2016 CHEVROLET VOLT battery

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159388) - 2016 - crc - 5/20/15
Driving and Operating 163
Refer to the separate Infotainment
system manual for more information
on using that system, including
pairing and using a cell phone.
If equipped, refer to the navigation
manual for information on that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts
0 56.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
. Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
. Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
Power brake assist is available
unless the 12-volt battery drains or
there is a fault in the brake
computer.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159388) - 2016 - crc - 5/20/15
172 Driving and Operating
RUN power mode. When the vehicle
is turned off, the POWER
Olight
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 pocket.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 029.
ON/RUN : This position is for
starting and driving. With the vehicle
off, and the brake pedal applied,
pressing POWER
Oonce 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 0115. 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 0173. 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 POWER
Ofor
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.
Press the button again to turn the
vehicle off.
Caution
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. STOPPING THE VEHICLE/OFF :
To turn the vehicle off, press
POWER
Owith the vehicle in
P (Park). Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) will remain active until the
driver door is opened. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0174.
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 0131.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency: 1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes.
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 pressing POWER
O.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159388) - 2016 - crc - 5/20/15
Driving and Operating 173
4. Set the parking brake. SeeElectric Parking Brake 0185.
{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 POWER
Ofor
longer than two seconds, or press
twice in five seconds.
Starting and Stopping the
Vehicle
Computers determine when the
engine needs to run. The engine
may start, if required, when the
propulsion system is on.
Starting Procedure
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The propulsion system
will not start in any other position.
Caution
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.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the vehicle operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 224.
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle.
Press the brake pedal and press
and release POWER
O.
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 0133.
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 029.
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.
The instrument cluster displays an
active fuel and/or battery gauge,
along with an audio startup cue,
when the vehicle is ready to be
driven. This could take up to
15 seconds at extremely cold
temperatures. 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 0173.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159388) - 2016 - crc - 5/20/15
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
Driving and Operating 175
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold
down the regular brake pedal. See if
you can move the shift lever away
from P (Park) without first pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that
the shift lever was not fully locked
into P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the electric drive
unit. This happens when parking on
a hill and shifting the electric drive
unit into P (Park) is not done
properly and then it is difficult to
shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park).
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be in ON/RUN, the brake
pedal must be applied, and the
charge cord must be unplugged.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. The shift lock
release is designed to:
.Prevent the vehicle from turning
off unless the shift lever is in
P (Park).
. Prevent moving the shift lever
out of P (Park), unless the
vehicle is in ON/RUN, the brake
pedal is applied, and the charge
cord is unplugged.
Parking the vehicle in extreme cold
for several days without the charge
cord connected may cause the
electric drive unit to be locked in
P (Park) until the propulsion system
has warmed sufficiently.
The shift lock is always functional
except in the case of an uncharged
or low charged 12-volt battery (less
than 9 volts). If the vehicle has an uncharged
12-volt battery or a 12-volt battery
with low voltage, try charging or
jump starting the 12-volt battery.
See
Battery - North America 0245
or Jump Starting - North America
0 295.
If the shift lever cannot be moved
out of P (Park): 1. Apply and maintain the regular brakes.
2. Turn the vehicle on using POWER
O. See Power Button
0 171.
3. Let up on the shift lever and make sure the shift lever is
pushed all the way into
P (Park).
4. Press the shift lever button.
5. Move the shift lever into the desired gear.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), see your dealer
or a professional towing service.

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-
9159388) - 2016 - crc - 5/20/15
Driving and Operating 177
electric power extends the vehicle
range. Operation will continue in
ERM until the vehicle can be
plugged in to recharge the high
voltage battery and restore
Electric Mode.
The high voltage battery will
continue to provide some power and
work together with the engine to
provide peak performance when it is
required, such as driving up a steep
incline or for high acceleration
maneuvers. The battery will not be
charged nor will electric vehicle
range be restored by the engine.
In either Electric Mode or Extended
Range Mode, when the hood is
open and the vehicle is moving at
low speed or stopped, the engine
will run without turning off if the
vehicle is on, except when the
electric drive unit is in N (Neutral).
The engine will turn off or remain off
when the hood is open in
N (Neutral). The high voltage battery
is neither charged nor discharged
when this occurs.In either Electric Mode or Extended
Range Mode, if there is a high
voltage battery fault, the engine may
run without turning off to generate
needed electricity. The malfunction
indicator lamp will turn on. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light)
0109.
Driver Selected Operating
Modes
While driving in Electric or Extended
Range Mode, additional operating
modes can be selected.
Press MODE to display selectable
drive modes in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). Continue
pressing to scroll through the
modes.
Highlight either the Sport, Mountain,
or Hold Mode, then release MODE.
After three seconds, the new drive
mode will become active.
Pressing MODE again will return to
Normal Mode, and become active
after three seconds.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159388) - 2016 - crc - 5/20/15
178 Driving and Operating
During some conditions, certain
drive modes may be unavailable.
The unavailable mode is grayed out
in the DIC menu and cannot be
selected.
If in Sport, Mountain, or Hold Mode,
the mode may become unavailable
and the vehicle will return to Normal
Mode. The indicator light goes off
and a DIC message displays. See
Propulsion Power Messages0135.
The vehicle will stay in Normal
Mode at the next restart.
Sport Mode
Sport Mode provides more
responsive acceleration than
Normal Mode, but can reduce
efficiency. Use Normal Mode
whenever possible.
Press MODE to select Sport Mode.
Press MODE again to return to
Normal Mode and it becomes active
after three seconds.
Each time the vehicle is started, it
will return to Normal Mode.
Mountain Mode
Mountain Mode should be selected
at the beginning of a trip before
climbing steep, uphill grades and
when expecting to drive in very hilly
or mountainous terrain. This mode
maintains a reserve electrical
charge of the high voltage battery to
provide better grade climbing
performance. While driving in
Mountain Mode, the vehicle will
have less responsive acceleration.
Mountain Mode will not change
normal vehicle braking performance
for steep downhill grades. See Hill
and Mountain Roads 0166 and
Electric Drive Unit 0183.
Press MODE to select Mountain
Mode. If steep hill driving is
expected, it is recommended to
select Mountain Mode at least
20 minutes before driving on steep
grades. This will allow the vehicle
time to build a sufficient battery
charge reserve.
If Mountain Mode is not selected for
these conditions, propulsion power
may be reduced and the engine
speed may increase. See
Propulsion Power Messages 0135.