2012 CHEVROLET VOLT warning

Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-55
Charge Cord
SeeRadio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑17 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
A. Charge Level Button
B. Charge Level Indicators
C. Charge Cord Status Indicators
D. Vehicle Plug
E. Wall Plug A portable charge cord used to
charge the vehicle high voltage
battery is stored under the rear
luggage compartment.
{WARNING
There is a risk of electric shock
that may cause personal injury or
death. Do not use the charge
cord if any part of the charge cord
is damaged. Do not open or
remove the charge cord cover.
Service by qualified personnel
only. Connect the charge cord to
a properly grounded outlet with
cords that are not damaged.
The charge cord used to charge the
vehicle is a high‐powered electrical
device. During normal operation, the
AC wall plug of the charge cord may
feel warm. The AC wall plug must fit
tightly into an AC outlet that is in
good condition.
{WARNING
Using the charge cord with a
worn or damaged AC outlet may
cause burns or start a fire.
Periodically, check the AC wall
plug and charge cord while the
vehicle is charging. If the AC wall
plug feels hot, unplug the charge
cord and have the AC outlet
replaced by a qualified electrician.
Replace the charge cord if the AC
wall plug or cord are damaged.
Do not use an AC outlet that is
worn or damaged.

Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-56 Driving and Operating
{WARNING
An extension cord should not be
used to charge the vehicle. Use
of an extension cord may
increase the risk of electric shock
or other hazards.
If an extension cord is used
because of limited access to
120V AC power, use the following
safeguards:
The 120V AC outlet should be
GFCI protected.
The extension cord should be:
.GFCI protected.
.12 or 14 gage, 3 conductor.
.Rated for outdoor.
{WARNING
Multi‐outlet power strips, surge
protectors, or similar devices
could increase the risk of
electrical shock or other hazards.
Do not use these types of devices
with the charge cord.
Charge Cord Status Indicators
The charge cord status indicators
illuminate green or flashing red to
identify the charge cord status.
When both indicators are green, the
vehicle can be charged. If any
indicators are flashing red, the
charge cord will not permit vehicle
charging.
A flashing red AC PRESENT (A)
indicates the AC voltage is out of
range.
Flashing red AC PRESENT (A) and
FAULT (B) indicate the AC outlet
does not have a proper safety
ground. Charging is not permitted
for safety reasons. The AC outlet
must be repaired or another outlet
source should be used.
A flashing red FAULT (B) indicates a
charge cord fault. The charge cord
will attempt to reset automatically.
If the flashing red FAULT (B)
continues for more than
30 seconds, unplug the charge cord
from the wall to reset. If the fault
remains, see your dealer for
service.

Black plate (57,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-57
Charge Level Button
On some models, charge level
selection can be made using the
Select Charge Level Preference
screen on the center stack. See
“Charge Level Selection”under
Charging on page 5‑32.
On some models, charge level
selection can be made using the
charge level button on the charge
cord as described in the following.
{WARNING
Using a charge level that exceeds
the electrical circuit or socket
capacity may start a fire or
damage the electrical circuit. Use
the lowest charge level until a
qualified electrician inspects your
electrical circuit capacity. Use the
lowest charge level if the
electrical circuit or socket
capacity is not known. Two charge levels are available by
pressing the charge level button.
Select reduced or normal level.
The charge level cannot be
changed when the vehicle plug is
plugged into the charge port on the
vehicle. If the charge level button is
pressed while the vehicle plug is
plugged into the charge port on the
vehicle, the charge level indicators
will flash briefly. To change the
charge level, unplug the vehicle
plug from the charge port on the
vehicle and select the desired
charge level.
Normal Level:
This level is
recommended. All four charge level
indicators will be lit.
Reduced Level: Use when the
electrical current is limited. Two
charge level indicators will be lit.
Vehicle Plug
The vehicle plug attaches to the
charge port on the vehicle. There is
a flashlight built into the vehicle plug
that can be used by squeezing the
vehicle plug lever. The flashlight will
turn off when the connection is
complete and the lever is released.

Black plate (62,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-62 Driving and Operating
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.
2. When the READY TO REFUELmessage displays, the fuel door
on the passenger side will
unlock. Push the rearward edge
of the fuel door in and release to
open the door.
3. Turn the fuel cap counterclockwise to remove.
While refueling, hang the fuel
cap tether from the hook on the
inside of the fuel door. Complete
refueling within 30 minutes of
pushing the fuel door button on
the driver door. If refueling more
than 30 minutes, push the fuel
door button again.

Black plate (63,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-63
4. After refueling, reinstall the fuelcap by turning it clockwise until it
clicks. Close the fuel door.
{WARNING
Fuel can spray out on you if you
open the fuel cap too quickly.
If you spill fuel and then
something ignites it, you could be
badly burned. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly full,
and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait
for any hiss noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way. Do not top off or overfill the tank and
wait a few seconds before removing
the nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care on page 10‑85.{WARNING
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Notice:
If a new fuel cap is
needed, be sure to get the right
type of cap from your dealer. The
wrong type of fuel cap might not
fit properly, might cause the
malfunction indicator lamp to
light, and could damage the fuel
tank and emissions system. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑19.

Black plate (64,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-64 Driving and Operating
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{WARNING
Never fill a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle. Static
electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the fuel
vapor. You can be badly burned
and the vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you
and others:
.Dispense fuel only into
approved containers.
.Do not fill a container while it
is inside a vehicle, in a
vehicle's trunk, pickup bed,
or on any surface other than
the ground.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Bring the fill nozzle in contact
with the inside of the fill
opening before operating the
nozzle. Contact should be
maintained until the filling is
complete.
.Do not smoke while
pumping fuel.
.Do not use a cellular phone
while pumping fuel.
Towing
General Towing
Information
The vehicle is neither designed nor
intended to tow a trailer or another
vehicle.
For information on towing a disabled
vehicle, seeTowing the Vehicle on
page 10‑81. For information on
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle such as a motor home, see
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10‑83.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-2
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-13
Cooling System (Engine) . . . 10-15
Cooling System (High Voltage Battery) . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Cooling System (Power Electronics and Charger
Modules) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18 Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-21
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Electric Drive Unit Shift Lock
Control Function Check . . . 10-27
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-27
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-31
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices andWiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33 Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left Side) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
(Right Side) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
10-2 Vehicle Care
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-63
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Cleaning the CenterStack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-92
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, safety 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.