Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
1-10 In Brief
Sensing System for
Passenger Airbag
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and passenger knee
airbag under certain conditions.
The driver airbags, seat‐mounted
side impact airbags, and roof‐rail
airbags are not affected by the
passenger sensing system. See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑33for more information.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
overhead console when the vehicle
is started. See Passenger Airbag
Status Indicator on page 5‑20.
Mirror Adjustment
Exterior
Mirrors can be folded inward toward
the vehicle to prevent damage when
going through an automatic car
wash. Push the mirror outward to
return it to the original position.
See Folding Mirrors on page 2‑16.
Controls for the outside power
mirrors are on the driver door. To adjust a mirror:
1. Move the selector switch to
L (left) or R (right) to choose
the driver or passenger mirror.
2. Press the arrows on the control pad to move each mirror in the
desired direction.
3. Return the selector switch to the center position.
See Power Mirrors on page 2‑15.
When the rear window defogger
is activated, the heated mirriors,
if equipped, will also come on.
See Heated Mirrors on page 2‑16.
Interior
The vehicle has an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare from the headlamps of the
vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature and the indicator light come
on each time the vehicle is started.
Hold the mirror in the center to
adjust it. See Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror on page 2‑16.
Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
1-26 In Brief
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. Maintenance
Always keep the tires properly
inflated and the vehicle properly
aligned.
The weight of excess cargo in the
vehicle affects efficiency and range.
Avoid carrying more than is needed.
If fuel is not regularly used, consider
keeping the fuel tank only one‐third
full. Excess fuel weight impacts
efficiency and range.
Use premium fuel.
Avoid unnecessary use of electrical
accessories. Power used for
functions other than propelling the
vehicle will reduce EV range.
Using a rooftop carrier will reduce
efficiency due to additional weight
and drag.
Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
2-16 Keys, Doors and Windows
Folding Mirrors
Manual Foldaway Mirrors
The mirrors can be folded inward
toward the vehicle to prevent
damage when going through an
automatic car wash. Push the
mirror outward to return it to the
original position.
Heated Mirrors
The vehicle may have heated
mirrors.
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to heat the outside rearview
mirrors. See “Rear Window
Defogger” underAutomatic Climate
Control System on page 8‑1 for
more information.
Interior Mirrors
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
The vehicle has an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare from the headlamps of the
vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature and the indicator light come
on each time the vehicle is started.
Hold the mirror in the center to
adjust it.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Windows
{WARNING
Leaving children, helpless
adults, or pets in a vehicle
with the windows closed is
dangerous. They can be
overcome by the extreme heat
and suffer permanent injuries
or even death from heat stroke.
Never leave a child, a helpless
adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows
closed in warm or hot weather.
Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-55
Climate and Air Quality
Select the Climate and Air Quality
menu to display:
.Auto Fan Speed
.Auto Heated Seats
.Remote Start Auto Heat Seats
.Auto Defog
Auto Fan Speed
This feature sets the automatic
fan speed to maintain the desired
interior tempurature. This selection
is available on vehicles with the
Automatic Climate Control system.
Choose a blower setting:
High: Increased speed.
Medium: Moderate speed.
Low: Reduced speed.
To select the auto fan speed:
1. Press the Vehicle menu.
2. Select Climate and Air Quality. 3. Select Auto Fan Speed.
4. Select the fan speed.
5. Press Back to return to the
previous menu.
Auto Heated Seats
When enabled, the auto heated
seat buttons on the touch screen
will be highlighted. This feature will
automatically activate heated seats
at the level required by the interior
temperature. The auto heated seats
can be turned off by using the
heated seat buttons on the center
stack.
To turn the auto heated seats on
or off:
1. Press the Vehicle menu.
2. Select Climate and Air Quality.
3. Turn the auto heated seats feature on or off.
4. Press Back to return to the previous menu. Remote Start Auto Heat Seats
When on, this feature will turn the
heated seats on when using remote
start.
To turn the remote start auto heat
seats on or off:
1. Press the Vehicle menu.
2. Select Climate and Air Quality.
3. Turn the remote start auto heat
seats feature on or off.
4. Press Back to return to the previous menu.
Auto Defog
When on and high humidity is
detected, the Climate Control
system will adjust the outside air,
air conditioner, or heat to decrease
fogging. The fan speed may
increase. When high humidity is
no longer detected, the system
will return to previous operation.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
8-4 Climate Controls
Fan Only Mode:The air
conditioning and electric heat are
turned off. As long as
0is not
selected, the climate control settings
may not have a noticeable effect
on the vehicle electric range and
fuel economy.
