2012 CHEVROLET VOLT vehicle personalization

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Battery and Efficiency . . . . . . . . 1-21
Performance and
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . 5-3
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-56
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-65
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-22
Trademarks and License
Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-17
Electric Vehicle Operating
Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Electric Drive Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-36
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-42
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-65
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
1-4 In Brief
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter will work up to 60 m
(195 ft) away from the vehicle.
Press the key release button to
extend the key. The key can be
used for all locks.
K:Press once to unlock the driver
door. Press a second time within
five seconds to unlock all doors.
Q: Press to lock all doors.
Lock and unlock feedback can be
personalized. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑56.
7: Press and release to locate the
vehicle. Press and hold for
three seconds to sound the panic
alarm. Press again to cancel the
panic alarm.
B: PressQand then press and
hold
Bwithin five seconds to start
the vehicle's heating or air
conditioning systems and rear
window defogger from outside the
vehicle using the RKE transmitter.
See Remote Start on page 2‑8 for
more information.
A: Press to open the charge port
door. See Plug-In Charging on
page 9‑48 for more information.
See Keys on page 2‑2 andRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
1-6 In Brief
To lock the doors, press the lock/
unlock button if:
.More than five seconds have
passed.
.The lock/unlock button was used
to unlock all doors.
.All doors are closed.
To unlock all doors from the
passenger door, press the lock/
unlock button on the door handle.
To lock the doors, press the lock/
unlock button if:
.The lock/unlock button was used
to unlock all doors.
.All doors are closed.
The Keyless Access can be
programmed to unlock all doors on
the first lock/unlock press from the
driver door. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑56. Remote Keyless Entry (RKE):
The RKE transmitter must be within
60 m (195 ft) of the vehicle.
K:
Press to unlock.
Q:Press to lock.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
Key: To unlock or lock the door,
turn the key left or right.
Inside the Vehicle: Use the door
lock knob, the door handle, or the
power door switch. See Door Locks
on page 2‑11.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock switches are
on the center stack.
K: Press to unlock.
Q:Press to lock.
See Power Door Locks on
page 2‑12.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
1-10 In Brief
Press the button once for the
highest setting. With each press of
the button, the heated seat will
change to the next lower setting,
and then the off setting. Three lights
indicate the highest setting and one
light the lowest.
SeeHeated Front Seats on
page 3‑6 for more information.
Auto Heated Seats
If available, the controls can be
accessed while the vehicle is on by
pressing the CLIMATE button on the
center stack. Press the touch screen
MAUTO or
LAUTO button. The button color
will change to green when this
feature is on.
When the vehicle is on, this feature
will automatically activate the
heated seats at the level required by
the vehicle's interior temperature.
The active high, medium, low, or off
heated seat level will be indicated
by the manual heated seat button
lights on the center stack. Use the
touch screen buttons or the manual
heated seat buttons on the center
stack to turn auto heated seats off.
See Heated Front Seats on
page 3‑6 for more information.
The heated seats can also be
programmed to come on during a
remote start. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑56 for
more information.
Head Restraint
Adjustment
Do not drive until the head restraints
for all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To achieve a comfortable seating
position, change the seatback
recline angle as little as necessary
while keeping the seat and the head
restraint height in the proper
position.
For more information see Head
Restraints on page 3‑2 andSeat
Adjustment on page 3‑4.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-23
Lift the charge cord up and
rearward to remove it from the
vehicle. The vehicle plug (B) is
stored as shown.
3. Plug the charge cord into the electrical outlet. See Electrical
Requirements for Battery
Charging on page 9‑58. Verify
that the charge cord status
indicators are both green. See
Charge Cord on page 9‑55.
Select the appropriate charge
level. On some models, charge
level selection can be made
using the Select Charge Level
Preference screen on the center
stack. See “Charge Level
Selection” underCharging on
page 5‑32. On some models,
charge level selection can be
made using the charge level
button on the charge cord. See
“Charge Level Button” under
Charge Cord on page 9‑55.
4. Plug in the vehicle plug of the
charge cord into the charge port
on the vehicle. Verify that the
charging status indicator
illuminates on top of the
instrument panel and a horn
chirp occurs. See Charging
Status Feedback on page 9‑52
for more information.
5. To arm the charge cord theft alert, lock the vehicle with the
RKE transmitter. To disable this
feature, see “Charge Cord Theft
Alert” inVehicle Personalization
on page 5‑56. End Charge
1. Unlock the vehicle with the RKE
transmitter to disarm the charge
cord theft alert.
2. Unplug the vehicle plug of thecharge cord from the vehicle by
squeezing the vehicle plug lever
and pull to remove.
3. Close the charge port door by pressing firmly in the center to
latch properly.
