Category Archives: Automotive News

Chevy Bolt Electrical Shock Chevrolet Bolt Potential Electrical Shock From Charging Chord

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General Motors (GM) will be contacting the owners of certain 2022-2023 model year Chevrolet Bolt EUVs about a defect that pertains to motor vehicle safety, specifically concerning the Webasto high-voltage portable charging cords that come with these vehicles. The issue revolves around incorrect software within these charging cords, which may fail to discontinue charging if the ground connection is lost.

Discovery of the Defect

The discovery of this safety concern began with a supplier plant audit conducted on March 8, 2023, by GM’s quality engineer. During this audit, it was uncovered that an incorrect hardware/software combination was being used in the production of portable charging cords for the Chevrolet Bolt EUV. GM initiated a review of the situation on April 18, 2023, and subsequently reported it to GM’s Speak Up For Safety (SUFS) program. This led to the official commencement of a product investigation on May 9, 2023.

The Safety Risk

GM’s investigation revealed a crucial mismatch between the software and hardware in the affected charging cords. Under specific circumstances, this mismatch could hinder the software’s ability to properly interpret information from monitored circuitry. Consequently, the cord assembly’s internal processor might fail to detect a ground loss promptly, leading to a delay in halting further charging. Particularly at high ambient temperatures and under limited conditions, users might experience a brief electric shock lasting just 1/40th of a second.

Affected Vehicles and Recall Decision

GM’s investigators managed to identify 374 specific serial numbers for the parts affected by this defect, tracing them back to the production period when these potentially flawed components were used. During this period, GM produced 10,825 vehicles, out of which 9,423 are located in the United States. Importantly, as of now, GM is not aware of any field incidents related to this condition.

Recognizing the potential safety risks associated with this issue, on August 24, 2023, GM’s Safety and Field Action Decision Authority made the crucial decision to conduct an equipment safety recall.

How the Recall Affects Users

For individuals who have been using the portable charging cord with their Chevrolet Bolt EUV, there is a potential risk of being exposed to unprotected high voltage if the cord set loses its ground connection during use. This increases the risk of a very brief electrical shock.

To address this safety concern, GM dealerships will inspect and replace the portable charging cord as necessary. Users are encouraged to contact their local GM dealership or visit GM’s official website to check if their vehicle is affected by this recall. The recall is identified by GM as N2324073000, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has assigned it the campaign number 23E-065.

Is your Chevrolet Bolt EV a Lemon?

For Chevrolet Bolt owners who believe they may have been sold a “lemon” vehicle or are experiencing repeated issues with their Bolt, the California Lemon Law can provide a potential solution. The California Lemon Law is a legal framework that offers protection to consumers who have purchased or leased defective vehicles, including those with safety concerns like the Chevrolet Bolt recall.
Under the California Lemon Law, if a vehicle experiences recurring issues that substantially impair its use, safety, or value, and the manufacturer fails to repair it after a reasonable number of attempts, the vehicle may be eligible for a buyback or replacement. If you suspect that your Chevrolet Bolt is a lemon due to issues beyond the recent recall, it is advisable to consult with a qualified attorney experienced in lemon law cases to explore your options and seek a resolution.

In conclusion, the Chevrolet Bolt recall underscores the importance of prompt action by manufacturers to address safety concerns. If you own a Chevrolet Bolt and are concerned about its safety or repeated issues, understanding your rights under the California Lemon Law can provide a potential avenue for relief and resolution. Always prioritize your safety and the safety of others on the road when it comes to vehicle recalls and defects.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Steering Fracture

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When it comes to your safety on the road, a reliable and functional steering system is paramount. Unfortunately, General Motors, LLC (GM) has recently issued a recall for certain 2024 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles due to a potential steering gear shaft defect that could pose serious risks. In this article, we’ll delve into the details of this recall, GM’s response, and how a Lemon Law lawyer can help if you’re affected by this issue.

GM has identified a critical concern in some 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and 2024 GMC Sierra 2500, 3500 vehicles. The issue revolves around the steering gear shaft, which has the potential to fracture and disconnect from the steering arm. This alarming discovery was brought to light in June 2023 during an alignment operation, when a GM quality engineer stumbled upon a fractured steering gear shaft on a 2024 model year Chevrolet Silverado HD truck. GM’s thorough investigation traced the root cause to the use of out-of-specification materials combined with improper heat treatment. This unfortunate combination can result in steering gear shaft parts with material properties that fall outside acceptable specifications, ultimately leading to the fracture of the shaft.

