2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV electrical problems
95 of the 174 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2020 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: 196 manufacturer bulletins, 3 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 database1 of the 95 reports a crash · 4 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2020: 1 · 2021: 17 · 2022: 24 · 2023: 30 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 8
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
174 complaints in all about the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 8 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.
Battery has a high risk of fire. GM refuses to initiate buyback according to CA lemon law
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V650000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.
I received a recall notification regaring our 2020 Chevy Bolt which was purchased only six months ago. Not only is Chevy not providing any indcation as to when our car will have its battery replaced (the dealer suggests it could have six months or longer), their proposed interim fixes are completely unacceptable and unworkable.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that while charging, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The vehicle became very hot. There were no warning lights illuminated.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number 21V650000 (Electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available.
What is on file about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecalls filed under this heading
- Oct 31, 2024 · 107 vehicles
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV vehicles previously repaired under Recall 21V-650. The installation of advanced diagnostic software may have failed. As such, the high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
- Jun 27, 2024 · 72 vehicles
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles that were previously remedied under recall number 21V-650. The advanced diagnostic software may have been incorrectly installed and fail to detect defective battery modules, possibly resulting in a battery fire.
- Aug 20, 2021 · 52,414 vehicles
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV 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…
196 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 U3636 B094C P0442 P0455 P3013 P302D
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2020 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 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 95 owner complaints naming the electrical system on this model year (55% of everything owners filed about it), and 196 manufacturer bulletins, 3 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 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Yes — 3 campaigns are filed under this heading: 24V812000, 24V481000, 21V650000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do electrical problems show up on the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Too few of the complaints carry an odometer reading to say. The model year's page shows the mileage curve across every system where it can.
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.