Accident Fires May Point to Defective Chevy Volt Battery

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on December 5, 2011

In at least two crash tests, the Chevrolet Volt’s hybrid-electric battery has caught fire, causing serious damage to the vehicle and possibly posing a threat to its drivers. Now, both General Motors and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are taking a close second look at whether or not the Volt’s battery is defective and what sort of safety risks it might pose for drivers.

According to a recent article in the New York Times, the Chevy Volt, a gas-electric hybrid, showed a serious risk of fire after at least two crash tests. In one case, the damage to the battery resulted in a fire three weeks later, long after the average driver would assume any danger had passed. In another, the battery caught fire a week later. A third accident saw the battery smoking and throwing sparks immediately after the crash – signs of an imminent fire may be caused, or a way to cause a separate engine fire or even an explosion, if the sparks came into contact with the vehicle’s fuel system.

In response to owner concerns, General Motors has offered to buy back the Volt. The company has also promised to comply with any federal testing or regulations, and to make fixing this potential safety concern a priority.

Car accidents may be caused by negligent driving, or they may be caused by defective vehicle parts. A defective vehicle part or repair may even make an already-existing accident worse, causing more serious injuries or even death in a case where the original accident was minor. If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident, the experienced Washington car accident attorneys at Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. can help. To learn more, call us today at (888) 228-3860 for a free and confidential case evaluation.