Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
1-4 In Brief
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.
Starting the Engine
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. It assists in starting the
engine and protects components.
If the ignition key is turned to
START and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the engine
will continue cranking for a few
seconds or until the engine starts.
If the engine does not start and the
key is held in START, cranking will
be stopped after 15 seconds to
prevent damage. To prevent gear
damage, cranking is not allowed if
the engine is running. Enginecranking can be stopped by turning
the ignition key to ACC/
ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF. See
Starting the Engine on page 9-15.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The RKE transmitter may work up to
60 m (195 ft) away from the vehicle.
The RKE transmitter can have one
of the two symbols for the remote
trunk release.
With Remote Start Shown
Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
1-20 In Brief
Performance and
Maintenance
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
The Traction Control System (TCS)
limits wheel spin. The system is on
when the vehicle is started.
The StabiliTrak system assists with
directional control of the vehicle in
difficult driving conditions. The
system is on when the vehicle is
started.
.To turn off traction control, press
and release the TCS/StabiliTrak
button
gon the center console.
The traction off light
i
illuminates.
.Press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button
gagain to
turn traction control back on.
.To turn off both traction control
and StabiliTrak, press and hold
the TCS/StabiliTrak button
g
until the traction off lightiand
the StabiliTrak OFF light
g
illuminate.
.Press the TCS/StabiliTrak buttongagain to turn on both systems.
See Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control on page 9-28.
Tire Pressure Monitor
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The low tire pressure warning light
alerts to a significant loss in
pressure of one of the vehicle's
tires. If the warning light comes on,
stop as soon as possible and inflate the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9-9.
The warning light will remain on until
the tire pressure is corrected.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
may be an early indicator that the
tire pressures are getting low and
the tires need to be inflated to the
proper pressure.
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. Maintain
the correct tire pressures.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10-49.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays the
:% CHANGE
Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
In Brief 1-21
message on the DIC when it is
necessary to change the engine oil
and filter.
Remember, the oil life display must
be reset after each oil change. It will
not reset itself.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Press the MENU button to showRemaining Oil Life on the
display. This display shows an
estimate of the oil’s remaining
useful life. If 99% is displayed,
that means that 99% of the
current oil life remains.
2. To reset the engine oil life system, press the SET/CLR
button while the oil life display is
active. After a few seconds,
there will be a single chime and
the oil life will be reset to 100%.
Be careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than when the oil has just
been changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil change. See
Engine Oil Life System on
page 10-12.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.: 1-800-243-8872
TTY Users (U.S. Only):
1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
As the owner of a new Chevrolet,
you are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program.
See Roadside Assistance Program
on page 13-5.
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-7
.The malfunction indicator lamp
is on.
.The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts, or a
single remote start with an
extension, have already
been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Door Locks
{Warning
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is
locked, the handle will not
open it. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from
happening. To lock or unlock the doors from
outside the vehicle:
.Use the key in the driver door to
lock all doors or unlock the
driver door only.
.PressQorKon the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
See Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation on
page 2-3.
Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
3-8 Seats and Restraints
Raising the Seatback
{Warning
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatbacks to be sure they are
locked.
{Warning
A safety belt that is improperly
routed, not properly attached,
or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash. The
person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. After raising the
rear seatback, always check to be
sure that the safety belts are
properly routed and attached, and
are not twisted.To raise a seatback:
1. Lift the seatback up and push it
rearward to lock it in place.
Make sure the safety belt is in
the retainer hook and is not
twisted or caught in the
seatback.
A tab near the seatback lever
retracts when the seatback is
locked in place.
The center rear safety belt may
lock when you raise the
seatback. If this happens, let the
belt go back all the way and
start again.
2. Push and pull the top of the seatback to be sure it is locked
into position.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for the other seatback, if necessary.
When the seat is not in use, it
should be kept in the upright, locked
position.
Safety Belts
This section of the manual
describes how to use safety belts
properly. It also describes some
things not to do with safety belts.
{Warning
Do not let anyone ride where a
safety belt cannot be worn
properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing
safety belts, injuries can be much
worse than if you are wearing
safety belts. You can be seriously
injured or killed by hitting things
inside the vehicle harder or by
being ejected from the vehicle. In
addition, anyone who is not
buckled up can strike other
passengers in the vehicle.
It is extremely dangerous to ride
in a cargo area, inside or outside
of a vehicle. In a collision,
passengers riding in these areas (Continued)
Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
Instruments and Controls 5-3
Horn
Pressaon the steering wheel pad
to sound the horn.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
Sedan
Hatchback
The windshield wiper/washer lever
is on the right side of the steering
column.
Move the lever to one of the
following positions:
HI: Use for fast wipes. LO:
Use for slow wipes.
Hatchback Shown, Sedan Similar
INT: (Intermittent Wipes): Move
the lever up to INT for intermittent
wipes, then turn the
xINT band
up for more frequent wipes or down
for less frequent wipes.
OFF: Use to turn the wipers off.
8(Mist): For a single wipe, briefly
move the wiper lever down. For
several wipes, hold the wiper
lever down.
Wiper Parking
If the ignition is put in OFF while the
wipers are on LO, HI, or INT, they
will immediately stop. If the windshield wiper lever is then
moved to OFF before the driver
door is opened or within 10 minutes,
the wipers will restart and move to
the base of the windshield.
If the ignition is put in OFF while the
wipers are performing wipes due to
windshield washing, the wipers
continue to run until they reach the
base of the windshield.
n
L(Windshield Washer): Pull
the windshield wiper lever toward
you to spray windshield washer fluid
and activate the wipers. The wipers
will continue until the lever is
released or the maximum wash time
is reached. When the windshield
wiper lever is released, additional
wipes may occur depending on how
long the windshield washer had
been activated. See Washer Fluid
on page 10-21 for information on
filling the windshield washer fluid
reservoir.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
5-4 Instruments and Controls
{Warning
In freezing weather, do not use
the washer until the windshield is
warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.
Clear snow and ice from the wiper
blades before using them. If frozen
to the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. Damaged wiper blades
should be replaced. See Wiper
Blade Replacement on page 10-26.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the
wiper motor. A circuit breaker will
stop the motor until it cools down.
Rear Window Wiper/
Washer
If equipped with the rear wiper/
washer, the controls are on the end
of the windshield wiper lever.
ON: Press the upper portion of the
button for continuous rear window
wipes.
OFF: The rear wiper turns off when
the button is returned to the middle
position.
INT (Intermittent Rear Wipes):
Press the lower portion of the button
to set a delay between wipes.
m =REAR (Rear Washer): Push
the windshield wiper lever forward
to spray washer fluid on the rear
window. The lever returns to its
starting position when released.
Reverse Gear Wipes
If the rear wiper control is off, the
rear wiper will automatically operate
continuously when the shift lever is
in R (Reverse), and the front windshield wiper is performing low
or high speed wipes. If the rear
wiper control is off, the shift lever is
in R (Reverse), and the front
windshield wiper is performing
interval wipes, then the rear wiper
automatically performs interval
wipes.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-27.
The windshield washer reservoir is
used for the windshield and the rear
window. Check the fluid level in the
reservoir if either washer is not
working. See
Washer Fluid on
page 10-21.
Compass
The vehicle may have a compass
display in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The compass receives
its heading and other information
from the Global Positioning
System (GPS) antenna, StabiliTrak,
and vehicle speed information.
Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081473) -
2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/19/13
Instruments and Controls 5-13
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running, this indicates that the
OBD II system has detected a
problem and diagnosis and service
might be required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system also
assists the service technician in
correctly diagnosing any
malfunction.
{Caution
If the vehicle is continually driven
with this light on, the emission
controls might not work as well,(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
the vehicle fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine
might not run as smoothly. This
could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
{Caution
Modifications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake,
or fuel system of the vehicle or
the replacement of the original
tires with other than those of the
same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect the vehicle's
emission controls and can cause
this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems
could lead to costly repairs not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
This could also result in a failure(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10-3.
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing: A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to
the vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
If the light continues to flash, find a
safe place to stop and park the
vehicle. Turn the vehicle off, wait at
least 10 seconds, and restart the
engine. If the light is still flashing,