Recall notice concerning range estimation

[PhilPen]

Today I got a letter from GM concerning a recall for my 2015 Spark EV. The recall concerns erratic behavior of the state of charge indicator. Apparently due to high voltage battery state estimation errors the car can display an overly long remaining range to the driver... then on subsequent restart (after a few hours of parking) the range may have apparently significantly dropped (this hasn't really happened its just now displaying the correct value). I have never experienced such problems and am reluctant to take it in when everything seems perfect. Recently I heard of a problem with the Bolt displaying too much residual range, I wonder if that problem and its fix prompted this Spark EV recall.

 

[CCIE]

I got the same letter yesterday. I probably will bring it in since it's just an HPCM2 update. Shouldn't take them long to do it.

 

[beez]

I'm going to wait until there's more information. I don't have any problems that I can tell. Other than its optimistic re:highway range. At 70+ it seems to use up 30 miles of estimated range to go 20 miles. I figure that's normal, as it predicts range more upon a city cycle.

Given the buggy software that already lives in this car, I'd rather stay with the problems I have come to know and love, rather than give them a shot at introducing more. :?
Chris

 

[beez]

Additional thought: although the timing seems coincidental, the bolt issue results in a battery pack swap. Ours is a software update. Related? Maybe not.
Chris

 

[whomadewho]

# 17059: Customer Satisfaction Program – Range Estimation Incorrect – 2014-2016 Chevrolet Spark EV

Full details of the issue have been posted online here:
https://gm.oemdtc.com/7882/17059-cu...orrect-2014-2016-chevrolet-spark-ev#more-7882

We got our notification in the mail on Wednesday.

Edit: Sorry it didn't get pasted as a working link before, fixed!

 

[SparkE]

Here's a link you can click on :

https://gm.oemdtc.com/7882/17059-cu...orrect-2014-2016-chevrolet-spark-ev#more-7882

 

[didget69]

Is this considered to be an abnormal reading?



Dealer performed the SW update yesterday - we'll see how it goes.

bnc

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Is this considered to be an abnormal reading?



Dealer performed the SW update yesterday - we'll see how it goes.

bnc

I would not call it abnormal at all - enjoy it! I drive my 2014 Spark EV (almost 12K miles on the ODO) mainly in town at about 40-45 MPH and in L. Recently I have been seeing 110 miles on the GOM after a full charge. I know this will drop if I have to use the AC too much and when winter gets here and I have to start using the heater. The heater is a real range "KILLER" but you learn to work with it.

 

[evboy]

I got the same letter yesterday. I probably will bring it in since it's just an HPCM2 update. Shouldn't take them long to do it.

what exactly is this hpcm2 anyway. is it something that needs to be updated anyway like windows or android

 

[CCIE]

I got the same letter yesterday. I probably will bring it in since it's just an HPCM2 update. Shouldn't take them long to do it.

what exactly is this hpcm2 anyway. is it something that needs to be updated anyway like windows or android

Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2. There are several computers that run the various systems in the car. But, HPCM2 is the main one. It runs proprietary GM code. Updates are sometimes required, but not often.

 

[evboy]

why are they replacing the battery on the bolt if they can just update the module. also,i did the formula for capacity and im at 17.4 at 35% usage. i will see what it is when it gets closer to 80% usage. that seems higher than when i did it when i first bought the car.

 

[SparkE]

Bolt? WTF? Wrong forum, dude.

 

[rkiyer]

Even if you haven't got a post about the recall, you can check https://my.gm.com/recalls to see if your vehicle qualifies.

 

[wfam5]

Just had it done. Remember your software's wiped clean when you get it back. My screen was showing 51.1 mi/kWh for about 5 miles when I left the dealer. Reset it after getting groceries and it seems like a more normal 5.0 or so now. Freaked out for a bit and thought they imported the problem. Just so you know.....

 

[evboy]

Just had it done. Remember your software's wiped clean when you get it back. My screen was showing 51.1 mi/kWh for about 5 miles when I left the dealer. Reset it after getting groceries and it seems like a more normal 5.0 or so now. Freaked out for a bit and thought they imported the problem. Just so you know.....

I haven't had the problem again. maybe it has to do with the reset like u said.

 

[JMenacker]

Just had it done. Remember your software's wiped clean when you get it back. My screen was showing 51.1 mi/kWh for about 5 miles when I left the dealer. Reset it after getting groceries and it seems like a more normal 5.0 or so now. Freaked out for a bit and thought they imported the problem. Just so you know.....

Thanks for the heads up on resetting the trip odometer (press and hold Select while trip odometer is displayed).

No significant difference in range estimation noted after the update on either of our 2015 Spark EVs. Mine is a 30 mile rural round trip commuter - usually 4.5-5 mi/kWh. Better half's is mostly grocery getter - normally 6-6.5 mi/kWh. Both of us are still loving these cars.

Sagging vinyl wrap at B pillars and hazy rear bow tie were replaced at no cost by dealership on mine with no questions asked. Nice.

Regards,

Joe M in WV

 

[NORTON]

Does the mi/kWh display, when reset, always go to a default 4.5 mi/kWh, (or whatever that figure is) ?
Or is that the actual lifetime average for the car?

My car always seems to reset to the same number. Maybe high mileage cars are that way and that is my actual lifetime average.

I know the 'shut down trip' display can vary a lot. Maybe <3.2 in the dead of winter and >5.5 when I take the country way home in the summer.

 

[SparkevBlogspot]

Mine defaults to 4.0 mi/kWh if I start the car and move just few feet and stop.

Did the update reset the trip meter? I haven't reset mine since I got the car so I can see the overall efficiency. So far around 25K miles shows 5.4 mi/kWh. I'd hate to lose it by doing the software upgrade.

 

[scrambler]

Even if it were to be reset (I don't know if it does), that would not make much difference.
If you have been averaging 5.4 mile / kWh, it would be back to that number in a day.

 

[SparkevBlogspot]

I meant the miles on tripmeter. I'd like it to show large total miles along with mi/kWh.

I'm probably averaging more than 5.4 mi/kWh since it used to be 5.3 mi/kWh until about 20K miles. But showing higher mi/kWh for only few hundred (or few thousand) miles is not that impressive.