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2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

316 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 13, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Electrical system problems dominate (35% of complaints).

Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)61
Severity (30%)62
Recall load (20%)100
Trend (10%)77

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20172025

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.

1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miSteering~45k mi · 106 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (111) · Fuel system (68) · Transmission & drivetrain (23) · Brakes (19)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Electrical system

35%

111 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years

My car stopped in the middle of a busy intersection and my battery relay melted and caused damage to the transmission and the transmission needed a sphincter. The whol…

Steering

34%

106 complaints · typically near 45k mi · 30 in the last 2 years

STEERING WILL NOT RETURN TO CENTER. STIFF AND SLUGGISH.

Fuel system

22%

68 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years

My car stopped in the middle of a busy intersection and my battery relay melted and caused damage to the transmission and the transmission needed a sphincter. The whol…

Transmission & drivetrain

7%

23 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that the propulsion system warning light illuminated. While the contact was driving approximately 10 MPH,…

Recalls (0)

No recall campaigns on file for this model year.

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2017 Chevrolet BOLT EV beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2017? See how every Bolt EV model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.