2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Fuel system Problems

Vehicle started to surge while driving (both small acceleration forward and large deceleration) without any change in brake or accelerator position. Eventually a "Propulsion Power Reduced" message was presented on the console followed immediately by no forward propulsion (accelerator completely unresponsive) and forced to coast to a stop on the side of the highway. Car refused to shift out of park or neutral following breakdown. Car taken to dealer to troubleshoot and was told that a P0A3F code was present and that the engine harness needed to be replaced in accordance with NHTSA bulletin 19-NA-220. This bulletin calls out that the harness was likely damaged during initial install at factory and the dealer representative confirmed that the pins were damaged as described. Car was given back to drive home after harness was checked (owner decided to explore options before scheduling repair), but broke down due to surging and complete loss of power within 2 miles of dealer. Troubleshooting to confirm harness damage is suspected to have worsen the condition and made un-commanded accel/deceleration followed by complete loss of power likely. Uncertain why this condition would be exempt from recall if OEM is aware of installation issues at factory. Driving with this condition was as bad or worse than other type model loss of power conditions that have been recalled. Recommend at least clarifying that cars confirmed to fall under this bulletin and associated inspection should not be deemed roadworthy until a repair is made.

NHTSA ID

11706654

Incident

Dec 22, 2025

In 2022 under a recall the Propulsion battery was replaced that was a complete battery assembly. At 60K miles the High Voltage battery relay has become defective. Confirmed by a GM diagnostic test. Defective High Voltage relay. Was informed to get it replaced soon as it would cause a fire. Very dangerous in their words. Get repaired as soon as possible. The battery assembly is warranty of 8-years 100k miles. Looks to be a so called gray area on the high voltage relay as it’s considered a wear item. 60k of normal use and now it’s a fire hazard and it’s my responsibility to replace the relay under normal wear and tear. Im I the only one who is experiencing a high voltage relay in the battery assembly that is deemed a fire hazard? We are in our 70’s and we take great care of the car, no abuse and sits in a garage. Normal wear? Or a potential fire waiting to happen? I’m confused. Thanks for your time.

NHTSA ID

11668241

Incident

Jun 11, 2025

While driving the car it suddenly, and without warning, abruptly slowed to a stop and the display showed "propulsion power is reduced", then the "service soon" symbol came on. This could have happened in fast moving traffic, which definitely could cause multi-car collisions. The GM service bulletin (Document ID: 5409616, revised February 13, 2023- see attached copy) states that this is likely due to "a spread terminal on the vehicle harness connection X2 on the T12 transmission assembly. The terminals may not have been perfectly aligned during installation at the vehicle assembly plant." This is a known, dangerous, malfunction, and GM has not issued a recall for it. The "correction" is to replace the "engine wiring harness" which goes to the EV motor. GM is also not covering this repair under any extended warranty, although it's a safety issue and really should generate a recall. Please see attachment.

NHTSA ID

11641620

Incident

Jan 6, 2025

My car stopped in the middle of a busy intersection and my battery relay melted and caused damage to the transmission and the transmission needed a sphincter. The whole battery system needs to be recalled for melting and almost setting my car on fire.

NHTSA ID

11623057

Incident

Feb 13, 2024

On May 24, 2022, I brought my 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV into Vic Canever dealership to have the high voltage battery replaced per the recall instructions (see invoice). Ever since the “new” battery was installed, I can no long fast charge my vehicle to specification. I have tried several DC fast chargers including the DC fast charger at the dealership. The dealership fast charger would only charge at a rate of 18Kw (see picture). I was able to charge a little faster at a DC fast charger in Perry, Michigan at 29.7Kw (see picture). Both are a long way away for the original charge rate of 55Kw. The other problem that occurred after the battery exchange is that the range significantly declined. With the original battery the vehicle range was around 250 miles. Now, with the new battery, I can’t even get to 200 miles range (see picture). With all the problems GM has had with the Chevrolet Bolt EV, I think it’s time to start another investigation into what they are doing to fix the original problem and making things worse with their remedy.

