2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE brake

{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, the brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let the engine assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down and they
could get so hot that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could crash.
Always have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear when going downhill.
Stay in your own lane. Do not swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds
that let you stay in your own lane.
Top of hills: Be alert — something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident).
Pay attention to special road signs (falling rocks
area, winding roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You might want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer uid, a rag, some winter
outer clothing, a small shovel, a ashlight, a red
cloth, and a couple of reective warning triangles. And,
if you will be driving under severe conditions, include
a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet, or a couple of
burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items in your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 5-58.
4-19

The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have ABS, begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement.
SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-5.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne
until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches can appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as
around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you
are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are
some things to do to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
Turn on the hazard warning ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
4-21

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the
Vehicle......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-8
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-13
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-17
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-23
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-25
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-27
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-27
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-27
Engine Coolant.............................................5-28
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-31Engine Overheating.......................................5-31
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-33
Cooling System............................................5-34
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-39
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-41
Brakes........................................................5-42
Battery........................................................5-45
Jump Starting...............................................5-46
Rear Axle.......................................................5-51
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-51
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-52
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting............5-52
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-52
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and
Parking Lamps..........................................5-53
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-55
Windshield Replacement.................................5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-55
Tires..............................................................5-58
Winter Tires.................................................5-59
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-60
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-62
Run-Flat Tires..............................................5-64
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Service
For service and parts needs, visit your dealer/retailer.
You will receive genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modications
When non-dealer/non-retailer accessories are added to
your vehicle they can affect your vehicle’s performance
and safety, including such things as, airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems like
antilock brakes, traction control and stability control.
Some of these accessories could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered by warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on your vehicle. Your GM
dealer/retailer can accessorize your vehicle using
genuine GM Accessories. When you go to your GM
dealer/retailer and ask for GM Accessories, you will know
that GM-trained and supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine GM Accessories.
Also, seeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 1-56.
5-3

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.
5-12

A. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir (If Equipped).
SeeHydraulic Clutch on page 5-27.
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-41.
C. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-42.
D. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-28.
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filters. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.F. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-39.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-17.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-17.
I. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-104.
J. Passenger Compartment Air Filter (Out of View).
SeePassenger Compartment Air Filter on page 3-32.
K. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-45.
5-15

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-39.
C. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-104.
D. Remote Positive Terminal (Out of View). SeeBattery
on page 5-45.
E. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-17.
F. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank. See “Changing Engine
Oil and Filter (Z06 Only)”Engine Oil on page 5-17.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine
Oil” underEngine Oil on page 5-17.
H. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-28.
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-41.
J. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-42.
K. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir. SeeHydraulic
Clutch on page 5-27.Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil (Except Z06)
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL message on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) comes on, check the engine
oil level right away. For more information, seeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-51. You should
check the engine oil level regularly; this is an added
reminder.
It is a good idea to check the 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 loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-14
for the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a lint-free
paper towel or a cloth, then push it back in all
the way.
3. Remove the dipstick again, keeping the tip down
and read the level on the cross-hatched area. Oil
levels that fall in the cross-hatched area are normal.
4. Push the dipstick back in all the way.
5-17

Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder
reservoir is lled with
DOT-3 brake uid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-14
for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The rst is that the brake
uid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the uid
level goes back up. The other reason is that uid is
leaking out of the brake hydraulic system. If it is, have the
brake hydraulic system xed, since a leak means that
sooner or later the brakes will not work well.It is not a good idea to top off the brake uid. Adding
brake uid will not correct a leak. If uid is added when
the linings are worn, there will be too much uid when
new brake linings are installed. Add or remove brake
uid, as necessary, only when work is done on the
brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake uid, it can spill on
the engine. The uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system. See “Checking Brake Fluid”
in this section.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check the brake uid. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
5-42