2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Owners Manual

Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help on long
trips. Cruise control does not work at speeds below
about 25 mph (40 km/h).
When using cruise control, the accelerator pedal will
return to its fully-released position and will not
move while cruise control is engaged.
The Driver Information Center (DIC) will display the
cruise set speed in a digital number. For example, the
DIC will say CRUISE SET 60 mph (97 km/h). The cruise
set speed and the speedometer indicated speed maynot always be exactly the same. When you apply the
brakes or push the clutch pedal, the cruise control
disengages. The DIC will show CRUISE DISENGAGED.
See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-53.
{CAUTION:
·Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can't drive safely at a steady speed.
So, don't use your cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
·Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
needless wheel spinning, and you could
lose control. Don't use cruise control on
slippery roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the Traction
Control System begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. See
Traction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-9. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may turn
the cruise control back on.
3-9

Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you're
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go
into cruise when you don't want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use
cruise control.
1. Move the cruise control switch to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press the SET button at the end of the lever and
release it. The cruise set speed will be displayed
by the Driver Information Center (DIC).
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal. The pedal
will return to an idle position.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set the cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake or clutch pedal. This,
of course, disengages the cruise control. But you don't
need to reset it.Once you're going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more, you
can move the cruise control switch to R/A
(Resume/Accelerate) brie¯y. The Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display the cruise set speed.
You'll go right back up to your chosen speed and
stay there.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
·Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher
speed. The speed will not begin to increase
until sufficient pedal travel is achieved. Press the
SET button at the end of the lever, then release the
button and the accelerator pedal. You'll now
cruise at the higher speed.
·Move the cruise switch to R/A. Hold it there until
you get up to the speed you want, then release
the switch. (To increase your speed in very small
amounts, move the switch to R/A brie¯y, then
release it. Each time you do this, the vehicle will go
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.)
The Driver Information Center (DIC) will display the
cruise set speed.
3-10

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce speed while using cruise
control:
·Press in the SET button at the end of the lever until
you reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
·To slow down in very small amounts, press the SET
button brie¯y. Each time you do this, you'll go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
The Driver Information Center (DIC) will display the
cruise set speed.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase speed. When you
take your foot off the pedal, the vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going downhill, you may have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of
course, applying the brake takes you out of cruise
control. Many drivers ®nd this to be too much trouble
and don't use cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
·Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the clutch
pedal, if you have a manual transmission vehicle.
·Move the cruise switch to OFF.
The Driver Information Center (DIC) will display the
message CRUISE DISENGAGED.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-11

Exterior Lamps
The exterior lamp switch on the turn signal/multifunction
lever operates the headlamps.
The exterior lamp switch has three positions:
OFF:Turning the switch to this position turns off all
lamps, except the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
;(Parking Lamps):Turn the switch to this position
to turn on the parking lamps, together with the
following:
·Taillamps
·Parking Lamps
·Sidemarker Lamps
3(Headlamps):Turn the switch to this position to
turn on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps.
Headlamps Doors
The headlamp doors are designed to open when you
turn the headlamps on, and close when you turn
the headlamps and parking lamps off. If you turn the
headlamps on, then turn back to the parking lamps
setting, the headlamp doors will stay open.
3-12

You can open the doors manually using the knob next
to the headlamp assembly. Turn the knob
counterclockwise until the doors are open. Turn the
knob clockwise to close the doors manually.
The headlamp doors should be open when driving in icy
or snowy conditions to prevent the doors from freezing
closed and when washing the vehicle to help clean
the headlamps.
Notice:In order to avoid possible contact of the
hood to the headlamp doors, either take care
in raising the hood with the headlamps up, or turn
off the headlamps prior to opening the hood.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
®rst sold in Canada.The DRL system will make the front turn signal lamps
come on when the following conditions are met:
·The ignition is on,
·the exterior lamp switch is off and
·the parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only the front turn signal lamps
will be on. The headlamps, taillamps, sidemarker
and other lamps won't be on. Your instrument panel
won't be lit up either.
To idle the vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake while the ignition is in OFF. Then start the vehicle.
The DRL, headlamps and parking lamps will stay off
until you release the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-13

