
Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-21
Engine Coolant
The engine cooling system in the
vehicle is filled with DEX-COOL
engine coolant. This coolant is
designed to remain in the vehicle for
5 years or 240 000 km (150,000 mi),
whichever occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
seeEngine Overheating on
page 10‑23.
What to Use
{WARNING
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is
set for the proper coolant mixture.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down
to −37°C (−34°F), outside
temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up
to 129°C (265°F), engine
temperature.
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Notice: If an improper coolant
mixture is used, the engine could
overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core, and other
parts.
Never dispose of engine coolant
by putting it in the trash, pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water.
Have the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
10-24 Vehicle Care
Power Steering Fluid
The vehicle is equipped with an
electric power steering system.
No fluid or general maintenance
is required.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When adding windshield washer
fluid to the vehicle, be sure to read
the manufacturer's instructions
before use. If operating the vehicle
in an area where the temperature
may fall below freezing, use a fluid
that has sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
The WASHER FLUID LOW ADD
FLUID message will appear on
the Driver Information Center
(DIC) when the fluid level is low.
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑43 for more information.
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid
until the tank is full. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑10 for reservoir location. Notice
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer's instructions
for adding water.
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
Also, water does not clean
as well as washer fluid.
.Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full
when it is very cold. This
allows for fluid expansion
if freezing occurs, which
could damage the tank if
it is completely full.
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-3
CoolantEngine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Engine Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Cooling System . . . . . . . .10-18, 10-20 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Courtesy Transportation
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-4 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-12
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 13-10
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-26
Database Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-77
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Delayed Charging Override . . . . 9-52
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Destination, Navigation . . . . . . . . 7-51
Devices, Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-38
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-3
Drive Mode Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-47 Drive Unit
Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Driver Efficiency Gauge . . . . . . . 5-17
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Driver Selected Operating Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Driving Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-10
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Driving for Better Energy Efficiency . . . . . . . 1-25, 9-2
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
i-4 INDEX
E
Electric Drive Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Electric Drive UnitMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Electric Drive Unit Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Electric Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . 5-25
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Electrical Requirements for Battery Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Electrical System Engine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 10-42, 10-43
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Electronic Stability Control . . . . . 9-39
Energy Efficiency Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25, 9-2
Energy Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41 Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Compartment Overview . . . . . 10-10
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Cooling System . . . . . . 10-18, 10-20
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-47
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-31
Engine Oil
Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48
Engine Unavailable Out of Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-26
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Extended Range Mode . . . . . . . . 9-25
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
F
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-4
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Floor Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Fluid Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . 9-58
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-58
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
i-6 INDEX
I
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Infants and Young Children,Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Information Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Open Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-24
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-48
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-49
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Lamps Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-3
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-21
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
LATCH System Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
LATCH, Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
Lifting the Vehicle, Tires . . . . . . . 10-5
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5 Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-24
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 5-25
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Hood, Door, Hatch Open . . . . . 5-30
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Mountain Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-18
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Service Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Sport Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-27