Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11348464) -
2018 - crc - 9/19/17
184 Driving and Operating
To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave
the driver seat. To find out how, see
“Shifting Into Park”previously in this
section.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission, so you can pull
the shift lever out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with a shift
lock release system. The shift lock
release is designed to:
. Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released.
. Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park) unless the
ignition is in on and the brake
pedal is applied. The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting - North
America 0268.
To shift out of P (Park): 1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Start the vehicle.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If still unable to shift out of P (Park): 1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position. If the shift lever still cannot be
moved from P (Park), have the
vehicle serviced soon.
The doors may lock when shifting
from P (Park). See
Automatic Door
Locks 036.
Parking
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, before getting out of
the vehicle, move the shift lever into
R (Reverse) if parking on a downhill
slope. On a level surface or an
uphill slope, use 1 (First) gear.
Firmly apply the parking brake. See
Parking Brake 0191. Turn the
wheels toward the curb for a
downhill slope, or away from the
curb for an uphill slope. Once the
shift lever has been placed into gear
with the clutch pedal pressed in,
turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF, and
release the clutch.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11348464) -
2018 - crc - 9/19/17
Driving and Operating 185
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Extended Parking
It is best not to park with the vehicle
running. If the vehicle is left running,
be sure it will not move and there is
adequate ventilation.
SeeShifting Into Park 0183 and
Engine Exhaust 0185.
If the vehicle is left parked and
running with the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter outside the
vehicle, it will turn off after one hour.
If the vehicle is left parked and
running with the RKE transmitter
inside the vehicle, it will turn off after
two hours. The vehicle could turn off sooner if it
is parked on a hill, due to lack of
available fuel.
Automatic Transmission
The timer will reset if the vehicle is
taken out of P (Park) while it is
running.
ManualTransmission
The timer will reset if vehicle speed
exceeds 4 km/h (2.5 mph).
Engine Exhaust
{Warning
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO), which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
. The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation
(parking garages, tunnels,
deep snow that may block
underbody airflow or tail
pipes).
. The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
. The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
. The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified,
damaged, or improperly
repaired.
(Continued)
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11348464) -
2018 - crc - 9/19/17
186 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle: . Drive it only with the
windows completely down.
. Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park 0183 and
Engine Exhaust 0185. If the vehicle
has a manual transmission, see
Parking 0184.
Automatic
Transmission
Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT)
The CVT is electronically controlled
to produce maximum power and
smooth operation. A display in the
instrument cluster indicates the
selected range.
P : This position locks the drive
wheels. Use P (Park) when starting
the engine because the vehicle
cannot move easily.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11348464) -
2018 - crc - 9/19/17
188 Driving and Operating
Caution
A transmission hot message may
display if the automatic
transmission fluid is too hot.
Driving under this condition can
damage the vehicle. Stop and idle
the engine to cool the automatic
transmission fluid. This message
clears when the transmission fluid
has cooled sufficiently.
D : This position is for normal
driving. If more power is needed for
passing, press the accelerator
pedal down.
L : This position reduces vehicle
speed without using the brakes by
using the braking effect of engine
compression. It can help control
vehicle speed going down steep
hills, on long downhill grades, or on
mountain roads, along with using
the brakes off and on. This may
prolong the life of the brake linings. In the event of a fault, the
malfunction indicator lamp
illuminates. See your dealer for
repairs.
Manual Transmission
Caution
Shifting the vehicle initially into
any gear other than 1 (First) or
R (Reverse) can damage the
clutch. Shift the manual
transmission in the proper
sequence, and time the gear
shifting with the accelerator to
avoid revving the engine and
damaging the clutch.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11348464) -
2018 - crc - 9/19/17
Vehicle Care 209
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 210
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 217
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 219
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 219
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 224
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Battery - North America . . . . . . 228
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 228
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 229
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 230
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 231
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 235
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 236
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 237 Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 243
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Wheel Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 260
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11348464) -
2018 - crc - 9/19/17
218 Vehicle Care
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. Always reset the
engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To
reset the system:
Base Level Cluster1. Press MENU on the turn signal lever to show Remaining Oil
Life on the display. This display
shows an estimate of the oil’ s
remaining useful life. If 99% is
displayed, that means that 99%
of the current oil life remains.
2. To reset the engine oil life system, press SET/CLR while
the oil life display is active.
After a few seconds, the oil life will be reset to 100%. Be
careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than after the oil is
changed. It cannot be reset
accurately.
If the
:% CHANGE message in
the DIC comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Uplevel Cluster
1. Turn the ignition on with the engine off.
2. Press MENU on the turn signal lever to enter the Vehicle
Information Menu. Use the
thumbwheel to scroll through
the menu items until you reach
REMAINING OIL LIFE.
3. Press SET/CLR to reset the oil life at 100%.
4. Turn the ignition off. The oil life system can also be reset
as follows:
1. Turn the ignition on with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds.
The system is reset when the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message is off and the REMAINING
OIL LIFE 100% message is
displayed. If the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes back on
when the vehicle is started, the
engine oil life system has not been
reset. Repeat the procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
transmission fluid level.
A transmission fluid leak is the only
reason for fluid loss. If a leak
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11348464) -
2018 - crc - 9/19/17
Vehicle Care 225
2. Turn the heater on to thehighest temperature and to the
highest fan speed. Open the
windows as necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) for an automatic
transmission or Neutral for a
manual transmission, and let
the engine idle.
If the overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slowly
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally
and have the cooling system
checked for proper fill and function.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for three minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down.Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid is
needed, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. If operating the vehicle in an
area where the temperature may fall
below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0214 for
reservoir location.
Caution
. Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
. Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
. Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
. When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
(Continued)
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11348464) -
2018 - crc - 9/19/17
Vehicle Care 229
3. Try to start the engine in eachgear. The vehicle should start
only in P (Park) or N (Neutral).
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move. 3. With the engine off, turn the
ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
If equipped with Key Access, while
parked, and with the parking brake
set, try to turn the ignition off in
each shift lever position.
.For automatic transmission
vehicles, the ignition should turn
off only when the shift lever is in
P (Park).
. For manual transmission
vehicles, the ignition should turn
off only when the shift lever is in
Neutral.
On all Key Access vehicles, the
ignition key should come out only
when the ignition is off. Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{Warning
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.
. To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot