Conservative Media Recklessly Distort Volt Safety

[wtmusic]

"Conservative media have misrepresented the results of Chevy Volt crash tests, claiming the batteries "blow up" and are a "fire trap," and suggesting that fires have occurred spontaneously during use. In fact, fires only occurred after crash tests and regulators concluded an inquiry after finding that Volts are just as safe as conventional cars.

Regulators Concluded Inquiry After Finding Volts Are Just As Safe As Conventional Cars

Battery Fire Happened Weeks After Pole Crash Test And Rollover Test. From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's description of the test:"

During an NCAP [New Car Assessment Program] oblique side pole impact test conducted by NHTSA in May 2011, the pole struck and deformed the sill plate under the driver's door at a location where there is a structural member. The lateral member displaced inward, pierced the HV battery enclosure and battery, and caused a battery coolant leak. Thereafter, the Agency conducted a rollover test (the rollover test consists of four 90-degree rotate-and-hold movements about the vehicle's longitudinal axis). In that test, the HV battery and electronics were exposed to coolant that leaked as a result of the crash. The vehicle fire that occurred three weeks later and the additional testing NHTSA conducted are discussed in a report titled "2011 Chevrolet Volt Battery Fire Incident Report" a copy of which is available in the public file. The report indicates that intrusion induced coolant leakage, and subsequent rollover that saturates electronic components, were the only test conditions which resulted in a subject vehicle HV battery fire. [NHTSA, 1/26/12]

http://mediamatters.org/research/201201270003

I've never been a fan of the Volt or the concept behind it, but the media coverage of this incident has been completely irresponsible.

[tularetom]

1. Obama bailed out GM therefore everything produced by GM is crap

That's actually what's behind this. These assholes want GM to fail so they can point out how much money Obama wasted on a futile attempt to install socialism to the automobile industry.

Who care if it leave thousands of Americans out of a job? It would embarrass that uppity n-word that thinks he's the president.

[toddwv]

2. Right-wingers HATE the Volt. Why? They are truly sick in the head.

It's not just an addiction to oil, they are like puppets for their media. They are literally panning the Volt because someone has attached Obama's name to it due to the auto-bailout AND they see it as a way to break unions. It's truly disturbing but FORTUNATELY, some center-righties seem to be just as annoyed by their compatriots.

The Republicans in Congress are trying to launch an investigation FOR A PROBLEM THAT HAS YET TO OCCUR OUTSIDE OF A LABORATORY!!!

It's funny because they didn't bother in 2009 when Ford recalled millions of vehicles due to a... wait for it... fire problem. Apparently a faulty cruise control has been blamed for over 1,500 fires.

The right doesn't seem to concerned about this.

So this is the way I shut righties up when they start going off about the Volt:
Note: This is not an attempt to dig on Ford but an attempt to discredit the Right's ridiculous ridicule:

http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/13/news/companies/Ford_recall/index.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/automobiles/13RECALL.html?pagewanted=all

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[Historic NY]

3. I've noticed a systematic Critique of the Volt at many car related websites...

everything to portray it as a failure is stressed. The fire incidents involved crash testing and the failure to follow instruction by the testers. Its being blown out of proportion to discredit the car and the concept. I will note I've seen a few in my area on a regular basis.

Them Fords sure burn quick, don't they.