— A Chevy Bolt fire recall has been issued for nearly 68,700 Bolt EV cars worldwide following at least five fires and two injuries.
Owners of 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolts should park outside and away from anything that could burn, at least until the recalled electric cars are fixed.
The Chevrolet Bolt fire recall affects nearly 51,000 Bolts in the U.S. and nearly 8,000 in Canada, all manufactured with high-voltage lithium-ion batteries produced by LG Chem of Korea.
The automaker says model year 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EVs use different battery cell designs and therefore are not included in the fire recall.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation in October after Chevy Bolt fires occurred while the cars were unattended.
Federal investigators say at least three owners report the fires originated under the rear seats then spread to the rest of the cars. In all cases, the cars were parked and the batteries were allegedly fully or nearly 100% charged.
Recall Repair Will Limit Battery Charge to 90%
The Chevy Bolt fire recall involves a GM dealership updating software beginning November 17 to prevent the battery from reaching a 100% charge. The update will allegedly limit the battery charge to 90% its capacity, at least as an interim action while the automaker investigates the root cause of the Bolt fires.
In addition to warning Chevy Bolt owners to park outside and away from structures, the fire recall includes directions for 2017-2018 Bolt owners to change the battery charge settings to the "Hill Top Reserve" option.
Owners of 2019 Bolts should change the battery charge setting to "Target Charge Level" at 90%.
Affected Chevrolet Bolt customers should schedule a dealer appointment beginning November 17.
"Our engineers are working around the clock to identify a permanent fix and we intend to deploy a final remedy to remove the 90% limitation as quickly as possible after the first of the year, 2021." - General Motors
Chevy Bolt owners are advised to call 833-EVCHEVY or contact a local GM dealership about the Chevy Bolt fire recall.