Fog Lamps
Your vehicle may have this feature. Use the fog lamps
for better vision in foggy or misty conditions. Your
parking lamps or low-beam headlamps must be on or
the fog lamps won't work.
To turn the fog lamps on, press the button located on
the instrument panel, to the left of the steering column. A
light in the button will come on when the fog lamps
are on. Press the button again to turn the fog lamps off.
Twilight Sentinelž(Optional in United
States, Standard in Canada)
Twilight Sentinelžcan turn your lamps on and off for
you. A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes
the Twilight Sentinel
žwork, so be sure it isn't covered.
You can customize your vehicle to turn Twilight
Sentinel
žon or off (except for vehicles ®rst sold in
Canada). SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on
page 3-44to turn this feature on or off.
When Twilight Sentinel
žis turned on, you will see the
following happen:
·When it's dark enough outside, the front turn signal
lamps (DRL) will go off, and the headlamps and
parking lamps will come on. The other lamps
that come on with headlamps will also come on.
·When it's bright enough outside, the headlamps will
go off, and the front turn signal lamps (DRL) will
come on, as long as the exterior lamp switch is in
the OFF position.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once you
leave the garage, it will take approximately one minute for
the automatic headlamp system to change to DRL if it is
light outside. During that delay, your instrument panel
cluster may not be as bright as usual.
3-14

Make sure your instrument panel brightness control is in
full bright position. See ªInstrument Panel Brightness
Controlº under
Interior Lamps on page 3-15.
With Twilight Sentinel
žturned on, you can idle the
vehicle with the lamps off, even when it's dark outside.
First set the parking brake while the ignition is in
OFF. Then start the vehicle. The lamps will stay off until
you release the parking brake.
Twilight Sentinel
žalso provides exterior illumination as
you leave the vehicle. If Twilight Sentinelžhas turned
on the lamps when you turn off the ignition, your lamps
will remain on until:
·The exterior lamp switch is moved from OFF to the
parking lamp position, or
·a delay time that you select has elapsed.
See
Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-44to
select the delay time that you want. You can also select
no delay time.
If you turn off the ignition with the exterior lamp switch
in the parking lamp or headlamp position, the Twilight
Sentinel
ždelay will not occur. The lamps will turn off as
soon as the switch is turned off.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness
The knob for this feature is
located on the left side of
the instrument panel.
Push and release the knob and it will pop out. Turn the
knob clockwise to brighten the lights or counterclockwise
to dim them.
Be sure not to have this knob turned all the way down
with the lamps on during the day. Your Driver
Information Center (DIC) may not be visible.
3-15

Parade Mode
The instrument panel brightness knob has an added
feature called parade mode to assist you in seeing
certain instrument panel controls if your headlamps are
on in the daylight. Turn the knob counterclockwise to
dim the instrument panel lights or clockwise to brighten
the lights. This will occur only with the parking lamps
or headlamps on.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door or the hatch/trunk lid is opened, the
interior lamps will go on (unless it's bright outside).
You can also turn on the courtesy lamps by turning the
instrument panel brightness knob all the way clockwise.
Exit/Entry Lighting
With entry lighting, the interior lamps will come on when
entering the vehicle. The interior lamps will come on
for about 20 seconds when the key is turned to OFF or
a door is ajar.
You can turn exit and entry lighting off by quickly turning
the headlamps on and off or by quickly turning the
courtesy lamps on and off.
Reading Lamps
Your inside rearview mirror includes two reading lamps.
The lamps will go on when a door is opened. When
the doors are closed, each lamp can be turned on
individually by pressing the switch for that lamp.
There is also an interior console ¯ood lamp located
underneath the rearview mirror which comes on
during nighttime operation or when the reading lamps
are on.
3-16