2016 CHEVROLET SONIC engine oil

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Instruments and Controls 107
Caution (Continued)
level is within the operating range
and the oil pressure is still low,
have the vehicle serviced. Always
follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
This light should come on briefly as
the engine is started. If it does not
come on, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light comes on for a few
seconds when the ignition is turned
on as a check to indicate it is
working. If it does not come on,
have it fixed.
This light comes on when the
vehicle is low on fuel.
The low fuel warning light comes on
when there are approximately 6.0 L
(1.7 gal) of fuel remaining in
the tank.
To turn the light off, add fuel to the
fuel tank. SeeFilling the Tank
0 215.
Immobilizer Light
The immobilizer light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally,
the indicator light turns off.
If the light stays on and the engine
does not start, there could be a
problem with the immobilizer
system. See Immobilizer Operation
0 37.
Reduced Engine Power
Light

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
110 Instruments and Controls
DIC Menu Items
Press MENU to view the DIC
menus. Some items display in the
upper display area, some in the
lower display area, and others use
both the upper and lower display
areas. Use
w xto scroll through
the menu items. Not all items are
available on every vehicle. The
following is a list of all possible
menu items:
. Units
. Language
. Tire Learn
. Remaining Oil Life
Units
This menu is not available while the
vehicle is moving. Press SET/CLR
while the unit display is active and
move
w xto change units when
UNIT SET is displayed. Press SET/
CLR to confirm the setting. You will
have to select 1, 2, or 3 for the unit
display. 1 is Imperial units, 2 is US
units, and 3 is metric units. This will change the displays on the cluster
and DIC to the type of
measurements you select.
Language
This menu is not available while the
vehicle is moving. Press SET/CLR
while the language display is active
and move
w xto change the
language of the displays when
LANG SET is displayed. You will
have to select 1 or 2 for the
language display. 1 is Alphabet and
2 is Arabic Numeral. Press SET/
CLR to confirm the setting.
Tire Learn
This menu is not available while the
vehicle is moving. This display
allows for matching of the TPMS
sensors. See Tire Pressure Monitor
System 0262 andTire Pressure
Monitor Operation 0263.
Remaining Oil Life
This menu is not available while the
vehicle is moving. This display
shows an estimate of the oil's remaining useful life. If 99
:% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the
:% CHANGE message will
appear on the display. The oil
should be changed as soon as
possible. See Engine Oil0226. In
addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional
maintenance is recommended in the
Maintenance Schedule. See
Maintenance Schedule 0302.
Remember, the oil life display must
be reset after each oil change. It will
not reset itself. Also, 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. To reset the
engine oil life system, press the
SET/CLR button while the oil life
display is active. See Engine Oil
Life System 0228.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Instruments and Controls 111
Vehicle Messages
DIC messages display when the
status of the vehicle has changed
and action may be needed to
correct the condition. Multiple
messages appear one after another.
Press any of the DIC buttons on the
turn signal lever to acknowledge
and clear them from the display.
More urgent messages cannot be
cleared from the DIC display. All
messages should be taken
seriously. Clearing messages will
not correct the problem.
Vehicle messages appear as code
numbers.
25 :Left Front Turn Signal Failure
26 : Left Rear Turn Signal Failure
27 : Right Front Turn Signal Failure
28 : Right Rear Turn Signal Failure
49 : Lane Departure Warning
Unavailable
52 : Change Timing Belt
77 : Service Front Camera System
84 : Engine Power Is Reduced 89 :
Service Vehicle SoonEngine Oil Messages
:
% CHANGE
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When changing the engine oil, be
sure to reset the Oil Life System.
See Engine Oil Life System 0228,
Engine Oil 0226, and Maintenance
Schedule 0302.
Tire Messages
LF XX, RF XX, LR XX,
or RR XX
A message displays when the tire
pressure is low. It shows the
location of the low tire and the
approximate pressure of the low tire.
If a tire pressure message appears,
stop as soon as you can. Inflate the
tires by adding air until the tire
pressure is equal to the values
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Tires0254,
Vehicle Load Limits 0187, and Tire
Pressure 0261.
Trip Computer
The trip computer is located in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
It provides the driver with driving
information such as average speed,
fuel range, average fuel economy,
and a timer.
1. SET/CLR: Press to set or clear
the menu item displayed. This
is not used to reset the trip
odometer. To reset the trip
odometer, use the reset button
on the tachometer in the
instrument cluster.
2.
w x(Band): Turn the band
to scroll through the menu
items.
3. MENU: Press to display the
DIC menus. This button is also
used to return to or exit the last
screen displayed on the DIC.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Driving and Operating 215
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If planning to drive in countries
outside the U.S. or Canada, the
proper fuel might be hard to find.
Check regional auto club or fuel
retail brand websites for availability
in the country where driving. Never
use leaded gasoline, fuel containing
methanol, manganese, or any other
fuel not recommended. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper
fuel would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuel Additives
To keep fuel systems clean, TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline is
recommended. SeeFuel0213.
If TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is
not available, one bottle of Fuel
System Treatment PLUS added to
the fuel tank at every engine oil
change, can help. Fuel System
Treatment PLUS is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer.
Filling the Tank
{Warning
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn
violently and can cause injury or
death. . To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow
all the instructions on the
fuel pump island.
. Turn off the engine when
refueling.
. Keep sparks, flames, and
smoking materials away
from fuel.
. Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended.
. Do not use a cell phone
while refueling.
. Do not reenter the vehicle
while pumping fuel.
. Keep children away from
the fuel pump and never let
children pump fuel.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Fuel can spray out if the fuel
cap is opened too quickly.
This spray can happen if the
tank is nearly full, and is
more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly
and wait for any hiss noise
to stop then unscrew the
cap all the way.
The fuel cap is behind a hinged fuel
door on the passenger side of the
vehicle.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Vehicle Care 219
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 220
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 220
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 228
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 230
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 230
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 236
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Battery - North America . . . . . . 240
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 240
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 241
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 242
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 244
Fog Lamps (LS, LT, and LTZ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Fog Lamps (RS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 246
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 248
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 248 Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 256
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 272

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
224 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0230.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0226.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 232. 4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil 0226.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0232.
6. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0239 and
Hydraulic Clutch 0230. 7.
Battery - North America 0240.
8. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 237.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0249.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
226 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0230.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0226.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 232.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0226.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0232.
6. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0239 and
Hydraulic Clutch 0230.
7. Battery - North America 0240.
8. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0249.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 237.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.
Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0228.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
If the engine oil pressure light
comes on, check the engine oil level
right away. The oil pressure light is
on the instrument cluster. See
Engine Oil Pressure Light 0106.
Check the engine oil level regularly;
this is an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must
be on level ground. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 223 for the location of the engine
oil dipstick.
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Vehicle Care 227
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
2. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all
the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and
check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
1.4L Shown, 1.8L Similar
If the oil is below the minimum mark
on the dipstick, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck the level. See
“Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” in this section for an
explanation of what kind of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications 0315.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil
levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the upper mark that
shows the proper operating
range, the engine could be
damaged. You should drain out
the excess oil or limit driving of
the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 223 for the location of the engine
oil fill cap. Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade.
See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0311.
Specification
Ask for and use engine oils that
meet the dexos1™ specification.
Engine oils that have been
approved by GM as meeting the
dexos1 specification are marked
with the dexos1 approved logo. See
www.gmdexos.com.