Bolt Front Seats Recall Media Campaign

[DoninLAlaland]

On the positive side, I was able to do my typical 3 mile run on Saturday morning pain-free after not driving the Bolt for almost two weeks.

Hilarious!

Keep at it in Lalaland. We need to get the message out. I can't believe no one here has come up with anything creative so far.

Facebook anyone? Twitter? There has got to be a way.

As far as your Bolt, just plunk down the money and get the seats feathered. It's cheaper down there in LA than in SF. Up here, general price is 450-500 per seat. I knew nothing was going to happen for months and took the plunge, enjoying the results.

Overall, I expected much better from Chevy. Now we know...

Only 5 months wait for Leaf 2. Hooray! Cruise control on the right side. Wipers down down down, instead of up up up.

Can't wait.

Thanks, iletric. I did Twitter over the weekend -- reactivated my account, actually. That's where I hit-up @GMCustomerSvc. They're a joke. GM does not care. Really a shame. :evil:

I also posted a review of my dealer on Yelp. He's angry, but what more can I do.

People are posting reviews on Edmunds.com about how horrible the seats are. It's too late, however, for those who have already purchased or leased. (sigh)

 

[iletric]

People are posting reviews on Edmunds.com about how horrible the seats are. It's too late, however, for those who have already purchased or leased. (sigh)

Gotta take your lumps. I'm sure you can get them fixed in LA for about $700 or less. There are shops galore down there. Get it done and live happily.

My peeve is the suspension now. It's awful, but it seems we'll have to live with it. Sophisticated it is not. There may be no upgrade (or downgrade) shocks available yet for replacement.

 

[scbolt]

Soon I'll fill you guys in on telescopic sun visors, but that's another day and another thread!

Any update on the telescopic sun visors? Were you able to locate any? Would be very interested in any updates you may have on those.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Soon I'll fill you guys in on telescopic sun visors, but that's another day and another thread!

Any update on the telescopic sun visors? Were you able to locate any? Would be very interested in any updates you may have on those.

The Leaf uses optional Nissan Sentra extendable visors, which are also available (for the Sentra, not the Leaf) with lighted mirrors. It might be easiest to adapt those. Someone just installed the lighted ones in his Leaf.

 

[scbolt]

Soon I'll fill you guys in on telescopic sun visors, but that's another day and another thread!

Any update on the telescopic sun visors? Were you able to locate any? Would be very interested in any updates you may have on those.

The Leaf uses optional Nissan Sentra extendable visors, which are also available (for the Sentra, not the Leaf) with lighted mirrors. It might be easiest to adapt those. Someone just installed the lighted ones in his Leaf.

For now I have ordered this ... will see how it works:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IBZNH88

(if the link above does not show, go to Amazon and search for item "B00IBZNH88")

 

[Tttait]

Give me a week or two on the sunvisors, waiting for the final ones to come in... I'll start a new thread.

Sorry guys - have been going back and forth to Pandora to get it ready for guests...

as promised: http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6512&p=20379#p20379

 

[Anonymous]

Had the opportunity to try the Bolt, and the concerns expressed here are more than accurate. In some ways I feel sorry for the brave Bolt owners- seeking to do right by environment, being swindled in marketing. My friends whom bought one had no opportunity to test one as none were available.

After years driving Japanese cars, and happily German cars more recently, took me 20 seconds to realize the Bolt seats are back-killing atrocious. Myself, elite athlete frame, felt the lumbar area shredding and stretching in just a 3 km test drive. That sort of thing can cause permanent damage over tens of thousands of kms. They are even worse than the terrible VW Passat seats, and they make my former Acura Civic type seats feel superb- and I used to think them bad. Compared to my performance German car, with proper sport seats, Bolt does not register. Ther concern on the suspension is also warranted. What shocks me for Bolt owners is why spend 90,000$ to get injured? Because looking at size vs value, dimension vs cost, comfort vs cost, at 36,000 CAD after rebates it is the equivalent of a 90,000$ sports European car. granted, no gas costs, oil etc. But the injury cost? Years ago lots of Japanese mileage injured my lower lumbar area, and took me, no word of a lie, 3 years to work my back up into no issues. 30 seconds sitting into the Bolt reminded me how dangerous bad posture is. Do not care if A or B seat- they are also narrow- my German with 'wrap mode' seat tightening is nothing like the narrow bolt seats. In the end, bad bad oversight by GM and I steered and made sure anyone I know stays away from a back breaking 36,000$ micro car. Cheaper to buy a second hand Merc and the money saved from medical bills evens it. Or a new e- type German, with proper seats.

 

[PV1]

I've sat in five Bolts so far, two with leather. I only found one to have uncomfortable seats, but it was just that the bolster was more pronounced than I'd like.

Do the seats differ that much between Bolts? What trim level do most complaints stem from? Having driven LEAFs, 2 Teslas, i-MiEVs, a C-Max, Volt, and an F-150, I find my Bolt's seats are 2nd only to the i-MiEV. By far, the most uncomfortable seats I've encountered was a Mazda RX-8 at the car show several years back.

