
Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Driving and Operating 8-17
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Follow these
recommended guidelines during
the first 2 414 km/1,500 miles of
driving this vehicle. Parts have a
break‐in period and performance
will be better in the long run.
.For the first 2 414 km/
1,500 miles:
.Avoid full throttle starts and
abrupt stops.
.Do not exceed
4,000 engine rpm.
.Avoid driving at any one
constant speed, fast or slow.
.Do not drive above 160 km/h
(100 mph).
.Avoid downshifting to brake
or slow the vehicle when the
engine speed will exceed
4000 RPM.
.Do not let the engine labor.
Never lug the engine in high
gear at low speeds. With a
manual transmission, shift to
the next lower gear. This rule
applies at all times, not just
during the break‐in period.
.Do not participate in racing
events, sport driving
schools, or similar activities
during this break‐in period.
.Check engine oil with
every refueling and add
if necessary. Oil and fuel
consumption may be higher
than normal during the first
2 414 km/1,500 miles.
.To break in new tires, drive at
moderate speeds and avoid
hard cornering for the first
322 km/200 miles. New tires
do not have maximum
traction and may tend to slip.
.New brake linings also need
a break‐in period. Avoid
making hard stops during
the first 322 km/200 miles.
This is recommended every
time brake linings are
replaced.
.Should the vehicle be used
for racing or competitive
driving (after break‐in), the
rear axle lubricant must be
replaced before hand.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
8-28 Driving and Operating
D (Drive):This position is for
normal driving. It provides the
best fuel economy. If more power
is needed for passing, and the
vehicle is:
.Going less than 35 mph
(56 km/h), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
Powertrain Braking (V8 and
V6 Engines)
When driving on steep descents in
D (Drive) or M (Manual Mode) where
frequent braking is required, the
transmission will shift down a gear
to help hold vehicle speed and
reduce brake wear. If the driver
continues to press the brake, the
transmission will downshift until
3 (Third) gear is reached. If the brake is released for some
time, the transmission will upshift a
gear. If the road levels out and the
accelerator pedal is pressed, the
transmission will upshift until the
appropriate gear is reached.
4 (Fourth) Gear Hold (V6 Engine)
If, during highway driving, you
wish to pass another vehicle, but
then change your mind (quickly
pushing the accelerator pedal
all the way to the floor and then
immediately releasing the pedal),
the transmission will shift to a lower
gear and then upshift to 4 (Fourth).
This leaves the transmission
prepared with increased
responsiveness for additional driver
input. The passing maneuver can
then be resumed from 4 (Fourth)
gear, or 4 (Fourth) gear hold can be
canceled by lightly pressing on the
accelerator pedal.Notice:
If the vehicle seems to
accelerate slowly or not shift
gears when you go faster, and
you continue to drive the vehicle
that way, you could damage the
transmission. Have the vehicle
serviced right away.
M (Manual Mode): This position
allows the driver to select the range
of gears appropriate for current
driving conditions.
In M (Manual Mode) the
transmission will shift as an
automatic until the Tap Shift controls
are used. Tap Shift activates driver
manual gear selection.
While driving in M (Manual Mode),
if Tap Shift has not been activated,
the transmission determines when
the vehicle is being driven in a
competitive manner and will select
and hold the transmission in lower
gears and have more noticeable
upshifts for sportier vehicle
performance.
See Manual Mode
on page 8‑29for
more information.

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Driving and Operating 8-29
Manual Mode
Tap Shift
Back of steering wheel
Tap Shift allows the driver to
manually control the automatic
transmission. To use Tap Shift, the
shift lever must be in M (Manual
Mode). Vehicles with this feature
have indicators on the steering
wheel. The controls are on the
back of the steering wheel. Tap the
left control to downshift, and the
right control to upshift. A Driver Information Center (DIC) message
indicates the gear the vehicle is in.
See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 4‑28.
While using the Tap Shift feature,
the vehicle will have firmer, quicker
shifting for increased performance.
You can use this for sport driving or
when climbing or descending hills,
to stay in gear longer, or to down
shift for more power or engine
braking. The transmission will
only allow you to shift into gears
appropriate for the vehicle speed
and engine Revolutions Per Minute
(RPM). The transmission will not
automatically shift to the next higher
gear if the engine RPM is too high.
If shifting is prevented for any
reason, the message Shift Denied
will appear in the DIC, indicating
that the transmission has not
shifted gears. While in the Tap Shift
mode, the transmission will not
automatically downshift on hard
acceleration. When coasting to a stop, the
V6 transmission will automatically
downshift to 1 (First) gear, and the
V8 transmission will automatically
downshift to 2 (Second) gear.
A 1 (First) gear start can be selected
using the Tap Shift controls on
V8 models When accelerating from
a stop the transmissions will hold
these gears until the driver manually
selects higher gears using the Tap
Shift controls.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift into second
gear. A higher gear ratio allows you
to gain more traction on slippery
surfaces.

Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
9-54 Vehicle Care
DOT Markings:A code
molded into the sidewall of a
tire signifying that the tire is
in compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
(DOT) motor vehicle safety
standards. The DOT code
includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric
designator which can also
identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand, and
date of production.
GVWR
:Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 8‑12.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle
Weight Rating for the front axle.
See Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 8‑12
.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle
Weight Rating for the rear axle.
See Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 8‑12
. Intended Outboard Sidewall
:
The side of an asymmetrical tire,
that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa)
:The metric
unit for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT‐Metric) Tire
:A
tire used on light duty trucks and
some multipurpose passenger
vehicles.
Load Index
:An assigned
number ranging from 1 to 279
that corresponds to the load
carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure
:
The maximum air pressure to
which a cold tire can be inflated.
The maximum air pressure is
molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating
:
The load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible inflation
pressure for that tire. Maximum Loaded Vehicle
Weight
:The sum of curb
weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight, and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight
:The
number of occupants a vehicle
is designed to seat multiplied by
68 kg (150 lbs). See Vehicle
Load Limits
on page 8‑12.
Occupant Distribution
:
Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall
:The
side of an asymmetrical tire that
has a particular side that faces
outward when mounted on a
vehicle. The side of the tire
that contains a whitewall,
bears white lettering, or bears
manufacturer, brand, and/or
model name molding that is
higher or deeper than the same
moldings on the other sidewall
of the tire.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
INDEX i-3
Competitive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Competitive Driving Mode . . . . . 8-37
Compressor Kit, TireSealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8
Covers
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-39 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32 Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Text Telephone (TTY)
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 12-13
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 12-10
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 12-15
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3, 9-39
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Devices, Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6 Door
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Driving
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-49
Competitive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7, 8-37
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 8-9
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10