Current Chevy Bolt owners can take some precautions to try and prevent a battery fire.
UPDATE: An earlier version cites GM’s earlier statement extending the Bolt’s production shutdown through the week of September 24. The automaker announced Thursday it would extend that shutdown again through at least October 15.
After another case wherein a 2019 Chevrolet Bolt caught fire earlier this week in Cherokee County, Georgia, GM issued an updated statement telling owners to park and store their cars at least 50 feet away from other vehicles and outside structures, per a new Bloomberg report.
Right now, every single Bolt produced since 2016 is under recall. That includes more than 140,000 vehicles with potentially defective battery packs that could catch fire. As a result, official recommendations at the moment are to avoid charging the car above 90% state-of-charge, parking it 50 feet away from other vehicles and parking it well clear of nearby flammable objects. General Motors notes taking these precautions would “reduce potential damage to structures and nearby vehicles in the rare event of a potential fire.”
Owners can work with their local Chevrolet dealer to replace affected battery modules, when parts are available.
In addition to parking away from other vehicles and structures, GM recommends against leaving the Bolt unattended while charging or charging it overnight.
As the automaker widened its campaign to replace all defective battery modules, the total estimated cost of doing so currently sits around $1.8 billion. For its part, GM will not reboot Bolt production until it’s satisfied that LG Chem, maker of the potentially defective modules, has remedied the problem. Last week, it said it would shut down the Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan until at least October 15, while it works on a solution.
To date, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found 13 Chevy Bolt fires, while GM has so far confirmed 10 cases.
Read more on the current Chevy Bolt recalls below:
