Chevy Volt Fire Risk: 8,000 Electric Cars to Receive Modifications

By Admin on January 05, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

The Chevy Volt's fire risk may finally be extinguished. General Motors has announced a fix for the Chevy Volt.

The fire issue came to light after a Volt lit up while parked in a lot outside a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) facility. The car in question had gone through a crash testing procedure three weeks earlier.

The fire was due to the Chevy Volt's battery pack. The lithium-ion battery was punctured during the collision. Some of the battery's coolant then leaked onto a circuit board, igniting the blaze, reports Fox News.

The "fix" is a redesign to the structure. Modifications will be made to future Chevy Volts. The battery pack will be more protected in the event of a collision. A sensor will also be added so the coolant may be monitored. And, a tamper-resistant bracket will be added to prevent coolant from overfilling.

Current Chevy Volt owners will also receive safety modifications. General Motors is not recalling the cars, they are instituting a "voluntary customer satisfaction program." All owners will be instructed to bring their cars into their local dealership for the modifications. Around 8,000 Chevy Volts have been sold to date, according to Fox News.

So if you are a Chevy Volt owner, watch out for notices from GM. The fix hasn't been made available yet. So far no other fires have broken out, according to MSNBC.

GM's fix for the Chevy Volt has already been tested by the NHTSA. The agency crashed a model that received the adjustments. No coolant leakage was apparent, reports the Los Angeles Times. This may mean the Chevy Volt's fire risk may become a thing of the past.

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