2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV Problems

What owners report

Complaints about the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV cluster around two themes: a steering rack that stops returning to center and gets stiff or noisy, and electrical or infotainment failures that can leave the screen, backup camera, or propulsion controls out of action. Owners also repeatedly mention rear brake and turn signal lights mounted low on the bumper being hard for following drivers to see, plus unexpected acceleration or regenerative braking dropping out. Most sampled complaints were filed well under 60,000 miles, and several steering reports note the problem appearing near the end of the 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

1. 1
   Steering

   Steering wheel won't return to center; hard, noisy steering

   • 17 complaints (28%)
   • typically at 3.3 yrs old
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe the steering wheel staying where they leave it after a turn instead of straightening out on its own, requiring deliberate effort to re-center the car. Many also note a click or clunk from the front or the steering column at low speeds and while parking, and some say turning has become noticeably heavier over time. Complaints describe dealers diagnosing a failing steering rack, in several cases quoting repairs in the $2,000-$3,000 range once the vehicle is out of the bumper-to-bumper warranty; a few were repaired under warranty for a leak that made the rack bind. Reported from a few thousand miles up into the 40,000-55,000-mile range, often noticed first in parking-lot or low-speed turns.

   What to check: On a test drive, make several slow full-lock turns in both directions and check whether the wheel self-centers and whether any click or clunk is audible. Ask for service records showing whether the steering rack has been inspected or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The steering has become harder to turn and will not return to center after turning a corner. When driving the steering wheel will stay in the position you have turned it to. I feel like this is dangerous and a safety risk especially at highway speeds. I have taken it to my local Chevrolet dealership and they said the rack and pinion steering is bad and needs to be replaced. $2365 parts and labor and realignment. The vehicle had 50058 miles on it when I noticed it. It now has approx. 52,500 miles on it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11744693, filed 2026-06

   “When I make a left or right turn, the steering wheel does not return to the center on its own. I have to manually bring it back to center in order to straighten the wheels after a turn.”

   NHTSA complaint #11689043, filed 2025-09
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Infotainment screen and backup camera fail or go blank

   • 12 complaints (20%)
   • typically at 2.8 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners report the central screen going dark or becoming unresponsive, which takes out the radio, Bluetooth, backup camera and driver alert chimes along with it. Some describe repeated dealer attempts to repair or replace the unit, sometimes with a replacement that behaved the same way, and one complaint mentions the vehicle being held because a software update could not be installed. A related theme is a reverse camera that works only intermittently, which owners say makes backing up harder to judge. Often described as appearing within the first year or two of ownership, with some cases reported shortly after purchase.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Start the car and cycle through reverse, radio and Bluetooth to confirm the screen and camera respond. Ask whether the radio or infotainment unit has been replaced or reset, and keep a note of any software resets performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The backup camera is the vehicle works intermittently. In fact, due to the defect of the camera, I hit a wall as it shut off and I hit a wall. Upon bringing to the dealer to have it replaced, the dealership admitted that it was a faulty. They replaced with another faulty camera that works worse than the previous replaced one. This is a dangerous situation that will hurt someone.”

   NHTSA complaint #11647737, filed 2025-03

   “I just purchased this vehicle from Hertz authorized dealer in December 2024, January 2025 the Electrical system, infotainment became non functioning. This caused my vehicle to stall, on star safety charge, etc to fail and not function. No communication within the vehicle that is an electric vehicle that requires this system for all components to function and provide a safe car to drive. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11650154, filed 2025-03
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Loss of power or service-mode message while driving

   • 8 complaints (13%)
   • typically at 2.0 yrs old
   • filed 2023–2026

   Complaints describe the car cutting power and dropping to a crawl or stopping outright, sometimes with a service message on the screen, and in some cases refusing to shift into neutral so it could be pushed clear. Owners report warning lights, repeated dealer visits, computer resets and parts such as fuses, a wiring harness or the fuse box being replaced, with some saying the problem returned. A related group describes pushbutton shifter failures with a service-transmission warning and a loss-of-communication code, repaired by replacing the shift control board. Reported from roughly 5,000 miles up through the 40,000s, in ordinary driving rather than a specific climate or season.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for the full service history and whether any electrical faults, harness or shifter repairs were done. Some service campaigns reprogram a control module for false trouble codes, so ask whether those were applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Was sitting at a stop light when I accelerated on green I felt a lurch, it felt like someone had hit me from behind. Within 15 seconds of acceleration this light came on, a car with an exclamination point on it, and said to pull over ASAP. Car would not go any faster than 30mph and luckily I was not on an interstate or major highway. I was able to pull over in a parking lot and at that time the car was disabled. I could not put it in driver or reverse and it did not want to turn off I had to open the door to turn it off. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11549415, filed 2023-10

