Chevy Volt 1st gen 2011-2015 - Electronics , Battery and ICE Coolant Drain and Fill Procedure

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Other Chevy Volt instructions:
Park outside and have homelink? Have it powered by Aux and not battery to help impede thieves, doc on howto is linked in the video description showing it operating.
• Chevy Volt gen 1 Garag...
-Thanks to Nick and Brian at FB Chevy Volt DIY repair and modding group
-Please be safe for yourself and others with COVID at this time.
-Estimated time between 2.5 and 4.5 Hours with Right Equipment
DISCLAIMER: Follow at your Own Risk. I am not responsible for your actions.
DANGER: Coolant is poison and tastes sweet - Clean spills and keep away from children/animals
DANGER: Hot coolant may scald - do not work on hot system
DANGER: Jacked vehicle can fall and crush - properly secure vehicle when raised
DANGER: High Voltage can Kill - Follow best safety practices and use proper PPE
WARNING: Air Pockets in loops may cause failure - Use proper tools & procedure to preclude this
WARNING: Coolant cannot contain ions in Battery/Electronics loop - Use proper premix or DI (Not Distilled Water)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:30 DANGERS/WARNINGS/DISCLAIMER
1:08 Introduction
5:18 Tools and Materials List
10:23 Electronics/Drive Coolant Loop
#1.1 10:33 Jack up left side/Remove Tire
#1.2 15:06 Remove Liner
#1.3 20:13 Disconnect and Drain
#1.4 26:08 Reconnect Hose and Well Cover
#1.5 29:31 Vacuum Fill
34:35 Battery Coolant Loop
#2.1 34:44 Jack/Remove Well Liner/Drain Batt Radiator
#2.2 39:23 Drain Rear & Tilt Vehicle
#2.3 44:45 Replace Battery Coolant Connectors
#2.4 45:47 Battery Vacuum Fill
55:22 ICE Coolant Loop
#3.1 55:32 Drain Pump and Thermostat (Radiator)
#3.2 1:00:43 Drain Radiator Bottom with Transfer Pump
#3.3 1:07:36 Vac and Fill
#3.4 1:13:14 Run Engine and Pumps
PARTS LIST
3 Gallons of ACDelco 50/50 Coolant 10-5027 (12378390), buy mine! offerup.co/9mMdN7zQndb
Coolant Collection Container
Floor Jack/Jack Stand/Wheel Chocks
19 mm Socket/Torque & Lug Wrench (tires 95 nm spec)
Vacuum Purge and Refill Kit
Shop Air Supply for Purge Kit
Splicing Tape to Improve Vacuum Seal
Hose Clamp Wrench
T-15 and T-30 Torx Drivers
7,8 and 10 mm (deep) socket wrenches
Flathead screwdriver
Needle nose pliers
Plastic Pry Tool
Multi Use Transfer Pump (or Vacuum pump)
GDS2 Interface (such as VCX Nano)
AGM Battery Tender/Maintainer
Safety Glasses, Barrier Gloves & PPE
Shop Towels, Absorbent (Kitty Litter) and Cleaner (GOOP)
Flashlight
Magnetic Dish
NOTES/ERRORS:
Section Reserved for information or errors in video.

[@mjcambron]

I appreciate this video. It convinced me to let my dealer do this service...

[@PhuPhillipTrinh]

How much did he charge you? How long till the next service?

[@TheNWSummer]

I think I'll take it to dealer also --- and let my mechanic do the other work I need on it, and spare him the Volt triple-coolant mega-adventure!

[@redx11x]

Great video. Very informative and detailed. I will try this procedure next month and let you know how it went.

[@omandave01]

THIS!! THANKS for the instructional video! And oh yeah... I am up in the Skagit Valley...

[@ChuckMorton]

Check out "Chevy Volt DIY repair and modding group" if you are on FB

[@TheYonderGod]

Thanks for helping me refill after replacing my radiator 👍

[@ChuckMorton]

glad to help!

[@charlestarling4]

Thank god for KZbinrs who take the time to show this. Great video Mr. Morton! I bought the VCX Nano because of this video. I have a 2012 Volt from new, in South Florida. Battery was replaced under warrantee after six years or so as it failed. Just had a coolant leak when charging and suspect the battery coolant pump may have failed as I don't hear it cycle on when charging but I have no error code. I am hoping the Nano with let me check the pump function. In case anybody else was thinking of getting the VCX Nano after watching this great instruction video: VCX Nano I bought is working on Windows 10. It came with a USB stick to install the software. I have an older laptop I don't use that I put it on just in case of software issues. I updated the firmware via USB cable to the Nano.

