1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE tires

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to
go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift
to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
I
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
’ A CAUTION:
I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get
so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a
hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle
in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the
hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
something
in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident,
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
0 You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or windmg
roads. Be
alert to these and take appropriate action.
4-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and the
road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll have a
lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be very ca\
reful.
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction of all. You
can get wet ice when it’s about freezing
(32 OF; OOC)
and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
Keep your ASR system on. It improves your ability to
accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even though
your vehicle has the ASR system, you’ll want to slow
down and adjust your driving to the road conditions. See
“ASR System”
in the Index.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
Allow greater foliowing distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch
of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
4-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loading Your Vehicle
Tm OCCUPANTS VEHICLE CAP. WT.
TIRE-LOADING
INFORMATION
FRT. CTR. RR. TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY WEIGHT XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE
SIZE SPEED PRESSURE
RTG PSI/KPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA. IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PS1/28KPa
SEE OWNER‘S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver’s door tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation.
It
also gives you important information about the number
of people that can be in your vehicle and the total weight
that you can carry. This weight is called Vehicle
Capacity Weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed options.
f I
MFD BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP
DATE GVWR GAWR FRT GAWR RR
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CABLE
U.S. FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY, BUMPER, AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS
IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF
MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
The other label is the Certification label, found on the rear
edge of the driver’s door. It tells you the
gross weight
capacity of your vehicle, called the GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating). The
GVWR includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo. Never exceed
the
GVWR for your vehicle, or the GAWR (Gross Axle
Weight Rating) for either the front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it
out. Don’t carry more than
100 pounds (45 kg) in your
rear area.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
I
AI
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Chevrolet dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Corvette. They can provide the right
equipment and know how to tow your vehicle without
damage. See “Roadside Assistance” in the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wbeels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be cbrrect.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle cannot be towed from the rear with
That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
sling-type equipment.
5-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out’’ while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off
the accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake
to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get
the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If
a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely. If your
vehicle has Extended Mobility Tires (tires with
“EMT”
molded on the sidewalls), see “Extended Mobility Tires”
in the Index.
.Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
A CAUTION:
3
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in
PARK (P), or shift a manual transmission
to
FIRST (1) or REVERSE (R).
3. lbrn off the engine.
To
be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
The LOWPLAT TIRE or SERVICE LTPWS light
will stay on as long as
you are using the compact spare
tire. It should
go out when the original tire is replaced.
After you have the flat tire repaired or replaced,
install the plastic nut caps and tighten them to
22 lb-in (2.5 N-m).
Storing a mat -- Except Grand Sport Coupe
Rear Tires
or Spare Tire and Tools
-A
,A CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
5-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels
or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your car and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice
or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transmission
or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels
as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 kmh) as shown
on the speedometer.
5-39

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. You should turn
your ASR system off. (See “ASR System” in the Index.)
Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear (or with a manual transmission, between
FIRST
(1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R)),
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
5-40
_I