More Than 110,000 2017-2023 Chevy Bolts Recalled for Fire Risk
It’s the third significant recall for the Chevy Bolt, which has already cost General Motors hundreds of millions in recall-related costs.
More than 110,000 Chevy Bolt EVs will be recalled for a seatbelt pretensioner that can vent exhaust gas into the cabin and potentially ignite after a crash, safety officials announced this week.
The recall affects roughly 111,000 2017-2023 Chevy Bolt EVs sold in the U.S. and another 20,000 sold in Canada. Paperwork filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration didn’t specify any injuries related to the defect. It's the latest recall for the Bolt, which has already been recalled at least twice for other costly defects.
At issue now are seatbelt pretensioners with small explosive charges that typically detonate in a crash to keep passengers immobile. Tensioners equipped in the Bolt EV may vent gas that could soak into fibers in the nearby carpet that, when ignited in a crash, could increase the risk of a fire.
General Motors said it was aware of the potential defect in September after a fire was reported in Korea. GM said an investigation uncovered three additional cases where a seatbelt pretensioner may have caused a fire.
The free fix, which can be done at a GM dealership, will begin at the end of next month. GM said some of the cars will be fixed with a piece of metal tape to cover the tensioner cover, while other cars will be fixed with a new pretensioner cover and a piece of tape.
For more information go to NHTSA.gov.
