Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
170 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 174
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 175
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 176
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 181
Ignition Positions (KeyAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Shifting out of Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Extended Parking (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 191
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 194
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 197
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 203
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 210
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/12/17
210 Driving and Operating
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance may be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp could turn on and the vehicle
may not pass a smog-check test.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) 0113. If this
occurs, return to your authorized
dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is
caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs may not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post
fuel octane ratings in anti-knock
index (AKI). For fuel not to use in a
foreign country, see “Prohibited
Fuels” inFuel 0209.
Fuel Additives
To keep fuel systems clean, TOP
TIER detergent gasoline is
recommended. See Fuel0209. If TOP TIER detergent gasoline is
not available, one bottle of GM Fuel
System Treatment Cleaner added to
the fuel tank at every engine oil
change, can help. GM Fuel System
Treatment Cleaner is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer.
Filling the Tank
{Warning
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn
violently and can cause injury or
death.
. To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow
all the instructions on the
fuel pump island.
. Turn off the engine when
refueling.
. Keep sparks, flames, and
smoking materials away
from fuel.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended.
. Do not use a cell phone
while refueling.
. Do not re-enter the vehicle
while pumping fuel.
. Keep children away from
the fuel pump and never let
children pump fuel.
. Fuel can spray out if the fuel
cap is opened too quickly.
This spray can happen if the
tank is nearly full, and is
more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly
and wait for any hiss noise
to stop, then unscrew the
cap all the way.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
340 Index
Driving (cont'd)Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
E
Electrical Equipment,
Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 244
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Emergency
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 219
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Engine (cont'd)
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Reduced Power Light . . . . . . . . . 121
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 191
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 323
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 132
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
F
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 134
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 225
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Front Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 120
Requirements, California . . . . . 209
Fuses Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 244