Page 65 of 386
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Racing or Other Competitive Driving
See your Warranty Book before using your Corvette for
racing
or other competitive driving.
NOTICE:
If you use your Corvette for racing or other
competitive driving, your engine may use more oil than
it would with normal use. Low oil levels
can damage the engine. Be sure to check the oil
level often during racing or other competitive
driving and keep the level at or near the upper
mark on the engine oil dipstick. You may need to
add oil. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
J
Driving Through Deep Standing
Water
NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine’s air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle.
If you
can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
2-22
Page 66 of 386
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Heater (Canada Only)
In very cold weather, 0°F (- 18 "C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged
in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt outlet.
8 2-23
Page 67 of 386
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I NOTICE:
After you’ve used the coolant heater, be sure to store the cord
as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the weather, the kind
of oil
you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list
everything here, we ask that you contact your Chevrolet
dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your vehicle.
The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position
to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
2-24
Page 68 of 386

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) and release the shift lever button
as you
maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever
button and move the shift lever into the gear you wish.
See “Shifting Out of PARK
(P)” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift
to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your Corvette has a
brake-transmission shift interlock. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P) when the ignition key is in the RUN position. To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
2-25
Page 69 of 386
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
I NOTICE:
I
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting
out of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered
by your warranty.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0): This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and
you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all
the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE 0): This is like AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@),
but you never go into overdrive.
Here
are some times you might choose DFUVE (D)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(0):
0 When driving on hilly, winding roads
0 When going down a steep hill
2-26
Page 70 of 386

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND
(2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND
(2). You can
use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is put in FIRST
(l), the transmission
won’t shift into first gear until the vehicle
is going
slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against
a solid
object. You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
PARK
(P) to hold your vehicle in position on a
hill.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
components from improper operation.
2-27
Page 71 of 386

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Manual Transmission
Six-Speed
I This is your shift pattern.
Here’s how to operate your
transmission:
1
ttFl
2 4 6 .R
FIRST (1): Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you’re going less
than
40 mph (64 km/h). If you’ve come to a complete
stop and it’s hard to shift into FIRST
(1), put the shift
lever in NEUTRAL (N) and let up on the clutch. Press
the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST
(1).
SECOND (2): Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND
(2). Then,
slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH (3,4,5 and
6 ): Shift into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5) and
SIXTH
(6) the same way you do for SECOND (2).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
TO STOP: Let up on the accelerator pedal and press
the brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the
clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to
NEUTRAL
(N).
NEUTRAL (N): Use this position when you start or
idle your engine. Your shift lever is in NEUTRAL (N)
when it is centered in the shift pattern, not in any other
gear.
REVERSE (R): To back up, press down the clutch
pedal and shift into REVERSE (R). Just apply pressure
to get the lever past FIFTH
(5) and SIXTH (6) into
REVERSE
(R). Let up on the clutch pedal slowly while
pressing the accelerator pedal.
2-28
Page 72 of 386

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shift Speeds (Manual Transmission)
This chart shows when to shift to the next higher gear
for best fuel economy.
Manual Transmission Recommended
Shift Speeds in mph
(krn/h)
Acceleration Shift Speed
1to2
5to6 4to5
3to4
2to3
Engine
All
(80) (72)
(64)
(40)
(24) Engines
50 45 40
25 15
If your speed drops below 20 mph (30 kmk), or if the
engine is not running smoothly, you should downshift to
the next lower gear. You may have to downshift two or
more gears to keep the engine running smoothly or for
good performance.
NOTICE:
When you are shifting gears, don’t move the gear
shift lever around needlessly. This can damage parts
of the transmission and may require costly repair.
Just
shift directly into the next appropriate gear.
One to Four Light (Manual Transmission)
This light will come on when: When
this amber light
comes
on, you can only
shift from
FIRST (1) to
FOURTH
(4) instead of
FIRST (1) to SECOND (2).
This helps you get the best
possible fuel economy.
0 The engine coolant temperature is higher than 120°F
(50°C).
0 You are going 15-19 mph (24-29 km/h), and
0 You are at 13% throttle or less.
2-29