2011 CHEVROLET CAMARO ESP

Black plate (39,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-39
TCS automatically comes on
whenever the vehicle is started.
To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, the system
should always be left on, but it may
be necessary to turn the system off
if the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud,
or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. Also, turn TCS off while
in deep snow or on loose gravel,
to assist vehicle motion at lower
speeds. SeeIf the Vehicle is Stuck
on page 9‑12 for more information.
See also Winter Driving on
page 9‑10 for information on using
TCS when driving in snowy or icy
conditions.
To turn the system off, press and
release the TCS/StabiliTrak button
located on the console in front of the
shift lever.
Press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button and the traction
control system turns off and the
TCS warning light comes on. Press
and release the button again to turn
the system back on. For information
on turning StabiliTrak off and on,
see StabiliTrak System following.
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has an electronic
stability control system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer controlled system that
assists with directional control of the
vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any
one of the vehicle's brakes to help
steer the vehicle in the direction
which you are steering.
If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, the cruise
control will automatically disengage.
Press the cruise control button to
reengage when road conditions
allow. See Cruise Control on
page 9‑43 for more information.

Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-55
.Vehicles with automatic
transmissions can tow in D
(Drive), but M (Manual Mode)
is recommended. See
“Manual Mode”inAutomatic
Transmission on page 9‑30 for
more information. Use a lower
gear if the transmission shifts
too often. For vehicles with a
manual transmission, it is better
not to use the highest gear.
.Use the cruise control when
towing.
.Obey speed limit restrictions.
Do not drive faster than the
maximum posted speed for
trailers, or no more than 90 km/h
(55 mph), to reduce wear on the
vehicle.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires experience.
Get familiar with handling and
braking with the added trailer
weight. The vehicle is now longer
and not as responsive as the
vehicle is by itself.
Check all trailer hitch parts
and attachments, safety chains,
electrical connectors, lamps, tires,
and mirror adjustments. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start the vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes are working.
During the trip, check regularly to be
sure that the load is secure, and the
lamps and trailer brakes are working
properly.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the sound of the
stability control system might be
heard. The system is reacting to the
vehicle movement caused by the
trailer, which mainly occurs during
cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before returning to the lane.

Black plate (58,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
9-58 Driving and Operating
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 10‑25.
Trailer Towing
Before pulling a trailer, there are
three important considerations that
have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer.
.The weight of the trailer tongue.
.The total weight on your
vehicle's tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
454 kg (1,000 lbs). But even that
can be too heavy.
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature, and
how much the vehicle is used to
pull a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment
on the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue”
later in this section for more
information. Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in
the tow vehicle and it has all the
required trailering equipment.
The weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in
the tow vehicle must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
Ask your dealer for our trailering
information or advice, or you can
write us at our Customer Assistance
Offices. See
Customer Assistance
Offices (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑4 orCustomer Assistance
Offices (Mexico) on page 13‑5 for
more information.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
weight of the vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes
the curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo carried in it, and the people
who will be riding in the vehicle.

Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
10-56 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 9‑13.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle
Weight Rating for the front axle.
See Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑13.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle
Weight Rating for the rear axle.
See Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑13. 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 9‑13.
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 (61,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-61
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low
tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly
under‐inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on
a significantly under‐inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under‐inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and
tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is
not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct
tire pressure, even if under‐inflation
has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.Your vehicle has also been
equipped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start‐ups as
long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator
is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low
tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation
of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑62 for
additional information.
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) and
Industry Canada
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑19 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission
(FCC) rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-210/220/310.

Black plate (72,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
10-72 Vehicle Care
The grades are molded on the
sidewalls of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire
Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep
tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary
with respect to these grades,
they must also conform to
federal safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and a
half (1½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based
on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.

Black plate (73,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-73
Temperature–A, B, C
The temperature grades
are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels on the vehicle
were aligned and balanced carefully
at the factory to give the longest tire
life and best overall performance.
Adjustments to wheel alignment and
tire balancing will not be necessary
on a regular basis. However, if there
is unusual tire wear or the vehicle
pulls to one side or the other, the
alignment should be checked. If the
vehicle vibrates when driving on a
smooth road, the tires and wheels
might need to be rebalanced. See
your dealer for proper diagnosis.

Black plate (75,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-75
Tire Chains
{WARNING
Do not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes,
suspension, or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause you to
lose control of the vehicle and
you or others may be injured
in a crash. Use another type
of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
use on the vehicle and tire size
combination and road conditions.
Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid
damage to the vehicle, drive
slowly, re‐adjust or remove the
device if it is contacting the
vehicle, and do not spin the
wheels. If you do find traction
devices that will fit, install them
on the rear tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout
while you are driving, especially if
you maintain your vehicle's tires
properly. If air goes out of a tire,
it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have
a blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot
off the accelerator pedal and grip
the steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.