NHTSA ID

11575467

Incident

May 24, 2022

This car worked reliably until the battery recall battery was exchanged then this started happening about a month later. First the vehicle died upon slowing down, driver was exiting a highway ramp stopped the car and turned off the car and turned on again and drove home without further trouble. Happened again, same thing this was at night. Then myself as driver, Took car to dealership, stayed in right lane on highway then car failed to accelerate but maintained about 40mph then died as slowing down on exit. After much time turning off and on again, the car finally allowed it to be put in drive and I made it to the dealership. After a week the dealership couldn’t find anything wrong with the car and said no charge but they can’t diagnose. Driving the car again, it drove fine until it didn’t. This time died and wouldn’t allow it to be put into drive again. Said conditions not right to shift. Towed it to a different dealership, the one that changed the recalled battery and they got 77 code errors and cannot figure out anything after a month. Still keeping to drive to recreate the problem. The biggest safety issue was that the emergency blink lights turned off when I turned off the car to try and restart it.

NHTSA ID

11495962

Incident

Oct 14, 2022

After about 5 years and a warranty replacement battery, I intermittently find the “Propulsion Reduced-Service Soon” light on. It can appear any time after which only a third of the 60kWh battery is on-line, and in any event the battery will not charge over one third. Highway driving on a crowded Interstate 5 becomes very hairs as both acceleration and regeneration braking are markedly reduced. It is now at the service department of Bill Pierre Chevrolet in Seattle. Those guys are great, and are doing everything they can, looking to GM for a promised reprogram that has not been forthcoming for some two weeks and counting. This might seem like a minor consumer gripe, but it turns out that this is not a new condition, and has persisted since shortly after the 2017 Bolt came out. See <https://www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/Bolt/2017/electrical/propulsion_power_reduced-service_immediately.shtml>. The Bolt is a great car, but this has shaken my sense of safety in long distance 80+ miles of highway travel. I no longer consider this to be a safe car.

NHTSA ID

11477667

Incident

Aug 4, 2022

After the second recall replacement of the lithium-ion battery, the car became undriveable because it could not be charged. A message appeared before stating "Propulsion Power is Reduced". This is after the 2nd new battery was installed. The car has been taken to the dealership. The dealership stated that it is a software problem which GM is looking into.

NHTSA ID

11476014

Incident

Jul 20, 2022

GM CALLED ME 60 days ago and said new replacement battery is ordered to fulfill recall. Dealership has 2 batteries in stock but cannot replace vehicle battery because they do not have a forklift to move the battery and have no projected date when then will get a forklift or rent one. Car was recalled for battery fires and Chevy doesn’t own or know where to rent a forklift.

NHTSA ID

11457717

Incident

Mar 1, 2022

The vehicle is under recall for main traction battery defects. There is no planned or expectable date for correction of the defect; parts are not available and cannot be made available in a reasonable amount of time. A GM spokesperson on 9/15/2021 stated to Bloomberg (afterward picked up by most news organizations) that Bolts should be parked at least 50' from other vehicles, and only on the top deck of parking structures, apparently to minimize collateral damage when the Bolt burns. This statement will lead to Bolt drivers being banned from parking facilities, and subjecting the owners to abuse by people who don't want them parked anywhere nearby. GM must expand the recall to simply buy back all Bolts immediately, paying approximately the original amount paid by owners with perhaps some allowance for miles actually driven, and and recover vehicles from all lessees. Based on the spokesperson's statement, the vehicles are too unsafe to be allowed to remain on the road. They must ALL be recovered by GM as quickly as possible, with adequate compensation, and crushed to prevent further sale or use.

NHTSA ID

11433153

Incident

Sep 15, 2021

GM has been jerking myself, and all Bolt owners all of this year and For myself and other owners of 2017-early 2019 models. They have overlaid Recalls on the 2017-2019 to reset apparent recall start dates. We have been dealing with being under the umbrella of a one battery fire recall or another since November of 2020, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. My Bolt was in a chevy shop for TWO MONTHS June/July 2021 time frame for the first recall because it took them that long to get a single battery module. Now they have issued yet another recall. I am one of over 100,000 owners that are tired of being told, "baby your batteries to 'reduce' the risk of fire". Being told to limit the effective battery range to over 60% of what it is supposed to are capable of is not acceptable. GM is playing 'lawyer' and making it nearly impossible to get a real solution. Do your job, kick GM in the rear. At this point GM just needs to pony up and buyback the whole model run. I'm tired of parking my car in the back 40.

