ABS CHEVROLET BOLT EV 2021 Owner's Manual

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14637856) - 2021 - CRC - 10/2/20
2 Introduction
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about the
vehicle, use the Index in the back of the
manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is
in the manual and the page number where
it can be found.
Danger, Warning, and Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle labels
and in this manual describe hazards and
what to do to avoid or reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a high
level of risk which will result in serious
injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that could
result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that could
result in property or vehicle damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.” Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u:
Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components Properly
P:Do Not Apply High Pressure Water
[: Energy Usage and Charge Mode
Selection
_: Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
g:First Responder
[:Forward Collision Alert
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14637856) - 2021 - CRC - 10/2/20
16 Keys, Doors, and Windows
To replace the cap:1. Position the bottom edge of the cap under the lower edge of the metal
piece (2). The tabs (3) attach to the
metal piece (2) at the positions (1).2. Rotate the cap upward and install intoplace.
3. Check that the cap is secure.
Free-Turning Locks
The door key lock cylinder turns freely when
either the wrong key is used, or the correct
key is not fully inserted. The free-turning
door lock feature prevents the lock from
being forced open. To reset the lock, turn it
to the vertical position with the correct key
fully inserted. Remove the key and insert it
again. If this does not reset the lock, turn
the key halfway around in the cylinder and
repeat the reset procedure.
Power Door Locks
K: Press to unlock the doors.
Q:Press to lock the doors.
Locking and unlocking the doors will also
unlock the liftgate. See Liftgate018.
Delayed Locking
This feature delays the actual locking of the
doors until five seconds after all doors are
closed.
Delayed locking can only be turned on when
the Unlocked Door Anti Lockout feature has
been turned off.

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14637856) - 2021 - CRC - 10/2/20
Instruments and Controls 71
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Pedestrian Safety Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Battery Gauge (High Voltage) . . . . . . . . . . 82
Driver Efficiency Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Power Indicator Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 84
Charging System Light (12-Volt Battery) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Service Vehicle Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . 86
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Sport Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Vehicle Ready Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Information Displays
Power Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Programmable Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Energy Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Charging Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . 99
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Propulsion Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14637856) - 2021 - CRC - 10/2/20
86 Instruments and Controls
{Warning
The brake system might not be working
properly if the brake system warning
light is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a crash.
If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully
stopped, have the vehicle towed for
service.
Electric Parking Brake Light
MetricEnglish
This light comes on when the parking brake
is applied. If the light continues flashing
after the parking brake is released, or while
driving, there is a problem with the Electric
Parking Brake system. A message may also
display in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the light does not come on, or remains
flashing, see your dealer.
Service Electric Parking Brake
Light
The Service Electric Parking brake light
should come on briefly when starting the
vehicle. If it does not come on, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If this light stays on, there is a problem
with a system on the vehicle that is causing
the parking brake system to work at a
reduced level. The vehicle can still be driven,
but should be taken to a dealer as soon as
possible. See Electric Parking Brake 0164.
A message may also display in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
The ABS warning light will come on briefly
when the vehicle is started. This is normal.
If the light does not come on then, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if there is a
problem.
If the light stays on or comes on while
driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the vehicle off. Then start the vehicle again
to reset the system. If the light still stays
on, or comes on again while driving, the
vehicle needs service. See your dealer. If the
regular brake system warning light is not
on, the brakes will still work, but the
antilock brakes will not work. If the regular
brake system warning light is also on, the
antilock brakes will not work and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14637856) - 2021 - CRC - 10/2/20
Infotainment System 133
transmitter key is no longer
registered and a confirmation
message displays.
If a Teen Driver transmitter key and a
non-Teen Driver transmitter key are both
present at start up, the vehicle will
recognize the non-Teen Driver transmitter
key to start the vehicle. The Teen Driver
settings will not be active.
Manage Settings
Use the PIN to change the following
settings:
Audio Volume Limit : Allows a maximum
radio volume to be set. Turn the audio
volume limit On or Off, and if equipped,
choose the maximum level for the audio
volume.
Teen Driver Speed Warning : Allows for
setting a visual and audible warning when a
certain speed is exceeded. The speed
warning is selectable from 64 km/h
(40 mph) to 120 km/h (75 mph). The speed
warning does not limit the speed of the
vehicle.
Teen Driver Speed Limiter (If Equipped) :
Allows the maximum speed of the vehicle to
be limited to 137 km/h (85 mph). When the
speed limiter is turned On and the vehicle is started with a Teen Driver key, the DIC
displays a message that the top speed is
limited to 137 km/h (85 mph).
When Teen Driver is Active:
.The radio will mute when the driver seat
belt is not fastened, and in some vehicles,
when the right front passenger seat belt
is not fastened. The audio from any
device paired to the vehicle will also be
muted.
.Certain electronic devices placed on the
front passenger seat could cause the
passenger sensing system to falsely sense
an unbuckled front passenger and mute
the radio. See
Passenger Sensing System
0 44.
.Some safety systems, such as Automatic
Emergency Braking, if equipped and
supported, cannot be turned off.
.The gap setting for the Forward Collision
Alert, if equipped, cannot be changed.
Report Card
The vehicle owner must secure the driver’s
consent to record certain vehicle data when
the vehicle is driven with a registered Teen
Driver key. There is one Report Card per
vehicle. Data is not recorded when Teen
Driver is not active. The Report Card data is collected from the
time Teen Driver is activated or the last
time the Report Card was reset. The
following items may be recorded:
.Distance Driven
–the total distance
driven.
.Maximum Speed –the maximum vehicle
speed recorded.
.Overspeed Warnings –the number of
times the speed warning setting was
exceeded.
.Forward Collision Alerts –the number of
times the driver was notified when
approaching a vehicle ahead too quickly
and at potential risk for a crash.
.Forward Collision Avoidance Braking –the
number of times the vehicle detected that
a forward collision was imminent and
applied the brakes. Also referred to as
Automatic Emergency Braking.
.Stability Control –the number of events
which required the use of electronic
stability control.
.ABS Active –the number of Antilock
Brake System activations.
.Tailgating Alerts –the number of times
the driver was alerted for following the
vehicle ahead too closely.

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14637856) - 2021 - CRC - 10/2/20
146 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Energy Efficiency . . . . 147
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Starting and Stopping the Vehicle . . . . . 157
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 158
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Electric Vehicle Operating Modes
Driver Selected Operating Modes . . . . . . 159
Electric Drive Unit
Electric Drive Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
One-Pedal Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic StabilityControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Assistance Systems for Parking orBacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . 173
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . 175
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Charging
When to Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Plug-In Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Delayed Charging Override . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Charging Status Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Charge Cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Utility Interruption of Charging . . . . . . . 194
Electrical Requirements for Battery Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14637856) - 2021 - CRC - 10/2/20
150 Driving and Operating
If power steering assist is lost due to a
system malfunction, the vehicle can be
steered, but may require increased effort.
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.
If the steering assist is used for an extended
period of time while the vehicle is not
moving, power 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.
.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.
.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:
.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.

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14637856) - 2021 - CRC - 10/2/20
152 Driving and Operating
{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 thesurrounding 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
0 266. 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.

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 163
L :This position reduces vehicle speed
without using the brakes. Use L (Low) on
very steep hills and in stop-and-go traffic.
One-Pedal Driving
With One-Pedal Driving, the accelerator
pedal can be used to control the
deceleration of the vehicle down to a
complete stop.
Completely lifting off the accelerator pedal
will result in aggressive deceleration.
Partially lifting off the accelerator pedal will
allow the deceleration of the vehicle to be
adjusted as desired.
The amount of deceleration may vary under
Regenerative Power Limited condition. See
Power Indicator Gauge 083.
Use the brake pedal if emergency braking is
required.
To use One-Pedal Driving, place the vehicle
in L (Low). Press the accelerator pedal to the
desired speed. The deceleration provided by
One-Pedal Driving provides full regenerative
braking and helps increase energy efficiency.
The brake lamps may come on when the
accelerator pedal is released or during
substantial deceleration from regenerative
braking. While operating in One-Pedal Driving, the
electric parking brake may apply in some
circumstances. This can occur when:
.Driving on slopes.
.The driver’s door is open.
.The vehicle has remained stationary for
5 minutes.
.There is a problem with the propulsion
system.
To drive again, depress the accelerator
pedal, and the electric parking brake will
automatically disengage.
One-Pedal Driving may shift the car into
P (Park) if the vehicle is pushed once it has
been stopped or if a problem with the
propulsion system develops.
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
prevent a braking skid and maintain steering
while braking hard. ABS performs a system check when the
vehicle is first driven. A momentary motor
or clicking noise may be heard while this
test is going on, and the brake pedal may
move slightly. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this warning
light stays on. See
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light 086.
ABS does not change the time needed to
get a foot on the brake pedal and does not
always decrease stopping distance. If you
get too close to the vehicle ahead, there will
not be enough time to apply the brakes if
that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room ahead to stop, even
with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake
pedal down firmly. Hearing or feeling ABS
operate is normal.

Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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164 Driving and Operating
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows steering and braking at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can
help even more than 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 parking brake status light
flashes continuously, then the EPB is only
partially applied or there is a problem with
the EPB. A DIC message will display. Release
the EPB and try to apply it again. If the
light does not come on, or keeps flashing,
have the vehicle serviced. Do not drive the
vehicle if the red parking brake status light
is flashing. See your dealer.
If the amber parking brake warning light is
on, lift up on the EPB switch and hold it up.
Continue to hold the switch until the red
parking brake status light remains on. If the
amber parking brake warning light is still
on, see your dealer. If the EPB is applied while the vehicle is
moving, the vehicle will decelerate as long
as the switch is held up. If the switch is held
up until the vehicle comes to a stop, the
EPB will remain applied.
The vehicle may automatically apply the EPB
in some situations when the vehicle is not
moving. This is normal, and is done to
periodically check the correct operation of
the EPB system.
If the EPB fails to apply, block the rear
wheels to prevent vehicle movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB:
1. Press POWER
Oto start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Press momentarily on the EPB switch.
The EPB is released when the red parking
brake status light is off.
If the amber parking brake warning light is
on, release the EPB by pressing down on the
EPB switch and holding it down. Continue to
hold the switch until the red parking brake
status light is off. If either light stays on
after release is attempted, see your dealer.