engine coolant CHEVROLET SONIC 2017 2.G Owners Manual

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Introduction 3
Danger, Warning, and
Caution
Warning messages found on vehiclelabels and in this manual describehazards and what to do to avoid orreduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
Acirclewithaslashthroughitisasafety symbol which means“DoNot,”“Do not do this,”or“Do not letthis happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components andlabels that use symbols instead oftext. Symbols are shown along withthe text describing the operation orinformation relating to a specificcomponent, control, message,gauge, or indicator.
M:Shown when the ownermanual has additional instructionsor information.
*:Shown when the servicemanual has additional instructionsor information.
0:Shown when there is moreinformation on another page—“see page.”
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbolsthat may be found on the vehicleand what they mean. For moreinformation on the symbol, refer tothe Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controlsor OnStar®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
`:Do Not Puncture
^:Do Not Service
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
38 Keys, Doors, and Windows
After this, the vehicle's ignitionswitch must be turned to ON/RUNand then back to LOCK/OFF usingthe key, before the remote startprocedure can be used again.
Canceling a Remote Start
To c a n c e l a r e m o t e s t a r t , d o o n e o fthe following:
.Press and hold/until the
parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warningflashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off.
Conditions in Which Remote StartWill Not Work
The remote vehicle start feature willnot operate if:
.The key is in the ignition.
.The hood is not closed.
.The hazard warning flashersare on.
.The malfunction indicator lampis on.
.The engine coolant temperatureis too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Tw o r e m o t e v e h i c l e s t a r t s , o r asingle remote start with anextension, have alreadybeen used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Door Locks
{Warning
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especiallychildren, can easily openthe doors and fall out of amoving vehicle. When adoor is locked, the handlewill not open it. The chanceof being thrown out of thevehicle in a crash isincreased if the doors arenot locked. So, allpassengers should wearsafety belts properly and the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
doors should be lockedwhenever the vehicle isdriven.
.Yo u n g c h i l d r e n w h o g e t i n t ounlocked vehicles may beunable to get out. A childcan be overcome byextreme heat and can sufferpermanent injuries or evendeath from heat stroke.Always lock the vehiclewhenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enterthrough an unlocked doorwhen you slow down or stopthe vehicle. Locking thedoors can help prevent thisfrom happening.
To l o c k o r u n l o c k t h e d o o r s f r o moutside the vehicle:
.Use the key in the driver door tolock all doors or unlock thedriver door only.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
100 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 101Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 101Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 102Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 102Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 107Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Ta c h o m e t e r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 9Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 110Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 110Passenger Airbag StatusIndicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 112Malfunction Indicator Lamp(Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 112Service Vehicle Soon Light . . . 114Owner Manual Indicator . . . . . . 114Brake System WarningLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114Antilock Brake System (ABS)Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Operate Pedal Light . . . . . . . . . . 115Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Power Steering WarningLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Lane Departure Warning(LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Forward Collision Alert (FCA)Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . 116Ultrasonic Parking SensorLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117StabiliTrak®OFF Light . . . . . . . . 117Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Engine Coolant TemperatureWarning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 118Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . 118Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 119Immobilizer Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Reduced Engine PowerLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 120Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 120Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 120Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 120Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Trunk Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Information Displays
Driver InformationCenter (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 126Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 127Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 127

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
118 Instruments and Controls
Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning
Light
This light comes on briefly whilestarting the vehicle.
If it does not, have the vehicleserviced by your dealer. If thesystem is working normally theindicator light goes off.
Caution
The engine coolant temperature
warning light indicates that the
vehicle has overheated. Driving
with this light on can damage the
engine and it may not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. See
Engine Overheating0230.
The engine coolant temperaturewarning light comes on when theengine has overheated.
If this happens, pull over and turnoff the engine as soon as possible.SeeEngine Overheating0230.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire PressureMonitor System (TPMS), this lightcomes on briefly when the engine isstarted. It provides informationabout tire pressures and the TPMS.
When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more ofthe tires are significantlyunderinflated.
Stop as soon as possible, andinflate the tires to the pressure valueshown on the Tire and LoadingInformation label. SeeTirePressure0256.
When the Light Flashes First andThen Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minuteand then stays on, there may be aproblem with the TPMS. If theproblem is not corrected, the lightwill come on at every ignition cycle.SeeTire Pressure MonitorOperation0258.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
low can also damage the engine.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check
the oil level as soon as possible.
