2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE checking oil

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

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
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.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a ®re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake ¯uid, windshield washer and
other ¯uids, 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.
5-10

A. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
B. Battery
C. Engine Oil Dipstick
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
F. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
G. Brake Fluid Reservoir
H. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
Engine Oil
If the LOW OIL LEVEL message on the Driver
Information Center comes on, it means you need to
check your engine oil level right away. For more
information, see
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 3-44.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It's a good idea to check your engine oil level every
time you get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading,
the oil must be warm and the vehicle must be on
level ground.
The engine oil dipstick
handle is a yellow ring
located near the coolant
surge tank. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
for more
information on location.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don't, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or a
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down.
5-13

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

Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake ¯uid without taking off the cap.
Just look at the brake ¯uid reservoir. The ¯uid 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 ¯uid, use only DOT-3 brake
¯uid. Refer toPart D: Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-14. Use new brake ¯uid from a
sealed container only.
Always clean the brake ¯uid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of ¯uid in your brake
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 ¯uid.
Notice:
·Using the wrong ¯uid 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 ¯uid.
·If you spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle's painted
surfaces, the paint ®nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle. If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
ªAppearance Careº in the Index.
5-38

Audio System(s) (cont.)
Understanding Radio Reception.....................3-77
Automatic Transmission Check........................... 6-9
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control
System Check.............................................6-10
Automatic Transmission...................................2-21
Fluid..........................................................5-20
Operation...................................................2-24
B
Battery Replacement......................................... 2-8
Battery Run-Down Protection............................3-17
Battery..........................................................5-40
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.........................4-24
Body Lubrication Service................................... 6-9
Brake Fluid....................................................5-37
Brake Wear...................................................5-39
Brake............................................................2-30
Parking......................................................2-30
System Inspection.......................................6-13
System Warning Light..................................3-35
Brakes..........................................................5-37
Braking in Emergencies..................................... 4-8
Braking........................................................... 4-6
Break-In, New Vehicle.....................................2-19
Bulb Replacement...........................................5-47
Back-Up Lamps...........................................5-51
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-47Bulb Replacement (cont.)
Headlamps.................................................5-47
Replacement Bulbs......................................5-51
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps..................5-49
Buying New Tires...........................................5-59
C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-5
Canada ± Customer Assistance.......................... 7-4
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance........................... 7-7
Capacities and Speci®cations............................5-92
Carbon Monoxide...................4-27, 4-35, 2-11, 2-35
Care of.........................................................5-77
Safety Belts................................................5-77
Your Cassette Tape Player............................3-78
Your CD Player...........................................3-79
Your CDs ...................................................3-79
Cargo Cover..................................................2-42
Cassette Tape Messages.................................3-66
Cassette Tape Player Service............................. 6-8
CD Adapter Kits.............................................3-66
CD Changer, Trunk-Mounted............................3-71
Center Console Storage Area...........................2-39
Chains, Tires..................................................5-64
Check Engine Light.........................................3-38
Checking Coolant............................................5-25
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-13
2

Fuel (cont.)
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-6
Gage.........................................................3-42
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations.................................. 5-5
System Inspection.......................................6-13
Fuses...........................................................5-86
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-86
Windshield Wiper.........................................5-85
G
Gage............................................................3-42
Check Gages Warning Light..........................3-42
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-38
Engine Oil Pressure.....................................3-41
Fuel..........................................................3-42
Speedometer..............................................3-31
Tachometer.................................................3-31
Voltmeter Gage...........................................3-34
Gasoline......................................................... 5-4
Octane........................................................ 5-4
Speci®cations............................................... 5-5
Glove Box.....................................................2-39
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities.................................................... 7-5
H
Hatch/Trunk Lid Release..................................2-12
Hatch/Trunk...................................................2-11
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-4
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer.................... 3-7
Headlamp Wiring............................................5-85
Headlamps Doors...........................................3-12
Headlamps on Reminder................................... 3-7
Headlamps....................................................5-47
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-47
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-47
Head-Up Display (HUD)...................................3-17
Highway Hypnosis...........................................4-25
Hill and Mountain Roads..................................4-25
Hood............................................................5-10
Checking Things Under................................5-10
Release.....................................................5-11
Horn............................................................... 3-5
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank.................................................5-31
How to Add Fluid............................................5-22
How to Check and Add Fluid............................5-23
How to Check Lubricant...................................5-46
How to Check Power Steering Fluid..................5-35
How to Check................................5-20, 5-21, 5-56
How to Remove and Replace the
Floor Mats..................................................2-40
How to Use This Manual...................................... ii
6