2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE automatic transmission

Press the GAGE button again to display the oil
temperature, such as:
·OIL TEMP 234ÉF or
·OIL TEMP 112ÉC
Press the GAGE button again to display the coolant
temperature, such as:
·COOLANT TEMP 123ÉF or
·COOLANT TEMP 51ÉC
Press the GAGE button again to display the automatic
transmission ¯uid temperature, such as:
·TRANS FLUID 123ÉF or
·TRANS FLUID 51ÉC
Press the GAGE button again to display the battery
voltage, such as:
·BATTERY VOLTS 13.5
Press the GAGE button again to display the tire
pressure for the front tires (except Z06), such as:
·FRONT L34 R33 PSI or
·FRONT L234 R228 kPaPress the GAGE button again to display the tire
pressure for the rear tires (except Z06), such as:
·REAR L34 R33 PSI or
·REAR L234 R228 kPa
Tire pressure is not available until the vehicle has
reached a speed of 15 mph (24 km/h) or more.
3 TRIP
The TRIP button allows you to scroll through the
functions listed below when you press it.
3-47

If you choose LOCK & ARM ± OFF, you will receive no
security feedback when locking or unlocking your
vehicle.
If you choose LOCK & ARM ± HORN ONLY, only the
horn will chirp to let you know when your alarm system
has armed when locking your vehicle.
If you choose LOCK & ARM ± LIGHTS ONLY, only your
exterior lamps will ¯ash to let you know when your
alarm system has armed when locking your vehicle.
If you choose LOCK & ARM ± HORN & LIGHTS,
the horn will chirp and the exterior lamps will ¯ash brie¯y
to let you know the system has armed when locking
your vehicle.
Alarm
Press the OPTIONS button until ALARM appears on the
display, then use the RESET button to page through
the following selections:
·ALARM-HORN
·ALARM HORN & LIGHTS
If you choose ALARM-HORN, the horn will sound during
an alarm.
If you choose ALARM HORN & LIGHTS, the horn will
sound and the interior and exterior lamps will ¯ash
during an alarm.
Approach Lights
Press the OPTIONS button until APPROACH LIGHTS
appears on the display, then use the RESET button
to page through the following choices:
·APPROACH LIGHTS ON
·APPROACH LIGHTS OFF
If you choose APPROACH LIGHTS ON, the fog lamps,
front turn signal, rear back-up and courtesy lamps
will come on for 30 seconds when you press UNLOCK
on the remote keyless entry transmitter. This will
occur only when it is dark outside.
APPROACH LIGHTS OFF turns off this option.
See
Remote Keyless Entry System on page 2-4for
more information.
Auto Lock
Press the OPTIONS button until AUTO LOCK appears
on the display, then use the RESET button to page
through the following choices:
·AUTO LOCK ON
·AUTO LOCK OFF
If you choose AUTO LOCK ON, both doors will
automatically lock when the vehicle exceeds 10 mph
(16 km/h) in a manual transmission. In a vehicle with an
automatic transmission, both doors will automatically
lock when you move the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Choose AUTO LOCK OFF to turn this option off.
3-51

COOLANT OVER TEMP:You will hear four chimes
and the CHECK GAGES telltale will come on when this
message is displayed. To acknowledge the warning,
press the RESET button. After you press the RESET
button, a message will be displayed and you will hear a
chime every minute until this condition changes. If
you do not press RESET, the message will remain on
the digital display until the condition changes.
If the engine coolant exceeds 255ÉF (124ÉC), this
message is displayed. If you have been operating your
vehicle under normal driving conditions, you should
pull off the road, stop your vehicle and turn off the
engine as soon as possible. You can monitor the coolant
temperature with the GAGES button on the DIC or
the engine coolant gage on the instrument panel cluster.
See
Engine Overheating on page 5-26.
REDUCE ENGINE RPM:You will hear four chimes
when this message is displayed. To acknowledge
the warning, press the RESET button. After you press
the RESET button, a message will be displayed and you
will hear a chime every minute until this condition
changes. If you do not press RESET, the message will
remain on the digital display until the condition
changes.
If the engine oil temperature exceeds 320ÉF (160ÉC),
this message is displayed. You should check the engine
coolant temperature and engine oil level. If your
engine is too hot, see
Engine Overheating on page 5-26.Your vehicle may need service, so see your dealer. You
can monitor the oil temperature with the GAGES
button on the DIC.
HIGH TRANS TEMP (Automatic Transmission
Only):You will hear four chimes when this message is
displayed. To acknowledge this warning, press the
RESET button. After you press the RESET button, the
message will be displayed every 10 minutes until
the condition changes. If you do not press RESET, the
message remains on the display until the condition
changes.
If the transmission ¯uid temperature rises above 270ÉF
(132ÉC) or rises rapidly, this message is displayed.
The transmission may shift gears or apply the torque
converter clutch to reduce the ¯uid temperature. Driving
aggressively or driving on long hills can cause the
transmission ¯uid temperature to be higher than normal.
If this message appears, you may continue to drive at
a slower speed. You should also monitor the
transmission ¯uid temperature and allow it to cool to at
least 230ÉF (110ÉC). The transmission ¯uid temperature
can be monitored with the GAGES button on the
DIC. See
Automatic Transmission Fluid on page 5-20.
You should also check the engine coolant temperature.
If it is also hot, see
Engine Overheating on page 5-26.
If the HIGH TRANS TEMP message is displayed during
normal vehicle operation on ¯at roads, your vehicle
may need service. See your dealer for an inspection.
3-58

