Chevrolet Bolt EV Lemon Law

GM recalled every 2017–2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV — about 110,000 vehicles — because the high-voltage battery pack can catch fire. GM and battery supplier LG traced the risk to two rare manufacturing defects occurring in the same cell: a torn anode tab and a folded separator. The recalls were issued under NHTSA campaigns 21V560 (2017–2019) and 21V650 (2020–2022). As an interim step, owners were told to park outside and away from structures, not charge overnight, cap the charge around 90 percent, and avoid running the battery too low — a real burden for a car people rely on daily.

The remedy involves battery-module replacement plus a software update, but many owners have faced long waits for parts, repeated diagnostic software, and lingering concerns even after service. Bolt owners also report charging problems — failures to charge on Level 2 or DC fast chargers — and reduced range, whether from the charge caps imposed during the recall or from underlying battery-module issues. For an electric vehicle, a battery or charging defect goes to the heart of what the car is for.

California's Lemon Law fully covers electric vehicles, and it applies when a warranty-covered defect that substantially impairs the car's use, value, or safety can't be repaired within a reasonable number of attempts, or when the vehicle is out of service for an extended cumulative period. A recall is not automatically a lemon, but a fire-risk battery, repeated charging failures, or weeks out of service waiting on modules can qualify your Bolt EV for a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement — with GM paying your attorney fees.

A recall is not automatically a lemon — it's the manufacturer acknowledging a defect and offering a free repair. California's Lemon Law (the Song-Beverly Act) comes into play when a substantial defect can't be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, or when your Bolt EV has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days.

If your Chevrolet Bolt EV qualifies, you may be entitled to a buyback (a refund of what you've paid, minus a mileage offset), a replacement vehicle, or a cash-and-keep settlement — and Chevrolet pays your attorney fees on a successful claim, so pursuing your case costs you nothing out of pocket.