Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13556236) -
2020 - CRC - 4/23/19
164 Driving and Operating
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.Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 195.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the vehicle
when it 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. Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in Neutral
and the parking brake engaged.
Hold the clutch pedal down to the
floor, press the brake pedal and
start the engine.
Key Access
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When
the engine starts, let go of the
key. The idle speed will go
down as the engine warms. Do
not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by trying to start
the engine immediately after
cranking has ended, can overheat
and damage the cranking motor,
and drain the battery. Wait at
(Continued)
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13556236) -
2020 - CRC - 4/23/19
Driving and Operating 165
Caution (Continued)
least 15 seconds between each
try, to let the cranking motor
cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Push the accelerator
pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it there as you hold
the key in START for a
maximum of 15 seconds. Wait
at least 15 seconds between
each try, to allow the cranking
motor to cool. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again,
repeat the procedure. This
clears the extra gasoline from
the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine and transmission gently until
the oil warms up and lubricates
all moving parts.
Keyless Access 1. With the Keyless Access system, the RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle. For
vehicles with an automatic
transmission, press the brake
pedal, then press ENGINE
START/STOP on the
instrument panel.
For vehicles with a manual
transmission, press the clutch
pedal and the brake pedal first,
then press ENGINE
START/STOP.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it. If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
battery is low, a Driver
Information Center (DIC)
message will display. See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
0
98 and
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Key
Access) 010 or
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Keyless
Access) 013.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by trying to start
the engine immediately after
cranking has ended, can overheat
and damage the cranking motor,
and drain the battery. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to let the cranking motor
cool down.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13556236) -
2020 - CRC - 4/23/19
Driving and Operating 169
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with a shift
lock release system. The shift lock
release is designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released.
. Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park) unless the
ignition is on and the brake
pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting - North
America 0257.
To shift out of P (Park): 1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Start the vehicle.
3. Press the shift lever button. 4. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If still unable to shift out of P (Park): 1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If the shift lever still cannot be
moved from P (Park), have the
vehicle serviced soon.
The doors may lock when shifting
from P (Park). See Automatic Door
Locks 018.
Parking (Manual
Transmission)
{Warning
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, never get out of the
vehicle without first moving the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
shift lever into 1st or R (Reverse),
setting the parking brake and
turning the ignition off. The
vehicle can roll, which could
cause serious injury or death.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Extended Parking
It is best not to park with the vehicle
running. If the vehicle is left running,
be sure it will not move and there is
adequate ventilation. See Shifting
Into Park 0167 and
Engine Exhaust 0170.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13556236) -
2020 - CRC - 4/23/19
Driving and Operating 195
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information
{Warning
Never tow a trailer with your
vehicle. It was not designed or
intended to tow a trailer.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 089.
A device connected to the DLC —
such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle
systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash.
Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check
with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 054 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 054.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13556236) -
2020 - CRC - 4/23/19
196 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 197
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 198
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 204
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 206
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 207
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 211
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Battery - North America . . . . . . 215
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 216
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 217
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 218
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 219
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 224
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 225
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 226
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 233
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Wheel Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13556236) -
2020 - CRC - 4/23/19
Vehicle Care 197
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 249
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 256
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North
America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
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 0215
and Jump Starting - North America
0 257 and the back cover.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13556236) -
2020 - CRC - 4/23/19
202 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0207.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0202.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0202.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 208.
5. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0213 and
Hydraulic Clutch 0206.
6. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0208.
7. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 212.
8. Battery - North America 0215.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0226.
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 0204.
. 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
0201 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
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13556236) -
2020 - CRC - 4/23/19
Vehicle Care 215
Battery - North America
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove
the cap and do not add fluid.
Refer to the replacement number
shown on the original battery label
when a new battery is needed. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0201 for battery location.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Batteries also
contain other chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer. WASH HANDS AFTER
HANDLING. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle. See
California Proposition
65 Warning 0197 and the back
cover.
Vehicle Storage
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. See Jump Starting -
North America 0257 for tips on
working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
Negative Battery Cable
Disconnection
{Warning
Before disconnecting the negative
battery cable, turn off all features,
turn the ignition off, and remove
the key, if equipped, from the
vehicle. If this is not done, you or
others could be injured, and the
vehicle could be damaged.
Caution
If the battery is disconnected with
the ignition on or the vehicle in
Retained Accessory Power
(RAP), the OnStar back-up
battery will be permanently
discharged and will need to be
replaced.
1. Make sure the lamps, features, and accessories are turned off.
2. Turn the ignition off and remove the key, if equipped.