Other Messages
Here are more messages that you can receive on your
Driver Information Center (DIC). To acknowledge a
message and read another message that may have
come on at the same time, press the RESET button.
·BRAKE BEFORE SHIFT
(See ªAutomatic Transmissions Onlyº under
Automatic Transmission Operation on page 2-24.)
·CHANGE OIL NOW
(See ªGM Oil Life SystemŸº under
Engine Oil on
page 5-13.)
·CHANGE OIL SOON
(See ªGM Oil Life SystemŸº under
Engine Oil on
page 5-13.)
·CRUISE DISENGAGED
(See ªCruise Controlº under
Turn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6.)
·CRUISE SET_MPH (_km/h)
(See ªCruise Controlº under
Turn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6.)
·DOOR AJAR
·ENGINE PROTECTION REDUCE ENGINE RPM
·HATCH AJAR (Coupe)
·HIGH VOLTAGE
(See
Voltmeter Gage on page 3-34.)
·LOW BRAKE FLUID
(See ªBrake Fluidº under
Brakes on page 5-37.)
·LOW FUEL
(See
Fuel Gage on page 3-42.)
·LOW VOLTAGE
(See
Voltmeter Gage on page 3-34.)
·LOW WASHER FLUID
(See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-36.)
·RESERVE FUEL
(See
Fuel Gage on page 3-42.)
·TONNEAU AJAR (Convertible)
·TRUNK AJAR (Convertible/Z06)
·UPSHIFT NOW
(See
Manual Transmission Operation on
page 2-27.)
3-61

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under
the Hood....................................................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-20
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-20
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-29
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-35Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-36
Brakes........................................................5-37
Battery........................................................5-40
Jump Starting...............................................5-41
Rear Axle.......................................................5-46
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-47
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-47
Headlamps..................................................5-47
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-49
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-51
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-51
Tires..............................................................5-54
Extended Mobility Tires (Except Z06)...............5-54
In¯ation -- Tire Pressure................................5-56
Tire Pressure Monitor System (Except Z06)......5-57
Tire Rotation................................................5-58
Buying New Tires.........................................5-59
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-60
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-61
Wheel Replacement......................................5-61
Tire Chains..................................................5-64
Lifting Your Vehicle.......................................5-64
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-68
Tire In¯ator Kit (Z06 Only).............................5-70
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Automatic Transmission Fluid
How to Check
It is not necessary to check the transmission ¯uid level.
A transmission ¯uid leak is the only reason for ¯uid
loss. If a leak occurs, take the vehicle to your dealer
service department and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
There is a special procedure for checking and changing
the transmission ¯uid. Because this procedure is
difficult, you should have this done at your dealer service
department. Contact your dealer for additional
information or the procedure can be found in the service
manual. To purchase a service manual, see
Service
Publications Ordering Information on page 7-10.
Notice:We recommend you use only ¯uid labeled
DEXRONž-III, because ¯uid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by ¯uid other than DEXRON
ž-III is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.Change both the ¯uid and ®lter every 50,000 miles
(80 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one of
these conditions:
·In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or higher.
·In hilly or mountainous terrain.
·High performance operation.
If you do not use your vehicle under one of these
conditions, change the ¯uid and ®lter every
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4for the proper
service intervals for the transmission ¯uid and ®lter.
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. However, the ¯uid in your manual transmission
doesn't require changing.
5-20

Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to follow the steps below to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
·They contain acid that can burn you.
·They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
·They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you don't follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that wouldn't be covered
by your warranty. Trying to start your vehicle
by pushing or pulling it won't work, and it could
damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other system isn't a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can be
damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren't touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don't want. You wouldn't be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake ®rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) or a manual transmission
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brakes.
Notice:If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlet. Turn off
the radio and all lamps that aren't needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save your radio!
5-41

Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
Don't use tire chains. There's not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle and you or others may be injured
in a crash. Use another type of traction device
only if its manufacturer recommends it for use
on your vehicle and tire size combination and
road conditions. Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it's contacting your vehicle, and don't
spin your wheels. If you do ®nd traction
devices that will ®t, install them on the
rear tires.
Lifting Your Vehicle
{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle 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 lift your vehicle.
To help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake ®rmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever
in PARK (P), or shift a manual
transmission to FIRST (1) or
REVERSE (R).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't
move, you can put blocks in front of and
behind the wheels.
5-64