4. Unplug the charge cord from the electrical outlet.

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-29
Use Mountain Mode prior to
climbing long, steep grades in
mountainous areas. Be sure to
engage Mountain Mode before
starting to climb. Mountain Mode
reduces electric range and power
but may be needed to maintain
speeds above 96 km/h (60 mph)
when climbing grades of 5% or
greater.
Use L (Low) in heavy stop‐and‐go
traffic or when traveling downhill.
L (Low) requires less brake pedal
application and provides a
controlled, efficient way to slow
the vehicle down.
Climate Setting
Using the heat and air conditioning
systems decreases the energy
available for electric driving.
Optimal energy efficiency is
achieved with the heat, air
conditioning, and fan turned off.Less energy is used at low fan
speeds. When using the fan:
.Fan Only is the most energy
efficient climate setting as long
as
0is not selected.
.ECO is for moderate air
conditioning and heater
operation and is the next most
energy efficient setting as long
as
0is not selected.
.Comfort provides the most
comfort but is the least energy
efficient.
Use the auto heated seat feature
instead of climate settings. Heating
the seat uses less energy than
heating the vehicle interior.
Use remote start to heat or cool the
interior when the vehicle is plugged
in to maximize the electric range by
utilizing electricity from the electrical
outlet. Engine Assisted Heating operation,
if equipped, can be personalized.
See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑56 for more information.
In hot weather, avoid parking in
direct sunlight or use sunshades
inside the vehicle.
Turn off the front and rear window
defog/defrost when they are no
longer needed.
Avoid driving with the windows open
at highway speeds.
Vehicle Charging/Maintenance
Charging
Keep the vehicle plugged in, even
when fully charged, to keep the
battery temperature ready for the
next drive. This is important when
outside temperatures are extremely
hot or cold.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-3
If there is a decrease in the RKE
operating range:
.Check the distance. The
transmitter may be too far from
the vehicle.
.Check the location. Other
vehicles or objects may be
blocking the signal.
.Check the transmitter's battery.
See“Battery Replacement” later
in this section.
.If the transmitter is still not
working correctly, see your
dealer or a qualified technician
for service.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation
The RKE transmitter functions will
work up to 60 m (195 ft) away from
the vehicle.
Keep in mind that other conditions,
such as those previously stated,
can impact the performance of the
transmitter.
K(Unlock): Press once to unlock
the driver door. Press a second time
within five seconds to unlock all
doors.
The hazard warning lamps will flash
twice each time the button is
pressed and the anti-theft alarm
system will be disarmed. See
Anti-theft Alarm System on
page 2‑15. On some models, pressing and
holding
Kwill open all of the
vehicle's windows. See Power
Windows on page 2‑19. This feature
can be disabled by a service
technician.
Q(Lock): Press to lock all doors.
The hazard warning lamps will flash
once and the anti-theft alarm system
will be armed. See Anti-theft Alarm
System on page 2‑15.
If the driver door is open when
Qis
pressed, all doors lock and then
the driver door will unlock if the
Unlocked Door Anti Lock Out
feature is enabled through the
vehicle personalization. See
“Unlocked Door Anti Lock Out”
under Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑56 for more information.
This may vary based on vehicle
personalization.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
2-4 Keys, Doors, and Windows
7(Panic Alarm):Press and
release one time to locate the
vehicle. The exterior lamps flash
and the horn chirps three times.
Press and hold for three seconds to
sound the panic alarm. The horn
sounds and the turn signals flash for
30 seconds. Press again to cancel
the panic alarm.
B(Remote Start): PressQand
then press and hold
Bwithin
five seconds to start the vehicle's
heating or air conditioning systems
and rear window defogger from
outside the vehicle using the RKE
transmitter. See Remote Start on
page 2‑8 for more information. The auto heated seats, if equipped,
can be programmed to come on
when the vehicle is remotely
started. See
Vehicle Personalization
on page 5‑56 for more information.
Also see “Auto Heated Seats” under
Heated Front Seats on page 3‑6.
A(Charge Port Door): Press to
open the charge port door. See
Plug-In Charging on page 9‑48 for
more information.
Keyless Access Operation
With the keyless access system,
you can lock and unlock the doors
and access the hatch without
removing the RKE transmitter from
your pocket, purse, briefcase, etc.
The RKE transmitter should be
within 1 m (3 ft) of the door or hatch
being opened. Keyless Unlocking/Locking from
the Driver Door
When the doors are locked and the
RKE transmitter is within 1 m (3 ft) of
the driver door handle, pressing the
lock/unlock button on the driver door
handle will unlock the driver door.
If the lock/unlock button is pressed
again within five seconds, all
passenger doors will unlock.
Pressing the lock/unlock button will
cause all doors to lock if any of the
following occur:.It has been more than
five seconds since the first
lock/unlock button press.
.Two lock/unlock button presses
were used to unlock all doors.
.Any vehicle door has opened
and all doors are now closed.
The vehicle can be customized to
always unlock all doors on the first
lock/unlock button press.