2012 CHEVROLET VOLT propulsion

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
2-10 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Activating the Remote Start
To heat or cool the passenger
compartment using remote start:
1. Aim the RKE transmitter at thevehicle.
2. Press
Qon the RKE transmitter;
the doors will lock.
3. Within five seconds, press and hold
Buntil the turn signal
lamps flash, or for approximately
four seconds. Pressing
Bagain
during a remote start will turn the
feature off.
Remote start will automatically shut
off after 10 minutes unless a time
extension is done.
While the remote start is active, the
parking lamps will turn on and
remain on.
After entering the vehicle during a
remote start, press the POWER
O
button on the center stack with the
brake pedal applied to operate as
normal. The remote start can be initiated
two separate times between driving.
For each remote start, the
passenger compartment will be
heated or cooled for 10 minutes.
Extending the Time
To extend the time of the first
remote start, repeat the steps for
activating remote start. Remote start
can only be extended one time
between driving.
Canceling Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do any of
the following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
B
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Press the POWERObutton on
the center stack, with the brake
pedal applied, then press the
POWER
Obutton again to turn
the vehicle off.
Conditions in Which Remote
Start May Not Work
Conditions in which a remote start
may not occur include:
.An open hood.
.Vehicle propulsion system fault
conditions, including an
emission control system
malfunction.
.High voltage battery fault
conditions.
A second remote start or extension
will not occur if the fuel level is low.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-11
During a remote start, conditions in
which a remote start may be
canceled include:
.Vehicle propulsion system or
high voltage battery fault
conditions.
.Low engine oil pressure.
.Engine coolant temperature that
is too high.
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when slowing or stopping the
vehicle. Lock the doors to
help prevent this from
happening. Keyless Access:
The RKE
transmitter must be within 1 m (3 ft)
of the door being opened.
To unlock the door from the driver
door, press the lock/unlock button
on the door handle. Press again
within five seconds to unlock all
passenger doors.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
5-2 Instruments and Controls
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-50
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-51
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-51
Object Detection SystemMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-52
Propulsion Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-52
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53
Airbag System Messages . . . . 5-53
Anti-theft Alarm System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53
Service Vehicle Messages . . . 5-54
Starting the Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-54
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-55
Vehicle Reminder Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-55
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . 5-55
Washer Fluid Messages . . . . . 5-55
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . 5-56
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . 5-65
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-65
Universal Remote System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
5-8 Instruments and Controls
Power Outlets
The accessory power outlets can be
used to plug in electrical equipment,
such as a cell phone or MP3 player.
There are three accessory power
outlets:
.Inside the front of the floor
console.
.On the rear of the floor console.
.Inside the instrument panel
storage area.
The power outlets supply power
while the vehicle is on, or if the
vehicle is in Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑21. Remove the cover to access and
replace when not in use.
Certain accessory plugs may not be
compatible with the accessory
power outlet and could overload
vehicle or adapter fuses. If a
problem is experienced, see your
dealer.
When adding electrical equipment,
be sure to follow the installation
instructions included with the
equipment. See
Add-On Electrical
Equipment on page 9‑65.
Notice: Hanging heavy
equipment from the power outlet
can cause damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. The
power outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only, such
as cell phone charge cords.
Warning Lights,
Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning lights and gauges can
signal that something is wrong
before it becomes serious enough
to cause an expensive repair or
replacement. Paying attention to the
warning lights and gauges could
prevent injury.
Warning lights come on when there
could be a problem with a vehicle
function. Some warning lights come
on briefly when the propulsion
system is started to indicate they
are working.
Gauges can indicate when there
could be a problem with a vehicle
function. Often gauges and warning
lights work together to indicate a
problem with the vehicle.

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
5-52 Instruments and Controls
Object Detection System
Messages
PARK ASSIST OFF
This message displays when the
park assist system has been turned
off or when there is a temporary
condition causing the system to be
disabled. SeeUltrasonic Parking
Assist on page 9‑42.
