NHTSA/EPA public records retrieved through July 2026. Next scheduled review: 2027-01-19. Report v1.0.
2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Model-year general report. Individual vehicle specs may vary depending on factory options.
Configuration matched
Vehicle configuration matched using available VIN and public vehicle data.
Public Reporting Summary
No signal was computed for this vehicle. The sections below present official NHTSA and EPA records as retrieved, with coverage and limitations disclosed explicitly, including a well-documented battery-fire recall lineage presented alongside the fact that none of this vehicle's 66 source complaints record an actual fire.
- VIN-specific status of all 5 recalls, especially the battery-fire lineage (21V650000, 24V481000, 24V812000)
- Whether the high-voltage battery pack has been replaced and diagnostic software reinstalled
- Sudden loss of propulsion or a 'Reduced Propulsion' message during a test drive
- Steering return-to-center behavior
- Seat belt pretensioner recall completion (22V930000, 23V845000 — a documented recall-of-a-recall)
Available Records
Data Coverage
Coverage depth varies by data category, manufacturer reporting, and US market volume.
VIN-Decoded Configuration
Factory configuration decoded from VIN 1G1FY6S07M4000001
- Model Year
- 2021
- Make
- CHEVROLET
- Model
- Bolt EV
- Trim
- LT
- Body Type
- Hatchback
- Engine
- Electric Motor (Single, Front)
- Fuel Type
- Electric
- Drive Type
- FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
- Assembly Plant
- Orion Township, Michigan
- Country of Origin
- United States
VIN decoding vs. vehicle history: decoding identifies how this vehicle left the factory (trim, engine, drivetrain, plant). It does not reveal accidents, title brands, odometer readings, or service history — those require a separate vehicle-history report and cannot be derived from the VIN pattern alone.
Reported Issue Patterns
Recurring themes grouped from public owner-complaint records. Patterns describe reporting activity, not how often issues occur across all vehicles.
Reported Impact & Context
This validation's largest pattern (35 of 66 complaints, 53.0%). Owners describe receiving the battery-fire recall notice and being told the remedy part was unavailable, in many cases for a year or more; interim charging/range restrictions described as severely limiting usability; explicit fire-risk anxiety. Directly and extensively corroborated by a closed federal investigation (PE20016) identifying a two-defect battery-cell manufacturing condition as the root cause, later found not isolated to one manufacturing plant. Zero complainants in this cluster describe an actual fire occurring -- the concern is prospective, matching the recall's own stated purpose.
Owner-Reported Symptoms
- Recall notice received; remedy part reported unavailable for a year or more in many cases
- Interim charging limited to 80-90%, or an inability to deplete below roughly 70 miles remaining
- Explicit fire-risk anxiety, including requests for early lease termination or manufacturer buyback
What to inspect
Look up this exact VIN on the official NHTSA recall lookup for all 5 recalls. Ask directly whether the battery pack has been replaced and whether diagnostic software has been reinstalled since (per recalls 24V481000/24V812000).
Reported Impact & Context
11 of 66 complaints (16.7%), including one severe near-miss (an abrupt highway-speed deceleration to 20 mph forcing an emergency 3-lane crossing). Described causes are heterogeneous (a disconnected Manual Disconnect Lever and blown fuse in one case, a wiring harness fault in another) rather than one confirmed common mechanism.
Owner-Reported Symptoms
- Sudden, unexplained loss of propulsion power while driving
- A 'Reduced Propulsion' dashboard message
- In one case, adequate remaining charge was confirmed at the time of the loss
What to inspect
Drive at varying speeds and watch for any sudden loss of propulsion or a Reduced Propulsion message.
Reported Impact & Context
7 of 66 complaints (10.6%). A consistently-described pattern; one complainant's claim of a 'documented manufacturing error' could not be independently verified against any official record in this validation's own retrieval.
Owner-Reported Symptoms
- Steering wheel becomes progressively stiff and does not return to center after a turn
- Occasional clunking in the front end
What to inspect
At low speed, turn the wheel through its full range and confirm it returns to center without binding or stiffness.
Reported Impact & Context
4 of 66 complaints (6.1%), but 2 of these involve an actual collision. No official record addresses this pattern.
Owner-Reported Symptoms
- Sudden acceleration upon selecting Drive
- Vehicle lunging forward while being placed into Park
- Vehicle reportedly self-shifting into Park while driving
What to inspect
Select Drive and Park deliberately and confirm the vehicle responds only to intended gear-selector input.
Complaints & Statistics
How complaint filings for this model year are distributed over time and by system.
Complaint Filing Distributions
Statistical profile of formal complaints submitted to federal highway safety databases.
History: Annual Complaints
Volume of complaints filed on this model year by calendar year.
| Calendar year | This vehicle |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 25 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 3 |
Category Distribution
Complaint concentration grouped by primary mechanical/electrical systems.
Safety Recalls
Recall campaigns registered with federal regulators for this model year.
