2017 CHEVROLET SONIC fuel

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Instruments and Controls 123
the vehicle's fuel economy overrecent driving history and theamount of fuel remaining in the fueltank. Fuel range cannot be reset.
Average Vehicle Speed
This display shows the averagespeed of the vehicle in kilometersper hour (km/h) or miles perhour (mph). This average iscalculated based on the variousvehicle speeds recorded since thelast reset of this value. The averagespeed can be reset by pressingSET/CLR or pressing and holdingthe trip odometer reset stem whilethe Average Vehicle Speed displayis showing.
Instantaneous Fuel Economy
The instantaneous fuel economydisplay shows the current fueleconomy in liters per 100 kilometers(L/100 km) or miles pergallon (mpg). This number reflectsonly the approximate fuel economythat the vehicle has right now andchanges frequently as drivingconditions change. This displaycannot be reset.
Average Fuel Economy
This display shows the approximateaverage liters per 100 kilometers(L/100 km) or miles pergallon (mpg). This number iscalculated based on the number ofL/100 km (mpg) recorded since thelast time this menu item was reset.This number reflects only theapproximate average fuel economythat the vehicle has right now, andwill change as driving conditionschange. The fuel economy can bereset by pressing SET/CLR orpressing and holding the tripodometer reset stem while theAverage Fuel Economy display isshowing.
Timer
Available on some vehicles, thisdisplay can be used as a timer. Tostart the timer, press SET/CLR whileTimer is displayed. The display willshow the amount of time that haspassed since the timer was lastreset, not including time the ignitionis off. Time will continue to becounted as long as the ignition ison, even if another display is being
shown on the DIC. The timer willrecord up to 9 hours, 59 minutes,and 59 seconds (9:59:59) afterwhich the display will return to zero.To s t o p t h e t i m e r, p r e s s S E T / C L Rbriefly while Timer is displayed. Toreset the timer to zero, press andhold SET/CLR.
Trip/Fuel Menu Items
(Uplevel DIC)
Press MENU until the Trip/Fuel
menu is displayed. Usew/xto
scroll through the menu items. Notall items are available on everyvehicle. The following is a list ofpossible menu items:
.Digital Speedometer
.Trip 1
.Trip 2
.Fuel Range
.Instantaneous Fuel Economy
.Average Fuel Economy
.Average Vehicle Speed
.Timer
.Navigation

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
124 Instruments and Controls
Digital Speedometer
The digital speedometer, availableon some vehicles, shows how fastthe vehicle is moving in eitherkilometers per hour (km/h) or milesper hour (mph). The speedometercannot be reset.
Trip 1 and Trip 2
This display shows the currentdistance traveled, in eitherkilometers (km) or miles (mi), sincethe last reset for the trip odometer.The trip odometer can be reset tozero by pressing SET/CLR while thetrip odometer display is showing.
Fuel Range
This display shows the approximatedistance the vehicle can be drivenwithout refueling. The fuel rangeestimate is based on an average ofthe vehicle's fuel economy overrecent driving history and theamount of fuel remaining in the fueltank. Fuel range cannot be reset.
Instantaneous Fuel Economy
The instantaneous fuel economydisplay shows the current fueleconomy in liters per 100 kilometers(L/100 km) or miles pergallon (mpg). This number reflectsonly the approximate fuel economythat the vehicle has right now andchanges frequently as drivingconditions change. Unlike averageeconomy, this display cannot bereset.
Average Fuel Economy
This display shows the approximateaverage liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) or miles per gallon (mpg).This number is calculated based onthe number of L/100 km (mpg)recorded since the last time thismenu item was reset. This numberreflects only the approximateaverage fuel economy that thevehicle has right now, and willchange as driving conditionschange. The fuel economy can bereset by pressing SET/CLR whilethe Average Fuel Economy displayis showing.
Average Vehicle Speed
This display shows the averagespeed of the vehicle in kilometersper hour (km/h) or miles perhour (mph). This average iscalculated based on the variousvehicle speeds recorded since thelast reset of this value. The averagespeed can be reset by pressingSET/CLR while the Average VehicleSpeed display is showing.
Timer
Available on some vehicles, thisdisplay can be used as a timer. Tostart the timer, press SET/CLR whileTimer is displayed. The display willshow the amount of time that haspassed since the timer was lastreset, not including time the ignitionis off. Time will continue to becounted as long as the ignition ison, even if another display is beingshown on the DIC. The timer willrecord up to 99 hours, 59 minutes,and 59 seconds (99:59:59) afterwhich the display will return to zero.To s t o p t h e t i m e r, p r e s s S E T / C L R

