Less than six months after announcing a recall of more than 50,000 Chevy Bolts, car manufacturer GM has issued another recall. This time, the company is recalling nearly 70,000 Bolts due to the risk of the vehicle’s battery catching on fire.
GM reveals in a recall statement that as part of the company’s commitment to safety, the experts at the car manufacturer and LG have identified a “simultaneous” presence of two rare manufacturing defects in the same battery cell. The company reveals that the rare defect is the root cause of battery fires in certain Chevy Bolt EVs.
“As a result, GM will be conducting a new recall for the previous population of Bolt EVs (2017-2019),” the manufacturer explains. “To address the risk of battery fires in these vehicles.”
GM Reveals Remedies for Chevy Bolt Recall
GM explains that as part of the recall, the company will replace defective battery models in the recall population. The company will also notify customers when replacement parts are ready. GM says as it prepares to conduct the recall, it is asking customers to take the steps until the remedy has been done.
GM also says customers should return vehicles to the 90% state of charge limitation using the Hilltop Reserve mode for the 2017-2018 models. The Target Charge Level for the 2019 model year models. The manufacturer notes it is asking that customers charge their vehicle after each use. Customers also need to avoid depleting their battery below approximately 70 miles of remaining rage if possible.
“Out of an abundance of caution, customers should continue to park their vehicles outside immediately after charging and not leave their vehicles charging overnight,” GM states. The company adds customers should visit their nearest Chevrolet EV dealer to obtain the latest update.
GM Remains Dedicated to Solve Battery Issues
Meanwhile, GM spokesman Dan Flores spoke to NPR about the situation. He states that GM engineers are still working around the clock on how to find the battery defect. He confirms that the last recall in April did not fully fix the problem.
“We understand that the previous recall and this recall significantly inconvenience our customers,” Flores states. He says that GM appreciates the customers’ patience. Flores also explains that GM is handling customer complaints about the inconvenience and lower travel range on a case-by-case basis. The company also reports that it will now replace any defective battery modules and possibly the whole battery pack of the vehicles.
Flores does reassure that once the final recall repairs are done, the Bolts’ full range will be restored. He admits that the company does not know how long it will take to fix the issue. The spokesman then shares that the number of Bolts that have the defective battery is likely to be small.
