GM Announces Software Update for 2019 Bolt EVs in Recall Fix
As more automakers launch electric vehicles, Chevrolet’s offerings, the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, have been benched due to serious recalls involving defective battery cells that pose a fire risk.
While owners waited for a battery fix, the automaker recommended charging limitations and cautioned owners to park the vehicles outside to minimize damage in the event of a fire. Today, General Motors issued an update on the fix, but the software update only applies to owners of model-year 2019 Bolt EVs — for now.
Related: GM Announces Fix for Chevrolet Bolt EV Battery Problems
Chevrolet announced it has begun informing 2019 model-year Bolt owners it will begin installing a software update that will remove the recommended parking and overnight charging limitations. GM said the software update will be available for all other recalled Bolt EV and EUV models within the next 30 days.
The software update automatically sets the vehicle’s maximum state of charge to 80%, which GM said will allow owners to safely park and charge inside overnight. The update also allows owners to safely resume operating below 70 miles of range.
This fix for these recalls has been unfolding for some time. Here’s the backstory: In 2020, GM recalled over 50,000 model-year 2017-2019 Bolt EVs due to the fire risk. Then it expanded the recall to include nearly 7,000 more model-year 2019 Bolt EVs that were left out of the previous recall. Then it effectively recalled the entire Bolt EV and EUV lineup when it added more than 52,000 model-year 2020-22 Bolt EVs and EUVs that may house the potentially dangerous batteries.
This won’t be the last update, either, as this software update is not the final remedy. The automaker said it is continuing to work on building replacement battery modules; production has already started and owners will be notified when replacement modules are ready.
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