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2018 Chevrolet Bolt problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 0safety recalls
- 68owner complaints
- 2crash reports
- 1fire report
- 2injuries reported
The least complained-about Chevrolet Bolt year on file: 68 complaints, against an average of 279 for the other model years.
Every Chevrolet Bolt model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt?
The components named most often in the 68 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2018 Chevrolet Bolt owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 68 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
Has the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt been recalled?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt as of October 25, 2026. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN before you rely on this.
What do 2018 Chevrolet Bolt owners report?
12 of the 68 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
The steering rack loses its lubrication make it turn harder and could potentially fail completely leading to a loss of steering. I noticed that when I am steering around a curve the steering wheel fails to pull back to the center position and has to be manually forced back. Loss of steering or steering malfunction could lead to a fatal crash. I have not had my vehicle inspected by a dealer or mechanic but have researched the problem and many people online have reported failure of the steering rack/gear as well. There is no warning from the manufacturer about this problem and could go unnoticed…
Sometimes, the steering wheel of the car will not return back to center after turning. The steering also feels a lot heavier. This usually happens after driving straight for a little and then having to make a turn, but may happen spontaneously in other situations as well. The steering wheel suddenly not returning to center when it is expected increases the chances of accidents, especially in areas with many curves and people/activities. The car does not show any warning signs. The dealership said they said they didn't notice it when driving and thus didn't want to further check it (they only…
On 4/5/2025 I was driving at 35mph and the steering wheel began to violently shimmy. The vehicle became difficult to steer putting safety at risk. Slowed to 25mph but shimmy did not stop. ABS warning light came on and Stabilitrak warning light came on and warning that steering was being was being automatically reduced. Driving became very difficult. Stopped and had car towed to Chevrolet. Car was diagnosed with broken left and right front axle anticlick washers and metallic debri found on sensors. Both front axle anticlick washers were replaced, sensors cleaned, and codes cleared, and brake…
Brake modules not working properly and need reprogramming. GM not honoring their buyback warranty.
HMI module failed. Distraction from road because the display pops on and off. Im not taking in my car because there are forums and forums discussing this issue. Not inspected by anybody either. There were no warnings, it just stopped working 2 weeks ago.
The radio antenna/receiver/reception in my 2018 Chevy Bolt is very poor. There are many areas I receive almost no radio stations, or stations are extremely fuzzy. The reception is getting worse over time. In searching for a solution to this, I have found that there are many accounts, complaints, and forums related to this issue in all model years of this vehicle. The greater community has not found a viable solution outside of buying a separate radio and hooking it up to the auxiliary input. Many others have brought their vehicle to get inspected repaired and told by the dealers that…
Have inquired repeatedly since recall no. 21V560 issued. Told each time by authorized GM dealer that replacement lithium-ion batter pack is not available yet. Coming up on two years and presumably my vehicle remains at increased risk of fire. Would like GM to execute on the recall and repair.
Driving 65mph in middle lane the vehicle suddenly dropped in speed to 45mph and on the dash a warning came up that said “Propulsion power is reduced” this almost caused a semi truck to rear end me.
I received a "Propulsion Power Reduced" warning indicator on my 2018 Chevy Bolt while driving on the highway. Although I did not lose power, I am afraid to drive my car. I am advised by the car repairer that I should not drive the vehicle until it is repaired because it may stop suddenly without warning. GM has never contacted me about this safety issue despite being aware of the problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should open an investigation and issue a safety recall on this issue. This problem should be categorized as a severe safety hazard and listed on the NHTSA…
2018 CHEVROLET BOLT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE DEALER ADVISED THE BATTERY HAD A BAD CELL AND A PROGRAM ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OPERATIONAL AND IT WAS UNKNOWN WHEN A FIX WOULD BECOME UNAVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REQUESTED A LOANER VEHICLE.
Dear Sir/ Madam, I want to report to you the serious problem I have had with my Chevy Bolt EV ( 2018 VIN [XXX]) In the month of November 2020, after a full charge of my EV Bolt, the mileage on the dashboard kept fluctuating when my husband and I were driving from Santa Cruz to Berkeley. I had to charge it again after 70 miles in Berkeley. On our way back the mileage showed almost zero. I got so anxious that I had to stop the car and move it from Highway 101 South bound to Santa Cruz and get it recharged in San Jose. Second, on three separate occasions, the speed limit on the dashboard also…
THE DRIVERS WINDOW HAS VERTICAL SCRATCHES ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE GLASS. MY CAR IS ONE WEEK PAST THE 36 MONTH WARRANTY AND ED SHULTS CHEVY WON'T FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY.
2018 Chevrolet Bolt: questions owners ask
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt; the most common categories were electrical system (29, 42.6%), steering (19, 27.9%), power train (12, 17.6%). There are no safety recalls listed for this model year. 2 complaints mention a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 2 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt?
Across 68 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are electrical system (42.6% of complaints), steering (27.9% of complaints), power train (17.6% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (14.7% of complaints), service brakes (8.8% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt have any recalls?
As of October 2026, NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Have any 2018 Chevrolet Bolt vehicles caught fire?
5 of the 68 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt (7.4%) describe the car catching fire or melting wiring. One owner wrote: "GM is aware of a defect that may cause my vehicle to catch fire. They have advised me to park outside so in case it catches fire, the fire is less likely to injure or kill anyone. But, uh, I would like my vehicle to not catch fire actually." (NHTSA complaint 11428345, August 2021). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Bolt
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2018 only.