THE STANDARD CHARGE CORD UNIT SUPPLIED WITH THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALER HAS FAILED TWICE, AND I BELIEVE IT POSES A FIRE RISK. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS 9/1/12 AT APPROX. 18,000 MILES. CORROSION WAS NOTED ON THE PLUG. THE DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN BLAMED RUST FROM A RECENT RAINSTORM AND REPLACED THE CHARGE CORD UNIT. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS YESTERDAY AT 32,350 MILES. THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED CHARGING. ON INSPECTION THE CHARGE UNIT AND CORD WERE EXTREMELY HOT, HOT ENOUGH TO HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED A BURN OR AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IN MY GARAGE. OVER THE PAST 2-3 MONTHS, I HAVE NOTED GRADUAL ONSET OF CORROSION ON THE OUTLET AND THE CHARGER PLUG. (OF NOTE, THERE HAS BEEN NO RAIN HERE IN LAS VEGAS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS). THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CHARGE CORD UNIT TODAY. I COMMENTED TO THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM USING SOLELY THE 110 VOLT CHARGER IN A REGULAR HOUSEHOLD OUTLET. DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL IMPLIED THAT THE VOLT IS SUPPOSED TO BE CHARGED ON A DEDICATED CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH NO OTHER USE. HOWEVER, THIS INFORMATION DOES NOT APPEAR ANYWHERE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, NOR IN THE CHARGE CORD UNIT MANUAL I RECEIVED TODAY, NOR HAVE I BEEN TOLD THIS AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, NOR AT THE TIME OF THE INITIAL CHARGE CABLE RECALL IN EARLY 2012, NOR ON 9/1/12. THE ONLY PRINTED INFORMATION ABOUT CHARGING IS THAT THE VOLT CAN BE PLUGGED INTO A REGULAR HOUSEHOLD OUTLET (OWNERS MANUAL 1-20), AND THAT IT IS RECOMMENDED TO LEAVE IT PLUGGED IN TEMPERATURES OVER 90 DEGREES F. TO PRESERVE BATTERY LIFE (OWNER'S MANUAL 9-44). ON REVIEW OF WEBSITES AND BLOGS, I NOTE THAT OTHER VOLT OWNERS HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. *TR
2013
ENGINE
I WAS ON MY WAY HOME, IT WAS VERY DARK OUTSIDE ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY GOING 60-60MPH AND WANTED TO SWITCH OVER TO ELECTRIC "HOLD" MODE SO I COULD SAVE THE ELECTRIC BATTERY FOR CITY DRIVING. I GLANCED OVER AND HIT THE "DRIVE MODE" BUTTON THREE TIMES THINKING I WAS GOING TO SEND THE DRIVE MODE DOWN TO "HOLD". INSTEAD WHAT I DID WAS POWERED OFF THE CAR BY HITTING THE POWER BUTTON. (THE TWO BUTTONS ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND BOTH REQUIRE MULTIPLE PRESSES TO WORK). SO THERE I WAS, THE CAR WENT BLACK INSIDE AND THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF OUTSIDE WHILE I WAS GOING 65MPG ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY (ONE LANE EACH DIRECTION). THANK GOD THERE WAS NOBODY AROUND OR CLOSE TO ME AND THANKFULLY THERE WAS JUST ENOUGH AMBIENT LIGHT FROM THE MOON TO SEE WHERE I WAS. I HIT THE POWER BUTTON TO TRY TURNING IT BACK ON, NOTHING. LUCKILY THE HAZARD SWITCH REMAINED LIT AND I WAS ABLE TO TURN MY HAZARDS ON. I HAD TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PUT IT BACK INTO PARK AND HIT POWER. I REALIZE I HIT THE WRONG BUTTON BUT WHY SHOULD SUCH AN EASY MISTAKE ALMOST CAUSE A FATALITY. IF NOT FOR THE MOON I MIGHT HAVE DROVE OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEY MOVE THE POWER BUTTON TO THE STEERING COLUMN, SIMILAR TO WHERE A KEY WOULD BE LOCATED. FOR GODS SAKE, DON'T PUT A MULTIPLE CLICK BUTTON NEXT TO ANOTHER MULTIPLE CLICK BUTTON THAT HAS SUCH SIGNIFICANCE IN THE OUTCOME OF YOUR LIFE. AND FOR GOD SAKES, DON'T TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHTS IF THE COMPUTER DETECTS I'M GOING 65 AND KNOWS VIA THE SENSOR THAT IT'S DARK OUTSIDE! THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AT VARIOUS WEB SITES, INCLUDING.... HTTP://GM-VOLT.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?17249-POWER-BUTTON-TOO-CLOSE-TO-DRIVE-MODE-BUTTON! SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE HAVE A FATALITY SOON IF THIS IS NOT FIXED. *TR