The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today it's opening a formal safety investigation into the Chevrolet Volt after further tests sparked fires and raised more questions about the safety of the Volt's lithium ion battery packs.
Back on May 12th, NHTSA performed a side pole impact test, on a Chevrolet Volt at a testing facility in Wisconsin. Three weeks after, the Volt caught on fire with the battery being the cause of the fire.
On November 14th, NHTSA performed three follow-up battery-level tests to simulate the incident. Two out the of three tests produced thermal events, including fire. Because of the results, NHTSA has opened an investigation.
GM said they've learned about the NHTSA investigation today and supports the ongoing testing.
"The move to take this formal, procedural step is not unexpected as GM has worked closely and cooperatively with NHTSA over the last six months on a part of a broader program designed to induce battery failure after extreme situations. The Volt is safe and does not present undue risk as part of normal operation or immediately after a severe crash," said GM spokesman Greg Martin.
Martin went onto to say "there have been no reports of comparable incidences in the field. With Onstar, GM knows real time about any crash significant enough to potentially compromise battery integrity."
At the time of May crash test, GM had no crash protocol for dealing with a battery that may have been damaged in a crash. Since July, GM has implemented a post crash protocol that includes the depowering of the battery after a severe crash, returning the battery to a safe and low power state.
So far, no fires among consumer-owned Volts have been reported and no complaints of fires have been made. Also, NHTSA hasn't asked GM to put a stop on selling the Volt while the investigation is ongoing.
Source: The Detroit News
Press Release from GM & NHTSA, and the Investigation Resume is on Page 2
Recommended Comments
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.