Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
17041293) - 2024 - CRC - 12/6/22
Vehicle Care 215
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 216
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 216
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 219
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . 235
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . 236
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . 239
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 246
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Tire Pressure for High-SpeedOperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 249
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . 250
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 255
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . 257
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . 257
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 258
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . 261
Storing the Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 272
Towing the Vehicle
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle . . . . . . . 274
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
17041293) - 2024 - CRC - 12/6/22
220 Vehicle Care
1. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. SeeWasher Fluid 0228.
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0225.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil0220.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0225.
5. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil0220.
6. Engine Air Filter. See Engine Air Cleaner/
Filter 0223.
7. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes0229.
8. Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting - North America 0272.
9. Battery. See Battery - North America
0 230.
10. Fuse Block. See Engine Compartment
Fuse Block 0239.
11. Remote Negative (–) Battery Terminal. SeeJump Starting - North America 0272.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. SeeEngine Oil Life System 0222.
.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 0219 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
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.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 231
{Warning
WARNING:Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories can expose you to
chemicals including lead and lead
compounds, which are known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling. For more
information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
See the warning on 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 0272 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.
Starter Switch Check
{Warning
When you are doing this inspection, the
vehicle could move suddenly. If the
vehicle moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room around the vehicle.
2. Apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator pedal, and be
ready to turn off the engine immediately
if it starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start only in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). If the vehicle starts in any
other position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
Control Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this inspection, the
vehicle could move suddenly. If the
vehicle moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room around the vehicle.
It should be parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular brake immediately if
the vehicle begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the engine. Without
applying the regular brake, try to move
the shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever moves
out of P (Park), contact your dealer for
service.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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272 Vehicle Care
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America
For more information about the vehicle
battery, seeBattery - North America 0230.
If the battery has run down, try to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to
start your vehicle. Be sure to use the
following steps to do it safely.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories can expose you to
chemicals including lead and lead
compounds, which are known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling. For more
information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
See California Proposition 65 Warning 01.
{Warning
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
.They contain acid that can burn you.
.They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
.They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly,
some or all of these things can hurt you.
Caution
Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to the vehicle that would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Trying
to start the vehicle by pushing or pulling
it will not work, and it could damage the
vehicle.
Caution
If the jumper cables are connected or
removed in the wrong order, electrical
shorting may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be covered
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
by the vehicle warranty. Always connect
and remove the jumper cables in the
correct order, making sure that the cables
do not touch each other or other metal.
Connection Points and Sequence
1. Discharged Battery Positive (+) Terminal
2. Good Battery Positive (+) Terminal
3. Good Battery Negative (−) Terminal
4. Discharged Battery Negative (−) Terminal
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 273
The discharged battery positive (+) terminal
and the discharged battery negative (–)
terminal are in the engine compartment on
the driver side of the vehicle.
The good battery negative (–) terminal and
the good battery positive (+) terminal are on
the battery of the vehicle providing the
jump start.
The discharged battery positive (+) terminal
is under a trim cover. Open the cover to
expose the terminal.1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.
Caution
If the other vehicle does not have a
12-volt system with a negative ground,
both vehicles can be damaged. Only use
a vehicle that has a 12-volt system with a
negative ground for jump starting.
2. Position the two vehicles so that they are not touching. 3. Set the parking brake firmly and put the
shift lever in P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or Neutral with a manual
transmission. See Shifting Into Park 0181
with an automatic transmission.
Caution
If any accessories are left on or plugged
in during the jump starting procedure,
they could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Whenever possible, turn off or
unplug all accessories on either vehicle
when jump starting.
4. Turn the ignition off. Turn off all lights and accessories in both vehicles, except
the hazard warning flashers if needed.
{Warning
An electric fan can start up even when
the engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{Warning
Using a match near a battery can cause
battery gas to explode. People have been
hurt doing this, and some have been
blinded. Use a flashlight if you need
more light.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you
accidentally get it in your eyes or on
your skin, flush the place with water and
get medical help immediately.
{Warning
Fans or other moving engine parts can
injure you badly. Keep your hands away
from moving parts once the engine is
running.
5. Connect one end of the red positive (+) cable to the discharged battery
positive (+) terminal.
6. Connect the other end of the red positive (+) cable to the good battery
positive (+) terminal.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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274 Vehicle Care
7. Connect one end of the blacknegative (–) cable to the good battery
negative (–) terminal.
8. Connect the other end of the black negative (–) cable to the discharged
battery negative (–) terminal.
9. Start the engine in the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine at idle
speed for at least four minutes.
10. Try to start the vehicle that had the discharged battery. If it will not start
after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Jumper Cable Removal
Reverse the sequence exactly when
removing the jumper cables.
