Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 229
Caution (Continued)
.Fuel containing metals such
as methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT), which can damage
the emissions control
system and spark plugs.
. Fuel with a posted octane
rating of less than the
recommended fuel. Using
this fuel will lower fuel
economy and performance,
and may decrease the life of
the emissions catalyst.
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California Emissions
Standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal specifications, but emission
control system performance may be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp could turn on and the vehicle
may not pass a smog-check test.
See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) 0114. If this
occurs, return to your authorized
dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is
caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs may not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post
fuel octane ratings in anti-knock
index (AKI). For fuel not to use in a
foreign country, see “Prohibited
Fuels” inFuel 0228.
Fuel Additives
To keep fuel systems clean, TOP
TIER detergent gasoline is
recommended. See Fuel0228. If TOP TIER detergent gasoline is
not available, one bottle of GM Fuel
System Treatment Cleaner added to
the fuel tank at every engine oil
change, can help. GM Fuel System
Treatment Cleaner is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer.
Filling the Tank
{Warning
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn
violently and can cause injury or
death.
. To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow
all the instructions on the
fuel pump island.
. Turn off the engine when
refueling.
. Keep sparks, flames, and
smoking materials away
from fuel.
(Continued)
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 231
4. After refueling, reinstall the fuelcap by turning it clockwise until
it clicks. Close the fuel door.
{Warning
Overfilling the fuel tank by more
than three clicks of a standard fill
nozzle may cause:
. Vehicle performance issues,
including engine stalling and
damage to the fuel system.
. Fuel spills.
. Potential fuel fires.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the
nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care 0315.
{Warning
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Caution
If a new fuel cap is needed, be
sure to get the right type of cap
from your dealer. The wrong type
of fuel cap may not fit properly,
may cause the malfunction
indicator lamp to light, and could
damage the fuel tank and
emissions system. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) 0114.
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{Warning
Filling a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle can cause
fuel vapors that can ignite either
by static electricity or other
means. You or others could be
badly burned and the vehicle
could be damaged. Always:
. Use approved fuel
containers.
. Remove the container from
the vehicle, trunk, or pickup
bed before filling.
. Place the container on the
ground.
. Place the nozzle inside the
fill opening of the container
before dispensing fuel, and
keep it in contact with the fill
opening until filling is
complete.
(Continued)
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
232 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.Fill the container no more
than 95% full to allow for
expansion.
. Do not smoke, light
matches, or use lighters
while pumping fuel.
. Avoid using cell phones or
other electronic devices.
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information
The vehicle is neither designed nor
intended to tow a trailer or another
vehicle.
For information on towing a disabled
vehicle, see Towing the Vehicle
0 311. For information on towing the
vehicle behind another vehicle such
as a motor home, see Recreational
Vehicle Towing 0313.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine
Light) 0114. A device connected
to the 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.
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
234 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 235
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 236
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 242
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 243
Cooling System (Engine) . . . . . 245
Cooling System (High Voltage Battery) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Cooling System (Power Electronics and Charger
Modules) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 250
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Battery - North America . . . . . . 253
Electric Drive Unit Shift Lock
Control Function Check . . . . . 255
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 256
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 256
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 260
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Electrical System Overload . . . 261
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 262
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 273
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 289
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Vehicle Care 237
Warning (Continued)
High voltage components are
identified by labels. Do not
remove, open, take apart,
or modify these components.
High voltage cable or wiring has
orange covering. Do not probe,
tamper with, cut, or modify high
voltage cable or wiring.
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner’s manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the proper service manual, see
Service
Publications Ordering Information
0 351.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Airbag System
Check 077.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records 0337.
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 0177.
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
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
240 Vehicle Care
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid
0 250.
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0243.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0240.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0240.
5. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View).
See Cooling System (Engine)
0 245 orCooling System (High
Voltage Battery) 0248 or
Cooling System (Power
Electronics and Charger
Modules) 0249.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0252.
7. Electric Drive Unit Fluid Cap.
8. High Voltage Battery Coolant Reservoir and Pressure Cap.
See Cooling System (Engine)
0 245 orCooling System (High
Voltage Battery) 0248 or Cooling System (Power
Electronics and Charger
Modules)
0249.
9. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.
See Cooling System (Engine)
0 245 orCooling System (High
Voltage Battery) 0248 or
Cooling System (Power
Electronics and Charger
Modules) 0249.
10. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting - North
America 0306.
11. Power Electronics Coolant Reservoir and Pressure Cap.
SeeCooling System (Engine)
0 245 orCooling System (High
Voltage Battery) 0248 or
Cooling System (Power
Electronics and Charger
Modules) 0249.
12. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0262.
13. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. SeeJump Starting - North
America 0306.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0242.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Vehicle Care 241
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0239 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the
oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
or too soon after engine shutoff
can result in incorrect readings.
Accuracy improves when checking a cold engine prior to
starting. Remove the dipstick
and check the level.
. If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is
warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out
the dipstick, wipe it with a clean
paper towel or cloth, then push it
back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick and
the engine has been off for at least
15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck the level. See
“Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for
an explanation of what kind of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications 0339.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil
levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched
area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could
be damaged. You should drain
out the excess oil or limit driving
of the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 239 for the location of the engine
oil fill cap.
Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349113) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Vehicle Care 243
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on.
Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 mi).
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to
two years. The engine oil and filter
must be changed at least once
every two years and, at this time,
the system must be reset. Your
dealer has trained service people
who will perform this work and reset
the system. It is also important to
check the oil regularly over the
course of an oil drain interval and
keep it at the proper level.If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:
1. Select REMAINING OIL LIFE on the DIC menu.
2. Press and hold
Vfor several
seconds while the Oil Life
display is active to reset the Oil
Life system.
3. 100% OIL LIFE will be displayed when the oil life
system is successfully reset.
The oil life system can also be reset
as follows: 1. Select REMAINING OIL LIFE on the DIC menu. 2. Fully press and release the
accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
The engine air cleaner/filter is in the
engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 239.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Filter
For intervals on changing and
inspecting the engine air cleaner/
filter, see Maintenance Schedule
0 327.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Filter
Do not start the engine or have the
engine running with the engine air
cleaner/filter housing open. Before
removing the engine air cleaner/