Chevrolet Sonic Owner's Manual: Battery Load Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM) that estimates the battery's temperature and state of charge. It then adjusts the voltage for best performance and extended life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge is low, the voltage is raised slightly to quickly bring the charge back up. When the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage display on the Driver Information Center (DIC), you may see the voltage move up or down. This is normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is because the generator (alternator) may not be spinning fast enough at idle to produce all the power needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the following are on, such as: headlamps, high beams, fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at high speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the battery. It does this by balancing the generator's output and the vehicle's electrical needs. It can increase engine idle speed to generate more power, whenever needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the driver.
Battery Power Protection
The battery saver feature is designed to protect the vehicle's battery.
If some interior lamps are left on and the ignition is turned off, the battery
rundown protection system automatically tu ...
Other materials:
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 whe ...
Front Floor Console Replacement
Front Floor Console Replacement
Callout
Component Name
Preliminary Procedures
Remove the right and left front floor console extensions. Refer
to Front Floor Console Extension Replacement - Right Side and Front
Floor Conso ...
Engine Oil Cooler Outlet Hose Replacement (LUV)
Engine Oil Cooler Outlet Hose Replacement
Callout
Component Name
Preliminary Procedure
Drain the cooling system. Refer to Cooling System Draining and Filling.
Disconnect the radiator outlet hose. Refer to Radiator Outlet H ...
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