Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
28 Seats and Restraints
Do not have a seatback reclined if the
vehicle is moving.
Front Seat Armrest
There is an armrest on the inboard side of
the driver seat. To raise or lower the
armrest, push up or pull down on the
armrest.
Heated Front Seats
{Warning
If temperature change or pain to the skin
cannot be felt, the seat heater may cause
burns. To reduce the risk of burns, use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of time. Do
not place anything on the seat that
insulates against heat, such as a blanket,
cushion, cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to overheat. An
overheated seat heater may cause a burn
or may damage the seat.
If equipped, the buttons are on the center
console. To operate, the engine must be
running.
Press
LorMto heat the driver or
passenger seat. The indicator light on the
control turns on when this feature is on.
Press the control again to turn this
feature off.
The passenger seat may take longer to
heat up.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
Seats and Restraints 43
Warning (Continued)
can guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual circumstance,
even though the airbag(s) are off.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat, even if the airbag is off.
If securing a forward-facing child restraint
in the front outboard passenger seat,
always move the seat as far back as it
will go. It is better to secure child
restraints in the rear seat. Consider using
another vehicle to transport the child
when a rear seat is not available.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag if:
.The front outboard passenger seat is
unoccupied.
.The system determines an infant is
present in a child restraint.
.A front outboard passenger takes his/her
weight off of the seat for a period
of time.
.There is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system. When the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag, the OFF
indicator will light and stay lit as a reminder
that the airbags are off. See
Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 074.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn on the front outboard passenger frontal
airbag and knee airbag anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size is sitting
properly in the front outboard passenger
seat. When the passenger sensing system
has allowed the airbags to be enabled, the
ON indicator will light and stay lit as a
reminder that the airbags are active.
For some children, including children in child
restraints, and for very small adults, the
passenger sensing system may or may not
turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag, depending
upon the person's seating posture and body
build. Everyone in the vehicle who has
outgrown child restraints should wear a seat
belt properly —whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever comes
on and stays on, it means that
something may be wrong with the airbag
system. To help avoid injury to yourself
or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness Light 074 for
more information, including important
safety information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a Child
Restraint
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag if the system
determines that an infant is present in a
child restraint. If a child restraint has been
installed and the ON indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
44 Seats and Restraints
4. Reinstall the child restraint following thedirections provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear
Seat) 060 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Front Seat) 062.
5. If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the vehicle, the ON
indicator is still lit, turn the vehicle off.
Then slightly recline the vehicle seatback
and adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that the
vehicle seatback is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. Also
make sure the child restraint is not
trapped under the vehicle head restraint.
If this happens, adjust the head restraint.
See Head Restraints 025.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system may or may
not turn off the airbags for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the child’s size.
It is better to secure the child restraint in a
rear seat. Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if the ON
indicator is not lit.If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in the
front outboard passenger seat, but the OFF
indicator is lit, it could be because that
person is not sitting properly in the seat or
that the child restraint locking feature is
engaged. Use the following steps to allow
the system to detect that person and enable
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag: 1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material from the seat, such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers. 3. Place the seatback in the fully upright
position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with legs
comfortably extended.
5. If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint
locking feature will be engaged. This
may unintentionally cause the passenger
sensing system to turn the airbag off for
some adult-sized occupants. If this
happens, unbuckle the belt and let the
belt go back all the way, and then
buckle the belt again without pulling the
belt out all the way.
6. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for two to
three minutes after the ON indicator
is lit.
{Warning
If the front outboard passenger airbag is
turned off for an adult-sized occupant,
the airbag will not be able to inflate and
help protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of serious
injury or even death. An adult-sized
(Continued)
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
Seats and Restraints 45
Warning (Continued)
occupant should not ride in the front
outboard passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag OFF indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting System
Operation
Seat belts help keep the passenger in
position on the seat during vehicle
maneuvers and braking, which helps the
passenger sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See“Seat Belts”
and “Child Restraints” in the Index for
additional information about the importance
of proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material, such as
a blanket or cushion, or aftermarket
equipment such as seat covers, seat heaters,
and seat massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates. We
recommend that you not use seat covers or
other aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific vehicle.
See Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 045 for more
information about modifications that can
affect how the system operates. The ON indicator may be lit if an object,
such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery bag,
laptop, or other electronic device, is put on
an unoccupied seat. If this is not desired,
remove the object from the seat.
