Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/30/18
Driving and Operating 187
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park 0183.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has a shift lock release
control. The brake pedal must be
fully applied, and the shift lever
button must be pressed before
shifting from P (Park) while the
ignition is on. If the transmission will
not shift out of P (Park), ease
pressure on the shift lever and push
the shift lever all the way into P (Park) while maintaining brake
application. Then move the shift
lever into another gear. See
Shifting
out of Park 0184.
R : Use this gear to back up.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0171.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle
is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/30/18
Driving and Operating 189
Caution
A transmission hot message may
display if the manual transmission
fluid is too hot. Driving at high
speed under this condition can
damage the vehicle. Drive at a
slower speed, or stop and idle the
engine to cool the manual
transmission fluid. The message
clears when the vehicle has
slowed and the transmission fluid
has cooled sufficiently.
1 : Press the clutch pedal and shift
into 1 (First). Then, slowly let up on
the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
If you have come to a complete stop
and it is hard to shift into 1 (First),
put the shift lever in Neutral and let
up on the clutch. Press the clutch
pedal back down. Then shift into
1 (First). 2 :
Press the clutch pedal as you let
up on the accelerator pedal and
shift into 2 (Second). Then, slowly
let up on the clutch pedal as you
press the accelerator pedal.
3, 4, and 5 : Shift into 3 (Third),
4 (Fourth), and 5 (Fifth) the same
way as for 2 (Second). Slowly let up
on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral.
Neutral : Use this position when
you start or idle the engine.
R : To back up, press down the
clutch pedal and shift into
R (Reverse). Let up on the clutch
pedal slowly while pressing the
accelerator pedal.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
Caution
Do not rest your hand on the shift
lever while driving. The pressure
could cause premature wear in
the transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/30/18
192 Driving and Operating
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.
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 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
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
This vehicle has a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature, which may be useful
when the vehicle is stopped on a
grade sufficient enough to activate
HSA. This feature is designed to
prevent the vehicle from rolling,
either forward or rearward, during
vehicle drive off. After the driver
completely stops and holds the
vehicle in a complete standstill on a
grade, HSA will be automatically
activated. During the transition
period between when the driver
releases the brake pedal and starts
to accelerate to drive off on a grade,
HSA holds the braking pressure for
a maximum of two seconds to
ensure that there is no rolling. The
brakes will automatically release
when the accelerator pedal is
applied within the two-second
window. It will not activate if the
vehicle is in a drive gear and facing
downhill, or if the vehicle is facing
uphill and in R (Reverse).
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/30/18
194 Driving and Operating
Ifdcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may need
more time to diagnose the problem.
If the condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
The button for TCS and StabiliTrak/
ESC is on the lower instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel.
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and
release
g. The Traction Off lighti
displays in the instrument cluster.
The appropriate DIC message
displays.
To turn TCS on again, press and
release
g. The Traction Off lighti
displayed in the instrument cluster
will turn off. The appropriate DIC
message displays. If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
g
is pressed, the system will not turn
off until the wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak/
ESC, press and hold
guntil the
Traction Off light
iand StabiliTrak/
ESC Off light
gcome on and stay
on in the instrument cluster. The
appropriate DIC message displays.
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC on
again, press and release
g. The
Traction Off light
iand StabiliTrak/
ESC Off light
gin the instrument
cluster turn off. The appropriate DIC
message displays.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 214.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/26/18
212 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 213
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 214
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 220
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 222
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 223
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 227
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Battery - North America . . . . . . 231
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 232
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 233
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 234
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 235
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 240
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 241
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 242
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 249
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Wheel Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/26/18
226 Vehicle Care
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.
{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.
Caution
Failure to follow the specific
coolant fill procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and could
cause system damage. If coolant
is not visible in the surge tank,
contact your dealer.
1. Remove the coolant surge tankpressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about
one-quarter of a turn. If you
hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. This will allow any
pressure still left to be vented
out the discharge hose.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the
indicated level mark.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until you
can feel the upper radiator
hose getting hot. Watch out for
the engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the
indicated level mark.
5. Reinstall the pressure cap tightly.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/26/18
Vehicle Care 241
To replace a license plate
lamp bulb:1. Remove the two screws (1) from the license plate lamp
assembly.
2. Turn and pull the license plate lamp assembly down.
3. Turn the bulb socket (3) counterclockwise and pull it out
of the lamp assembly.
4. Pull the bulb (2) straight out of the socket.
5. Push the new bulb into the socket.
6. Install the bulb socket (3) by turning clockwise into the
license plate lamp assembly.
7. Replace the license plate lamp assembly by using the two
screws to secure.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.
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.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/26/18
Vehicle Care 245
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block
The instrument panel fuse block is
on the underside of the driver side
instrument panel.
The vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the fuses, relays, and
features shown.Fuses Usage
ONSTAR OnStar HVAC
CNTR/ECC HVAC control
module/ECC
IPC Instrument cluster
TCM Transmission control module
RDO Radio
BCM1
(AT S&S) Body control
module 1 (CVT stop
and start)
SBSA/RPA SBSA/Rear park assist
DLC Data link connector
ESCL Electric steering column lock
SDM Sensing and diagnostic module
TRANSD DC-DC converter AQI Air quality ionizer
ETCS Electronic toll collection system