A recall listed for a model year may not apply to every individual vehicle. Use the official NHTSA VIN-specific recall lookup to confirm campaigns on a specific car.
Recall Summary
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. An expansion of NHTSA recall 21V-560.
Potential Consequence
A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Interim charging restrictions; defective battery modules/pack replaced free of charge.
Recall Summary
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.
Potential Consequence
A vehicle fire can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust, and a pretensioner cover as necessary.
Recall Summary
Certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles, including some previously repaired INCORRECTLY under recall 22V-930. Same underlying condition.
Potential Consequence
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Inspect both front seat belt pretensioners; install metal foil and/or a pretensioner cover as necessary.
Recall Summary
Certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV vehicles previously remedied under 21V-650. The advanced diagnostic software may have been incorrectly installed and fail to detect defective battery modules.
Potential Consequence
A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Reinstall the advanced diagnostic software.
Recall Summary
Certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV vehicles previously repaired under 21V-650. Advanced diagnostic software installation may have failed; the high voltage battery could catch fire when charged full.
Potential Consequence
A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Reinstall advanced diagnostic software.
Manufacturer Service Guidance
Service guidance the manufacturer issued to authorized service centers for specific components or conditions.
Each entry means the manufacturer issued service guidance related to a component or condition. Guidance covers diagnostics, repairs, software updates, and product improvements — it is not, by itself, evidence of a defect.
Guidance Summary
A recurring bulletin providing a procedure to restore full charging capability on vehicles whose battery pack was replaced under recall N212343881/N212345941 but remained limited to 80% charge afterward -- a documented post-remedy side effect.
Applicable Configurations
All configurations
The manufacturer issued service guidance related to this component or condition.
Guidance Summary
GM's own bulletin states this false diagnostic code 'can lead to unnecessary battery pack replacements.' Dealers are to reprogram the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2 -- documenting an evolving battery-diagnostic software issue predating the 2024 recalls.
Applicable Configurations
All configurations
The manufacturer issued service guidance related to this component or condition.
Guidance Summary
An earlier software update reducing false diagnostic activation and preventing diagnostic data loss -- a predecessor step in the same multi-year diagnostic-software chain.
Applicable Configurations
All configurations
The manufacturer issued service guidance related to this component or condition.
Guidance Summary
Preliminary Information bulletins communicating the dealer process for ordering a replacement HV battery pack -- direct operational context for this validation's documented parts-availability delays.
Applicable Configurations
All configurations
The manufacturer issued service guidance related to this component or condition.
Safety Ratings & Investigations
NHTSA laboratory crash-test ratings and federal safety investigations.
Federal Crash Ratings
Driver-Assist Features to Verify
- Forward Collision Avoidance
- Lane Keep Assist
Confirm each equipped feature operates without warnings during the test drive.
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) Status
PE20016 (Electric Vehicle Battery Fires) is genuinely Bolt-specific and, despite a dataset year-tag of MY2017-2020, its own closing text confirms applicability to MY2021 via the resulting recall's stated 2019-2022 scope. Two other actions found in a Bolt-model search (DP22005, primarily about a different manufacturer's vehicle; PE24028, a third-party home-charger investigation) were verified as NOT Bolt-specific and are excluded from this report's substantive findings.
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
Opened after complaints alleging Bolt EV vehicles caught fire under the seating area while parked, during or after charging. Joint NHTSA/GM inspections and supplier analysis (LG Energy Solution/LG Electronics) identified the root cause: two simultaneous manufacturing defects within the same battery cell, aggravated by routinely charging to a full or nearly full state after substantial depletion. Initially traced to one LG plant; later found not isolated to it.
Limitations & Data Integrity
What this report cannot tell you, and where the data comes from.
Report Limitations
- This report compiles official NHTSA and EPA public records for the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV. It does not assess, guarantee, or verify the actual condition of any individual vehicle.
- Complaint counts reflect reporting activity, not a failure rate.
- This vehicle's recall history includes 2 documented instances of an initial remedy later found incomplete or incorrectly installed -- VIN-specific verification is essential and cannot be assumed from a prior 'completed' status alone.
- Zero of the 66 complaints reviewed for this vehicle carry NHTSA's 'fire' flag; the battery recall's fire risk is a described, investigated risk, not an outcome recorded in this vehicle's own complaint history. This report does not present the recall as proof every vehicle is currently unsafe.
- 1 of 66 complaints carries a placeholder/redacted VIN and could not be attributed to a trim.
- This report does not compute or imply a Reported Issue Signal, reliability score, or purchase recommendation. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase mechanical inspection before finalizing a used-vehicle purchase.
Data Source Attribution
NHTSA vPIC (Vehicle Product Information Catalog)
Vehicle Identity / Configuration3 real VIN patterns decoded; single-powertrain confirmed.
Limitations: 1 complaint carries a placeholder/redacted VIN.
NHTSA Complaints API (complaintsByVehicle)
Owner Complaints66 complaints, 100% read in full.
Limitations: Smallest total volume in this project alongside VW.