The repercussions of this defect are both concerning and dangerous. The steering gear shaft, if compromised, may fracture and detach from the steering (pitman) arm. Such an occurrence renders the driver unable to steer the vehicle effectively, dramatically increasing the risk of a potential crash. It’s essential for vehicle owners to recognize the seriousness of this situation and take immediate action.

In response to this critical safety concern, GM’s Safety and Field Action Decision Authority acted swiftly. In July 2023, they decided to initiate a safety recall for the affected vehicles. If you own one of the affected models, GM will contact you with instructions on returning to your nearest dealership. There, your steering gear will be thoroughly inspected, and if necessary, replaced. To identify this recall, GM has assigned it the recall number N232414720, and it is also associated with the NHTSA campaign number 23V-549.

If you find yourself entangled in this recall, it’s crucial to understand your rights as a consumer. This is where a Lemon Law lawyer can make a significant difference. Lemon Laws are designed to protect consumers who have purchased faulty vehicles, ensuring that manufacturers rectify the situation. Your Lemon Law lawyer can guide you through the legal processes, helping you navigate the intricacies of the law to ensure you receive the compensation and resolution you deserve.

In light of GM’s recent recall of certain 2024 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles due to a steering gear shaft defect, prioritizing your safety on the road has never been more important. Stay informed, heed the manufacturer’s instructions, and if you encounter any challenges along the way, remember that a Lemon Law lawyer is here to safeguard your rights and help you achieve a fair resolution. Your safety and peace of mind are paramount, and by taking appropriate action, you can ensure a secure driving experience.

Is Your Volkswagen ID.4 A Lemon?

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The Volkswagen ID.4 is a popular electric vehicle that has been making waves in the automotive industry since its release in 2021. However, like any other vehicle, the ID.4 has not been immune to problems, complaints, and recalls.

One of the most significant problems reported by ID.4 owners is related to the vehicle’s software. There have been multiple complaints of the software malfunctioning, resulting in issues such as loss of power, sudden deceleration, and even complete shutdown of the vehicle. These issues have led to multiple recalls of the ID.4, with Volkswagen issuing software updates to address the problem.

Another complaint reported by ID.4 owners is related to the vehicle’s charging capabilities. There have been complaints about the charging process being slow or inconsistent, with some reports that the vehicle fails to charge altogether. While this issue has not led to any recalls, it is something that Volkswagen needs to address to ensure that the ID.4 remains a competitive electric vehicle option.

There have also been several complaints regarding the ID.4’s braking system. Some drivers have reported that the brakes are unresponsive, while others have complained about excessive brake wear. These issues have not resulted in any recalls, but they are cause for concern and something that Volkswagen needs to address to ensure the safety of its drivers.

In addition to these issues, there have been a few recalls associated with the Volkswagen ID.4. The most recent recall involves certain 2023 ID4 rear-wheel drive vehicles. The 12-Volt battery charging cable may contact the steering column shaft and cause the cable insulation to wear, possibly resulting in a short circuit. As a precaution, owners of affected vehicles are advised to park outside and away from structures and other vehicles due to the potential risk of a vehicle fire.

In conclusion, while the Volkswagen ID.4 is a promising electric vehicle option, it has had its fair share of problems and complaints. From issues with the software to problems with the charging and braking systems, there are areas where Volkswagen needs to improve the vehicle. However, it is reassuring to see that Volkswagen has been proactive in addressing these issues, with recalls and software updates aimed at improving the driving experience and ensuring the safety of its drivers.

Slow Battery Replacement On Some Chevrolet Bolt EVs

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We are still receiving inquiries concerning Chevy Bolts. GM continues to work on replacing the batteries in the 2017-2021 Bolts, but it seems as though progress has slowed dramatically in the replacement of the 2020 and 2021 vehicles. In the meantime, GM continues to sell 2022 and now 2023 with the new generation batteries, which of course begs the question as to why the batteries in the 2022 and 2023 Bolts are not first finding their way into the 2020 and 2021 Bolts. Unfortunately, we do not have an answer to this. We will continue to accept Chevy Bolt cases until every Bolt owner can be assured that their vehicle is safe for their family.

The Chevrolet Bolt was one of the first electric vehicles to gain mainstream popularity. It was marketed as an affordable and practical EV with a range of over 200 miles on a single charge. However, the Bolt has been plagued with battery problems that have affected its reliability and safety.

