GM recalls 69,000 Chevrolet Bolts for battery defect that could spark fire

July 23 (UPI) -- Genera Motors on Friday issued a safety recall for almost 70,000 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles due to a defect in their batteries that could spark a fire.

The recall affects Bolts manufactured between 2017 and 2019. GM will replace defective battery modules at no cost.

The recall comes after two vehicles caught fire.

"Experts from GM and LG have identified the simultaneous presence of two rare manufacturing defects in the same battery cell as the root cause of battery fires," GM said in a statement.

The automaker is asking Bolt owners to park the vehicles outside until they're fixed and that they charge them fully each night and return them to 90% of charge limitation using Hilltop Reserve mode.

The cars previously underwent a recall that updated software related to the battery-driven drivetrain.

The recall affects about 51,000 Bolts in the United States.

Earlier this month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned Bolt owners to not park the cars inside.

"The affected vehicles' cell packs have the potential to smoke and ignite internally, which could spread to the rest of the vehicle and cause a structure fire if parked inside a garage or near a house," the NHSTA said.

The organization is currently investigating an October fire involving one of the EVs.