2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
172 NHTSA owner complaints · 8 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. 2020 specifically: 172 complaints on record, score 56/100 — 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 2020 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 172 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 28.67
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Steering rack is starting to fail at under 47000 miles, car pulls to right during acceleration and pulls left when decelerating. Steering wheel does not return to the center and a slight left pull on the wheel has to be maintained at all times so the car doesn't merge right into traffic. It is available upon inspection request. I almost didn't realize it pulling to the right and almost merged into another car on the …
GM installed Advanced Monitoring Software on the car rather than replace the battery. The software detected a battery fault. Under the battery recall if a fault is detected the battery is replaced free of charge. GM is refusing to replace the battery. Now the car will not move.
General Motors is using the arbitrary 6,213-mile tracking window of Recall 944 to deny coverage for a diagnosed Cell Section 3 hardware failure at 123,582 miles. However, this vehicle is directly impacted by the failure parameters outlined in the expanded GM Safety Recall N242470160 / N242470162, where GM openly acknowledges to federal regulators that the advanced diagnostic software has failed to properly detect def…
Recalls: 8 campaigns (5 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| 21V650000 | Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity. |
| 20V808000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. These vehicles may have an improperly cast front left brake caliper that can fracture during a high-pressure braking event. |
| 20V811000 | Seat Belts | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to… |
| 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. |
| 24V481000 | Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles that were previously remedied under recall number 21V-650. The advanced diagnostic software may have been incorrectly installed and fail to detect defective battery modules, possibly resulting in a battery fire. |
| 24V812000 | Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV vehicles previously repaired under Recall 21V-650. The installation of advanced diagnostic software may have failed. |
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 118 MPGe · estimated annual energy cost $650 · EPA range 259 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 System93 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System30 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Steering22 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Unknown Or Other21 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train11 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Vehicle Speed Control8 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
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 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (93 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 56/100, computed from 172 NHTSA complaints and 8 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV's most common problem?
93 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 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 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV cost to run per year?
About $2,704 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $13,522 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 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 5 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 14/12/2023. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2020 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 — 172 complaints, 8 recalls on record
- 172 NHTSA complaints on record (28.7/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (20.0/yr)
- 8 recall campaigns, 5 touching safety-critical systems