Image Credit: General Motors.The revived Chevy Bolt hasn't reached all of its new owners yet, and GM has already found something it wants dealers to check. Fortunately, this one doesn't involve the battery, electric motor, or any other expensive EV hardware.The potential problem is hiding around the rear taillamps. On certain 2027 Bolts, a grommet for the taillamp wiring harness may not be fully seated against the body, creating a path for water to get inside.GM Authority reports that General Motors issued Service Update N262568370 in September 2026 to address the condition. The campaign applies specifically to certain Bolts currently sitting in dealer inventory rather than vehicles already in customer hands.That means affected examples aren't supposed to leave dealerships until they've been inspected and repaired if necessary. GM says dealers must complete the work before selling, trading, auctioning, demonstrating, or otherwise releasing one of the affected vehicles.A Car Wash Could Reveal The ProblemImage for illustration purposes - this is not the Chevy Bolt. Image Credit: Pixabay via PexelsThe issue can appear when water is sprayed heavily around the rear lamps, so GM's inspection procedure is simple enough. Technicians essentially have to give the back of the Bolt a concentrated soaking while watching for water intrusion.Both rear doors are opened and the rear seats folded down so technicians can look through the seat-latch-striker openings toward the taillamp grommets. A borescope can also be used when the grommets are difficult to see directly.An assistant then sprays water around each taillight for at least one minute while the technician checks inside for a leak. GM's procedure uses enough pressure to simulate the sort of spray the car could encounter in a car wash.If everything stays dry, the Bolt passes, and no additional work is necessary. GM estimates that inspection alone should require about 0.3 hours of labor.The Fix Doesn't Require Any New PartsA leaking Bolt doesn't need a new taillamp or replacement wiring harness. Instead, technicians remove the affected taillamp assembly and properly reseat the existing grommet against the surrounding sheet metal.The lamp is then reinstalled and subjected to the water test again to confirm the leak has stopped. GM assigns 0.5 hours to the procedure when one grommet needs attention, with another 0.2 hours if the opposite side also requires work.No replacement parts are listed in the service update. Since the Bolt is an EV, GM specifies that the inspection and repair must be performed by an authorized EV dealer with an appropriately trained technician.Dealers Have To Catch It Before DeliveryImage Credit: General Motors.This isn't a customer recall involving Bolts already roaming American roads. It's a dealer-inventory service action intended to catch the potential leak before affected vehicles are handed over to buyers.The bulletin is scheduled to stay active through September 30, 2027, and dealers have to check individual VINs through GM's vehicle-history system to determine which Bolts are included. For buyers, the upside is that the problem is relatively simple and shouldn't require any new hardware.Finding a quality-control issue before delivery is certainly preferable to owners discovering wet interiors later. Still, the newest Bolt hasn't exactly made it through its dealership stay without needing a little attention first.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
+27 others
