[bro1999]

I was at home getting dinner prepped, and I get a phone call from the wife. She says there’s a problem, so I ask what is it. She tells me she backed the Bolt into a pole in a parking lot and it’s “bad”.

She gets home and this is what I find:



I guess I’m gonna find out how quick bodywork service is at my local dealer. Very likely the first Bolt they will have ever done bodywork on.

Scarlett, whenever you get a “BoltWifeGuard” produced, let me know ASAP!

 

[El Dobro]

The back-up sensors didn't signal an alarm?

 

[bro1999]

The back-up sensors didn't signal an alarm?

My Bolt has the rear view mirror camera, backup camera, 360 birds eye camera...and the rear parking sensors. Wasn't enough I guess.

 

[firehawk72]

Actually looks superficial... Might just actually be a bumper replacement and painting it of course. Glad no one was hurt. Best of luck to you getting it repaired.

 

[Barry]

Just a flesh wound. Nothing a little duct tape won't fix. All my wife's cars have looked like that.

 

[El Dobro]

My Bolt has the rear view mirror camera, backup camera, 360 birds eye camera...and the rear parking sensors. Wasn't enough I guess.

Sounds like my girlfriend was helping her park.

 

[saghost]

Hard to be sure from the picture, but it looks like it might be just the plastic bumper cover, which should be easily replaced, if not necessarily cheap.

 

[bro1999]

Hard to be sure from the picture, but it looks like it might be just the plastic bumper cover, which should be easily replaced, if not necessarily cheap.

I did an inspection....will need at least a new bumper cover, new left rear wheel well cover, new left rear tail light. And from looking at it, looks like the alignment on the left edge of the hatch door is off too.

 

[Bacardi]

Sucks; at least she didn't claim it self drove itself...

 

[BAZINGA]

Be thankful it's not a Tesla. It might be weeks/months for parts and "thousands" of dollars in repair costs.

 

[jeff_h]

Sorry to see that, but she has another twin as my wife did the same thing in the Escape Hybrid about 8 years ago -- she also backed into a pole in a parking lot.

 

[bro1999]

Be thankful it's not a Tesla. It might be weeks/months for parts and "thousands" of dollars in repair costs.

Yeah, I'm sure the same damage on a Model S would be like $20k. Lol
Plus however many weeks/months in the shop waiting for parts.

I'm definitely out $1k, as that is my deductible and no way the repairs come under that number.

 

[Qinsp]

That sucks.
Go easy, she probably feels bad enough.
My son backed into a fence post in our 2016 Volt recently and I now I have to get it fixed.

Silly story:

13 years 1 month ago, I had just bought a really nice truck for work. Cost more than a Z06 Corvette. Special order, ultra deluxe, special paint. On day two, I let wifey have the truck while I'm at work.

I get a call:
"How do I put the truck into 4x4?"
"On the left side of the instrument cluster, there are buttons... WAIT!! WHY ARE YOU ASKING??"
"Uh, I got stuck."
"Where?"
"On the front lawn."

It had just rained, and the truck is a crew cab long bed 3500 SRW. She was not comfy backing it up, so she tried to take a shortcut across the lawn. She dug 2 trenches 12" deep in the lawn about 10 feet long before the truck stopped moving. Luckily 4x4 pulled it out, but the lawn was never the same.

 

[firehawk72]

That sucks.
Go easy, she probably feels bad enough.
My son backed into a fence post in our 2016 Volt recently and I now I have to get it fixed.

Silly story:

13 years 1 month ago, I had just bought a really nice truck for work. Cost more than a Z06 Corvette. Special order, ultra deluxe, special paint. On day two, I let wifey have the truck while I'm at work.

I get a call:
"How do I put the truck into 4x4?"
"On the left side of the instrument cluster, there are buttons... WAIT!! WHY ARE YOU ASKING??"
"Uh, I got stuck."
"Where?"
"On the front lawn."

It had just rained, and the truck is a crew cab long bed 3500 SRW. She was not comfy backing it up, so she tried to take a shortcut across the lawn. She dug 2 trenches 18" deep in the lawn about 10 feet long before the truck stopped moving. Luckily 4x4 pulled it out, but the lawn was never the same.

