GM Halts Chevy Bolt Production, Repairs Without Defect-Free Batteries

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GM Chevy Bolt Recall Overview:

• Who: General Motors will wait for LG to supply defect-free batteries before resuming Chevy Bolt production and repairs.
• Why: The LG-supplied batteries used in Bolt vehicles pose a risk of catching fire. 
• Where: The recall affects consumers in Canada and the US. 

General Motors has halted production and repairs of its Chevy Bolt electric vehicles until LG Energy Solution can supply defect-free batteries — the cause of GM’s $1.8 million Bolt recall, reports the Winnipeg Sun. 

“If we took the battery stock that’s in the field right now or at a warehouse, we’re not confident that it is defect-free…We’re not going to start recall repairs or start building new Bolts until we’re confident LG will build defect-free products,” Dan Flores, a spokesperson for GM, told The Detroit Free Press of the halt in production. 

Chevy Bolt Recall Canada

The recall covered Bolt models from 2017 to 2022, including the Bolt EUV, which affects 18,732 vehicles in Canada. This means that not only will no new Bolt vehicles be manufactured, but any recalled Bolt vehicles cannot be repaired by GM, since GM cannot guarantee its current supply of batteries aren’t defective and will wait instead for defect-free ones.

Bolt batteries have the potential to ignite when charged to more than 90 percent of its capacity. If you own a Bolt, GM advises to adjust the vehicle’s maximum charging level to 90 per cent; charge the vehicle more frequently; and avoid dipping below 113 kilometres of remaining range. You should also avoid charging the car indoors overnight and park it outside immediately after it’s been charged.

No timeline towards defect-free batteries has been outlined by GM or LG, who are working together to find a solution. So far, engineers know the problem lies with batteries’ torn anode tabs and folded separators, but cannot yet determine when or why the problem arises. 

Defective car batteries have resulted in devastating vehicle fires before in Canada. Last year, Transport Canada recalled 3,404 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids across Canada affected by the dangerous electrical system defect. Consumers filed a class action lawsuit in the wake of the battery defect recall claiming 

Do you own a Chevy Bolt? How do you feel about the recall? Let us know in the comments below!

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