Chevrolet dealers will begin installing new battery modules in more than 140,000 Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV electric cars in mid-October. The announcement comes just three weeks after Chevy paused repair efforts in a widespread recall triggered by a handful of battery fires.
Background: The Cars
The Bolt EV is a small electric hatchback first sold as a 2017 model. Chevy refreshed the little car with updated cabin tech and new styling for 2022. The Bolt EUV is essentially a stretched Bolt, with more rear-seat room, all new for 2022.
The Bolts use a unique battery architecture not found on other electric vehicles. Parent company GM has announced a plan to sell a mostly electric lineup by 2035. None of its other EVs use the same battery chemistry as the Bolts.
An Evolving Recall
Fire Marshalls have cited Bolt batteries as the likely cause of at least a dozen fires nationwide. Several of the fires spread to structures where the vehicles parked. The company says it is not aware of any injuries caused by the fires.
Chevrolet initially believed the problem was limited to 2017-2019 Bolt EVs. The company recalled those cars last November and installed software that limited the batteries from charging to their full capacity in an attempt to limit fire risk while it continued to investigate the problem.
In April, it called the same cars back to dealers for a more permanent fix.
A Bolt battery module consists of five separate cells. Engineers identified a pair of manufacturing defects that could lead to a fire if present in the same cell. Chevrolet developed new diagnostic equipment intended to help dealers identify at-risk batteries and replaced those deemed questionable.
After at least two fires occurred in Bolts that had received both fixes, the company decided to simply replace battery modules in every Bolt. In August, Chevrolet expanded the recall to include every Bolt and Bolt EUV on the road. The company also stopped production of the two vehicles while it made repairs.
But in early September, Chevy paused that recall. A spokesman told reporters, “Because we are not confident that [Bolt battery manufacturer] LG has the capability to build defect-free products, we’ve put the repairs on hold and we are not building new Bolts. We’re not going to start recall repairs or start building new Bolts until we’re confident LG will build defect-free products.”
New Confidence in Batteries
Chevy now appears confident in LG’s products. In a statement, Chevrolet says, “LG has implemented new manufacturing processes and has worked with GM to review and enhance its quality assurance programs to provide confidence in its batteries moving forward.”
“We’re grateful for the patience of owners and dealers as we work to advance solutions to this recall,” said Doug Parks, GM executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing, and Supply Chain. “Resuming battery module production is a first step, and we’ll continue to work aggressively with LG to obtain additional battery supply,” Parks said.
Prioritizing Repairs by Build Date
GM plans to replace battery modules in every Bolt EV and Bolt EUV. But dealers will prioritize repairs for owners whose batteries were built on certain dates. The company believes the defects cluster in batteries built during several time windows.
It also plans to release a new diagnostic software within the next 60 days to monitor battery health and alert owners to any abnormality. In a statement, the company says, “It is GM’s intent that further diagnostic software will allow customers to return to a 100 percent state of charge once all diagnostic processes are complete.”
Bolts do not download software updates remotely, so owners will need to return to the dealership to get the software. They’ll then need to return again when their battery module replacement is ready.
Continue Observing Safety Rules
Chevrolet has asked that owners continue observing safety protocols until their dealership contacts them to arrange software installation. Those protocols include:
- Set their vehicle to a 90% state of charge limitation using Target Charge Level mode. Instructions on how to do this are available on chevy.com/boltevrecall. If customers are unable to successfully make these changes, or do not feel comfortable making these changes, GM is asking them to visit their dealer to have these adjustments completed.
- Charge their vehicle more frequently and avoid depleting their battery below approximately 70 miles (113 kilometers) of remaining range, where possible.
- Park their vehicles outside immediately after charging and not leave vehicles charging indoors overnight.
A recent study suggested that up to 30% of Bolt owners may not be following the instructions. Some Bolt owners who called in to Chevy with questions about safely storing their vehicles have also been told to park at least 50 feet from other cars and only on the top floor of parking garages.
