Another Bolt battery fire after final fix software update installed

C

Claire Green

Member
GM final fix for Bolt EV battery recall is not as effective as we are led to believe. Another Bolt burned down in Vermont even after the final software update was installed. This is a blackeye for GM considering the owner of the burned Bolt is a state representative and calls into question the effectiveness of GM's final solution to the recall. The only positive I can say about the new software is that now the car will honk it's horn when the battery is about to go into thermal runaway. https://www.vnews.com/Firefighters-put-out-blaze-in-car-of-Vt-State-Representative-41272606
 
Claire Green said:
GM final fix for Bolt EV battery recall is not as effective as we are led to believe. Another Bolt burned down in Vermont even after the final software update was installed. This is a blackeye for GM considering the owner of the burned Bolt is a state representative and calls into question the effectiveness of GM's final solution to the recall. The only positive I can say about the new software is that now the car will honk it's horn when the battery is about to go into thermal runaway. https://www.vnews.com/Firefighters-put-out-blaze-in-car-of-Vt-State-Representative-41272606
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Sadly, this doesn't surprise me.

So if I encounter a Bolt with the horn blowing, what should I do? Get out my phone, and start filming?
 
GM needs to get a handle on this. So far it seems like none of the 2019s with the Michigan batteries are in trouble, right?
 
GM had enough time to handle this but they put profit ahead of customer's well being. They wasted 6 months trying to figure out how to cheat their way out of the mess instead of following Hyundai's lead with battery replacement. Their buyback program was a complete fiasco leaving more loyal customers disappointed with GM and swearing off any future GM products. As far as the 2019's Michigan batteries are concerned it's too early to tell but they are also required to get the "advanced monitoring " software fix so that tells you how confident GM is about the safety of those batteries. This goes true for the 2022 EV and EUV that has the "advanced monitoring software" installed before leaving the factory.
There's no sense in looking up to GM to fix this, all eyes should be on the NHTSA to "make" GM fix this safety issue for the safety of the public. GM will always protect their profit and priority #1 is always the bottom line. There was a lot of promises of corporate change from the ignition fiasco a few years ago but no lesson learned and now it's back to business as usual.
 
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Claire Green said:
...... As far as the 2019's Michigan batteries are concerned it's too early to tell but they are also required to get the "advanced monitoring " software fix so that tells you how confident GM is about the safety of those batteries. This goes true for the 2022 EV and EUV that has the "advanced monitoring software" installed.........
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Unfortunately, "time will tell" is not very comfortable. Its like waiting for Godot. It makes me worry about the EUV, and so on. Also, Tesla had a few battery fires too, so I guess we are going through teething troubles with these cars. Its such a shame, because my 2017 Bolt EV remains a pleasure to drive after all these years so far.
 
Doing some homework on Bolt EV fires ... i hope that you're aware of this mini Bolt EV fire summary ...

1. Confirm it's a 2019 (and 2020?) problem.
2. Only 10 fires related to battery source.
3. From low SoC battery to full charge.
4. Post- charging event.

Keep your EV spirit alive ... and always, "Think Outside the Pump! "
 
ericy said:
Sadly, this doesn't surprise me.

So if I encounter a Bolt with the horn blowing, what should I do? Get out my phone, and start filming?
Click to expand...
Claire Green said:
GM final fix for Bolt EV battery recall is not as effective as we are led to believe. Another Bolt burned down in Vermont even after the final software update was installed. This is a blackeye for GM considering the owner of the burned Bolt is a state representative and calls into question the effectiveness of GM's final solution to the recall. The only positive I can say about the new software is that now the car will honk it's horn when the battery is about to go into thermal runaway. https://www.vnews.com/Firefighters-put-out-blaze-in-car-of-Vt-State-Representative-41272606
Click to expand...

WSJ on the 2 fires on bollts that had been "fixed": https://www.wsj.com/articles/two-fi...rfa7w3slgze&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
 
KlnAir4U said:
1. Confirm it's a 2019 (and 2020?) problem.
Click to expand...

This is backwards: it's a before-2020 problem, and many 2019s aren't affected either. All 2020 Bolts should be free of the defect based on what we currently know, and all 2019 Bolts with Michigan batteries are free of it as well.
 
Thank you for this clarification.
I wonder if condo boards will bar Bolt EVs from their garages? (Remember Samsung phones on planes? )
 
We did all recalls for my wife’s 2019 Bolt. The latest fires are unacceptable after what GM said it was the “ultimate and definite fix”; they actually said our Bolt battery was not affected by the fire issue altogether and that’s even written on our service order as I demanded them to add that observation. Good that I asked.

Having said that, we will sue them if the car catches fire. That’s why we lease cars, to avoid lemons like this and specially EV’s, you must NOT buy them ever, just lease it as the technology is in its infancy and loaded with issues, no matter what the manufacturer is.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
 
I've done a study of all 13 Bolt EV fires. (One of these 13 was an Ampera in Germany). They were All charged from low SoC to Full and then either left alone or driven only some 11 km home.
So, my humble suggestion, Always use Hilltop Reserve or only charge just before leaving for a good drive, say, over 30 km (~20 miles) ... or 30 minutes.
 
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