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NHTSA campaign 20V701000

2017–2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV: electrical system recall

A battery fire increases the risk of injury.

criticalPark outside50,932 vehicles affected

Also on this page:

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
ProblemGeneral 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when charged to full or nearly full capacity.RiskA battery fire increases the risk of injury.FixThis recall has been superseded by recall number 21V-560. Vehicles previously repaired under 20V-701 will still need to have the new remedy under recall 21V-560. GM will notify owners, and as an interim repair, beginning on November 17, 2020, dealers will reprogram the hybrid propulsion control module 2 (HPCM2) to limit the full charge to 90%, free of charge. Owners are advised to activate either the Hill Top Reserve (2017 and 2018 models) or Target Charge Level (2019 models) feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, or park outside, until the software update is completed. Owners were notified of the interim repair beginning November 17, 2020. The second notice was mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact the Bolt EV Concierge Team at 1-833-382-4389. GM's number for this recall is N202311730.

Reported to NHTSA Nov 13, 2020 by General Motors LLC, owners notified May 11, 2021.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 20V701000
Model yearClassSafety SignalRecalls on file
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EVCompact HatchbackF4
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EVCompact HatchbackF5
2019 Chevrolet Bolt EVCompact HatchbackF6

Those are the model years inside WhichTrim's range, 2016 onward. The campaign may cover others outside it, and the only thing that settles whether one specific vehicle is included is its VIN.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

NHTSA has not published the scanned filings for this campaign, or has not published them yet. The campaign record itself is on their site.

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 20V701000 · the manufacturer calls it N202311730

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

What does this advisory mean?

Park outside means the vehicle can catch fire while parked and switched off, so it should be kept away from buildings and other vehicles until the repair is done. These are the two most serious things NHTSA can attach to a campaign, and both mean the risk exists while the vehicle is switched off.

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.