Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
176 Driving and Operating
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or throughmountains is different than drivingon flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and ingood shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,tires, cooling system, andtransmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when goingdown 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 thevehicle in its own lane. Do notswing wide or cross thecenter line.
.Be alert on top of hills;something could be in your lane(e.g., stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special roadsigns (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 andthe road creates less traction orgrip, so drive carefully. Wet ice canoccur at about 0 °C (32 °F) whenfreezing rain begins to fall. Avoiddriving on wet ice or in freezing rainuntil roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Acceleratingtoo quickly causes the wheels tospin and makes the surfaceunder the tires slick.
.Turn on Traction Control. 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.
.The Antilock Brake System(ABS) improves vehicle stabilityduring hard stops, but thebrakes should be applied soonerthan when on dry pavement.SeeAntilock Brake System(ABS)0195.
.Allow greater following distanceand watch for slippery spots. Icypatches can occur on otherwise
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
212 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 213California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213California PerchlorateMaterials Requirements . . . . . 213Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Engine CompartmentOverview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 222Automatic TransmissionFluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 224Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 224Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 230Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Battery - North America . . . . . . 234Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 234Automatic Transmission ShiftLock Control FunctionCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Park Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 236Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 236
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 238Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238Headlamps and Front TurnSignal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Ta i l l a m p s , T u r n S i g n a l ,Stoplamps, and Back-UpLamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 241Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 242Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 242Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Instrument Panel FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 250Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256Tire Pressure MonitorSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257Tire Pressure MonitorOperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261When It Is Time for NewTires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263Different Size Tires andWheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264Wheel Alignment and TireBalance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 266Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Vehicle Care 249
Warning (Continued)
.Underinflated tires pose
the same danger as
overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could
cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently
to maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires
are cold.
.Overinflated tires are
more likely to be cut,
punctured, or broken by
asuddenimpact—such
as when hitting a pothole.
Keep tires at the
recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can
cause a crash. If the
tread is badly worn,
replace them.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that
have been damaged by
impacts with potholes,
curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an
authorized tire service
center should repair,
replace, dismount, and
mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come withall-season tires. These tires aredesigned to provide good overallperformance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Originalequipment tires designed to GM'sspecific tire performance criteriahave a TPC specification codemolded onto the sidewall. Originalequipment all-season tires can beidentified by the last two charactersof this TPC code, which willbe“MS.”
Consider installing winter tires onthe vehicle if frequent driving onsnow or ice-covered roads isexpected. All-season tires provideadequate performance for mostwinter driving conditions, but theymay not offer the same level oftraction or performance as wintertires on snow or ice-covered roads.SeeWinter Tires0249.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originallyequipped with winter tires. Wintertires are designed for increasedtraction on snow and ice-coveredroads. Consider installing wintertires on the vehicle if frequentdriving on ice or snow coveredroads is expected. See your dealer
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
Vehicle Care 263
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. When
replacement tires are needed,
GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by MS for mud
and snow. SeeTire Sidewall
Labeling0250.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four.
Uniform tread depth on all tires
will help to maintain the
performance of the vehicle.
Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time.
If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires should wear out at
about the same time. SeeTire
Rotation0261.However,ifitis
necessary to replace only one
axle set of worn tires, place the
new tires on the rear axle.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H,
V, W, Y a n d Z R s p e e d r a t e d
tires. Never exceed the winter
tires’maximum speed capability
when using winter tires with a
lower speed rating.
{Warning
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause
loss of control of the vehicle,
resulting in a crash or other
vehicle damage. Use the
correct size, brand, and type
of tires on all wheels.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Vehicle Care 265
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AATemperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1Ω) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
312 Customer Information
Services Provided
.Emergency Fuel Delivery:Delivery of enough fuel for thevehicle to get to the nearestservice station.
.Lock-Out Service:Service tounlock the vehicle if you arelocked out. A remote unlock maybe available if you have OnStar.For security reasons, the drivermust present identificationbefore this service is given.
.Emergency Tow from a PublicRoad or Highway:To w t o t h enearest Chevrolet dealer forwarranty service, or if the vehiclewas in a crash and cannot bedriven. Assistance is not givenwhen the vehicle is stuck in thesand, mud, or snow.
.Flat Tire Change:Service tochange a flat tire with the sparetire. The spare tire, if equipped,must be in good condition andproperly inflated. It is the owner'sresponsibility for the repair orreplacement of the tire if it is notcovered by the warranty.
.Battery Jump Start:Service tojump start a dead battery.
.Tr i p I n t e r r u p t i o n B e n e f i t s a n dAssistance:If your trip isinterrupted due to a warrantyevent, incidental expenses maybe reimbursed within thePowertrain warranty period.Items considered are reasonableand customary hotel, meals,rental car, or a vehicle beingdelivered back to the customer,up to 805 km (500 mi).
Services Not Included in
Roadside Assistance
.Impound towing caused byviolation of any laws.
.Legal fines.
.Mounting, dismounting,or changing of snow tires,chains, or other traction devices.
Service is not provided if a vehicleis in an area that is not accessibleto the service vehicle or is not aregularly traveled or maintainedpublic road, which includes ice andwinter roads. Off-road use is notcovered.
Services Specific to
Canadian-Purchased Vehicles
.Fuel Delivery:Reimbursementis up to 7 liters. If available,diesel fuel delivery may berestricted. Propane and otherfuels are not provided throughthis service.
.Lock-Out Service:Vehicleregistration is required.
.Tr i p I n t e r r u p t i o n B e n e f i t s a n dAssistance:Must be over150 km from where your trip wasstarted to qualify.Pre-authorization, originaldetailed receipts, and a copy ofthe repair orders are required.Once authorization has beenreceived, the RoadsideAssistance advisor will help tomake arrangements and explainhow to receive payment.
.Alternative Service:Ifassistance cannot be providedright away, the RoadsideAssistance advisor may givepermission to get localemergency road service. You willreceive payment, up to $100,
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
332 Index
Assistance Program,
Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Audio
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . 142
Automatic
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Automatic Transmission
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Auxiliary
Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Avoiding Untrusted Media
Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
B
Battery
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Battery - North America . . . . 234, 275
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 236
Bluetooth
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155, 157
Brake
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . .114
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 181
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Headlamps and Front Turn
Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 241
Ta i l l a m p s , T u r n S i g n a l ,
Stoplamps, and Back-up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
California
Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 208
California (cont'd)
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
California
Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .213, 234, 275
Camera
Rear Vision (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Carbon Monoxide
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Cargo
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 3
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 112
Check
Ignition Transmission Lock . . . 235
Malfunction Indicator
Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Child Restraints
Infants and Young Children . . . . . 79