Running a Chevrolet Bolt completely out of charge - funny story

[MetroMPG]

(Not their actual Bolt... this one belongs to a different acquaintance.)

Some friends (who shall remain nameless) got a Chevrolet Bolt EV a year or so ago. This summer, he took it on a ~3000 km round trip from Ontario to the east coast with their dog (his wife, smart girl, flew and met them there).

He mapped his route via fast-charging stations... but he missed one highway exit at the end of a long day while pushing it close to 'E'.

By the time he got turned around he had burned through his reserves. The car went in to "low power" mode wihin a few km of his destination/charging station, and then literally within sight of the charging station it stopped and would move no further.

Like a good ecomodder, he figured... "no problem! I'll just push it!" So he put it in "N"... but as soon as he opened his door, it automatically shifted back into Park! SAFETY FIRST.

He tried this several times, thinking he'd done something wrong ... with the same result. Last resort: he called the local GM dealer to explain the situation and they just sent someone over... who sat in the car while he pushed it over to the charger.

In retrospect he said, "I should have just opened my window and climbed out!"

[Frank Lee]

GD cars think they're smarter than the drivers...

[redpoint5]

I've seen this discussed on the Bolt forum, and I think the solution people went with was to exit the passenger door.

I can't remember why people wanted to leave the car in N, but it might have been because the Bolt will shut off after 2 hrs if left in P, but will remain on in N.

[Tahoe_Hybrid]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

(Not their actual Bolt... this one belongs to a different acquaintance.)

Some friends (who shall remain nameless) got a Chevrolet Bolt EV a year or so ago. This summer, he took it on a ~3000 km round trip from Ontario to the east coast with their dog (his wife, smart girl, flew and met them there).

He mapped his route via fast-charging stations... but he missed one highway exit at the end of a long day while pushing it close to 'E'.

By the time he got turned around he had burned through his reserves. The car went in to "low power" mode wihin a few km of his destination/charging station, and then literally within sight of the charging station it stopped and would move no further.

Like a good ecomodder, he figured... "no problem! I'll just push it!" So he put it in "N"... but as soon as he opened his door, it automatically shifted back into Park! SAFETY FIRST.

He tried this several times, thinking he'd done something wrong ... with the same result. Last resort: he called the local GM dealer to explain the situation and they just sent someone over... who sat in the car while he pushed it over to the charger.

In retrospect he said, "I should have just opened my window and climbed out!"

forgot to put it in Car Wash mode

[Xist]

I hate it when the obvious solution is not obvious at the time!

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

GD cars think they're smarter than the drivers...

On the other hand, with so many different versions of ignitions & shifter mechanisms/buttons proliferating in the past N years, people HAVE started running themselves over with their own cars and/or leaving them idling in their own garages.

[Frank Lee]

There is nothing us midwestern duhmericans love more than idling engines! Ahhhhhhh

[Piotrsko]

AAAAHH, they DIDN'T run it out of charge, the electronic controls shut itself off. Totally running out of charge is nigh impossible.

[MetroMPG]

Right! Obviously there was still enough juice left to power the electronic nannies.

[redpoint5]

Apparently the Bolt will automatically apply the parking brakes periodically, regardless of being off or in neutral. People talk about disconnecting the 12v battery to tow. I'd just flat tow while "on" to regen until I had enough juice to make it to a charger.