2011 CHEVROLET VOLT service

Black plate (57,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-57
The following are the minimum
requirements for circuits used to
charge this vehicle:
.120V/15Amp
.240V/20Amp
Charging equipment with a
rating of at least 240V/20Amp
will provide the fastest charging
time to recharge the high voltage
battery. 240V/40Amp circuits
provide flexibility for future vehicle
charging needs. Contact your
dealer for more information.
Do not use non‐grounded electrical
plug adapters.
Notice: Do not use portable or
stationary backup generating
equipment to charge the vehicle.
This may cause damage to the
vehicle's charging system. Only
charge the vehicle from utility
supplied power.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel
is an important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle.
To help keep the engine clean
and maintain optimum vehicle
performance, we recommend
the use of gasoline advertised as
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Look for the TOP TIER label on
the fuel pump to ensure gasoline
meets enhanced detergency
standards developed by auto
companies. A list of marketers
providing TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.
Use premium unleaded gasoline
with a posted octane rating of 91
or higher. If the octane is less than
91, you could damage the engine.
If heavy knocking is heard when
using gasoline rated at 91 octane
or higher, the engine needs service.

Black plate (60,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
9-60 Driving and Operating
Some gasolines that are
not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an
octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT);
ask the attendant where you buy
gasoline whether the fuel contains
MMT. We recommend against
the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce spark
plug life and affect emission
control system performance.
The malfunction indicator lamp
might turn on. If this occurs,
return to your dealer for service.Filling the Tank
{WARNING
Fuel vapor burns violently and a
fuel fire can cause bad injuries.
To help avoid injuries to you and
others, read and follow all the
instructions on the fuel pump
island. Turn off the vehicle when
refueling. Do not smoke near
fuel or when refueling the vehicle.
Do not use cellular phones.
Keep sparks, flames, and
smoking materials away from
fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended when refueling the
vehicle. This is against the law
in some places. Do not re-enter
the vehicle while pumping fuel.
Keep children away from the
fuel pump; never let children
pump fuel.The fuel system on this vehicle
requires a refueling process to
control evaporative emissions.
To refuel the vehicle:
1. Press the fuel door button on
the driver door for one second.
A WAIT TO REFUEL message
displays on the Driver
Information Center.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-15
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-16 Cooling System (Engine) . . . 10-18
Cooling System (High
Voltage Battery) . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Cooling System (Power Electronics and Charger
Modules) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-23
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-24
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Propulsion System Start Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Electrical Drive Unit Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-30
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-36
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices andWiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left Side) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right Side) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-3
General Information
For service and parts needs,
visit your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
10-4 Vehicle Care
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride
and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty.Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or
the installation or use of non‐GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications,
is not covered under the terms of
the vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. Your GM
dealer can accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories.
When you go to your GM dealer
and ask for GM Accessories,
you will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine
GM Accessories.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑38.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-5
Lifting the Vehicle
This vehicle can be lifted with a
hoist or a service jack. Do not use
any other type of jack to lift the
vehicle.
Lifting the Vehicle with a Hoist
This vehicle can be lifted with
a hoist at the four locations,
as illustrated.
Notice:Lifting the vehicle
improperly can damage the
vehicle and result in costly
repairs not covered by the
warranty.
The front lifting points can be
accessed from either side of the
vehicle, behind the front tires.
The rear lifting points can be
accessed from either side of the
vehicle, in front of the rear tires. Lifting the Vehicle with a
Service Jack
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle can cause
an injury. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over you or
other people. You and they could
be badly injured. Find a level
place to lift your vehicle. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in P (Park).
3. Turn off the vehicle.
To be even more certain the
vehicle will not move, put blocks
in front of and behind the wheels.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
10-6 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
Getting under a vehicle when it
is jacked up is dangerous. If the
vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed.
Never get under a vehicle when
it is supported only by a jack.
{WARNING
Raising the vehicle with the
jack improperly positioned can
damage the vehicle or the vehicle
may fall and cause you or others
injury.When using a jack to lift the vehicle,
follow the instructions that came
with the jack and be sure to use
the correct lifting points to avoid
damaging the vehicle.
Notice:
Lifting the vehicle
improperly can cause damage
and result in costly repairs not
covered by the warranty. To lift
the vehicle properly, use this
procedure.
For additional information,
see your dealer and the service
manual.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-7
There are four points where
the vehicle can be lifted with a
service jack.When lifting the vehicle from the
rear, place the service jack directly
under the spring seat.When lifting the vehicle from the
front, place the service jack directly
under the cradle mount. Ramps may
be needed under the front tires to
provide the necessary clearance for
certain service jacks in this location.
For more information, seeDoing
Your Own Service Work on
page 10‑8.