2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electrical problems
114 of the 348 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). Filed under the same heading: 348 manufacturer bulletins, 2 recalls, 2 NHTSA investigations. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA complaint database3 of the 114 reports a crash · 4 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2017: 1 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2021: 68 · 2022: 11 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 2
Half of the 26 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 12,000 and 51,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
348 complaints in all about the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Electrical System” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Bolt EV electrical problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the electrical system. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
An unprompted message appears periodically on the infotainment screen of my vehicle. The Bolt Ev 2017 owner's manual provides no information on this unprompted message that appears on the infotainment screen, does not warn of the dangers that this message poses to driving, and does not indicate that the driver must give assent to the…
Chevrolet Bolt 2017 with about 55% of battery charge briefly displayed a message 'propulsion may be reduced' and a few minutes later it stopped in the middle of the freeway and had to be towed away.
My car was stopped at a red light signal, someone behind me was unable to stop and crashed into the rear of my car, pushing my car approximately 20ft forward. My car was rendered in operable due to damage to a rear electrical amplifier beneath the trunk floor. I had to get the car towed to a collision repair facility.
Driving at 65 MPH with 100+ mile range, car had a sudden and complete lack of propulsion. Electronics in the car continued to work, but absolutely no propulsion. Could shift car to neutral. Car eventually towed to dealer
On 2018-07-26 at approximately 2325h, vehicle was being driven at ~70mph northbound on I-95, the maine turnpike. Location was approximately 1/2 mile north of exit-32 (biddeford, me). Road conditions were good, temperatures in the mid-70f, humid. The owner's wife was driving, with her husband in the passenger seat.
What is on file about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecalls filed under this heading
- Jul 23, 2021 · 57,414 vehicles
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 20V-701. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
- Nov 13, 2020 · 50,932 vehicles
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling all 2017-2018 and certain 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
NHTSA investigations
- DP22005 Pedestrian alert soundsopened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023
- NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
- PE20016 Electric Vehicle Battery Firesopened Oct 9, 2020 · closed Feb 7, 2022
- In October 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) on 2017-2020 Model Year (MY) Chevrolet Bolt vehicles based on complaints received alleging that the vehicles caught fire under the seating area while parked and unattended. At the time, ODI had received 2 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) and several field reports. All complaints alleged vehicles caug…
348 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0BBD B3055 B3060 B3935 P1AE6 B101D P0ABB C0750
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre electrical problems common on the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 114 owner complaints naming the electrical system on this model year (33% of everything owners filed about it), and 348 manufacturer bulletins, 2 recalls, 2 NHTSA investigations are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the electrical system on the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Yes — 2 campaigns are filed under this heading: 21V560000, 20V701000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do electrical problems show up on the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 22,200 miles; half of them between 12,000 and 51,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Electrical System" heading cover?
Wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.