
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Driving and Operating 195
Up-Shift Light
Vehicles equipped with a manualtransmission have an up-shift light.This light indicates when to shift tothe next higher gear for better fueleconomy.
For the best fuel economy,accelerate slowly and shift when thelight comes on, and if the weather,road, and traffic conditions allow.
It is normal for the light to go on andoff if the accelerator positionchanges quickly. Ignore the lightduring downshifts.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has an Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS), an advancedelectronic braking system that helpsprevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to driveaway, ABS checks itself.Amomentarymotororclickingnoisemay be heard while this test is goingon, and it may even be noticed thatthe brake pedal moves a little. Thisis normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, thiswarning light stays on. SeeAntilockBrake System (ABS) WarningLight011 5.
If driving safely on a wet road and itbecomes necessary to slam on thebrakes and continue braking toavoid a sudden obstacle, acomputer senses the wheels areslowing down. If one of the wheelsis about to stop rolling, the computerwill separately work the brakes ateach wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressureto each wheel, as required, fasterthan any driver could. This can helpyou steer around the obstacle whilebraking hard.
As the brakes are applied, thecomputer keeps receiving updateson wheel speed and controlsbraking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not changethe time needed to get a foot up tothe brake pedal or always decreasestopping distance. If you get tooclose to the vehicle in front of you,there will not be enough time toapply the brakes if that vehiclesuddenly slows or stops. Alwaysleave enough room up ahead tostop, even with ABS.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Driving and Operating 199
To t u r n T C S a n d S t a b i l i T r a k o n
again, press and releaseg.The
traction off lightiand StabiliTrak
OFF lightgin the instrument cluster
turn off.
Adding accessories can affect thevehicle performance. SeeAccessories andModifications0214.
Cruise Control
If the vehicle is equipped with cruisecontrol, a speed of about 40 km/h(25 mph) or more can be maintainedwithout keeping your foot on theaccelerator. Cruise control does notwork at speeds below 40 km/h(25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
asteadyspeed.Donotuse
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
If the vehicle's Traction ControlSystem (TCS) or StabiliTrak systembegins to limit wheel spin whileusing cruise control, the cruisecontrol will automatically disengage.
SeeTr a c t i o n C o n t r o l / E l e c t r o n i cStability Control0197.Ifacollisionalert occurs when cruise control isactivated, cruise control isdisengaged. SeeForward CollisionAlert (FCA) System0204.Whenroad conditions allow you to safelyuse it again, the cruise control canbe turned back on.
If the brakes are applied, cruisecontrol disengages.
5:Press to turn the cruise controlsystem on and off. A white indicatorcomes on in the instrument clusterwhen cruise is turned on.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
206 Driving and Operating
Selecting the Alert Timing
The Collision Alert control is on thesteering wheel. Press COLLISIONALERT to set the alert timing to far,medium, near or off. The first buttonpress shows the current controlsetting on the DIC. Additional buttonpresses will change this setting. Thechosen setting will remain until it ischanged and will affect both theCollision Alert and the TailgatingAlert features. The timing of bothalerts will vary based on vehiclespeed. The faster the vehicle speed,the farther away the alert will occur.Consider traffic and weatherconditions when selecting the alert
timing. The range of selectable alerttiming may not be appropriate for alldrivers and driving conditions.
Unnecessary Alerts
FCA may sometimes setunnecessary alerts to turningvehicles, vehicles in other lanes,objects that are not vehicles,or shadows. These alerts arenormal operation and the vehicledoes not need service.
Cleaning the System
If the FCA system does not seem tooperate properly, cleaning theoutside of the windshield in front ofthe rearview mirror may correct theissue.
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW)
If equipped, LDW may help avoidcrashes due to unintentional lanedepartures. It may provide an alert ifthe vehicle is crossing a lanewithout using a turn signal in thatdirection. LDW uses a camera
sensor to detect the lane markingsat speeds of 56 km/h (35 mph) orgreater.
{Warning
The LDW system does not steer
the vehicle. The LDW system
may not:
.Provide enough time toavoid a crash.
.Detect lane markings underpoor weather or visibilityconditions. This can occur ifthe windshield orheadlamps are blocked bydirt, snow, or ice; if they arenot in proper condition; or ifthe sun shines directly intothe camera.
.Detect road edges.
.Detect lanes on winding orhilly roads.
If LDW only detects lane
markings on one side of the road,
it will only warn you when
(Continued)

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
232 Vehicle Care
Caution (Continued)
.Do not mix water withready-to-use washer fluid.Water can cause thesolution to freeze anddamage the washer fluidtank and other parts of thewasher system.
.When using concentratedwasher fluid, follow themanufacturer instructions foradding water.
.Fill the washer fluid tankonly three-quarters full whenit is very cold. This allowsfor fluid expansion iffreezing occurs, which coulddamage the tank if it iscompletely full.
Brakes
Disc brake pads have built-in wearindicators that make a high-pitchedwarning sound when the brake padsare worn and new pads are needed.The sound can come and go or can
be heard all the time when thevehicle is moving, except whenapplying the brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
acrash.Whenthebrakewear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climatescan cause a brake squeal when thebrakes are first applied or lightlyapplied. This does not meansomething is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts arenecessary to help prevent brakepulsation. When tires are rotated,inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in theproper sequence to torquespecifications. SeeCapacities andSpecifications0304.
