General Motors is initiating a customer satisfaction program to fix a computer glitch that can cause the Chevrolet Volt’s electric motor to shut down while driving.
Up to 4,000 2013 model year Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrids may be affected by the problem.
The glitch only affects 2013 Volt when owners use the delayed charging function, which allows them to program the vehicle to recharge at specific times.
When the motor shuts down, the steering and brakes still work, allowing drivers to safely coast to a stop.
The problem, first reported by The Detroit News, is not an issue on the 2011 and 2012 Volts.
GM is asking dealers to take their vehicles to “re-flash” the vehicle’s control system, which takes less than an hour.
GM spokeswoman Michele Malcho said the glitch only could affect the small number of owners that have used the delayed charging option. She said no crashes or injuries have been reported and that the issue isn’t safety related.
“We are notifying 2013 model year Chevy Volt owners about a customer satisfaction issue. We have received a few reports from owners that their electric motor has temporarily stopped working, resulting from a software anomaly when their vehicle is in the delayed time and rate charge mode,” Malko said. “We’re asking owners to bring their vehicles into their local Chevy dealer for a re-flash of the vehicle’s control system, which should take less than an hour. Until then, we’re recommending that customers switch to immediate instead of delayed time charging to avoid this inconvenience.”
In January, General Motors initiated another customer satisfaction program to reengineer the Volt in order to better protect the car’s battery pack after government tests showed that certain components could potentially catch fire under after an accident.
