1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE brake fluid

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the light comes on while you are driving, and you
have a LOW BRAKE FLUID message showing on the
DIC, pull off the road and stop carefully. You may
notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the
light
is still on, have the vehicle towed for service. (See
“Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
A C WTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake warning light is on. Driving with the
brake warning light
on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve pulled off the
road and stopped carefully, have the vehicle
towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on
for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to
OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system.
If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving, your Corvette
needs service.
If the regular brake system warning light
isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and
there’s a problem with your regular brakes. See “Brake
System Warning Light” earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
ON. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
2-74

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SERVICE TIRE MON SYS: If this message comes on,
a part on the Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) is not
working properly. If you drive your vehicle while any
of
the four sensors are missing or inoperable, the warning
will come on in approximately
10 minutes. If all four
sensors are missing, the warning will come on in
approximately
15 - 20 minutes. (All the sensors would
be missing, for example, if you put different wheels on
your vehicle without transferring the sensors. If the
warning comes on and stays on, there may be a problem
with the TPM. See your dealer.
Other Messages
Here are more messages that you can receive on your
Driver Information Center. To acknowledge a message
and read another message that may have come
on at the
same time, press the RESET button.
BRAKE BEFORE SHIFT
(Automatic Transmissions Only)
0 CHANGE OIL NOW
CHANGE OIL SOON
0 CRUISE DISENGAGED
0 CRUISE SET - MPH (- kmh)
0 DOOR AJAR
0 ENGINE PROTECTION REDUCE ENGINE RPM
0 HATCH AJAR
0 HIGH VOLTAGE
LOW BRAKE FLUID (See “Brake Fluid” in
0 LOW COOLANT (See “Engine Overheating” in
0 LOW FUEL (fuel range is less than 50 miles (80 km))
0 LOW VOLTAGE
the Index)
the Index)
0 LOW
WASHER FLUID
0 PULL KEY - WAIT 10 SEC
0 RESERVE FUEL
UPSHIFT NOW
2-97

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 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
6-40
6-5
1
6-5 1
6-54
6-55
6-56
6-57
6-57 6-59
6- 60
6- 60
6-6 1
6-69
6-69 6-7
1
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 Checking Things Under the Hood
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
Hood Release
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
NOTICE:
In order to avoid possible contact of the hood to
the headlamp doors, care should be taken in
raising the hood with the headlamps up,
or shut
off the lamps prior to opening the hood.
6-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You’ll see the following when you open the hood:
A. Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap
B. Battery
C. Engine Oil Dipstick
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E, Air Cleaner
F. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
G. Brake Fluid Reservoir
H. Hydraulic Clutch Fluid
Reservoir (if equipped)
1. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir
6-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brakes
Brake Fluid
6
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might
go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to
an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake system fixed, since a leak means that
sooner or later your
brakes won't work well, or won't work at all.
So, it isn't a good idea to "top off' your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won't correct a
leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you'll have too much
fluid when
you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done
on the brake hydraulic system.
A CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill
on the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine
is hot enough. You
or others could be burned,
and
your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
check your brake fluid. See "Periodic Maintenance
Inspections" in the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake fluid without taking off the cap. NOTICE:
Just look at the brake fluid reservoir. The fluid level
should be above the MIN mark on the reservoir.
If it
isn’t, have your brake system checked to see if there
is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system, make
sure the level is between the MIN and MAX marks.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme ll@ (GM Part
No. 12377967). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
With the wrong kind of fluid in your b,,ke
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause
a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
0 Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
0 If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care”
in the Index.
6-30