{Warning
Stowing articles under the passenger seat
or between the passenger seat cushion
and seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle should be
serviced. There are parts of the airbag
system in several places around the vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the vehicle and
the airbag system. To purchase a service
manual, see
Publication Ordering
Information 0247.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the vehicle is
turned off and the battery is
disconnected, an airbag can still inflate
during improper service. You can be
injured if you are close to an airbag
when it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the airbag
system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualified to
do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the vehicle's
frame, bumper system, height, front end,
or side sheet metal may keep the airbag
system from working properly.
The operation of the airbag system can also
be affected by changing, including
improperly repairing or replacing, any parts
of the following:
.Airbag system, including airbag modules,
front or side impact sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, or airbag wiring
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
46 Seats and Restraints
.Front seats, including stitching, seams or
zippers
.Seat belts
.Steering wheel, instrument panel,
overhead console, ceiling trim, or pillar
garnish trim
.Inner door seals, including speakers
Your dealer and the service manual have
information about the location of the airbag
modules and sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module, and airbag wiring along with the
proper replacement procedures.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front outboard
passenger position, which includes sensors
that are part of the passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system may not operate
properly if the original seat trim is replaced
with non-GM covers, upholstery, or trim; or
with GM covers, upholstery, or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any object,
such as an aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort-enhancing pad or device, installed
under or on top of the seat fabric, could
also interfere with the operation of the
passenger sensing system. This could either
prevent proper deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger sensing system from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing
System 042.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail airbags,
see Different Size Tires and Wheels 0203 for
additional important information.
If the vehicle must be modified because you
have a disability and have questions about
whether the modifications will affect the
vehicle's airbag system, or if you have
questions about whether the airbag system
will be affected if the vehicle is modified for
any other reason, call Customer Assistance.
See Customer Assistance Offices 0242.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need regularly
scheduled maintenance or replacement.
Make sure the airbag readiness light is
working. See Airbag Readiness Light 074.
Caution
If an airbag covering is damaged, opened,
or broken, the airbag may not work
properly. Do not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any opened or
broken airbag coverings, have the airbag
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
covering and/or airbag module replaced.
For the location of the airbags, see Where
Are the Airbags? 038. See your dealer
for service.
Replacing Airbag System Parts
after a Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the airbag systems
in the vehicle. A damaged airbag system
may not properly protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting in
serious injury or even death. To help
make sure the airbag systems are
working properly after a crash, have
them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
If an airbag inflates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See your dealer
for service.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
Climate Controls 119
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Maintenance
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . 122
Air Conditioning Regular Operation . . . . 122
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Climate Control Systems
These climate control systems control the
heating, cooling, and ventilation for the
vehicle.
Climate Control System with Heater and AirConditioning
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Rear Window Defogger
5. Recirculation
6. Air Conditioning
Climate Control System with Heater Only
1. Temperature Control
2. Fan Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Rear Window Defogger
5. Recirculation
Temperature Control : Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
temperature.
A: Turn clockwise or counterclockwise to
increase or decrease the fan speed. Turning
the fan control to 0 turns the fan off. The
fan must be turned on to run the air
conditioning compressor.
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
124 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 125
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Ignition Positions (Key Access) . . . . . . . . . 134
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . 136
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 140
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Parking (Manual Transmission) . . . . . . . . . 141
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . 142
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 142
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 146
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic StabilityControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . 155
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . 156
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 160
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 160
Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
Driving and Operating 139
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.
Engine Heater
The engine heater can provide easier
starting and better fuel economy during
engine warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below−18 °C or 0 °F. Vehicles with an
engine heater should be plugged in at least
four hours before starting.
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block heater
while the vehicle is parked in a garage or
under a carport. Property damage or
personal injury may result. Always park
the vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The cord is in the driver side of the
engine compartment, near the engine
coolant surge tank. It is shipped from the
factory with a tie holding it in place. Use
care in removing the tie so that the cord
is not damaged.
Check the heater cord for damage. If it is
damaged, do not use it. See your dealer
for a replacement. Inspect the cord for
damage yearly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord or an
extension cord can damage the cord and
may result in overheating and fire.
.Plug the cord into a three-prong
electrical utility receptacle that is
protected by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded outlet could
cause an electric shock.
.Use a weatherproof, heavy-duty,
15 amp-rated extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the recommended
extension cord in good operating
condition, or using a damaged heater
(Continued)