1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE tires

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 TCS
off. (See “Traction Control System”
in the Index.) Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. For a manual transmission, shift
slowly between either FIRST
(1) or SECOND (2) and
REVERSE (R), allowing the wheels to stop before
shifting into gear. 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine e Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Corvette. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2 Service 6-3 Fuel
6-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6-5 Filling Your Tank
6- 8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6-1 1 Engine Oil
6-16 Air Cleaner
6-18 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6- 19 Manual Transmission Fluid
6-20 Hydraulic Clutch
6-22 Engine Coolant
6-26 Surge Tank Pressure Cap
6-26 Power Steering Fluid
6-22 Rear Axle
6-26
Thermostat
6-27 Windshield Washer Fluid
6-
29 Brakes
6-32 Battery 6-33
6-33
6-37
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6-5 1
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6-55
6-56
6-57
6-57 6-59
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6-69 6-7
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Bulb Replacement
Halogen Bulbs
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside of Your Corvette
Care of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside of Your Corvette
Aluminum Wheels
Tires Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tires
Your new Corvette comes with high-quality tires made
by a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have
questions about your tire warranty and where to obtain
service, see your Corvette Warranty booklet for details.
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are
dangerous.
0 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
0
0
0
See “Inflation
Underinflated tires
pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires
at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
-- Tire Pressure” in this section
the correct inflation pressure for competitive or
high-speed driving.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Extended Mobility Tires
Your Corvette, when new, had Goodyear Extended
Mobility Tires (EMT). 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 Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) is
used to alert you if a tire has lost pressure.
The Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) has a sensor on
each road wheel that transmits to a receiver on the
instrument panel.
The system operates on a radio frequency subject to
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry and Science Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1)
this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry and
Science Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device. Changes
or modifications to this system by other than an
authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
If a tire’s inflation pressure is between
5 psi (35 kPa)
and 25 psi
(170 kPa), you will see a message on the
Driver Information Center. This message will show
which tire is underinflated and two chimes will sound.
An example would be LOW TIRE PRESSURE-LR.
This would mean that the inflation pressure in your left
rear tire is between
5 psi (35 Pa) and 25 psi (170 Wa).
If the inflation pressure in the tire drops below
5 psi
(35 kPa), the message would read FLAT TIRE-LR and
four chimes will sound. See “Driver Information
Center” in the Index.
The TPM will also alert you if a tire’s pressure is higher
than 42 psi (290 kPa). The message will show which tire
is overinflated and two chimes will sound. An example
would be
HIGH PRESSURE-LR. This would mean that
the inflation pressure in your left rear tire is higher than
42 psi
(290 Wa). See “Driver Information Center” in
the Index.
If a tire pressure message appears
on the Driver
Information Center, stop as soon as you can. Have the
tire pressures checked and set to those shown on your
Tire Loading Information label.
6-41

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
9 CAUTION:
When the LOW TIRE PRESSURE or FLAT TIRE message is displayed on the Driver
Information Center, 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
55 mph (90 km/h) when
the LOW TIRE PRESSURE or FLAT TIRE
message is displayed. Drive cautiously, and check
your tire pressures as soon as you can.
If a tire goes flat, you won’t need to stop on the side of
the road to change the tire.
You can just keep on driving.
The shorter the distance you drive and the slower the
speed, the greater the chance that the tire will not
have to be replaced.
If you drive on a deflated EMT
for
50 miles (80 km) or less and at speeds of 55 mph
(90 km/h) or less, there is a good chance that the tire can
be repaired. The tire can operate effectively with no air
pressure for up to 200 miles (320
km) at speeds up to
55 mph (90 kdh), but the tire would then have to be
replaced. When a tire is filled with air,
it provides a
cushion between the road and the wheel. Because you
won’t have this cushion when driving on a deflated tire,
try to avoid potholes that could damage your wheel and
require replacement of it.
Some road hazards can damage a tire beyond repair.
This damage could occur even before you’ve driven
on the tire in a deflated condition. When a tire has
been damaged, or if you’ve driven any distance on
a
deflated EMT, check with an authorized Goodyear
EMT Service Center to determine whether the tire can
be repaired or should be replaced. To maintain your
vehicle’s extended mobility feature, all replacement tires
must be Extended Mobility Tires.
As soon as possible,
contact the nearest authorized Chevrolet or Goodyear
EMT servicing facility for inspection and repair or
replacement. Call Chevrolet at 1-800-CHEV-USA
(1-800-243-8872) or Goodyear at 1-800-789-9878
24-hours a day for information on the location of the
nearest EMT servicing facility. In Canada, contact the
Customer Communication Center at 1-800-263-3777, or
Canadian Roadside Assistance at 1-800-268-6800. You
can also use the Goodyear number listed above to locate
an authorized EMT servicing facility.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Extended mobility tires are constructed
differently than other tires and could explode
during improper service. You or others could be
injured or killed
if you attempt to repair, replace,
dismount,
or mount an extended mobility tire.
Let only an authorized Goodyear
EMT Service
Center repair, replace, dismount and mount
extended mobility tires.
If you feel that winter tires are needed for your driving
conditions, Goodyear Eagle
M+S EMT tires are available
in your original equipment sizes fi-om an authorized
Goodyear EMT retailer. These tires will improve snow traction while maintaining your Corvette’s extended
mobility feature. See
the Goodyear Extended Mobility Tire
Owner’s Manual and Limited Warranty supplied with your
Corvette for additional information.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
rear edge
of the driver’s door,shows the correct inflation
pressures for
your tires when they’re cold. “Cold”
means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours
or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
6-43

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation
is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
0 Too much flexing
0 Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards. When to Check
Check your tires
once a month or more.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure
to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out
dirt and moisture.
Tire Rotation
The tires on your Corvette are directional and are
different sizes front to rear. Due to this, your tires should
not be rotated. Each tire and wheel should be used only
in the position it is in.
6-44

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need
a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
around the tire.
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
6-45