A class-action lawsuit filed against General Motors claims the 2020-2022 model year Chevy Bolt EV and 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV are unsafe to drive due to battery fire risks.
This suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, involves a plaintiff who leased a new 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV in July 2021 for $31,995, agreeing to a down payment of $6,000 and monthly lease payments of $271.65. A month later in August 2021, GM issued its extended recall campaign for the 2022 model year Chevy Bolt EV, with the automaker advising owners to not let their vehicles drop below 70 miles of range and to not charge the battery above 90 percent capacity. Owners were also advised not to park their vehicles indoors or within 50 feet of another vehicle.
A Bolt EV battery fire that occurred in Georgia
Due to the recall and the safety limitations associated with it, the plaintiff claims they were forced to make “unforeseen accommodations and take precautions that interfere,” with their normal expected use of the vehicle, as quoted by Car Complaints. The suit also says that the real-world range of the vehicle is now 163.10 miles, based on the 90 percent battery/70 mile range limitations, which is 62.97% of the advertised mileage. Additionally, the plaintiff says they’ve lost sleep and experience anxiety due to the potential their vehicle will suddenly catch fire and would not have leased the vehicle had they known about the battery issues.
GM issued a software update for the 2020-2022 Chevy Bolt EV in December. While this update enables customers to charge their vehicle indoors overnight, use the vehicle with less than 70 miles of range and park inside after charging up, it limits the vehicle to a maximum of 80-percent battery charge. This software fix is temporary and will be replaced with a software version once GM can replace the vehicle’s battery pack under the ongoing recall campaign.
The California class action lawsuit is the second known suit filed against GM over the Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EV battery fires after a similar suit was filed on behalf of 30 plaintiffs in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in December.
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Comments
Hehehe!
Seems like every week a new lawsuit is aimed right at GM. The lifter recall is important, they need to open it for all V8’s with AFM/DFM not just 21’s.
This lawsuit? Jesus, I hope both come to fruition and recalls are made, sooner rather than 5-7 years down the road
Just the latest example of ‘gm’s’ failure to engineer the vehicle BEFORE customers are forced to absorb diminished value on their vehicle. And ‘gm’ will go all electric?
Customer didn’t know about battery problems? And who puts $6k down on a lease? Appears dealer ripped him off and cry baby wants his money back.
Lol…That’s just a sign that he wasn’t educated enough to know how to negotiate with a Salesman in order to get a better deal.
I’m sure the lawyer will show him how it’s done win or lose…lol!
I wonder how the EVs did stuck on I-95 for 20+ hrs?
Easy. Just shut it down. Don’t know much about EV’s do you?
This lawsuit is kind of moot now that battery replacements have begun.
Why? If I’m on lease and it did not replace battery before lease ends, I’m leasing a car 80% of its capacity, they can just walk away and say nothing?