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Chevy Volt Suspected of Causing House Fire
National Legal & Policy Center ^ | April 15, 2011 | Mark Modica

Posted on 04/15/2011 1:12:12 PM PDT by jazusamo

The quality and safety concerns continue to surface at General Motors as officials investigate the likelihood that a Chevy Volt started a fire in a Connecticut home that devastated the garage where the vehicle was being charged. This story was reported by a local Eyewitness News team on Thursday and has not received widespread media coverage. This follows a GM recall of the Chevy Cruze that was necessitated after a steering wheel broke off of one of the vehicles traveling at highway speeds and endangered the family traveling in the car.

Regarding the Chevy Volt incident, I have yet to hear that GM or the Department of Transportation is starting their own investigation. One has to wonder how much attention these latest stories would get if we were talking about Toyota, which had previously been lambasted regarding perceived safety issues, instead of Government Motors.

Quality issues at GM have plagued the brand for decades. As recently as this year, Consumer Reports ranked GM quality 12th out of 13 automakers reviewed with only Chrysler receiving a lower grade. It is not a coincidence that the automakers receiving a government bail out rank lowest in quality. This is indicative of two things, first and foremost that quality is the most important factor for an automaker's success or failure. The second fact is that the Obama Administration couldn't understand this simple concept as it blamed GM's problems on balance sheet issues when it orchestrated a taxpayer funded bankruptcy process that favored UAW claims over bondholder claims. GM's lack of competitive product is the reason that Ford outsold GM in March for only the second time in years. In months that GM spent significantly more money in incentives than the competition, sales held up well, but when they reduced incentives closer to the industry average consumers chose vehicles that offered better value.

The Chevy Volt is a prime example of the main underlying problem at GM, which is that this company spends more effort on marketing and public opinion than it does on focusing on developing mainstream quality vehicles. Much hype has surrounded the Volt, yet sales of the vehicle remain dismal. Worse yet, the Obama Administration and GM are misleading the American people when they make claims that the Volt has such high demand that supply can not keep up with production. Stories are circulated that consumers are willing to pay thousands of dollars more than MSRP for the hard to find vehicles. If this were the case, why is the Obama Administration and Michigan Democratic Senator, Debbie Stabenow, pushing for legislation that would give purchasers of the Volt a $7500 taxpayer funded rebate at the time of purchase, as reported by the Washington Times?

Supposedly, consumers are already willing to pay a premium for the Volt, why waste even more taxpayer money subsidizing a vehicle that travels about 30 miles on an electric charge and then gets only about 30 MPG running on premium fuel? More suspicious activity surrounding the Volt surfaces if you do a cars.com search for used vehicles. It seems that non-GM dealerships have been purchasing Volts and reselling them as used vehicles. Now why in the world is GM selling Volts to non-GM dealerships when there are claims that there are not enough of the cars available to meet retail demand?

It remains to be seen if GM can restructure for success over the long haul. The $50 billion taxpayer bailout it received less than two years ago will not carry GM far into the future, particularly if GM continues to rely on smoke and mirrors rather than focusing on developing quality vehicles.



TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government
KEYWORDS: bailout; efv; gm; governmentmotors; nlpc; obama; uaw; volt
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This could pose a real problem for GM if indeed the charging was the cause of the fire.
1 posted on 04/15/2011 1:12:18 PM PDT by jazusamo
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To: Red Badger; steelyourfaith

Ping.


2 posted on 04/15/2011 1:14:30 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: jazusamo
I'm sure the UAW thugs will have a couple extra Colt's at lunch in celebration.
3 posted on 04/15/2011 1:17:15 PM PDT by JPG ("2012 Can't Come Soon Enough" - Sarah Palin)
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To: jazusamo

It “has not received widespread media coverage?” Well SURELY that couldn’t have anything to do with Hussein’s ownership of GM, now COULD it!!!!


4 posted on 04/15/2011 1:19:35 PM PDT by Oldpuppymax
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To: JPG

Yep, I wonder if GM has figured out their problem with quality control? ;)


5 posted on 04/15/2011 1:20:00 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

6 posted on 04/15/2011 1:20:28 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo
This is an interesting story. I have a very limited understanding of electrical engineering, but I have often wondered about the inherent safety concerns associated with having such tremendous stored electric energy in a moving vehicle. Beyond the problems that might be associated with the charging process, as might be the case here, I wonder what happens in cases of catastrophic accidents.

Anyone who has dropped an old-style television and seen the resulting electrical discharge - I believe from capacitors - knows what I mean. If a television can act like that, how dangerous must the capacitors be in an electric car?

7 posted on 04/15/2011 1:20:34 PM PDT by OldDeckHand
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To: Oldpuppymax

No doubt, the enemdia and Zer0 have a thing for each other.


8 posted on 04/15/2011 1:22:30 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo

This car can go from zero to 360 in 6 seconds!!!


9 posted on 04/15/2011 1:23:16 PM PDT by gov_bean_ counter (I am declaring 2011 to be the year of ME!)
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To: jazusamo

Oh, my. The auto crime wave has spread from the SUVs to electric cars.


10 posted on 04/15/2011 1:24:07 PM PDT by RichInOC (Palin 2012: The Perfect Storm.)
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To: jazusamo

So, government motors sells a bunch of these things that then catch fire and burn down the owner’s homes. This requires the owner to buy both a new car and a new home, thereby ending the recession in both the auto and home building industries. That obama is one smart feller.


11 posted on 04/15/2011 1:25:50 PM PDT by farmguy
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To: jazusamo

12 posted on 04/15/2011 1:25:54 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open ( <o> ---)
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To: jazusamo
[singing...] Juusssstttttttt Looooookkkkk forrrrr the Unionnnnnnn LayyyyyyyBULLLLLLLL.......

Bwaaaahaaaahhahhhaaaa....likely a dumbass Democrat whose house got sacrificed on the altar of incompetency......

13 posted on 04/15/2011 1:26:48 PM PDT by Gaffer
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To: jazusamo

I'm shocked........

14 posted on 04/15/2011 1:27:27 PM PDT by Red Badger (Mitt Romney: The Harold Stassen of the 21st century........)
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To: OldDeckHand

I hear you and have wondered about it myself. Like you I know little about electronics but I’ve seen what happens when a positive battery cable shorts on just a 12 volt car battery, I’d guess there’s a heck of a lot more amperage in a Volt battery.


15 posted on 04/15/2011 1:27:40 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo
Well, ordinarily I might agree with you but for your comment to be relevant, GM would have to have some measure of quality to begin with. The last thing I'll voluntarily or knowingly buy is a car made by a union worker, period.
16 posted on 04/15/2011 1:29:17 PM PDT by Gaffer
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To: OldDeckHand

EMT and Fire rescue are now to be on alert for high voltage wires when cutting thru the bodies with the Jaws of life...............


17 posted on 04/15/2011 1:30:03 PM PDT by Red Badger (Mitt Romney: The Harold Stassen of the 21st century........)
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To: smokingfrog

Thanks for the pic, it did a real number.


18 posted on 04/15/2011 1:30:20 PM PDT by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: smokingfrog

Might as well have barbequed hot dogs over charcoal spread out over the living room rug....


19 posted on 04/15/2011 1:31:02 PM PDT by Gaffer
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To: smokingfrog

Wow, that’s a fire. You don’t often see a structure in a (presumably) residential neighborhood that far gutted.


20 posted on 04/15/2011 1:32:07 PM PDT by OldDeckHand
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