NHTSA ID

11432563

Incident

Jun 1, 2021

I stopped for a DC fast charge at an Electrify America station to ensure that my vehicle's battery level would stay over "70 miles of charge" to reduce fire risk (per GM recommendation). The vehicle has been programmed to remain at or below a 90% charge limit. After charging for 25 minutes, I unplugged the CCS1 connector from the Bolt by pressing the connector release button and pulling gently. To my surprise, the connector unlatched and disconnected immediately while charging at roughly 35,000 watts (>80 amps, 400 volts) and both the connector and my car's charging port began emitting a strong sulfur odor. The connector is supposed to have a high-voltage safety interlock that prevents either side from being moved while current is flowing. I have seen this interlock technology on many different chargers (CCS, CHAdeMO, Tesla) and have never seen it fail. After the incident, I inspected and photographed the charging port and charging station connector and found both sides seriously burned, melted and damaged. The connectors suffered oxidation, discoloration, and other metallic contamination/damage. The vehicle's inlet port contacts are blue/orange/black, not silver, and sections of metal appear to be melted away. The charger side connector contacts are discolored and have similar erosive/melting damage. The damage appears to be identical to arc flash plasma erosion. Prior to this incident, I regularly inspected the DC fast charge port and found it to be in good condition with a functioning seal, orange cover flap, clean silver pins and no damage. Before plugging in, I had inspected the charge station connector and could not see anything wrong with it. The charge connector serial number was entirely worn off. At this point, I do not feel comfortable fast charging my Bolt EV out of concern that the inlet port may overheat and catch fire. The inlet port needs to be replaced and the charging station connector needs to be replaced (and the interlock issue resolved).

NHTSA ID

11432086

Incident

Sep 7, 2021

The check engine light came on in my vehicle and limited the speed at which I could drive resulting in the car dealership is refusing to honor the warranty on my vehicle. The manual and all information from General Motors explicitly states the components which are covered under warranty. There is a NHTSA service bulletin regarding this exact problem (NHTSA 18-NA-064) along with the labor code for doing repairs under warranty. The warranty is for the first 100,000 miles or 8 years (2025), my vehicle currently has 49906 miles. The reason I was given is that software is not usually covered under warranty but there is no documentation stating that is the case. I was told that this vehicle may have this problem just due to operating it and there is no recourse for me other than to pay to have it fixed. If this is true the vehicle is unsafe to be driven in traffic.

NHTSA ID

11431736

Incident

Aug 30, 2021

Since the November, 2020 recall of the Chevy Bolt for its battery defects, I have had only limited use of the vehicle and it remains a fire threat whether parked inside a garage or outside. The recommended restrictions of charging and parking by General Motors do nothing to fix the fire threat, and put an undue burden on me without any expectation of a timely repair. GM has acknowledged that they do not currently have repair parts (new battery modules), and due to the volume of units necessary (140,000 recalled vehicles), and the likely pace of production and repairs once they actually begin producing new battery modules, it will take at least 2 years for the process to be completed. Added to the 10 months already passed since the first recall, this means a potential total wait period approaching 3 years. This is wholly unacceptable and a vehicle buyback to make owners whole for their losses is the only acceptable course of action.

NHTSA ID

11431509

Incident

Nov 27, 2020

Propulsion battery catches on fire while parked.

NHTSA ID

11430352

Incident

Aug 1, 2021

I have received 3 recalls on the vin number referenced above. I have been to the dealer 2 times to and thought the problem was fixed. I get another recall and find the dealer unable to fix due to unavailability of parts. I am unable to schedule a recall fix as (all dealers contacted) say I can't schedule until they have parts. I am in a continuing cycle of incompetence. It appears there is no way for me to address this latest August 21 recall from General Motors. The latest recall is to replace the battery nodules in my 2012 Chevrolet Bolt. In my 2 previous cases for a interim software fix. It continues to show as an incomplete status

NHTSA ID

11430079

Incident

Aug 3, 2021

I have a 2017 Bolt that is affected by the Bolt battery fire recall. I have patiently awaited for a real fix for this issue since November of 2017. I have lived in fear of this car burning up or my house burning up from this vehicle for 8 months. I need this vehicle it is my daily transportation. I paid more than $46,000 for this vehicle (including tax and registration). Now, Chevy has said I can't charge at night, I can't charge in my garage, and I can't use more than 60% (143 miles), they don't know the root cause of the fires, they don't have a fix, and they have not committed to changing our batteries. After all this, this car is unusable to me and I can't trust Chevy to detect the defect and apply a meaningful fix. I have applied for a buyback and was denied in June. I live in MN, where I am unaware of anyone that has had a successful buyback. I can't understand how GM is allowed to have a buyback policy where one state (CA) has hundreds of buybacks where another has none. When this is truly a serious safety problem that they do not know the fix. I need help getting a successful buyback for my vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11427655

Incident

Nov 13, 2020

I'm concerned about the recent battery related fires post-recall for 2017-19 models. I'm not pleased with GMs response.

