General Motors is voluntarily recalling more than 68,000 Chevrolet Bolt EVs over concerns of potential battery fires.
The recall, which impacts Bolt EVs made between 2017 and 2019, but does not include the newest 2020 models, comes after the automaker found five confirmed cases of battery fires. All five occurred when the batteries were at full charge, or nearly fully charged, reports Detroit News.
If you own a 2017-2019 Bolt EV, the automaker is recommending you do not park in a garage or covered area at a full charge. They are also recommending to use the “hilltop reserve” charge setting in 2017 and 2018 models. Owners of 2019 models are being asked to manually set the charge limit to 90%.
In October the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it was investigating the EVs after receiving several reports of fires. According to the NHTSA, the fires appeared to originate from the battery pack under the rear seat.
The batteries included in the vehicles impacted by the recall were all made by the Korean battery manufacturer LG Chem. The 2020 models are not included because their cells are made with a different chemistry.
Transport Canada has not yet issued a recall for the Bolt EV over battery fire concerns by the time of publication.
