Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
Introduction 3
Danger, Warning, and
Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means“Do
Not,” “Do not do this,” or“Do not let
this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M: Shown when the owner ’s
manual has additional instructions
or information.
*: Shown when the service
manual has additional instructions
or information.
0: Shown when there is more
information on another page —
“see page.” Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. See the
features in this manual for
information.
9:
Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I: Cruise Control
`:Do Not Puncture
^:Do Not Service
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
_: Flame/Fire Prohibited
.:Fuel Gauge
+: Fuses
3:Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: ISOFIX/LATCH System Child
Restraints
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
Instruments and Controls 107
Certain accessory power plugs may
not be compatible with the
accessory power outlet and could
overload vehicle or adapter fuses.
If a problem is experienced, see
your dealer.
When adding electrical equipment,
be sure to follow the proper
installation instructions included with
the equipment. SeeAdd-On
Electrical Equipment 0213.
Caution
Hanging heavy equipment from
the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty. The power
outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only, such
as cell phone charge cords.
Warning Lights,
Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning lights and gauges can
signal that something is wrong
before it becomes serious enough
to cause an expensive repair or
replacement. Paying attention to the
warning lights and gauges could
prevent injury.
Some warning lights come on briefly
when the engine is started to
indicate they are working. When
one of the warning lights comes on
and stays on while driving, or when
one of the gauges shows there may
be a problem, check the section that
explains what to do. Waiting to do
repairs can be costly and even
dangerous.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
Lighting 135
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
Move the lever all the way up or
down to signal a turn.
An arrow on the instrument cluster
will flash in the direction of the turn
or lane change.
Raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to flash to signal a lane
change. Hold it there until the lane
change is completed. If the lever is
briefly pressed and released, the
turn signal flashes three times.
The lever returns to its neutral
position when it is released.If after signaling a turn or lane
change the arrow flashes rapidly or
does not come on, a signal bulb
may be burned out. Replace any
burned out bulbs. If a bulb is not
burned out, check the fuse.
See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
0 244 orBulb Replacement 0240.
Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for more
than 1.2 km (0.75 mi), a chime will
sound at each flash of the turn
signal. To turn the chime off, move
the turn signal lever to the neutral
position.
Fog Lamps
If equipped with front fog lamps, the
button is on the outboard side of the
instrument panel.
The ignition must be on to turn on
the fog lamps.
#: Press to turn the fog lamps on
or off. An indicator light on the
instrument cluster comes on when
the fog lamps are on.
The fog lamps come on together
with the parking lamps.
If the high-beam headlamps are
turned on, the fog lamps will turn off.
If the high-beam headlamps are
turned off, the fog lamps will turn
back on again.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on
along with the fog lamps.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
214 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 215
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 216
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 224
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 226
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 226
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 231
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 Battery - North America . . . . . . 235
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 236
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 237
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 237
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 239
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Headlamps and Front Turn Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 243
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 243
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 244
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 253
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 269
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
220 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0226.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0222.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 228.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0222.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0228.
6. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0234 and
Hydraulic Clutch 0226.
7. Battery - North America 0235.
8. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 233.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0244.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
222 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0226.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0222.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 228.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0222.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0228.
6. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0234 and
Hydraulic Clutch 0226.
7. Battery - North America 0235.
8. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0244.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 233.
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil. Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0224.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
If the engine oil pressure light
comes on, check the engine oil level
right away. The oil pressure light is
on the instrument cluster. See
Engine Oil Pressure Light 0120.
Check the engine oil level regularly;
this is an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 219 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the
oil level.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
Vehicle Care 243
License Plate Lamp
Lamp Assembly
Bulb Assembly
1. Bulb Socket
2. Bulb
3. Lamp Assembly
To replace one of these bulbs:1. Push the left end of the lamp assembly toward the right.
2. Turn the lamp assembly down to remove it.
3. Turn the bulb socket (1) counterclockwise to remove it
from the lamp assembly (3).
4. Pull the bulb (2) straight out of the bulb socket (1).
5. Push the replacement bulb straight into the bulb socket
and turn the bulb socket
clockwise to install it into the
lamp assembly.
6. Turn the lamp assembly into the lamp assembly opening
engaging the clip side first.
7. Push on the lamp side opposite the clip until the lamp assembly
snaps into place.
Electrical System
Electrical System
Overload
The vehicle has fuses and circuit
breakers to protect against an
electrical system overload.
When the current electrical load is
too heavy, the circuit breaker opens
and closes, protecting the circuit
until the current load returns to
normal or the problem is fixed. This
greatly reduces the chance of circuit
overload and fire caused by
electrical problems.
Fuses and circuit breakers protect
power devices in the vehicle.
Replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size and rating.
If there is a problem on the road and
a fuse needs to be replaced, the
same amperage fuse can be
borrowed. Choose some feature of
the vehicle that is not needed to use
and replace it as soon as possible.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11373973) -
2018 - crc - 10/9/17
244 Vehicle Care
Headlamp Wiring
An electrical overload may cause
the lamps to go on and off, or in
some cases to remain off. Have the
headlamp wiring checked right away
if the lamps go on and off or
remain off.
Windshield Wipers
If the wiper motor overheats due to
heavy snow or ice, the windshield
wipers will stop until the motor cools
and will then restart.
Although the circuit is protected
from electrical overload, overload
due to heavy snow or ice may
cause wiper linkage damage.
Always clear ice and heavy snow
from the windshield before using the
windshield wipers.
If the overload is caused by an
electrical problem and not snow or
ice, be sure to get it fixed.
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are
protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces the
chance of damage caused by
electrical problems.
{Danger
Fuses and circuit breakers are
marked with their ampere rating.
Do not exceed the
specified amperage rating when
replacing fuses and circuit
breakers. Use of an oversized
fuse or circuit breaker can result
in a vehicle fire. You and others
could be seriously injured or
killed.
To check a fuse, look at the
silver-colored band inside the fuse.
If the band is broken or melted,
replace the fuse. Be sure to replace
a bad fuse with a new one of the
identical size and rating. Fuses of the same amperage can
be temporarily borrowed from
another fuse location, if a fuse goes
out. Replace the fuse as soon as
possible.
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block
1.8L Engines
The engine compartment fuse block
is on the driver side of the vehicle,
near the battery.