2016 CHEVROLET SONIC tow

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Instruments and Controls 91
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.
1X (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
0 237 for information on filling the
windshield washer fluid reservoir.
{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.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
102 Instruments and Controls
not used to perform an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test or to
service the vehicle may affect
vehicle operation SeeAdd-On
Electrical Equipment 0217. See
your dealer if assistance is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
. The light is on when the engine
is running.
. The light does not come on
when the ignition is in ON/RUN
with the engine not running.
. Critical emission control systems
have not been completely
diagnosed. If this happens, the
vehicle would not be ready for
inspection and might require
several days of routine driving
before the system is ready for
inspection. This can happen if
the 12-volt battery has recently
been replaced or run down, or if
the vehicle has been recently
serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will
not pass or cannot be made ready
for the test.Service Vehicle Soon
Light
For vehicles with this light, it comes
on if a condition exists that may
require the vehicle to be taken in for
service.
If the light comes on, take the
vehicle to your dealer for service as
soon as possible.
Owner Manual Indicator
This symbol is shown when you
need to see the owner manual for
additional instructions or
information.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working
If the warning light comes on, there
is a brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Instruments and Controls 103
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly
when the ignition is turned to ON.
If it does not come on then, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will also come
on when the parking brake is set.
The light will stay on if the parking
brake does not fully release. If it
stays on after the parking brake is
fully released, it means there is a
brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
carefully pull off the road and stop.
The pedal may be harder to push or
may go closer to the floor. It may
take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for
service. See Towing the Vehicle
0 289.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF or if the light comes
on, stop as soon as possible and
turn the ignition off. Then start the
engine again to reset the system.
If the light still stays on, or comes
on again while driving, the vehicle
needs service. See your dealer.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the brakes will still
work, but the antilock brakes will not
work. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, the antilock
brakes will not work and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See Brake System Warning Light
0 102. The ABS warning light will come on
briefly when the ignition is turned to
ON/RUN. This is normal. If the light
does not come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn if there is
a problem.
Up-Shift Light
For manual transmission vehicles,
there is an up-shift light that comes
on in the lower DIC area. It shows
when to shift to the next higher gear
for best fuel economy.
See
Manual Transmission 0200.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Lighting 121
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
3(Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer) : Push the turn signal
lever away from you to turn the high
beams on.
Push the lever again or pull the
lever toward you to return to low
beams.
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument cluster when the
high-beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
To flash the high beams, pull the
turn signal lever all the way toward
you. Then release it.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others to
see the front of your vehicle during
the day. Fully functional DRL are
required on all vehicles first sold in
Canada.
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument cluster when the DRL
are on.
A light sensor on top of the
instrument panel makes the DRL
work, so be sure it is not covered. The DRL system makes the
low-beam headlamps come on at a
reduced brightness when the
following conditions are met:
.
The ignition is in the ON/
RUN mode.
. The exterior lamp control is
in AUTO.
. The engine is running.
When the DRL are on, only the
low-beam headlamps, at a reduced
level of brightness, will be on. The
taillamps, sidemarker, instrument
panel, and other lamps will not
be on.
The headlamps automatically
change from DRL to the regular
headlamps depending on the
darkness of the surroundings. The
other lamps that come on with the
headlamps will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside,
the headlamps go off and the DRL
come on.

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 187
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directionscauses a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle 0289.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may
properly carry: the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
188 Driving and Operating
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the vehicle's center
pillar (B-pillar). The Tire and
Loading Information label shows
the number of occupant seating
positions (1), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (2) in
kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows the
tire size of the originalequipment tires (3) and the
recommended cold tire inflation
pressures (4). For more
information on tires and inflation
see
Tires 0254 andTire
Pressure 0261.
There is also important loading
information on the Certification
label. It may show the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axle. See “Certification
Label” later in this section.
“Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit–
1.Locate the statement "The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of
cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the
"XXX" amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Driving and Operating 189
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
This vehicle is neither designed
nor intended to tow a trailer.
Example 1
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs)
× 2 = 136 kg (300 lbs).
3.Available Occupant and
Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs).
Example 2
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 2 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs)
× 5 = 340 kg (750 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 113 kg (250 lbs).
Example 3
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 3 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 91 kg
(200 lbs) × 5 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 0 kg (0 lbs).
Refer to the vehicle's Tire and
Loading Information label for
specific information about the
vehicle's capacity weight and
seating positions. The combined