NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 44 complaints against the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV has generated 44 NHTSA complaints and has 3 active recalls. If your 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Chevrolet pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 9 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “Steering wheel fails to return to center after turns — potential steering gear defect 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV steering wheel fails to return to center after completing turns, particularly at low speeds. Steering requires manual input to re-center the vehicle after every turn. No warning lights or audible alerts. The issue is not attributable to alignment, tires, or tire pressure, as I have had new OEM-spec tires installed and an alignment performed without any improvement to the steering. I brought the vehicle to the dealership to address this safety concern. They stated unable to replicate the issue and sent me away without performing repair. The dealership charged me for an alignment but provided only post-alignment figures — no before measurements, making it impossible to determine whether any corrective action was actually taken or whether the alignment was a contributing factor. This is a safety concern as it requires constant driver correction after every turn, increasing risk of overcorrection, unintended lane departure, and delayed response in emergency situations. Condition is hazardous in low-speed environments such as parking lots, intersections, on/off ramps, and residential streets where frequent turns are made and rapid corrections may be necessary. Issue is not isolated to my vehicle or model year. Owners of 2017-2019, 2022, and 2023 Chevy Bolt EVs have reported identical symptoms across multiple owner forums, with hundreds of documented complaints. Community research and independent mechanic diagnoses consistently identify the steering gear (rack and pinion) as the root cause, with internal binding cited as the failure. GM’s own service manual includes a diagnostic path for “Poor Return of Steering Wheel,” confirming GM is aware this condition exists. No recall or service bulletin issued addressing this widespread concern despite years of owner complaints spanning all Bolt EV model years. Request that NHTSA investigate and consider issuing a recall.” (NHTSA Complaint #11724204)
The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV has generated 5 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “Headlights were brushed clear of snow prior to driving. While driving in snow conditions, the headlights became covered in snow and would not provide illumination to the road ahead. This put me at safety risk making road visibility extremely poor at night. While driving I couldn’t understand why the road was so difficult to see. Upon arriving home, I inspected the headlights to see the snow had completely covered the headlights.” (NHTSA Complaint #11711873)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 4 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “THIS VEHICLE JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, NOT GIVING ME TIME TO PULL OVER. THE SCREEN JUST SAID, “SERVICE MODE”, AND WOULD NOT GO INTO NEUTRAL TO ENABLE THE CAR TO BE PUSHED TO A SAFE SPOT. HIGHWAY PETROL HAD TO STOP TRAFFIC AND HAVE IT TOWED OFF. THIS WAS ENDANGERING EVERYONE INVOLVED. IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER CHEVY BOLTS, IT DEFINITELY NEEDS ADDRESSING.” (NHTSA Complaint #11705604)
The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The Chevy Bolt steering wheel has a skip track and previous track button mounted to the left-rear side of the steering wheel. These buttons often become unresponsive for extended periods of time (up to 30 minutes) when a media device is connected. When pressed, they will display an error on the instrument panel screen that says “Action Unavailable While Indexing”. Although media controls are not explicitly safety related, the frustration caused by these unresponsive buttons can cause the driver to become distracted or look for unsafe methods of adjusting the media playback that the buttons are supposed to perform.” (NHTSA Complaint #11720950)
Fuel and propulsion system defects can cause stalling, fuel leaks, or power loss — all substantial impairments of use and safety. The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. Owner reports include: “Car will unexpectedly accelerate when car is coming to a stop. almost causing a crash a few times. (cruse control is not on)” (NHTSA Complaint #11676133)
The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV by the NHTSA or Chevrolet. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A vehicle fire can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust, and install a pretensioner cover as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between January 23, 2023 and April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM’s num
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy properly in a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the instrument panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM’s number for this recall is N232414710.
Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect both front seat belt pretensioners and, if necessary, install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust. Certain vehicles will also need a pretensioner cover installed. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Chevrolet to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Chevrolet must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV qualifies as a lemon under California law, Chevrolet may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Chevrolet a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Chevrolet dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Chevrolet pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Chevrolet a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Chevrolet is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2023 Chevrolet Bolt Ev has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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