2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV electrical problems
85 of the 178 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2019 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: 192 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 database0 of the 85 reports a crash · 9 a fire · 2 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 3 · 2020: 8 · 2021: 58 · 2022: 12 · 2023: 3 · 2026: 1
Half of the 15 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 7,000 and 18,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
178 complaints in all about the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 1 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.
In the early morning hours of october 21st, around 3am, we were woken up by smoke/fire alarms. We started running around our home to identify the cause of the alarm. After about 5 minutes of searching inside the home and finding nothing, we realized that there was some smell of smoke coming from the garage and when the mudroom door which…
Chevy Bolt finished changing and then started to smoke from under the car. The sound of popping noises were heard and then 10 minutes later the car was engulfed in flames. The cars battery pack starting popping then exploded in flames
I was driving my chevy Bolt at approximately 40-45 MPH when it was at about 50% charge capacity when all of a sudden the car sharply decelerated and warning lights came on saying the charge was down to 0 and that it needed to be recharged immediately. I pulled over to the side of the road and called for help.
Since new i've had an issue with the Bolt ev's infotainment display going black to include the backup camera. I cannot control the screen, the climate control settings or anything. I've been bringing it in since it was new and was told by Chevrolet that it's normal operation.
I purchased a 2019 chevy Bolt on dec. 20, 2019. The car has about 7,200 miles. While I was turning onto a thoroughfare , a warning light said there was a problem with the high voltage battery. This happened on aug. 6, 2020. Chevy replaced the battery under warranty.
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…
192 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 P0442 P0455 P0ABB P0ABC P0AFA P0C78 P0D26
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2019 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 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 85 owner complaints naming the electrical system on this model year (48% of everything owners filed about it), and 192 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 2019 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 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 15,000 miles; half of them between 7,000 and 18,000. 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.