2017 CHEVROLET SONIC Shift

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Driving and Operating 181
weight of the driver, passengers,
and cargo should never exceed
the vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification Label
Label Example
Avehicle-specificCertification
label is attached to the vehicle's
center pillar (B-pillar). The label
may show the gross weight
capacity of the vehicle, called
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel, and cargo.
{Warning
Things inside the vehicle can
strike and injure people in a
sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash.
.Put things in the cargo
area of the vehicle. In the
cargo area, put them as
far forward as possible.
Try to spread the weight
evenly.
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
.Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.Secure loose items in the
vehicle.
.Do not leave a seat
folded down unless
needed.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will
perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
.Do not drive at any oneconstant speed, fast or slow,for the first 805 km (500 mi).Do not make full-throttlestarts. Avoid downshifting tobrake or slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops forthe first 322 km (200 mi) orso. During this time the newbrake linings are not yetbroken in. Hard stops withnew linings can meanpremature wear and earlierreplacement. Follow this
(Continued)

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
182 Driving and Operating
Caution (Continued)
breaking-in guideline everytime you get new brakelinings.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions (Key
Access)
The ignition switch has four differentpositions.
To s h i f t o u t o f P ( P a r k ) , t h e i g n i t i o nmust be in ON/RUN and the regularbrake pedal applied.
0(STOPPINGTHEENGINE/LOCK/OFF) :When the vehicle is stopped,turn the ignition switch to LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
This position locks the ignition andtransmission. The steering wheelmay also lock, if equipped.
Do not turn the engine off when thevehicle is moving. This will cause aloss of power assist in the brakeand steering systems and disablethe airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in anemergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steadypressure. Do not pump thebrakes repeatedly. This maydeplete power assist, requiringincreased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral).This can be done while thevehicle is moving. After shiftingto N (Neutral), firmly apply thebrakes and steer the vehicle toasafelocation.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shiftto P (Park) with an automatictransmission, or Neutral with amanual transmission. Turn theignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake0196.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,and must be shut off while driving,turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
184 Driving and Operating
system. SeeRemote Keyless Entry(RKE) System Operation (KeylessAccess)031orRemote KeylessEntry (RKE) System Operation (KeyAccess)029.
To s h i f t o u t o f P ( P a r k ) , t h e v e h i c l emust be in ACC/ACCESSORY orON/RUN and the brake pedal mustbe applied.
Stopping the Engine/OFF (NoIndicator Lights) :When thevehicle is stopped, press ENGINESTART/STOP once to turn theengine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), theignition will turn off, and RetainedAccessory Power (RAP) will remainactive. SeeRetained AccessoryPower (RAP)0187.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), theignition will return to ACC/ACCESSORY and the DriverInformation Center (DIC) will displaythe message SHIFT TO PARK. SeeVehicle Messages0126.Whenthevehicle is shifted into P (Park), theignition system will switch to OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when thevehicle is moving. This will cause aloss of power assist in the brakeand steering systems and disablethe airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in anemergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steadypressure. Do not pump thebrakes repeatedly. This maydeplete power assist, requiringincreased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral).This can be done while thevehicle is moving. After shiftingto N (Neutral), firmly apply thebrakes and steer the vehicle toasafelocation.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shiftto P (Park) with an automatictransmission, or Neutral with amanual transmission. Turn theignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake0196.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,and must be shut off while driving,press and hold ENGINE START/STOP for longer than two seconds,or press twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (AmberIndicator Light) :This mode allowsyou to use some electricalaccessories when the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing thebutton one time without the brakepedal applied will place the ignitionsystem in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/ACCESSORY to OFF afterfive minutes to prevent batteryrundown.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Driving and Operating 185
ON/RUN/START (Green IndicatorLight) :This mode is for driving andstarting. With the ignition off and thebrake pedal applied, pressingENGINE START/STOP once willplace the ignition system in ON/RUN/START. Once engine crankingbegins, release the button. Enginecranking will continue until theengine starts. SeeStarting theEngine0185.Theignitionwillthenremain in ON/RUN.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available forservice and diagnostics, and toverify the proper operation of themalfunction indicator lamp as maybe required for emission inspectionpurposes. With the vehicle off, andthe brake pedal not applied,pressing and holding ENGINESTART/STOP for more thanfive seconds will place the vehicle inService Only Mode. The instrumentsand audio systems will operate asthey do in ON/RUN, but the vehiclewill not be able to be driven. Theengine will not start in Service OnlyMode. Press ENGINE START/STOPagain to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) orN(Neutral). To restart the enginewhen the vehicle is already moving,use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical
Equipment0211.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in Neutraland the parking brake engaged.Hold the clutch pedal to the floorand start the engine.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off theaccelerator pedal, turn theignition to START. When theengine cranks, let go of thekey. The idle speed will godown 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.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Driving and Operating 187
Warning (Continued)
Failure to use therecommended extensioncord in good operatingcondition, or using adamaged heater orextension cord, could makeit overheat and cause a fire,property damage, electricshock, and injury.
.Do not operate the vehiclewith the heater cordpermanently attached to thevehicle. Possible heatercord and thermostatdamage could occur.
.While in use, do not let theheater cord touch vehicleparts or sharp edges. Neverclose the hood on theheater cord.
.Before starting the vehicle,unplug the cord, reattachthe cover to the plug, andsecurely fasten the cord.Keep the cord away fromany moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, besure to unplug and store thecord as it was before to keep itaway from moving engineparts. If you do not it could bedamaged.
The length of time the heater shouldremain plugged in depends onseveral factors. Ask a dealer in thearea where you will be parking thevehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories may beused for up to 10 minutes after theengine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.Sunroof
The power windows and sunroof willcontinue to work for up to10 minutes or until any door isopened.
The radio will work when the key isin ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY.Once the ignition is turned from on
to off, the radio will continue to workfor 10 minutes after the last input(button press, knob turn) to theradio is detected.
It is possible to turn the radio backon at any time after it has timed outusing the Power knob. The radio willbe functional for 10 minutes after thelast input (button press, knob turn)to the radio is detected.
Shifting Into Park
(Automatic Transmission)
1. Hold the brake pedal down andset the parking brake. SeeParking Brake0196.
2. Move the shift lever intoP(Park) by pressing the buttonon the shift lever and pushingthe lever all the way toward thefront of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key toLOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take itwith you. If you can leave thevehicle with the ignition key inyour hand, the vehicle is inP(Park).

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
188 Driving and Operating
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running (Automatic
Transmission)
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic
Tr a n s m i s s i o n )0187.
If you have to leave the vehicle withthe engine running, be sure thevehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set beforeyou leave it. After you have movedthe shift lever into P (Park), hold thebrake pedal down. Then see if youcan move the shift lever away fromP(Park) without first pushing thebutton on the shift lever. If you can,it means that the shift lever was notfully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and youdo not shift the transmission intoP(Park) properly, the weight of thevehicle may put too much force onthe parking pawl in thetransmission. You may find it difficultto pull the shift lever out of P (Park).This is called“torque lock.”To p r e v e n t t o r q u e l o c k , s e t t h eparking brake and then shift intoP(Park) properly before you leavethe driver seat. To find out how, see“Shifting Into Park”previously in thissection.
When you are ready to drive, movethe shift lever out of P (Park) beforeyou release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you mayneed to have another vehicle pushyours a little uphill to take some ofthe pressure from the parking pawlin the transmission, so you can pullthe shift lever out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
(Automatic Transmission)
This vehicle is equipped with a shiftlock control. The shift lock control isdesigned to:
.Prevent ignition key removalunless the shift lever is inP(Park) with the shift leverbutton fully released.
.Prevent movement of the shiftlever out of P (Park) unless theignition is in ON/RUN and thebrake pedal is applied.
The shift lock control is alwaysfunctional except in the case of anuncharged or low voltage (less than9-volt) battery.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Driving and Operating 189
If the vehicle has an unchargedbattery or a battery with low voltage,try charging or jump starting thebattery. SeeJump Starting - NorthAmerica0275.
To s h i f t o u t o f P ( P a r k ) :
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to thedesired position.
If still unable to shift out of P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift leverbutton.
2. Hold the brake pedal down andpress the shift lever buttonagain.
3. Move the shift lever to thedesired position.
If you still cannot move the shiftlever from P (Park), consult yourdealer or a professional towingservice.
The doors may lock when shiftingfrom P (Park). SeeAutomatic DoorLocks040.
Parking
If the vehicle has a manualtransmission, before getting out ofthe vehicle, move the shift lever intoR(Reverse) if parking on a downhillslope. On a level surface or anuphill slope, use 1 (First) gear.Firmly apply the parking brake. Turnthe wheels toward the curb for adownhill slope, or away from thecurb for an uphill slope. Once theshift lever has been placed into gearwith the clutch pedal pressed in,turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF,remove the key, and release theclutch.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Extended Parking
It is better not to park with thevehicle running. If the vehicle is leftwhile running, follow the propersteps to be sure the vehicle will notmove and there is adequateventilation. SeeShifting Into Park(Automatic Transmission)0187andEngine Exhaust0190.
If the vehicle is left in P (Park) whilerunning and the Remote KeylessEntry (RKE) transmitter is outsidethe vehicle, the vehicle will turn offafter one hour.
If the vehicle is left in P (Park) whilerunning and the RKE transmitter isinside, the vehicle will run for twohours. At the end of the secondhour, the vehicle will turn off.
The timer will reset if the vehicle istaken out of P (Park) while it isrunning.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
190 Driving and Operating
Engine Exhaust
{Warning
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO), which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areaswith poor ventilation(parking garages, tunnels,deep snow that may blockunderbody airflow or tailpipes).
.The exhaust smells orsounds strange or different.
.The exhaust system leaksdue to corrosion or damage.
.The vehicle exhaust systemhas been modified,damaged, or improperlyrepaired.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.There are holes or openingsin the vehicle body fromdamage or aftermarketmodifications that are notcompletely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
.Drive it only with thewindows completely down.
.Have the vehicle repairedimmediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with theengine running.
If the vehicle is left with the enginerunning, follow the proper steps tobe sure the vehicle will not move.SeeShifting Into Park (AutomaticTr a n s m i s s i o n )0187andEngineExhaust0190.Ifthevehiclehasamanual transmission, seeParking0189.