Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV has 349 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most for steering at 125, followed by electrical system at 114. Its combined rating is 119 MPGe, and its 5-year fuel cost is $3,880 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering seat belts, body and structure, and electrical system, with 1 replaced by later campaigns. Recall campaigns may apply to a given car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
119 MPGecombined; city 128, highway 110; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$3,880U.S. average; Ohio $4,140 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA electricity prices for Jul 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
Recall campaigns
4over its history, 1 replaced by a later one; check a VIN for open onesRepaired under campaign 20V701000? NHTSA's record says it still needs the newer remedy of campaign 21V560000.
Owner complaints
349filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Trims
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2017 Bolt EV. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 349 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Bolt EV. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Steering
125
1
0
0
Electrical system
114
3
4
0
Fuel/propulsion system
70
2
1
1
Unknown or other
34
0
0
0
Power train
27
1
0
1
Service brakes
22
3
0
1
Engine
16
3
0
1
Visibility/wiper
12
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
11
3
0
2
Suspension
7
0
0
0
Lane departure
6
0
0
0
Seats
5
0
1
1
8 more parts
Wheels
5
0
0
0
Air bags
3
2
0
1
Exterior lighting
3
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
3
0
0
0
Seat belts
3
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
0
0
0
Structure
2
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 Bolt EV over its history, 1 replaced by a later one. A replaced campaign is listed at the end as history, not as a separate repair. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Repaired under campaign 20V701000? NHTSA's record says it still needs the newer remedy of campaign 21V560000. A repair under the earlier campaign doesn't complete the later one: check the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. This recall includes certain vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under NHTSA recall number 22V-930. After a crash with seat belt pretensioner deployment, the pretensioner exhaust may ignite carpet fibers near the B-pillar, causing a fire.
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect both front seat belt pretensioners and, if necessary, install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust. Certain vehicles will also need a pretensioner cover installed. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2024. These vehicles were previously recalled for this same issue under recall number 22V-930 and will need to have the new remedy performed. Owners may contact GM EV Concierge at 1-833-EVCHEVY (1-833-382-4389) (TTY 711 / 1-800-833-2438) or Customer Service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N232421970.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. After a crash with seat belt pretensioner deployment, the pretensioner exhaust may ignite carpet fibers near the B-pillar, causing a fire.
Risk: A vehicle fire can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust, and install a pretensioner cover as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between January 23, 2023 and April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N222383790.
Needed even on cars repaired under 20V701000Park outside
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.
Risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: 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%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, park outside after charging, and do not charge the vehicle indoors overnight. Defective battery modules will be replaced by GM, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on August 13, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 13, 2021. Owners may contact the Bolt EV Concierge Team at 1-833-382-4389. GM's number for this recall is N212343880.
Replaced by campaign 21V560000, as NHTSA's record says: history, not a separate repair. Cars repaired under this campaign still need the newer remedy.
Park outside
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.
Risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: This 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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,056 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2017 Bolt EV, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (448), electrical system (329), unknown or other (79), power train (77), equipment adaptive/mobility (57).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
See used 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EVs for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
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Specs
EPA class: small station wagons. EPA greenhouse gas score: 10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Bolt EV Front-Wheel Drive
150 kW ACPM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 238 miles of range
128 / 110 / 119 MPGe
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data