2011 CHEVROLET VOLT parking brake

Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
5-46 Instruments and Controls
SERVICE HIGH VOLTAGE
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the high voltage
charging system. See your dealer
for service.
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID LOW
This message displays when the
brake fluid level is low. SeeBrake
Fluid on page 10‑26.
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE
This message displays if the electric
parking brake is on while the vehicle
is in motion. Release it before
attempting to drive. See Electric
Parking Brake on page 9‑35 for
more information.
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST
This message displays when there
is a problem with the brake boost
assist system. When this message
displays, the brake boost assist
motor might be heard operating
and a pulsation may be felt in the
brake pedal. Take the vehicle to
your dealer for service.
SERVICE PARKING BRAKE
This message displays when there
is a problem with the parking brake.
Take the vehicle to your dealer for
service.
STEP ON BRAKE TO
RELEASE PARK BRAKE
This message displays when
attempting to release the electric
parking brake without the brake
pedal applied. See Electric Parking
Brake on page 9‑35 for more
information.
Cruise Control Messages
CRUISE SET TO XXX
This message displays when the
cruise control is set and shows the
speed it was set to. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑40 for more
information.
Door Ajar Messages
DOOR(S) OPEN, HOOD OPEN,
HATCH OPEN
A symbol will appear on the display
showing the area that is open.
See Door, Hood, or Hatch Open
Light on page 5‑30.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-49
NO REMOTE DETECTED
This message displays when the
RKE transmitter is not detected
while attempting to start the vehicle.
The transmitter battery may be
weak. See“Starting the Vehicle
with a Low Transmitter Battery”
under Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3 for
more information.
NO REMOTE DETECTED,
PRESS BRAKE TO RESTART
This message displays if the RKE
transmitter is no longer detected
in the vehicle. Press the brake
pedal and the POWER
Obutton
to restart the vehicle, or press the
POWER
Obutton without pressing
the brake pedal to turn the vehicle
off. If the vehicle is turned off and
a valid transmitter is not available,
the vehicle will not restart.
REMINDER: KEY LEFT IN
VEHICLE
This message displays when
leaving the vehicle with the RKE
transmitter still inside.
REPLACE BATTERY IN
REMOTE KEY
This message displays when the
battery in the RKE transmitter needs
to be replaced.
SERVICE KEYLESS START
SYSTEM
This message displays when the
keyless start system needs service.
Take the vehicle to your dealer.
Lamp Messages
AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL
ON OR OFF
A message will display when the
automatic light control has been
turned on or off.
CHECK LAMP or LAMP
FAILURE
Depending on the lamp, one of
these messages may display.
See Bulb Replacement on
page 10‑34.
TURN SIGNAL ON
This message displays if the turn
signal has been left on. Turn off the
turn signal.
Object Detection System
Messages
PARK ASSIST OFF
This message displays when the
park assist system has been turned
off. See Ultrasonic Parking Assist
on page 9‑43.
SERVICE PARKING ASSIST
This message displays if there is a
problem with the park assist system.
Take the vehicle to your dealer for
service.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-21
Playing an Audio and
Video DVD
To view the DVD video, the vehicle
must be in P (Park) or the parking
brake must be engaged.
After the DVD is loaded, the menu
options display on the DVD screen.
The menu options time out and
a full screen appears after about
10 seconds. Press anywhere on
the navigation system screen or
press the FAV, HDD/DVD/AUX,
or
}BACK button to view the
menu screen again.
Use the preset keys or press screen
buttons to operate the DVD options. There are two pages of DVD
options. Press the arrow screen
button, in the bottom right corner
of the screen, to access the other
page. Only the highlighted functions
are available for use. Some menu
options are only available when the
disc is not playing.
DVD Options
Full Screen:
1. Press to hide the DVD options
and display the full video image.
2. Press anywhere on the navigation system screen or
press the FAV, HDD/DVD/AUX,
or
}BACK button to display the
source screen buttons over the
video image.
Cursor: Press this button
to access the Cursor menu.
The arrows and other cursor
options allow navigation of the
DVD menu options. The Cursor
menu options are only available
if a DVD has a menu.
q,Q,r,R(Arrow Buttons):
Use these arrow screen buttons to
navigate through the DVD menu.
k(Play/Pause): Use to start,
pause, or resume play.
SEEK
[:
1. Press to seek to the next chapter.
2. Press more than once to continue moving forward through
the disc.
3. Press and hold to fast forward through a disc. When fast
forward is active, press again
to change the speed. Elapsed
time displays.
4. Press
kto resume playing.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better EnergyEfficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-10
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-13
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-18
Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Starting and Stopping the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Electric Vehicle Operating
Modes
System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Electric Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Extended Range Mode . . . . . . 9-25
Driver Selected OperatingModes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Out of Fuel/Engine Unavailable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Maintenance Modes . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Electric Drive Unit
Electric Drive Unit . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . 9-35
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . 9-37
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-43
Rear VisionCamera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Charging
Plug-In Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Delayed ChargingOverride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Charging Status Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Charge Cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Electrical Requirements for Battery Charging . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-3
Drive Mode and PRNDL Selection
Use Normal Mode when possible.
