On November 13th, 2020, General Motors announced that it would be recalling 68,000 Chevy Bolts due to a battery malfunction. While fully charged (or at a high charge), at least five Chevy Bolts have had fire incidents relating to the battery. This recall has been followed by the filing of a class action lawsuit which alleges that GM knowingly introduced defective vehicles to the marketplace and exaggerated the Bolt’s abilities. 2017, 2018, and 2019 model year Chevy Bolts are among the vehicles affected by this recall.
In the class action lawsuit against the company, the plaintiffs’ attorneys have made the accusation that GM’s solution to the problem will lower the total mileage the affected vehicles can drive. In addition to claims about the reduced mileage, the plaintiff in the class action lawsuit claims that Chevy Bolts do not hold the charge that was advertised.
Instructions for Affected Vehicles
As part of the recall’s instructions, owners with affected Chevy Bolts have been asked to bring their vehicles into the nearest dealership for software reprogramming. Because the batteries have been shown to catch fire when at a high charge, the reprogramming will limit the battery to a 90% capacity in order to prevent future incidents. Until a vehicle owner is able to visit their dealership, GM has advised them to change their software settings to “Hilltop Reserve” (2017 and 2018 models) or “Target Charge Level” (2019 models) to temporarily reduce the charge. Drivers who are unable to make this adjustment should temporarily avoid parking in garages or carports until they visit the dealership.
Confirm Your Vehicle’s Status
If you have not yet been notified of the recall, you can contact Chevy’s customer service or visit the NHTSA website. By plugging in your 17-digit VIN number, the NHTSA enables drivers to search for any active recalls that are out for their vehicle.
Contact Our Lemon Lawyers
For some, few things are more terrifying to imagine than a fire starting under the hood of their car. This Chevy Bolt recall is one in a series of automakers who have issued recalls for battery defects in 2020. If you want to learn more about your rights as a car owner under the Lemon Law, contact our attorneys at the Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center®. We have helped resolve over 45,000 Lemon Law cases nationwide. Call us today to schedule your free case review: 1-866-388-8290.