I'm not doubting anyone's complaints about the seats, as my experience of a Model X would definitely have some people scratching their heads. I'm simply curious what extent of Bolt's have bad seats, and whether it was only an issue on earlier builds. Mine was built in June of 2017.

 

[EldRick]

The perceived comfort seems to vary more by individual than by car.
For me, with a long-term bad lower back, at 5'9" and 150, the seats in my Premiere are quite comfortable, even after hours on the road.

 

[TimBolt]

The perceived comfort seems to vary more by individual than by car.
For me, with a long-term bad lower back, at 5'9" and 150, the seats in my Premiere are quite comfortable, even after hours on the road.

I'm a similar height and weight, and the seats were fine on a five hour drive without a break. I have the LT cloth seats.

I do wish the seat back angle had a finer adjustment, for me one notch is a bit too upright and the next notch back is not upright enough. There may be a middle setting I'm missing, but I haven't found it yet.

 

[elpwr]

I would characterize my Premier seats as somewhat narrow and firm, but only slightly uncomfortable for me.

I installed a piece of high density foam under the drivers cushion. This has been described in another thread here. I'd now change my rating of the seat from acceptable to very good. A piece of foam costing only a few dollars and taking maybe 30 minutes to install. Anyone unhappy with the seat should certainly try this easy fix.

There is never going to be a recall for the seats. Recalls are for safety issues and seat comfort is just not applicable. GM may improve the seats in next year's model. Hopefully it won't take them as long as the 2 1/2 years it took Tesla to come up with improved seats.

 

[flamaest]

Agreed, I also installed a piece of high density foam under the drivers cushion. it works very well. If someone figures out how to get into the seat back, I can finish my modifications to insert foam into this area.

I expect a tsunami of nationwide owners complaining about the same thing. GM will not change anything, so if you just hate the seats, I am sure they will make it all better in about 4 months, just in time for the 2018 Bolt.....

 

[scbolt]

For those of you putting a piece of high density foam below the seat bottom, roughly how thick a foam are you using? And what is the size?

Have any of you been able to put some softer foam layer below the left EDGE of the driver seat? That's where it hurts me the most.

 

[flamaest]

Read this thread for this info:

http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6157&hilit=foam

 

[elpwr]

I cut a 12"x13" piece off of one end of this exercise mat:

https://www.target.com/p/premium-exercise-mat-10mm-c9-champion-174/-/A-14549531#lnk=sametab

I'm sure you could find similar foam elsewhere for less.

Put a slit about 5" long in the center of the 12' side and work the piece up under the seat foam with the heater wire in the slit. Then pull the seat cover back in place, smooth it down and reattach the clips. There's very little difference in the appearance of the modified seat and the original.

But it seems the 1/2" added height helps to slightly flatten the bolsters as well as soften the center section. All around more comfortable.

 

[iletric]

I can only hope Mary Barra is reading your fix-up comments. I know she is not sweating it ... yet.

However, Leaf 2 is just around the corner and I think she'll be sweating it then, because it will eat into her Bolt sales. I foresee a big dip starting Jan 2018, improved seats or not.

Bottom line, I think she cares at this point more about her SUVs and trucks than this Bolt experiment or electrification.

 

[flamaest]

Many of us are original bolt owners from California. I have had my bolt for almost a year now. Trust me, GM does not care. We've already been round and round with their customer service people, phone calls, customer surveys , emails. Nobody cares.

Also, not to burst any bubbles, but the Nissan Leaf generation 2 will not have the range anywhere near the bolt. I'm not so sure it will be eating into lots of sales. That's just my opinion, but I buy an electric car for its range mainly.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Also, not to burst any bubbles, but the Nissan Leaf generation 2 will not have the range anywhere near the bolt. I'm not so sure it will be eating into lots of sales. That's just my opinion, but I buy an electric car for its range mainly.

It all comes down to how many people care about range most, and how many - like me - just want at least 140 miles of range in a comfortable, sophisticated, affordable car. The Bolt has become my "last resort car" instead of being my #1 choice, as it was for a few months, because it doesn't seem to be very comfortable or sophisticated, and the leases are terrible for those looking to eventually buy their car. If the 2018 Bolt comes out in a few weeks with the seats fixed, Surround View offered on the LT, (or the Premiere at least offered with nice comfortable cloth seats), I might actually drive one. I'm not happy pre-ordering a Leaf 2 without driving one, but I at least know the seats won't be terrible and I will be able to get the options I want in the mid-trim SV. I'll also be able to buy the car after leasing it, if I love it.

 

[alevek]

Have 1000 mi in my Premier. Seats are fine for me.

 

[iletric]

...Nissan Leaf generation 2 will not have the range anywhere near the Bolt.

That may not be entirely correct. We expect a 45 and a 60 kWh options, the latter of which will match Bolt.

Nissan is not that stupid as to introduce a car intended for at least 5 model years that cannot compete. You can bet your lifesavers Leaf 2 will be a couple of miles EPA better than Bolt, earning the necessary bragging rights to flatten the ego of the nearest competition.