2010 CHEVROLET CORVETTE light

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired —by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
.Drive defensively.
.Do not drink and drive.
.Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
.Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light
up so much road ahead.
.Watch for animals.
.When tired, pull off the road.
.Do not wear sunglasses.
.Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
.Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean —inside and out.
.Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns
or curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and
affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive
slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and deep‐standing or
flowing water.
{WARNING:
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not
work as well in a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a
car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal
until the brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
Driving through flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you
and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very cautious about
trying to drive through flowing water.
5-22

WARNING: (Continued)
For more information about carbon monoxide, see
Engine Exhaust on page 3‑37.
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking the exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods only as needed to
keep warm, but be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for only short periods as
needed to warm the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of the way to save heat.
Repeat this until help arrives but only when you feel
really uncomfortable from the cold. Moving about to
keep warm also helps.
If it takes some time for help to arrive, now and then
when you run the engine, push the accelerator pedal
slightly so the engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to restart the vehicle
and to signal for help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible to save fuel.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free the
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 5‑28.
If the vehicle has a traction system, it can often help
to free a stuck vehicle. Refer to the vehicle's traction
system in the Index. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system off
and use the rocking method.
{WARNING:
If the vehicle's tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be injured.
The vehicle can overheat, causing an engine
compartment fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and avoid going above
55 km/h (35 mph) as shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on the vehicle,
see Tire Chains on page 6‑84.
5-27

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area
around the front wheels. Turn the traction control
system off. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. For a manual transmission, shift slowly
between either 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and R (Reverse),
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 shifting, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. Slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions causes
a rocking motion that could free the vehicle. If that does
not get the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to
be towed out. If the vehicle does need to be towed out,
see Towing Your Vehicle on page 5‑33.
Loading the 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
Certification label.
{WARNING:
Do not load the 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 the vehicle can break, and it can change
the way the vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and crash.
Also, overloading can shorten the life
of the vehicle.
5-28

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-25
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-27
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Cooling System (Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32 Cooling System (Intercooler) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-33
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-41
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-41
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-42
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-49
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-56
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . 6-56
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-56
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-56
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps . . . . . . . . 6-58
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-59
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . 6-59
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-62
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-63
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-64
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-66
6-1

Gasoline Octane
If the vehicle has the 6.2L V8 engine (VIN Code W), use
premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating
of 91 or higher. You can also use regular unleaded
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but the vehicle's
acceleration could be slightly reduced, and a slight
audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard. If the octane is less than 87,
a heavy knocking noise might be heard when driving.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could
damage the engine. If heavy knocking is heard when
using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L V8 engine (VIN Code T)
or the 7.0L V8 engine (VIN Code E), use premium
unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 91
or higher. For best performance, use premium unleaded
gasoline with a posted octane rating of 93. In an
emergency, you can use regular unleaded gasoline
with an octane rating of 87 or higher. If 87 octane fuel is
used, do not perform any aggressive driving maneuvers
such as wide open throttle applications. You might also
hear audible spark knock during acceleration. Refill the
tank with premium fuel as soon as possible to avoid
damaging the engine. If heavy knocking is heard when
using gasoline rated at 91 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specification D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB‐3.5 or 3.511 in Canada. Some gasolines
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
We recommend against the use of gasolines containing
MMT. See Additives
on page 6‑8for additional
information.
California Fuel
If the vehicle is certified to meet California Emissions
Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See the underhood
emission control label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California emissions standards, the
vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system
performance might be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and the vehicle might fail
a smog‐check test. See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on
page 4‑41. If this occurs, return to your authorized
dealer/retailer for diagnosis. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of fuel used, repairs
might not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
6-7

{WARNING:
Fuel can spray out on you if you open the fuel cap
too quickly. If you spill fuel and then something
ignites it, you could be badly burned. This spray
can happen if the tank is nearly full, and is more
likely in hot weather. Open the fuel cap slowly and
wait for any hiss noise to stop. Then unscrew the
cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overfill the
tank and wait a few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the nozzle. Clean fuel from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. See Washing
Your Vehicle on page 6‑94.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it clockwise
until it clicks. Make sure the cap is fully installed.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap
has been left off or improperly installed. This would
allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 4‑41. The CHECK GAS CAP message displays on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) if the fuel cap is not properly
installed. See
DIC Warnings and Messages
on
page 4‑52for more information.
{WARNING:
If a fire starts while you are refueling, do not
remove the nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by notifying the station
attendant. Leave the area immediately.
Notice: If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get
the right type. Your dealer/retailer can get one for
you. If you get the wrong type, it may not fit
properly. This may cause the malfunction indicator
lamp to light and may damage the fuel tank and
emissions system. See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 4‑41.
6-11

What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that can be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good hand
cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer's
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
filter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting it in
the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers, or into
streams or bodies of water. Recycle it by taking it to a
place that collects used oil.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
See Engine Compartment Overviewon page 6‑14for
the location of the engine air cleaner/filter.
Notice: If you spray water into the engine air
cleaner/filter intake and water enters the engine
air cleaner/filter housing, you could damage your
vehicle's engine. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Do not spray water into the
engine air cleaner/filter intake and/or housing. If you are cleaning the vehicle with the hood open, take
care not to spray water directly near the filter opening of
the air cleaner, as shown in the illustration, as this could
damage the vehicle's engine.
When to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/
Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/filter at the Maintenance
II
intervals and replace them at the first oil change after
each 80 000 km (50,000 mile) interval. See Scheduled
Maintenance
on page 7‑3for more information. If you
are driving in dusty/dirty conditions, inspect the filter at
each engine oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/
Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/filter, remove the filter from
the vehicle and lightly shake the filter to release loose
dust and dirt. If the filter remains caked with dirt, a new
filter is required.
6-27

Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode lets the vehicle
be driven to a safe place, up to 50 miles (80 km),
in an emergency situation. If an overheated engine
condition exists and the messages COOLANT OVER
TEMPERATURE and REDUCED ENGINE POWER
are displayed, along with the check engine light, an
overheat protection mode which alternates firing groups
of cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this
mode, there is a significant loss in power and engine
performance.
Driving extended distances in the overheat protection
mode should be avoided.
Notice: After driving in the overheated engine
protection operating mode, to avoid engine damage,
allow the engine to cool before attempting any
repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil
and reset the oil life system. See Engine Oil
on
page 6‑19.
Power Steering Fluid
See Engine Compartment
Overviewon page 6‑14for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
6-41