Chevrolet Bolt EV years to avoid— and the best years
7 Bolt EV model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
Every Bolt EV model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
| Year · rank | Safety Signal | Years on road | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 #1 | C | 3 | 3 · 1/yr | 60 · 20/yr | ★★★★★ | 1 critical |
| 2017 #2 | F | 9 | 4 · 0.4/yr | 348 · 39/yr | not rated | Advisory |
| 2018 #3 | F | 8 | 5 · 0.6/yr | 89 · 11/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2019 #4 | F | 7 | 6 · 0.9/yr | 178 · 25/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2021 #5 | F | 5 | 5 · 1/yr | 67 · 13/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2020 #6 | F | 6 | 8 · 1.3/yr | 174 · 29/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
| 2022 #7 | F | 4 | 7 · 1.8/yr | 59 · 15/yr | ★★★★★ | Advisory |
The Bolt EV years to check hardest
last 2 of 7 ranked years2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV
The 2022 Bolt EV: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other figure here; 7 recalls in 4 years on the road (1.8 a year, 4 critical: electrical system, structure) — also air bags ×2; 59 owner complaints to NHTSA, 15 a year (most often electrical (29) and fuel system (11)); owners reported 3 crashes; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV
The 2020 Bolt EV: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other figure here; 8 recalls in 6 years on the road (1.3 a year, 4 critical: electrical system, structure) — also seat belts; 174 owner complaints to NHTSA, 29 a year (most often electrical (95) and fuel system (30)); owners reported 7 crashes, 4 fires; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA investigation PE20016 (became recall 21V650000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
The Bolt EV years the record favours
first 2 of 72023 Chevrolet Bolt EV
The 2023 Bolt EV: 3 recalls in 3 years on the road (1 a year, 1 critical: structure) — also air bags; 60 owner complaints to NHTSA, 20 a year (most often electrical (18) and steering (17)); owners reported 8 crashes, 1 fire, 5 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV
The 2017 Bolt EV: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other figure here; 4 recalls in 9 years on the road (0.4 a year, 3 critical: electrical system, structure); 348 owner complaints to NHTSA, 39 a year (most often steering (124) and electrical (114)); owners reported 11 crashes, 5 fires, 5 injured; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA investigation PE20016 (became recall 21V650000, electrical system).
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2017 has had 9 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about Bolt EV years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat Chevrolet Bolt EV years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2020, 2022 rank lowest of the 7 Bolt EV model years WhichTrim can rank (2017–2023): the 2022 — a standing advisory, 7 recalls in 4 years (1.8 a year), 4 critical, 59 complaints (15 a year); the 2020 — a standing advisory, 8 recalls in 6 years (1.3 a year), 4 critical, 174 complaints (29 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best Chevrolet Bolt EV year to buy used?
The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal C, 1 recall a year on the road and 20 complaints a year. The 2023 Bolt EV: 3 recalls in 3 years on the road (1 a year, 1 critical: structure) — also air bags; 60 owner complaints to NHTSA, 20 a year (most often electrical (18) and steering (17)); owners reported 8 crashes, 1 fire, 5 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2022 Bolt EV: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other figure here; 7 recalls in 4 years on the road (1.8 a year, 4 critical: electrical system, structure) — also air bags ×2; 59 owner complaints to NHTSA, 15 a year (most often electrical (29) and fuel system (11)); owners reported 3 crashes; NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the Chevrolet Bolt EV have?
Across the 7 ranked model years (2017–2023) NHTSA has posted 38 recall campaigns against the Chevrolet Bolt EV, and owners filed 975 complaints. Across every model year on file (2017–2023) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2017 has had 9 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.