charging CHEVROLET VOLT 2012 1.G Owner's Guide

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-23
Shifting out of Park
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be in ON/RUN, the brake
pedal must be applied, and the
charge cord must be unplugged.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. The shift lock
release is designed to:
.Prevent the vehicle from turning
off unless the shift lever is in
P (Park).
.Prevent moving the shift lever
out of P (Park), unless the
vehicle is in ON/RUN, the brake
pedal is applied, and the charge
cord is unplugged.
Parking the vehicle in extreme cold
for several days without the charge
cord connected may cause the
electric drive unit to be locked in
P (Park) until the propulsion system
has warmed sufficiently.
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. See
Battery on page 10‑25
orJump
Starting on page 10‑75.
If the console shift lever cannot be
moved out of P (Park):
1. Apply and maintain the regular
brakes.
2. Turn the vehicle on using the POWERObutton. See Power
Button on page 9‑18.
3. Let up on the shift lever and make sure the shift lever is
pushed all the way into P (Park).
4. Press the shift lever button.
5. Move the shift lever into the desired gear.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), see your dealer
or a professional towing service.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-48 Driving and Operating
When the System Does Not
Seem To Work Properly
The RVC system may not work
properly or display a clear image if:
.The RVC is turned off. See
“Turning the Rear Vision Camera
System On or Off”earlier in this
section.
.It is dark.
.The sun or the beam of
headlamps is shining directly
into the camera lens.
.Ice, snow, mud, or anything else
has built up on the camera lens.
Clean the lens, rinse it with
water, and wipe it with a soft
cloth.
.The back of the vehicle was in
an accident. The position and
mounting angle of the camera
can change or the camera can
be affected. Be sure to have the
camera and its position and
mounting angle checked at your
dealer.
Charging
Plug-In Charging
This section explains the process
for charging the vehicle's high
voltage battery. Do not allow the
vehicle to remain in temperature
extremes for long periods without
being driven or plugged in. It is
recommended that the vehicle be
plugged in when temperatures are
below 0°C (32°F) and above 32°C
(90°F) to maximize high voltage
battery life. The charging system may run fans
and pumps that result in sounds
from the vehicle while it is turned
off. Additional unexpected clicking
sounds may be caused by the
electrical devices used while
charging.
While the charge cord is plugged
into the vehicle, the vehicle cannot
be driven.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-49
Charging
Start Charge
1. The charge port door releasebutton is on the driver door inner
trim panel. With the vehicle in
P (Park), press the button for
one second and release to open
the charge port door. The charge
port door can also be opened
using the RKE transmitter. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3. In cold weather conditions, ice
may form around the charge port
door. The charge port door may
not open on the first attempt.
Remove ice from the area and
repeat attempting to open the
charge port door.
2. Open the rear hatch, lift the load
support floor covering (A), and
remove the charge cord (D). It is
located near the tire sealant and
compressor kit (C). Pull up on
the charge cord handle (D) to
release it from the handle
clip (E). Lift the charge cord up and
rearward to remove it from the
vehicle. The vehicle plug (B) is
stored as shown.
3. Plug the charge cord into the electrical outlet. See Electrical
Requirements for Battery
Charging on page 9‑58. Verify
that the charge cord status
indicators are both green. See
Charge Cord on page 9‑55.
Select the appropriate charge
level. On some models, charge
level selection can be made
using the Select Charge Level
Preference screen on the center
stack. See “Charge Level
Selection” underCharging on
page 5‑32. On some models,
charge level selection can be
made using the charge level
button on the charge cord. See
“Charge Level Button” under
Charge Cord on page 9‑55.

Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-50 Driving and Operating
4. Plug in the vehicle plug of thecharge cord into the charge port
on the vehicle. Verify that the
charging status indicator
illuminates on top of the
instrument panel and a horn
chirp occurs. See Charging
Status Feedback on page 9‑52
for more information. 5. To arm the charge cord theft
alert, lock the vehicle with the
RKE transmitter. To disable this
feature, see “Charge Cord Theft
Alert” inVehicle Personalization
on page 5‑56.
End Charge
1. Unlock the vehicle with the RKE transmitter to disarm the charge
cord theft alert.
2. Unplug the vehicle plug of thecharge cord from the vehicle by
squeezing the vehicle plug lever
and pull to remove. 3. Close the charge port door by
pressing firmly in the center to
latch properly.
4. Unplug the charge cord from the electrical outlet.
5. Before storing the charge cord, have the charge cord face up
and wrap the charge cable
neatly counterclockwise around
the body of the charge cord.

Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-51
6. Place the charge cord, facedown, into the storage
compartment with the front
edge (F) of the charge cord
body under the clips (G) located
in the front of the storage
compartment. The vehicle
plug (B) should be on the right
side of the charge cord.
7. Push the charge cord handle down until it locks into the
handle clip at the rear of the
storage compartment.Delayed Charging
Override
To temporarily override a delayed
charge event, unplug the charge
cord from the charge port and then
plug it back in within five seconds.
A single horn chirp will sound and
charging will begin immediately.
To cancel a temporary override,
unplug the charge cord, wait for
10 seconds, and then plug the
charge cord back in. A double horn
chirp will sound and charging will be
delayed.
See “Programmable Charging” in
Charging on page 5‑32 for
advanced charge scheduling
options.