NHTSA Recalls API (recallsByVehicle)
Safety Recalls5 recalls; revealed a complex 2-condition, multi-year remediation chain.
Limitations: None material.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — Investigations dataset (FLAT_INV)
Safety Investigations1 genuinely Bolt-specific action (PE20016); 2 broader actions explicitly excluded as not Bolt-specific.
Limitations: PE20016's dataset year-tag required cross-reading its own text to confirm MY2021 applicability.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API
Safety Ratings5-star overall; exact cross-verification, zero discrepancy.
Limitations: Single configuration.
US EPA fueleconomy.gov API
Fuel Economy / Range118 MPGe combined, 259-mile range; single configuration.
Limitations: None material.
NHTSA Manufacturer Communications (Technical Service Bulletins) bulk dataset
Service Guidance500 documents; 4 individually cited here.
Limitations: Several bulletins use legacy ICE-style component taxonomy for EV-specific systems.
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
A practical, phase-by-phase companion built from the reported patterns above. Progress is saved on this device only.
Inspection Progress
Check items off as you inspect. Progress and notes are saved on this device only — no account needed.
Before meeting the seller
Look up this VIN for all 5 recalls before anything else
This validation's largest pattern (35 of 66 complaints, 53.0%) concerns a documented, multi-year battery fire risk recall with a complex remedy history including 2 later recalls addressing a failed software fix.
Whether each recall shows 'remedy completed,' not merely 'notified.'
Ask whether the battery pack has been replaced and software reinstalled
The remedy for 21V650000 evolved over time; knowing which remedy stage was performed clarifies current status.
Documentation of battery pack replacement and, separately, diagnostic software reinstallation per 24V481000/24V812000.
If unremedied, ask about interim charging restrictions
GM's own interim guidance for un-remedied vehicles; non-adherence is directly relevant to assessing current risk.
Whether the 90% charge limit and minimum-remaining-range guidance have been followed.
Confirm seat belt pretensioner recall status
A documented recall-of-a-recall (22V930000 then 23V845000); completion under the first alone does not confirm the issue is resolved.
VIN-specific status of both 22V930000 and 23V845000.
Test the child-lock/rear-cargo key-lockout scenario if child seats will be used
A self-reported, replicable condition: a key locked in the rear cargo area with child locks engaged can prevent doors from opening from inside.
Whether doors remain openable from inside under this specific scenario.
Cold startup
Confirm the airbag status indicator responds correctly
2 severe complaints describe airbag non-deployment in a crash.
An abnormal or absent airbag status indicator with a passenger seated.
During the test drive
Watch for sudden loss of propulsion during the test drive
11 of 66 complaints describe sudden loss of propulsion while driving, including one severe near-miss.
Sudden power loss, a Reduced Propulsion Power message, or unexplained deceleration.
Test steering return-to-center at low speed
7 of 66 complaints describe steering rack binding, with no official corroboration found.
Steering that does not return to center, progressive stiffness, or front-end clunking.
Confirm the vehicle responds only to intended Drive/Park input
4 complaints describe unintended acceleration or self-engaged Park, including 2 involving an actual collision.
Any unintended acceleration, self-shifting, or grinding noise when changing gear-selector position.
Test behavior after a DC fast-charge session if possible
One complainant describes a vehicle that would not start or would not shut off after DC fast-charging, on 4 separate occasions during one trip.
Failure to start, failure to power off, or inability to shift after a Level 3 charge.
Test-Drive Plan
A structured driving sequence covering the phases where reported conditions for this model are most observable:
Accelerating through varying speeds
Sudden loss of propulsion or a Reduced Propulsion message.
At low speed, full wheel travel
Steering should return to center smoothly without binding.
Selecting Drive and Park deliberately
The vehicle should respond only to intended gear-selector input.
Questions for the Seller
Copy these targeted questions to ask the seller by message or in person. They address the reported patterns for this model range:
"Has the high-voltage battery pack been replaced under the fire-risk recall? If so, when, and has the diagnostic software been reinstalled since?"
Why ask: This validation's largest evidence-backed pattern, with a complex, multi-stage remedy history.
"If the recall remedy has not been completed, have you been following the interim charging restrictions (90% charge limit, minimum remaining range)?"
Why ask: Directly relevant to assessing current risk on an un-remedied vehicle.
"Have recalls 22V930000 and 23V845000 (seat belt pretensioner) both been completed?"
Why ask: A documented recall-of-a-recall; the first alone does not confirm resolution.
"Has this vehicle ever been in a collision where an airbag did or did not deploy?"
Why ask: This validation's most severe complaint pattern.
For Your Mechanic
General pre-purchase inspection
Brakes, suspension, tires, and 12V accessory battery condition (a separate system from the high-voltage traction battery, not covered by the fire-risk recall).
Documents to Verify
Read this before acting on the report
- Complaint volume does not prove failure prevalence.
- This report does not predict whether an individual vehicle will experience a problem.
- This report does not replace a professional pre-purchase inspection.