Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
Driving and Operating 195
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 199
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 200
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 201
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 205
Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Starting and Stopping theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Electric Vehicle Operating
Modes
Driver Selected Operating Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Electric Drive Unit
Electric Drive Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 215
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 217
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . 217
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 222
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 224
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 232
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 234
Charging
When to Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Plug-In Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Delayed Charging Override . . . 241
Charging Status Feedback . . . 241
Charge Cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Utility Interruption of Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Electrical Requirements for Battery Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
200 Driving and Operating
.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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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, crash).
. 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).
. 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
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 201
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 0337. 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
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. See Towing the Vehicle 0309.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 217
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The Hill Start Assist (HSA) feature
will activate when the vehicle is
stopped on a moderate to steep
grade to help prevent it from rolling
in an unintended direction. After the
brake pedal has been released and
before the accelerator pedal has
been pressed, HSA uses brakingpressure to hold the vehicle
stationary. If HSA is holding the
vehicle, a DIC message displays.
HSA will not activate in a forward
drive gear when facing downhill,
or in R (Reverse) when facing uphill.
Regenerative Braking
Some braking energy from the
moving vehicle is turned back into
electrical energy. This energy is
then stored back into the high
voltage battery system, increasing
energy efficiency.
Regen on Demand
Regen on Demand allows increased
deceleration by pressing and
holding the steering wheel paddle.
It works in D (Drive) and L (Low).
The accelerator pedal can be used
to manage deceleration while using
Regen on Demand.
Cruise control will turn off and the
brake lamps may come on when
this feature is activated.
If the vehicle is in D (Drive) and is
brought to a complete stop while the
Regen on Demand paddle is held,
the vehicle will not creep forward
when the paddle is released. The
accelerator pedal must be pressed
to move the vehicle forward. See
“One-Pedal Driving”
underElectric
Drive Unit 0210.
If the vehicle is on a steep grade,
the brake pedal must be used to
hold the vehicle.
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
218 Driving and Operating
Regenerative power may be limited
when the battery is near full charge
or cold. The regen battery icon will
appear gray when limited. The
Regen power limit is also displayed
as a horizontal bar on the power
indicator gauge.Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
an electronic stability control
system. These systems help limit
wheel slip and assist the driver in
maintaining control, especially on
slippery road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
propulsion system power to limit
wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC begins to
limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See
“Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
220 Driving and Operating
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC on
again, press and release
g. The
traction off light
iand StabiliTrak/
ESC OFF light
gin the instrument
cluster turn off.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 257.
Cruise Control
The cruise control lets the vehicle
maintain a speed of about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With the Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), the system
may begin to limit wheel spin while
you are using cruise control. If this
happens, the cruise control will automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0218. If a collision alert
occurs when cruise control is
activated, cruise control is
disengaged. See Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0227. When
road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, cruise control can be
turned back on.
If the brakes or the Regen on
Demand paddle are applied, cruise
control disengages.
Cruise control will disengage if
either TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC is
turned off.
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
Driving and Operating 221
5:Press to turn the cruise control
system on and off. A white indicator
comes on in the instrument cluster
when cruise is turned on.
*: Press to disengage cruise
control without erasing the set
speed from memory.
+RES : If there is a set speed in
memory, press briefly to resume that
speed or press and hold to
accelerate. If cruise control is
already active, use to increase
vehicle speed.
−SET : Press briefly to set the
speed and activate cruise control.
If cruise control is already active,
use to decrease vehicle speed.
Setting Cruise Control
If
5is on when not in use, −SET or
+RES could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
5
off when cruise is not being used. To set a speed:
1. Press
5to turn the cruise
system on.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release −SET. The
desired set speed briefly
appears in the instrument
cluster.
4. Remove foot from the accelerator pedal.
The cruise control indicator on the
instrument cluster turns green after
cruise control has been set to the
desired speed. See Instrument
Cluster 0119.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied or
*is pressed, the
cruise control is disengaged without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
briefly press +RES. The vehicle
returns to the previous set speed. Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.
Press and hold +RES until the
vehicle accelerates to the
desired speed, then release it.
. To increase the speed in small
increments, briefly press +RES.
For each press, the vehicle goes
about 1 km/h (1 mph) faster.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0119.
The increment value used depends
on the units displayed.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
. Press and hold −SET until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
222 Driving and Operating
.To slow down in small
increments, briefly press −SET.
For each press, the vehicle goes
about 1 km/h (1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0119.
The increment value used depends
on the units displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing −SET will result in cruise
control set to the current vehicle
speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep your
speed down. If the brake pedal is
applied, cruise control will
disengage.
Ending Cruise Control
There are five ways to end cruise
control:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the electric drive unit to
N (Neutral).
. Press
5to turn the cruise
control system off completely.
. Activate Regen on Demand. See
“Regen on Demand” under
Regenerative Braking 0217.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or if the vehicle is turned off.
Driver Assistance
Systems
This vehicle may have features that
work together to help avoid crashes
or reduce crash damage while
driving, backing, and parking. Read
this entire section before using
these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver
Assistance Systems. These
systems do not replace the need
for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or see
alerts or warnings provided by
these systems. Failure to use
proper care when driving may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage. See Defensive Driving
0 196.
Under many conditions, these
systems will not: (Continued)