2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
175 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
No Bolt EV year is an AVOID, but the 2019 and 2020 cars are CAUTION verdicts at 66 and 56, and the years to buy are 2021 and 2023, which both score 80, once the battery recall paperwork is complete. The 2017 and 2018 cars have no complaints on file and are DATA PENDING. Read the full note on the model page. 2019 specifically: 175 complaints on record, score 67/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Volt, Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf: the years to avoid, including 2019 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 175 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 25.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Steering wheel does not return to center after making a turn. Over time the steering rack fails leading to a steering wheel that will not return to center even when force is applied to wheel. The dealership is charging $3-4k to fix this safety issue.
The steering wheel takes more effort to turn than it should and does not return to center after making a turn. It has been like this since I bought the car used, and I did not realize until recently that it should not be like this. Comments on some online forums indicate that this is a common issue with Chevy Bolts, usually requiring a steering rack replacement. This is a complex operation requiring certified EV tech…
The steering wheel locks and stiffens on turns to the left or right refusing to come back to center on its own. In the middle of the turn the wheel locks up. Been told by multiple dealerships and forums I've read online it's a known issue with the car needing a steering gear replacement. A job that costs $4-5k per GM based on labor. There's no warning lights. GM has reproduced issue And based on this forum mult…
Recalls: 6 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V701000 | Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery | 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. |
| 23V845000 | Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars | 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. |
| 22V930000 | Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars | 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. |
| 21V560000 | Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery | 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. |
| 20V184000 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. The door-handle cable inside the rear doors may be too long, allowing contact with the window when it is opened, possibly damaging the cable. |
| 18V576000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 119 MPGe · estimated annual energy cost $650 · EPA range 238 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System85 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Steering45 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Fuel/Propulsion System44 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Unknown Or Other20 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train13 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Forward Collision Avoidance5 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
Other Chevrolet Bolt EV years
Chevrolet Bolt EV years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (85 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 67/100, computed from 175 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV's most common problem?
85 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV cost to run per year?
About $2,775 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $13,875 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 13/11/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 175 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 175 NHTSA complaints on record (25.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (20.0/yr)
- 6 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems