall. The vehicle is becoming more unusable as the weather gets colder due to the charging limitations set in the recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #11434352, filed 2021-09

   “The recall is not yet completed on the battery after more than a year. The range of my car is limited severely since I can neither charge the battery completely nor let the charge decline below about 30%, essentially reducing the range to 60% of what was promised. This is a known issue and GM has had plenty of time to fix it. I have contacted the dealer on many occasions and they have not been at all helpful.”

   NHTSA complaint #11500599, filed 2023-01
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Sudden loss of propulsion power or stall

   • 13 complaints (19%)
   • median 2,700 mi at 1.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe the car losing drive power without warning, sometimes at highway speed, with messages such as reduced propulsion power or an emergency power failure prompt. Several say the vehicle had to be towed, and dealers attributed the problem to items such as a battery disconnect lever, a transmission oil cooler pump, a wiring harness or the propulsion system generally. Some report the warning returning after repairs. Reported from very low mileage up to higher mileage, with many occurring shortly after purchase.

   Recall 21V6500003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether any reduced-propulsion warnings have been stored or repaired, and request the service history for battery, harness and pump work. A pre-purchase scan for stored diagnostic codes is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This vehicle left me on sept 13 in the middle of the freeway bc it lost propulsion. I had plenty of charge and all of a sudden my charge was gone. The car wouldn’t speed up. Had to pull over and wait 4 hours for tow truck.”

   NHTSA complaint #11489987, filed 2022-10

   “My 2021 Chevy Bolt keeps showing a battery or power-Propulsion warning light related to the high-voltage system. The warning keeps coming back even after multiple repairs. The first repair was on April 28, 2025, the second was on December 17, 2025, and it is scheduled again for another repair on March 3, 2026. The light is the same every time and affects the car’s performance and reliability. I’m concerned this could be a safety issue involving the battery or propulsion system. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11721358, filed 2026-03
3. 3
   Steering

   Steering binds and will not return to center

   • 9 complaints (13%)
   • typically at 4.0 yrs old
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe the steering becoming stiff, sticky or rough, and the wheel failing to come back to center after a turn, requiring manual correction. Some report a groan or rubbing noise when turning, and one owner was quoted a rack replacement. Complaints describe the condition as gradual and persistent rather than a single event. Reported from very low mileage to well above typical warranty mileage, in filings spanning several model years.

   What to check: On a test drive, turn the wheel fully and check whether it self-centers smoothly and whether there is binding, notchiness or noise. Ask whether the steering rack has been replaced or adjusted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The electronic steering gear (steering rack) on my 2021 Chevrolet Bolt has malfunctioned, causing the steering to feel rough, stiff, and sticky. Crucially, the steering wheel fails to naturally return to the center position after completing a turn, forcing me to manually pull the wheel back straight. This poses a severe safety hazard, as the vehicle will continue turning off the road or into oncoming traffic unless actively corrected, and the increased physical resistance makes precise lane adjustments difficult at highway speeds. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11759703, filed 2026-08

   “Steering gear is bound up due to a documented manufacturing error. Steering is increasingly stiff at speed, and will not return to center without significant driver input. This is a widespread issue that has been documented and causes a major safety concern to Chevy Bolt owners and should be addressed and repaired by the manufacturer.”

   NHTSA complaint #11681730, filed 2025-08
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Unexpected gear selection or vehicle lunging

   • 15 complaints (22%)
   • median 2,700 mi at 0.9 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2025

   Owners describe the car shifting into park or reverse unexpectedly, or lunging when the selector is moved, in some cases with a grinding noise. Complaints describe confusion about the shift lever detents, and one owner reports a stall with the car stuck in neutral. Dealers were reported to have diagnosed some cases but not others. Reported at low mileage, within the first few thousand miles of ownership.

   What to check: Practice the shift pattern on a test drive, confirm each detent engages cleanly, and ask whether any shift selector or gear engagement repairs have been recorded.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “As I started to leave the driveway in a forward driving position, my brand new Chevy bolt with only 2430 miles on it put itself into park. It made a terrible metal grinding noise and jolted us forward. My foot was still on the accelerator because I thought it was going to drive but it stopped then I looked around trying to figure out why. The “e” break was not on and I realized that the car was in park. Nothing was around the drive stick. Nothing touched it and I believe it put it’s self into park when I was driving. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11421350, filed 2021-06

   “Shift selector failed. Could no shift into gear Drive, low or Reverse. Locked in park but could shift to neutral. no power steering or AC. If this design flaw failure occurred while the car was on the highway, it could cause an accident. I have contacted General Motors and reported the potential safety issue and awaiting there response.”

   NHTSA complaint #11615598, filed 2024-09
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Infotainment and driver-assist electronics glitches

   • 13 complaints (19%)
   • median 2,700 mi at 0.9 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe the infotainment screen behaving erratically, including the backup camera staying on at highway speed, dropped phone projection, and warning lights for steering assist, brakes and stability systems appearing at random. Others report blind-spot warnings triggering when no vehicle is present. Some complaints note resets or dealer visits that did not fully resolve the behavior. Reported at low mileage, often within the first few thousand miles.

   6 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that the infotainment software is up to date, test the backup camera, phone projection and driver-assist warnings during a test drive, and ask whether over-the-air or dealer software updates have been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Backup camera on while driving at freeway speeds: While driving on the highway, the infotainment system started having trouble. First my Carplay disconnected and I couldn't reconnect. When trying to fix it, I hit the 'home' button. Then the backup camera displayed on the display covering all other functions (battery info, temperature, etc). I was driving at freeway speeds with the backup camera stuck on. When I was able to stop, putting it in park, briefly turning off the car with the door open did not correct the problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11421259, filed 2021-06

   “The blind spot warning system fails to work adequately. It triggers both false negative and false positives on both sides of the vehicle. It is available for inspection upon request. Even when there are no cars within a quarter mile of me, the lights may come on, alerting me to a non-existent car in my blind spot. If the light turns on properly, it doesn't always turn off when the car leaves my blind spot, just staying on indefinitely. It fails to detect approximately 50% of cars accurately when they enter or leave my blind spot. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11426174, filed 2021-07

Buying note. For this model year, the main thing to verify is the battery recall paperwork: confirm which recalls were completed and whether battery modules were replaced, not just software applied. It is also worth test-driving for steering self-centering and asking for stored propulsion-system fault codes before buying.

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.