Chevrolet Sonic Owner's Manual: Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that correspond to the vehicle's three control systems:
- Braking Skid — wheels are not rolling.
- Steering or Cornering Skid — too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force.
- Acceleration Skid — too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving those conditions. But skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow these suggestions:
- Ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and steer the way you want the vehicle to go. The vehicle may straighten out. Be ready for a second skid if it occurs.
- Slow down and adjust your driving according to weather conditions. Stopping distance can be longer and vehicle control can be affected when traction is reduced by water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material on the road. Learn to recognize warning clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow down when you have any doubt.
- Try to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off the edge of a road onto the shoulder
while driving. Follow these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer the ...
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and affect your ability to stop
and accelerate. Always drive slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and ...
Other materials:
Radio Controls without Touchscreen
The buttons used to control the radio are:
P /VOL: Press to turn the radio on and off.
RADIO/BAND: Press to choose between AM, FM, and SiriusXM®, if equipped.
Push/MENU/TUNE Knob: Turn to navigate the available menus. Turn to search for
stations.
INFO: Press to display additional information ...
Steel Wheel Repair Description
Caution: Do not heat wheels in an attempt to soften them for straightening
or repair damage from striking curbs, etc. Do not weld wheels. The alloy used
in these wheels is heat-treated and uncontrolled heating from welding affects
the properties of the material.
Caution: The use o ...
Tread Wear Indicators Description
The original equipment tires have tread wear indicators that show when you should
replace the tires.
The location of these indicators are at 60 degree intervals around the outer
diameter of the tire. The indicators appear as a 6 mm (0.25 in) wide band when the
tire trea ...
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