One of the main issues with the Bolt is the slow replacement of its battery. Unlike gasoline-powered cars, EV batteries are not interchangeable, and replacing them can take weeks or even months. This is because the process involves removing the entire battery pack, shipping it to a specialized facility, and replacing it with a new one. The slow replacement process has left many Bolt owners stranded without their cars for extended periods.

Despite these battery problems, GM is still manufacturing new Bolt vehicles. This has raised concerns among consumers about whether the company has fully addressed the underlying issues with Bolt’s battery. GM has released several recalls related to the battery problem, including 20V-701, 21V-560, and 21V-650. These recalls aim to fix the issue by updating Bolt’s software to prevent battery fires and reducing the charging capacity to prevent battery degradation.

However, the repeated problems with the Bolt’s battery have led many to question its reliability. If a car experiences the same problem repeatedly, it may be considered a “lemon.” A lemon is a car that has a substantial defect that cannot be fixed despite multiple repair attempts. In the case of the Bolt, repeated battery problems could mean that the car is defective and not fit for purpose.

If you own a Chevy Bolt and have experienced repeated battery problems, contact us at 1-888-395-3666 to explore your options. Lemon laws protect consumers from defective products and ensure that they receive compensation or a replacement vehicle if their car is a lemon.

In conclusion, the Chevy Bolt’s battery problems have affected its reliability and safety. The slow battery replacement process has left many owners stranded without their cars for extended periods. Despite several recalls, the repeated battery problems have raised concerns about the Bolt’s reliability and whether it is a lemon. If you own a Chevy Bolt and have experienced repeated battery problems, it is crucial to explore your options under the lemon law and protect your rights as a consumer.

GM Repurchases Certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu For Structural Problems

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General Motors (GM) will be contacting the owners of certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu’s because of a problem affecting a structural portion of the vehicle frame.

GM first became aware of the problem in August 2022 when a production operator installing parts on a vehicle discovered a section of the motor rail was missing. Further investigation found that the front rail outer panel was cut too short and, as a result, was not completely welded to the front right-hand side of the front impact bar.

The problem was reported to GM’s Speak Up For Safety (SUFS) program which worked with the plant and supplier to identify and contain affected vehicles. Of the 1,875 vehicles that GM contained and inspected, they found none that had an incomplete weld. GM opened an investigation into the subject condition to analyze the potential effects of this condition during a crash. There are no known field incidents related to this condition., but GM has decided to conduct a safety recall.

According to the defect report, the sheet metal blank for the front frame rail outer panel for the 2022-2023 Chevy Malibu was improperly loaded into the die. As a result, the front frame rail was cut 10 millimeters short of its intended design. The shortened frame rail prevented proper welding of the front impact bar to the front frame rail. This defect may be present on the right hand and/or left-hand side of the vehicle.

Owners will be asked to return to their GM dealer to have the right-hand and left-hand sides of the vehicle’s motor rail inspected for incomplete welds. If the condition is found, the vehicle will be repurchased by GM. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 22V-923.

Is GM Repurchasing Your Lemon Vehicle?

Under the Lemon Law, if you qualify, you should be able to recover your down payment, (including registration fees, licensing fees, taxes, transportation costs, etc.), plus your total monthly lease or loan payments. The manufacturer will also pay off the balance of your loan or lease. The manufacturer will also pay all or most of your attorney’s fees.

If you have any questions about your rights and the California Lemon Law, please call our office at 1-888-395-3666 and get some great Lemon Law advice!

Cadillac, Chevrolet & GMC Vehicles Investigated For Airbag Safety Problem

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Automotive Defect Investigation
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE21-010) to investigate complaints of malfunctions with the driver frontal air bags in certain Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles.

The ODI has received fifteen consumer complaints about certain vehicles experiencing an airbag warning light illumination and/or a failure of the airbag to deploy during an accident with significant frontal damage. Nine of the consumer complaints say the air bag malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) was illuminated and six of the incidents had significant frontal damage with failure to deploy the airbags.

A TSB, issued in March 2021, addresses air bag MIL illumination accompanied by diagnostic trouble codes B0001-1B or B0012-0D. It also reports rust particles in the connection terminal interface of the driver airbag inflator as the cause of the airbag MIL illumination. Illumination of the airbag MIL under these circumstances may result in a non-deployment of the driver’s airbag during a frontal collision and increased risk of injury to the driver.

