2019 CHEVROLET SONIC cooling

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
In Brief 17
OFF :Use to turn the wipers off.
1X : For a single wipe, briefly move
the wiper lever down. For several
wipes, hold the wiper lever down.
n L: Pull the windshield wiper
lever toward you to spray windshield
washer fluid and activate the wipers.
See Windshield Wiper/Washer
0 107. For vehicles with a rear
window wiper/washer, see Rear
Window Wiper/Washer 0108.
Climate Controls
If equipped with these climate
control systems, the heating,
cooling, and ventilation can be
controlled for the vehicle.
Climate Control System with
Heater and Air Conditioning
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Driver and Passenger Heated Seats (If Equipped)
5. Recirculation
6. Rear Window Defogger
7. Air ConditioningClimate Control System with Heater Only
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Rear Window Defogger
See Climate Control Systems 0169.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
140 Lighting
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
Some exterior lamps and interior
lamps turn on briefly at night, or in
areas with limited lighting, when
K
is pressed on the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter. When a
door is opened, the interior lamps
come on if the dome lamp control is
in the Door position. They stay on
for about 20 seconds. When all of
the doors have been closed or the
ignition is turned on, they gradually
fade out.
This feature can be changed. See
“Vehicle Locator Lights”under
Vehicle Personalization 0132.
Exit Lighting
Some exterior lamps and interior
lamps come on at night, or in areas
with limited lighting, when the key is
removed from the ignition. The
exterior lamps and dome lamp
remain on for a set amount of time,
then automatically turn off. If equipped with Keyless Access,
the exterior lamps automatically turn
on when a door is opened after the
ignition is turned off. The dome
lamps also come on after the
ignition is turned off.
See
Ignition Positions (Key Access)
0 185 orIgnition Positions (Keyless
Access) 0188.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamps control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization 0132.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM) that estimates
the battery's temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage
for best performance and extended
life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle
has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the
voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an
alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all the
power needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Climate Controls 169
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Climate Control Systems . . . . . 169
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Maintenance
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Climate Control
Systems
These climate control systems
control the heating, cooling, and
ventilation for the vehicle.
Climate Control System with
Heater and Air Conditioning
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Driver and Passenger Heated Seats (If Equipped)
5. Recirculation 6. Rear Window Defogger
7. Air Conditioning
Climate Control System with
Heater Only
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Rear Window Defogger
Temperature Control : Turn
clockwise or counterclockwise to
increase or decrease the
temperature.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Driving and Operating 179
Warning (Continued)
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution. .
Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0253.
. 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, crash).

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Vehicle Care 221
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 222
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 223
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 229
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 231
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 231
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 236
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Battery - North America . . . . . . 239
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 240
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 241
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 242
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 243
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Headlamps and Front Turn Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 247
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 248
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 248
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 255
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 271
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 272

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Vehicle Care 227
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0231.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0227.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 232.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0227.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0232.
6. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0238 and
Hydraulic Clutch 0231.
7. Battery - North America 0239.
8. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 237.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0249.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 0229.
. 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 0123.
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
0 226 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.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
232 Vehicle Care
components are free of dirt and
debris. Remove the engine air
cleaner/filter. Lightly tap and shake
the engine air cleaner/filter (away
from the vehicle), to release loose
dust and dirt. Inspect the engine air
cleaner/filter for damage, and
replace if damaged. Do not clean
the engine air cleaner/filter or
components with water or
compressed air.
To inspect or replace the air cleaner/
filter:
1. Remove the two screws, tilt thecover, and slide it out of the
assembly. 2. Inspect or replace the engine
air cleaner/filter.
3. Lower the cover, slide it into the assembly, then secure with
the two screws.
{Warning
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/filter off can cause you or
others to be burned. Use caution
when working on the engine. Do
not start the engine or drive the
vehicle with the air cleaner/filter
off, as flames may be present if
the engine backfires.
Caution
If the air cleaner/filter is off, dirt
can easily get into the engine,
which could damage it. Always
have the air cleaner/filter in place
when driving.
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Out
of View)
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can
start up even when the engine is
not running and can cause injury.
(Continued)

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Vehicle Care 233
Warning (Continued)
Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see
Engine Overheating 0236.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such
as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. With
plain water or the wrong mixture,
the engine could get too hot but
there would not be an overheat
warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be
burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down
to−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature. .
Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature.
. Protects against rust and
corrosion.
. Will not damage aluminum parts.
. Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.Caution
Do not use anything other than a
mix of DEX-COOL coolant that
meets GM Standard
GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause
damage to the engine cooling
system and the vehicle, which
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on
the ground, or into sewers, streams,
or bodies of water. Have the coolant
changed by an authorized service
center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used