Staying Fit
General Motors (GM) issued a recall on all models of its Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles due to a risk that the car's lithium ion battery pack may catch fire.
The announcement affects 59,392 additional vehicles that were not covered in previous recalls on the car's 2017–19 model years, which pertained to 50,932 of its cars. But those who received an earlier recall repair are also included in the new recall.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed five known car fires resulting from batteries igniting the vehicle, with two injuries resulting from those fires. At least one of the fires spread from the car and ignited a home.
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Recommendations to Bolt owners
GM has the following recommendations for all Chevrolet Bolt owners:
- Park the car outside, away from structures (to avoid spreading fires), and don't charge it overnight when it is unattended.
- Set the vehicle to the 90 percent state-of-charge limitation using Hilltop Reserve mode or Target Charge level mode. If you are unable to make the change or feel uncomfortable doing so, GM requests that you visit a local dealer to have this done immediately.
- Recharge the car's battery after each use, and do not wait until the battery is almost depleted (about 70 miles remaining) before recharging it.
The company said it will replace the defective lithium ion battery modules with new ones free of charge and will notify customers when replacement parts are ready. Meanwhile, consumers can contact Chevrolet at 833-EVCHEVY, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to midnight ET, and Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 9 p.m. ET; or reach out to a Chevrolet electric vehicle dealer.
Bolt owners can also visit NHTSA.gov/recalls and enter their 17-digit vehicle ID number to see if their car is under recall.
