Buyer Research

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $12,000–$18,000. There are 2 high-severity known issues you need to know before handing over a check.

Deciding between model years? Compare the 7 Chevrolet Bolt EV years we've written up →

Kestrel Take

238 miles of range, a liquid-cooled pack, and a recall that replaced the entire battery in a great many of them — which means some used Bolts are driving around with a brand-new warrantied pack. Finding one of those is the single best value in used EVs. Finding one that was never done is a risk.

What we checked

Checked against public records, 2026-09-25

NHTSA holds 4 owner complaints for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, and 4 recall campaigns.

That is too small a record to read a pattern from, so we are not going to pretend otherwise — with numbers this low one owner moves the percentage by a lot. What has been filed is grouped under steering (3). Treat those as things to look at, not as the vehicle's known weaknesses. A thin file usually means few of these were sold or few owners filed. It is not evidence the vehicle is trouble-free, and the issues below are our own research rather than a reading of this record.

4 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.

LG battery fire recallHigh — wallet impact

GM recalled 2017-2022 Bolts for battery cells with manufacturing defects that could cause fires. Remedies ranged from a full pack replacement to diagnostic software. Confirm on the VIN which remedy this car received and when.

Repair cost: $0 under recall; the pack is worth $12,000+ — around 80% of what this car is typically worth

Source: 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

Battery capacity and charge limits during the recall periodMedium

Owners were told to limit charging to 90% and not park indoors while awaiting the remedy. A car still awaiting service carries both a risk and an inconvenience.

Repair cost: $0 recall

Source: 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

12-volt battery and electrical accessory failuresMedium

The auxiliary battery fails and disables the car even with a charged traction pack. A common EV-wide complaint.

Repair cost (estimate): $200-$400

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Seat comfort and interior materialsLow

The front seats are widely criticized as thin and narrow. Take a long test drive.

Repair cost: Not yet priced

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Steering rack binds and will not return to centerHigh — wallet impact

The electric steering rack on 2017 Bolts is widely reported to bind: after a turn the wheel stays where you left it instead of self-centering, sometimes with stiffness or a creak from the rack, and the driver has to pull it straight by hand. It is the dominant owner complaint on this model year, there is no recall for it, and the fix is a new rack. On the test drive, make a slow parking-lot turn and let go of the wheel — it should wind back to straight on its own.

Repair cost (estimate): $1,500–$4,000 — about 27% of what this car is typically worth

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under steering (3).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Recall showing as open on the NHTSA VIN lookup
✗Seller who cannot say whether the pack was replaced
✗Charging limited to 90% with no explanation
✗No service records from a Chevrolet dealer

Good Signs

✓Battery module replacement completed under the recall — effectively a new pack with fresh warranty
✓Documentation showing the replacement date and remaining coverage
✓Liquid-cooled pack with a mild-climate history