2017 CHEVROLET SONIC parking brake

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
10 In Brief
Keyless Access
The RKE transmitter must be within1m (3ft) of the door being opened.
Press the button on the door handleto open. See Keyless AccessOperation underRemote KeylessEntry (RKE) System Operation(Keyless Access)031orRemoteKeyless Entry (RKE) SystemOperation (Key Access)029.
Liftgate (Hatchback)
To l o c k o r u n l o c k t h e l i f t g a t e o r t r u n k
from the inside, pressQorKon
the central locking switch or on thedriver door switch.
The vehicle must be in P (Park) forautomatic transmissions. Formanual transmissions the parkingbrake must be engaged.
To o p e n t h e l i f t g a t e f r o m t h e
outside, pressKon the RKE
transmitter to unlock all doors, thenuse the touch pad.
SeeLiftgate (Hatchback)043.
Trunk Release (Sedan)
To l o c k o r u n l o c k t h e t r u n k f r o m t h e
inside, pressQorKon the central
locking switch or on the driver doorswitch.
To o p e n t h e t r u n k f r o m i n s i d e t h e
vehicle pressV.
To l o c k t h e t r u n k f r o m t h e o u t s i d e
pressQon the RKE transmitter.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
40 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Automatic Door Locks
The vehicle is programmed so thatwhen the doors are closed, theignition is on, and the shift lever ismoved out of P (Park) for automatictransmissions, or when the vehiclespeed is above 13 km/h (8 mph) formanual transmissions, the doorsand the trunk/liftgate will lock.
To u n l o c k t h e d o o r s a n d t h e t r u n k /liftgate:
.PressKon the center stack or
the driver door switch.
.If equipped with an automatictransmission the vehicle must bein P (Park).
.If equipped with a manualtransmission the vehicle must bein Neutral with the parkingbrake set.
This feature can be programmed.SeeVehicle Personalization0127.
Lockout Protection
If the driver side power door lockswitch is pressed when the driverdoor is open and the key is in theignition, all of the doors will lock andthen the driver door will unlock.
Lockout Protection can be manuallyoverridden with the driver door open
by pressing and holdingQon the
power door lock switch.
If Unlocked Door Anti Lockout isturned on and the vehicle is off, thedriver door is open, and doorlocking is requested using a doorlock switch or the RKE transmitter,then all the doors will lock and onlythe driver door will unlock. TheUnlocked Door Anti Lockout featurecan be turned on or off throughvehicle personalization. SeeVehiclePersonalization0127.
Safety Locks
The rear door safety locks preventpassengers from opening the reardoors from inside the vehicle.
Manual Safety Locks
If equipped, the safety lock islocated on the inside edge of therear doors. To use the safety lock:
1. Insert the key into the safetylock slot and turn it so the slotis in the horizontal position.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same for the otherrear door.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Keys, Doors, and Windows 43
Liftgate (Hatchback)
{Warning
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, hatch/trunk open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
hatch/trunk or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate or hatch/trunk open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets onor under the instrumentpanel.
.Adjust the climate controlsystem to a setting thatbrings in only outside airand set the fan speed to the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
highest setting. See“Climate Control Systems”in the Index.
.If the vehicle is equippedwith a power liftgate, disablethe power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, seeEngine
Exhaust0190.
To l o c k o r u n l o c k t h e l i f t g a t e f r o m
the inside, pressQorKon the
central locking switch or on thedriver door switch.
The vehicle must be in P (Park) forautomatic transmissions. Formanual transmissions the parkingbrake must be engaged.
To o p e n t h e l i f t g a t e f r o m t h e
outside, pressKon the RKE
transmitter to unlock all doors, thenuse the touch pad.
SeeRemote Keyless Entry (RKE)System Operation (Keyless Access)031orRemote Keyless Entry(RKE) System Operation (KeyAccess)029.
When closing the liftgate, close fromthe center to ensure that it fullylatches.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
100 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 101Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 101Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 102Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 102Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 107Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Ta c h o m e t e r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 9Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 110Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 110Passenger Airbag StatusIndicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 112Malfunction Indicator Lamp(Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 112Service Vehicle Soon Light . . . 114Owner Manual Indicator . . . . . . 114Brake System WarningLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114Antilock Brake System (ABS)Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Operate Pedal Light . . . . . . . . . . 115Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Power Steering WarningLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Lane Departure Warning(LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Forward Collision Alert (FCA)Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . 116Ultrasonic Parking SensorLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117StabiliTrak®OFF Light . . . . . . . . 117Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Engine Coolant TemperatureWarning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 118Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . 118Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 119Immobilizer Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Reduced Engine PowerLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 120Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 120Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 120Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 120Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Trunk Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Information Displays
Driver InformationCenter (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 126Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 127Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 127

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
114 Instruments and Controls
Service Vehicle Soon
Light
For vehicles with this light, it comeson if a condition exists that mayrequire the vehicle to be taken in forservice.
If the light comes on, take thevehicle to your dealer for service assoon as possible.
Owner Manual Indicator
This symbol is shown when youneed to see the owner manual foradditional instructions orinformation.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consistsof two hydraulic circuits. If onecircuit is not working, the remainingcircuit can still work to stop thevehicle. For normal brakingperformance, both circuits need tobe working
If the warning light comes on, thereis a brake problem. Have the brakesystem 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.
MetricEnglish
This light should come on brieflywhen the engine is started. If it doesnot come on then, have it fixed so itwill be ready to warn you if there isaproblem.
When the ignition is on, the brakesystem warning light will also comeon when the parking brake is set.The light will stay on if the parkingbrake does not fully release. If itstays on after the parking brake isfully released, it means there is abrake problem.
If the light comes on while driving,carefully pull off the road and stop.The pedal may be harder to push ormay go closer to the floor. It maytake longer to stop. If the light is stillon, have the vehicle towed forservice. SeeTo w i n g t h eVehicle0277.

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
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.