GM Voluntarily Recalling 69,000 Chevy Bolts Over Fire Concerns
Car manufacturers have been ramping up production of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in recent years as demand has grown for more environmentally friendly vehicles. Unfortunately, several manufacturers have had to issue recalls of their battery-powered models in recent months, including Ford, Hyundai, and BMW.
Last week, Detroit auto manufacturer, Chevrolet, issued a voluntary recall of 68,667 Chevy Bolts that were built between 2017 and 2019 worldwide. The reason? There were at least five reported “fire incidents” involving the electric vehicle model; all vehicles had either fully charged or almost fully charged batteries at the time the fires erupted. As a result of the fires, there are two reports of smoke inhalation injuries.
According to The Detroit News, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating three of the five fires and says more than 50,000 of the affected vehicles are located in the United States. GM says they are cooperating with the investigation and running a simultaneous internal investigation that started before NHTSA’s.
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident because of a manufacturing defect, you will need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney with experience in car accidents and products liability law. They will help you get the settlement you deserve.
What is causing the fires?
While GM has not yet identified the exact reason that the high-voltage batteries used in their Chevy Bolts have a fire risk, they have disclosed that:
- The risk appears to be when these high-voltage batteries are either fully charged or close to fully charged.
- The batteries in question were manufactured at a South Korean LG Chem plant.
What should I do if I own a Bolt EV?
GM is asking owners of 2017 – 2019 model year Bolt EVs to schedule an appointment at a Chevrolet dealership starting today. The dealer will reflash and update the vehicle’s battery software to limit the maximum charge to 90 percent. While waiting for their appointment, owners of 2017 or 2018 model year Bolt EVs should reset their vehicle’s settings to the Hill Top Reserve option. For owners with a 2019 model year Bolt EV, they should change their vehicle settings to enable target charge level at 90 percent. Watch this video for instructions: https://my.chevrolet.com/how-to-support/safety/boltevrecall
Product liability law
Defective and dangerous products cause thousands of injuries every year. If you were injured in a car accident because of a defective part, contact a product liability lawyer today; he or she may be able to help you recover damages for your injury several times higher than you could negotiate on your own.
In successful product liability cases, a product manufacturer, distributor or seller is held liable for the injuries caused by the defective or dangerous product. Product liability laws vary by state but generally require that a product meet ordinary consumer expectations that a product be free of defects or dangers. When a product fails to meet this threshold, it could end up as part of a product liability lawsuit.
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
