Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

67 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
9

Most reports here involve sudden stalling. Of these, 2 mention a crash.

sudden stalling 4transmission slipping 3rollaway 1
A recent report: Video available and was given to USAA insurance company. This 2021 GM Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier trim vehicle experienced a sudden uncommanded extreme acceleration when I selected "D" (drive) mode on…
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Video available and was given to USAA insurance company. This 2021 GM Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier trim vehicle experienced a sudden uncommanded extreme acceleration when I selected "D" (drive) mode on the transmission selector after using "R" (reverse) to back out of a parking lot parking space. The vehicle, despite my stomping and holding the brake pedal down and repeatedly selecting a different mode on the transmission selector, could not be stopped and still wanted to accelerate. The vehicle traveled an estimated 250 feet through a parking lot, crossing a street, hitting the curbs at high speed and through a field. The vehicle stopped against some concrete debris in the field pushing in the bumper slightly but with no airbag deployment. The mishap incident was video recorded and thankfully, there were no passengers or public / private property damages / injuries.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11655690 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
41

Most reports here involve fire.

fire 17sudden stalling 6
A recent report: My 2021 Chevy Bolt keeps showing a battery or power-Propulsion warning light related to the high-voltage system. The warning keeps coming back even after multiple repairs. The first repair was on…
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My 2021 Chevy Bolt keeps showing a battery or power-Propulsion warning light related to the high-voltage system. The warning keeps coming back even after multiple repairs. The first repair was on April 28, 2025, the second was on December 17, 2025, and it is scheduled again for another repair on March 3, 2026. The light is the same every time and affects the car’s performance and reliability. I’m concerned this could be a safety issue involving the battery or propulsion system. The dealer repairs it temporarily, but the warning keeps returning, and the problem has never been fully resolved.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11721358 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Minor
2

Most reports here involve rollaway.

rollaway 1software faults 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the vehicle failed to stop as needed, and struck a pole. The contact stated that the Forward Collison…
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The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the vehicle failed to stop as needed, and struck a pole. The contact stated that the Forward Collison Avoidance feature failed to stop the vehicle. The contact was unaware of a warning light being illuminated. The vehicle was not towed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the Forward Collision Avoidance was inoperable. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer to get the Forward Collision Avoidance system repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact received no assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11588509 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
10

Most reports here involve loss of steering.

loss of steering 7premature wear 1
A recent report: The electronic steering gear (steering rack) on my 2021 Chevrolet Bolt has malfunctioned, causing the steering to feel rough, stiff, and sticky. Crucially, the steering wheel fails to naturally…
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The electronic steering gear (steering rack) on my 2021 Chevrolet Bolt has malfunctioned, causing the steering to feel rough, stiff, and sticky. Crucially, the steering wheel fails to naturally return to the center position after completing a turn, forcing me to manually pull the wheel back straight. This poses a severe safety hazard, as the vehicle will continue turning off the road or into oncoming traffic unless actively corrected, and the increased physical resistance makes precise lane adjustments difficult at highway speeds. There were no warning lights, error codes, or diagnostic messages on the dashboard prior to or during this failure, as the issue is strictly mechanical

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11759703 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
2

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 2
A recent report: I was in a car accident on February 9th, in which my airbags did not deploy, however, I did receive an error in my Chevy app that my Air Bag system requires attention. I sustained facial injuries due…
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I was in a car accident on February 9th, in which my airbags did not deploy, however, I did receive an error in my Chevy app that my Air Bag system requires attention. I sustained facial injuries due to impact with the steering wheel. I believe the airbags should have deployed, but did not.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11717938 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
1

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: I am reporting an issue that may affect every Chevy Bolt EV owner and possess a serious safety issue for children. I discovered this issue while being an owner of two 2021 Chevy Bolts. I discovered…
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I am reporting an issue that may affect every Chevy Bolt EV owner and possess a serious safety issue for children. I discovered this issue while being an owner of two 2021 Chevy Bolts. I discovered that if a key is locked in the vehicles back storage area while the vehicle is running no door will open. If children are in car seats and the child lock is enabled the children will be trapped until a window is broken. This could be fatal if the vehicle was set in motion some how, which is not hard. Below I am giving a step by step on how to replicate this issue for the safety of other owners and the general public. 1. Engage Children Locks on door 2. Start Vehicle 3. Lock doors with remote 4. Open trunk 5. Place keys in trunk/hatch closest to the plastic locking wall 6. Close trunk 7. Attempt to open trunk/hatch

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11423388 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
2

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: Vehicle is under recall. GM has gone beyond what would be considered a reasonable time resolve the issue. The vehicle remains a danger and the suggested restrictions by GM are impossible to follow…
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Vehicle is under recall. GM has gone beyond what would be considered a reasonable time resolve the issue. The vehicle remains a danger and the suggested restrictions by GM are impossible to follow and still use the vehicle as intended. GM is considering a buy back of the vehicle on a case by case basis. GM should honor all requests for a buy back of the vehicle since they are unable to render the car safe and should not decide that some customers should continue to be in danger while others granted a buy back are able to be safe.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11434100 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 67 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2021 and 2026, roughly 13 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.