A 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV stopped running less than 30,000 miles short of half a million. Its battery needed replacing, but the owner got the repair for free.
The car arrived at Out of Spec Renew with 471,616 miles on its odometer. In a video published October 17, the host takes on the job of getting it back on the road, using a battery salvaged from another Bolt.
That mileage came with a substantial repair history. Along with suspension work, wheel bearings, and steering racks, the car had already received a battery through Chevrolet’s recall program. The host believes the replacement happened at roughly 138,000 miles, putting more than 330,000 miles on the pack now.
After hearing from the owner, Out of Spec agreed to cover the repair. A dismantler supplied a discounted replacement, though getting the car moving again would take more than bolting it into place.
Another Turn
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At the shop, the Bolt displayed battery warnings and would not shift into drive or reverse. Diagnostic checks found voltage imbalances among cells in two battery modules. Clearing the faults failed to restore driving, so the car had to be moved into position for the swap.
GM’s recall addressed battery manufacturing defects that could cause fires when a torn anode tab and a folded separator occurred in the same cell.
Although the donor car was a 2017 model, its battery was also a later warranty replacement. The host estimates that pack had traveled only 10,000 to 15,000 miles. Its lid had some cracks, so he transferred the lid from the outgoing battery before completing the installation.
Programming brought another delay. An initial attempt failed, and the host later spotted instructions requiring a specific sequence involving the hood, driver’s door, and brake pedal. Following that procedure allowed the programming to finish.
Keeping the Tab
The replacement battery cost the shop about $1,800 delivered, including a discount from the dismantler. For a regular customer, the host estimates he would charge roughly $2,500 to $3,000 for a similar battery, including his parts markup.
Labor would be additional. He estimates installation at about four and a half hours, costing a little over $800 at his shop rate, plus another $50 for programming. Those figures describe this used-pack repair rather than a new battery purchased through a dealership.
Once programming was complete and the cooling system was addressed, the Bolt went out for a test drive. Back at the shop, a fresh diagnostic scan returned zero faults.
More maintenance remained on the list. The host had spotted a leaking passenger-side axle seal and planned to service the reduction gear oil while the car was still there.