2019 CHEVROLET SONIC power steering

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
174 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 178
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 179
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 181
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 185
Ignition Positions (KeyAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Shifting out of Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Parking (Manual
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Extended Parking (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 196
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 199
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 203
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 208
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 209
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 216
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 217
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
176 Driving and Operating
{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 Belts062.
. 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. .
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.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Driving and Operating 177
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.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.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/23/18
186 Driving and Operating
2. ON/RUN
3. START
The ignition switch has four
positions.
To shift out of P (Park) with an
automatic transmission, the ignition
must be in ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied.
0 (Stopping the Engine/LOCK/
OFF) :This position turns off the
vehicle. It also locks the ignition, the
transmission on an automatic
transmission vehicle, and the
steering column, if equipped with a
locking steering column.To turn off the vehicle:
1. Make sure that the vehicle is stopped.
2. Shift to P (Park) with an automatic transmission, or
Neutral with a manual
transmission.
3. Continue to hold the brake pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Parking Brake
0 202.
4. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column (1),
then turn the key to
LOCK/OFF (2).
5. Remove the key.
6. Release the brake pedal.
See your dealer if the key can be
removed in any other position.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0192.
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition. If equipped with a locking steering
column, the steering can bind with
the front wheels turned off center,
which may prevent key rotation out
of LOCK/OFF. If this happens, move
the steering wheel from right to left
while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, turn off the vehicle
only in an emergency.
In an emergency, if the vehicle
cannot be pulled over and must be
turned off while driving: 1. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/23/18
Driving and Operating 187
2. Brake using firm and steadypressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
3. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. Continue
braking and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
4. Come to a complete stop.
5. Shift to P (Park) with an automatic transmission,
or Neutral with a manual
transmission.
6. Continue to hold the brake pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Parking Brake
0 202.
7. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column,
then turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF.
8. Remove the key.
9. Release the brake pedal.Caution
Use the correct key, make sure it
is all the way in —or pushed all
the way in toward the steering
column when turning off the
vehicle —and turn it only with
your hand.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position allows features such as the
infotainment system to operate
while the vehicle is off. It also
unlocks the steering column,
if equipped with a locking steering
column. Use this position if the
vehicle must be pushed or towed.
See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) 0192.
From ON/RUN, push the key all the
way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
If the key is left in ACC/
ACCESSORY with the engine off,
the battery could drain and the
vehicle may not start. A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
2 (ON/RUN) :
This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument cluster warning and
indicator lights. This position can
also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position
when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position on automatic transmission
vehicles.
If the key is left in ON/RUN with the
engine off, the battery could drain
and the vehicle may not start.
3 (START) : This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
returns to ON/RUN for driving.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
188 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
(Keyless Access)
The vehicle may be equipped with
an electronic keyless ignition with
pushbutton start.
The transmitter must be in the
vehicle for the system to operate.
If the pushbutton start is not
working, the vehicle may be near a
strong radio antenna signal causing
interference to the Keyless Access
system.
SeeRemote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Keyless Access) 0
29 orRemote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation (Key
Access) 035.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be turned on or in Service
Mode, and the brake pedal must be
applied.
Stopping the Engine/OFF (No
Indicator Lights) : When the
vehicle is stopped, press ENGINE
START/STOP once to turn the
engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0192.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will display
the message SHIFT TO PARK.
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system will
switch to OFF. Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or Neutral with a
manual transmission. Turn the
ignition off.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0202.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Driving and Operating 189
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold ENGINE START/
STOP for longer than two seconds,
or press twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light) : This mode allows
you to use some electrical
accessories when the engine is off.
For a manual transmission, set the
parking brake before putting the
ignition in ACC/ACCESSORY.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY. The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) :
This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off and the
brake pedal applied, pressing
ENGINE START/STOP once will
place the ignition system in ON/
RUN/START. Once engine cranking
begins, release the button. Engine
cranking will continue until the
engine starts. See Starting the
Engine 0189. The ignition will then
remain in ON/RUN.
Service Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding ENGINE
START/STOP for more than
five seconds will place the vehicle in
Service Mode. The instruments and
audio systems will operate as they do in ON/RUN, but the vehicle will
not be able to be driven. The engine
will not start in Service Mode. Press
ENGINE START/STOP again to turn
the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
202 Driving and Operating
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You may hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate. This is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
With the brake pedal applied, pull
up firmly on the parking brake
handle without pressing the release
button.
SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) 0193 orParking
(Manual Transmission) 0194. If the
ignition is on, the brake system
warning light will come on. See
Brake System Warning Light 0118.
To release the parking brake: 1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Pull the parking brake handle up until you can press the
release button.
3. Hold the release button in as you move the brake handle all
the way down.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Driving with the parking brake
applied will cause a warning chime
to sound and a Driver Information
Center (DIC) message to display.
Release the parking brake or stop
the vehicle.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake