
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11434431) - 2018 - crc - 2/14/18
Instruments and Controls 145
Select Low, Medium, or High.
Auto Heated Seats
When set to On and it is cold
outside, both the heated seats and
the heated steering wheel will
automatically turn on when the
vehicle is started. SeeAutomatic
Climate Control System 0186.
Select Off or On.
Auto Defog
When set to On, the front defog will
automatically come on when the
vehicle is started. See Automatic
Climate Control System 0186.
Select Off or On.
Comfort and Convenience
Select and the following may
display:
. Chime Volume
. Auto Wipe in Reverse Gear
Chime Volume
This allows the selection of the
chime volume level.
Select + or −to adjust the volume. Auto Wipe in Reverse Gear
This allows the feature to be turned
on or off. See
Rear Window Wiper/
Washer 0112.
Select Off or On.
Collision / Detection Systems
Select and the following may
display:
. Forward Collision System
. Front Pedestrian Detection
. Park Assist
. Rear Cross Traffic Alert
. Lane Change Alert
Forward Collision System
This feature will turn on or off the
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) and
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB).
The Off setting disables all FCA and
FAB functions. With the Alert and
Brake setting, both FCA and FAB
are available. The Alert setting
disables FAB. See Forward
Automatic Braking (FAB) 0227.
Select Off, Alert, or Alert and Brake. Front Pedestrian Detection
This allows the feature’s notification
to be customized.
Select Off, Alert, or Alert and Brake.
Park Assist
This allows the feature to be turned
on or off.
Select Off or On.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
This allows the Rear Cross Traffic
Alert feature to be turned on or off.
Select Off or On. See
Assistance
Systems for Parking or Backing
0 222.
Lane Change Alert
This allows the Lane Change Alert
feature to be turned on or off.
Select Off or On. See Lane Change
Alert (LCA) 0231.
Lighting
Select and the following may
display:
. Vehicle Locator Lights

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11434431) - 2018 - crc - 2/14/18
Infotainment System 183
Report Card
The vehicle owner must secure the
driver’s consent to record certain
vehicle data when the vehicle is
driven with a registered Teen Driver
key. There is one Report Card per
vehicle. Data is not recorded when
Teen Driver is not active.
The Report Card data is collected
from the time Teen Driver is
activated or the last time the Report
Card was reset. The following items
may be recorded:
. Distance Driven –the total
distance driven.
. Maximum Speed –the maximum
vehicle speed recorded.
. Overspeed Warnings –the
number of times the speed
warning setting was exceeded.
. Forward Collision Alerts –the
number of times the driver was
notified when approaching a
vehicle ahead too quickly and at
potential risk for a crash. .
Forward Collision Avoidance
Braking –the number of times
the vehicle detected that a
forward collision was imminent
and applied the brakes. Also
referred to as Forward Automatic
Braking.
. Stability Control –the number of
events which required the use of
electronic stability control.
. ABS Active –the number of
Antilock Brake System
activations.
. Tailgating Alerts –the number of
times the driver was alerted for
following the vehicle ahead too
closely.
. Traction Control –the number of
times the Traction Control
System activated to reduce
wheel spin or loss of traction.
. Wide Open Throttle –the
number of times the accelerator
pedal was pressed nearly all the
way down. Delete Report Card Data
Data is saved for all trips until the
data is deleted using the PIN or until
the maximum count is exceeded.
Each item will report a maximum of
1,000 counts. The distance driven
will report a maximum of 64,374 km
(40,000 mi).
To delete Report Card data, do one
of the following:
.
From the Report Card display,
select Reset.
. Select Clear All Teen Keys/PIN
from the Teen Driver menu. This
will also unregister any Teen
Driver keys and delete the PIN.
Forgotten PIN
See your dealer to reset the PIN.

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 193
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 197
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 198
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 199
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 203
Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Starting and Stopping theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Electric Vehicle Operating
Modes
Driver Selected Operating Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Electric Drive Unit
Electric Drive Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 213
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 215
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . 215
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 221
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 222
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 231
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 233
Charging
When to Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Plug-In Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Delayed Charging Override . . . 239
Charging Status Feedback . . . 240
Charge Cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Utility Interruption of Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Electrical Requirements for Battery Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11434431) - 2018 - crc - 2/14/18
Driving and Operating 195
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.
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.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.
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.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
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.

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11434431) - 2018 - crc - 2/14/18
196 Driving and Operating
.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. 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.

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11434431) - 2018 - crc - 2/14/18
Driving and Operating 197
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. Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11434431) - 2018 - crc - 2/14/18
198 Driving and Operating
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain.
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
electric drive unit.
. Keep the vehicle in gear when
going down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the vehicle turned off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
the vehicle and could become too
hot. Hot brakes may not be able
to slow the vehicle enough to
maintain speed and control. You
could crash. Always have the
vehicle running and in gear when
going downhill. This will allow the
electric drive unit to assist in
slowing and maintaining speed.
. Drive at speeds to keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills.
Something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident). .
Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Recommend using D (Drive) in
slippery conditions.
. Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on the Traction Control
System (TCS).

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11434431) - 2018 - crc - 2/14/18
Driving and Operating 199
.The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 031. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers. .
Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
To save energy, run the vehicle for
only short periods as needed to
warm the vehicle and then shut the
vehicle off and partially close the
window. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
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
underhood compartment fire or (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
other 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. Turn off TCS. Shift
back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a low forward gear, spinning the
wheels as little as possible. 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. If that
does not get the vehicle out after a
few tries, it might need to be towed
out. SeeTowing the Vehicle 0307.