   “This vehicle just stopped in the middle of traffic, not giving me time to pull over. The screen just said, service mode , and would not go into neutral to enable the car to be pushed to a safe spot. Highway petrol had to stop traffic and have it towed off. This was endangering everyone involved. If this is a common problem with other chevy bolts, it definitely needs addressing.”

   NHTSA complaint #11705604, filed 2025-12
4. 4
   Exterior lighting

   Rear brake and turn signal lights hard to see

   • 7 complaints (11%)
   • typically at 1.0 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2026

   Owners say the lights that come on when braking sit low in the bumper and are small, while the upper tail lights on the hatch do not brighten with the brake pedal. Several complaints describe near-misses or actual rear-end collisions where the driver behind said the brake lights were not visible or appeared to be out. Others note the signals and brake lights are difficult to see in daylight from a normal following distance. Reported across the sample without a clear mileage pattern, including on vehicles only a few months old.

   What to check: Have someone press the brake and operate the turn signals while you stand behind the car at a normal following distance in daylight, and confirm which lamps actually illuminate.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 3 month old Chevy Bolt EV. I like this car. I rarely have any accidents. I am a safe driver. I was hit hard from behind driving while stopped. I was driving on a crowded freeway in Austin TX in stop and go traffic. This was a hard hit that broke the rear bumper and bent the rear frame of the car. The Chevy Bolt rear brake lights are only low on the bumper and not in the expected tail light location. There is a pattern of this accident with this car. I am concerned that this is a usual event in a car with rear brake light issues. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11558243, filed 2023-12

   “The brake lighting only includes the upper light and the lower lights of the vehicle. The lights on the hatch do not light up when braking. Given that the upper light and lower lights are relatively small and hard to see from a close distance or in taller vehicles, this poses a significant risk for rear-ending from another vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #11526242, filed 2023-06
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Unexpected acceleration or regenerative braking dropping out

   • 11 complaints (18%)
   • typically at 2.1 yrs old
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners describe the car surging forward or backward when they expected it to creep or stop, including while parking, backing up, or approaching a stop, in a few cases with a collision. Others report that the regenerative braking that normally slows the car suddenly stops working, bringing on a caution light and a change in how the car decelerates, with the foot brake then feeling soft or delayed. Complaints say dealers could not reproduce the issue or found no stored codes, and at least one owner was told to remove an aftermarket device. Reported at low speeds during parking and stop-and-go driving, on vehicles ranging from new to about 50,000 miles.

   What to check: During the test drive, practice slow parking maneuvers and a few stops in one-pedal mode to feel how the car creeps, accelerates and decelerates. Ask whether any diagnostics or software updates have been done for throttle or regenerative braking behavior.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2023 Chevy bolt has a hand 'regenerative brake'. I was using it while driving in traffic. My speed was around 40 mph when the car in front of me abruptly stopped. The distance between us was approximately 30 ft. I immediately switched from hand brake to foot brake and the pedal felt soft and there was a delay in response to foot brake. I rear ended the vehicle in front of me causing damages to both vehicles. This had happened in August 2023. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11574601, filed 2024-02

   “I was approaching an intersection at a light that had turned red. I slowed down to stop but accidentally bumped into the car in front, 2 mph (approximately), no damage, not even a scratch. I put the vehicle in reverse and gently tapped the accelerator but it instantly raced backwards at full as though the accelerator pedal had been depressed to the floor. I tried to brake but it would not stop and smashed into the vehicle behind. It was scary and traumatizing. Sudden acceleration in reverse. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11624437, filed 2024-11

Buying note. A 2023 Bolt EV deserves a careful pre-purchase inspection, with particular attention to steering feel at low speed and to the screen and backup camera, since those are the most frequently reported trouble areas. Ask for the service history, confirm any open recalls have been completed, and budget for possible steering rack work if the car is near or past the 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 55 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.