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GM Finds Another Fire Risk in “Fixed” Chevy Bolts

Harry November 7, 2024

Fortunately, this recall only affects 107 Bolt models from the 2020 through 2022 model years

with brad anderson

4 hours ago

Some Bolt models include diagnostic software that was installed incorrectly and may not function as designed.
GM advises affected Bolt owners to limit charging to 90% to reduce the possibility of a battery fire.
Owners are also advised not to let their electric vehicle’s range drop below 70 miles.

new generation Chevrolet The Bolt is on the horizon, but GM can’t seem to escape the shadow of its troubled history with the model. The automaker has issued another recall for the old Bolt; It was a reminder that the headaches from the earlier EV experiment are far from over.

You’ll no doubt remember that three years ago, GM recalled more than 140,000 Bolts across the United States due to the risk of catching fire. It was determined that the problem was caused by a problem with the battery pack purchased from LG. Now GM has announced that some of the 2020-2022 Bolt EV and Bolt EUV models repaired under the previous recall are still at risk of catching fire.

To read: Chevy Bolt Owners May Get Up to $1,400 in Compensation for Battery Fires

As part of the previous recall, GM dealers were instructed to install advanced diagnostic software that alerts drivers to battery malfunctions. However, it turns out that on some Bolts, this software was not installed properly and the vehicle may not be able to detect faulty battery modules that need to be replaced. GM says this increases the vehicle’s risk of fire.

This is bad news for GM, which has been seriously embarrassed by previous Bolt problems. Fortunately, this latest malfunction is not very common and affects only 107 vehicles in the US. These consist of 2020-2022 Bolt EV models produced between November 8, 2019 and May 19, 2021 and 2022. Bolt EUV models Built between March 30, 2021 and July 23, 2021.

The automaker became aware of the issue on July 23, 2024, after a brand quality manager discovered that a faulty software update limited the customer’s Bolt EUV to an 80% state of charge despite exceeding the projected ~6,200 miles (~10,000 km) evaluation time. .

GM will notify vehicle owners by December 16, 2024 and instruct them to take their EV to a dealer where the diagnostic software will be properly installed. GM, meanwhile, is asking owners to limit their vehicles to a 90% charge, encouraging them to charge more frequently and avoiding draining the battery with less than 70 miles (113 km) of remaining range. Additionally, vehicle owners should park their vehicles outside immediately after charging and should not leave them charging indoors overnight.