ROME – General Motors has started the recall of its Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles sold around the world to fix a battery problem that could cause fires. The recall raises questions about lithium-ion batteries, which are now used in nearly all electric vehicles. Ford, BMW and Hyundai have also withdrawn their batteries.
GM’s recall of approximately 73,000 units (2019 to present) adds to a previous recall of 69,000 older Bolt. GM said that in rare cases, batteries have two manufacturing defects that can cause fires.
The Detroit automaker said it will replace batteries in all vehicles. A recall that will cost the company about $ 1 billion, bringing the total cost of Bolt battery recalls to 1.8 billion. GM said owners should limit charging to 90% of the battery’s capacity. Vehicles, including a new electric SUV model, should be parked outdoors until modules are replaced.
The first recall involving the car was attributed to a manufacturing defect at a South Korean plant operated by GM’s battery supplier LG Chemical Solution. But the company said an investigation showed that defects are possible in batteries made at other sites.
GM issued the first Bolt recall in November after receiving reports from five people about fire cases. The company did not initially know what was causing the problem, but determined that the batteries that caught fire were almost fully charged. He then traced the fires to what he called a rare manufacturing defect in battery modules that can cause a short in a cell and start a fire. GM said it began investigating after a 2019 model not included in the previous recall caught fire a few weeks ago in Chandler, Arizona.
Owners will be advised to bring their cars to dealerships as soon as replacement parts are ready. The company said it will no longer manufacture or sell Bolt until it is satisfied that the problems have been resolved in LG batteries.
The batteries with the new modules will come with an eight-year, 100,000-mile (160-kilometer) warranty, the company said. GM will replace all five battery modules in bolts from 2017 to 2019. Defective modules will be replaced in newer models.
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