GM recalls all Chevrolet Bolt EVs for battery fire risk



(August 21, 2021) DETROIT — General Motors is expanding its Chevrolet Bolt recall to include all model years, including the new 2022 Bolt EUV and the redesigned 2022 Bolt EV, according to Automotive News. The automaker will spend about $1 billion on the recall, on top of the $800 million it spent last quarter. Dealers are not permitted to sell the Bolts until they have applied the recall repair, which varies by model year.

The new recall includes 9,335 Bolt EVs from the 2019 model year that were not included in the previous recall (6,989 were sold in the U.S.) and 63,683 Bolt EVs and EUVs from the 2020-22 model years (52,403 were sold in the U.S.).

Batteries manufactured by LG and supplied to GM may have two manufacturing defects, a torn anode fab and a folded separator, in the same battery cell, which increases the risk of a fire, GM said. The defects have caused at least nine GM-confirmed fires.

GM will replace all modules in the 2017-2019 models, but only defective modules in the 2020-2022 Bolts. Batteries with the new modules will come with an 8-year/100,000-mile limited warranty, GM said.

Source: Automotive News