GM to begin repairs on fire-prone Chevy Bolts next month

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DG (DG) First announced a recall of Chevy Bolt electric vehicles in November 2020 due to a fire risk, but there was no immediate fix. In May it announced a software repair, but then there were two fires involving bolts that received this fix, causing another recall in July of 70,000 vehicles. A month later, the automaker issued a recall on 70,000 other cars.

By announcing the most recent recalls, GM has recommended that people do not charge the battery to more than 90% of its capacity. They also recommended that people don’t drain the battery within 70 miles of range.

GM’s battery supplier LG has introduced new manufacturing processes this will prevent the production of battery cells with the kind of flaws that caused them to fire, GM said. The Bolts’ high-voltage batteries have been blamed for at least 13 fires around the world, according to GM.

An LG spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.

Newly manufactured battery modules will begin shipping to Chevrolet dealerships in the middle of next month. Within 60 days, GM will begin installing diagnostic software on Bolt vehicles that will continuously monitor the battery pack for signs of a dangerous fault.

In an electric car, if a battery cell has a fault that allows its stored energy to be released uncontrollably, it can cause it to heat up. This heat can, in turn, damage other nearby cells, causing them to release their energy as heat as well. This can set off a chain reaction known as “thermal runaway” which can lead to a fire. Yet electric car fires are rare compared to gasoline car fires.

In some Bolt battery cells, a pair of unrelated manufacturing defects, if they occurred together in a single cell, could allow this process to start a fire, according to GM.

GM recalls 70,000 other Chevrolet Bolt electric cars
Before there was a fix for cars, GM was offering buyouts from Bolt EV owners. GM wouldn’t say how many vehicles it bought back from its customers. The company said it decides whether or not to buy back individual cars on a case-by-case basis. Alternatively, GM also offered to trade in the car for another GM vehicle.

As new batteries become available, GM will begin replacing the entire battery pack for older vehicles affected by the first recall. For new Chevrolet Bolt models, GM will only find and replace battery modules that are found to be faulty.

GM executives said Bolt owners could safely resume normal use of their vehicles after battery modules or battery packs have been replaced as needed, or when diagnostic software considers the batteries are free from defects.

GM executives couldn’t say when full production of the Chevrolet Bolt vehicles themselves might resume. The Bolt was more recently available in two body styles, the Bolt EV, hatchback, and the Bolt EUV, a slightly taller crossover SUV version.

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