California Lemon Law News + Info

Chevy Bolt Catches Fire, Prompting Attention of US Authorities

A woman’s 2019 Chevrolet Bolt went up in smoke just 18 months after she bought it. Now General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are investigating the problem.

White smoke indicates a fire on the street, close to it. A firetruck is parked on the left side of the road. Three firefighters stand beside it, with one holding a fire hose. Vehicles parked in the opposite direction populate the right side of the road. During a family get-together on Fourth of July, Hajime Rojas saw smoke coming out of her $43,000 Chevy Bolt parked in the parking lot of her parent’s home. She called 911 to report the fire.

“I was seeing smoke just growing and growing and getting bigger and bigger behind the car,” Rojas told 7 On Your Side.

“When you see that, I mean you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

After the heat from the car fire melted the backseat and plastic electrical parts, Rojas’ insurance company declared the car a total loss.

Neither Rojas nor the firefighters knew why the car caught fire, but the lithium ion battery, which contains a flammable liquid, is suspected to have played a role in it.

Rojas read reports of other Chevy Bolt fires and contacted General Motors. However, the automaker did not agree to investigate until Rojas reached out to a news outlet, which contacted the automaker on her behalf.

The federal investigation will include 78,000 Chevy Bolt vehicles. A recall on the EVs has been issued as a result.

Source: ABC 7 WJLA


Lemon Law Help by Knight Law Group is an automotive lemon law firm that exclusively practices in California. If you are a California resident who purchased or leased a defective vehicle from a licensed dealership in California, we may be able to help you get rid of your potential lemon and recover significant cash compensation. Model year restrictions apply: 2017–Present vehicle models only.

However, we cannot help those who reside outside of California or purchased their vehicle outside of California unless they are active duty members of the Armed Forces, nor will we be able to refer those to a lemon law firm in their states.

To learn more about the California Lemon Law and your legal rights, visit our guide on the California Lemon Law for more information.

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