
Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
7-8 Infotainment System
Radio
AM-FM Radio
Playing the Radio
For vehicles equipped with the
MyLink or IntelliLink infotainment
system, see the separate MyLink/
IntelliLink Features and Functions
Guide for more information.
Audio Source
VOL/
O(Volume/Power):
1. Press to turn the radio on or off.
2. Turn to increase or decrease the volume of the active source
(i.e., current audio source, active
navigation voice guidance,
or traffic prompts).
The steering wheel controls can
also be used to adjust the volume.
See “Steering Wheel Controls” in
the vehicle owner manual for more
information. To access the radio main page,
press the SOURCE button on the
faceplate, the Now Playing screen
button, or one of the audio screen
buttons on the Home Page.
While on the audio main page,
press the Source button repeatedly
to display and cycle through the
available sources (AM, FM, and XM
(if equipped), CD, USB/iPod,
and AUX).Infotainment System Settings
Tone Settings
To access the tone settings, press
the Home Page Tone button or the
TONE button on the faceplate.
Use the tone settings to adjust the
following features:
.Setting the tone
.Adjusting the speakers
Setting the Tone
To adjust the tone:
.Treble: Press + or
−to change
the level.
.Middle (Midrange): Press +
or −to change the level.
.Bass: Press + or −to change
the level.
Adjusting the Speakers
To adjust the speaker balance:
.Press the left arrow on the
bottom for more sound from the
left speakers or the right arrow
on the bottom for more sound
from the right speakers. The
middle position balances the
sound between the left and right
speakers.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
7-28 Infotainment System
Dual Tone Multi-Frequency
(DTMF) Tones
The in‐vehicle Bluetooth system can
send numbers during a call. This is
used when calling a menu‐driven
phone system.
1. Turn or press the TUNE/MENUknob and select Enter Number.
2. Enter the phone number.
Bluetooth (Voice
Recognition)
Using Voice Recognition
For vehicles equipped with the
MyLink or IntelliLink infotainment
system, see the separate MyLink/
IntelliLink Features and Functions
Guide for more information. To use voice recognition, press the
b/gbutton located on the steering
wheel. Use the commands below for
the various voice features. For
additional information, say “Help”
while you are in a voice
recognition menu.
Pairing
A Bluetooth‐enabled cell phone
must be paired to the Bluetooth
system and then connected to the
vehicle before it can be used. See
your cell phone manufacturer's user
guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth
phone is not connected, calls will be
made using OnStar Hands‐Free
Calling, if available. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1 for more
information. Pairing Information
.A Bluetooth phone with MP3
capability cannot be paired to
the vehicle as a phone and an
MP3 player at the same time.
.Up to five cell phones can be
paired to the Bluetooth system.
.The pairing process is disabled
when the vehicle is moving.
.Pairing only needs to be
completed once, unless the
pairing information on the cell
phone changes or the cell phone
is deleted from the system.
.Only one paired cell phone can
be connected to the Bluetooth
system at a time.
.If multiple paired cell phones are
within range of the system, the
system connects to the first
available paired cell phone in the
order that they were first paired
to the system. To link to a
different paired phone, see
“Linking to a Different Phone”
later in this section.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
8-8 Climate Controls
Sensors
Solar Sensor
The solar sensor is located on top of
the instrument panel, near the
windshield, where it monitors solar
intensity.
The climate control system uses the
sensor information to adjust the
temperature, fan speed,
recirculation, and air delivery
mode for best comfort.
Do not cover the sensor; otherwise
the automatic climate control system
may not work properly.Humidity Sensor
The humidity sensor is near the
base of the inside rearview mirror.
The climate control system uses the
sensor information to adjust the
temperature and recirculation for
best comfort.
Outside Air Temperature Sensor
The outside air temperature sensor
is located behind the front grille of
the vehicle. The vehicle uses the
sensor information to display
outside air temperature. The climate
control system uses the information
to adjust the climate system
operation.
Air Vents
Use the louvers on the air vents to
change the direction of the airflow.
Use the thumbwheels near each
vent to open and close off the
airflow.
Operation Tips
.Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
.Keep the path under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-33
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When propulsion is active and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑23. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-37
When the vehicle is started and
begins to move, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to ensure there are no problems.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal
and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle. The
system should initialize before the
vehicle reaches 32 km/h (20 mph).
In some cases, it may take
approximately 3.2 km (2 mi) of
driving before the system initializes.
The TCS may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions
such as heavy acceleration while
turning or abrupt changes in output
from the electric drive unit. When
this happens, a reduction in
acceleration may be noticed, or a
noise or vibration may be heard.
This is normal.dflashes to indicate that TCS is
active. See Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light on
page 5‑25 for more information.
If there is a problem detected with
TCS, SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL is displayed on the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑53. When this message
is displayed and
dcomes on and
stays on, the vehicle is safe to drive
but the system is not operational.
Driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on, reset
the system:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
If
dstill comes on and stays on, the
vehicle needs service. Notice:
Do not repeatedly brake
or accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle's driveline could
be damaged.
TCS can be turned off by pressing
and releasing the TCS/ESC button
located on the overhead console.
When TCS is turned off,
icomes
on, and the appropriate DIC
message also displays. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑53. With TCS turned off, the
system does not limit wheel spin.

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-40 Driving and Operating
Cruise Control
The cruise control lets the vehicle
maintain a speed of about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below 40 km/h (25 mph).
With the Traction Control System
(TCS) or Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), the system may begin to
limit wheel spin while you are using
cruise control. If this happens, the
cruise control will automatically
disengage. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 9‑36 or
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on
page 9‑38.
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
1(On/Off): Press to turn the
cruise control system on and off. An
indicator light will turn on or off in
the instrument cluster.
*(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
RES/+ (Resume/Accel): Move the
thumbwheel up to resume to a
previously set speed or to
accelerate.

Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-45
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 10‑59.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 (58,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
10-58 Vehicle Care
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See“Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on
the parts to which it is
fastened, can make wheel
nuts become loose after a
time. The wheel could come
off and cause a crash. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where
the wheel attaches to the
vehicle. In an emergency, a
cloth or a paper towel can be
used, however, use a scraper
or wire brush to remove all
rust or dirt. Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
When It Is Time for New
Tires
Factors such as maintenance,
temperatures, driving speeds,
vehicle loading, and road conditions
affect the wear rate of the tires.Treadwear indicators are one way to
tell when it is time for new tires.
Treadwear indicators appear when
the tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in)
or less of tread remaining. See
Tire
Inspection on page 10‑57 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑57 for more
information.