General Motors announced that it is recalling 50,249 Chevrolet Volt plug-in vehicles for a software fix to ensure consumers are not subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning.
The heart of the problem is common among hybrid cars: drivers cannot easily tell if the engine is running or when the car is only running on battery power. When the Volt is in electric mode, it runs very quietly and a driver may forget to turn it off, or the battery may drain and the gas generator may start. If the engine turns on to recharge the battery inside a garage and the consumer is unaware, they can be poisoned.
[quote text_size=”small” author=”– General Motors”]
If the gas engine runs for a long period of time within an enclosed space, such as a garage, carbon monoxide could build up.
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USA Today reports that two people have been injured by carbon monoxide fumes from this problem.
The recall affects 2011 through 2013 model year Volts. GM will perform a software update on the vehicles to limit the amount of time the vehicle can be left idling in the “run” or “on” position. Currently, the vehicle has warning chimes to alert drivers that the vehicle is still running.
In a separate matter, GM told dealers on Thursday to stop deliveries of the 2015 Chevrolet Trax and Buick Encore crossovers due to a pending safety recall to fix a problem that may lead to loss of electric power steering. This stop order will effect about 2,300 of the crossovers, Auto News reported.
The steering defect in this case is similar to an issue that prompted Toyota this week to recall 110,000 Highlander crossovers and Camry sedans.
Last week, GM announced a $5 billion share buyback plan that will avoid a proxy war with investors. This move is predicted to return $10 billion to shareholders through 2015.
