Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-41
Where to Put the
Restraint
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position.
We recommend that children and
child restraints be secured in a rear
seat, including: an infant or a child
riding in a rear-facing child restraint;
a child riding in a forward-facing
child seat; an older child riding in a
booster seat; and children, who are
large enough, using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front.”This is
because the risk to the rear-facing
child is so great, if the airbag
deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is
because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger airbag(s), no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag(s) are turned off.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the
airbag(s) are off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑26 for additional
information.
When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the child
restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
Child restraints and booster seats
vary considerably in size, and some
may fit in certain seating positions
better than others. Always make
sure the child restraint is properly
secured.
Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-45
Do not secure a child restraint in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether
must be attached.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position. SeeWhere to Put the
Restraint on page 3‑41 for
additional information.Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH
System
{WARNING
If a LATCH-type child restraint is
not attached to anchors, the child
restraint will not be able to protect
the child correctly. In a crash, the
child could be seriously injured or
killed. Install a LATCH-type child
restraint properly using the
anchors, or use the vehicle safety
belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and
the instructions in this manual.
{WARNING
Do not attach more than one child
restraint to a single anchor.
Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could
cause the anchor or attachment
to come loose or even break
during a crash. A child or others
could be injured. To reduce the
risk of serious or fatal injuries
during a crash, attach only one
child restraint per anchor.
Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
3-46 Seats and Restraints
{WARNING
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to
tighten. Buckle any unused safety
belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull
the shoulder belt all the way out
of the retractor to set the lock,
if the vehicle has one, after the
child restraint has been installed.
Notice: Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’ s safety belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled safety belts to
avoid rubbing the LATCH
attachments.
Do not fold the empty rear seat
with a safety belt buckled. This
could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the
safety belt to its stowed position,
before folding the seat. Make sure to attach the child
restraint at the proper anchor
location.
This system is designed to make
installation of child restraints easier.
When using lower anchors, do not
use the vehicle's safety belts.
Instead use the vehicle's anchors
and child restraint attachments to
secure the restraints. Some
restraints also use another vehicle
anchor to secure a top tether.
1. Attach and tighten the lower
attachments to the lower
anchors. If the child restraint
does not have lower
attachments or the desired
seating position does not have
lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and
the safety belts. Refer to your
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions
in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating
position. 1.2. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
If the head restraint
interferes with the proper
installation of the child
restraint, the head restraint
may be removed. See
“Head Restraint Removal
and Reinstallation” at the
end of this section.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child
restraint to the lower
anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether
be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor, if equipped. Refer to the
child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor on the back of the rear
seatback.
Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-49
{WARNING
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly,
there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/
spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for
all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.To reinstall the head restraint:
1. Insert the head restraint posts
into the holes in the top of the
seatback. The notches (A) on
the posts must face the driver
side of the vehicle. 2. Push the head restraint down.
If necessary, press the height
adjustment release button to
further lower the head restraint.
See Head Restraints on
page 3‑2.
3. Try to move the head restraint to make sure that it is locked in
place.
Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
3-50 Seats and Restraints
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the LATCH
system in the vehicle. A damaged
LATCH system may not properly
secure the child restraint,
resulting in serious injury or even
death in a crash. To help make
sure the LATCH system is
working properly after a crash,
see your dealer to have the
system inspected and any
necessary replacements made as
soon as possible.If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat)
When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the child
restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑42 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured in the vehicle using a
safety belt and it uses a top tether,
see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑42
for top tether anchor
locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.
If the child restraint does not have
the LATCH system, you will be
using the safety belt to secure the
child restraint in this position. Be
sure to follow the instructions that
came with the child restraint. Secure
the child in the child restraint when
and as the instructions say.
Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-53
Securing Child Restraints
(Front Passenger Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑41.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag and
passenger knee airbag under
certain conditions. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 3‑26 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑18 for more information,
including important safety
information.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.” This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is
because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger airbag(s), no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag(s) are turned off.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the
airbag(s) are off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑26 for additional
information.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑42 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured using a safety belt and it
uses a top tether, see Lower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) on page 3‑42 for
top tether anchor locations.
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Instrument Panel Overview
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . 5-3
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-5
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-5
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Pedestrian Friendly Alert . . . . . . 5-6
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-6
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Battery Gauge (High Voltage) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Driver Efficiency Gauge . . . . . . 5-15 Total Vehicle Range . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-16
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-17
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Charging System Light (12-Volt Battery) . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Sport Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Mountain Mode Light . . . . . . . . 5-24
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-24
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-25
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-26
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-27
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27 Vehicle Ready Light . . . . . . . . . 5-27
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Door, Hood, or Hatch Open
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Information Displays
Center Stack Display . . . . . . . . 5-29
Power Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Energy Information . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Driver InformationCenter (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Battery and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-48
Cruise Control Messages . . . . 5-49
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Drive Mode Messages . . . . . . . 5-49
Electric Drive Unit Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-50
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
5-4 Instruments and Controls
A.Air Vents on page 8‑8.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑4.
Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Pedestrian Friendly Alert on
page 5‑6.
C. Instrument Cluster on page 5‑9.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Display. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑45.
D. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑6.
E. Heated Front Seats on page 3‑6
(If Equipped).
F. Center Stack Display on
page 5‑29.
G. Charging Status Indicator. See Charging Status Feedback on
page 9‑52. H. Light Sensor. See
Daytime
Running Lamps (DRL) on
page 6‑2.
I. Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4‑1.
J. Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.
K. Driver Information Center (DIC) Controls. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑45.
L. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑4.
M. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑19.
N. Cruise Control on page 9‑40.
O. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑5.
P. Horn on page 5‑6. Q.
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑5 (If Equipped).
R. Leaf Button. See Center Stack
Display on page 5‑29.
S. DRIVE MODE Button. See Driver Selected Operating
Modes on page 9‑25.
T. Power Button on page 9‑18.
U. Shift Lever. See Electric Drive
Unit on page 9‑31.
V. Infotainment on page 7‑1.
Navigation System. See the
separate navigation system
manual.
W. Electric Parking Brake on
page 9‑34.
X. Power Door Locks on
page 2‑12.
Y. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑3.