Today Another Bolt Owner Found Why Chevy Says Don’t Park In Garage
We’re not keeping a tally here at MotorBiscuit, but yet, another Chevy Bolt caught on fire yesterday. This one happened in Cherokee County, Georgia. It was parked in a residential garage, though Chevy has expressly recommended not doing that. Many Bolt owners are so concerned that their cars might spontaneously combust they park them away from structures.
Why aren’t some Bolt owners not heeding Chevy’s recommendations?
No one was hurt in this latest fire, and the garage only received minimal damage attributed to the Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services’ quick response. Without addressing the flames early, it would have definitely spread throughout the garage and then the house. We wonder why Bolt owners are still not heeding GM’s warnings.
Or is it that these owners just don’t pay attention? There was damage to the Ram pickup parked next to the Bolt. It was mostly smoke-related.
In the meantime, GM and battery makers LG Chem continue to look for a cause. A recall of all of the Chevy Bolts ever made has already been announced. But Chevy is waiting to find the source of the fires before beginning actual recall efforts. GM says “hundreds of people” are involved working seven days a week.
Here’s what you need to do if you own a Bolt
It has instructed owners with a series of dos and don’ts. They’re asked not to park in enclosed structures, never charge past 90-percent, never drive with less than 70 miles of range, and don’t charge overnight. Around 141,000 Bolt vehicles are affected spanning from 2017 to the current year.
By following GM’s recommendations, which you should, Bolt owners lower the range to roughly around 140-150 miles. That’s about 100 miles less range than it should be able to give. If you need to charge overnight to get that 140 miles of range the next morning, you should find a charging station close to home or work. Owners can program charging to stop at 90-percent.
When it comes to one’s safety, this is a small price to pay. And once your Bolt is recalled and fixed, it comes with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty. But owners hope the search doesn’t last too long.
