cruise control CHEVROLET SONIC 2013 2.G User Guide

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
9-6 Driving and Operating
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. SeeTires on
page 10‑39.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down 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. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
(Continued)

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-7
WARNING (Continued)
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill.
Steering may also be affected
when ignition is off. You could
crash. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear
when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops on slippery roads, butapply the brakes sooner than when
on dry pavement. See
Antilock
Brake System (ABS) on page 9‑25.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road 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 on slippery
surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program on page 13‑5.
To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-29
TCS/StabiliTrak Button
TCS Off Light
TCS can be turned off by pressing
and releasing the TCS/StabiliTrak
button
g. When TCS is turned off,
the TCS Off light
icomes on and
the system will not limit wheel spin.
Driving should be adjusted accordingly. Press and release the
TCS/StabiliTrak button again to turn
the system back on.
It may be necessary to turn the
system off if the vehicle gets stuck
in sand, mud, or snow and rocking
the vehicle is required. See
If the
Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑8. See
Winter Driving on page 9‑7 for
information on using TCS when
driving in snowy or icy conditions.
If cruise control is being used when
TCS activates, cruise control will
automatically disengage. Press the
appropriate cruise control button to
reengage when road conditions
allow. See Cruise Control on
page 9‑31.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has a vehicle stability
enhancement system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced computer controlled system that
assists with directional control of the
vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a difference
between the intended path, and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to help steer
the vehicle in the intended direction.
StabiliTrak is on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started. To
assist with directional control of the
vehicle, the system should always
be left on.
TCS/StabiliTrak Light
When the stability control system
activates,
dflashes on the
instrument panel. This also occurs
when traction control is activated.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
9-30 Driving and Operating
A noise may be heard or vibration
may be felt in the brake pedal. This
is normal. Continue to steer the
vehicle in the intended direction.
If there is a problem detected with
StabiliTrak, a message is displayed
on the Driver Information Center
(DIC). SeeVehicle Messages on
page 5‑25. When this message is
displayed and/or
dcomes on and
stays on, the vehicle is safe to drive
but the system is not operational.
Driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on, reset
the system:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
If
dstill comes on and stays on at a
speed above 20 km/h (13 mph), see
your dealer for service.
TCS/StabiliTrak Button
StabiliTrak Off
LightTCS Off Light
StabiliTrak can be turned off if
needed by pressing and holding the
TCS/StabiliTrak button
guntil the
Traction Off light
iand the
StabiliTrak Off light
gcome on in the instrument panel. TCS will also
be turned off. When StabiliTrak is
turned off, the system will not assist
with directional control of the vehicle
or limit wheel spin. Driving should
be adjusted accordingly. Press and
release the TCS/StabiliTrak button
again to turn both systems back on.
If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, cruise control
will automatically disengage. Press
the appropriate cruise control button
to reengage when road conditions
allow. See
Cruise Control on
page 9‑31.

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-31
Cruise Control
For vehicles with cruise control, the
vehicle can maintain a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more
without keeping your foot on the
accelerator. Cruise control does not
work at speeds below 40 km/h
(25 mph).
If the brakes are applied, the cruise
control shuts off.
If the vehicle's Traction Control
System (TCS) or StabiliTrak system
begins to limit wheel spin while
using cruise control, the cruise
control will automatically disengage.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑28 orStabiliTrak
®System
on page 9‑29. When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, the
cruise control can be turned
back on.
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
1(On/Off): Press to turn the
cruise control system on and off.
RES/+ (Resume/Accelerate):
Move the thumbwheel up to resume
a previously set speed or to
accelerate.
SET/− (Set/Coast): Move the
thumbwheel down to set a speed or
to make the vehicle decelerate.
*(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
9-32 Driving and Operating
Setting Cruise Control
If
1is on when not in use, it could
get bumped and go into cruise when
not desired. Keep
1off when cruise
control is not being used.
To set cruise control:
1. Press
1.
2. Get to the speed desired.
3. Move the thumbwheel down to SET/- and release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
or clutch for manual transmissions
are applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Once the vehicle reaches about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more, move the
thumbwheel up toward RES/+ briefly. The vehicle returns to the
speed selected previously and stays
there.
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:.Move the thumbwheel up toward
RES/+ and hold it until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.
.To increase the speed in small
amounts, move the thumbwheel
up toward RES/+ briefly and
then release it. Each time this is
done, the vehicle goes about
1.6 km/h (1 mph) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.Move the thumbwheel toward
SET/− and hold until the desired
lower speed is reached, then
release it.
.To slow down in small amounts,
move the thumbwheel toward
SET/− briefly. Each time this is
done, the vehicle goes about
1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle slows down to the previous
set cruise control speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well cruise control works on
hills depends on the vehicle speed,
load, and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you
might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to maintain the
vehicle speed. When the brakes are
applied, cruise control is
disengaged.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-33
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control,
step lightly on the brake pedal or
clutch for manual transmission.
.Press*on the steering wheel.
.To turn off cruise control, press1on the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if the
1button
is pressed or if the ignition is
turned off.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an
important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, we
recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
Look for the TOP TIER label on the
fuel pump to ensure gasoline meets
enhanced detergency standards
developed by auto companies. A list
of marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com. TOP TIER
gasoline is only available in the U.S.
and Canada.
Recommended Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane rating of 87 or
higher. If the octane rating is less
than 87, an audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard when driving.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
INDEX i-3
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 8-1Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Clutch, Hydraulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . 13-9
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Compressor Kit, Tire
Sealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Connections OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Coolant
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine TemperatureWarning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7 Cover
Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-4 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . .13-11
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . 13-9
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-14
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Indicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Devices
Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24 Diagnostics
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Ajar Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Central Locking System . . . . . . . 2-7
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-3
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Driving Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-19
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-6
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd PrintReady - 10/11/12
i-6 INDEX
K
Keyless EntryRemote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-41
Lamps Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-2
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-12
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
LATCH System Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-37 Liftgate
Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Lighting Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-15
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 5-18
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19 Lights (cont'd)
Reduced Engine Power . . . . . . 5-20
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-10
Service Vehicle Soon . . . . . . . . . 5-15
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Up-Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Warning, Power Steering . . . . . 5-16
Link Smartphone . . . . . . 7-45, 7-47, 7-48
Load Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Locks
Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Central Locking System . . . . . . . 2-7
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-19
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37