
Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-31
License Plate Lamp
Lamp Assembly
Bulb Assembly1. Bulb Socket
2. Bulb
3. Lamp Assembly
To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Push the left end of the lamp
assembly toward the right.
2. Turn the lamp assembly down to remove it.
3. Turn the bulb socket (1) counterclockwise to remove it
from the lamp assembly (3).
4. Pull the bulb (2) straight out of the bulb socket (1).
5. Push the replacement bulb straight into the bulb socket and
turn the bulb socket clockwise to
install it into the lamp assembly.
6. Turn the lamp assembly into the lamp assembly opening
engaging the clip side first.
7. Push on the lamp side opposite the clip until the lamp assembly
snaps into place.
Replacement Bulbs
Exterior Lamp Bulb
Number
Back-Up Lamp 921
Front Fog Lamp H8
Front Parking/Turn
Signal Lamp 7444NA
High-Beam
Headlamp 9005LL
License Plate Lamp W5W LL
Low-Beam
Headlamp H11
Rear
Sidemarker Lamp 194LL
Rear Turn
Signal Lamp 4157NAK
Stop Lamp/Taillamp 7444LL
For replacement bulbs not listed
here, contact your dealer.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
10-32 Vehicle Care
Electrical System
Electrical System
Overload
The vehicle has fuses and circuit
breakers to protect against an
electrical system overload.
When the current electrical load is
too heavy, the circuit breaker opens
and closes, protecting the circuit
until the current load returns to
normal or the problem is fixed. This
greatly reduces the chance of circuit
overload and fire caused by
electrical problems.
Fuses and circuit breakers protect
power devices in the vehicle.
Replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size and rating.
If there is a problem on the road and
a fuse needs to be replaced, the
same amperage fuse can be
borrowed. Choose some feature of
the vehicle that is not needed to use
and replace it as soon as possible.
Headlamp Wiring
An electrical overload may cause
the lamps to go on and off, or in
some cases to remain off. Have the
headlamp wiring checked right away
if the lamps go on and off or
remain off.
Windshield Wipers
If the wiper motor overheats due to
heavy snow or ice, the windshield
wipers will stop until the motor cools
and will then restart.
Although the circuit is protected
from electrical overload, overload
due to heavy snow or ice may
cause wiper linkage damage.
Always clear ice and heavy snow
from the windshield before using the
windshield wipers.
If the overload is caused by an
electrical problem and not snow or
ice, be sure to get it fixed.
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are
protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses, circuit
breakers, and fusible thermal links.
This greatly reduces the chance of
fires caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band
inside the fuse. If the band is broken
or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure
you replace a bad fuse with a new
one of the identical size and rating.
Fuses of the same amperage can
be temporarily borrowed from
another fuse location, if a fuse goes
out. Replace the fuse as soon as
you can.

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-37
J-CaseFuses Usage
2 Antilock Brake System Pump
3 Blower
4 Run/Crank IEC
6 Cooling Fan K4
7 Cooling Fan K5
8 SAI Pump*
9 EVP
10 Start
Micro
Relays Usage
RLY 1 Front Wiper Control
RLY 3 Front Wiper Speed
HC-Micro Relays Usage
RLY 7 Auxiliary Water Pump Power* HC-Micro
Relays Usage
RLY 12 Start
U-Micro Relays Usage
RLY 6 Not Used/SAI Valve*
RLY 8 Fuel Pump*
RLY 13 Air Conditioning Compressor Clutch
RLY 14 High-Beam Headlamps
Mini Relays Usage RLY 4 Rear Defogger
RLY 5 Run/Crank
RLY 9 SAI Pump*
RLY 10 Cooling Fan K3
RLY 11 P/T
RLY 15 Cooling Fan K1 * = If equipped
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block
The instrument panel fuse block is
on the underside of the driver side
instrument panel.
Notice:
Spilling liquid on any
electrical component on the
vehicle may damage it. Always
keep the covers on any electrical
component.

Black plate (58,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
10-58 Vehicle Care
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 smoothroad, 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.
Replace wheels, wheel bolts, wheel
nuts, or Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) sensors with new
GM original equipment parts.
{WARNING
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
the vehicle. Tires can lose air,
and cause loss of control, causing
a crash. Always use the correct
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for replacement.
Notice: The wrong wheel can
also cause problems with bearing
life, brake cooling, speedometer
or odometer calibration,
headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance, and tire
or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
11-10 Service and Maintenance
Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should
be regularly inspected to ensure
that there are no cracks or leaks.
With a multi-point inspection, your
dealer can inspect the hoses and
advise if replacement is needed.
Lamps
Properly working headlamps,
taillamps, and brake lamps are
important to see and be seen on
the road.
.Signs that the headlamps need
attention include dimming, failure
to light, cracking, or damage.
The brake lamps need to be
checked periodically to ensure
that they light when braking.
.With a multi-point inspection,
your dealer can check the lamps
and note any concerns.Shocks and Struts
Shocks and struts help aid in control
for a smoother ride.
.Signs of wear may include
steering wheel vibration, bounce/
sway while braking, longer
stopping distance, or uneven
tire wear.
.As part of the multi-point
inspection, trained dealer
technicians can visually inspect
the shocks and struts for signs
of leaking, blown seals,
or damage, and can advise
when service is needed.
Tires
Tires need to be properly inflated,
rotated, and balanced. Maintaining
the tires can save money, fuel, and
can reduce the risk of tire failure.
.Signs that the tires need to be
replaced include three or more
visible treadwear indicators; cord
or fabric showing through the rubber; cracks or cuts in the
tread or sidewall; or a bulge or
split in the tire.
.Trained dealer technicians can
inspect and recommend the right
tires. Your dealer can also
provide tire/wheel balancing
services to ensure smooth
vehicle operation at all speeds.
Your dealer sells and services
name brand tires.
Vehicle Care
To help keep the vehicle looking like
new, vehicle care products are
available from your dealer. For
information on how to clean and
protect the vehicle’s interior and
exterior, see Interior Care on
page 10‑83 andExterior Care on
page 10‑80.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Additional Information
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-13
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22 Airbag System (cont'd)
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-19
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-11
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Antenna Multi-band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83 Armrest
Front Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Audio Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-25
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Audio System Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
i-2 INDEX
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-26
Blind Spot Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . 7-26, 7-28, 7-37
Bluetooth Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-25
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-15
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31 Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29, 6-4
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-31
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and
Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
California
Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7 Cargo
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Cautions, Danger, and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Central Locking System . . . . . . . . 2-7
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-12
Check Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-25
Child Restraints Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43, 3-45
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
INDEX i-5
G
GasolineSpecifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Gauges Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Warning Lights andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . 11-1
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Hands-Free Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 6-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 Headlamps
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Daytime Running Lamps
(DRL) Indicator Light . . . . . . . . 5-21
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Heater Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Heating and Air Conditioning . . . 8-1
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 9-6
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4 Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74