The vehicles under investigation include:

2020-2021 Cadillac CT4
2020-2021 Cadillac CT5
2020-2021 Cadillac Escalade
2020-2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV
2020-2021 Cadillac XT5
2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 5500HD
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 6500HD
2020-2021 Chevrolet Suburban
2021 Chevrolet Suburban 1500
2020-2021 Chevrolet Tahoe
2020-2021 GMC Sierra 1500
2020-2021 GMC Sierra 2500
2020-2021 GMC Sierra 3500
2020 GMC Sierra Denali
2020-2021 GMC Yukon
2020-2021 GMC Yukon XL

ODI have opened this preliminary investigation to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues. If the investigation results in a recall, an estimated 749,312 vehicles could be affected.

The Lemon Law and Used Vehicles
A Major Law Change

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One of the most critical legal elements under the California lemon law is that a vehicle must be a “new motor vehicle” to qualify under the law. Since its inception decades ago, the California lemon law has enjoyed a very broad definition of the term, “new motor vehicle” which included new vehicles, but also included used vehicles which had some of the factory warranty left remaining on the used vehicle at the time of purchase. For example, if you purchased a used vehicle from a dealership with 25,000 miles on the odometer, and the vehicle had a 36,000 mile warranty when sold as new, the vehicle would still qualify under the lemon law despite being a used vehicle.

Sadly, however, the new recent case law sent a punch to consumers who have bought used vehicles. In Rodriguez v. Us, the California Court of Appeals determined that a used vehicle with some of the factory warranty remaining is not to be considered a “new motor vehicle” and is therefore not protected by the lemon law. (There are some exceptions to this such as the vehicle was a certified pre-owned vehicle, and dealership demos.) Rodriguez basically wipes out access to the lemon law for about 30% of all consumers.

The full effect of this new law is still unfolding and the full impact yet unknown. Rodriguez may also be appealed before California’s Supreme Court. However, in the meantime, we do know that the Rodriguez case has sent a shock wave in the California lemon law legal world, and significantly impacts consumers who have purchased used vehicles.

LGES High Voltage Automobile Battery Fire Investigation

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Automotive Defect Investigation

The NHTSA have a continuing investigation into certain LGES high voltage batteries used in electric and hybrid vehicles. The investigation was prompted by the number of fire recalls on the electric and hybrid vehicles listed below. The purpose of this investigation is to find other companies that might have purchased the same or similar equipment from LG and to notify them if this defect has shown up in any vehicles they manufactured.

Recall No. 20V-107
Date: February 2020
Mercedes Benz USA notified NHTSA of a safety-related defect in one 2019 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive vehicle.
Note: This vehicle received an LG Chem high voltage battery that may contain a defect allowing for an electrical arc, which can ignite inside the battery cells, increasing the risk of a fire.

Recall No. 20V-630
Date: October 2020
Hyundai Motor America notified NHTSA of a safety-related defect in certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric vehicles. Note: The high-voltage battery system in the subject vehicles, supplied by LG, may have been produced with internal damage to certain cells of the lithium-ion battery increasing the risk of an electrical short circuit, which could result in a fire.

Recall No. 20V-701 & 21V-650
Date: November 2020
General Motors notified NHTSA of a safety defect in all 2017-2018 and certain 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles.
Note: These vehicles were built with high voltage batteries, produced by LG, that may contain latent cell-level manufacturing defects posing a risk of fire when charged to full, or nearly full, capacity. In August 2021, GM expanded this recall to include certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles. GM stated, “the root cause of the failure is the simultaneous presence of two rare manufacturing defects in the same battery cell.”

Recall No. 21V-127
Date: March 2021
Hyundai notified NHTSA of a safety-related defect in certain 2019-2020 Kona Electric and 2020 Ioniq Electric vehicles .
Note: These vehicles are equipped with LG produced Lithium-ion battery cells where, if the Anode (Negative) tab is folded, the battery cell could allow the Lithium plating on the Anode tab to contact the Cathode resulting in an electrical short, thereby increasing the risk of a fire while parked, charging and/or driving.

Recall No. 22V-077
Date: February 2022
Chrysler notified NHTSA of a safety-related defect in certain 2017-2018 Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric vehicles.
Note: These Pacifica vehicles contain hybrid battery packs produced by LG. FCA has not yet determined whether the battery packs were defective or the root cause of the fires.

Recall No. 22V-162
Date: March 2022
Volkswagen notified NHTSA of a safety-related defect in certain 2021 ID4 vehicles.
Note: The high voltage batteries used in the vehicles may contain insufficient soldering points and thus contain unreliable connections inside the high voltage battery. As a result of the unreliable connections, the vehicles may break down or stall while driving, leading to a crash.