[@GrandPrix46]

Did you find where your leak was coming from? I have a 2013 and noticed coolant leaking the other day, steady drip from the front drivers side and battery coolant level is what's dropping. I haven't pulled everything apart yet to track down the leak, not sure why it would be dripping from the engine radiator when it's the battery coolant that's leaking. I suppose it could be running back from the auxiliary rad in front, hate that everything is so cramped, makes it very difficult to trace a leak.

[@charlestarling4]

@@GrandPrix46 I found that I was wrong about the leak being from the Volt. I am lucky enough to own two cars. My other (none electric) car I found has a coolant leak which also uses an orange colored coolant that looks identical to the Volt. I had moved the car out of the garage and parked the Volt in without realizing coolant was already on the ground. I think the Volt coolant pump was not running by chance because the temprature did not require it to run. Battery coolant resivour was low making me think it was the Volt. I topped it up and checked everything and thankfully no leak. I wish you luck finding a fix with your issue.

[@o.e.r.3287]

When going to the Auxiliary Coolant Pump step, this is under the Module Diagnostics> HVAC Control Module > Misc Test Took me a bit to find that one, since it's not under the section used earlier. Also, a crazy thing I found accidentally. When the car charger is plugged in, it also charges the 12V battery. Brings the 12V line up to 13-14V as can be seen in the bottom right corner of GDS2.

[@pomboelectrico]

thank you for the trouble of filming this procedure!

[@ChuckMorton]

sorry im a bad cameraman lol

[@Ryvo]

I was noticing that my fluids in the front are slowly draining, especially when driven in mountain mode. I am worried about bubbles in the coolant and don't want to attempt this but I also don't want to pay killer dealer fees. Thanks for the video.

[@abrahamrhys6269]

you all probably dont give a damn but does anyone know of a way to get back into an instagram account?? I stupidly forgot my account password. I appreciate any help you can offer me

[@madduxelian4413]

@Abraham Rhys Instablaster :)

[@abrahamrhys6269]

@Maddux Elian thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm in the hacking process atm. Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@jonfair9003]

other than commanding pumps you could fill and then add vacuum to the system. vacuum will pull air threw fluids... a drain fill and vacuum could save a butt load of time.

[@ChuckMorton]

Normally that works well in most ICE coolant loops where the only valve is the thermal valve (allows the engine to heat up before cooling with the radiator). The Volt's coolant system have several valves and will result in descent air pockets in the Battery Loop as well as small ones in the engine loop. In the video, I never broke the vacuum seal during the battery drain and fill and the purge routine moved about a quart of air at STP. Not a perfect vacuum at that point nothing is lost since its still significant negative pressure and the Venturi valve removed these so that vacuum was maintained when adding the additional coolant.

[@pollorey]

Does that VCX Nano work on Win 10? Do you need anything more that buying it on Amazon, no subscription for these steps? Thanks for all this!

[@ChuckMorton]

using a win7 comp and no issues. You do not need acdelco subs. Subs only for updating modules.

[@jser4822]

When your running the auxiliary pump for a minute, how are you running the engine? Are you using the software to run it? Thanks

[@ChuckMorton]

I was trying to figure it out in software (and could not). I ran it by having the hood latch open.

[@redx11x]

Hi, to drain the battery loop fluid, can you do it by disconnecting the pipes to the Inverter?

[@ChuckMorton]

Hi, I think the inverter is the electronic loop and not the battery loop. I disconnected at the battery intake (under the car center in video) for most the fluid and at the front passenger side.

[@redx11x]

@@ChuckMorton i bought a Chevy which had a small hit from the side and this damaged the Inverter. I bought a new one. Ive driven this for years with no issues, car has run fine, but the engine management light is on and the ac does not work. I thought this was linked to the battery. Any suggestions which loop this is related to would help. Thank you

[@ChuckMorton]

@@redx11x pretty sure its the electronic loop that cools the ibgt (power transistor) in the inverter. The AC is used to cool the Battery coolant. There is both heat and cooling to keep the battery from degrading. If your AC isn't working, it sounds like something in your compressor failed and its likely the car knows it cannot cool the battery loop. The FB group would be where i would ask "Chevy Volt DIY repair and Modding". best of luck.