After starting the disabled vehicle and
removing the jumper cables, allow it to idle
for several minutes.Towing the Vehicle
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle
Caution
Incorrectly transporting a disabled vehicle
may cause damage to the vehicle. Use
proper tire straps to secure the vehicle to
the flatbed tow truck. Do not strap or
hook to any frame, underbody,
or suspension component not specified
below. Do not move vehicles with drive
axle tires on the ground. Damage is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Caution
The vehicle may be equipped with an
electric parking brake and/or a
mechanical transmission range select
shifter. In the event of a loss of 12-volt
battery power, the electric parking brake
cannot be released, and the vehicle
cannot be shifted to N (Neutral). Tire
skates or dollies must be used under the
non-rolling tires to prevent damage while
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
loading/unloading the vehicle. Dragging
the vehicle will cause damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Caution
The vehicle may be equipped with a tow
eye. Improper use of the tow eye may
cause damage to the vehicle and is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
If equipped, use the tow eye to load the
vehicle onto a flatbed tow truck from a
flat road surface, or to move the vehicle
a very short distance at a walking pace.
The tow eye is not designed for off-road
recovery. The vehicle must be in
N (Neutral) with the electric parking
brake released when using the tow eye.
GM recommends a flatbed tow truck to
transport a disabled vehicle. Use ramps to
help reduce approach angles, if necessary.
A towed vehicle should have its drive wheels
off the ground. Contact Roadside Assistance
or a professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed.
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Vehicle Care 275
If equipped, a tow eye may be located near
the spare tire or emergency jack. Do not use
the tow eye to pull the vehicle from the
snow, mud, sand, or ditch. Tow eye threads
may have right or left-hand threads. Use
caution when installing or removing the
tow eye.
The vehicle must be in N (Neutral) and the
electric parking brake must be released
when loading the vehicle onto a flatbed tow
truck.
.If the 12-volt battery is dead and/or
electric parking brake is not released, the
vehicle will not move. Try to jump start
the vehicle with a known good 12-volt
battery, shift the car into N (Neutral), and
release the electric parking brake. Refer to
Jump Starting - North America0272.
.If unsuccessful, the vehicle will not move.
Tire skates or dollies must be used under
the non-rolling tires to prevent vehicle
damage.
Front Attachment Points
The vehicle is equipped with specific
attachment points to be used by the towing
provider. These holes may be used to pull
the vehicle from a flat road surface onto the
flatbed tow truck.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing
the vehicle behind another vehicle, such as
behind a motor home. The two most
common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as dinghy towing and
dolly towing. Dinghy towing is towing the
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground. Dolly towing is towing the vehicle with two
wheels on the ground and two wheels up
on a device known as a dolly.
Here are some important things to consider
before recreational vehicle towing:
.Become familiar with the local laws that
apply to recreational vehicle towing.
These laws may vary by region.
.Read the tow vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations for the towing capacity
of the vehicle.
.How far the vehicle can be towed. Some
vehicles have restrictions on how far and
how long the vehicle can be towed
.Whether the vehicle has the proper
towing equipment. See your dealer or
trailering professional for additional
advice and equipment recommendations.
.Whether the vehicle is ready to be towed.
Just as preparing the vehicle for a long
trip, make sure the vehicle is prepared to
be towed.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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276 Vehicle Care
Caution
Use of a shield mounted in front of the
vehicle grille could restrict airflow and
cause damage to the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. If using a shield, only
use one that attaches to the towing
vehicle.
Caution
Do not tow a vehicle with the front drive
wheels on the ground if one of the front
tires is a compact spare tire. Towing with
two different tire sizes on the front of
the vehicle can cause severe damage to
the transmission.
Dinghy Towing
To dinghy tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:1. Position the vehicle behind the tow vehicle, lining it up with the tow bar.
2. Leave the vehicle running. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Connect the vehicle to the tow bar hardware.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Leave the transmission in N (Neutral) and turn the vehicle off. You may hear a
continuous chime, which is normal. 7. Open the hood and disconnect the
negative battery terminal. See Battery -
North America 0230 and
Jump Starting - North America 0272.
8. Cover the negative battery post with a non-conductive material to prevent any
contact with the negative battery
terminal.
Caution
If 113 km/h (70 mph) is exceeded while
towing the vehicle, it could be damaged.
Never exceed 113 km/h (70 mph) while
towing the vehicle.
To disconnect the towed vehicle: 1. Park on a level surface.
2. Make sure that the vehicle is off.
3. Remove any tape, glue, or excess material from the negative battery post.
4. Connect the battery. See Battery - North
America 0230.
5. Set the parking brake.
6. Disconnect the vehicle from the tow vehicle.
7. Release the parking brake.