charging CHEVROLET VOLT 2011 Owner's Guide

Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
5-34 Instruments and Controls
Delayed Departure Time:The
vehicle estimates the charging start
time considering the programmed departure time for the current day
of the week. Charging begins at the
start time and is complete by the
departure time only if sufficient time
is allowed after the charge cord is
plugged in. The vehicle uses an
internal clock for programmable
charging, not the clock in the
center stack.
Delayed Rate and Departure
Time:
The vehicle estimates the
charging start time based on the
utility rate schedule, utility rate
preference, and the programmed
departure time for the current day of
the week. The vehicle will charge
during the least expensive rate
periods to achieve a full battery
charge by the departure time.
Electrical rate information from the
utility company for the charging
location is required for this mode.

Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
5-36 Instruments and Controls
Charge Rate Preference Selection
From the Departure Time & Rate
Information screen, press Select
Charge Rate Preference.
Press one of the following options to
select the Charge Rate Preference.
.Charge during Peak, Mid‐Peak,
and Off‐Peak Rates: The vehicle
will charge during any rate
period and will select when to
charge to minimize the total
cost of the charge.
.Charge during Mid‐Peak and
Off‐Peak Rates: The vehicle will
charge during Off-Peak and/or
Mid-Peak rate periods only and
will select when to charge to
minimize the total cost of the
charge.
.Charge during Off‐Peak Rates:
The vehicle will only charge
during Off-Peak rate periods.
Charging begins at the start time
and is complete by the departure
time only if sufficient time is allowed
after the charge cord is plugged
in. For example, if the vehicle is
plugged in for only one hour prior
to the departure time, and the
battery is completely discharged,
the vehicle will not be fully charged
by the departure time regardless of
the rate selection. Electric Rate Plan Selection
Electric rates, or cost per unit,
may vary based on time, weekday/
weekend, and season. During the
day when the demand for electricity
is high, the rates are usually higher
and called Peak rates. At night
when the demand for electricity
is low, the rates are usually lower
and called Off-Peak rates. In some
areas, a Mid-Peak rate is offered.
Contact the utility company to obtain
the rate schedule for your area.
The summer and winter start dates
must be established to use a
summer/winter schedule.
From the Departure Time & Rate
Information screen, press Edit
Electric Rate Schedule.

Black plate (39,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-39
1. Press + or−to adjust the time.
2. Press Peak, Mid-Peak, or Off-Peak to select the
electric rate.
3. Press the Back button to store changes.
Only the finish time can be edited.
The start time is automatically
populated in the rate table. Electric Rate Schedule Viewing
From the Select Electric Rate Plan
screen, press View (Summer,
Winter, or Yearly) Schedule.Temporary Charge Mode
Override and Cancel
Programmed Delayed Charge
Modes can be temporarily
overridden to an Immediate
Charge Mode for one charge
cycle. There are also other ways
to temporarily override a Delayed
Charge Mode. See
Plug-In
Charging on page 9‑49.

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
5-40 Instruments and Controls
To temporarily override a Delayed
Charge Mode from inside the
vehicle:
1. Press the charge port doorrelease button on the driver
door to view the Charge Mode
Status pop-up in the center
stack display.
2. Press Charge Immediately UponPlug In.
The new Temporary Charge
Mode Status screen will
automatically display the
revised charge complete time.To cancel the temporary override
from the Temporary Charge Mode
Status screen or pop-up, press
Cancel Temporary Charge Mode
on the bottom of the touch screen.
The vehicle will reinstate the
programmed delayed charge
mode settings.
Programmable Charging
Disabled
When the Programmable Charging
system is disabled, the Default
Charge Mode Status screen and
the pop-up will display “- -:- -”
for the Charge Complete Time.

Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-41
The Programmable Charging
system will be disabled if the
Charge Complete Time cannot
be confidently estimated. If the
Programmable Charging system
is consistently disabled, see your
dealer for details.
Energy Information
To view the Energy Usage, Energy
Efficiency, and Efficiency Tips, press
the
[button on the center stack
and then press the Energy Info
button at the top of the touch
screen. Energy UsageThe Energy Usage screen displays
information for the total of all the
drive cycles since the last time
the high voltage battery was fully
charged. This includes distance
traveled in Electric Mode, distance
traveled in Extended Range Mode,
total distance traveled, total fuel
used, and average fuel economy.There are maximum limits to some
of the values that can be displayed.
When these values are replaced
with dashes, the value limits have
been reached. To reset these
values, the high voltage battery
will need to be fully recharged.
The circle graph also represents
the percentage of distance
traveled using Electric Mode
versus Extended Range Mode.
The Lifetime Fuel Economy is a
total over the life of the vehicle and
can only be reset by the dealer.

Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-45
Vehicle Messages
Messages displayed in the DIC
indicate the status of the vehicle
or some action that may be needed
to correct a condition. Multiple
messages may display one after
the other.
Messages that do not require
immediate action can be
acknowledged and cleared by
pressing the SELECT knob.
The messages requiring immediate
action cannot be cleared until that
action is performed. All messages
should be taken seriously. Clearing
the messages does not correct the
problem.
Battery and Charging
Messages
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the 12-volt
battery voltage has dropped and
vehicle features are being disabled.
The 12-volt battery saver system
starts reducing certain features
trying to save the charge of the
12-volt battery. Turn off unnecessary
features to allow the battery to
recharge.
BATTERY TOO COLD, PLUG IN
TO WARM
This message displays during
extremely cold temperatures,
when the vehicle will not start
until the high voltage battery is
warm enough.
Plug the vehicle in to allow the
charging system to warm the high
voltage battery, then the vehicle
can be started.
CHARGE CORD CONNECTED
This message displays when the
charge cord is connected to the
vehicle. The vehicle cannot be
shifted out of P (Park) with the
charge cord connected.
CHARGE DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the
charge door is open and the vehicle
is shifted out of P (Park).
LOW BATTERY
This message displays when
the 12-volt battery voltage is low.
SeeBattery on page 10‑28 for
more information.
SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a fault in the 12-volt battery
charging system. Take the vehicle
to your dealer for service.

Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
5-46 Instruments and Controls
SERVICE HIGH VOLTAGE
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the high voltage
charging system. See your dealer
for service.
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID LOW
This message displays when the
brake fluid level is low. SeeBrake
Fluid on page 10‑26.
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE
This message displays if the electric
parking brake is on while the vehicle
is in motion. Release it before
attempting to drive. See Electric
Parking Brake on page 9‑35 for
more information.
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST
This message displays when there
is a problem with the brake boost
assist system. When this message
displays, the brake boost assist
motor might be heard operating
and a pulsation may be felt in the
brake pedal. Take the vehicle to
your dealer for service.
SERVICE PARKING BRAKE
This message displays when there
is a problem with the parking brake.
Take the vehicle to your dealer for
service.
STEP ON BRAKE TO
RELEASE PARK BRAKE
This message displays when
attempting to release the electric
parking brake without the brake
pedal applied. See Electric Parking
Brake on page 9‑35 for more
information.
Cruise Control Messages
CRUISE SET TO XXX
This message displays when the
cruise control is set and shows the
speed it was set to. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑40 for more
information.
Door Ajar Messages
DOOR(S) OPEN, HOOD OPEN,
HATCH OPEN
A symbol will appear on the display
showing the area that is open.
See Door, Hood, or Hatch Open
Light on page 5‑30.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-33
Eject USB:Press when the USB
is to be removed. If the USB is
disconnected without selecting
Eject USB, the files could become
corrupted.
Playing from an iPod®
This feature supports the following
iPod models:
.iPod (fifth generation or later)
.iPod nano (first, second, third,
fourth, and fifth generation)
.iPod classic
.iPod touch (first and second
generation) For proper operation, make sure
the iPod has the latest firmware
from Apple
®. iPod firmware can be
updated using the latest iTunes®
application. For more information,
visit www.apple.com/itunes.
Recording from the iPod to the
HDD is not supported. Media must
be recorded using a USB mass
storage device.
To connect and control an iPod,
connect one end of the standard
iPod USB cable to the iPod's dock
connector. Connect the other end to
the USB port in the center console.
iPod music information displays
on the radio’s display and begins
playing through the vehicle’s audio
system.
The iPod battery recharges
automatically while the vehicle
is on. When the vehicle is off while
an iPod is connected using the iPod
USB cable, the iPod battery stops
charging and the iPod automatically
turns off. If the iPod is an unsupported
model, it can still be listened to
in the vehicle by connecting to
the auxiliary input jack using a
standard 3.5 mm (1/8 in) stereo
cable. See
Auxiliary Devices on
page 7‑38 for more information.
iPod Music Menu
Press any of the following buttons
on the iPod Music Menu to display
the corresponding screen:
Shuffle:
1. Press to play the tracks randomly rather than in
sequence.
2. Press the button again to stop this function.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better EnergyEfficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-10
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-13
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-18
Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Starting and Stopping the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Electric Vehicle Operating
Modes
System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Electric Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Extended Range Mode . . . . . . 9-25
Driver Selected OperatingModes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Out of Fuel/Engine Unavailable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Maintenance Modes . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Electric Drive Unit
Electric Drive Unit . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . 9-35
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . 9-37
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-43
Rear VisionCamera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Charging
Plug-In Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Delayed ChargingOverride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Charging Status Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Charge Cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Electrical Requirements for Battery Charging . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-3
Drive Mode and PRNDL Selection
Use Normal Mode when possible.
Sport Mode provides more
responsive acceleration than
Normal Mode but can reduce
efficiency.
Use Mountain Mode prior to
climbing long, steep grades in
mountainous areas. Be sure to
engage Mountain Mode before
starting to climb. Mountain Mode
reduces electric range and power
but may be needed to maintain
speeds above 96 km/h (60 mph)
when climbing grades of 5% or
greater.
Use L (Low) in heavy stop‐and‐go
traffic or when traveling downhill.
L (Low) requires less brake
pedal application and provides
a controlled, efficient way to
slow the vehicle down.Climate Setting
Using the heat and air conditioning
systems decreases the energy
available for electric driving.
Optimal energy efficiency is
achieved with the heat, air
conditioning, and fan turned off.
Less energy is used at low fan
speeds. When using the fan:
.Fan Only is the most energy
efficient climate setting as long
as
0is not selected.
.ECO is for moderate air
conditioning and heater
operation and is the next
most energy efficient setting as
long as
0is not selected.
.Comfort provides the most
comfort but is the least energy
efficient.
Use the auto heated seat feature
instead of climate settings. Heating
the seat uses less energy than
heating the vehicle interior. Use remote start to heat or cool the
interior when the vehicle is plugged
in to maximize the electric range by
utilizing electricity from the electrical
outlet.
In hot weather, avoid parking in
direct sunlight or use sunshades
inside the vehicle.
Turn off the front and rear window
defog/defrost when they are no
longer needed.
Avoid driving with the windows open
at highway speeds.
Vehicle Charging/Maintenance
Charging
Keep the vehicle plugged in, even
when fully charged, to keep the
battery temperature ready for the
next drive. This is important when
outside temperatures are extremely
hot or cold.