General Motors will replace defective batteries in about 50,000 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles (EVs) that have been subject to a recall since last November. A Consumer Alert issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning provides new instructions for Bolt owners until the recall is complete.
New Instructions for Bolt Owners
A Chevrolet spokesperson tells Kelley Blue Book, “As part of GM’s commitment to safety, experts from GM and [battery manufacturer] LG have identified the simultaneous presence of two rare manufacturing defects in the same battery cell as the root cause of battery fires in certain Chevrolet Bolt EVs.” To address the problem, “GM will replace defective battery modules in the recall population.”
GM will notify owners when the replacement batteries are available. In the meantime, GM and the NHTSA are urging owners to:
- Set their vehicle to the 90-percent state of charge limitation either using Hilltop Reserve mode (2017 and 2018 model years) or Target Charge Level mode (2019 model year).
- If owners are unable to set their vehicles to the 90-percent state of charge limitation mode, or if they feel uncomfortable making the change, GM is asking owners to visit their dealer immediately to have the change made.
- Recharge the battery on their Bolts after each use and avoid running down the battery below an estimated remaining 70-mile range where possible.
The move comes just a week after GM warned owners to park their Bolts outside due to fire risk.
An Evolving Story
Chevrolet first recalled the Bolts last November after reports of several vehicle fires. Dealers installed new software that prevented the batteries from charging to their full capacity. Chevrolet told owners that a more permanent solution would follow.
In April, GM updated the recall. Dealers used new diagnostic equipment to inspect the batteries and replaced those deemed at high risk of fire. They installed new battery monitoring software in every Bolt, new battery or not. The new software was designed to warn of any changes to the battery’s status.
Now, the NHTSA says it “is aware of one fire with the interim remedy and two fires with the final remedy.”
Reports of Buybacks
Some Bolt owners have reported that Chevrolet bought back their vehicles. In May, a Chevy spokesperson told us that the company was “handling buybacks on an individual basis” and had no more information to share. It’s not clear what triggers the decision to buy back a car. Differing state lemon laws may explain why only some owners have received a buyback offer.
Current Bolts Not Affected
The recall, we should note, affects only 2017-2019 Bolts. Bolts currently on dealership lots are an entirely different design and are not included in the recall.
Dealerships always perform recall repairs at no cost. Find out if your car is eligible for any free safety repairs at our recall center.
Chevrolet has set up its own Bolt recall page for updates at www.chevy.com/boltevrecall.
