Chevrolet Electrical Problems

Electrical issues make up roughly 11% of all Chevrolet owner complaints. The majority of the issues have been reported by Impala owners.

The complaint we hear about most often is passlock problem, won't start and security light is on in the 2002 Impala.

Common Chevrolet Electrical Problems

  1. Engine Power is Reduced

    Defects with Chevy's accelerator pedal sensor and electronic throttle control system are triggering a sudden and dangerous 'Engine Power is Reduced' warning message which can lead to the car suddenly losing power and having limited accelera…

    Continue reading article "Engine Power is Reduced" A snail on the road

  2. Chevrolet Bolt Fires

    GM believes new software updates will allow Bolt owners to fully charge their batteries once again. Owners were asked to temporarily limit their battery's charging capacity to stop defective cells from sparking a flame and make the EV extra…

    Continue reading article "Chevrolet Bolt Fires" An orange and yellow flame on a black background

  4. Delayed Acceleration Problems

    Many Chevrolet generations suffer from delayed acceleration due to a slow response in the drive-by-wire electronic throttle system. The throttle lag can be frustrating at best, but can also leave drivers in dangerous situations. Unfortunate…

    Continue reading article "Delayed Acceleration Problems" A snail on the road

Where Electrical Complaints Happen

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

Worst Models

Recent Electrical News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Chevy says battery scans and software update will allow 2017-2019 Bolt owners to once again charge their batteries to full capacity.

    The EVs were recalled last November following reports of the batteries catching on fire while charging near 100%. As a temporary measure, owners were asked to limit their battery's charging capacity to 90% until a more permanent fix could be found.…

    keep reading article "Chevy Says They Have A More Permanent Fix to Prevent Bolt Battery Fires"

  2. GM is urging owners of the 2021 Express to park outside and away from anything that could burn until the vans get repaired.

    Late last year they said the van's batteries could drain when the positive battery cable accidently came in contact with the fuse block assembly. Now they're saying it's less drain, more flame—as in at least four vans have gone up in smoke due to the batteries short-circuiting.…

    keep reading article "GM Recalls 2021 Chevy Express After 4 Battery Fires"

  3. Another owner is suing GM following their decision to cap the Bolt's battery capacity at 90%, even if that's a temporary fix to prevent fires.

    The automaker recalled the Chevy EVs last November after learning that the batteries can spark a flame as they are charging and nearing 100%. By temporarily capping them at 90%, GM can stop those fires while they search for a more permanent solution.

    But a plaintiff in Michigan says Bolt owners need to contend with range anxiety and diminished resale value while they wait. Call me crazy, but a temporary restriction on range feels a lot more desirable than a permanently charred engine.…

    keep reading article "Another Chevy Bolt Owner Sues GM Over Range Anxiety"

  5. The combination of cold-weather and a recent software update is diminishing the Chevy Bolt's range by an estimated 33%

    according to a new class-action lawsuit. That has sparked some serious range anxiety for Canadian owners. Most EV owners are aware that cold weather is going to slow the battery down a bit, but that problem has been compounded by GM's decision to limit the Bolt's charging capacity to 90%.…

    keep reading article "Canadian Bolt Owners Already Had Winter Range Anxiety, a Recent Software Update Only Made it Worse"

  6. General Motors has been sued for last month's Bolt EV recall which temporarily limits the battery's capacity to 90%, bringing the car's range down from 238 miles to roughly 214.

    The plaintiff says the software update is giving him "range anxiety" and that's only heightened by the impending cold weather months which can also limit range. Last I checked, winter was going to happen regardless of the recall and it could just be me but I'd be more anxious about the possibility of my car catching on fire than losing 14 miles of range.…

    keep reading article "A Bolt EV Owner Cites Range Anxiety in His Lawsuit Against GM's Latest Recall"

  7. General Motors is recalling roughly 68,700 Bolt EVs to temporarily limit their battery capacities hoping it'll prevent further battery fires.

    The automaker has confirmed five fires are the result of a defect inside the EV's high-voltage battery systems. The batteries contain cells from LG Chem and as they approach a 100% charged state there's an issue that can cause a short-circuit and spark a flame.

    The issue has been under investigation by the safety regulators since last month.…

    keep reading article "Why Bolt Owners Need to Park Outside Until They Get This Recall"

  8. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administation (NHTSA) has opened a federal investigation into the 2017-2020 Bolt EV following three reports of fires while the cars were parked and unoccupied.

    All three reports seemed to have happened as the car was charging or parked with nearly a 100% charge.

    The investigation will determine if the nearly 78,000 vehicles are too dangerous to drive or park in an enclosed structure.

    keep reading article "Three Reports of Bolt EV Battery Fires Under Investigation"

  10. There’s a problem with the power window switches in more than 200,000 Express and GMC Savana vans.

    GM says liquid can enter the switch and corrode it, leading to high electrical resistance. The resistance can cause the switch to overheat, smoke, melt and cause a fire, although the automaker isn't exactly sure what is causing the corrosion.

    Spill a coffee, get a fire. That’s a really bad day.

    keep reading article "Power Window Switches Can Corrode in GM Vans"

  11. The Malibu Hybrid comes with a manual service disconnect (MSD) switch that mechanics can use to shut off the high-voltage battery when working on the car.

    That's smart and safe. Can you imagine if that switch could just magically turn itself off while driving? The sudden stop, the lack of power, the traffic swerving around you, new curse words you never even knew existed. Good thing that never happens, right? RIGHT? Oh yes, it can happen. And it has.

    GM is recalling some 2016 models because the MSD switch can come loose and cut power to your car while driving. The automaker points out it doesn't affect low-voltage functions like airbags and seatbelt pretensioners, which is good when you suddenly find yourself stopped in the middle of the road.

    The affected Malibus were built between 10/27/2015 and 06/03/2016.

    keep reading article "Why Are Malibu Hybrids Suddenly Losing Power?"