Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
Business

GM recalls Chevrolet Bolt electric cars in Canada due to seatbelt fire risk

General Motors is recalling nearly 140,000 Chevrolet Bolt electric cars across the United States and Canada to fix a seat belt problem that could cause cars to catch fire.

Company says it will contact affected vehicle owners by mail, vehicles will require visit to dealer

The Associated Press ·
Red and blue cars in the parking lot outside a white dealership building.
A 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV, right, is pictured next to 2020 models at a Chevrolet dealership in Saline, Mich., on Feb. 25, 2021. General Motors announced a recall of certain Bolt hatchbacks from the 2017 to 2023 model years. (Carlos Osorio/The Associated Press)

General Motors is recalling nearly 20,000 Chevrolet Bolt electric cars in Canada and another 120,000 in the United States to fix a seatbelt problem that can cause fires.

The recall covers certain Bolt hatchbacks from the 2017 to 2023 model years, but does not include Bolt utility vehicles or Bolts made for Cruise, GM's autonomous vehicle unit.

In a statement Tuesday, GM said that in rare cases, exhaust gases from the front seatbelt pretensioners could come in contact with carpet fibres following a crash, potentially causing a fire.

Pretensioners have sensors that determine a crash is imminent, and they pull a passenger into the proper seating position before a crash, slowing the passenger's speed.

The company found three reports of fires that could have been caused by the problem. The severity of those is unknown.

General Motors said it would notify affected Canadian owners by mail, with instructions to take their vehicle to a dealership to install foil tape under the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust. Some vehicles would also need pretensioner covers.

CBC News has reached out to General Motors for more information.

Two men stand either side of a partially-assembled car, which is raised into the air, inside a factory.
General Motors says it will contact affected Canadian owners by mail with instructions on what to do. In this photo, GM workers assemble a 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicle at a plant in Lake Orion, Mich., on March 19, 2018. (Rebecca Cook/Reuters)

With files from CBC News

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News
Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|

Related Stories

Comments

To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.

By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

Become a CBC Account Holder

Join the conversation  Create account

Already have an account?

now