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
Vehicle Care 213
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 265
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 272
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North
America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including
this one, as well as many of its
service parts and fluids, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and
systems, many fluids, and some
component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0231
and Jump Starting - North America
0 273 and the back cover.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/26/18
216 Vehicle Care
3. Lift the hood and release thehood prop rod from the prop
rod retainer, which is under
the hood.
4. Securely place the hood prop rod into the hood prop rod
holder, at the rear passenger
side of the engine
compartment. To close the hood:
1. Before closing the hood, be sure all filler caps are on
properly. Then, lift the hood to
relieve pressure on the hood
prop rod. Remove the hood
prop rod from the prop rod
holder in the rear passenger
side of the engine compartment
and secure it to the retainer on
the underside of the hood. The
prop rod must click into place
when returning it to the retainer
to prevent hood damage.
2. Lower the hood above the vehicle and release it so it fully
latches. Check to make sure
the hood is closed and repeat
the process if necessary.
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Vehicle Care 217
Engine Compartment Overview
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2019 - CRC - 4/26/18
218 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0223.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0218.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0218.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 224.
5. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0229 and
Hydraulic Clutch 0222.
6. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0224.
7. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 228.
8. Battery - North America 0231.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0242.
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 0220.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
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
0217 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.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the
oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
or too soon after engine shutoff
can result in incorrect readings.
Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to
starting. Remove the dipstick
and check the level.
. If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is
warm, or at least 30 minutes if
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2019 - CRC - 4/26/18
Vehicle Care 219
the engine is not warm. Pull out
the dipstick, wipe it with a clean
paper towel or cloth, then push it
back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick and
the engine has been off for at least
15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck
the level. See“Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for
an explanation of what kind of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications 0303.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil
levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If the oil is level
above the operating range (i.e.,
the engine has so much oil that
the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows
the proper operating range), the
engine could be damaged. Drain
the excess oil or limit driving of
the vehicle, and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 217 for the location of the engine
oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range, between the cross-hatched
areas. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0299.
Specification
Use full synthetic engine oils that
meet the dexos1 specification.
Engine oils that have been
approved by GM as meeting the
dexos1 specification are marked
with the dexos1 approved logo. See
www.gmdexos.com.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146335) -
2019 - CRC - 4/26/18
220 Vehicle Care
Caution
Failure to use the recommended
engine oil or equivalent can result
in engine damage not covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Viscosity Grade
Use SAE 0W-20 viscosity grade
engine oil.
When selecting an oil of the
appropriate viscosity grade, it is
recommended to select an oil of the
correct specification. See
“Specification” earlier in this section.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine
Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils meeting the
dexos1 specification are all that is
needed for good performance and
engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on
your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A
:% CHANGE DIC
message comes on. Change the oil
as soon as possible within the next
1 000 km (600 mi). It is possible that,
if driving under the best conditions,
the oil life system may indicate that
an oil change is not necessary for
up to a year. The engine oil and
filter must be changed at least once
a year and, at this time, the system
must be reset. Your dealer has
trained service people who will
perform this work and reset the
system. It is also important to check
the oil regularly over the course of
an oil drain interval and keep it at
the proper level.
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Vehicle Care 221
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