
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159388) - 2016 - crc - 5/20/15
164 Driving and Operating
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power
assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See specific vehicle steering
messages underService Vehicle
Messages 0136. See your dealer if
there is a problem.
Curve Tips
. Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
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 and then, 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.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
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174 Driving and Operating
Restarting Procedure
If the vehicle must be restarted
while it is still moving, move the shift
lever to N (Neutral) and press
POWER
Otwice without pressing
the brake pedal. The propulsion
system will not restart in any other
position.
Forced Engine On
Some vehicle conditions that force
the engine to run:
. There are cold ambient
temperatures.
. The hood is open or not
completely latched.
. The high voltage battery has a
low charge.
. The engine needs to run for
maintenance.
See Maintenance Modes 0180.
A chime will sound if the driver door
is opened while the vehicle is in ON/
RUN. Always press POWER
Oto
turn the vehicle off before exiting.
Stopping Procedure
For information on how to turn the
vehicle off, see Power Button0171.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The following features will operate
for up to 10 minutes or until the
driver door is opened:
.
Audio System
. Accessory Power Outlets
Power windows will operate for up
to 10 minutes or until any door is
opened.
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake 0185.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pushing the lever
all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the vehicle off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Propulsion System On
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the propulsion
system running. It could overheat
and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
propulsion system is running.
If you have left the propulsion
system running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park 0174.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the propulsion system on, be sure
the vehicle is in P (Park) and the

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159388) - 2016 - crc - 5/20/15
176 Driving and Operating
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Electric Vehicle
Operating Modes
System Operation
This vehicle is an Extended Range
Electric Vehicle (EREV). It uses an
electric propulsion system to drive
the vehicle at all times. Electricity is
the vehicle's primary source of
energy, while gasoline is the
secondary source.
The vehicle has two modes of
operation: Electric and Extended
Range. In Electric Mode, the vehicle
is propelled by its electric drive unit
only. It converts electrical energy
into mechanical energy to drive the
wheels. In Extended Range mode,
both the battery and the engine
power the vehicle. The vehicle's
performance remains nearly the
same in either mode. SeeDriving
for Better Energy Efficiency 025.
Electric Mode
In Electric Mode, the vehicle does
not use fuel or produce tailpipe
emissions. During this primary mode, the vehicle is powered by
electrical energy stored in the high
voltage battery. The vehicle can
operate in this mode until the
battery has reached a low charge.
There are some conditions when the
battery charge is high enough to
provide Electric Mode operation, but
the engine still runs. They are:
.
Cold ambient temperatures.
. Hot or cold high voltage battery
temperatures.
. The hood being open or not
completely closed and latched.
. Certain high voltage battery fault
conditions.
. Engine Maintenance Mode or
Fuel Maintenance Mode
being run.
Extended Range Mode
When the vehicle reaches the end
of its electric range, it switches to
Extended Range Mode (ERM). In
this secondary mode, electricity is
produced by the fuel-powered
engine. This secondary source of

