2019 CHEVROLET BOLT EV steering

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
196 Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
.Do not use a mobile phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on mobile phones or
other electronic devices. .
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a mobile
phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the Infotainment section for
more information on using that
system, including pairing and using
a mobile phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the seat belt.
. 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.

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
Driving and Operating 197
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-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
198 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.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
Driving and Operating 199
.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.
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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
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-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
Driving and Operating 215
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Electric Parking Brake
The vehicle has an Electric Parking
Brake (EPB). The EPB can always
be activated, even if the vehicle
is off.
The system has a red parking brake
status light and an amber parking
brake warning light.
There are also parking brake-related
Driver Information Center (DIC)
messages.
In case of insufficient electrical
power, the EPB cannot be applied
or released.
Before leaving the vehicle, check
the red parking brake status light to
ensure that the parking brake is
applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
2. Pull the EPB switch momentarily.
The red parking brake status light
will flash and then stay on once the
EPB is fully applied. If the red

Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163003) - 2019 - crc - 5/18/18
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.