Black plate (39,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-39
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system
for the right front passenger
position, which includes sensors
that are part of the passenger
seat. The passenger sensing
system may not operate properly
if the original seat trim is
replaced with non-GM covers,
upholstery or trim, or with
GM covers, upholstery or
trim designed for a different
vehicle. Any object, such as
an aftermarket seat heater
or a comfort enhancing pad
or device, installed under or on
top of the seat fabric, could also
interfere with the operation of
the passenger sensing system.
This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passengerairbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system
from properly turning off
the passenger airbag(s).
See
Passenger Sensing
System on page 3‑33.
If you have questions,
call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and
addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two
of the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure in this manual.
See Customer Satisfaction
Procedure on page 13‑1.
If the vehicle has rollover
roof‐rail airbags, see Different
Size Tires and Wheels on
page 10‑65 for additional
important information. Q: Because I have a disability,
I have to get my vehicle
modified. How can I find out
whether this will affect my
airbag system?
A: If you have questions,
call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and
addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two
of the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure in this manual.
See Customer Satisfaction
Procedure on page 13‑1.
In addition, the dealer and the
service manual have information
about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module, and airbag wiring.
Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
10-2 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62 Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Different Size Tires and
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-67
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-84
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-49
Winter Tires
Consider installing winter tires
on the vehicle if frequent driving
on snow or ice covered roads is
expected. All season tires provide
good overall performance on most
surfaces, but they may not offer
the traction or the same level of
performance as winter tires on
snow or ice covered roads.
Winter tires, in general, are
designed for increased traction
on snow and ice covered roads.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in
vehicle handling and braking.See your dealer for details
regarding winter tire availability
and proper tire selection. Also, see
Buying New Tires on page 10‑63.
If using snow tires:
.Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
.Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a
tire is molded into its sidewall.
The examples show a typical
passenger tire sidewall.
Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire Example
(A) Tire Size:The tire size
is a combination of letters
and numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size” illustration later in this
section for more detail.
Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-51
(B) Tire Width:The three‐digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio
:A two‐digit
number that indicates the tire
height‐to‐width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 60, as shown in
item C of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire's sidewall is
60 percent as high as it is wide.
(D) Construction Code
:A
letter code is used to indicate
the type of ply construction in
the tire. The letter R means
radial ply construction; the
letter D means diagonal or
bias ply construction; and the
letter B means belted‐bias ply
construction.
(E) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches. (F) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire
is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount
of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square
inch of the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The
combined weight of optional
accessories. Some examples
of optional accessories are,
automatic electric drive unit,
power steering, power brakes,
power windows, power seats,
and air conditioning. Aspect Ratio
:The relationship
of a tire's height to its width.
Belt
:A rubber coated layer of
cords that is located between
the plies and the tread. Cords
may be made from steel or other
reinforcing materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic
tire in which the plies are laid
at alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline
of the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch)
before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See Tire Pressure
on page 10‑54.
Black plate (61,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-61
Tire Inspection
GM recommends that the
tires, including the spare, be
inspected for signs of wear or
damage at least once a month.
Replace the tire if:
.The indicators at three or
more places around the tire
can be seen.
.There is cord or fabric
showing through the tire's
rubber.
.The tread or sidewall is
cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord
or fabric.
.The tire has a bump, bulge,
or split.
.The tire has a puncture, cut,
or other damage that cannot
be repaired well because of
the size or location of the
damage.
Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km (7,500 mi). The first
rotation is the most important.
SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 11‑2.
Tires are rotated to achieve a
more uniform wear for all tires.
Any time unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as
soon as possible, and
check the wheel alignment.
See When It Is Time for New
Tires on page 10‑62 andWheel
Replacement on page 10‑67.
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires.
Adjust the front and rear tires
to the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label
after the tires have been
rotated. See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑54 andVehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑14.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10‑57.
Black plate (64,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
10-64 Vehicle Care
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure
monitoring performance. GM's TPC
Spec number is molded onto the
tire's sidewall near the tire size.
If the tires have an all‐season
tread design, the TPC spec number
will be followed by MS, for mud
and snow. SeeTire Sidewall
Labeling on page 10‑49 for
additional information.
GM recommends replacing all the
tires at the same time. Uniform
tread depth on all tires will help
to maintain the performance of
the vehicle. Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time.
See Tire Inspection on page 10‑61
and Tire Rotation on page 10‑61 for
information on proper tire rotation.{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting to
mount or dismount a tire could
cause injury or death. Only your
dealer or authorized tire service
center should mount or dismount
the tires.
{WARNING
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause
loss of control of the vehicle,
resulting in a crash or other
vehicle damage. Use the
correct size, brand, and type
of tire on all wheels.
{WARNING
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If the vehicle tires must be replaced
with a tire that does not have a TPC
Spec number, make sure they are
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and construction (radial) as
the original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire pressure
monitoring system could give an
inaccurate low‐pressure warning
if non‐TPC Spec rated tires are
installed. See Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10‑55.
Black plate (65,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-65
The Tire and Loading Information
Label indicates the original
equipment tires on the vehicle.
SeeVehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑14, for the label location
and more information about the
Tire and Loading Information label.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, and electronic stability
control, the performance of these
systems can also be affected.
{WARNING
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety
if tires not recommended for
those wheels are selected.
This increases the chance
of a crash and serious injury.
Only use GM specific wheel
and tire systems developed
for the vehicle, and have them
properly installed by a GM
certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10‑63 andAccessories
and Modifications on page 10‑4
for additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires
by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance.
This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States.
Black plate (69,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-69
Used Replacement Wheels
{WARNING
Replacing a wheel with a used
one is dangerous. How it has
been used or how far it has been
driven may be unknown. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, use a
new GM original equipment
wheel.
Tire Chains
{WARNING
Do not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes,
suspension or other vehicle(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
parts. The area damaged by
the tire chains could cause
loss of control and a crash.
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for the vehicle's
tire size combination and
road conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions.
To avoid vehicle damage, drive
slow and readjust or remove the
traction device if it contacts the
vehicle. Do not spin the wheels.
If traction devices are used,
install them on the front tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
This vehicle has a tire sealant and
compressor kit. SeeTire Sealant
and Compressor Kit on page 10‑71.
There is no spare tire, no tire
changing equipment, and no
place to store a tire.
To properly lift this vehicle, see
Lifting the Vehicle on page 10‑5.
It is unusual for a tire to blowout
while driving, especially if the
tires are maintained properly.
See Tires on page 10‑48.
If air goes out of a tire, it is much
more likely to leak out slowly.