Chevy Bolt Battery Replacement Begins as Recall Moves Ahead

How-To Geek

By Cory Gunther

Published Oct 11, 2021

New battery packs are finally available for recalled Chevy Bolts.

2015 Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept all electric vehicle. Front ¾ in city scape. Bolt EV Concept builds upon Chevy’s experience gained from both the Volt and Spark EV to make an affordable, long-range all-electric vehicle to market. The Bolt EV is designed to meet the daily driving needs of Chevrolet customers around the globe with more than 200 miles of range and a price tag around $30,000.

After several delays and production halts, it looks like GM has finally begun replacing recalled Chevy Bolt EV batteries. In September, we learned that replacement battery packs could be available in October rather than late November, and now, according to Ars Technica, GM has started reaching out to owners and scheduling replacement services to get vehicles safely back on the road.

Earlier this year, GM recalled every Bolt EV model released since 2017 due to at least a dozen fires. The company tried software updates to fix potential issues but eventually recalled all Bolt vehicles, which led us to today.

GM and LG Chem worked closely together to find a solution, ramp up production, and have new battery packs or cells available for owners as quickly as possible. Thankfully, it looks like that time is finally here, and owners should hear from GM or Chevy dealerships soon.

According to reports, the first Chevy Bolt EVs that will get a new battery pack are those built "during specific build timeframes," or specific manufacturing dates where defects in the battery are the worst. Then, GM will continue down its list and replace battery packs as they become available.

Once you get your vehicle to the dealership, the entire replacement process should take around two days, but as things ramp up, there's a good chance those numbers will change. GM and Chevy will cover the new Chevy Bolt battery packs with an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty, which is undoubtedly good news.

Previously, GM said that owners of older Bolts (years 2017 to 2019) would have to get full battery module replacements, while newer Bolt EVs will get individual modules replaced, which may be a faster process at dealerships.

Additionally, new diagnostic software updates will be available at dealerships in the coming weeks. This new software will continually scan and monitor battery packs for signs of wear or defects. Plus, the company can use this information to help prioritize which vehicles need battery packs replaced first.

Keep in mind that even though GM has officially started replacing battery packs for the Chevy Bolt EV, the entire recall process could take several months. So if you're not first on the list, there is a chance select owners could be waiting until 2022 before they get the swap. We'll keep an eye out for more details and report back once we know more.

via Ars Technica