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
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180 Driving and Operating
propulsion power, that the engine is
not available, and the need for fuel
or service.
Once the vehicle is refueled, or the
malfunction is corrected, the engine
will start the next time the vehicle is
turned on to perform a self test, and
DIC messages will not be displayed.
Once the engine starts successfully,
normal operation will continue in
either Electric or Extended Range
Mode. The engine will stop running
after the self test is completed, and
based on the current mode of
operation. SeeFuel System
Messages 0132 andService
Vehicle Messages 0136.
Maintenance Modes
Engine Maintenance Mode (EMM)
EMM runs the engine to keep it in
good working condition after
approximately six weeks of no or
very limited engine operation. EMM
will force the engine to run, even if
there is a charge to power the
vehicle. When EMM is needed, the EMM Request screen appears on
the center stack display at vehicle
start.
If Yes is selected, EMM will begin.
After a short delay, the engine will
run for a set amount of time without
turning off. During EMM, a DIC
message displays to show the
EMM percentage complete.
If No is selected, the EMM Request
screen will appear when the vehicle
is next started. The EMM request
can be delayed for up to one day.
If the EMM request was delayed for
one day, EMM will automatically
start the engine at the next vehicle
start. An EMM Notification screen
will appear in the center stack
display.
If the vehicle is shut off during EMM,
it will restart the next time the
vehicle is driven. A message
displays to indicate that EMM is
active.
If EMM is required and the fuel level
is low, EMM may eventually empty
the fuel tank if fuel is not added.
This will result in reduced, or no
power. An adequate fuel level must
be maintained in the vehicle to keep
it operational. See
Propulsion Power
Messages 0135.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 181
Fuel Maintenance Mode (FMM)
FMM tracks average fuel age. Old
fuel can cause engine problems.
If low engine usage causes average
fuel age to exceed approximately
one year, FMM will run the engine to
use up the old fuel. The engine will
run until enough fresh fuel is added
to bring the average fuel age into an
acceptable range. Allowing more old
fuel to be used up by FMM and
adding a larger amount of fresh fuel
will maximize the length of time
before another fuel maintenance
mode is needed. During FMM the
engine may turn on and off.
When FMM is needed, the FMM
Request screen appears on the
center stack display at vehicle start.If Yes is selected, FMM will begin.
FMM will automatically continue at
each vehicle start until fresh fuel is
added.
If No is selected, the FMM Request
screen will appear when the vehicle
is next started. The FMM request
can be delayed for only one day.
If the FMM request was delayed for
one day, FMM will start at the next
vehicle start and display the FMM
Notification screen on the center
stack display.If FMM is required and the fuel level
is low, FMM may eventually empty
the fuel tank if fuel is not added.
This will result in reduced, or no
power. An adequate fuel level must
be maintained in the vehicle to keep
it operational. See
Propulsion Power
Messages 0135. After FMM has
run it is recommended to fill the
fuel tank.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 219
.IEC 61851-24
. IEC 62196-1
. IEC 62196-2
. IEC 62196-3
. ISO 15118
The following are the minimum
requirements for circuits used to
charge this vehicle:
. 120 volts/15 amps
. 240 volts/20 amps
Charging equipment with a rating of
at least 240 volts/20 amps will
provide the fastest charging time
and best charging efficiency to
recharge the high voltage battery.
240 volt/40 amp circuits provide
flexibility for future vehicle charging
needs. Always follow the charging
equipment installation instructions.
Contact your dealer for more
information.Caution
Do not use portable or stationary
backup generating equipment to
charge the vehicle. This may
cause damage to the vehicle's
charging system. Only charge the
vehicle from utility supplied
power.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an
important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. When
driving in the U.S. and Canada, to
help keep the engine clean and
maintain optimum vehicle
performance, we recommend using
TOP TIER Detergent Gasolines.
See www.toptiergas.com for a list of
TOP TIER Detergent Gasolines.
Use regular unleaded gasoline
meeting ASTM specification D4814
with a posted octane rating of 87 or
higher. Do not use gasoline with an

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
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224 Driving and Operating
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light)
0 109. A device connected to the
Data Link Connector (DLC)—
such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device—
may interfere with vehicle
systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash.
Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
warranty. Always check with your
dealer before adding electrical
equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
When adding electrical equipment, it
should only be connected using the
accessory power outlets. The
maximum power that can be
supplied by one accessory power
outlet, or spread across all power
outlets, is 200 watts or 15 amps.
Exceeding 200 watts or 15 amps
may cause erratic vehicle operation.
See Power Outlets 098.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159388) - 2016 - crc - 5/20/15
230 Vehicle Care
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, seeAirbag System
Check 073.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records 0326.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Turn the vehicle off before opening the hood. If the vehicle
is on, the engine will start when
the hood is opened. See
Electric Mode 0176 and
Extended Range Mode 0176.
2. Pull the release handle with
this symbol. It is below the
instrument panel outboard of
the steering wheel.
3. Go to the front of the vehicleand locate the secondary
release lever under the front
left center of the hood. Push
the secondary hood release
lever to the right to disengage. 4. Lift the hood and release the
hood prop rod from its retainer
above the radiator support.
Place the prop rod securely
into the slot in the hood.
To close the hood:
1. Before closing the hood, check that all filler caps are properly
installed. Then, lift the hood to
relieve pressure on the
hood prop.
2. Remove the hood prop from the slot in the hood and return
it to its retainer above the
radiator support. The prop rod
must lock into place when
returning it to the retainer to
prevent hood damage.
3. Lower the hood 20 cm (8 in) above the vehicle and release
it so it fully latches. Check to
make sure the hood is firmly
closed. Repeat the process if
necessary.