Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
In Brief 1-9
To return the seatback to the upright
position:
1. Lift the lever fully withoutapplying pressure to the
seatback, and the seatback will
return to the upright position.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.
See Reclining Seatbacks on
page 3-4.
Second Row Seats
The rear seatbacks can be folded
down to increase cargo space.
See Rear Seats on page 3-7.
Head Restraint
Adjustment
Do not drive until the head restraints
for all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To achieve a comfortable seating
position, change the seatback
recline angle as little as necessary while keeping the seat and the head
restraint height in the proper
position.
See
Head Restraints on page 3-2
and Seat Adjustment on page 3-3.
Safety Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly:
.Safety Belts on page 3-8.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3-10.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3-11.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3-37.
Passenger Sensing
System
United States
Canada
The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and knee
airbag (if equipped) under certain
conditions. No other airbag is
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
Seats and Restraints 3-7
Rear Seats
Folding the Seatback
Either side of the seatback can be
folded down for more cargo space.
Fold a seatback only when the
vehicle is not moving.
{Caution
Folding a rear seat with the safety
belts still fastened may cause
damage to the seat or the safety
belts. Always unbuckle the safety
belts and return them to their
normal stowed position before
folding a rear seat.To fold the seatback down:
1. Make sure the safety belt is in
the retainer hook.
Sedan Shown, Hatchback Similar
2. Reach under the belt and pull the lever on top of the seatback
to unlock the seatback.
A tab near the seatback lever
raises when the seatback is
unlocked.
3. Fold the seatback down.
Repeat Steps 1–3 for the other
seatback, if desired.
Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
Seats and Restraints 3-41
Warning (Continued)
belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and
the instructions in this manual.
{Warning
Do not attach more than one child
restraint to a single anchor.
Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could
cause the anchor or attachment
to come loose or even break
during a crash. A child or others
could be injured. To reduce the
risk of serious or fatal injuries
during a crash, attach only one
child restraint per anchor.
{Warning
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to
tighten. Buckle any unused safety
belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull
the shoulder belt all the way out
of the retractor to set the lock,
if the vehicle has one, after the
child restraint has been installed.
{Caution
Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’s safety belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled safety belts to
avoid rubbing the LATCH
attachments.(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
Do not fold the empty rear seat
with a safety belt buckled. This
could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the
safety belt to its stowed position,
before folding the seat.
If you need to secure more than one
child restraint in the rear seat, see
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3-36.
This system is designed to make
the installation of child restraints
easier. When using lower anchors,
do not use the vehicle's safety belts.
Instead, use the vehicle's anchors
and child restraint attachments to
secure the restraints. Some
restraints also use another vehicle
anchor to secure a top tether.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the lower
anchors. If the child restraint
does not have lower
Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
Driving and Operating 9-13
If you put things inside the
vehicle—like suitcases, tools,
packages, or anything
else —they will go as fast as the
vehicle goes. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or if there is a
crash, they will keep going.
{Warning
Things inside the vehicle can
strike and injure people in a
sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash.
.Put things in the cargo
area of the vehicle. In the
cargo area, put them as
far forward as possible.
Try to spread the weight
evenly.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
.Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.Secure loose items in the
vehicle.
.Do not leave a seat folded
down unless needed.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
{Caution
The vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will
perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
.Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this (Continued)
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
i-4 INDEX
E
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12 Engine (cont'd)
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Reduced Power Light . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-21
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4, 9-15
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-14
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
F
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . 10-13
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . 6-4, 10-30
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Front Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Front Seats
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-39
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 5-20
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-39