Bolt Front Seats Recall Media Campaign

[LeftieBiker]

With Nissan now possibly not delivering the "new" Leaf until next Spring (even though we can order it in September) this fix matters to me. If the Premiere lease prices drop to less than $400 for what I need in options (DCFC, Maybe a driver confidence package, maybe red color) and I can fix the seat cushion easily, that may do it for me. I'm glad I was able to play an admittedly small part in this. I second the idea of a dedicated thread for this fix, with the above posts moved there.

 

[BerkeleyBowlt]

I second the idea of a dedicated thread for this fix

Done. Howto: Adding more padding to front seats.

Hope this helps someone!

 

[gpsman]

Great work people!

I too want / need telescoping sun visors!
Wanted that from Day 1!

 

[flamaest]

Yes, please tell us about the telescoping sun visors!!

 

[LeftieBiker]

Yes, anyone who drives a Leaf made after 2012 wants telescoping visors.

 

[Tttait]

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

 

[iletric]

Hear ye! Hear ye!

http://insideevs.com/general-motors-reportedly-buy-back-problem-plagued-chevrolet-bolt-video/

Now about those seats...

 

[Anonymous]

My seat is so poorly designed that I've missed work due to terrible back pain. The GM at my dealership has said Detroit needs to fix this. Chevy has been worse than horrible and unhelpful. I don't want to give up the car, but my own homemade fix has not worked. Help?

 

[iletric]

Help?

Take it to auto upholstery shop and get it fixed to your liking.

 

[DoninLAlaland]

Hi. Unfortunately, my experience so far with Chevy taking responsibility for the seat is similar to KarenK. Here's a summary of where we are:

1. My dealer put me in touch with Chevy
2. Chevy then set up an appointment with the dealer to check the seats.
3. The serviceman at the dealership told me, his manager, and Chevy that my seats are the same as all the other Bolts on the lot.
4. I called Chevy back to tell them and to escalate the issue. I've asked for a cancellation of the lease because of a design defect.
5. Chevy then escalated it to one of the people handling the California market, named Jeremy.
6. Jeremy called the dealer to find out any additional information.
7. Spoke with Jeremy today who told me that because there is nothing wrong with the seat as per my dealer and Chevy has not issued a recall, there is nothing he can do. I asked to speak to his boss.
8. I called my dealer and told them what Jeremy told me.
9. My left hip and leg is feeling MUCH better now after not driving the Bolt for more than a week. The dealer put me in a Chevy Malibu. It's interesting how that seat is fine, but the Bolt's is not.

Still waiting to hear from Jeremy's boss. It sounds like Chevy/GM is throwing this back on the dealer.
Needless to say, I am very, very disappointed in Chevy's/GM's response.

 

[flamaest]

I was also routed to Jeremy. He seems like a nice guy from having received voicemails from him.

Having said that,I received several voicemails and every time I tried to call him back he never answered the phone. I must have tried to call him 50 times.

Also, there seems to be an issue in terms of the amount of Manpower representing California buyers from General Motors. When I called the main office, it seems that no one else can take my case or review the facts except for Jeremy. I thought this is very unusual seeing if I could never really get a hold of him.

funny thing, a few weeks after playing voicemail tag with Jeremy, He proceeded to cancel my claim even after I left him plenty of voicemails indicating that I was interested in taking care of the seat issue.

I went down to the dealership myself and they're ordering a new seat cover since my seat not only has Comfort issues , but also started to fall apart in terms of how it connects to the Seat​ frame.

Honestly, for all these people who have a problem with the front seats​, including myself, I think the only way that something will change as with the media campaign. Chevy is not going to do anything. I've got my foam ready to install as soon as I get the seat cover replaced. After that, I'm hoping somebody will post a video on how to get into the seat back so I can fix that foam as well.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I've got my foam ready to install as soon as I get the seat cover replaced.

You might want to install the foam first, to save wear and tear on the new cover. I don't think it will be noticed, since it will be under the OEM foam. If the dealer is sympathetic, just tell them to ignore the extra foam.

 

[iletric]

Still waiting for the brave soul to start this campaign. Would Yelp be helpful as a starting point?
I know millennials live on Yelp ratings.

