DETROIT, MI. (Pain In The Pass) >> General Motors Co. is advising owners of its previously recalled Chevrolet Volt electric vehicles to once again park outdoors after two cars that had been repaired caught fire.
The auto maker said on its website that it is also advising the owners “out of an abundance of caution” not to leave their vehicles charging overnight.
The company didn’t release details about what caused the fires in the two cars but said it was investigating the incidents. GM said customers should continue to get the fix under the recall. In response to a request for comment, a GM spokesman emailed a statement similar to the announcement on the website.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the vehicles’ cell packs have the potential to smoke and ignite internally. The agency opened an investigation into the Bolt in October 2020.
Back in November GM recalled nearly 69,000 Volts from the 2017-19 model years, including roughly 51,000 sold in the U.S. GM said then that it was aware the plug-in models had a fire risk related to the lithium-ion batteries. Under the recall, the company said at that time that dealerships would limit the batteries’ charging capacity to 90% until a permanent fix was found.
The company said it has developed diagnostic software tools that will look for potential battery irregularities and will be able to detect potential issues related to changes in battery performance before any issues occur. GM said it would replace battery module assemblies if necessary. When affected cars receive the new software the 90% limit is removed.
The auto industry is trying to accelerate its shift from gasoline-powered vehicles to battery-powered ones while dealing with issues as they arise.
Checking for recalls on your vehicle is easier than you think. Enter your vehicles VIN number at NHTSA recalls site or checktoprotect.org to see if your vehicle has a open recall.
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