What was the temperature outside?

 

It would be helpful if you had posted your location. I'm guessing it was COLDER than 35 degrees and the car entered the Engine Running Due To Temperature aka ERDTT mode to generate extra heat from the ICE to help heat the cabin.

When the car enters that mode a message pops up in the DIC announcing that, but it only stays on for a few seconds.

I doubt there is anything wrong with your Volt. And BTW this is detailed in the Owners Manual.

 

The dealer might be right about the engine coming on after 6 weeks of not being used. Is that consistent with your usage pattern? Usually it comes on and runs for several minutes to fully warm up. If you shut the car down before it finishes, then it will try again on your next drive. This is referred to as "engine maintenance mode." It will give you a brief message on the display panel, but it is easy to miss. My car has never done that because I run the engine for other reasons, so I am not familiar with the finer details, but that is my general understanding. If your drive is too short to let it complete, you can leave the car on while parked to let it finish.

By the way, if it is running for either of the reasons suggested, it has nothing to do with charging the battery, so how much charge you have does not matter. It may run at any charge level.

 

If the car did not come with a manual you can download it from the the link below.

https://my.chevrolet.com/content/da.../gmna/dynamic/manuals/2018/Chevrolet/Volt/2018-chevrolet-volt-owners-manual.pdf

 

Whatever the reason, there is likely to be a message on the Driver Information Center screen in front of you (the one showing speed and energy levels). The picture you posted is not large enough to see whether or not there is a message there. The next time the engine comes on, look for it. Before then, read the manual (focus on the Maintenance Modes section).

In decreasing order of likelihood, ask yourself:
Do you park in a warm garage? If so, BAZINGA's probably right-- it took a mile or two for the external temperature sensor to get down to the point where ERDTT kicks in.

Have you used gas for more than 5-10 minutes lately? If not, then my money's with Barry, and you're in EMM. While it runs, there should be a message on the DIC showing what percentage of completion you've reached.

Have you filled the gas tank since you purchased it? If not, then maybe the car's been sitting with a full tank since it reached the dealer, and you're now in Fuel Maintenance Mode. Again, there will be a message.

Have you opened the hood recently? If so, maybe it's not fully latched, and the car senses that it's open. Once again, read the manual (Forced Engine On)

 

Pay careful attention to all the displays when the car first starts and it should tell you the reason.

Here's a few reasons the car will force the gas engine to run:
1. You run out of usable battery. Not your issue, the battery has almost full juice in your photograph.
2. Engine Maintenance Mode. (EMM) Warning is on the infotainment panel on 2018. Happens when you run w/o engine for 6 weeks. Car needs to make sure your engine is working and lubricated. Engines have problems if they don't run for a long periods. Car needs 15ish minutes of the ICE running continually to warm it up and such. Incomplete EMM means it tries again.
3. Fuel Maintenance Mode (FMM). Warning is also on infotainment panel. Average age of all fuel in tank is >1 year old. Car wants to burn it all so the fuel doesn't go stale.
4. Engine Running Due to Temperature (ERDTT). Warning is on the dashboard. Its because temperature is below freezing. GM thought it was a good idea to use combustion energy to warm the cabin so you, the customer, wouldn't complain how much battery can be wasted running a big space heater to heat the cabin when its really cold out. That space heater can murder your range. Engine will run for a bit till it gets to ~140F-150F coolant temp, then stop until ~120F, then turn on again. All of this is strictly to heat the cabin, rather than use battery to heat. Why? Again, GM thought too many people would complain about having a 25mi range when it was 0F outside.

I'm betting, given February, that its too cold. I can't read the temperature in the upper left of your infotainment panel, however.

EDIT/ADDITION:
The temperature running is also deceptive when you leave home if you've got a fully attached garage, especially one that's really surrounded by living area. The garage can 10, 20, or more degrees warmer than outside. It takes the car a minute or two for the temperature sensor to finally cool down enough to ERDTT temp.

 

If it is ERDTT, and it bothers you, you can change the setting so it comes on only at a much colder temperature.