When in Fan Only mode, the
AUTO indicator light will be off.
When AUTO is selected in Fan
Only mode, the mode will change
to either ECO or Comfort.
When in Fan Only mode, the air
conditioning system may turn on
automatically if the high voltage
battery is being cooled. The climate
control system could blow cold air. This is normal. To prevent cold air
from blowing into the interior, turn
off the fan control and select the
vent mode and manual recirculation
mode, and close the air vents.
When in Fan Only mode,
if Auto Defog is enabled, the air
conditioning and electric heat
may turn on when high humidity
conditions exist. See
“Climate
and Air Quality” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑53
for more information on the
Auto Defog selection. The air
conditioning may also run
if
0is selected.
ECO Mode: The vehicle air
conditioning and electric heat are
controlled to balance comfort with
fuel economy. As long as
0is not
selected, the vehicle electric range
or fuel economy will decrease less
than in Comfort mode, but will result
in moderate comfort. Comfort Mode:
The vehicle air
conditioning and electric heat are
controlled to reach the best comfort
level based on the temperature
setting selected. In this mode,
vehicle electric range or fuel
economy will decrease depending
on the amount of energy required
to reach the best comfort levels.
Climate Power Gauge
When the climate mode is changed,
the Climate Power gauge displays
the impact that user setting changes
have on energy consumption.
The higher the reading, the more
energy is being used.
Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-5
Air Conditioning/Heat StatusIndicators
The air conditioning/heat status
displays when the air conditioning
or electric heat is being used.
The air conditioning and electric
heat could be on at the same time
when dehumidification is required
in ECO or Comfort modes.
In Fan Only mode, occasionally
the air conditioning and/or heating
status will be on if the Auto Defog
function is enabled and high
humidity is detected. See “Climate
and Air Quality” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑53,
for details on enabling or disabling
the Auto Defog function. The air conditioning may also run
if
0is selected, regardless of the
climate mode.
Automatic Operation
The system automatically controls
the fan speed, air delivery mode,
and recirculation to heat or cool the
vehicle to the selected temperature.
When the AUTO indicator light is
on, the system is in full automatic
operation. If the air delivery mode,
fan speed, or recirculation setting is
adjusted, the AUTO indicator turns
off and the selected settings display.
For automatic operation:
1. Press AUTO.
2. Set the temperature. An initial setting of 23°C (74°F)
is recommended. Allow the
system time to stabilize. Adjust
the temperature as needed.Q/R(Temperature Control):
Press to increase or decrease
the temperature.
Auto Defog: The system will
monitor high humidity inside the
vehicle. When high humidity is
detected, the climate control system
may adjust to outside air supply and
turn on the air conditioner or the
heater. The fan speed may slightly
increase to help prevent fogging.
When high humidity is no longer
detected, the system will return
to its prior operation. To turn Auto
Defog off or on, see “Climate
and Air Quality” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑53.
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-7
AUTOh(Auto Recirculation):
Press to allow the system to
automatically choose the air
supply mode for best performance
in terms of comfort, efficiency,
and defogging. Air is recirculated
or outside air is pulled into the
vehicle. The touch screen button
is lit.
h(Manual Recirculation):
Press to alternate between
recirculating air inside the
vehicle or pulling in outside air.
When selected, the touch screen
button lights up to indicate that
air is being recirculated. This helps
to quickly cool the air inside the
vehicle or prevent outside air
and odors from entering. Pressing this button cancels
automatic recirculation. Press
AUTO or AUTO
hto return to
automatic operation; recirculation
runs automatically as needed.
Manual recirculation mode is not
available when in Defrost or Defog
modes.
M/L(Manual Heated Seats):
If available, the controls are on the
center stack. To operate, the vehicle
must be on.
Press
MorLto heat the driver
or passenger seat cushion and
seatback. For more information,
see Heated Front Seats on
page 3‑6.
MAUTO/LAUTO (Auto Heated
Seats): If available, the controls
are on the touch screen on the
center stack. Press the touch screen
LAUTO or
MAUTO button. The button color
will change to green when this
feature is on. When the vehicle is
on, this feature will automatically
activate the heated seats at the
level required by the vehicle's
interior temperature. The active
high, medium, low, or off heated
seat level will be indicated by the
manual heated seat button lights
on the center stack. Use the touch
screen buttons or the manual
heated seat buttons on the center
stack to turn auto heated seats off.
For more information, see Heated
Front Seats on page 3‑6.
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.