Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
Infotainment System 153
Wi-Fi Hotspot
Touch to display the Settings page,
which shows the configurations for
the vehicle hotspot and allows them
to be changed.
For more information, see
www.onstar.com.
OnStar Smart Driver
OnStar Smart Driver provides
information about driving behavior to
help maximize overall vehicle
performance, reduce wear and tear,
and enhance fuel efficiency. An
Insurance Discounts Eligibility
feature is also offered within OnStar
Smart Driver. See www.onstar.com
for details regarding vehicle
eligibility and system limitations.
OnStar, General Motors, and their
affiliates are not insurance
providers. Obtain insurance only
from licensed insurance providers.
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview)
The Bluetooth-capable system can
interact with many cell phones,
allowing:
.Placement and receipt of calls in
a hands-free mode.
. Sharing of the cell phone’s
address book or contact list with
the vehicle.
To minimize driver distraction,
before driving, and with the vehicle
parked:
. Become familiar with the
features of the cell phone.
Organize the phone book and
contact lists clearly and delete
duplicate or rarely used entries.
If possible, program speed dial
or other shortcuts.
. Review the controls and
operation of the infotainment
system. .
Pair cell phone(s) to the vehicle.
The system may not work with
all cell phones. See “Pairing”
later in this section.
Vehicles with a Bluetooth system
can use a Bluetooth-capable cell
phone with a Hands-Free Profile to
make and receive phone calls. The
infotainment system and voice
recognition are used to control the
system. The system can be used
when the ignition is on or in ACC/
ACCESSORY. The range of the
Bluetooth system can be up to 9.1 m
(30 ft). Not all phones support all
functions and not all phones work
with the Bluetooth system. See
www.my.chevrolet.com for more
information about compatible
phones.
Controls
Use the buttons on the infotainment
system and the steering wheel to
operate the Bluetooth system.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
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154 Infotainment System
Steering Wheel Controls
g:Press to answer incoming calls.
Hold to start voice recognition on
your connected Bluetooth phone, for
example Siri and Google.
i: Press to end a call, decline a
call, or cancel an operation. Press
to mute or unmute the infotainment
system when not on a call.
Infotainment System Controls
For information about how to
navigate the menu system using the
infotainment controls, see
Introduction 0139.
PHONE : Touch the Phone icon on
the Home Page to enter the phone
main menu.
Audio System
When using the Bluetooth phone
system, sound comes through the
vehicle's front audio system
speakers and overrides the audio
system. The volume level while on a
phone call can be adjusted by
pressing the steering wheel controls
or touching the volume control on
the center stack. The adjusted volume level remains in memory for
later calls. The volume cannot be
lowered beyond a certain level.
Bluetooth (Pairing and
Using a Phone)
Pairing
A Bluetooth-enabled cell phone
must be paired to the Bluetooth
system and then connected to the
vehicle before it can be used. See
the cell phone manufacturer's user
guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone.
Pairing Information
.
A Bluetooth phone with music
capability can be paired to the
vehicle as a phone and a music
player at the same time.
. Up to 10 devices can be paired
to the Bluetooth system.
. The pairing process is disabled
when the vehicle is moving. .
Pairing only needs to be
completed once, unless the
pairing information on the cell
phone changes or the cell phone
is deleted from the system.
. If multiple paired cell phones are
within range of the system, the
system connects to the paired
cell phone that is set to First to
Connect. If there is no phone set
to First to Connect, it will link to
the device which was used last.
To link to a different paired
phone, see “Linking to a
Different Phone” later in this
section.
Pairing a Phone 1. Make sure Bluetooth has been enabled on the cell phone
before pairing is started.
2. Touch the Phone icon on the Home Page or the phone
shortcut on the applications
tray at the bottom of the
screen.
3. Touch Phone at the top of the infotainment display. There is
also an Add option in the
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
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Infotainment System 157
The Contacts menu accesses the
phone book stored in the cell phone.
The Recents menu accesses the
recent call list(s) from your cell
phone.
To make a call using the
Contacts menu:1. Touch the Phone icon on the Home Page.
2. Touch Contacts.
3. The Contacts list can be searched by using the first
character. Touch A-Z on the
infotainment display to scroll
through the list of names.
Select the name to call.
4. Select the desired contact number to call.
To make a call using the Recent
Calls menu: 1. Touch the Phone icon on the Home Page.
2. Touch Recents.
3. Select the name or number to call.Making a Call Using the
Keypad
To make a call by dialing the
numbers:
1. Touch the Phone icon on the Home Page.
2. Touch Keypad and enter a phone number.
3. Touch
#to start dialing the
number.
Searching Contacts Using the
Keypad
To search for contacts using the
keypad:
1. Touch the Phone icon on the Home Page.
2. Touch Keypad and enter partial phone numbers or contact
names using the digits on the
keypad to search.
Results will show on the right
side of the screen. Select one
to place a call.
Accepting or Declining a Call
When an incoming call is received,
the infotainment system mutes and
a ring tone is heard in the vehicle.
Accepting a Call
There are three ways to accept
a call:
.Press
gon the steering wheel
controls.
. Touch Answer on the
infotainment display.
. Select Answer on the instrument
cluster using the select control.
Declining a Call
There are three ways to decline
a call:
. Press
ion the steering wheel
controls.
. Touch Ignore on the infotainment
display.
. Select Ignore on the instrument
cluster using the select control.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
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158 Infotainment System
Call Waiting
Call waiting must be supported on
the Bluetooth phone and enabled by
the wireless service carrier to work.
Accepting a Call
There are three ways to accept a
call-waiting call:
.Press
gon the steering wheel
controls.
. Touch Switch on the
infotainment display.
. Select Switch on the instrument
cluster using the select control.
Declining a Call
There are three ways to decline a
call-waiting call:
. Press
ion the steering wheel
controls.
. Touch Ignore on the infotainment
display.
. Select Ignore on the instrument
cluster using the select control. Switching Between Calls (Call
Waiting Calls Only)
To switch between calls, press the
Phone icon on the Home Page to
display Call View. While in Call
View, press the call information of
the call on hold to change calls.
Three-Way Calling
Three-way calling must be
supported on the Bluetooth phone
and enabled by the wireless service
carrier to work.
To start a three-way call while in a
current call:
1. In the Call View, select Add Call to add another call.
2. Initiate the second call by selecting from Recents,
Contacts, or Keypad.
3. When the second call is active, press the merge icon to
conference the three-way call
together.
Ending a Call
.Pression the steering wheel
controls.
. Touch
bnext to a call to end
only that call.
. Select End on the instrument
cluster using the select control.
Dual Tone Multi-Frequency
(DTMF) Tones
The in-vehicle Bluetooth system can
send numbers during a call. This is
used when calling a menu-driven
phone system. Use the Keypad to
enter the number.
Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto
If equipped, Android Auto and/or
Apple CarPlay capability may be
available through a compatible
smartphone. If available, the
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
icons will appear on the Home Page
of the infotainment display.
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Driving and Operating 171
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices. .
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the seat belt. See Seat Belts061.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
. Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
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172 Driving and Operating
.Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
. Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied. Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort. See your dealer if
there is a problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
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Driving and Operating 173
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
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Driving and Operating 175
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0251.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 assist. Always
have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident). .
Pay attention to special road
signs (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 and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0198.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner