GM’s Groundhog Day: Bolt EVs Re-Recalled After Seat Belts Not Repaired By Dealer

–>

Just when you thought the story of the first-generation Chevrolet Bolt EV couldn’t get any worse, General Motors has issued yet another recall for it, this time impacting a total of 6,614 examples built during the 2017-2023 model years.

Impacted Bolt EV models were manufactured between October 11, 2016, and October 25, 2022, and according to the Detroit automaker, these vehicles had previously been recalled due to a seat belt pretensioner that could deploy and ignite fibers in nearby carpeting on the B-pillar, potentially triggering a fire. The first recall was issued in December 2022 and impacted approximately 140,000 Bolt EVs in North America.

Fast forward to August this year and a GM employee submitted a concern to company’s Speak Up For Safety Program, revealing that 66 vehicles involved in the original recall at Simpson Chevrolet of Irvine had not been repaired. The car manufacturer opened an investigation on October 10, 2023, and discovered that the dealer may have failed to perform the recall repair.

Read: GM Plotting Cheaper Chevy Bolt EUV, Could Be Built In Kansas City

While GM’s recall notice issued with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that 6,614 vehicles are “potentially involved,” it notes that Bolt EVs that previously had the repairs carried out by a dealership other than Simpson Chevrolet of Irvine are not affected by the recall.

GM is not aware of any complaints or incidents associated with the fault.

Owners of the affected Bolt EV models will receive notification of the recall starting on January 29, 2024. They will be advised to bring their electric vehicles to a nearby dealership for inspection and necessary repairs. The inspection will focus on the left and right front seatbelt pretensioners, and if needed, metal foil will be installed on the carpet near the pretensioner ‘exhaust’. Some vehicles may also require the installation of a pretensioner cover.