2007 CHEVROLET CORVETTE weight

Reclining Seatbacks
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you
try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while
the vehicle is moving. The sudden
movement could startle and confuse you,
or make you push a pedal when you do
not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only
when the vehicle is not moving.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could
move forward in a sudden stop or crash.
That could cause injury to the person
sitting there. Always push and pull on the
seatback to be sure it is locked.The seats have manual reclining seatbacks. The
lever used to operate them is located on the
outboard side of the seats.
To adjust the seatback, lean slightly forward to lift
your weight off the seatback. Pull completely
up on the lever until it stops, and lean back to
position the seatback to where you want it.
Release the lever to lock the seatback into place.
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Q:What are the different types of add-on
child restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by
the vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic
types. Selection of a particular restraint should
take into consideration not only the child’s
weight, height, and age but also whether or not
the restraint will be compatible with the motor
vehicle in which it will be used.
For most basic types of child restraints, there
are many different models available. When
purchasing a child restraint, be sure it is
designed to be used in a motor vehicle. If it is,
the restraint will have a label saying that it
meets federal motor vehicle safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that
come with the restraint state the weight and
height limitations for a particular child restraint.
In addition, there are many kinds of restraints
available for children with special needs.
{CAUTION:
Newborn infants need complete support,
including support for the head and neck.
This is necessary because a newborn
infant’s neck is weak and its head weighs
so much compared with the rest of its
body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing
seat settles into the restraint, so the crash
forces can be distributed across the
strongest part of an infant’s body, the
back and shoulders. Infants always
should be secured in appropriate infant
restraints.
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CAUTION: (Continued)
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag and side
impact airbag (if equipped) if the system
detects a rear-facing child restraint, no
system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend
that rear-facing child restraints be
transported in vehicles with a rear seat
that will accommodate a rear-facing child
restraint, whenever possible.
If you need to secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the passenger’s seat,
always move the passenger’s seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to secure the
child restraint in a rear seat.The passenger sensing system is designed to turn
off the passenger’s frontal airbag and side
impact airbag (if equipped) if:The passenger’s seat is unoccupied.
The system determines that an infant is
present in a rear-facing infant seat.
The system determines that a small child is
present in a forward-facing child restraint.
The system determines that a small child is
present in a booster seat.
A passenger takes his/her weight off of the
seat for a period of time.
The passenger’s seat is occupied by a smaller
person, such as a child who has outgrown
child restraints.
Or, if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system.
When the passenger’s frontal airbag and side
impact airbag (if equipped) have been turned off
by the passenger sensing system, the off indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you that the
airbags are off.
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Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of
the vehicle may put too much force on the parking
pawl in the transmission. You may nd it difficult to
pull the shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called
“torque lock.” To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into PARK (P) properly
before you leave the driver’s seat. To nd out how,
see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” listed previously in this
section.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever
out of PARK (P) before you release the parking
brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to
have another vehicle push yours a little uphill to
take some of the pressure from the transmission
parking pawl, so you can pull the shift lever
out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift
lock control system which locks the shift lever
in PARK (P) when the ignition is off. In addition,
you have to fully apply your regular brake
before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is on. SeeAutomatic Transmission
Operation on page 95.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure
on the shift lever and 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.
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Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and
driving is a national tragedy. It is the number
one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming
thousands of victims every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to
drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most
cases, these deaths are the result of someone who
was drinking and driving. In recent years, more
than 16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths
have been associated with the use of alcohol, with
more than 300,000 people injured.Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half
the adult population — choose never to drink
alcohol, so they never drive after drinking.
For persons under 21, it is against the law in
every U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good
medical, psychological, and developmental
reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink
alcohol and then drive. But what if people do?
How much is “too much” if someone plans
to drive? It is a lot less than many might think.
Although it depends on each person and situation,
here is some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of
someone who is drinking depends upon
four things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before
and during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker
to consume the alcohol
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According to the American Medical Association, a
180 lb (82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with
a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would
reach the same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce
(120 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if
each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of liquors like
whiskey, gin, or vodka.
It is the amount of alcohol that counts. For
example, if the same person drank three double
martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each)within an hour, the person’s BAC would be close
to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food
just before or during drinking will have a somewhat
lower BAC level.
There is a gender difference, too. Women
generally have a lower relative percentage of body
water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body
water, this means that a woman generally will
reach a higher BAC level than a man of her same
body weight will when each has the same
number of drinks.
The law in most U.S. states, and throughout
Canada, sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent.
In some other countries, the limit is even lower.
For example, it is 0.05 percent in both France
and Germany. The BAC limit for all commercial
drivers in the United States is 0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to
six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have
seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the
drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them.
276

Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your
vehicle while driving — brakes, steering, and
accelerator. At times, as when driving on snow
or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control
systems than the tires and road can provide.
Meaning, you can lose control of your vehicle.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 281
andActive Handling System on page 283.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories
can affect your vehicle’s performance. See
Accessories and Modications on page 319.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 196.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time. First, you have to decide to push
on the brake pedal. That is perception time.
Then you have to bring up your foot and do it.
That is reaction time.Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might
be less with one driver and as long as two or
three seconds or more with another. Age, physical
condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and
frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second,
a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. The brakes might not have time
to cool between hard stops. The brakes will wear
out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking.
278

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right to
clear the area around the front wheels. Turn the
traction control system off. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 281. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
For a manual transmission, shift slowly
between either FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and
REVERSE (R), allowing the wheels to stop
before shifting into gear. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop spinning before
shifting gears. Release the accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. By slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward and reverse
directions, you will cause a rocking motion
that could free your vehicle. If that does not get
your vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to
be towed out. If your vehicle does need to be
towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 315.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label and the Certication label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
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