1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE cooling

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It ca-- 3e dangerous to drive with the hatch open
because carbon monoxide
(CO) gas can come into
your vehicle. You can’t see or smell
CO. It can
cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the hatch open or if
electrical wiring or other cable connections
must pass through the seal between the body
and the hatch:
0 Make sure all windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on BI-LEVEL or VENT. That will force
outside air into your vehicle. See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index.
instrument panel, open them all the way.
0 If you have air outlets on or under the
See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
NOTICE:
If you put things in the hatch area, be sure they
won’t break the glass when you close it.
Never slam the hatch down. You could break the
glass or damage the defogger grid.
When you close the hatch, make sure you pull
down from the center, not the sides.
If you pull
the hatch down from the side too often, the
weatherstrip can be damaged.
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your Corvette has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing
we put on it can make
it impossible to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
2-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Comfort Controls Manual Comfort Controls
This section tells you how to make your air system
work for you. Your comfort control system uses
ozone-friendly
R- 134a refrigerant.
With these systems you can control the heating,
cooling and ventilation in your Corvette. Your vehicle
also has a flow-through ventilation system described
later in this section.
Fan Knob
The left knob is the fan knob and selects the force of air
you want. Turn the knob to the right to increase fan
speed and to the left to decrease fan speed. The fan
must be turned on for the air conditioning compressor
to operate.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driver Set Temperature Knob
The DRIVER knob changes the temperature on the
driver's side of the vehicle. Turn the knob to the right
to increase the temperature and to the left to decrease
the temperature. Whenever you turn this knob, the
temperature will be displayed for approximately
five seconds along with the current fan speed and
air delivery mode.
When adjusting the temperature, start with a driver-set temperature of
73 "F (23 "C) until you determine your
comfort zone. If you choose
60°F (16"C), the system
will remain at maximum cooling and will not
automatically adjust fan speed or air delivery.
If you
choose
90°F (32"C), the system will remain at
maximum heating and will not automatically adjust fan
speed or air delivery. Choosing either maximum setting
will not cause the system to heat or cool any faster.
Turning
the knob past either maximum setting has no
effect on the operation of the system.
Passenger Temperature Offset
The PASSENGER knob changes the temperature on the
passenger's side of the vehicle. When the knob is in the
12 o'clock position, the passenger's temperature is the
same as the driver's. Turn the knob to the right for
warmer air on the passenger's side, to the left for cooler
air. If the driver set temperature is set at
60°F (16" C) or
90°F (32°C)' turning the passenger knob has no effect
because the system is locked at a maximum setting.
Automatic Operation
Press the AUTO button to place the entire system in
the automatic mode. After a five second display of
the current settings, only the word AUTO and the
outside temperature will be shown on the digital display.
The system will operate to achieve your comfort set
temperature as quickly as possible. If you have set the
driver temperature at
60°F (16°C) or 90°F (32"C), the
system will not operate automatically until a different
temperature is selected. The AUTO control system
works best with the windows up and the removable
roof installed.
3-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A Typical Cold Weather Example:
Your vehicle has been parked outside ~ver~~ight in
cold weather (below 32 OF/ 0" C) and you have set
the driver temperature at 73 OF (23
"C) and have selected
the AUTO mode. The system will automatically adjust
the temperature output to maximum heating. The fan
will start at a low speed. This
is to avoid blowing cold
air into the vehicle. The length of the delay depends
on the amount of time since the engine was last started,
the outside temperature and the engine coolant
temperature. As the coolant warms up, the fan speed
will gradually increase. Air will flow to the floor with
some air to the windshield to prevent fogging under
most normal conditions.
As the interior
of the vehicle warms up to your comfort
set temperature, the fan speed will decrease and the
temperature output may become cooler. If the interior
temperature continues to warm up due to heating from
the sun or outside temperature increases, the system
may switch to other air delivery modes (typically
DEFOG or BI-LEVEL).
A vpical Hot Weather Example:
Your vehicle has Seen parked outside all day in hot
weather (above
70 OF/ 2 1 O C) and you have set the
driver temperature at
73 "F (23 O C) and have selected
the AUTO mode. The system will automatically adjust
the temperature output to maximum cooling. The blower
will start at a low speed momentarily to push the hot
air to the floor of the vehicle and then
go to a higher
blower speed with cold airflow out of the instrument
panel outlets. A small amount of airflow will continue
through the lower ducts to cool the floor area.
The air intake may start in the recirculated mode for
maximum cooling performance. As the interior of the
vehicle cools down to your comfort set temperature,
the fan speed will decrease and the temperature output
may become warmer. The air intake may shift from
recirculation to fresh air mode.
If the interior continues
to cool due to a decrease in the amount
of heat the
vehicle is absorbing from the sun or a decrease in the
outside temperature, the system could switch to other air
delivery modes (typically BI-LEVEL or DEFOG).
3-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Outside Air Temperature Sensor
This sensor is located in the air intake under the front
bumper of the vehicle. Information from this sensor
is used for the outside air temperature readings
shown on the digital display for the automatic
climate control system.
If the outside temperature goes up, the displayed
temperature will not change until:
0 The vehicle’s speed is above 20 mph (32 km/h)
for one and a half minutes.
The vehicle’s speed is above 45 mph (72 km/h)
for one minute.
These delays help prevent false readings.
If the
temperature goes down, the outside temperature
display is updated immediately.
If your vehicle has been turned off for more than three
hours, the current outside temperature will be shown
when you start the vehicle.
If it has been turned off for
less than three hours, the temperature will be recalled
from the previous vehicle operation.
Inside Temperature Sensor
This sensor is located just left of the ignition switch.
The automatic climate control system uses this sensor
to receive information
so if you block or cover it, the
system will not function properly.
Air Conditioning
On very hot days, your vehicle will cool down more
quickly and economically if you open the windows
long enough to let hot inside air escape. Then keep your
windows closed in order to allow the air conditioning
to work best. Maximum cooling will occur when the
RECIRCULATE setting is operating, airflow direction is
in the upper mode, and the temperature control knob (on
a manual climate control system) is turned all the way to
the blue area. These settings will be selected by the
Automatic Electronic Dual Climate Control System if
operating in AUTO when maximum cooling is required.
When the
air conditioning is on, you may sometimes
notice slight changes in your vehicle’s engine
performance and power. This is normal. The system
is
designed to help fuel economy while maintaining the
desired cooling level.
The
air conditioning removes moisture from the air, so you
may notice water dripping from under your vehicle when
it is idling or after it has been turned
off. This is normal.
3-11

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.
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.
A CAUTION:
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.
I A CAUTION:
a
e
a
e
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.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
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 winding
roads. Be alert to these and
take appropriate action.
4-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine e Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2
5-3
5-8
5-13
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
5- 16 Cooling System
5-22 If a Tire Goes Flat
5-22 If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
5-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
A. Electric Engine Fans
B. Coolant Surge Tank
A CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine
is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down.