GM Recalls Chevy Bolt for Second Time due to Fire Hazard

July 26, 2021
General Motors is recalling 2017-2019 model year Chevy Bolts a second time because of a risk that the battery packs could catch fire.

General Motors is recalling 2017-2019 model year Chevy Bolts a second time because of a risk that the battery packs could catch fire. The new recall comes after two Bolts recently caught fire despite having received the purported software fix from the previous recall, which was first announced in November 2020.

The automaker says that working with battery supplier LG Chem, it discovered that some of the cells that make up the Bolt’s pack can have two simultaneous manufacturing defects. 

GM says it’s still preparing the recall, and so it’s telling owners to take precautions in the meantime until they’re able to check and attempt to fix every vehicle. The company says owners shouldn’t charge the vehicle to more than 90 percent, or let it drop below 70 miles (which is roughly 27 percent). That means owners will only be able to use about 60 percent (around 155 miles) of their vehicle’s capacity until GM is able to complete the new recall fix.

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