2021 Chevrolet BOLT EV - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV has an impressive overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This electric vehicle excelled in front crash, side crash, and rollover tests, receiving top marks across the board. Additionally, it is equipped with standard electronic stability control, an optional forward collision warning system, and optional lane departure warning features, enhancing its safety capabilities.

Despite its strong safety performance, it is worth noting that there have been 53 complaints and 3 recalls reported for the Chevrolet Bolt EV. These numbers suggest that while the car maintains high safety standards, there have been some issues reported by consumers that require attention. It is essential for Chevrolet to address these concerns promptly to ensure the continued safety and reliability of the Bolt EV on the road.

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Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

53

Recall Count

3

Investigation Count

1

Safety Rating

5/5

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Safety Features

2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV 5 HB FWD Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV 5 HB FWD

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

Optional
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

Optional

2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV 5 HB FWD Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV 5 HB FWD Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2019 Score 2021 Score 2023 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating 4 4 5
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 5 5 5
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 4 4 4

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2019 Score 2021 Score 2023 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating 5 5 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating 5 5 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating 4 4 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front 5 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear 4 4 5
Overall Side Barrier Rating 5 5 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2019 Score 2021 Score 2023 Score
Rollover Rating 5 5 5
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip No Tip No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating 5 5 5

Complaints for the 2021 Chevrolet BOLT EV

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"i believe the recall remedy gm n21345944 is not sufficient because it dies not monitor the system during the 80-100 % charge. it only allows ip to 80 which is not when it fails. also it just gives an alert and does not shut down the battery which can allow the fure to happen. according to gm recall 212345940 a new battery was promised. i do not feel safe driving a car which has only been tested up to 80% range when that id not the failure mode. i want a new fixed battery."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2024-04-08
Complaint:
"in nearly exactly the same fashion as tesla, chevrolet has reduced my battery range by 15-20% and they don't have any idea when or if they will restore what i've paid for."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2023-04-08
Complaint:
"our car (2021 chevy bolt) has been under recall n212345940 since september 2021 for a battery that could catch fire if charged to full capacity. the gm recall stated "when parts are available, your chevrolet dealer will replace the defective lithium ion battery modules in your vehicle with new lithium ion battery modules." for almost 2 years we've been worried, unable to park our car in a garage or charge to 100%. in the interim, when i spoke to a chevy salesperson who tried to sell me a newer model year bolt, they informed me that all the used cars on the lot had already had their batteries replaced. on june 14th i got an email stating: recall status: "remedy available recall number: n212345944 high voltage battery may melt or burn". i was extremely excited and took the car in last week. as i left i realized that they had not replaced the battery, instead they programmed in a diagnostic tool to try and identify defective battery cells over the next 6000 miles. the recall on my vehicle is now marked complete, even though nothing has changed! the car now won't allow full charging and there's still a danger of fire on a deeply discharged battery. i feel deeply betrayed by the bate and switch and that they've been allowed to call this recall completed."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2025-03-06
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. the contact stated that he was made aware that the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system) upon research; however, the dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available for recall repair. the contact was informed that parts were available at another location. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue by the dealer and the contact was informed that there was no response. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2023-05-04
Complaint:
"chevrolet issued a recall for our 2021 bolt, manufacturer recall number n212345940 nhtsa recall number 21v650 over a year ago. at the time of the recall issue in late 2021, we were told to bring in the car for service that would reduce the risk of fire by lowering the charge capacity to 80%. we did so and were told that the actual battery module replacement would be "any day now." we have contacted the chevrolet ev concierge (833-382-4389) several times over the past year, including today, feb. 20, and each time we were told that the recall service would happen "soon," and that there was no way to estimate when it would occur. we have been told that the 2020-2022 models had recall service started in august 2021, proceeding "in batches." as it has been about 15 months since the recall was issued, we suspect that chevrolet has no intention of performing this service in a timely fashion. we do not know the probability of a fire. we do not know when the full charge capacity will be restored, and this has constrained our ability to travel. has nhtsa imposed a deadline or guideline for the recall completion? what is a reasonable time frame for a recall of this magnitude? 1 year? 3? 5? 10? as a car owner, 1 year would appear to be reasonable. however, we have little ability to hold chevrolet to a reasonable standard and no knowledge of what percentage of the cars are done. we appeal to nhtsa to hold chevrolet to a reasonable standard. thank you for your time."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2024-08-02
Complaint:
"2021 chevrolet bolt ev. consumer writes in regard to battery recall."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2023-07-02
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 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 had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2022-09-08
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts not available."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2021-01-09
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue and the contact was provided a case number. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts not available."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2021-01-01
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 chevrolet bolt ev. the contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 21v650000 (electrical system). the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the part was not available for repair. the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts are not available."
Components Involved: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2022-03-01

Recalls for the 2021 Chevrolet BOLT EV

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"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."
Consequence:
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.

Component(s) Involved: STRUCTURE > BODY > ROOF AND PILLARS
Date of incident: 2022-12-15
Recall:
"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."
Consequence:
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 are expected to be mailed January 29, 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.

Component(s) Involved: STRUCTURE > BODY > ROOF AND PILLARS
Date of incident: 2023-12-14

CHEVROLET Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

CHEVROLET ranks 2 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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