I will share mine. We have a very long driveway of 1,000 feet. I had my Subaru Forester backed out of the garage so I could get the lawn mower out. I usually don't park it there but hey, "My wife isn't going anywhere today"

Needless to say, as I am riding up the driveway on the lawn mower my wife starts backing her Honda Pilot out of the garage. Oh, I knew it was going to happen as that is where she always turns her car. Whamm!! She pushed my Subaru Forester right around and caved in the rear door pretty good. When I got up there, she was crying. I gave her a hug and told her I loved her. No worries...

 

[NYRob]

That will buff right out!

Sorry, someone has to say that in every "accident" thread . At least it's drive-able till it can be repaired.

When I told my family that I was leaning towards Orange color for the Bolt, my wife said... "I'll never drive an orange car!". See, there's an upside to everything

FWIW- my neighbor's wife has had two accidents recently- both have been single car accidents with inanimate objects. One was mini-van vs. telephone pole, the other was mini-van vs. curb (on our own street!).
It happens....

 

[calebh2002]

My husband has an affinity for backing his jeep wrangler into Volvo, Lexus and BMW. There have been 5 incidents in the last 3 years. Ironically, he hates my Volt only because the parking sensors beep when I am about to back into something.

I hope the turnaround on the repairs are quick. Thankfully, she didn't put the crash safety standards to an extreme test.

 

[Just_Jon]

The back-up sensors didn't signal an alarm?

My Bolt has the rear view mirror camera, backup camera, 360 birds eye camera...and the rear parking sensors. Wasn't enough I guess.

That is the problem with parking lot poles. They are SO quick, they come out nowhere and you can't get out of their way.

 

[Raymondjram]

I will share mine. We have a very long driveway of 1,000 feet. I had my Subaru Forester backed out of the garage so I could get the lawn mower out. I usually don't park it there but hey, "My wife isn't going anywhere today"

Needless to say, as I am riding up the driveway on the lawn mower my wife starts backing her Honda Pilot out of the garage. Oh, I knew it was going to happen as that is where she always turns her car. Whamm!! She pushed my Subaru Forester right around and caved in the rear door pretty good. When I got up there, she was crying. I gave her a hug and told her I loved her. No worries...

There is a permanent solution to all that: park in reverse into the garage, and later drive out forward. I taught my wife to drive that way since we had our 1975 Chevy Vega wagon, because a wagon (and a SUV/CUV) body is longer and harder to see the rear bumper. So backing into the garage or carport there is less opportunity to hit anything that can harm the vehicle. I have many years driving big and long vehicles since my Dad's 1963 Rambler American wagon and later his 17-feet long (we measured it) 1967 Olds Cutlass Supreme. I backed them into the garage we had.

We have a 2009 Chevy Equinox now, and she backs it up almost perfectly (she leaves extra space between the Equinox bumper and the wall), but when she drives out, sometimes into a busy street, she has no problems as she is seeing any danger facing forward, not in reverse and turning her head. Many neighbors have watched us as we back in and drive forward, so now they do the same. You should, too.

BTW, I do have an EVSE installed into the wall, but the plug and cable are long enough (27 feet) to reach any EV even if it is parked in reverse and the charge port faces out. I planned ahead and knew what I needed and this is without owning any EV at all.

Change your parking method, and if you have one, extend the EVSE cable for a long BEV facing outward. And you will drive safer.

 

[El Dobro]

That is the problem with parking lot poles. They are SO quick, they come out nowhere and you can't get out of their way.

Yea, you have to watch those poles, they go for the eyes.

 

[SSonnentag]

Once upon a time I pulled our 2000 Dodge Durango into a gas station to grab a quick soda. After returning to the truck, instead of backing out of my parking space, I decided I'd just whip a U-turn and be on my way. Whoops! Those 3-1/2 foot tall concrete-filled posts don't move. It shoved my passenger-side headlight, bumper and fender up into the tire. Sigh...