Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Customer Information 323
Current and Past Models
Service manuals and customer
literature are available for many
current and past model year GM
vehicles.
To order, call 1-800-551-4123
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
eastern time
For credit card orders only (VISA,
MasterCard, or Discover), see
Helm, Inc. at: www.helminc.com.
To order by mail, write to:
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
Make checks payable in U.S. funds.
Radio Frequency
Statement
This vehicle has systems that
operate on a radio frequency that
complies with Part 15/Part 18 of the
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) rules and with
Innovation, Science and Economic
Development (ISED) Canada's
RSP-100 / license-exempt RSS's /
ICES-001.
Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:1. The device may not cause harmful interference.
2. The device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause
undesired operation of the
device.
Changes or modifications to any of
these systems by other than an
authorized service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.
Reporting Safety
Defects
Reporting Safety Defects
to the United States
Government
If you believe that your vehicle
has a defect which could cause
a crash or could cause injury or
death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying
General Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar
complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it finds that
a safety defect exists in a group
of vehicles, it may order a recall
and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot
become involved in individual
problems between you, your
dealer, or General Motors.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Customer Information 325
Vehicle Data
Recording and
Privacy
The vehicle has a number of
computers that record information
about the vehicle’s performance and
how it is driven. For example, the
vehicle uses computer modules to
monitor and control engine and
transmission performance, to
monitor the conditions for airbag
deployment and deploy them in a
crash, and, if equipped, to provide
antilock braking to help the driver
control the vehicle. These modules
may store data to help the dealer
technician service the vehicle.
Some modules may also store data
about how the vehicle is operated,
such as rate of fuel consumption or
average speed. These modules may
retain personal preferences, such as
radio presets, seat positions, and
temperature settings.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle is equipped with an
event data recorder (EDR). The
main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near
crash-like situations, such as an air
bag deployment or hitting a road
obstacle, data that will assist in
understanding how a vehicle’s
systems performed. The EDR is
designed to record data related to
vehicle dynamics and safety
systems for a short period of time,
typically 30 seconds or less. The
EDR in this vehicle is designed to
record such data as:
.How various systems in your
vehicle were operating;
. Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened;
. How far (if at all) the driver was
depressing the accelerator and/
or brake pedal; and,
. How fast the vehicle was
traveling. These data can help provide a
better understanding of the
circumstances in which crashes and
injuries occur.
Note
EDR data are recorded by your
vehicle only if a non-trivial crash
situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal
driving conditions and no personal
data (e.g., name, gender, age, and
crash location) are recorded.
However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the
EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely
acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR,
special equipment is required, and
access to the vehicle or the EDR is
needed. In addition to the vehicle
manufacturer, other parties, such as
law enforcement, that have the
special equipment, can read the
information if they have access to
the vehicle or the EDR.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
330 OnStar
.PressQto speak with an
Advisor.
OnStar or connected services
cannot work unless the vehicle is in
a place where OnStar has an
agreement with a wireless service
provider for service in that area. The
wireless service provider must also
have coverage, network capacity,
reception, and technology
compatible with OnStar or
connected services. Service
involving location information about
the vehicle cannot work unless GPS
signals are available, unobstructed,
and compatible with the OnStar
hardware. OnStar or connected
services may not work if the OnStar
equipment is not properly installed
or it has not been properly
maintained. If equipment or software
is added, connected, or modified,
OnStar or connected services may
not work. Other problems beyond
the control of OnStar —such as
hills, tall buildings, tunnels, weather,
electrical system design and
architecture of the vehicle, damage to the vehicle in a crash, or wireless
phone network congestion or
jamming
—may prevent service.
See Radio Frequency Statement
0 323.
Services for People with
Disabilities
Advisors provide services to help
with physical disabilities and
medical conditions.
Press
Qto help:
. Locate a gas station with an
attendant to pump gas.
. Find a hotel, restaurant, etc.,
that meets accessibility needs.
. Provide directions to the closest
hospital or pharmacy in urgent
situations.
TTY Users
OnStar has the ability to
communicate to deaf,
hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired
customers while in the vehicle. The
available dealer-installed TTY
system can provide in-vehicle access to all OnStar services,
except Virtual Advisor and OnStar
Turn-by-Turn Navigation.
