Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
5-22 Instruments and Controls
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on and stays on, while the
vehicle is in ON/RUN, this indicates
that there is an OBD II problem and
service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system assists
the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, the emission controls might
not work as well, the vehicle fuel
economy might not be as good,
and the engine might not run
as smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Notice:
Modifications made
to the engine, electric drive unit,
exhaust, intake, or fuel system
of the vehicle or the replacement
of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
can affect the vehicle emission
controls and can cause this
light to come on. Modifications
to these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by
the vehicle warranty. This could
also result in a failure to
pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance
test. See Accessories and
Modifications on page 10‑4. This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing:
A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
The following can prevent more
serious damage to the vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
If the light continues to flash, when
it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle.
Find a safe place to park the
vehicle. Turn the vehicle off, wait at
least 10 seconds, and restart the
vehicle. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps and see
your dealer for service as soon as
possible.
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 (76,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
7-76 Infotainment System
Problems with Route
Guidance
Inappropriate route guidance can
occur under one or more of the
following conditions:
.The turn was not made on the
road indicated.
.Route guidance might not be
available when using automatic
rerouting for the next right or
left turn.
.The route might not be changed
when using automatic rerouting.
.There is no route guidance when
turning at an intersection.
.Plural names of places might be
announced occasionally.
.It could take a long time to
operate automatic rerouting
during high-speed driving.
.Automatic rerouting might
display a route returning to the
set waypoint if heading for a
destination without passing
through a set waypoint.
.The route prohibits the entry
of a vehicle due to a regulation
by time or season or any other
regulation which may be given.
.Some routes might not be
searched.
.The route to the destination
might not be shown if there
are new roads, if roads have
recently changed, or if certain
roads are not listed in the map
data. SeeMaps on page 7‑44
for more information.
To recalibrate the vehicle's position
on the map, park with the vehicle
on for two to five minutes, until the
vehicle position updates.
If the System Needs
Service
If the navigation system needs
service and the steps listed here
have been followed but there are
still problems, see your dealer for
assistance.
Ordering Map DVDs
The map data in the vehicle is
the most up-to-date information
available when the vehicle was
produced. The map data is updated
periodically, provided that the map
information has changed.
For questions about the operation of
the navigation system or the update
process, contact the GM Nav Disc
Center toll‐free phone number,
1‐877‐NAV‐DISC (1‐877‐628‐3472)
or go to the center's website,
www.gmnavdisc.com. If updates
are needed, call the GM Nav Disc
Center or order a new disc online.
To order a disc, have the vehicle's
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
available. See “Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN).”
After receiving the updated disc,
see “Installing the DVD Map Disc”
under Maps on page 7‑44 for more
information.
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 (19,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-19
on. The flashing light will eventually
time out. The POWER
Obutton
light is on steady when in ON/RUN
power mode. When the vehicle is
turned off, the POWER
Obutton
light will turn off.
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle
for the system to operate. If the
vehicle will not start, place the RKE
transmitter in the transmitter slot.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
ON/RUN: This position is for
driving and starting. With the vehicle
off, and the brake pedal applied,
pressing the POWER
Obutton once
will place the vehicle in ON/RUN.
The instrument cluster displays an
active fuel or battery gauge, along
with an audio startup cue, when
the vehicle is ready to be driven.
This could take up to 15 seconds
at extremely cold temperatures. The engine will only start if needed.
If the vehicle did not start, the
instrument cluster will display a
screen with inactive fuel and battery
gauges. See
Starting and Stopping
the Vehicle on page 9‑20.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of
the MIL as may be required for
emission inspection purposes.
With the vehicle off, and the brake
pedal not applied, pressing and
holding the POWER
Obutton for
more than 5 seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Only Mode.
The instruments and audio systems
will operate as they do in ON/RUN,
but the vehicle will not be able to be
driven. The propulsion system will
not start in Service Only Mode. STOPPING THE VEHICLE/OFF:
To turn the vehicle off, push the
POWER
Obutton with the vehicle
in P (Park). Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) will remain active
until the driver door is opened.
See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑22. When turning
off the vehicle, if the vehicle is not
in P (Park), the vehicle will go to
ACC/ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Electric Drive Unit Messages
on page 5‑47.
In an emergency, if the vehicle must
be stopped while driving:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-43
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal;
when cruise control disengages,
the indicator light will not be lit.
.Press*.
.Press1to turn the cruise
control system off completely.
The cruise control cannot be
resumed.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed
is erased from memory by
pressing
1or if the vehicle
is turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
For vehicles with the Ultrasonic
Front and Rear Parking Assist
(UFRPA) system, it assists the
driver with parking and avoiding
objects. UFRPA operates at
speeds less than 8 km/h (5 mph).
The sensors on the front and rear
bumper detect objects up to 1.2 m
(4 ft) in front of the vehicle, 2.5 m
(8 ft) behind the vehicle, and at
least 25.4 cm (10 in) off the ground.
{WARNING
The Ultrasonic Front and Rear
Parking Assist (UFRPA) system
does not replace driver vision.
It cannot detect:
.Objects that are below the
bumper, underneath the
vehicle, or if they are too
close or far from the vehicle.
.Children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or pets.
If you do not use proper care
before moving forward and while
backing; vehicle damage, injury,
or death could occur. Even with
UFRPA, always check in front of
the vehicle before moving forward
and behind the vehicle before
backing up. While moving forward
and backing, be sure to look for
objects and check the vehicle
mirrors.
Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
9-44 Driving and Operating
How the System Works
UFRPA comes on automatically
when the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). The front and rear
sensors are automatically turned on.
After the vehicle is shifted out of
R (Reverse), the rear sensors are
turned off and the front sensors
stay on until the vehicle is above a
speed of 8 km/h (5 mph). The front
sensors may also be turned on by
pressing the park assist button
in the overhead console without
shifting into R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is traveling at a low speed.
See“Turning the System On and
Off” later in this section.
When the vehicle is in N (Neutral),
the system may be active. If the
vehicle is in a car wash, the sensors
may detect objects in the car wash.
See “Turning the System On and
Off” later in this section to turn the
system off. High-toned beeps from the front
speakers are for objects detected
near the front bumper. Low-toned
beeps from the rear speakers are
for objects detected near the rear
bumper. The interval between the
beeps becomes shorter as the
vehicle gets closer to the obstacle.
When the distance is less than
30 cm (12 in) the beeps are
continuous.
To be detected, objects must be at
least 25.4 cm (10 in) off the ground
and below hood or hatch level.
Objects must also be within
1.2 m (4 ft) in front of the vehicle
and 2.5 m (8 ft) from the rear
bumper. This distance may be less
during warmer or humid weather.
PARK ASSIST OFF displays on
the Driver Information Center (DIC)
to indicate that UFRPA is off.
The message disappears after
a short period of time.
Objects Detected by Both the
Front and Rear Sensors
If objects are detected at the
same time near both the front and
rear bumpers while backing up,
the beeps only sound to indicate
that objects are close to the rear
bumper.
If an object comes within 0.3 m (1 ft)
of the front bumper while the vehicle
is backing up and at the same time
there is another object further than
0.3 m (1 ft) from the rear bumper,
then the beeps only sound to
indicate the object that is closer
to the front bumper.