It seems that as hard as manufacturers work to idiot-proof their vehicles there will always be a better idiot.
As part of an international recall Holden Volt owners are being asked to return their vehicles to the dealership for a minor software upgrade which will "time the vehicle out" in the event the ignition is inadvertently left on.
The issue stems from US feedback that indicates a number of owners have parked their Volt in garage, left the keys in the car and the ignition switched on. Ignoring the chimes, the owners have left the vehicle parked for an extended period where after the battery depletes to a level low enough to engage the petrol generator.
The subsequent exhaust emissions produced in a confined space are obviously cause for concern – though one could argue it's Darwinism at its finest.
Holden reports that no such instances have been reported from any of the 236 Volt owners locally, nor the 24 in New Zealand.
"GM Holden has initiated a vehicle safety recall on certain MY13 Volt vehicles as a condition has been identified whereby if a driver exits the vehicle and inadvertently leaves the vehicle 'on' (ignoring the audible warning), the vehicle's high-voltage battery will drain after a period of time and the petrol engine will begin to run. If the petrol engine runs for a long period of time within an enclosed space, such as a garage, carbon monoxide could build up," says the GM bulletin.
"Holden will be contacting all potentially affected customers to arrange a free-of-charge software installation which will limit the time that a vehicle can be left in the "on" position without movement of vehicle."
One thing is certain, this recall is unlikely to be repeated for the next-generation Volt, which has already been confirmed to be left-hand-drive only. So the problem for Holden will soon go away.