GM Announces Fix for Chevrolet Volt to Address Safety Concerns Over Fires
As Toyota found out the hard way, when there's a safety issue on hand, no matter how small or unlikely the possibility of something going wrong on a customer's car is, in the long run, it's much better to address the problem before someone gets hurt…
In General Motors' case, the problem has to do with the Chevrolet Volt's battery package as severe-impact lab tests performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] resulted in some cars catching fire days or weeks after the crash.
GM's own investigation found that the problem has to do with the protective casing around the battery coolant system as it could be pierced during impact allowing fluid to leak onto a circuit board thus causing an electrical short.
The Detroit-based automaker said it will address the problem by strengthening the structure around the batteries while also adding a sensor in the reservoir of the battery coolant system to monitor coolant levels and a tamper-resistant bracket to the top of the battery coolant reservoir to help prevent potential coolant overfill.
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