2005 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Owners Manual

Stopping Your Engine
If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, move the
shift lever to PARK (P) and press the ACC button. If
the shifter is not in PARK (P), the vehicle will go
into accessory mode and the DIC will display SHIFT TO
PARK. Once the shifter is moved to PARK (P), the
vehicle will turn off.
If your vehicle has a manual transmission, move the
shift lever to REVERSE (R) and press the ACC button.
If the shifter is not in REVERSE (R), the vehicle will
go into accessory mode and the DIC will display SHIFT
TO REVERSE. Once the shifter is moved to
REVERSE (R), the vehicle will turn off.
If the keyless access transmitter is not detected while
going to off, the DIC will display NO FOB – OFF
OR RUN?.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-54for
more information.
Notice:If you do not put a manual transmission in
REVERSE (R) before exiting your vehicle, your
vehicle will not be secured, the battery will drain
and could be damaged. Always put a manual
transmission in REVERSE (R) before shutting off the
engine and exiting the vehicle.
Racing or Other Competitive Driving
See your warranty book before using your vehicle for
racing or other competitive driving.
Notice:If you use your vehicle for racing or other
competitive driving, the engine may use more
oil than it would with normal use. Low oil levels can
damage the engine. Be sure to check the oil level
often during racing or other competitive driving and
keep the level at or near 1 quart (1 L) above the
upper mark that shows the proper operating range
on the engine oil dipstick. For information on
how to add oil, seeEngine Oil on page 5-13. After
the competitive driving, remove excess oil so
that the level on the dipstick is not above the upper
mark that shows the proper operating range.
Vehicles with the Z51 performance package have
greaseable outer ends on both of the rear toe-links.
Under normal use, lubrication should be performed as
described in the maintenance schedule. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4andRecommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 6-12. If you use the vehicle for
racing, lubrication should be performed at the end of
each racing day. See your dealer for lubrication
and make sure any needed repairs are made at once.
Proper procedures for performing these services can be
found in the service manual. SeeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-11.
2-23

Engine Coolant Heater
If your vehicle has this feature, in very cold weather,
0°F (−18°C) or colder, the engine coolant heater
can help. You will get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant
heater should be plugged in a minimum of four
hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures
above 32°F (0°C), use of the coolant heater is not
required.
To Use The Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The electrical cord is located on the driver’s side
of the engine compartment, in front of the coolant
surge tank.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you will be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
2-24

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different
positions for your shift
lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transmission) on page 2-30.
Be sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system.
You have to fully apply your regular brakes before you
can shift from PARK (P) when the vehicle is running.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure
on the shift lever – push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) and release the shift lever button as you
maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever
button and move the shift lever into the gear you wish.
SeeShifting Out of Park (P) (Automatic Transmission)
on page 2-32.
2-25

REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission,
seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
on page 4-30.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is
for normal driving.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving.
However, it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When going down a steep hill.
2-26

SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use
SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but then you
would also want to use your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND (2) when you start the
vehicle, the transmission will drive, and stay, in
second gear. You may use this feature for reducing
torque to the rear wheels when you are trying to start
your vehicle from a stop on slippery road surfaces, or for
preventing the transmission from downshifting into
FIRST (1) in situations where a downshift would
be undesirable.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power,
but lower fuel economy, than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, in deep snow or mud. If the shift
lever is put in FIRST (1), the transmission will not
shift into rst gear until the vehicle is going slowly
enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
components from improper operation.Manual Transmission Operation
This is the shift pattern for
the six-speed manual
transmission.
Here is how to operate your transmission:
FIRST (1):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you are going less
than 40 mph (64 km/h). If you come to a complete stop
and it is hard to shift into FIRST (1), put the shift
lever in NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST (1).
SECOND (2):Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (2).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
2-27

THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6):Shift
into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6)
the same way you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on
the clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to
NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL:Use this position when you start or idle
your engine. Your shift lever is in NEUTRAL when it is
centered in the shift pattern, not in any gear.
REVERSE (R):To back up, press down the clutch
pedal and shift into REVERSE (R). Just apply pressure
to get the lever past FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6) into
REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch pedal slowly while
pressing the accelerator pedal.
Your six-speed manual transmission has a feature that
allows you to safely shift into REVERSE (R) while
the vehicle is rolling at less than 3 mph (5 km/h). You
will be locked out if you try to shift into REVERSE (R)
while your vehicle is moving faster than 3 mph (5 km/h).
If you have turned your ignition off the shifter must be
shifted to REVERSE (R), enabling the vehicle to
be turned off. Otherwise, the vehicle will remain in
accessory mode.Shift Speeds (Manual Transmission)
{CAUTION:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you
could lose control of your vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Do not shift down
more than one gear at a time when you
downshift.
This chart shows when to shift to the next higher gear
for the best fuel economy.
Manual Transmission Recommended
Shift Speeds in mph (km/h)
EngineAcceleration Shift Speed
1to2 2to3 3to4 4to5 5to6
All
Engines15
(24)25
(40)40
(64)45
(72)50
(80)
If your engine speed drops below 900 rpm, or if the
engine is not running smoothly, you should downshift to
the next lower gear. You may have to downshift two
or more gears to keep the engine running smoothly or
for good engine performance.
Notice:When shifting gears, do not move the shift
lever around unnecessarily. This may damage
the transmission. Shift directly into the next gear.
2-28

One to Four Shift Light
(Manual Transmission)
When this light comes on,
you can only shift from
FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4)
instead of FIRST (1) to
SECOND (2).
You must complete the shift into FOURTH (4) to turn off
this feature. This helps you get the best possible fuel
economy.
After shifting to FOURTH (4), you may downshift to a
lower gear if you prefer.
Notice:Forcing the shift lever into any gear except
FOURTH (4) when the 1 TO 4 SHIFT light comes
on may damage the transmission. Shift only from
FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4) when the light comes on.
This light will come on when:
The engine coolant temperature is higher than
169°F (76°C),
you are going 15 to 19 mph (24 to 31 km/h) and
you are 21 percent throttle or less.
Downshifting (Manual Transmission)
Do not downshift into the gear shown below at a speed
greater than shown in the table:
FIRST (1) 50 mph (80 km/h)
SECOND (2) 74 mph (119 km/h)
THIRD (3) 101 mph (163 km/h)
FOURTH (4) 130 mph (209 km/h)
Notice:If you skip more than one gear when you
downshift, or if you race the engine when you
release the clutch pedal while downshifting, you
could damage the engine, clutch, driveshaft or the
transmission. Do not skip gears or race the
engine when downshifting.
The six-speed transmission has a spring that centers
the shift lever near THIRD (3) and FOURTH (4).
This spring helps you know which gear you are in when
you are shifting. Be careful when shifting from
FIRST (1) to SECOND (2) or downshifting from
SIXTH (6) to FIFTH (5). The spring will try to pull the
shift lever toward FOURTH (4) and THIRD (3).
Make sure you move the lever into SECOND (2) or
FIFTH (5). If you let the shift lever move in the direction
of the pulling, you may end up shifting from FIRST (1)
to FOURTH (4) or from SIXTH (6) to THIRD (3).
2-29

Parking Brake
The parking brake lever is located to the right of the
center console.
To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down.
Pull the parking brake lever up. If the ignition is on, the
brake system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Then push the release button in as you move the
parking brake lever all the way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure your vehicle will
not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, use the steps that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by holding in the
button on the lever and pushing the lever all the
way toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition off.
2-30