NHTSA Complaint #10658921 — 2013 CHEVROLET VOLT

THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 8/27/14, AND RESULTED IN MY WIFE ME TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND TREATED FOR CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT OUR HOME. THE VOLT WAS PARKED IN THE ENCLOSED GARAGE ON 8/26 AROUND 7PM. THE 240 VOLT CHARGER WAS PLUGGED IN AS USUAL. I DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL AFTER PLUGGING IN THE CHARGER, AND THE VOLT WAS LEFT UNATTENDED UNTIL THE EMS ARRIVED AROUND 11AM THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE EMS PERSONNEL FOUND THE ENGINE RUNNING, VERY HIGH LEVELS OF CO UPON ENTERING THE GARAGE AND EVEN HIGHER LEVELS INSIDE THE CAR. THE INSIDE OF THE PASSAGE COMPARTMENT WAS DESCRIBED AS HOT. THE FRONT EXTERIOR OF THE CAR WAS TO HOT TO TOUCH AND THE CAR REAR WARM. THE TEMPERATURE UNDER THE CAR HOOD WAS DESCRIBED AS "RED HOT". THE ENGINE HAD CONSUMED AROUND 5 GALLONS OF GAS DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. DISTRIBUTION OF THE CO THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE A/C AIR HANDLER WHICH IS LOCATED INSIDE THE GARAGE. DATA DUMPS REVEALED POWER AND STARTING BATTERIES WERE EXHAUSTED, AND NO FAULT FLAGS DROPPED. I BELIEVE THE INCIDENT HAS REVEALED: -THE TEMPERATURE LEVELS REACHED UNDER THE HOOD PROBABLY EXCEEDED THE SAFE OPERATING LEVELS OF THE DIGITAL SYSTEMS SOLID STATE JUNCTIONS RENDERING ANY DATA COLLECTED (OR NOT COLLECTED) AS UNRELIABLE. -THE LITHIUM ION AND STARTING BATTERIES WERE TOTALLY W/O CHARGE. HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN WHEN THE SOLE FUNCTION OF THE GAS ENGINE ( WHICH WAS RUNNING WHEN DISCOVERED BY THE FIREMEN ) IS TO CHARGE THESE BATTERIES UNLESS A FAILURE OCCURRED. NOTE: ALL PERSONAL INFO STORED IN THE CAR ENTERTAINMENT HARD DRIVE SYSTEM WAS LOST. -HOW CAN THE CAR OUTSIDE SURFACE GET THAT HOT? ONE POSSIBILITY IS THE BODY IS TEMPORARILY USED AS A RETURN GROUND PASSING VERY HIGH LEVELS OF CURRENT BECAUSE OF A FAILURE. *TR