NHTSA Complaint #10471278 — 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT

THERE IS AN APPARENT DESIGN FLAW IN THE CHEVY VOLT RELATED TO AN INDIVIDUAL EXITING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWERING DOWN THE SYSTEMS WHICH COULD RESULT IN CO POISONING OR DEATH AND POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARDS IN THE RIGHT SITUATION. THE VOLT USES A KEY FOB SYSTEM AND PUSH BUTTON START. KEY FOBS ARE ALREADY PROVING TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. WITH THE VOLT, THE SITUATION IS EXACERBATED. SINCE THE CAR IS VIRTUALLY SILENT, IT IS VERY EASY FOR A PERSON TO FORGET TO TURN OFF THE CAR, AND WHEN THEY EXIT, THE LACK OF ANY ENGINE NOISE WILL OFTEN NOT GIVE THEM THE CUES NECESSARY TO REALIZE THEIR MISTAKE. WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL LEAVES THE CAR POWERED ON, THE BATTERY WILL DRAIN. WHEN THE BATTERY IS SUFFICIENTLY DRAINED, AN ENGINE WILL TURN ON AND CHARGE THE BATTERIES. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, BECAUSE THIS WILL LIKELY HAPPEN SOMETIME AFTER A PERSON HAS PARKED THEIR CAR. THE RESULT WILL BE A GARAGE FILLING WITH CO FUMES. THE VOLT WILL CONTINUE TO RUN THE ENGINE, IN CYCLES, UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE GAS IN THE TANK. WHILE THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH NON-ELECTRIC VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH KEY FOBS AND CO POISONING AS THE RESULT OF THE DRIVER FORGETTING TO TURN THE CAR, THIS IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE COMMON IN ELECTRIC HYBRID VEHICLES. IN AN UNSCIENTIFIC POLL CONDUCTED ON GM-VOLT.COM, OF 100 RESPONDENTS, 30% ADMITTED TO FORGETTING TO TURN THEIR VEHICLE OFF. ONE USER ON THE SITE FORGOT TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF, AND ENTERED THE GARAGE SOMETIME LATER TO FIND IT FILLED WITH FUMES. THERE NEEDS TO BE PASSIVE (HORN SIGNALS UPON EXIT) OR ACTIVE (WELL ENGINEERED AUTO SHUTOFF) SYSTEMS PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT A TRAGEDY. *TR