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Driving and Operating 171
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 173Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 174Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 175Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 176Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 178Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 181Ignition Positions (KeyAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Ignition Positions (KeylessAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 185Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Shifting Into Park (AutomaticTransmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187Shifting out of Park (AutomaticTransmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189Parking over ThingsThat Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 191Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 193
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 197
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 201Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204Lane DepartureWarning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 208Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . 211
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Driving and Operating 177
clear roads in shaded areas.The surface of a curve or anoverpass can remain icy whenthe surrounding roads are clear.Avoid sudden steeringmaneuvers and braking whileon ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place andsignal for help. Stay with the vehicleunless there is help nearby.If possible, use RoadsideAssistance. SeeRoadsideAssistance Program0311.Togethelp and keep everyone in thevehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warningflashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outsidemirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
.Clear snow from the base ofthe vehicle, especially anyblocking the exhaust pipe.
.Open a window about 5 cm(2 in) on the vehicle sidethat is away from the wind,to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets onor under the instrumentpanel.
.Adjust the climate controlsystem to circulate the airinside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highestsetting. See“ClimateControl Systems.”
For more information about CO,
seeEngine Exhaust0190.
To s a v e f u e l , r u n t h e e n g i n e f o rshort periods to warm the vehicleand then shut the engine off andpartially close the window. Movingabout to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,when running the engine, push theaccelerator pedal slightly so theengine runs faster than the idlespeed. This keeps the batterycharged to restart the vehicle and tosignal for help with the headlamps.Do this as little as possible, tosave fuel.

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
186 Driving and Operating
2. If the engine does not start,wait about 15 seconds and tryagain. Wait about 15 secondsbetween each try.
When the engine has run about10 seconds to warm up, thevehicle is ready to be driven.Do not run the engine at highspeed when it is cold.
If the weather is below freezing(0 °C or 32 °F), let the enginerun for a few minutes towarm up.
3. If the engine still will not start,or starts but then stops, it couldbe flooded with too muchgasoline. Try pushing theaccelerator pedal all the way tothe floor and holding it there asyou hold the key in START forabout three seconds. If thevehicle starts briefly but thenstops again, do the same thing,but this time keep the pedaldown for five or six seconds.This clears the extra gasolinefrom the engine.
Engine Heater
The engine heater can provideeasier starting and better fueleconomy during engine warm-up incold weather conditions at or below✓18 °C (0 °F). Vehicles with anengine heater should be plugged inat least four hours before starting.
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap theelectrical cord. The cord islocated in the driver side of theengine compartment, near thebattery. It is shipped from thefactory with a tie holding it in
place. Use care in removingthe tie so that the cord is notdamaged.
Check the heater cord fordamage. If it is damaged, donot use it. See your dealer forareplacement.Inspectthecord for damage yearly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded11 0 - v o l t A C o u t l e t .
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
.Plug the cord into athree-prong electrical utilityreceptacle that is protectedby a ground fault detectionfunction. An ungroundedoutlet could cause anelectric shock.
.Use a weatherproof,heavy-duty, 15 amp-ratedextension cord if needed.
(Continued)

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
192 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
Yo u c o u l d l o s e c o n t r o l a n d h i t
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N(Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D:This position is for normaldriving. It provides the best fueleconomy. If you need more powerfor passing, and you are:
.Going less than 56 km/h(35 mph), push the acceleratorpedal about halfway down.
.Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) ormore, push the accelerator allthe way down.
M:This position allows you tochange gears similar to a manualtransmission. If equipped, see“Manual Mode”following.
Operating Modes
The transmission may operate in alower gear than normal to improvevehicle performance. The enginespeed may be higher and there maybe an increase in noise during thefollowing conditions:
.When climbing a grade.
.When driving downhill.
.When driving in hottemperatures or at high altitude.
Manual Mode
To u s e t h i s f e a t u r e , i f e q u i p p e d :
1. Move the shift lever fromD(Drive) rearward toM(Manual Mode).
While driving in manual mode,the transmission will remain inthe driver selected gear. Whencoming to a stop in the manualposition, the vehicle willautomatically shift into1(First) gear.

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.