GM Update on CT fire

[GMCAMARO]

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/18/general-motors-statement-chevrolet-volt-fire/


While some have been quick to point fingers at the 2011 Chevrolet Volt involved in two separate incidents at the Barkhamsted, CT home of Storm and Dee Connors, General Motors has updated its earlier statement to improve the clarity of the situation. "While the Volt's battery pack sustained damage," says General Motors Global Electric Vehicle Executive Doug Parks, "it was not extensive enough or of the type that would suggest that it caused the fire."

GM experts are working with fire officials in the small town in the Northwest corner of Connecticut to help determine the cause of the blaze that also destroyed a home-built Suzuki Samurai EV that Storm Connors had been chronicling on a blog. General Motors is confident that the engineering and systems in the Chevrolet Volt provide exceptional safety, and the vehicle's involvement in this situation is one of circumstance, merely a damaged vehicle due to its parking spot, and not the root cause of the fire. Full statement posted after the jump.

 

[jayoldschool]

home-built Suzuki Samurai EV that Storm Connors had been chronicling on a blog

This story just got a little more interesting. I think a lot will be less quick to blame GM after reading this.

 

[meissen]

More discussion on it here: http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99056&page=2

 

[Gary S]

It doesn't sound like much of an "update" to me. According to that story, nothing new is known. Everybody is still guessing. If everybody was smart, they would just shut their mouths until they know something accurate from the investigation.
It sounds more like an official denial from GM.

 

[ddawg16]

It doesn't sound like much of an "update" to me. According to that story, nothing new is known. Everybody is still guessing. If everybody was smart, they would just shut their mouths until they know something accurate from the investigation.
It sounds more like an official denial from GM.

Not sure how you came up with that conclusion......

If anything, you should head your own words.....

 

[ZRX61]

Apparently this Volt had already caught fire before....

 

[Gary S]

Not sure how you came up with that conclusion......

Pretty simple really, GM's VP is making statements about HIS assessment of damage before any official results of the fire are released. Where does he state that he has any facts to back up this statement?

"While the Volt's battery pack sustained damage," says General Motors Global Electric Vehicle Executive Doug Parks, "it was not extensive enough or of the type that would suggest that it caused the fire.

 

[ddawg16]

While the Volt's battery pack sustained damage," says General Motors Global Electric Vehicle Executive Doug Parks, "it was not extensive enough or of the type that would suggest that it caused the fire.

(edit....I had the wrong quote)

Sounds like the source of your quote is of questionable accuracy....

I found the following from here....
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/04/chevy_volts_possible_role_in_c.html

"Our engineering experts have inspected the Chevrolet Volt severely damaged in a garage fire in Barkhamsted," said Doug Parks, GM's global electric vehicle executive in a statement Monday. "We believe the findings indicate the Volt was damaged by the fire, not the cause. While the Volt's battery pack sustained damage, it was not extensive enough or of the type that would suggest that it caused the fire. In addition, there is clear evidence based on moderate damage to the cordset and charging system that neither component caused the fire."

I suspect this is the real quote and your source manipulated it to protray a different 'slant'....or, what 'they' wanted people to believe....

Another fine example of the meanscream media....

 

[adam728]

But jumping to conclusions with little to no information is fun! Reporters get to do it all the time, BP oil spill, Japans nuke, Toyota unintended acceleration, just get 1 sentence of information, then provide your non-expert thoughts and opinions as scientific fact!

I'm not going to jump on the guys home build Ev either, for all we know there was a lightning strike, old deep freeze, linseed oiled rags, etc etc. Although reducing charger voltage by using lots of extension cords does throw a flag.....

 

[cowboyjosh]

But jumping to conclusions with little to no information is fun! Reporters get to do it all the time, BP oil spill, Japans nuke, Toyota unintended acceleration, just get 1 sentence of information, then provide your non-expert thoughts and opinions as scientific fact!

I'm not going to jump on the guys home build Ev either, for all we know there was a lightning strike, old deep freeze, linseed oiled rags, etc etc. Although reducing charger voltage by using lots of extension cords does throw a flag.....

another mainstream media scream, while somewhat deserved is CSST gas pipe; during the "sweeps" a couple years ago just about every local stations and some national programs like Good Morning America did stories that if you have CSST in your house, it (your house) is going to EXPLODE during a thunderstorm. While I don't like CSST one bit, the news reports couldn't have been farther from the truth.

Not to get too far off topic, I also LOVE:rolleyes how all the media outlets, doesn't matter which one, have all these "experts" they cite, but they never interview or give the name or credentials of the "experts" they report something along the lines as "experts caution or say.........". Who the **** are these experts? I reckon some of these experts are ITT Tech drop outs.

 

[cdseven95]

I draw no conclusions without a report from an investigator... But he had a homemade electric vehicle but on the other hand I have a friend whos GM caught fire that GM denied fault until they issued a recall on it. I know of Grand Am, Grand Prix?, Impala, Denali, and Escalade fire risk recalls... So they have a recent history.... But Id go with the home built car or house first.

 

[54FordPanel]

How many carbon credits does a garage fire cancel out?

 

[Worsedog]

How many carbon credits does a garage fire cancel out?

 

[Gary S]

How many carbon credits does a garage fire cancel out?

Garage fires don't count toward carbon credits because garage fires are real, and carbon credits are a scam like global warming.

 

[adam728]

Garage fires don't count toward carbon credits because garage fires are real, and carbon credits are a scam like global warming.

Wrong

The answer is zero, or one bazillion. It all depends on if you are using the George Carlin scale, or the Al Gore scale.




I love Carlin's bit on "Save the environment".