[EVDriver]

I just got my bolt premier and next day after driving it off the lot, I noticed that the drivers side blind spot indicator will randomly come on and remain on for some time. Also the passenger side mirror would come on when the cars aren't even in the blind spot, they come on when the car is actually 2-3 car lengths behind the car. I took it back to the dealer the next day and the service guy asked if I had an appointment. I replied no, and he said that there are no loaners so the next available time to fix it would be next week. I explained that I just got the car the other day and thats not acceptable. So I went to my sales rep and he took care of it. I also mentioned that the front pedestrian indicators and anything front sensors weren't working, and that there is this piece of moulding on the left dash that isn't flush like the right side seems to have warped or something. They had the car for a day, they called and said they need to apply a film over the sensors to fix the problem, they had to order a new plastic moulding, and they updated the software to fix the front collision detection stuff. They will need the car for another day.

I'm a little put off that a brand new car would need service a day after purchase. I'm one of the 85% that came from a different brand to buy a chevy bolt.

I've had Audi, Acura, Infiniti, Toyota and figured since its such a high tech car it would be the same, nope. I didn't even realize they didn't include a homelink mirror. I hear everyone saying its an easy $20 fix. I didn't think I'd be buying a 40K+ car to be fixing it.

Now I have to fix the seat. Yeah, great the rear seats are so hi tech they have seat warmers but the front seats where its usually occupied are so uncomfortable. I weigh 130lbs, the front seats are terrible.

Ok I like the range and the torque, that's why I bought it.

 

[NY-Rob]

Sounds like you got an early build Bolt, all that sensor stuff and even software updates have been corrected on later build models.

Look on the driver side pillar between the front and rear doors... there is a sticker there with the gross vehicle weights, VIN and a build date... please post your Bolt's build date.

 

[mboni]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

Also the passenger side mirror would come on when the cars aren't even in the blind spot, they come on when the car is actually 2-3 car lengths behind the car.

Your sensors might be pointed the wrong way, or the software needs updating. However, do note that there are essentially two different alerts on the side mirror. One alert is to tell you that there's a car sitting in your blind spot. But the other alert is trying to tell you that it's not safe to change lanes, and that alert will also look for cars that are behind you but catching up. The lane change alert will correctly trigger when a car is several car lengths behind you.

From the owner's manual:

Lane Change Alert (LCA)
If equipped, the LCA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding lane change
crashes that occur with moving
vehicles in the side blind zone (or
spot) areas or with vehicles rapidly
approaching these areas from
behind. The LCA warning display
will light up in the corresponding
outside mirror and will flash if the
turn signal is on. The Side Blind
Zone Alert (SBZA) system is
included as part of the LCA system.

 

[ProfessorBolta]

Sounds like you got an early build Bolt, all that sensor stuff and even software updates have been corrected on later build models.

How do you know they made hardware changes? When did they implement the changes?

 

[NY-Rob]

How do you know they made hardware changes? When did they implement the changes?

There have been GM Service Bulletins issued for the sensors and for firmware upgrades.

http://gm-volt.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?625-Bolt-Service-Bulletins-Campaigns-and-Recalls

 

[EVDriver]

Firmware updates and Hardware Film Application

I got an update about my car, they are waiting for parts to fix them problem. Apparently they need to apply a film over the sensors, and they said they updated the firmware. And yes, there was a bulletin that they are aware of the problem and issued a fix. I just got this car, last week, so I'm more than positive its NOT a early car.

And they ordered new moulding for the front left dash piece, apparently the dealer has seen a lot of problems with that piece, I guess it warps in the sun?

Anyway, I can't get my Pixel phone to setup keypass. If you guys use the mycheverolet app, and find that getting the status of your car takes forever, apparently the keypass uses bluetooth communication so it will get the data faster than not using keypass.

All the sudden this car is a timesuck.

 

[Sean Nelson]

I just got this car, last week, so I'm more than positive its NOT a early car.

If you're from a market like California where there's an oversupply of Bolts then it's entirely possible that you got a car that's been sitting around on the lot for months. The only way to know for sure is to check the manufacturing date on the sticker on the driver's door pillar.

 

[Lightning]

My build date is 06/17, and last week my blind spot indicator started giving random alerts. This is very annoying. I have an appointment next week at the dealership. Hopefully it is a simple software glitch. Strange that it worked fine for 6 weeks.

 

[bbg523]

Add me to the list,

I thought it was related to my Winter Tire Setup as it appeared right after I swapped wheels/tires. Seemed the SBZA only was an issue with the Passenger side of the car however.
The new wheels tire setup stick out 1/4". So is the Sensor that Sensitive?

I tried a variety of things troubleshooting, the problem seemed to go away by swapping back to my Original tires/ wheels. So in know the sensors worked OK.
However put the Winter tires on and the SBZA would trip.

This was driving me nuts and I had to get to the bottom of why the sensor was tripping constantly.

Eventually I thought it had to do with weight in the rear and angles as I noticed when loaded up in the back the sensor was off.
Chasing my tail here......
http://www.chevybolt.org/forum/12-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension/18994-sonic-16-s-205-xice3-s-using-quick-jack.html

However a few days later it came back again, Regardless of weight in the back. Throw that theory out the window.

