Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159371) - 2016 - crc - 5/21/15
Introduction 3
About Driving the Vehicle
As with other vehicles of this type,
failure to operate this vehicle
correctly may result in loss of
control or an accident. Be sure to
read the driving guidelines in this
manual in the section called“Driving
and Operating” and specifically
Driver Behavior 0192, Driving
Environment 0192, and Vehicle
Design 0192.
Danger, Warning, and
Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means “Do
Not,” “Do not do this,” or“Do not let
this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M:
Shown when the owner
manual has additional instructions
or information.
*: Shown when the service
manual has additional instructions
or information.
0: Shown when there is more
information on another page —
“see page.”
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9: Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®(if equipped)
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159371) - 2016 - crc - 5/21/15
90 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 91
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 91
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 92
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . 92
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . 99
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 100
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 101 Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 101
Service Vehicle Soon Light . . . 103
Owner Manual Indicator . . . . . . 103
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Power Steering Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Ultrasonic Parking Sensor Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . . 105
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 107
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 107
Immobilizer Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Reduced Engine Power Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 108
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) Indicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 108
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 109
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 109 Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 111
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Trip Computer
Trip Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 114
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159371) - 2016 - crc - 5/21/15
104 Instruments and Controls
MetricEnglish
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to ON/RUN.
If it does not come on then, have it
fixed so it is ready to warn if there is
a problem.
{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.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The pedal might be harder to push or might go closer to the floor. It can
take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for
service. See
Towing the Vehicle
0 295.
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
0 103.
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
The vehicle may have an up-shift
light.
When this light comes on, shift to
the next higher gear if weather,
road, and traffic conditions allow.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159371) - 2016 - crc - 5/21/15
Climate Controls 189
Turn the knobs on the side air vents
counterclockwise or clockwise to
open or close off the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from the air inlets at
the base of the windshield that
may block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors may adversely affect
the performance of the system.
. Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside the
vehicle more effectively.
Maintenance
Air Intake
Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves
from the air intake at the base of the
windshield that can block the flow of
air into the vehicle.
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Maintenance Schedule 0308.
To find out what type of filter to use,
see Maintenance Replacement
Parts 0318.
1. Open the glove box completely and disconnect the damper on
the outboard side.2. Push in both sides of the glovebox and pull to remove.
3. Open the filter cover by releasing tabs on both sides
and pulling up the cover.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159371) - 2016 - crc - 5/21/15
Driving and Operating 191
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 192
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 196
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 197
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 198
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 203
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 211
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 214
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 217
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 222
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 226
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159371) - 2016 - crc - 5/21/15
Driving and Operating 195
.Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159371) - 2016 - crc - 5/21/15
Driving and Operating 197
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0218.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0216.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159371) - 2016 - crc - 5/21/15
216 Driving and Operating
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
If equipped, this feature transfers
engine power, as required, to all
four wheels. It is fully automatic ,
and adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire on
an All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicle,
the system automatically detects the
compact spare and disables AWD to
protect the system. A Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
will display on the instrument
cluster. SeeVehicle Messages
0 111. To restore AWD operation
and prevent excessive wear on the
system, replace the compact spare
with a full-size tire as soon as
possible. See Compact Spare Tire
0 291.
AWD will be disabled and the
message will display if there is
excessive wheel spin. When the
system cools down, AWD will be
restored.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
ABS (If Equipped) is an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with the ABS,
this warning light stays on. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light 0104.
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
you steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.