If equipped, TTY mode can be
turned on or off by touching
Settings, then Apps, and then
Phone. When TTY mode is on,
phone calls can be made or
received with OnStar using the
infotainment display.
OnStar Personal Identification
Number (PIN)
A PIN is needed to access some
OnStar services. The PIN will need
to be changed the first time when
speaking with an Advisor. To
change the OnStar PIN, contact an
OnStar Advisor by pressing
Qor
calling 1-888-4ONSTAR.
Warranty
OnStar equipment may be
warranted as part of the vehicle
warranty.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
332 OnStar
security, or the operation of the
vehicle or the vehicle systems.
Software updates or changes may
affect or erase data or settings that
are stored in the vehicle, such as
OnStar Hands-Free Calling name
tags, saved navigation destinations,
or pre-set radio stations. Neither
OnStar nor GM is responsible for
any affected or erased data or
settings. These updates or changes
may also collect personal
information. Such collection is
described in the OnStar privacy
statement or separately disclosed at
the time of installation. These
updates or changes may also cause
a system to automatically
communicate with GM servers to
collect information about vehicle
system status, identify whether
updates or changes are available,
or deliver updates or changes. An
active OnStar agreement constitutes
consent to these software updates
or changes and agreement that
either OnStar or GM may remotely
deliver them to the vehicle.Privacy
The complete OnStar Privacy
Statement may be found at
www.onstar.com (U.S.),
or www.onstar.ca (Canada). We
recommend that you review it. If you
have any questions, call
1-888-4ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827)
or press
Qto speak with an
Advisor. Users of wireless
communications are cautioned that
the privacy of any information sent
via wireless cellular communications
cannot be assured. Third parties
may unlawfully intercept or access
transmissions and private
communications without consent.
OnStar - Software
Acknowledgements
Certain OnStar components include
libcurl and unzip software and other
third party software. Below are the
notices and licenses associated with
libcurl and unzip and for other third
party software please see http://
opensource.lge.com/index
www.onstar.com/us/en/ libcurl:
COPYRIGHT AND PERMISSION
NOTICE
Copyright (c) 1996 - 2010, Daniel
Stenberg,
All rights reserved.
Permission to use, copy, modify,
and distribute this software for any
purpose with or without fee is
hereby granted, provided that the
above copyright notice and this
permission notice appear in all
copies.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED
“AS IS,”
WITHOUT WARRANTY OF
ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
AND NONINFRINGEMENT OF
THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. IN NO
EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE
LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY,
WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF
CONTRACT, TORT OR
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Index 339
IndexA
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 219
Additional Information OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Additional Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Agreements Trademarks and License . . . . . 167
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . 231
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Air Filter, Passenger
Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Passenger Sensing System . . . . 76
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Airbag System (cont'd)
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . 72
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Passenger Status Indicator . . . .115
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Antenna Backglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Multi-band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . 201 Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Armrest Front Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
342 Index
Driving (cont'd)Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
E
Electrical Equipment,
Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 248
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 226
Coolant Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 Engine (cont'd)
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Reduced Power Light . . . . . . . . . 124
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 196
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 325
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 135
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
F
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 137
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 230
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . 120
Frequency Statement
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Front Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 123
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
346 Index
PersonalizationVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Phone Apple CarPlay andAndroid Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156, 157
Port
USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Reduced Engine Light . . . . . . . . 124
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 192
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Power Steering Warning Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . 68
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . 325
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . 319
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Proposition 65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . . . .222, 239, 279, Back CoverPublication Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
R
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . 323
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Radios
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . 209
Rear Window Washer/Wiper . . . . 108
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 283
Reduced Engine Power Light . . . 124
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29, 35
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Replacement Parts
Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . . . 81
Replacing LATCH System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Replacing Seat Belt System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . . . 324
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Restraints Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Roads Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . . 312
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12461769) -
2019 - crc - 5/21/18
Index 347
S
Safety Defects ReportingCanadian Government . . . . . . . . 324
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . 319
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
How to Wear Seat BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . . . 69
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . 68
Seats
Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Heated Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . . 57
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . 57
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Securing Child Restraints . . . . 96, 98 Security
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Climate Control System . . . . . . . 169
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 223
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 308
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 309
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 319
Vehicle Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Services
Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Spare Tire
Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Special Application Services . . . . 302
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Power, Warning Lights . . . . . . . . 120
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Storage Load Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Storage Areas Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . 102
Struts Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243