 

[DoninLAlaland]

I was also routed to Jeremy. He seems like a nice guy from having received voicemails from him.

Having said that,I received several voicemails and every time I tried to call him back he never answered the phone. I must have tried to call him 50 times.

Also, there seems to be an issue in terms of the amount of Manpower representing California buyers from General Motors. When I called the main office, it seems that no one else can take my case or review the facts except for Jeremy. I thought this is very unusual seeing if I could never really get a hold of him.

funny thing, a few weeks after playing voicemail tag with Jeremy, He proceeded to cancel my claim even after I left him plenty of voicemails indicating that I was interested in taking care of the seat issue.

I went down to the dealership myself and they're ordering a new seat cover since my seat not only has Comfort issues , but also started to fall apart in terms of how it connects to the Seat​ frame.

Honestly, for all these people who have a problem with the front seats​, including myself, I think the only way that something will change as with the media campaign. Chevy is not going to do anything. I've got my foam ready to install as soon as I get the seat cover replaced. After that, I'm hoping somebody will post a video on how to get into the seat back so I can fix that foam as well.

That's so interesting, flamaest. Where in CA are you? I am in Los Angeles.

If Jeremy's boss ever gets back to me and depending upon his response, there's a few things I'm thinking about doing:

1. Contact the editors of Wired and The Mercury News to let them know that perhaps the reason why the dealers are not selling the Bolt is because consumers have found problems with the seat. Here are links to the articles: https://www.wired.com/2016/01/gm-el...tric-car-is-off-to-a-sluggish-sales-start-2/

2. Contacting the:
a. California Attorney General's Office
b. The CA New Motor Vehicle Board
c. The CA Air Resources Board
d. May Barra
e. Alan Batey, the head of Chevrolet

I really hate to pull out all the stops, but this is getting super frustrating.

I know that it's the seats on the Bolt because my dealer gave me a Chevy Malibu as a loaner and wouldn't you know -- after driving that for the past 8 days, I have no more pain in my left hip and the pain in my left hamstring is almost gone, too.

 

[flamaest]

I am in Hollister, CA.

Yes, I think someone needs to do these things because GM is not gonna move on this. How sad.

 

[flamaest]

Holy smokes, look at this:

EVERYONE, PLEASE CHECK YOUR FRONT SEATS.

http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6193&p=19714

 

[DoninLAlaland]

Still no action from GM/Chevy. On Monday, Jeremy told me that his supervisor would be contacting me, however I have not heard from him and here it is Thursday afternoon. Also, I left several voice mail messages for Jeremy and he has not returned my calls. I forwarded the note from my doctor about the problems that the seat has caused to the dealer and to GM/Chevy. The head of service told me yesterday that his regional is not willing to do anything even with a doctor's note. There seems to be fewer and fewer options. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Finally, unless everyone who is having problems with the seat contacts GM/Chevy, there are not going to do anything. They do not pay attention to these forums. The main number for Chevy Customer Care is 800.222.1020. If you live in CA, then you must tell them that because there is a special group just for CA.

 

[iletric]

Folks, I am telling you. Someone needs to contact media and put this on social media as well, as the title suggests...

I spent 900 bucks on fixing the bottom and the lower back of both, and my seats now feel like sitting on feathers. They are still too short and too narrow for a 6-footer, but no more bolster issues and back problems.

 

[DoninLAlaland]

All Social Media @GM does is state how sorry they are about my experience, that's not the kind of reputation GM wants, and that Jeremy will contact me soon when he has something more to tell me. Well.....

STILL no word from Jeremy or his supervisor David at GM and I've left 8 voicemail messages since May 8th. Allen Gwynn Chevrolet, my dealer in Glendale, told me today that he is going to start charging me for the courtesy rental and a fee for storing my Bolt. He also told me that there is nothing more that he can do until there's an authorized repair from Chevy/GM.

This is my very first experience with GM and Chevy and I have to say, it will likely be my last. The customer service stinks. GM does not seem to care about its customers who purchased or leased a $40,000+ car.

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.

 

[iletric]

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.