Page 258 of 382

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
10-24 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Storage
{WARNING
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 10‑74 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
Starter Switch Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
See Parking Brake on
page 9‑26.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts. 3. For automatic transmission
vehicles, try to start the engine
in each gear. The vehicle should
start only in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). If the vehicle starts
in any other position, contact
your dealer for service.
For manual transmission
vehicles, put the shift lever in
Neutral, push the clutch pedal
down halfway, and try to start
the engine. The vehicle should
start only when the clutch pedal
is pushed down all the way to
the floor. If the vehicle starts
when the clutch pedal is not
pushed all the way down,
contact your dealer for service.
Page 308 of 382

Black plate (74,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
10-74 Vehicle Care
Do not mix the compact spare tire or
wheel with other wheels or tires.
They will not fit. Keep the spare tire
and its wheel together.
Notice:Tire chains will not fit the
compact spare. Using them can
damage the vehicle and the
chains. Do not use tire chains on
the compact spare.Jump Starting
For more information about the
vehicle battery, see Battery on
page 10‑23.
If the battery has run down, try to
use another vehicle and some
jumper cables to start your vehicle.
Be sure to use the following steps to
do it safely.
{WARNING
Batteries can hurt you. They can
be dangerous because:
.They contain acid that can
burn you.
.They contain gas that can
explode or ignite.
.They contain enough
electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these
things can hurt you. Notice:
Ignoring these steps
could result in costly damage to
the vehicle that would not be
covered by the warranty.
Trying to start the vehicle by
pushing or pulling it will not
work, and it could damage the
vehicle.1. Discharged Battery Positive Post
2. Discharged Battery
Negative Post
3. Good Battery Negative Post
4. Good Battery Positive Post
Page 310 of 382

Black plate (76,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
10-76 Vehicle Care
WARNING (Continued)
add water to take care of that
first. If you do not, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that
can burn you. Do not get it on
you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush
the place with water and get
medical help immediately.
{WARNING
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly. Keep
your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Connect one end of the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal on the
discharged battery. 6. Connect the other end of the red
positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the good
battery.
7. Connect one end of the black negative (–) cable to the
negative (–) terminal of the good
battery.
8. Connect the other end of the black negative (–) cable to the
negative (–) post for the
discharged battery.
9. Start the engine in the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine at idle speed for at
least four minutes.
10. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it
probably needs service. Notice:
If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other or
other metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
Reverse the sequence exactly when
removing the jumper cables.