Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13556250) - 2020 - CRC - 2/11/20
176 Driving and Operating
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. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
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.
. 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.
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 177
.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, 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
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.
. Avoid using Regen on Demand
paddle.
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 0316. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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182 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
. Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.Secure loose items in the
vehicle.
.Do not leave a seat
folded down unless
needed.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
Avoid making hard stops for the
first 322 km (200 mi). During this
time the new brake linings are not
yet broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean premature
wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline
every time you get new brake
linings. Following break-in,
vehicle speed and load can be
gradually increased.
Power Button
The vehicle has an electronic
pushbutton start.
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,
inside the center console.
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
vehicle ready light is on in the
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 183
instrument cluster, the vehicle is
ready to be driven. This could take
up to 15 seconds at extremely cold
temperatures.
Service Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
service vehicle soon light 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 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 Mode. Press
POWER
Oagain to turn the
vehicle off.
Caution
Placing the vehicle in Service
Mode will use the 12-volt battery.
Do not use Service Mode for an
extended period, or the vehicle
may not start.
STOPPING THE VEHICLE/OFF :
To turn the vehicle off, apply the
brakes, press the button on top of
the shift lever to shift to P (Park) and
press POWER
O.
Alternatively, apply the brakes and
press POWER
O. The electric drive
unit will shift to P (Park) then shut
off automatically.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active until the driver
door is opened.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force. 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.
4. Set the parking brake.
{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.
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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184 Driving and Operating
Starting and Stopping the
Vehicle
Starting Procedure
Press the P (Park) button on the
shift lever, or move the shift lever
into 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.The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle.
Press the brake pedal, then 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).
If the vehicle will not start due to a
low RKE transmitter battery, the
vehicle can still be driven. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 08.
A vehicle ready light displays in the
lower right corner of the instrument
cluster when the vehicle is ready to
be driven.
The instrument cluster also displays
an active battery gauge when the
vehicle is ready to be driven. 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.
A chime will sound if the driver door
is opened while the vehicle is on.
Always press POWER
Oto turn the
vehicle off before exiting.
Stopping Procedure
For information on how to turn the
vehicle off, see Power Button0182.
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
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 185
Shifting Into Park
To shift into P (Park):1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake 0192.
2. Press the button on top of the shift lever to shift into P (Park).
See Electric Drive Unit 0187.
3. The P indicator on the shift lever will turn red when the
vehicle is in P (Park).
4. Turn the vehicle off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Propulsion System On
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the P (Park) button is
not pressed with the parking
brake set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
propulsion system is running.
If you have left the propulsion (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
press the P (Park) button.
If the vehicle must be left with the
propulsion system on, be sure that
the vehicle is in P (Park) with the
parking brake set, before leaving
the vehicle. After pressing the
P (Park) button, hold down the
regular brake pedal. If you cannot
see the P (Park) indicator in
instrument cluster, it means that the
vehicle has not shifted to P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be on, the brake pedal must
be applied, and the charge cord
must be unplugged.
This vehicle is equipped with an
electric drive unit. The shift lock
release button is designed to
prevent inadvertent shifting out of
P (Park) unless the ignition is on,
the brake pedal is applied, and the
shift lock release button is pressed.
Parking the vehicle in extreme cold
for several days without the charge
cord connected may cause the
vehicle not to start. The vehicle will
need to be plugged in to allow the
high voltage battery to be warmed
sufficiently.
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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186 Driving and Operating
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.
To shift out of P (Park):1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Press POWER
Oto start the
vehicle.
3. Verify that the vehicle is unplugged and the vehicle
ready light is on.
4. Press the shift lock release button on the side of the shift
lever.
5. Move the shift lever into the desired position.
6. The P indicator will turn white and the gear indicator on the
shift lever will turn red when
the vehicle is no longer in
P (Park). 7. After releasing the shift lever, it
will return to the center
position.
Extended Parking
It is best not to park with the vehicle
running. If the vehicle is left running,
be sure it will not move and there is
adequate ventilation.
See Shifting Into Park 0185.
If the vehicle is left parked and
running with the RKE transmitter
outside the vehicle, it will continue
to run for up to an hour.
If the vehicle is left parked and
running with the RKE transmitter
inside the vehicle, it will continue to
run for up to two hour.
The timer will reset if the vehicle is
taken out of P (Park) while it is
running.
Electric Vehicle
Operating Modes
Driver Selected Operating
Modes
Sport Mode
Sport Mode provides more
responsive acceleration than
Normal Mode, but can reduce
efficiency. When the SPORT
indicator is not on, the vehicle is in
Normal Mode.
Press SPORT to select Sport Mode.
Chevrolet BOLT EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 187
Press SPORT again to return to
Normal Mode.
An indicator will display in the
instrument cluster.
Each time the vehicle is started, it
will return to Normal Mode.
Sport Mode may be unavailable if
the battery charge is too low.Electric Drive Unit
The vehicle uses an electric drive
unit. The shift lever always starts
from a center position. An amber
dot is displayed on the shift pattern.
After releasing the shift lever, it will
return to the center position.
P :This position locks the drive
wheels. Use P (Park) when starting
the vehicle to ensure the vehicle
does not move.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the P (Park) button is
not pressed with the parking
brake 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
press the P (Park) button.