NHTSA ID

11427298

Incident

Jul 31, 2021

I am extremely concerned about the battery fire recall for my 2017 Chevy bolt. I live in a townhome, with the garage on the first floor. The only place I can charge the car and park is in the garage on the first floor. And the only way to escape the building is by walking past the garage. So, the risk of a major car fire in the garage is very life threatening to me and my family! I am disappointed about how Chevy has handled this defect. I realize mistakes happen, but I think chevy could have taken more steps to ensure the safety of their customers, and not leave them with a broken car that has lost value due to the perception that it is unsafe. Chevy originally identified this defect Nov. of 2020. They shipped a temporary fix, limiting the range to 90%, decreasing the utility of the car, and didn't ship a "real" fix until around June 2021. We have learned that both the temporary and "real" fix were not effective, and cars have caught on fire with both fixes. Now we are told we won't even be informed about the next "fix" until September! A few things aggravate me: * This is getting to be almost a full years time since a known defect appeared before an effective fix was provided. Unsafe cars have been driving around for about a year! * Chevy has not informed owners the root cause of the issue beyond "a manufacturing defect". How are we supposed to have confidence that the next "fix" actually fixes the problem? We deserve to know what the problem was, and be given proof that the recall actually addresses it. * On the new recommendations, the car now has 50% the range and can't be charged inside. This makes it unusable for many, including me. Why isn't chevy explicitly providing help to their customers, such as rentals, buybacks, etc? How is it legal to cripple my car with no compensation? My perception is that chevy is drawing out this recall so they can to save money, and leaving its customers with a broken car and taking on risks to their safety.

NHTSA ID

11427087

Incident

Jul 29, 2021

My high voltage battery is likely to catch fire some time after charging the vehicle. Chevy has told me not to use my full battery as they advertised and I cannot park my vehicle in my garage. This is unacceptable and I am not able to use the car as originally advertised.

NHTSA ID

11427056

Incident

Jul 29, 2021

Appreciate that GM is replacing the battery modules. But we waited MONTHS for the first fix, which did not work, and now must wait another 6 months-1 year for replacement battery modules. Meanwhile, the car does not function as advertised -- we cannot charge overnight (as we usually did; we have 3 EVs, so charging time requires some coordination), we cannot deplete the battery (preventing long trips), and the range is limited. GM refused our repurchase request. Car is essentially worthless on the secondary market until the fix, so we cannot sell and replace. This is very frustrating.

NHTSA ID

11427018

Incident

Jul 29, 2021

The batteries are known to catch fire about 90% state of charge and below 30% state of charge.

NHTSA ID

11426942

Incident

Jul 29, 2021

After getting the software update from previous recall, on Siemens Chargers, the car and charger error. The car error says "Charging Interrupted or Overridden". Took to Chevy service 7/26/21, they could not find anything wrong, and wanted to charge $225 for troubleshooting. They were not aware of the new recall, when made aware they agreed not to charge the $225, but stated I should not use the chargers at work. If I am not supposed to charge overnight, and am unable to charge at work, the car is unusable.

NHTSA ID

11426857

Incident

Jul 2, 2021

The vehicle battery has an open recall due to risk of the battery spontaneously combusting based on several recent fires with this vehicle model. I own two of these vehicles as our only car and GM has not given any remedy and have been very difficult to work with. I am simply asking for a timeline for a fix and they have now become unresponsive to my open case. They refuse to buy back or fix my vehicle and because there is a second open recall for the same problem, they now have no timeline and are in no urgent rush to resolve the issue. I am forced to use these vehicles with this major safety risk constantly hanging over my head and no fix in site.

NHTSA ID

11426731

Incident

Jul 27, 2021

My 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV has a well known recall with a defective battery. This vehicle is my only vehicle and I have opened a case with general motors to get a resolution for this recall. They created a case for my vehicle and said they will call back with a resolution after a week. Several weeks later, I have yet to receive a response and my case manager has been unresponsive to my phone calls and voicemails. I have called GM almost daily asking for an update from anyone who can review my case and give any sort of update. They continue to tell me they will call back with an answer but I have yet to receive a call back. After several weeks of no response, I am left with an unsafe vehicle and no resolution. I would appreciate any sort of update with even a little bit of information and possibly a rough time estimate. GM seems to be handling these cases poorly and has not been transparent with vehicle owners.

NHTSA ID

11426530

Incident

Jul 26, 2021