Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
10-18 Vehicle Care
Engine Coolant
The engine cooling system in the
vehicle is filled with DEX-COOL
engine coolant. The coolant needs
to be replaced every 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
seeEngine Overheating on
page 10‑21.
What to Use
{WARNING
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a
50/50 mixture of deionized water
and DEX-COOL coolant. Use a 50/50 mixture of deionized
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
If using this mixture, nothing else
needs to be added. This mixture:.Gives freezing protection down
to
−37°C (−34°F), outside
temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to
129°C (265°F), engine
temperature.
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Notice: If an improper coolant
mixture is used, the engine could
overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core, and other
parts.
Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-25
{WARNING
With the wrong kind of fluid in the
brake hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake fluid.
Notice
.Using the wrong fluid can
badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts. For
example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as
engine oil, in the brake
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in
the wrong kind of fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces,
the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to
spill brake fluid on the
vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately.
Battery
This vehicle has a high voltage
battery and a standard 12‐volt
battery.
If the vehicle is in a crash, the
sensing system may shut down the
high voltage system. When this
occurs, the high voltage battery is
disconnected and the vehicle will
not start. The SERVICE VEHICLE
SOON message in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will be
displayed. Before the vehicle can be
operated again, it must be serviced
at your dealer.
See “If a Crash Occurs” under
Collision Damage Repair on
page 13‑10 for additional
information. If an airbag has inflated, see
What Will You See
after an Airbag Inflates? on
page 3‑24.
Only a trained service technician
with the proper knowledge and tools
should inspect, test, or replace the
high voltage battery. See your
dealer if the high voltage battery
needs service. The dealer has
information on how to recycle the
high voltage battery. There is
also information available at
http://www.recyclemybattery.com.
Keep the vehicle plugged in, even
when fully charged, to keep the high
voltage battery temperature ready
for the next drive. This is important
when outside temperatures are
extremely hot or cold.
A vehicle cover, which can reduce
sun loading on the vehicle and
improve high voltage battery life, is
available from your dealer.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
i-4 INDEX
Electrical SystemEngine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 10-38, 10-40
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Electronic Stability Control . . . . . 9-38
Emergency, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Energy Efficiency
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28, 9-2
Energy Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-8
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Cooling System . . . . . . 10-15–10-17
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-49
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12 Engine (cont'd)
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-30
Engine Unavailable Out of Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-16
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Extended Range Mode . . . . . . . . 9-24
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
F
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Floor Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-92
Fluid Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17 Front Seats
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-60
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 5-27
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-60
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50
Function Check Electric Drive Unit Shift
Lock Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Fuses Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Instrument Panel
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 10-38, 10-40
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
i-6 INDEX
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-51
Keyless EntryRemote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-45
Lamps Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-2
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-51
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
LATCH System
Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-50
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Lifting the Vehicle, Tires . . . . . . . 10-3 Light
Ready Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Vehicle Ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-22
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 5-22
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 5-25
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Hood, Door, Hatch Open . . . . . 5-28
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Mountain Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-16 Lights (cont'd)
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Service Electric Parking
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Sport Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-27
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42