At 58k miles my bolt started giving an error code, "service high voltage charging system". I took it to a chevy dealership and they said it was not their fault and that I had hit something that dented the bottom of the car and damaged the battery. They told me it will be $20k to replace the battery. I feel so cheated because I didn't even have an accident or anything and now my $28k car is totaled. Maybe I went over speed bumps too quickly? I am just going to let the dealership I bought it from come repo it. This has really turned me off of electric cars and I think it was a huge mistake to have ever bought this car.
Battery Stopped Charging and Chevy Says They Are Not Responsible
-
Hey Guest, welcome to ChevyBolt.org. We encourage you to register to engage in conversations about your Bolt.
Jordan Shackelford
21 - 40 of 438 Posts
Do you still owe them anything? If your Bolt is basically totaled like you say it is, it's probably worth scrap. I'm not an expert, but I can't imagine it would be worth more than like $1000 at auction. Take how much is left on your loan - how much your Bolt sells for at auction = money you still owe, even after they take your car. Not to mention the long term impacts on your credit score...trust me, it's not worth letting it get repossesed.
Joined
·
82 Posts
It seems like chevy should be responsible for replacing it in my opinion. They did not communicate to me the fragility of the battery
Please post photos of the damage. I find it unlikely that bottoming out the car on a speed bump would kill the batter. Also, Chevy dealers are notorious for having no clue on the warranty on EV's. Numerous stories on Volt forums of people being charged for warranty items because they did not dispute. Even had it happen to me until I showed them the TSB.
Also never hit a speed bump head on with both wheels, hit them one tire at a time at an angle.
Speed bumps are meant for ~5mph and speed humps are meant for ~ 20 mph.
Also never hit a speed bump head on with both wheels, hit them one tire at a time at an angle.
Speed bumps are meant for ~5mph and speed humps are meant for ~ 20 mph.
Best thing would be to post pics. A "dent" would have to be pretty substantial or conclusive to summarily void the warranty. What if someone has bad cells and they find a small dent somewhere underneath? Can they just assume the dent caused battery damage? And speed bumps run all the way across the road and the battery pan doesn't stick down lower than the sides of the car so if it was a bad speed bump hit, I would think there would be damage to the underside of the car itself too. Most things you would run over like road debris usually gets pulverized by the lower front crossmember before ever getting to the battery. So this whole thing is "suspicious" to me: how they could claim a dent caused battery damage if they didn't take it apart to confirm that.
Mike
Mike
Joined
·
82 Posts
It's true, I had liability only. I paid $10k down, don't know if that changes anything
I don't know a Lender that would allow that.
Joined
·
82 Posts
I can literally buy a whole new (slightly used) bolt for less than $20k
It was from Guido of the HA's. Or Fred's Bank.
sorry man but it wasn't smart. I do deliveries too and f*** all those $7-8, $20 dollar orders when it comes to my safety and safety of my property. I never understood people doing deliveries and running red lights, stop signs and pushing their cars to the limit. Just one ticket will cost you your day's earnings. Take care of yourself first. If you appreciate and respect yourself and your property others will too.
If you paid $136, then you should get a report out of it including a description of the damage with pictures. They should provide a diagnostics report showing more detail about what was wrong with the battery from the computer's perspective and specifically how that relates to physical damage.
I tend to think the diagnosis is probably false, and certainly replacing the entire battery (all 5 modules) is incredibly lazy. Tow it to a second dealer, don't tell them anything but the error message so they go in fresh, and get a second report. If they find something else, your problem is over.
If they come to the same conclusion, then that's probably what happened. But if that's the case we'd all want to know. That that would mean Bolts are very fragile and a driver can total one without even realizing it. Perhaps GM will revoke the warranty on any scrape or dent, which is effectively the same as totaling it. Some people around here have been attaching trailers and/or off-roading their Bolts.
I tend to think the diagnosis is probably false, and certainly replacing the entire battery (all 5 modules) is incredibly lazy. Tow it to a second dealer, don't tell them anything but the error message so they go in fresh, and get a second report. If they find something else, your problem is over.
If they come to the same conclusion, then that's probably what happened. But if that's the case we'd all want to know. That that would mean Bolts are very fragile and a driver can total one without even realizing it. Perhaps GM will revoke the warranty on any scrape or dent, which is effectively the same as totaling it. Some people around here have been attaching trailers and/or off-roading their Bolts.
Joined
·
82 Posts
I will tow it tomorrow and get a second opinion and post pictures.
Seems like every time I go to a mechanic they try to **** me. I'm only 25 so maybe they assume I don't know anything.
Joined
·
78 Posts
Generally speaking, using your "nice" car for doing things like deliveries, Uber, etc. regardless of it being an electric or not is not smart. In some cases it can even land you in hot water with your insurance company if you don't tell them what your doing.
Never use your good car for a side hustle. Get an old Prius or something. That way you won't be underwater when something happens.
Joined
·
674 Posts
So back to earlier posts, it sounds like you have that answer/repair estimate from one dealer? Was it a "Bolt" dealer or some place that is used to selling Camaro's and pickups? It could be a long road, or not depending, but try going through GM. The battery pack is a structural part of the car so it is either really messed up under there, or some kind of puncture but then I would think the modules and coolant would be impacted too.
Joined
·
579 Posts
Got same message in my 13 Volt. They said it would cost something like $150 diagnostic fee if it wasn’t covered by warranty. Took the 3 days to add 1/2 cup of battery coolant and do a software recall! LOL that was the suburban branch. The downtown branch when I was shopping for my Bolt told me their advert price on CarGurus was wrong - IT guys messed up! GM claims they are going to sell a bunch of EVs but most dealerships don’t want to sell or support them. I bought mine from Donohoo Chevrolet which is in a small town in north Alabama - used to be the sock making capital of the world. They are selling lots of Bolts, if mine needs service that is where it’s going!
I predict a shakeup in dealers, some will move forward but many won’t. A lot will go to live in the old folks home with the phone booth repairmen.
If I pull out of my driveway straight my Bolt scrapes, scrape not bump. Have to make sure to go in and out at an angle. Guess I’ll do. What many others do and fill valley gutter with concrete.
Hope you get a second opinion - have a hard time believing you have been told the truth.
Joined
·
153 Posts
I am wondering if we hit a road hazard on the highway and battery gets ruined, do we have to fork out 20k? yikes off to ask some questions to me state farm agent. AARP is not that great in pricing for those over 50. My agent told me State Farm paid out over 4.4 billion in the Santa Rosa fires in ca.
21 - 40 of 438 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
