(26,1)Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014139) -
2014 - CRC - 9/16/13
5-26 Instruments and Controls
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the vehicle is
in ON/RUN. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS.
When the Light is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) may also display. See
Tire Messages on page 5-53. Stop
as soon as possible, and inflate the
tires to the pressure value shown on
the Tire and Loading Information
Label. SeeTires on page 10-40. When the Light Flashes First and
Then is On Steady
This indicates that there may be a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System. The light flashes
for about one minute and stays on
steady until the vehicle is in OFF.
This sequence repeats each time
the vehicle is in ON/RUN. See
Tire
Pressure Monitor System on
page 10-48.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
{Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine
oil low can also damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Check the oil level as soon as
possible. Add oil if required, but if
the oil level is within the operating
range and the oil pressure is still
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
low, have the vehicle serviced.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on briefly as the vehicle is started.
If it does not come on have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
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Instruments and Controls 5-33
Delayed Rate and Departure
Time:The vehicle estimates the
charging start time based on the
utility rate schedule, utility rate
preference, and the programmed
departure time for the current day of
the week. The vehicle will charge
during the least expensive rate
periods to achieve a full battery
charge by the departure time.
Electrical rate information from the
utility company for the charging
location is required for this mode. Also, if the selected electric rate
settings result in a very long charge
completion time, the vehicle will
start charging immediately upon
plug-in. For example, if the electric
rate table is set up with all
“Peak”
rates and the rate preference is to
charge during “Off-Peak”rates only,
then the vehicle will start charging
immediately upon plug-in.
Charge Level Selection
The Charge Level Preference
setting allows the customer to select
their vehicle’s charge level so it
matches the capability of their
charging location. If the vehicle
consistently stops charging after
plugging in, or if a circuit breaker
continues to trip, reducing to a lower
Charge Level Preference may
resolve the issue.The Charge Level Preference
should be configured to match the
electrical current rating for the
electrical outlet that the charge cord
is connected to. The Charge Level
Preference settings are:
.Maximum: Limits AC current to
12 Amps
.Reduced: Limits AC current to
8 Amps
Exact current levels may vary from
the values shown in this manual.
Check the vehicle for the current
available levels.
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5-46 Instruments and Controls
The 12-volt battery saver system
starts reducing certain features
trying to save the charge of the
12-volt battery. Turn off unnecessary
features to allow the battery to
recharge.
BATTERY TOO COLD, PLUG IN
TO WARM
This message displays during
extremely cold temperatures, when
the vehicle will not start until the
high voltage battery is warm
enough.
Plug the vehicle in and make sure
the power button is off to allow the
charging system to warm the high
voltage battery, then the vehicle can
be started.
CHARGE CORD CONNECTED
This message displays when the
charge cord is connected to the
vehicle. The vehicle cannot be
shifted out of P (Park) with the
charge cord connected.
CHARGE DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the
charge door is open and the vehicle
is shifted out of P (Park). The
charge door should be kept fully
closed when the vehicle is not
charging.
LOW BATTERY
This message displays when the
12-volt battery voltage is low. See
Battery on page 10-23.
SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a fault in the 12-volt battery
charging system. Take the vehicle to
your dealer for service.
SERVICE HIGH VOLTAGE
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the high voltage
charging system. See your dealer
for service.
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID LOW
This message displays when the
brake fluid level is low. SeeBrake
Fluid on page 10-21.
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE
This message displays if the electric
parking brake is on while the vehicle
is in motion. Release it before
attempting to drive. See Electric
Parking Brake on page 9-31.
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST
This message displays when there
is a problem with the brake boost
system. When this message
displays, the brake pedal may be
harder to push and the stopping
distance may be longer. Take the
vehicle to your dealer for service.
SERVICE PARKING BRAKE
This message displays when there
is a problem with the parking brake.
Take the vehicle to your dealer for
service.
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Instruments and Controls 5-53
Starting the Vehicle
Messages
PRESS BRAKE TO START
VEHICLE
This message displays when
attempting to start the vehicle
without first pressing the brake
pedal.
PRESS BUTTON AGAIN TO
TURN OFF
This message displays as a
reminder to press the POWER
O
button to turn the vehicle off when
an attempt is made to turn off the
vehicle while it is in motion.
Tire Messages
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
SYSTEM
This message displays if there is a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS). SeeTire
Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10-49.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
This message displays when the
system is learning new tires. See
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10-49.
TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE
This message displays when the
pressure in one or more of the tires
is low.
This message also displays LEFT
FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT
REAR, or RIGHT REAR to indicate
the location of the low tire.
The low tire pressure warning light
will also come on. See Tire
Pressure Light on page 5-26.
If a tire pressure message appears
on the DIC, stop as soon as you
can. Inflate the tires by adding air
until the tire pressure is equal to the
values shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See Tires
on page 10-40, Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9-12, and Tire Pressure on
page 10-47. You can receive more than one tire
pressure message at a time. The
DIC also shows the tire pressure
values. See
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5-43.
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE
WITH CARE
This message is displayed when ice
conditions are possible.
Vehicle Speed Messages
SPEED LIMITED TO XXX
This message displays when the
vehicle speed is limited.
(1,1)Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014139) -
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Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better EnergyEfficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-9
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-11
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Starting and Stopping the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Electric Vehicle Operating
Modes
System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Electric Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Extended Range Mode . . . . . . 9-22
Driver Selected OperatingModes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Out of Fuel/Engine Unavailable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Maintenance Modes . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Electric Drive Unit
Electric Drive Unit . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . 9-31
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . 9-32
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Driver Assistance Systems
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-40
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Charging
Plug-In Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Delayed ChargingOverride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Charging Status Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
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Driving and Operating 9-3
Drive Mode and PRNDL Selection
Use Normal Mode when possible.
Sport Mode provides more
responsive acceleration than
Normal Mode but can reduce
efficiency.
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 Hold Mode on a trip where all
or most of the electric charge will be
depleted. Use Hold Mode mainly
during highway or high speed
driving to maximize both EV miles
and fuel efficiency.
Use L (Low) in heavy stop-and-go
traffic or when traveling downhill.
L (Low) requires less brake pedalapplication 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.
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.
See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-54.
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Driving and Operating 9-7
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible. If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues
—such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
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Driving and Operating 9-11
Warning (Continued)
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems”in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9-27.
To conserve energy, run the vehicle
for only short periods as needed to
warm the vehicle and then shut the
vehicle off and close the window
most of the way to save heat.
Repeat this until help arrives but
only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. Moving
about to keep warm also helps. If it takes some time for help to
arrive, start the vehicle. The engine
may start to charge the 12-volt
battery. Turn off unnecessary
accessories to conserve energy.If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
The Traction Control System (TCS)
must be turned off by pressing the
TCS/ESC button. Traction control is
not completely off, but will only
engage if the maneuver can cause
damage to the electric drive unit.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. The Traction Control
System prevents the tires from
spinning at high speeds. To prevent
electric drive unit wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the electric drive unit is
in gear. Slowly spinning the wheels
in the forward and reverse
directions causes a rocking
motion that could free the vehicle.