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
242 Vehicle Care
Electrical System
Electrical System
Overload
The vehicle has fuses and circuitbreakers to protect against anelectrical system overload.
When the current electrical load istoo heavy, the circuit breaker opensand closes, protecting the circuituntil the current load returns tonormal or the problem is fixed. Thisgreatly reduces the chance of circuitoverload and fire caused byelectrical problems.
Fuses and circuit breakers protectpower devices in the vehicle.
Replace a bad fuse with a new oneof the identical size and rating.
If there is a problem on the road andafuseneedstobereplaced,thesame amperage fuse can beborrowed. Choose some feature ofthe vehicle that is not needed to useand replace it as soon as possible.
Headlamp Wiring
An electrical overload may causethe lamps to go on and off, or insome cases to remain off. Have theheadlamp wiring checked right awayif the lamps go on and off orremain off.
Windshield Wipers
If the wiper motor overheats due toheavy snow or ice, the windshieldwipers will stop until the motor coolsand will then restart.
Although the circuit is protectedfrom electrical overload, overloaddue to heavy snow or ice maycause wiper linkage damage.Always clear ice and heavy snowfrom the windshield before using thewindshield wipers.
If the overload is caused by anelectrical problem and not snow orice, be sure to get it fixed.
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers
The wiring circuits in the vehicle areprotected from short circuits by acombination of fuses, circuitbreakers, and fusible thermal links.This greatly reduces the chance offires caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored bandinside the fuse. If the band is brokenor melted, replace the fuse. Be sureyou replace a bad fuse with a newone of the identical size and rating.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Index 341
Vehicle (cont'd)
To w i n g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 7
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . 116
Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
W
Warning
Brake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Caution and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Lane Departure (LDW) . . . . . . . 206
Warning Light
Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Warnings
Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Wheels
Alignment and Tire Balance . . 266
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . 83
Wi-Fi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Windshield
Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Winter
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . 236
Wipers
Rear Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103