General Motors has issued a recall of its Chevy Bolt electric vehicle that expands on an earlier recall. The notice applies to all Chevy Bolt models from 2020 to 2022 and all remaining 2019 models. The recall follows numerous reports of fires linked to the vehicle's LG-made battery pack.
GM has stated that it will replace faulty battery packs in affected Chevy Bolt vehicles. All costs, which could total $1 billion, will be borne by the automotive major.
The recall affects 52,403 Chevy Bolts in the United States and 9,019 in Canada from the model years 2020 to 2022. It also includes 6,989 Chevrolet Bolts in the United States and 1,212 in Canada from the 2019 model year that was not included in the previous recall. According to GM, the batteries that come with the new modules will have an 8-year/100,000-mile limited warranty.
Although GM claims that the fires have only occurred in "rare circumstances," the company considers the problem serious enough that it is advising Chevy Bolt owners to park their vehicle outside immediately after charging it and not to charge it indoors overnight.
Furthermore, owners should set their Chevy Bolt to a 90 percent state of charge limitation using Target Charge Level mode until the vehicle has been repaired. Owners should also make an effort to charge their Chevy Bolt more frequently to avoid depleting the battery below 70 miles (113 km) of the remaining range.
