1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE warning

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
I
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or
above the
COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing
you can try. You can add the proper coolant mix
directly
to the coolant high fill reservoir, but be sure the
cooling system is cool before
you do it.
Steam and scalding liquids from
a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They are
under pressure, and if you turn the coolant high
fill reservoir pressure
cap -- even a little -- they
CAUTION: (Continued) can
come out
at high speed. Never turn the cap
when the cooling system, including the coolant
high fill reservoir pressure cap,
is hot. Wait for the
cooling system and coolant high fill reservoir
pressure cap to cool
if you ever have to turn the
I pressure cap.
5-18

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 . When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short tripkity
maintenance schedule:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to break
down sooner.
If any one of these is true for your vehicle,
you need to change your oil and filter every
3,000 miles
(5 OOO km) or 3 months -- whichever occurs first.
If none of them is true, use the long triphighway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
Your Corvette has an Oil Life Monitor. This featwe will
let you know when to change your
oil and filter -- usually
between
3,000 miles (5 O00 krn) and 7,500 miles
(12
500 km) since your last oil change. Under severe
conditions, the indicator may come on before
3,000 miles
(5 000 km). Never drive your vehicle more than
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months (whichever
occurs first) without
an oil change.
The system won’t detect dust in the oil.
So, if you
drive in a dusty area, be sure to change your oil every
3,000 miles
(5 000 km) or sooner if the CHANGE OIL
light comes on. Remember to reset the monitor when the
oil has been changed. For more information, see
“Engine Oil Life Monitor”
in the Index.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may
be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your
skin for
very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or throw away clothing or
rags containing used engine
oil. (See the manufacturer’s
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to
drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into
streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil.
If you have
a problem properly disposing of your used oil, ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling center for help\
.
6-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What to Use
To add lubricant when the level is low, use Axle
Lubricant (GM
Part No. 12345977) or SAE SOW-90
GL-5 gear lubricant.
To completely refill after draining,
add 4 ounces
(1 18 ml) of Limited-Slip Differential
Lubricant Additive (GM Part
No. 1052358). Then fill to
the bottom
of the filler plug hole with Axle Lubricant
(GM
Part No. 12345977) or SAE SOW-90 GL-5 gear
lubricant.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL (orange-colored, silicate-free) engine
coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your
vehicle for
5 years or 100,000 miles (166 000 km),
whichever occurs first.
The following explains your cooling system and how
to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating or
if you need to add coolant to
your high fill reservoir, see “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your Corvette will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265 OF ( 129 O C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gauges work as they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant it is important that you use
DEX-COOL (orange-colored, silicate-free)
coolant meeting GM Specification 6277M.
If
silicated coolant is added to the system,
premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first.
6-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets GM Specification
6277M, which won’t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM
Part
No. 3634621) with any complete coolant change. If you
use this mixture, you don’t need to add anything else.
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain
water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and
you or
others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored.
silicate-free) antifreeze.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mix, your engine
could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the
mix can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your Corvette has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come
and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you
are pushing on the brake pedal
firmly).
I A CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
-.he brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
I serviced*
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or
if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
As you make brake stops, your disc brakes
automatically adjust for wear.
6-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Extended Mobility Tires (Option)
If your Corvette has optional Goodyear Extended
Mobility Tires
(EMT’s), the tires will have “EMT”
molded on the sidewalls. Your vehicle may also have a
spare tire delete option. With the spare tire delete option,
there’s no spare tire,
no tire changing equipment and no
place to store
a tire in the vehicle. Extended Mobility
Tires perform
so well without any air that a Low Tire
Pressure Warning System (LTPWS) is used to alert you
if a tire has lost pressure. A LOWFLAT TIRE light will
appear on your Driver Information Center if a tire’s
inflation pressure is less than
25 psi (170 kPa). If the
LOWFLAT TIRE light comes
on, check your tire
pressures as soon as you can. See
“Low Tire Pressure
Warning Light” in the Index for additional information.
When the LOWELAT TIRE warning light is on,
your vehicle’s handling capabilities will be
reduced during severe maneuvers.
If you drive
too fast, you could lose control of your vehicle.
You or others could be injured. Don’t drive over 1 ,
55 mph (90 kmh) when the LOWLFLAT TIRE
warning light
is on. Drive cautiously, and check
your tire pressures as soon as you can.
I
6-47

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls
of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary
use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to
30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may
vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on
a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences
in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked
C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to ,sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109.
6-51