brakes CHEVROLET VOLT 2020 Owner's Manual
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232 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 233
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 234
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Underhood Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Battery - North America . . . . . . 242
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 244
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 244
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 246
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . 247
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 249
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Electrical System Overload . . . 250
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 250
Underhood Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Self-Sealing Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 275
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - NorthAmerica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
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234 Vehicle Care
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
electronic keys, may contain
perchlorate materials. Perchlorate
Material–special handling may
apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/
hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 057.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
Never try to do your own service
on high voltage battery
components. You can be injured
and the vehicle can be damaged
if you try to do your own service
work. Service and repair of these
high voltage battery components
should only be performed by a
trained dealer technician with the
proper knowledge and tools.
Exposure to high voltage can
cause shock, burns, and even
death. The high voltage
components in the vehicle can
only be serviced by technicians
with special training.
(Continued)
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240 Vehicle Care
Caution
.Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
. Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
. Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
. When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or can
be heard all the time when the
vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See Capacities and
Specifications 0311.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.
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Vehicle Care 241
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts
with new, approved replacement
parts. If this is not done, the brakes
may not work properly. The braking
performance expected can change
in many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are
installed or if parts are improperly
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with GM approved DOT 3
brake fluid as indicated on the
reservoir cap. SeeUnderhood
Compartment Overview 0237 for
the location of the reservoir. Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a
level surface, the brake fluid level
should be between the minimum
and maximum marks on the brake
fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir may
go down:
.
Normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are installed, the
fluid level goes back up.
. A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system. Have the
brake hydraulic system fixed.
With a leak, the brakes will not
work well.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system. When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See
Brake System Warning
Light 0102.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid
at the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0301.
What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 3
brake fluid from a clean, sealed
container. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0307.
{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.
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Vehicle Care 273
The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates the
original equipment tires on the
vehicle. SeeVehicle Load Limits
0 178.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,
or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be
affected.
{Warning
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires 0271 and
Accessories and Modifications
0 234.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
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276 Vehicle Care
Tire Chains
{Warning
Do not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes,
suspension, or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause loss of
control and a crash.
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for the vehicle's
tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions. To
avoid vehicle damage, drive slow
and readjust or remove the
traction device if it contacts the
vehicle. Do not spin the wheels.
If traction devices are used, install
them on the front tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
This vehicle has self-sealing tires.
SeeSelf-Sealing Tires 0258. Tread
punctures typically will not cause
tires to lose air. However, if the
vehicle does get a flat tire, there is
no spare tire, tire changing
equipment, or place to store a tire.
Contact Roadside Assistance
for help.
It is unusual for a tire to blow out,
especially if the tires are maintained
properly. If air goes out of a tire, it is
much more likely to leak out slowly.
See Tires 0257. But if there is ever
a blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do.
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will
create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction as used in a skid. Stop pressing the
accelerator pedal and steer to
straighten the vehicle. It may be
very bumpy and noisy. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.
{Warning
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road,
if possible. 1. Turn on the hazard warning flashers. See Hazard Warning
Flashers 0131.
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300 Service and Maintenance
Service and
Maintenance
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 300
Maintenance Schedule
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 301
Owner Checks and Services
Owner Checks andServices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Additional Maintenance
and Care
Additional Maintenanceand Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Maintenance Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Maintenance Records
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 309
General Information
Your vehicle is an important
investment. This section describes
the required maintenance for the
vehicle. Follow this schedule to help
protect against major repair
expenses resulting from neglect or
inadequate maintenance. It may
also help to maintain the value of
the vehicle if it is sold. It is the
responsibility of the owner to have
all required maintenance performed.
Your dealer has trained technicians
who can perform required
maintenance using genuine
replacement parts. They have
up-to-date tools and equipment for
fast and accurate diagnostics. Many
dealers have extended evening and
Saturday hours, courtesy
transportation, and online
scheduling to assist with service
needs.
Your dealer recognizes the
importance of providing
competitively priced maintenance
and repair services. With trained
technicians, the dealer is the place for routine maintenance such as tire
rotations and additional
maintenance items like tires, brakes,
batteries, and wiper blades.
Caution
Damage caused by improper
maintenance can lead to costly
repairs and may not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Maintenance intervals, checks,
inspections, recommended fluids,
and lubricants are important to
keep the vehicle in good working
condition.
