Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet BOLT EUV vs Toyota Camry
How the Chevrolet BOLT EUV and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Chevrolet BOLT EUV vs Toyota Camry: The Bolt EUV has 145 complaints over 2 years (72.5/year) and 4 recalls, while the Camry has 2,056 complaints over 10 years (205.6/year) and 31 recalls. Bolt EUV issues center on steering and forward collision avoidance; Camry issues span power train, engine, and brakes. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet BOLT EUV or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet BOLT EUV
The Chevrolet Bolt EUV is an electric subcompact SUV with a short two-year complaint history. Owners frequently report steering that binds or fails to return to center, and forward collision avoidance systems that can trigger unexpected acceleration or fail to intervene. Electrical glitches, including stability control warnings and water leaks shorting the audio amplifier, also appear. With 145 complaints over two years, the Bolt EUV shows a moderate but concentrated set of issues, especially around steering and driver-assist electronics.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a midsize sedan with a long, high-volume complaint record spanning ten years. Power train complaints, such as shuddering, hesitation, and ignition key lockups, are the most common, followed by engine and brake issues. Owners also report electrical gremlins affecting multiple safety systems at once. With 2,056 complaints over a decade, the Camry's issues are spread across many components, but the sheer volume means certain problems are more frequently reported.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet BOLT EUV | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 145 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 13 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 72.5 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 4 Better | 158 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Chevrolet BOLT EUV
- 01FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE35
- 02STEERING34
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM30
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER16
- 05VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL15
Owners report the vehicle suddenly speeding up to about 15 mph at low speeds while turning corners, and instances where the system fails to react to cross traffic. These unexpected accelerations can surprise a driver and increase crash risk in tight maneuvers.
The electric power steering can develop 'sticky' binding that prevents the wheel from returning to center after a turn, and some owners hear grinding noises at highway speeds. This makes steering unpredictable and can lead to overcorrection.
Complaints include Service ESC warnings that are hard to reproduce, and trunk leaks that short the radio amplifier, disabling warning chimes. Such failures can mask stability control problems and cut off audible safety alerts.
Owners describe sudden, unintended acceleration at low speeds, often while turning, with one report noting about 30 occurrences over 2.5 years. This pattern suggests a speed control fault that could cause loss of control in parking lots or intersections.
“Was initially stopped at a red light heading northbound while in the right turn lane. The cross street had two lanes of traffic heading in each direction separated by a median divider to the west and a left turn lane to the east. After cross traffic cleared f…”
“Generally when driving a a slow speed and truing a corner the vehicle will suddenly speed up to about 15 miles per hour. Over the last 2.5 hears this has happened about 30 times. On at lease three (3) occasions a passenger has been with me and can confirm thi…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners report intermittent ignition key lockups where the key cannot be removed even in Park, requiring a battery disconnect, and shuddering or hesitation with check engine lights. These issues can leave a driver stranded or cause delayed acceleration.
Complaints include several-second delayed throttle response when pressing the accelerator from a stop, occurring multiple times. This lag can be dangerous when merging or pulling out into traffic.
The electronic parking brake may fail to disengage, requiring a tow, and some owners hear clicking or vibrating from the brake pedal area due to the ABS system. A stuck parking brake can prevent the car from moving, while ABS noise may signal a fault.
Multiple safety systems—smart stop, stability control, electric power steering, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping—can malfunction simultaneously. Such widespread electronic failures could overwhelm a driver and disable key aids.
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and shuddering, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Chevrolet BOLT EUV — 4 recalls
The defect: General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV vehicles. One of the two fasteners that secure the driver's frontal air bag to the steering wheel may be missing or improperly tightened.
The risk: An improperly installed air bag may not deploy properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the driver-side air bag fasteners. If the fasteners cannot be tightened properly, the air bag assembly will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letter…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
The risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, p…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles that were previously remedied under recall number 21V-650. The advanced diagnostic software may have been incorrectly installed and fail to detect defective battery modules, possibly resul…
The risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, p…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV vehicles previously repaired under Recall 21V-650. The installation of advanced diagnostic software may have failed. As such, the high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full cap…
The risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, p…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
Chevrolet BOLT EUV or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet Bolt EUV averages 72.5 complaints per year, while the Toyota Camry averages 205.6 per year over a much longer period. In practice, the Bolt EUV has fewer complaints per year, but its issues cluster around steering and driver-assist systems that are central to daily driving. The Camry's higher annual rate reflects a broader mix of power train, engine, and brake problems across many model years.
Key differences
- The Bolt EUV's most common complaints are steering binding and forward collision avoidance glitches, while the Camry's are power train shuddering and key lockups.
- Bolt EUV owners report sudden low-speed acceleration during turns, a pattern not seen in the Camry samples.
- Camry owners describe simultaneous failures of multiple electronic safety systems, whereas Bolt EUV electrical issues often involve stability control warnings or water leaks.
- The Camry has 31 recalls over 10 years, including air bag sensor and seat issues, while the Bolt EUV has 4 recalls, mostly for battery and air bag concerns.
- Test the steering at low and high speeds for binding, grinding, or failure to return to center after turns.
- Check for unexpected acceleration or hesitation when driving slowly and turning corners, and verify forward collision warnings activate properly.
- Try removing the ignition key in Park multiple times to check for lockup, and listen for shuddering or hesitation during acceleration.
- Test the electronic parking brake engagement and release, and listen for clicking or vibrating from the brake pedal area.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all open recalls have been remedied, especially battery and air bag recalls on the Bolt EUV and seat/air bag sensor recalls on the Camry.
- During a test drive, specifically evaluate steering feel, low-speed acceleration, and brake pedal response for the Bolt EUV; for the Camry, test key removal, acceleration from a stop, and parking brake operation.
- Ask a mechanic to scan for stored diagnostic trouble codes related to stability control, power train, and ABS systems.
- Inspect the Bolt EUV's trunk and wheel well for water leaks that could short the audio amplifier, and check the Camry's subframe and driveline for unusual noises.
- Review the NHTSA complaint database for the specific model year you are considering to see if reported issues are more frequent.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Chevrolet BOLT EUV | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 119 | 64 |
| 2022 | 26 | 61 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Chevrolet BOLT EUV or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet BOLT EUV vs Toyota Camry
- Chevrolet BOLT EUV total complaints
- 145
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- Chevrolet BOLT EUV total recalls
- 4
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Chevrolet BOLT EUV avg complaints/year
- 72.5
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet BOLT EUV
- Chevrolet BOLT EUV top complaint area
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN