2016 CHEVROLET SONIC heater

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
16 In Brief
Climate Control System withHeater and Air Conditioning
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Driver and Passenger Heated Seats (If Equipped)
5. Recirculation
6. Rear Window Defogger
7. Air ConditioningClimate Control System with Heater Only
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Rear Window Defogger
See Climate Control Systems 0176.
Transmission
Automatic Transmission
Manual Mode
This position allows you to change
gears similar to a manual
transmission. To use this feature: 1. Move the shift lever from
D (Drive) rearward to
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the + (plus) end of the
button on the side of the shift
lever to upshift, or press the −
(minus) end of the button to
downshift.
See Manual Mode 0199.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Seats and Restraints 47
Do not have a seatback reclined if
the vehicle is moving.
Front Seat Armrest
There is an armrest on the inboard
side of the driver seat. To raise or
lower the armrest, push up or pull
down on the armrest.
Heated Front Seats
{Warning
If you cannot feel temperature
change or pain to the skin, the
seat heater may cause burns. To
reduce the risk of burns, people
with such a condition should use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of
time. Do not place anything on
the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to
overheat. An overheated seat
heater may cause a burn or may
damage the seat.
If equipped, the controls are on the
climate control system. To operate,
the engine must be running.
Press
MorLto heat the driver or
passenger seat. The indicator light
on the control turns on when this
feature is on. Press the control
again to turn this feature off.
The passenger seat may take
longer to heat up.
Remote Start Auto Heated
Seats
If equipped, when it is cold outside
the heated seats can be turned on
automatically during a remote
vehicle start. The heated seats will

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
64 Seats and Restraints
passenger sensing system has
allowed the airbags to be enabled,
the on indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbags are
active.
For some children who have
outgrown child restraints, and for
very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not turn
off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag,
depending upon the person's
seating posture and body build.
Everyone in the vehicle who has
outgrown child restraints should
wear a safety belt properly—
whether or not there is an airbag for
that person.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Light099 for more information,
including important safety
information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a
Child Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint following the directions
provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat) 080 orSecuring
Child Restraints (Front
Passenger Seat) 082. 5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still
lit, turn the vehicle off. Then
slightly recline the vehicle
seatback and adjust the seat
cushion, if adjustable, to make
sure that the vehicle seatback
is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under
the vehicle head restraint.
If this happens, adjust the head
restraint. See Head Restraints
0 43.
6. Restart the vehicle.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure
the child in the child restraint in a
rear seat position in the vehicle, and
check with your dealer.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Seats and Restraints 65
If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the front outboard passenger seat,
but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. Use the
following steps to allow the system
to detect that person and enable the
front outboard passenger frontal
airbag and knee airbag:1. Turn the vehicle off. 2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as
blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat
massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this
position for two to
three minutes after the on
indicator is lit.
{Warning
If the front outboard passenger
airbag is turned off for an
adult-sized occupant, the airbag
will not be able to inflate and help
protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of
serious injury or even death. An
adult-sized occupant should not
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
ride in the front outboard
passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag off indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the seat
during vehicle maneuvers and
braking, which helps the passenger
sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See
“Safety Belts”and“Child Restraints”
in the Index for additional
information about the importance of
proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion,
or aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that you
not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
66 Seats and Restraints
vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 066
for more information about
modifications that can affect how
the system operates.
The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop,
or other electronic device, is put on
an unoccupied seat. If this is not
desired, remove the object from
the seat.
{Warning
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information
0327.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end, or side sheet
metal may keep the airbag system from working properly. The
operation of the airbag system can
also be affected by changing any
parts of the front seats, safety belts,
the airbag sensing and diagnostic
module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, any of the airbag modules,
ceiling or pillar garnish trim, front
sensors, side impact sensors,
or airbag wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag
wiring.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
front outboard passenger position,
which includes sensors that are part
of the passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system may not
operate properly if the original seat
trim is replaced with non-GM
covers, upholstery, or trim; or with
GM covers, upholstery, or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any
object, such as an aftermarket seat
heater or a comfort-enhancing pad
or device, installed under or on top
of the seat fabric, could also

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
176 Climate Controls
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Climate Control Systems . . . . . 176
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Maintenance
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Climate Control
Systems
These climate control systems
control the heating, cooling, and
ventilation for the vehicle.
Climate Control System with
Heater and Air Conditioning
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Driver and Passenger Heated Seats (If Equipped)
5. Recirculation
6. Rear Window Defogger 7. Air Conditioning
Climate Control System with
Heater Only
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Rear Window Defogger
Temperature Control : Turn
clockwise or counterclockwise to
increase or decrease the
temperature.
A(Fan Control) : Turn clockwise
or counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the fan speed. Turning the

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
180 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 184
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 185
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 186
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 190
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Shifting out of Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 198
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 200
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 203
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 208 Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 215
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Driving and Operating 193
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off theaccelerator pedal, turn the
ignition to START. When the
engine cranks, let go of the
key. The idle speed will go
down as the engine gets warm.
Caution
Holding the key in START for
longer than 15 seconds at a time
will cause the battery to be
drained much sooner. And the
excessive heat can damage the
starter motor. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to
help avoid draining the battery or
damaging the starter.
2. If the engine does not start, wait about 15 seconds and try
again. Wait about 15 seconds
between each try.
When the engine has run about
10 seconds to warm up, the
vehicle is ready to be driven.
Do not run the engine at high
speed when it is cold. If the weather is below freezing
(0 °C or 32 °F), let the engine
run for a few minutes to
warm up.
3. If the engine still will not start, or starts but then stops, it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for
about three seconds. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then
stops again, do the same thing,
but this time keep the pedal
down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine.
Engine Heater
The engine heater can provide
easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up in
cold weather conditions at or below
−18 °C (0 °F). Vehicles with an
engine heater should be plugged in
at least four hours before starting.
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The cord is
located in the driver side of the
engine compartment, near the
battery. It is shipped from the
factory with a tie holding it in
place. Use care in removing
the tie so that the cord is not
damaged.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do
not use it. See your dealer for
a replacement. Inspect the
cord for damage yearly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.