 

I thought the ERDTT came on to keep the battery warm and it would be detrimental to the battery if it did not come on. If that is not the case, how do you lower the setting so I comes on at colder temps? Wat would be the advantage of it coming on at warmer temps?

Thanks, Dale
new 2018 owner

 

So, I called OnStar and they connected me with a local GM service department. He tried to trouble shoot it and the best he could come up with was at 6 weeks if you haven't used the ICE very much it comes on and runs automatically just to ensure that it gets run.

Also, I am not certain the dealership really knows how to work on the Volt or even trouble shoot so I thought I would come here and get your thoughts.

It's challenging to find people in these roles that know anything about the Volt. I'm surprised you didn't get an experience during the sale that would have brought you to that early conclusion.

Some of this is due to ignorance, some of it is lack of training, some of it is lack of support from GM and the dealers, and some of it is because the Volt typically needs little service and doesn't "go back home" like other cars.

There a hundred different situations (many not covered in this thread) where the generator is going to turn on and that's all covered in the Owners Manual. This vehicle has more computer and robot in it than "car", so it's not a very practical car to buy-and-drive without reading the manual cover-to-cover. There are a lot of Volt-unique gems, details, and oddities in there. (Like the guess-o-meter on the dash.)

 

If you precondition your car in cold weather and it is in an enclosed area. There is a setting to prevent the ICE from coming on.

 

Only if the Volt is plugged in. You can set Engine Assist Heat to be Deferred (won't start the ICE until temp drops to 15F (until -14F in 2019 Volt) You can set Engine Assist Heat (when) Plugged In to be On or Off. Off setting will not allow the ICE to start during preconditioning if the Volt is plugged in.

 

Thank-you jcanoe, I've changed the settings but have yet to see any results. The car is garaged (50F) in the winter, air temp this am was 10F (VT) so the ICE came on. Sounds like with the setting set to "deferred" it will only come on if the air temp is lower than 15F vs 32F. Should be 18F for my ride home tonight, so that will be the test. Thanks again!

Dale

 

I would say that in cold weather it is especially important to not let your fuel tank get near empty. Sounds like you might be dead in the water if your engine is running in ERDTT and you suddenly run out of gas?

 

So let's say you are parking your car at the airport unplugged for 2 weeks and the temperatures remain at or near freezing. Is the car going to be dead when you get back and try to leave.? I am potentially going to be faced with this scenario in about a week. I will use hold mode prior to arriving at the airport so that hopefully the battery will be near as possible to fully charged. This will be in Seattle and I really have no way of knowing exactly how low the temp will get, but at the moment we are pretty "deep" into winter with heavy snow and temps near freezing.

 

Your Volt will be fine. Your 12V AGM battery, the one under the hatch floor that boots up the Volt's computer systems, should be able to maintain a charge for up to 4 weeks or 30 days and be able to boot up the systems needed turn on the Volt when you return. If you are concerned about the 12V battery, pick up a lithium battery jump starter pack (approx $50 or less) and that can boot up the Volt's systems if your 12V is discharged. Become familiar with how to use the key fob emergency key to open the driver's door so you can open the Volt's hood and attach the leads from the jump starter pack to to the Volt's (+) and (- or ground) jump start terminals located near the fire wall on the driver's side. Since your Volt's lithium traction battery is never really full and never really fully depleted it does not really matter but personally I would leave for the trip with the Volt's lithium battery at 50% state of charge.

 

Thanks for that advice. I will probably rely on that 1 1/2 year old AGM to get me inside and going. Hope to heck I don't have to use that funky mechanical key. Neither I or my salesman could get it to work when I picked up the car brand new. He had to call out a tech to show us how it worked...and even he had to fumble around with it. Can't imagine what that's going to be like if it is freezing out and possibly even dark outside. Fingers crossed !

 

Opening, starting a 2016 (Gen 2) Volt with a dead key fob battery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9K3mjXbE-Q&feature=youtu.be&t=44s