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-52 Driving and Operating
Charging Status
Feedback
The vehicle has a Charging Status
Indicator (CSI) at the center of the
instrument panel near the
windshield. When the vehicle is
plugged in and the vehicle power is
off, the CSI indicates the following:
.Solid Green–Vehicle is plugged
in. Battery is not fully charged.
Battery is charging.
.Long Flashing Green –Vehicle
is plugged in. Battery is not fully
charged. Battery charging is
delayed.
.Short Flashing Green –Vehicle
is plugged in. Battery is fully
charged.
.Solid Yellow –Vehicle is plugged
in. It is normal for the CSI to turn
yellow for a few seconds after
plugging in a compatible charge
cord. The solid yellow may be
extended depending on the
vehicle and if there is a total
utility interruption via OnStar.
See “Utility Interruption of
Charging” later in this section.
This may also indicate that the
charging system has detected a
fault and will not charge the
battery. See “Charge Cord
Status Indicators” later in this
section. The system may be thermally
conditioning the battery during any
of the states above, requiring
electrical energy to be transferred to
the vehicle.
If the vehicle is plugged in and
vehicle power is on, the CSI will be
on solid green. The same is true
during a remote start if the vehicle is
plugged in.
If the vehicle is plugged in and the
CSI is off, a total utility interruption
using OnStar or a charging fault has
been detected. See
“Utility
Interruption of Charging” or“Charge
Cord Status Indicators” later in this
section.
This chart indicates vehicle
feedback when the charge cord is
plugged in.

Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-53
Charging StatusIndicator Sound Action/Reason
Solid Green One horn chirp Charging has begun.
Long Flashing Green Two horn chirps Charging is delayed by Programmable
Charging or, if vehicle is equipped
accordingly, by a total utility interruption via
OnStar. Charging will begin later. See
Utility
Interruption of Charging on page 9‑58.
Short Flashing Green None Charging is complete.
Yellow (Upon Plug‐in) None Charge cord is okay and vehicle is not yet
charging.
Yellow (For Extended
Time Period after
Plug‐in) None Charge cord is okay, but vehicle is not
charging. This may be due to a total utility
interruption via Onstar and charging will
begin later. See
Utility Interruption of
Charging on page 9‑58 orMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑19.
Solid Green or Long
Flashing Green Four horn chirps Insufficient time to fully charge by
departure time.
None (Upon Plug‐in) None Charge cord connection should be checked.

Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-54 Driving and Operating
Charging StatusIndicator Sound Action/Reason
None (After Green or
Yellow CSI Indication
Observed) None Charge cord connection should be checked.
If connection is good, this may be due to a
total utility interruption via OnStar and
charging will begin later. See
Utility
Interruption of Charging on page 9‑58 or
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 5‑19.
None Repeated horn chirps
To disable this feature, see
“Charge Power
Loss Alert” inVehicle Personalization on
page 5‑56.
To stop this alert, do one of the following:
.Unplug the charge cord.
.PressKon the RKE.
.Press and hold7on the RKE, then
press again to stop the panic alarm.
.Press the horn pad. Electricity was interrupted before charging
was complete.

Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-55
Charge Cord
SeeRadio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑17 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
A. Charge Level Button
B. Charge Level Indicators
C. Charge Cord Status Indicators
D. Vehicle Plug
E. Wall Plug A portable charge cord used to
charge the vehicle high voltage
battery is stored under the rear
luggage compartment.
{WARNING
There is a risk of electric shock
that may cause personal injury or
death. Do not use the charge
cord if any part of the charge cord
is damaged. Do not open or
remove the charge cord cover.
Service by qualified personnel
only. Connect the charge cord to
a properly grounded outlet with
cords that are not damaged.
The charge cord used to charge the
vehicle is a high‐powered electrical
device. During normal operation, the
AC wall plug of the charge cord may
feel warm. The AC wall plug must fit
tightly into an AC outlet that is in
good condition.
{WARNING
Using the charge cord with a
worn or damaged AC outlet may
cause burns or start a fire.
Periodically, check the AC wall
plug and charge cord while the
vehicle is charging. If the AC wall
plug feels hot, unplug the charge
cord and have the AC outlet
replaced by a qualified electrician.
Replace the charge cord if the AC
wall plug or cord are damaged.
Do not use an AC outlet that is
worn or damaged.

Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-56 Driving and Operating
{WARNING
An extension cord should not be
used to charge the vehicle. Use
of an extension cord may
increase the risk of electric shock
or other hazards.
If an extension cord is used
because of limited access to
120V AC power, use the following
safeguards:
The 120V AC outlet should be
GFCI protected.
The extension cord should be:
.GFCI protected.
.12 or 14 gage, 3 conductor.
.Rated for outdoor.
{WARNING
Multi‐outlet power strips, surge
protectors, or similar devices
could increase the risk of
electrical shock or other hazards.
Do not use these types of devices
with the charge cord.
Charge Cord Status Indicators
The charge cord status indicators
illuminate green or flashing red to
identify the charge cord status.
When both indicators are green, the
vehicle can be charged. If any
indicators are flashing red, the
charge cord will not permit vehicle
charging.
A flashing red AC PRESENT (A)
indicates the AC voltage is out of
range.
Flashing red AC PRESENT (A) and
FAULT (B) indicate the AC outlet
does not have a proper safety
ground. Charging is not permitted
for safety reasons. The AC outlet
must be repaired or another outlet
source should be used.
A flashing red FAULT (B) indicates a
charge cord fault. The charge cord
will attempt to reset automatically.
If the flashing red FAULT (B)
continues for more than
30 seconds, unplug the charge cord
from the wall to reset. If the fault
remains, see your dealer for
service.