Do not have chemical flushes that
are not approved by GM
performed on the vehicle. The
use of flushes, solvents, cleaners,
or lubricants that are not
approved by GM could damage
the vehicle, requiring expensive
repairs that are not covered by
the vehicle warranty.
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304 Service and Maintenance
Owner Checks and
Services
.At least twice a year, have
underbody flushing service
performed. See "Underbody
Maintenance" in Exterior Care
0 291.
Additional
Maintenance and Care
Your vehicle is an important
investment and caring for it properly
may help to avoid future costly
repairs. To maintain vehicle
performance, additional
maintenance services may be
required. It is recommended that
your dealer perform these services
— their trained dealer technicians
know your vehicle best. Your dealer
can also perform a thorough
assessment with a multi-point
inspection to recommend when your
vehicle may need attention. The
following list is intended to explain
the services and conditions to look
for that may indicate services are
required. Battery
The battery supplies power to
operate any additional electrical
accessories.
.
To avoid break-down or failure,
maintain a battery with full
power.
. Trained dealer technicians have
the diagnostic equipment to test
the battery and ensure that the
connections and cables are
corrosion-free.
Brakes
Brakes stop the vehicle and are
crucial to safe driving.
. Signs of brake wear may include
chirping, grinding, or squealing
noises, or difficulty stopping.
. Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the brakes and
recommend quality parts
engineered for the vehicle.
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Customer Information 321
In a crash, the sensing system may
shut down the high voltage system.
SeeBattery - North America 0242
for important safety information.
If an airbag has inflated, see What
Will You See after an Airbag
Inflates? 051.
If the vehicle is damaged from a
crash, flood, fire, or other event it
may be necessary to have the
vehicle inspected. SeeBattery -
North America 0242 for important
safety information.
Managing the Vehicle Damage
Repair Process
In the event that the vehicle requires
damage repairs, GM recommends
that you take an active role in its
repair. If you have a pre-determined
repair facility of choice, take the
vehicle there, or have it towed there.
Specify to the facility that any
required replacement collision parts
be original equipment parts, either
new Genuine GM parts or recycled
original GM parts. Remember,
recycled parts will not be covered by
the GM vehicle warranty. Insurance pays the bill for the repair,
but you must live with the repair.
Depending on your policy limits,
your insurance company may
initially value the repair using
aftermarket parts. Discuss this with
the repair professional, and insist on
Genuine GM parts. Remember,
if the vehicle is leased, you may be
obligated to have the vehicle
repaired with Genuine GM parts,
even if your insurance coverage
does not pay the full cost.
If another party's insurance
company is paying for the repairs,
you are not obligated to accept a
repair valuation based on that
insurance company's collision policy
repair limits, as you have no
contractual limits with that company.
In such cases, you can have control
of the repair and parts choices as
long as the cost stays within
reasonable limits.
Publication Ordering
Information
Service Manuals
Service manuals have the diagnosis
and repair information on the
engine, transmission, axle,
suspension, brakes, electrical
system, steering system, body, etc.
Customer Literature
Owner
’s manuals are written
specifically for owners and are
intended to provide basic
operational information about the
vehicle. The owner ’s manual
includes the Maintenance Schedule
for all models.
Customer literature publications
available for purchase include
owner ’s manuals, warranty
manuals, infotainment manuals, and
portfolios. Portfolios include an
owner ’s manual, warranty manual,
infotainment manual, if applicable,
and zip lock bag or pouch.
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336 Index
ArmrestRear Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Assistance Systems for
Parking and Backing . . . . . . . . . . 200
Audio Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . 136
Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . 163
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . 205
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Exterior Lighting BatterySaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Battery - North America . . . . 242, 284
Battery Gauge High Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 244 Bluetooth
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Bluetooth Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Brake Parking, Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 102
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . . 194
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 AutomaticEmergency (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Braking System Front Pedestrian (FPB) . . . . . . . 207
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 182
Bulb Replacement Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
High Intensity Discharge(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 249
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .233, 242, 284, Back Cover
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Carbon Monoxide Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Management System . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 2
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . 82
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Charge Cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Charging Delay Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Electrical Requirements . . . . . . 229
Plug-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Programmable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Utility Interruption . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228