Recall Check: General Motors Issues New Recall for More than 50K Chevrolet Bolt Vehicles

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Chevy Bolt Recall Overview:

• Who: General Motors issued a second recall for over 50,000 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles
• Why: The recalled Chevy Bolt electric vehicles pose a fire risk due to a battery defect 
• Where: This recall affects Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle owners across the United States

General Motors (GM) has issued a second recall for 50,932 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles, Model Year 2017-2019 due to a fire risk posed by the batteries. The GM Chevy Bolt recall includes all vehicles previously recalled in a Nov. 2020 recall, with three fires reported in vehicles that were thought to be fixed.

In a recall notice posted by the National Highway Transport Safety Association, the company advised Chevrolet Bolt vehicle owners to continue to park their vehicles outside, away from structures, and not charge them overnight.

GM is also advising Chevy Bolt vehicle owners to set their vehicle to the 90 percent state of charge limitation either using Hilltop Reserve mode (2017 and 2018 model years) or Target Charge Level mode (2019 model year); and recharge the battery after each use and avoid running down the battery below an estimated remaining 70-mile range where possible.

The Chevrolet Bolt recall notice says that if owners are unable to set their vehicles to the 90 percent state of charge limitation mode, or if they feel uncomfortable making the change, they should visit their dealer immediately to have the change made.

NHTSA opened an investigation into the issue in October 2020, when it said it was looking into nearly 78,000 Chevy Bolts from model years 2017 to 2020. At the time, it said that the vehicles may have a defect which causes unexpected fires, but said that the source of the fires was unknown — prompting the investigation.

The fires reportedly appeared to start in the electronic battery section of the vehicles — found under the rear seats.

In February, GM was hit with a pair of class action lawsuits claiming the fix put in place to prevent Chevy Bolt EV battery fires came with its own set of problems.

The GM lawsuits, one filed in Illinois in December and the other in Michigan, accused GM of violating state consumer protection laws, federal warranty law, and fraud. According to the plaintiffs, the software update issued in response to the defect reduces the vehicle’s battery capacity.

NHTSA said it was continuing to evaluate the recall remedies and reported incidents, including fires. 

Vehicle owners can visit NHTSA.gov/recalls and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if their vehicle is affected under this recall. If it is, vehicle owners should call their nearest Chevrolet dealership immediately to schedule a free repair.

For more information on this recall, visit the official Chevrolet Recall page. 

Owners can also download NHTSA’s new SaferCar app for Apple or Android.  Enter the vehicle, tires, car seat, or other vehicle equipment, and the app will push a notification if a recall is issued.

Do you own a Chevy Bolt? Let us know if you’re affected by this recall in the comments section!

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