2020 CHEVROLET SONIC cruise control

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566834) -
2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
6 Introduction
1.Air Vents 0155.
2. Exterior Lamp Controls 0119.
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control 0123.
3. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn
and Lane-Change Signals
0 121.
4. Instrument Cluster 095.
5. Windshield Wiper/Washer 091.
6. Card Holder. See “Card Holder”
under Instrument Panel
Storage 086.
7. AM-FM Radio 0131.
8. Light Sensor. See Automatic
Headlamp System 0121.
9. Instrument Panel Storage 086.
10. Passenger Sensing System
058.
11. Hazard Warning Flashers
0121.
12. USB Port 0134.
Auxiliary Jack 0137.
13. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission 0180. 14. Trunk Release (Sedan). See
Trunk (Sedan) 024.
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) 0196 (If Equipped).
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0185.
15. Power Outlets 093.
16. Climate Control Systems
0153.
17. Central Locking Switch. See Door Locks 021.
18. Ignition Switch. See Ignition
Positions (Keyless Access)
0 170 or
Ignition Positions (Key Access)
0 172.
19. Steering Wheel Controls 090.
20. Horn 091.
21. Steering Wheel Adjustment
090 (Out of View).
22. Cruise Control 0187.
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System 0194 (If Equipped.
Heated Steering Wheel 091 (If
Equipped). 23. Data Link Connector (DLC)
(Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine
Light) 0100.
24. Hood Release. See Hood
0 205.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566834) -
2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
Instruments and Controls 89
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 90
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 90
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . 91
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 91
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . 92
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . 98
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Charging System Light . . . . . . . 100
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 100
Service Vehicle Soon Light . . . 102
Owner Manual Indicator . . . . . . 102
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Operate Pedal Light . . . . . . . . . . 103
Power Steering Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 104
Ultrasonic Parking Sensor Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . 105
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 106
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 107
Immobilizer Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Reduced Engine Power
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 108
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 108
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 108
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 108
Hood Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 115
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . 115
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 115

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566834) -
2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
108 Instruments and Controls
This light, along with the malfunction
indicator lamp, displays when a
noticeable reduction in the vehicle's
performance occurs.
The vehicle can be driven at a
reduced speed when the reduced
engine power light is on but
acceleration and speed might be
reduced. If this light stays on, see
your dealer as soon as possible for
diagnosis and repair.
High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer 0120.
Front Fog Lamp Light
For vehicles with fog lamps, this
light comes on when the fog lamps
are on.
The light goes out when the fog
lamps are turned off. See Fog
Lamps 0122.
Lamps On Reminder
This light comes on when the
exterior lamps are in use, except
when only the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) are active. See
Exterior Lamp Controls 0119.
Cruise Control Light
For vehicles with cruise control, the
cruise control light is white when the
cruise control is on and ready, and
turns green when the cruise control
is set and active.
The light turns off when the cruise
control is turned off. See Cruise
Control 0187.
Hood Ajar Light

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566834) -
2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
158 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 163
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 163
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 165
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 170
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Ignition Positions (Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Extended Parking (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 180
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 184
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 190
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 191
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 198
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 198
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566834) -
2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
Driving and Operating 159
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible:
.Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
. Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
. Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
. Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
. When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
the cruise control.
. Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
. Keep the vehicle tires properly
inflated. .
Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow the recommended
scheduled maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving. .
Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566834) -
2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
Driving and Operating 163
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
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 Tires0233.
. 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.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566834) -
2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
164 Driving and Operating
.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
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).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.
Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick. .
Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0185.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0183.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566834) -
2020 - CRC - 10/4/19
Driving and Operating 185
When the vehicle is stopped on a
grade, Hill Start Assist (HSA)
temporarily prevents the vehicle
from rolling in an unintended
direction during the transition from
brake pedal release to accelerator
pedal apply. The brakes release
when the accelerator pedal is
applied or automatically release
after a few seconds. The brakes
may also release under other
conditions. Do not rely on HSA to
hold the vehicle.
HSA is available when the vehicle is
facing uphill in a forward gear,
or when facing downhill in
R (Reverse). The vehicle must
come to a complete stop on a grade
for HSA to activate.Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
an electronic stability control
system. These systems help limit
wheel slip and assist the driver in
maintaining control, especially on
slippery road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of thevehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC begins to
limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See
If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0165
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.