NHTSA Complaint #11480245 — 2018 CHEVROLET BOLT EV

While driving at highway speed, the steering wheel started to shimmy, making the vehicle difficult to control. On inspection, the front wheel was very hot. The mechanic advised that the front caliper is defective. The Bolt EV is equipped with a regenerative braking system that stops the vehicle. This vehicle has been stopped by using this regenerative braking system about 99% of the time. The mechanic advised that since the caliper has not been used, it has started freezing, causing the brakes to continue to be applied after they are used. This causes the wheel to heat during driving, and at continuous highway speeds, causes the steering wheel to shimmy and makes the vehicle difficult to control. The vehicle has less than 10,000 miles. The brake dragging also causes reduced acceleration. The unexpected reduced acceleration can cause a hazard in the event of passing where the vehicle is unable to pass and return to the driving lane before oncoming vehicles arrive. There were no warning lamps, and the part has not been removed from the vehicle at this writing. It is not known whether the mechanic reproduced this fault. The fault has been intermittent, but has occurred on more than one occasion.