Following Chevrolet Volt fire incident and NHTSA investigations, GM announced details of some enhancements to the car’s structure and battery coolant system.

The changes would further protect the battery from the possibility of an electrical fire days after a severe crash, which is what the Volt is currently prone to.

The cause of the fire days after a crash is a coolant leak inside the battery pack. It was discovered in a NHTSA test, a severe-impact lab test on a battery pack that resulted in an electrical fire six days later.

Here’ the modifications GM has planned for the Chevy Volt in hope to eliminate the possibility of the electrical fire:

• Strengthen an existing portion of the Volt’s vehicle safety structure to further protect the battery pack in a severe side collision.
• Add a sensor in the reservoir of the battery coolant system to monitor coolant levels.
• Add a tamper-resistant bracket to the top of the battery coolant reservoir to help prevent potential coolant overfill.

The enhancements are being incorporated into the Volt manufacturing process as production resumes this month. Current Volt owners will be notified by GM when the the modifications are available for their vehicles.