GM recalls Chevrolet Volt over carbon monoxide

Chris Woodyard | USA TODAY

General Motors is recalling 50,249 of its Chevrolet Volt plug-in cars to make a software fix that will ensure that drivers and passengers don't accidentally subject themselves to carbon monoxide poisoning through a mix-up about whether the car's engine is running.

The problem involves an issue that dogs many hybrid cars today: Drivers can't easily tell when the engine is running or when the car is running on battery power alone. If the engine turns on to recharge the battery when the car is inside a garage and people aren't aware of it, they can be poisoned by carbon monoxide.

GM reports two people say they have been injured from the issue.

The recall covers Volts from the 2011 to 2013 model years. The problem will be fixed with a software update that will limit the amount of time a vehicle can be left idling in the "on" or "run" position. At present, there are warning chimes to let drivers know when the car is still running.