SERVICE PARKING ASSIST
This message displays if there is a
problem with the Ultrasonic Front
and Rear Parking Assist (UFRPA)
system. Do not use this system to
help you park. See Ultrasonic
Parking Assist on page 9‑42 for
more information. See your dealer
for service.
Propulsion Power
Messages
PROPULSION POWER IS
REDUCED
This message displays when the
propulsion power is reduced and
can affect the ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is no
reduction in performance, proceed
to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
maximum acceleration and speed
may be reduced. If this message
stays on when the malfunction
indicator lamp is on, the vehicle
should be taken to your dealer for
service as soon as possible. This message can display when
driving in mountainous terrain
without using Mountain Mode or by
not entering Mountain Mode soon
enough to build a sufficient battery
charge reserve before climbing
steep grades. This is normal
operation to protect the high voltage
battery. Only if both the
PROPULSION POWER IS
REDUCED message and the
malfunction indicator lamp are on
should the vehicle be taken to the
dealer for service.
While climbing the grade with this
message displayed, the vehicle
speed may be reduced until the
engine can recover the battery state
of charge to a normal level. See
“Mountain Mode”
underDriver
Selected Operating Modes on
page 9‑25.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-18 Driving and Operating
Power Button
The vehicle has an electronic push‐
button start. The POWER
Obutton
light flashes when the driver door is
open and the vehicle is not on. The
flashing light will eventually time out.
The POWER
Obutton light is on
steady when in ON/RUN power
mode. When the vehicle is turned
off, the POWER
Obutton light will
turn off. The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the vehicle
will not start, place the RKE
transmitter in the transmitter slot.
See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
ON/RUN: This position is for
starting and driving. With the vehicle
off, and the brake pedal applied,
pressing the POWER
Obutton once
will place the vehicle in ON/RUN.
When the READY light is on in the
instrument cluster, the vehicle is
ready to be driven. This could take
up to 15 seconds at extremely cold
temperatures. See Vehicle Ready
Light on page 5‑27. The engine will
only start if needed. If the vehicle
did not start, the instrument cluster
will display a screen with inactive
fuel and battery gauges. See
Starting and Stopping the Vehicle
on page 9‑20. Service Only Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding the POWER
O
button for more than five seconds
will place the vehicle in Service
Only Mode. The instruments and
audio systems will operate as they
do in ON/RUN, but the vehicle will
not be able to be driven. The
propulsion system will not start in
Service Only Mode. Push the button
again to turn the vehicle off.
Notice:
Service Only Mode will
discharge the 12‐volt battery. Do
not use Service Only Mode for an
extended period, or the vehicle
may not start.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-19
STOPPING THE VEHICLE/OFF:
To turn the vehicle off, push the
POWER
Obutton with the vehicle
in P (Park). Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) will remain active until
the driver door is opened. See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 9‑21. When turning off the
vehicle, if the vehicle is not in
P (Park), the vehicle will go to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Electric Drive Unit Messages
on page 5‑49. If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the vehicle
off by pushing the POWER
O
button.
4. Set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake on
page 9‑34.
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
propulsion system off in an
emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold the POWER
O
button for longer than two seconds,
or press twice in five seconds.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-20 Driving and Operating
Starting and Stopping the
Vehicle
Starting Procedure
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The propulsion system
will not start in any other position.
Notice:Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving
or the electric drive unit could be
damaged. Shift to P (Park) only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Notice: The vehicle is designed
to work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the vehicle operates.
Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the vehicle
might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle.
Press the brake pedal and push and
release the POWER
Obutton.
If the RKE transmitter is not in the
vehicle or something is interfering
with the transmitter, a message
displays in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See Key and Lock
Messages on page 5‑51.
If the vehicle will not start due to a
low RKE transmitter battery, the
vehicle can still be driven. See
“Starting the Vehicle with a Low
Transmitter Battery” inRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3.
A Welcome, Ready, and Good‐bye
audio message will be heard in the
vehicle and animated on the
instrument cluster when opening the
driver door upon entry, when the
vehicle is ready to be driven, and
when the vehicle is turned off.