The Lemon Index
Transmission complaints owners filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) for each model year, per 100,000 cars sold. A complaint counts when it's filed under the transmission, or under the power train and the owner describes the transmission (shifting, slipping, gears, CVT). It's an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and older years have had longer to collect complaints.
What owners describe
Share of this model's transmission complaints that mention each symptom. One complaint can mention several.
In owners' words
I experienced a failure of the 12-volt battery. When this happens, the vehicle loses power, stalls, and then it looses all functions - cannot be even shifted into neutral to move it, cannot open rear doors. We couldn't even get in on a tow truck.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt owner · NHTSA complaint
Parking button may not fully engage when pressed causing vehicle to roll forward in drive gear or while in reverse causing vehicle to collide. Vehicle will automatically go into park when driver door is opened, but button can take deep press to fully engage into park. If driver removes foot from brake petal before vehicle is in Park car moves.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt owner · NHTSA complaint
Quick answers
Which Chevrolet Bolt years have transmission problems?
By transmission complaints filed with NHTSA per car sold, the worst Chevrolet Bolt years are 2017, 2023, 2021.
What are common Chevrolet Bolt transmission problems?
Owners most often describe lost power while driving, hard or jerky shifting, rolled away or park trouble.
Which Chevrolet Bolt years have the fewest transmission complaints?
Since 2010, the Chevrolet Bolt years with the fewest transmission complaints per car sold are 2020, 2021, 2023.
See every problem, not just the transmission: Chevrolet Bolt reliability by year. How we count