2012 CHEVROLET SONIC wheel alignment

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
10-2 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-40
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56 Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-73
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:

Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-51
Any time unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as soon
as possible and check the wheel
alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See
When It Is Time for New Tires
on page 10‑52andWheel
Replacement on page 10‑56.
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires.
Do not include the compact
spare tire in the tire rotation. Adjust the front and rear tires to
the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label after
the tires have been rotated. See
Tire Pressure on page 10‑45
and
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑11.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10‑47.
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.

Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
10-56 Vehicle Care
Temperature–A, B, C
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can
lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level
of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and
A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels were aligned
and balanced at the factory to
provide the longest tire life and best
overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing
will not be necessary on a regular
basis. However, check the
alignment if there is unusual tire
wear or if the vehicle is pulling to
one side or the other. If the vehicle
vibrates when driving on a smooth
road, the tires and wheels might
need to be rebalanced. See your
dealer for proper diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent,
cracked, or badly rusted or
corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming
loose, the wheel, wheel bolts, and
wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it.
Some aluminum wheels can be
repaired. See your dealer if any of
these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of
wheel that is needed.
Each new wheel should have the
same load-carrying capacity,
diameter, width, offset, and be
mounted the same way as the
one it replaces.

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
11-12 Service and Maintenance
Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignment is critical for
ensuring that the tires deliver
optimal wear and performance.
.Signs that the alignment may
need to be adjusted include
pulling, improper vehicle
handling, or unusual tire wear.
.Your dealer has the required
equipment to ensure proper
wheel alignment.Windshield
For safety, appearance, and the
best viewing, keep the windshield
clean and clear.
.Signs of damage include
scratches, cracks, and chips.
.Trained dealer technicians can
inspect the windshield and
recommend proper replacement
if needed.
Wiper Blades
Wiper blades need to be cleaned
and kept in good condition to
provide a clear view.
.Signs of wear include streaking,
skipping across the windshield,
and worn or split rubber.
.Trained dealer technicians can
check the wiper blades and
replace them when needed.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-11
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
TaillampsBulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-4
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . 2-11 Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Tires Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-47
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-46
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Sealant andCompressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Sealant and Compressor Kit, Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40 Tires (cont'd)
Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-56
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Towing General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-77
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . 9-29
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Fluid, Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 Turn and Lane-Change
Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Turn Signal Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
U
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
V
Vehicle
Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
IdentificationNumber (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Service Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
i-12 INDEX
Vehicle CareStoring the Tire Sealant
and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . 10-67
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Vehicle Identification Service Parts IdentificationLabel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16W
Warning Brake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Cautions and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Wheels Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56 When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . 3-39
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14 Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Windshield
Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 10-27
Wipers
Rear Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4