Sport Mode provides more
responsive acceleration than
Normal Mode but can reduce
efficiency.
Use Mountain Mode prior to
climbing long, steep grades in
mountainous areas. Be sure to
engage Mountain Mode before
starting to climb. Mountain Mode
reduces electric range and power
but may be needed to maintain
speeds above 96 km/h (60 mph)
when climbing grades of 5% or
greater.
Use L (Low) in heavy stop‐and‐go
traffic or when traveling downhill.
L (Low) requires less brake
pedal application and provides
a controlled, efficient way to
slow the vehicle down.Climate Setting
Using the heat and air conditioning
systems decreases the energy
available for electric driving.
Optimal energy efficiency is
achieved with the heat, air
conditioning, and fan turned off.
Less energy is used at low fan
speeds. When using the fan:
.Fan Only is the most energy
efficient climate setting as long
as
0is not selected.
.ECO is for moderate air
conditioning and heater
operation and is the next
most energy efficient setting as
long as
0is not selected.
.Comfort provides the most
comfort but is the least energy
efficient.
Use the auto heated seat feature
instead of climate settings. Heating
the seat uses less energy than
heating the vehicle interior. Use remote start to heat or cool the
interior when the vehicle is plugged
in to maximize the electric range by
utilizing electricity from the electrical
outlet.
In hot weather, avoid parking in
direct sunlight or use sunshades
inside the vehicle.
Turn off the front and rear window
defog/defrost when they are no
longer needed.
Avoid driving with the windows open
at highway speeds.
Vehicle Charging/Maintenance
Charging
Keep the vehicle plugged in, even
when fully charged, to keep the
battery temperature ready for the
next drive. This is important when
outside temperatures are extremely
hot or cold.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
9-20 Driving and Operating
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral).This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle
to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the
vehicle to OFF by pushing the
POWER
Obutton.
4. Set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake on
page 9‑35.
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
propulsion system off in an
emergency. 5. If the vehicle must be stopped
while driving, press and hold
the POWER
Obutton for
either longer than two seconds,
or press twice in five seconds.
Starting and Stopping the
Vehicle
Starting Procedure
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The propulsion system
will not start in any other position.
Notice: Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving
or the electric drive unit could be
damaged. Shift to P (Park) only
when the vehicle is stopped. Notice:
The vehicle is designed
to work with the electronics in
the vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could
change the way the vehicle
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the vehicle
might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
9-22 Driving and Operating
Restarting Procedure
If the vehicle must be restarted
while it is still moving, move the
shift lever to N (Neutral) and
press the POWER
Obutton twice
without pressing the brake pedal.
The propulsion system will not
restart in any other position.
Computers determine when the
engine needs to run. The engine
may start, if required, when the
propulsion system is on. Some
vehicle conditions that force the
engine to run are:
.Cold ambient temperatures.
.The hood is open or not
completely latched.
.The high voltage battery has a
low charge.
.The engine is needed to
maintain the high voltage
battery temperature.
.The engine needs to run for
maintenance. See
Maintenance Modes on
page 9‑28.
A chime will sound if the driver
door is opened while the vehicle
is in ON/RUN. Always press the
POWER
Obutton to turn the
vehicle off before exiting.
Stopping Procedure
For information on how to turn the
vehicle off, see Power Button on
page 9‑18.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The following features will operate
for up to 10 minutes or until the
driver door is opened:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.Accessory Power Outlets
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the propulsion
system on, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake.
See Electric Parking Brake on
page 9‑35 for more information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pushing the lever all the way
toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the vehicle off.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-23
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Propulsion System On
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave
the vehicle with the propulsion
system on. The vehicle could
move suddenly if the shift lever
is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set. And,
if you leave the vehicle with the
propulsion system on, it could
overheat and even catch fire.
You or others could be injured.
Do not leave the vehicle with
the propulsion system on.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the propulsion system on, be sure
the vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved the shift lever into P (Park), hold
down the regular brake pedal.
See if you can move the shift lever
away from P (Park) without first
pulling it toward you. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the electric drive
unit. This happens when parking
on a hill and shifting the electric
drive unit into P (Park) is not done
properly and then it is difficult to
shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park).
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be in ON/RUN, the brake
pedal must be applied, and the
charge cord must be unplugged.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. The shift lock
release is designed to:
.Prevent the vehicle from turning
off unless the shift lever is in
P (Park).
.Prevent moving the shift lever
out of P (Park), unless the
vehicle is in ON/RUN, the brake
pedal is applied, and the charge
cord is unplugged.
The shift lock is always functional
except in the case of an uncharged
or low charged 12‐volt battery
(less than 9 volts).
If the vehicle has an uncharged
12‐volt battery or a 12‐volt battery
with low voltage, try charging or
jump starting the 12‐volt battery.
See Jump Starting on page 10‑79.