Then I realized the days it was working normally with the winter wheel/tires it was raining.

So sure enough on sunny days the SBZA passenger light was on constantly.

So I experimented some more by soaking the rear wheel well down and yes the problem went away.
I tried this 3 days in a row and could verify it would work normally if the wheel well was wet. As soon as it was dry again it would trip the SBZA passenger side sensor....

Crazy right? Believe me I know...

So was water on the wheel well blocking/deflecting the radar signal enough for the system to work normally!???

The Only TBS that seems to be related is below....

17-NA-097 Side Blind Zone Issues or False/Incorrect Side Mirror Notification/Warnings

NOTE: This bulletin ONLY applies to 2017 Bolts equipped with Side Active Safety Obstacle Detection Enhanced (RPO UKC)

NOTE: This condition may potentially be experienced after rear fascia removal/reinstallation or rear fascia replacement.

Condition/Concern- Some customers may comment when driving, the side mirror indicates there is a vehicle present when there actually is not

Root Cause- This condition may be due to missing aluminum butyl tape that is located on the bottom of both left and right object sensing alert module bracket. This tape is important to the performance of the module object sensing.

Corrective measures- Install specialized aluminum butyl tape patches on the bottom of the object sensing alert module brackets. Use PN# 42563361 (LH) and 42563362 (RH)

*******************
WOT

Both of mine however looked OK

So I decided to add a bit more around the side of the sensor toward the wheel well. I took a bit of foam and wrapped it with some Foil tap and placed it up there.

It seems to work. I drove around and tested with traffic, and the system works normally for me. No false readings, no constant SBZA light on the passenger side.
I'll keep an Eye on it....

I'd like to hear from those who took the car in for service if there truly was a software patch ( to change the angle or sensitivity of the sensors) and if they added more foam tape.

 

[Lightning]

Great work bbg523! As it turns out, I installed a new winter tire/wheel combo last week and the problem started the same day. The new tires do stick out 1/4" more. Do you have a picture of where you installed the tape?

 

[bbg523]

I was pretty liberal with the foam and tape. I just used some left over foam from my Seat Bottom upgrade.
It's about 1inch think, cut a piece 1'x1' and wrapped both sides with the foil tape and stuck it up next to the sensor between the wheel well.

It seems to do the trick.

 

[Jmorasky]

My build date is 06/17, and last week my blind spot indicator started giving random alerts. This is very annoying. I have an appointment next week at the dealership. Hopefully it is a simple software glitch. Strange that it worked fine for 6 weeks.

I have also been having a lot if issues check engine light came on dealer said it had 30 codes in multiple sensors. Chevy started a ticket as they had not had this happen before. My apple car play locks up and the other day the blind spot indicator would not show a vehicle or semi next to me. My build date is 11/16. Didn't look when we bought this month.

 

[drdiesel1]

I have also been having a lot if issues check engine light came on dealer said it had 30 codes in multiple sensors. Chevy started a ticket as they had not had this happen before. My apple car play locks up and the other day the blind spot indicator would not show a vehicle or semi next to me. My build date is 11/16. Didn't look when we bought this month.

Your car has multiple software updates that will correct these issues. IDK why the dealers
refuse to update every module that has new calibrations available. I did mine and the car
has been almost 100% glitch free. I still sometimes get odd infotainment oddities with the
camera, but it's not anything that's caused it to freeze up or black out and it's very rare.

 

[Jmorasky]

Your car has multiple software updates that will correct these issues. IDK why the dealers
refuse to update every module that has new calibrations available. I did mine and the car
has been almost 100% glitch free. I still sometimes get odd infotainment oddities with the
camera, but it's not anything that's caused it to freeze up or black out and it's very rare.

I’ll have to let them know, the y said they opened up a file with Chevy and next time they would need car for a while and give me a free rental

 

[bbg523]

Just a follow up on this. I've been running the additional foam/foil on the inside bumper and around the back side of the sensors. This has resolved my SBZA issues and any false readings.

The sensors now work very well as they should.

 

[Cleaner]

I have an appointment on Tuesday for this issue. I will let them know it is happening to other Bolts.
My question is where exactly are the sensors. I guess I am overlooking something obvious.

 

[Cleaner]

After experiencing the side blind side alert coming on either or both sides intermittently for several weeks it stopped on my drive to the dealer. IThere are no error codes and the problem after they drove it yesterday and today will not repeat itself. If anyone has had this problem and had it fixed I would appreciate knowing what they did.

 

[Sean Nelson]

If anyone has had this problem and had it fixed I would appreciate knowing what they did.

The posts I've seen about the issue being resolved all involve upgrading or replacing the foam/foil wrap around the sensors on the inside of the bumper.

 

[drrjv]

The posts I've seen about the issue being resolved all involve upgrading or replacing the foam/foil wrap around the sensors on the inside of the bumper.

Seems like this should be a recall issue. I don't think I should have to screw around with foam and aluminum foil to get this right.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Seems like this should be a recall issue. I don't think I should have to screw around with foam and aluminum foil to get this right.

Post 9 in this thread mentions a TSB that describes the problem. Presumably if your vehicle is not functioning correctly it should get fixed under warranty. It may just be a matter of pointing the TSB out to the service department so they know what to look for.