[@redx11x]

@@ChuckMorton really appreciate your response. What i will do is check to see the error codes that are coming up and ask on that board. I did read a few years back that it was related to coolant leak and not being refilled. There was very very light damage to the side, the bumper and a bent pipe on the Inverter which i had repaired. No damage to the area where the ac compressor was.

[@ChuckMorton]

@jon fair For the ICE (probably) and Electronic (def), you could do that, but in the Battery loop has valves that preclude a solid vacuum of the entire system. Worst case you end up with the the service high voltage flag and best case you have air pockets that will impede proper thermal management, and shorten cell life. I added this because I saw my original commit deleted. I also saw the deleted comment "If you don't know how to work a floor jack please don't work on a volt" if there is something I did unsafe please call it out, we can all improve. I assume its words of wisdom otherwise, as a crush will kill you. REPLY MANAGE ALL COMMENTS

[@billshort3363]

Do you really like the VCX nano - I can not get it to work on my laptops

[@ChuckMorton]

It's ok, there are better options out there. It won't connect to do the passenger sensor alignment

[@redsealjourneymanreviews6647]

Im thinking just sucking out the storage tanks and refill just to recondition the fluid. I don;t want to drain everyhting. it looks like brand new, but 7 years old. please advise. I do this with brake fluid all the time

[@ChuckMorton]

If the tank is circulated with the system, I do not see this being a problem to do this several times on a schedule to keep the average fluid age down. I do not know if the reservoir is circulating or just used as a thermal expansion overflow. The traditional ice engines, the heat causes the alcohol and chemicals to sometimes form acidic compounds and why flushing those systems is important. Recent formulas have made less the need for flushing and just draining but I am not an expert in this. The shop manual says to drain but no flushing so I don't think it's an issue with the fluid that GM chose to use. This still doesn't quite answer if it's circulated or not. I know one of the main reasons the battery fluid is to be changed is because impurities can cause a drop of impedance (hence the requirement for DI water and premix is probably the answer), there are tools that are used to measure the resistance of the fluid and you might be able to see it change over time (it's also measured by a high voltage system sensor, will throw an error it too low). Brake fluid is a tricky thing, because brick fluid lowers is boiling point as it absorbs more water. This and corrosion of the main reasons why it gets changed and the fluid gets the worst on the calipers because they can absorb water from the surrounding environment more there than in the master cylinder. Unless there is some active type of circulation all the way to the drums or calipers, the fluid could have a dangerously low boiling point. Something he wouldn't realize until going down steep grade or other event that causes you to warm your brakes.

[@redsealjourneymanreviews6647]

@@ChuckMorton its pressureized so I don't want to open the lid

[@ChuckMorton]

@@redsealjourneymanreviews6647 oh yeah, it's pressurized in the ice system to raise the boiling point a few degrees but probably not much higher in the two other loops. The expansion in the ice overflow will cycle some of the fluid, but I think expansion in the other two loops are minimal (and would reduce coolant exchange). The interface with the tank and the like may have been designed to have some fluid bypass and exchange with the reservoir fluid, but I don't think it is designed that way.

[@redsealjourneymanreviews6647]

@@ChuckMorton the lid on the battery coolant system has a stop on it to prevent you from removing cap as it is under vaccuum. so probably take to dealer for that.

[@ChuckMorton]

@@redsealjourneymanreviews6647 it's actually not under pressure when off. They added that to stop people from adding fluid without deionized water. Distilled water doesn't mean it's deionized also. The distilled water that you get in the stores means it doesn't have particulates dissolved in it, but it still contains ions. DI water is usually found in chemistry buildings and for special industrial purposes. That is why I used the premix in mine. There is a bunch of tsb's about raising the level of the battery loop, since it was throwing codes for some people.

[@JasonLin1]

what service manual do you have? where can I buy it?

[@ChuckMorton]

I used an Ampra 2012 shop man and some TSBs

[@JasonLin1]

@@ChuckMorton are you Raytheon engineer?

[@ChuckMorton]

@@JasonLin1 not for Ray.

[@JasonLin1]

@@ChuckMorton Would you be able to share the service manual? [e-mail] (your shirt says Standard Missile). Can 2012 Volt be modify to have EV hold function? when do you use EV hold?

[@AZsmoothrider]

You must be an engineer or an engineering student...?

[@MoskowGoAwayFromUa]

Mmm, I expected it to be easier.

[@kennferro4486]

Way to much talk, If the view doesn’t know how to do basic like make bucket out of garbage bag then they should be under a car this how video should’ve 20 min max.

[@ChuckMorton]

It looks like you wrote this while having a stroke, hope you are ok.