DETROIT -- As it seeks a solution to a battery fire risk, General Motors issued yet another safety recommendation Wednesday for Chevrolet Bolt owners: If you're pulling into a parking deck, keep your car at least 50 feet away from other vehicles.
A customer's concern about the safety of leaving an electric vehicle in a parking garage led the automaker to provide the additional guidance to owners of the Bolts, all of which GM has recalled, spokesman Dan Flores said.
"In an effort to reduce potential damage to structures and nearby vehicles in the rare event of a potential fire, we recommend parking on the top floor or on an open-air deck and park 50 feet or more away from another vehicle," Flores said in a statement. "Additionally, we still request you do not leave your vehicle charging unattended, even if you are using a charging station in a parking deck."
Bloomberg first reported the latest Bolt customer recommendation Wednesday. GM previously told Bolt owners to charge the battery only to 90%, charge more frequently and avoid depleting the battery below about 70 miles of remaining range. They also should park the vehicle outside.
GM recently had to recall every Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle and Bolt electric utility vehicle -- more than 141,000 -- after the batteries caught fire in a handful of the electric vehicles. GM and battery supplier LG Energy Solution are working to understand how two "rare" battery defects believed to be the cause of the fires occurred. The automaker has confirmed 12 Bolt battery fires, up from 10 when it issued its latest recall last month.
"We are aware of 12 GM confirmed battery fires that have been investigated involving Bolt EVs in the previous and new recall population," Flores said. "There have been three reports of injuries. We continue to share data with NHTSA [the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]."
GM says the battery fires are the result of two "rare manufacturing defects" a torn anode tab and a folded separator found together in the cells. The battery cells were made at two LG facilities -- one in South Korea and the other in Holland, Mich. Battery packs are assembled at an LG facility in Hazel Park, Mich.
"We're still working with LG around the clock to resolve the issue," Flores said. "Both companies understand the urgency to move as quickly as possible, but, again, the most important thing here is we have to get this right."