Brake pads should be replaced ascomplete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedaldoes not return to normal height,or if there is a rapid increase inpedal travel. This could be a signthat brake service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system partswith new, approved replacementparts. If this is not done, the brakesmay not work properly. The brakingperformance expected can changein many other ways if the wrongreplacement brake parts areinstalled or if parts are improperlyinstalled.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
250 Vehicle Care
for details regarding winter tireavailability and proper tire selection.Also, seeBuying New Tires0263.
With winter tires, there may bedecreased dry road traction,increased road noise, and shortertread life. After changing to wintertires, be alert for changes in vehiclehandling and braking.
If using winter tires:
.Use tires of the same brand andtread type on all four wheelpositions.
.Use only radial ply tires of thesame size, load range, andspeed rating as the originalequipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speedrating as the original equipment tiresmay not be available for H, V, W, Y,and ZR speed rated tires. If wintertires with a lower speed rating arechosen, never exceed the tire'smaximum speed capability.
Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with highperformance summer tires. Thesetires have a special tread andcompound that are optimized formaximum dry and wet roadperformance. This special tread andcompound will have decreasedperformance in cold climates, andon ice and snow. It is recommendedthat winter tires be installed on thevehicle if frequent driving attemperatures below approximately5°C (40°F) or on ice or snowcovered roads is expected. SeeWinter Tires0249.
Caution
High performance summer tires
have rubber compounds that lose
flexibility and may develop
surface cracks in the tread area
at temperatures below✓7°C
(20 °F). Always store high
performance summer tires
indoors and at temperatures
above✓7°C (20°F) when not in
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
use. If the tires have been
subjected to✓7°C (20°F) or less,
let them warm up in a heated
space to at least 5 °C (40 °F) for
24 hours or more before being
installed or driving a vehicle on
which they are installed. Do not
apply heat or blow heated air
directly on the tires. Always
inspect tires before use. SeeTire
Inspection0260.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into its sidewall. The
examples show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a
compact spare tire sidewall.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
262 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
ascraperorwirebrushlaterto
remove all rust or dirt.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
When It Is Time for New
Tires
Factors such as maintenance,temperatures, driving speeds,vehicle loading, and road conditionsaffect the wear rate of the tires.
Treadwear indicators are one way totell when it is time for new tires.Treadwear indicators appear whenthe tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in)or less of tread remaining.SeeTire Inspection0260andTireRotation0261.
The rubber in tires ages over time.This also applies to the spare tire,if the vehicle has one, even if it isnever used. Multiple factorsincluding temperatures, loadingconditions, and inflation pressuremaintenance affect how fast agingtakes place. GM recommends thattires, including the spare ifequipped, be replaced after sixyears, regardless of tread wear. The
tire manufacture date is the last fourdigits of the DOT Tire IdentificationNumber (TIN) which is molded intoone side of the tire sidewall. Thefirst two digits represent the week(01–52) and the last two digits, theyear. For example, the third week ofthe year 2010 would have afour-digit DOT date of 0310.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normallymounted on a parked vehicle. Parkavehiclethatwillbestoredforatleast a month in a cool, dry, cleanarea away from direct sunlight toslow aging. This area should be freeof grease, gasoline, or othersubstances that can deterioraterubber.
Parking for an extended period cancause flat spots on the tires thatmay result in vibrations whiledriving. When storing a vehicle forat least a month, remove the tires orraise the vehicle to reduce theweight from the tires.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
268 Vehicle Care
{Warning
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been
driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause a
blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.
{Warning
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tireand wheel damage by driving slowlyto a level place, well off the road,if possible. Turn on the hazardwarning flashers. SeeHazardWarning Flashers0136.
{Warning
Changing a tire can be
dangerous. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over or fall
causing injury or death. Find a
level place to change the tire. To
help prevent the vehicle from
moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
2. Put an automatictransmission in P (Park) or amanual transmission in1(First) or R(Reverse).
3. Turn off the engine and donot restart while the vehicleis raised.
4. Do not allow passengers toremain in the vehicle.
5. Place wheel blocks,if equipped, on both sides ofthe tire at the oppositecorner of the tire beingchanged.
When the vehicle has a flat tire (2),use the following example as aguide to assist in the placement ofthe wheel blocks (1), if equipped.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Vehicle Care 269
1. Wheel Block (If Equipped)
2. Flat Tire
The following information explainshow to repair or change a tire.
Tire Changing
Removing the Spare Tire and
Tools
The compact spare tire and toolsare located in the storagecompartment in the rear of thevehicle. The jack and tools arestored below the spare tire.
1. Extension
2. Jack
3. Wheel Wrench
4. Strap
To a c c e s s t h e s p a r e t i r e a n d t o o l s :
1. Open the trunk or liftgate. SeeTr u n k ( S e d a n )041orLiftgate(Hatchback)043.
2. Lift the trim cover.
3. Turn the retainercounterclockwise and remove itfrom the compact spare.
4. Remove the compact sparetire. SeeCompact Spare Tire0274for more information.
5. Remove the jack and toolsfrom their container and placethem near the tire beingchanged.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
1. Do a safety check beforeproceeding. SeeIf a Tire GoesFlat0267.