Add oil if required, but if the oil
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Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
212 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 213California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213California PerchlorateMaterials Requirements . . . . . 213Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Engine CompartmentOverview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 222Automatic TransmissionFluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 224Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 224Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 230Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Battery - North America . . . . . . 234Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 234Automatic Transmission ShiftLock Control FunctionCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Park Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 236Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 236
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 238Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238Headlamps and Front TurnSignal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Ta i l l a m p s , T u r n S i g n a l ,Stoplamps, and Back-UpLamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 241Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 242Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 242Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Instrument Panel FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 250Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256Tire Pressure MonitorSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257Tire Pressure MonitorOperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261When It Is Time for NewTires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263Different Size Tires andWheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264Wheel Alignment and TireBalance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 266Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
218 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter0224.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. SeeEngine Oil0220.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out ofView). SeeCoolingSystem0226.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. SeeEngine Oil0220.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand Pressure Cap. SeeCooling System0226.
6. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir.SeeBrake Fluid0233andHydraulic Clutch0224.
7.Battery - North America0234.
8. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. SeeWasherFluid0231.
9.Engine Compartment FuseBlock0243.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
220 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter0224.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. SeeEngine Oil0220.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out ofView). SeeCoolingSystem0226.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. SeeEngine Oil0220.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand Pressure Cap. SeeCooling System0226.
6. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir.SeeBrake Fluid0233andHydraulic Clutch0224.
7.Battery - North America0234.
8.Engine Compartment FuseBlock0243.
9. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. SeeWasherFluid0231.
Engine Oil
To e n s u r e p r o p e r e n g i n eperformance and long life, carefulattention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, butimportant steps will help protectyour investment:
.Use engine oil approved to theproper specification and of theproper viscosity grade. See“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”in this section.
.Check the engine oil levelregularly and maintain theproper oil level. See“CheckingEngine Oil”and“When to AddEngine Oil”in this section.
.Change the engine oil at theappropriate time. SeeEngine OilLife System0222.
.Always dispose of engine oilproperly. See“What to Do withUsed Oil”in this section.
If the engine oil pressure lightcomes on, check the engine oil levelright away. The oil pressure light ison the instrument cluster. SeeEngine Oil Pressure Light011 8.Check the engine oil level regularly;this is an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly(every 650 km (400 mi), especiallyprior to a long trip. The engine oildipstick handle is a loop. SeeEngine Compartment Overview0217for 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 theoil level.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
226 Vehicle Care
Cooling System
The cooling system allows theengine to maintain the correctworking temperature.
1.4L L4 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Outof View)
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand Pressure Cap
1.8L L4 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Outof View)
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand Pressure Cap
{Warning
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can cause injury. Keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{Warning
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
Caution
Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL®can cause
premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant could require
changing sooner. Any repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant
in the vehicle.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Vehicle Care 227
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle isfilled with DEX-COOL enginecoolant. This coolant is designed toremain in the vehicle for 5 years or240 000 km (150,000 mi), whicheveroccurs first.
The following explains the coolingsystem and how to check and addcoolant when it is low. If there is aproblem with engine overheating,seeEngine Overheating0230.
What to Use
{Warning
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
Use a 50/50 mixture of cleandrinkable water and DEX-COOLcoolant. This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection downto✓37 °C (✓34 °F), outsidetemperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to129 °C (265 °F), enginetemperature.
.Protects against rust andcorrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper enginetemperature.
Caution
If improper coolant mixture,
inhibitors, or additives are used in
the vehicle cooling system, the
engine could overheat and be
damaged. Too much water in the
mixture can freeze and crack
engine cooling parts. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Use only the
proper mixture of engine coolant
for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants0300.
Never dispose of engine coolant byputting it in the trash, pouring it onthe ground, or into sewers, streams,or bodies of water. Have the coolantchanged by an authorized servicecenter, familiar with legalrequirements regarding usedcoolant disposal. This will helpprotect the environment and yourhealth.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
228 Vehicle Care
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a levelsurface when checking the coolantlevel.
It is normal to see coolant moving inthe upper coolant hose return linewhen the engine is running.
Check to see if coolant is visible inthe coolant surge tank. If the coolantinside the coolant surge tank isboiling, do not do anything else untilit cools down.
If coolant is visible but the coolantlevel is not at or above the markpointed to, add a 50/50 mixture ofclean drinkable water andDEX-COOL coolant.
Be sure the cooling system is coolbefore this is done.
If no coolant is visible in the coolantsurge tank, add coolant as follows:
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
Caution
This vehicle has a specific
coolant fill procedure. Failure to
follow this procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and be
severely damaged.
If no problem is found, check to seeif coolant is visible in the coolantsurge tank. If coolant is visible butthe coolant level is not at theindicated level mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable waterand DEX-COOL coolant at thecoolant surge tank, but be sure thecooling system, including thecoolant surge tank pressure cap, iscool before you do it.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. Never turn
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the cap when the cooling system,
including the surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling
system and surge tank pressure
cap to cool.
{Warning
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.