didget69
Well-known member
What year is your Spark?
bnc
bnc
Catastrophic Failure - Spark EV died on Freeway
- Thread starter mineral
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Didn't post results because I had none. It's been 2+ weeks and just today the dealer called to say that GM had to replace the entire battery assembly; that the problem was a failed battery cell. Just one but it brought down the whole thing. Just picked the car up, seems OK, but less peppy...apparently it'll take several recharges for the system to work as before (what they said - maybe like an ICE car with a new engine to break-in). Will keep the list posted. Any questions, just ask.
SparkE
Well-known member
Puregsr said:
Not necessarily a brand new battery. Do you suppose that they are going to throw away the battery pack they took out of the car, that had ONE bad cell? Nope. They will probably replace ONE cell and turn it into another replacement/warranty pack for some other car.
Maybe, but then why did they replace the entire battery assembly (at a cost, said the dealer, of $10,000) rather than just "fix" the one bad cell? My big concern is this happening again (complete battery failure), maybe not when I'm not stopped at a light but going downhill on a mountain...the sudden loss of power brakes, steering and no propulsion (only can move car in neutral). Do we have any idea how many times this (battery failure) has happened to electric cars, and specifically Sparks? If it's "once in a blue moon," then maybe acceptable, but...Further, can anyone here explain really what that failure was and what caused it? Thanks.
SparkevBlogspot
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 25, 2015
- Messages
- 498
I cannot be certain, but I think power brakes, steering, etc. are run off the 12V. Running puny power required in brakes / steering from ~400V makes little sense. Then you have redundancy. If the main battery dies, 12V would keep vital things alive. If the 12V dies, main battery and inverter would keep 12V stuff alive.
In ICE, engine dying would kill power brakes, steering, etc, since they are run off the vacuum of ICE. In that sense, I'd be far more worried in ICE car than EV. It's much easier to kill ICE from running all of a sudden than 12V battery.
In ICE, engine dying would kill power brakes, steering, etc, since they are run off the vacuum of ICE. In that sense, I'd be far more worried in ICE car than EV. It's much easier to kill ICE from running all of a sudden than 12V battery.
Well, that may be. Or not. But all power functions as described did stop when I received the "no propulsion" message. Interestingly, the computer readout and screen display functioned, as did Onstar, etc. Albeit providing false information such as showing full green bars, but then noting only "3 miles" left on the charge. It also provided a message that "charging" not enabled.
boatbum11
Active member
Well, my 2014 Spark did something similar the other day. Went to go home from work and it displayed reduced propulsion power and wouldn't go. Tried turning it off and on and it wouldn't turn off!! After many failed attempts I got out of the car. The car honked 3 times telling me I forgot it on. Left the fob outside the car. Got it to turn off. Returned the fob to the car and restarted. All came back to normal. Been fine ever since. Go figure???
Sounds like hiccup, or you have a cell about to die, as mine did. Only one cell died in my instance, but it shut down the entire car. I tried all the things you mentioned and it never "woke" up/worked. Must have been serious because GM paid (one year old lease) to replace the entire battery assembly at a cost of $10,000 (to GM). Good luck.
Or there any more stories out there about this type of thing? Range anxiety notwithstanding (I can deal with that) I admit to having a little more anxiety re: the "no propulsion" experience. Sigh.
Or there any more stories out there about this type of thing? Range anxiety notwithstanding (I can deal with that) I admit to having a little more anxiety re: the "no propulsion" experience. Sigh.
boatbum11
Active member
Keeping my fingers crossed it was a hickup. Our cars are rolling computers and we know how often they crash, lock up, etc. Of course I wouldn't mind a new battery on GM 
, but not the lost time without the car and the headache of getting them to warranty it :? .
, but not the lost time without the car and the headache of getting them to warranty it :? .I have a lease (7/2016) for 3 years. And purchase or lease, the battery warranty is 8-10 years, depending on the state you're in. But the bigger problem is as you state, time lost. I didn't have Sparky for 2 weeks. The warranty covers a free loaner, but I was then using fossil fuels, which is the main reason we bought electric. Sure I've saved $$ using electric over gas (about 20-25 percent of gas costs), and the SparkEV is quicker than hell and fun to drive, but the environmental reasons are what drove us to make this jump.
