The NHTSA today filed the recall of 111,242 units of the Chevrolet Bolt electric hatchback due to a fire risk involving seat belts.
The issue is with the design of the Chevrolet Bolt EV’s seat belt pretensioners which could deploy during a car crash and cause a fire near the B-pillar area, according to GM’s investigation. “In certain crashes where the front seatbelt pretensioners deploy, the exhaust from the deployed pretensioner may ignite fibers in the floor carpet near the B-pillar,” according to the document.
General Motors, Chevrolet’s parent company, discovered the problem in September after receiving a report of a fire in the B-pillar area of a Korean-market Bolt EV. The automaker decided to conduct a voluntary recall after discovering three “potentially relevant field incidents,” according to the report filed with the NHTSA.
GM stated that the affected vehicles are Chevrolet Bold EVs from model years 2017 to 2023, manufactured between July 26, 2016 and October 25, 2022. It should be noted that Chevrolet Bolt EUV models have a different seat belt design and are not subject to this safety recall.
Dealers will install metal foil on the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust in the Chevrolet Bolt EV to fix the problem. Certain vehicles will also require the installation of a pretensioner cover. These extra parts should keep the carpet material from igniting. These services will, as always, be provided at no cost.
