2013 CHEVROLET SONIC Owners Manual

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-21
WARNING (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
.Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
.Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑18 and
Engine Exhaust on page 9‑20. If the
vehicle has a manual transmission,
see Parking on page 9‑20.
Automatic
Transmission
P (Park): This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
9-22 Driving and Operating
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑18.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has a shift lock control.
You must fully apply the brake pedal
then press the shift lever button
before you can shift from P (Park)
while the ignition key is in ON/RUN.
If you cannot shift out of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift lever and
push the shift lever all the way into
P (Park) as you maintain brake
application. Then move the shift
lever into another gear. See
Shifting
out of Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑19.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑8.
N (Neutral): In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-23
D (Drive):This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
M (Manual Mode): This position,
allows you to change gears similar
to a manual transmission. If the
vehicle has this feature, see
“Manual Mode” following.
Manual Mode
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever from
D (Drive) rearward to
M (Manual Mode).
While driving in manual mode,
the transmission will remain in
the driver selected gear. When
coming to a stop in the manual position, the vehicle will
automatically shift into
1 (First) gear.
2. Press the + (plus) end of the
button on the side of the shift
lever to upshift, or push the −
(minus) end of the button to
downshift.
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
in the instrument cluster will change
from the currently displayed
message to the letter “M,”for
Manual position, and a number
indicating the requested gear. While using manual mode, the
transmission will have firmer shifting
and sportier performance. You can
use this for sport driving or when
climbing hills to stay in gear longer
or to downshift for more power or
engine braking.
The transmission will only allow you
to shift into gears appropriate for the
vehicle speed and engine
revolutions per minute (rpm):
.The transmission will not
automatically shift to the next
higher gear if the vehicle speed
or engine rpm is too low.
.The transmission will not allow
shifting to the next lower gear if
the vehicle speed or engine rpm
is too high.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
9-24 Driving and Operating
Manual Transmission
The vehicle may be equipped with a
five‐speed or six‐speed manual
transmission.
Notice:Shifting the vehicle
initially into any gear other than
1 (First) or R (Reverse) can
damage the clutch. Shift the
manual transmission in the
proper sequence, and time the
gear shifting with the accelerator
to avoid revving the engine and
damaging the clutch. 1 (First):
Press the clutch pedal
and shift into 1 (First). Then, slowly
let up on the clutch pedal as you
press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into 1 (First) when
going less than 32 km/h (20 mph).
If you have come to a complete stop
and it is hard to shift into 1 (First),
put the shift lever in Neutral and let
up on the clutch. Press the clutch
pedal back down. Then shift into
1 (First).
2 (Second): Press the clutch pedal
as you let up on the accelerator
pedal and shift into 2 (Second).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator
pedal.
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth), and
6 (Sixth): Shift into 3 (Third),
4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth), and 6 (Sixth) (if
equipped) the same way as for
2 (Second). Slowly let up on the
clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal. To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral.
Neutral:
Use this position when
you start or idle the engine.
R (Reverse): To back up, press
down the clutch pedal, lift up the
ring on the shift lever, and shift into
R (Reverse). Let up on the clutch
pedal slowly while pressing the
accelerator pedal.

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-25
Notice:Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
Shift Speeds
{WARNING
If you skip a gear when you
downshift, you could lose control
of the vehicle. You could injure
yourself or others. Do not shift
down more than one gear at a
time when you downshift.
Up‐Shift Light
Vehicles equipped with a manual
transmission may have an up-shift
light. This light indicates when to
shift to the next higher gear for
better fuel economy.
For the best fuel economy,
accelerate slowly and shift when the
light comes on, and if the weather,
road, and traffic conditions allow.
It is normal for the light to go on and
off if the accelerator position
changes quickly. Ignore the light
during downshifts.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑16.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
9-26 Driving and Operating
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehiclesuddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the
brake pedal down and pull up on the
parking brake lever. If the ignition is
on, the brake system warning light
will come on. See
Brake System
Warning Light on page 5‑15.
To release the parking brake, hold
the brake pedal down. Pull the
parking brake lever up until you can
press the release button. Hold the
release button in as you move the
brake lever all the way down.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-27
Notice:Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates. Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.Hill Start Assist (HSA)
This vehicle has a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature, which may be useful
when the vehicle is stopped on a
grade. This feature is designed to
prevent the vehicle from rolling,
either forward or rearward, during
vehicle drive off. After the driver
completely stops and holds the
vehicle in a complete standstill on a
grade, HSA will be automatically
activated. During the transition
period between when the driver
releases the brake pedal and starts
to accelerate to drive off on a grade,HSA holds the braking pressure to
ensure that there is no rolling. The
brakes will automatically release
when the accelerator pedal is
applied within the two-second
window. It will not activate if the
vehicle is in a drive gear and facing
downhill, or if the vehicle is facing
uphill and in R (Reverse).

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
9-28 Driving and Operating
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) that limits wheel spin.
On a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the
system operates if it senses that
one or both of the front wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, the
system brakes the spinning
wheel(s), and/or reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working, but this is
normal.
TCS is on whenever the vehicle is
started. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road
conditions, the system should
always be left on. But, TCS can be
turned off if needed.TCS/StabiliTrak Light
dflashes to indicate that the
traction control system is active.
If there is a problem detected with
TCS, a message may be displayed
on the Driver Information Center
(DIC). See Vehicle Messages on
page 5‑25. When this message is
displayed and
dcomes on and
stays on, the vehicle is safe to drive
but the system is not operational.
Driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on, reset
the system:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine. If
dstill comes on and stays on at a
speed above 20 km/h (13 mph), see
your dealer for service.
A chime may also sound when the
light comes on steady.
Notice: Do not repeatedly brake
or accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle's driveline could
be damaged.