
Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-7
Child Restraints
.......................................1-21
Air Bag System
.......................................1-39
Restraint System Check
............................1-48
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-9
Windows
.................................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-19
Mirrors
....................................................2-37
Storage Areas
.........................................2-39
Roof Panel
..............................................2-43
Convertible Top
.......................................2-49
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-55
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
......................................3-22
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-29
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-44
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-62Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-33
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Rear Axle
...............................................5-46
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-47
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-51
Tires
......................................................5-54
Appearance Care
.....................................5-75
Vehicle Identi®cation
.................................5-83
Electrical System
......................................5-84
Capacities and Speci®cations
.....................5-92
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
......5-94
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-9
INDEX............................................................... 1
2003 Chevrolet Corvette Owner ManualM

A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve the ®t of the vehicle's safety belt system. Some
booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner, and
some high-back booster seats have a ®ve-point harness.
A booster seat can also help a child to see out the
window.
Q:How do child restraints work?
A:A child restraint system is any device designed for
use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position
children. A built-in child restraint system is a
permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on
child restraint system is a portable one, which
is purchased by the vehicle's owner.
For many years, add-on child restraints have used
the adult belt system in the vehicle. To help
reduce the chance of injury, the child also has to be
secured within the restraint. The vehicle's belt
system secures the add-on child restraint in the
vehicle, and the add-on child restraint's harness
system holds the child in place within the restraint.
One system, the three-point harness, has straps
that come down over each of the infant's shoulders
and buckle together at the crotch. The ®ve-point
harness system has two shoulder straps, two
hip straps and a crotch strap. A shield may take the
place of hip straps. A T-shaped shield has
shoulder straps that are attached to a ¯at pad which
rests low against the child's body. A shelf- or
armrest-type shield has straps that are attached to
a wide, shelf-like shield that swings up or to
the side.
1-28

What Will You See After an
Air Bag In¯ates?
After the air bag in¯ates, it quickly de¯ates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
in¯ated. Some components of the air bag module ± the
steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, the
instrument panel for the passenger's bag ± will be hot
for a short time. The parts of the bag that come into
contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch.
There will be some smoke and dust coming from the
vents in the de¯ated air bags. Air bag in¯ation doesn't
prevent the driver from seeing or being able to steer the
vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the
vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an air bag in¯ates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can't get out of the vehicle after an air bag
in¯ates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to in¯ate the air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
1-43

Keys...............................................................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System.........................2-4
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation...........2-5
Doors and Locks.............................................2-9
Door Locks....................................................2-9
Power Door Locks........................................2-10
Lockout Protection........................................2-10
Leaving Your Vehicle....................................2-10
Hatch/Trunk.................................................2-11
Windows........................................................2-14
Power Windows............................................2-15
Sun Visors...................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-16
Theft-Deterrent System..................................2-16
PASS-Key
ž..................................................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-19
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-19
Front Air Dam..............................................2-19
Ignition Positions..........................................2-20
Starting Your Engine.....................................2-21
Engine Coolant Heater (Canada Only).............2-23
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-24
Manual Transmission Operation......................2-27
Parking Brake..............................................2-30Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)............................2-31
Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)............................2-33
Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission)...............................2-34
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-34
Engine Exhaust............................................2-35
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked
(Automatic Transmission)............................2-36
Mirrors...........................................................2-37
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-37
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror................2-37
Outside Power Heated Mirrors........................2-38
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror..................2-38
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-38
Storage Areas................................................2-39
Glove Box...................................................2-39
Cupholder(s)................................................2-39
Center Console Storage Area.........................2-39
Floor Mats...................................................2-40
Rear Storage Area........................................2-41
Convenience Net..........................................2-42
Cargo Cover................................................2-42
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

Keys
{CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. A child or
others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate the power windows or
other controls or even make the vehicle move.
Don't leave the keys in a vehicle with children.
2-3

Hatch/Trunk
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the hatch/
trunk lid open because carbon monoxide (CO)
gas can come into your vehicle. You can't see
or smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. If you must drive with the
hatch/trunk lid open or if electrical wiring or
other cable connections must pass through
the seal between the body and the hatch/trunk
lid:
·Make sure all other windows are shut.
·Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed and select the
control setting that will force outside air
into your vehicle. See ªClimate Control
Systemº in the Index.
·If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See ªEngine Exhaustº in the Index.
Notice:If you put things in the hatch/trunk area, be
sure they won't break the glass when you close
it. Never slam the hatch/trunk lid down. You could
break the glass or damage the defogger grid.
When you close the hatch/trunk lid, make sure you
pull down from the center, not the sides. If you
pull the hatch/trunk lid down from the side too often,
the weatherstrip can be damaged.
Notice:Do not store heavy or sharp objects in the
rear storage compartments located in the
hatch/trunk area. If you do, the objects could
damage the underbody.
2-11

Windows
{CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the windows
closed is dangerous. A child can be overcome
by the extreme heat and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from heat stroke. Never
leave a child alone in a vehicle, especially with
the windows closed in warm or hot weather.
2-14

Power Windows
With power windows, switches on the door control each
window when the ignition is on or when RAP is
present. See ªRetained Accessory Power (RAP)º under
Ignition Positions on page 2-20.
Express-Down Window
Both driver's and passenger's window switches have
the express-down feature. Tap AUTO and immediately
release. The window will lower completely. To stop
the express-down feature from lowering the window
completely, simply tap the switch again.
You can also open the window any amount by pressing
and releasing the switch.
To close the window, press and hold the up arrow.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You
can also swing them to the side.
Lighted Visor Vanity Mirrors
Pull down the sun visor and lift the cover to expose the
lighted vanity mirror. When the cover is lifted, the
lamps will come on automatically, even if the ignition
is off.
2-15