8,000 Volt Flyback

[Analog]

DETROIT (AP) — A person briefed on the matter says General Motors will ask Volt owners to bring their electric cars into dealers to strengthen the structure around the batteries.
The move is similar to a recall and involves the 8,000 Volts sold in the U.S. in the past two years.
The move comes after three batteries caught fire after side-impact crash tests done by federal safety regulators. The fires occurred seven days to three weeks after the tests and have been blamed on a coolant leak that caused an electrical short. No fires have broken out in real-world crashes.
The person says GM will contact Volt owners and have them return the cars to dealers for several structural repairs.
The repairs are a step below a formal recall.
The person did not want to be identified because GM executives will announce the plan later Thursday.

 

[Gibson486]

Hehehehe....A123 systems must be gloating now...

 

[MotF Bane]

Well, at least there aren't a lot of them to repair.

 

[Jaepheth]

Expected thread to be about transformers. I'm leaving; disappointed.

 

[LTC8K6]

But not recalled... :\

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/05/9976867-gm-to-call-back-8000-electric-chevy-volts

According to the automaker, modifications will:

Strengthen an existing portion of the Volt’s vehicle safety structure to further protect the battery pack in a severe side collision.
Add a sensor in the reservoir of the battery coolant system to monitor coolant levels.
Add a tamper-resistant bracket to the top of the battery coolant reservoir to help prevent potential coolant overfill.

 

[SandEagle]

Never buy domestic cars.

 

[LTC8K6]

According to the automaker, modifications will:

Strengthen an existing portion of the Volt’s vehicle safety structure to further protect the battery pack in a severe side collision.
Add a sensor in the reservoir of the battery coolant system to monitor coolant levels.
Add a tamper-resistant bracket to the top of the battery coolant reservoir to help prevent potential coolant overfill.

 

[LTC8K6]

They didn't have a coolant level sensor in the battery system?

 

[SlowSpyder]

Never buy domestic cars.

I think they all have recalls, regardless of the badge on the car.

 

[OlafSicky]

They didn't have a coolant level sensor in the battery system?

IF they did it would have cost $1.50 extra for each car!!!

 

[LTC8K6]

I think they all have recalls, regardless of the badge on the car.

Fortunately, this is not a recall...

No matter how much it seems like one...

 

[Modelworks]

Are they running the lithium batteries so hot that they need a coolant system ? That doesn't sound like a good design.

 

[drebo]

I actually saw a Volt last week...it was really quite ugly.

 

[Imp]

Seriously, at least it's only 8k cars. The smallest "recalls" I remember are at least 5 figures.

 

[Hugo Drax]

The only ones buying Volts are Limousine Liberals. So the Volt is the 21st century delayed fuze pinto.

Congrats GM for improving the way automobiles explode on impact, much more effective to make the detonation delayed so it can burn down the house as a bonus.

 

[waggy]

Never buy domestic cars.

right. buy Honda. teh cars work but they lie about MPG. they are getting sued because the claim that the car gets 50mpg when in reality it gets high 20's. BTW there are a couple class action (and a bunch of small claims) suits about it.

 

[LTC8K6]

Seriously, at least it's only 8k cars. The smallest "recalls" I remember are at least 5 figures.

That's all they sold, total...

 

[LTC8K6]

Are they running the lithium batteries so hot that they need a coolant system ? That doesn't sound like a good design.

Most hybrids and full electrics have a battery heating/cooling system because the batteries work best in a certain temperature range.

When they are plugged in, the system uses some grid electricity to heat or cool the battery as necessary.

The Leaf, iirc, does not have such a system, and it suffers quite a bit, particularly in the cold.

 

[Vic Vega]

A car that sophisticated doesn't have a way to monitor battery coolant temperature? I mean, if the battery gets too hot, unlike a normal car engine, it doesn't just quit working - it blows up...

There are a TON of these things driving around my area, I see them daily. Most of them are red or black. Saw two back to back in traffic yesterday, a red and a grey. In person they're neat looking.

 

[CPA]

I actually saw a Volt last week...it was really quite ugly.

Saw one too. It wasn't that bad, at least not as bad as a Prius.

 

[Imp]

That's all they sold, total...

I know, it's still funny.

 

[waggy]

That's all they sold, total...

really? shit. i knew it was low but..err not that low.

hmm quick search says nissan leaf is over 15k. lol

 

[hanoverphist]

A car that sophisticated doesn't have a way to monitor battery coolant temperature? I mean, if the battery gets too hot, unlike a normal car engine, it doesn't just quit working - it blows up...

level, not temperature. i bet they had problems with people overfilling the coolant reservoir and need to put a sensor and bracket to keep it from happening.

 

[LTC8K6]

They decided that a temp sensor was enough, and went without a level sensor, which makes no sense to me.

I guess they figured if the coolant leaked out, the temp sensor would be good enough to save the battery.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

Most hybrids and full electrics have a battery heating/cooling system because the batteries work best in a certain temperature range.

When they are plugged in, the system uses some grid electricity to heat or cool the battery as necessary.

The Leaf, iirc, does not have such a system, and it suffers quite a bit, particularly in the cold.

So you also waste energy to cool and heat batteries? Pathetic.