2011 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Owners Manual

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-3
Manual Operation
Driver Power/Temperature:Press
the driver temperature knob to
turn the climate control system
off. This is the only setting that
completely shuts off the fan.
The digital display shows only
the outside temperature. The driver
and the passenger set temperature
and the air intake mode can still be
adjusted when the climate control
is off.
Passenger Power/Temperature:
Press the passenger temperature
knob to turn the passenger's climate
control system on or off. Turn the
knob to increase or decrease the
temperature for the passenger. If the
passenger's climate control system
is off, the driver's temperature knob
will control the temperature for the
entire vehicle.
x 9 w(Fan): Press to increase
or decrease the fan speed. The fan
speed setting will appear in the
display. Pressing the arrows will delete
AUTO from the digital display.
The fan graphics with the fan speed
bars will be shown. The AUTO
button must be pressed to return
to the automatic fan control.
If the airflow seems low when the
fan speed is at the highest setting,
the passenger compartment air
filter may need to be replaced. For
more information, see
Passenger
Compartment Air Filter on page 8‑7.
N(Air Delivery Mode Control):
Press this button to manually lock in
the current air delivery setting and
to stop the automatic mode control.
Pressing
Ndeletes AUTO from
the digital display and the mode
graphics will be shown. To change
the setting, press
Nagain. The
AUTO button must be pressed to
return to the automatic mode
selection. To change the current mode, select
one of the following:
H(Vent):
Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets, with some
air directed to the floor outlets.
%(Bi-Level): Air is divided
between the instrument panel and
floor outlets.
6(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets, with some air directed
to the windshield and side window
defogger outlets.
-(Floor/Defog): This mode clears
the windows of fog or moisture.
Air is directed to the windshield
and the floor outlets, with a
small amount to the side window
outlets. In this mode, the system
automatically turns off the
recirculation and runs the
air-conditioning compressor
unless the outside temperature
is at or below freezing. The
recirculation mode cannot be
selected while in the defog mode.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
8-4 Climate Controls
1(Defrost):This mode clears the
windows of fog or frost more quickly.
Air is directed to the windshield,
with a small amount directed to the
side window outlets. The indicator
light comes on and the digital
display will show the defrost mode
symbol and fan speed when the
front defrost mode is being used. In
this mode, the system automatically
turns off the recirculation and runs
the air-conditioning compressor,
unless the outside temperature is
at or below freezing. Recirculation
cannot be selected while in the
defrost mode. Pressing
1again
will return the system to the last
operating mode.
For severe ice conditions, turn
the driver's temperature knob to
32°C (90°F) while in defrost mode.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
^(Air Conditioning Off): Press
to turn the air conditioning
compressor off. Press AUTO to
return to automatic operation.
When in AUTO, the air conditioning
compressor comes on automatically,
as needed.
Air conditioning does not
operate at temperatures below
about 2°C to 4°C (35°F to 40°F).
In temperatures above 4°C (40°F),
the air conditioning cannot be
turned off in defrost and defog,
as it helps to remove moisture
from the vehicle. It also helps to
keep the windows clear.
You may notice a slight change
in engine performance when the
air-conditioning compressor shuts
off and turns on again. This is
normal. The system is designed to
make adjustments to help with fuel
economy while still maintaining the
selected temperature. On hot days, open the windows to
let hot inside air escape; then close
them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for the vehicle to cool down.
It also helps the system to operate
more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot
days press the AUTO button and
adjust the temperature to a cool,
comfortable setting. To achieve
maximum cool down, do the
following:
1. Select
Hmode.
2. Press
?.
3. Select the a/c on.
4. Select the coolest temperature.
5. Select the highest fan speed.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-5
Using these settings together for
long periods of time may cause
the air inside of your vehicle to
become too dry. To prevent this
from happening, after the air in
the vehicle has cooled, turn the
recirculation mode off.
The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air,
so a small amount of water might
drip under the vehicle while idling
or after turning off the engine.
This is normal.
?(Recirculation):Press to
turn the recirculation mode on or off.
An indicator light comes on to show
that recirculation is on. This mode
prevents outside air from entering
your vehicle. It can be used to
prevent outside air and odors from
entering your vehicle and to help
cool the air inside your vehicle more
quickly. Recirculation mode is not
available in defrost or defog mode.
Sensors
The solar sensor on the vehicle
monitors the solar heat and
uses the information to maintain
the selected temperature when
operating in AUTO mode by
automatically adjusting the
temperature, fan speed and air
delivery system. The system
may also supply cooler air to the
side of the vehicle facing the sun.
The recirculation mode will also
be activated, as necessary. Do not
cover the solar sensor located on
the top of the instrument panel near
the windshield or the system will
not work properly.
There is also a sensor located
behind the front bumper.
This sensor reads the outside
air temperature and helps to
maintain the temperature inside
the vehicle. Any cover on the front
of the vehicle could give a false
reading in the temperature. If the outside temperature goes up,
the displayed temperature will not
change until:
.The vehicle's speed is above
19 km/h (12 mph) for 5 minutes.
.The vehicle's speed is above
52 km/h (32 mph) for
2.5 minutes.
These delays prevent false
readings. If the temperature goes
down, the outside temperature
will be shown when you start the
vehicle. If it has been turned off
for less than three hours, the
temperature will be recalled from
the previous vehicle operation.
There is also an inside temperature
sensor located to the left of the
ignition switch. The automatic
climate control system uses this
sensor to receive information, so
if you block or cover it, the system
will not function properly.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
8-6 Climate Controls
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog or frost
from the rear window.
The rear window defogger only
works when the engine is running.
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. Be sure to clear
as much snow from the rear window
as possible. An indicator light
comes on to show that the rear
window defogger is on.
The rear window defogger turns off
about 10 minutes after the button
is pressed when traveling less than
48 km/h (30 mph). If turned on
again, the defogger only runs for
about five minutes before turning
off. The defogger can also be turned
off by turning off the engine. The vehicle has heated outside
rearview mirrors. The mirrors will
heat to help clear fog or frost from
the surface of the mirrors when the
rear window defogger button is
pressed.
For vehicles with a power
convertible top, the rear window
defogger and heated mirrors are
automatically disabled when the
power convertible top is moving
or down.
Notice:
Do not use anything
sharp on the inside of the rear
window. If you do, you could cut
or damage the warming grid, and
the repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle
license, tape, a decal or anything
similar to the defogger grid.
Air Vents
Use the tab located on the air
outlets to change the direction
of the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow or
leaves from the air inlets at the
base of the windshield that may
block the flow of air into your
vehicle.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors may adversely affect
the performance of the system.
.Keep the area around the base
of the instrument panel console
and air path under the seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside of your vehicle
more effectively.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-7
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The passenger compartment air
filter removes certain particles from
the air including pollen and dust
particles. Reductions in airflow,
which may occur more often in
dusty areas, indicate that the
filter may need to be replaced.
SeeMaintenance Replacement
Parts on page 11‑8.
Notice: Driving without a
passenger compartment air filter
in place can cause water and
small particles, like paper and
leaves, to be pulled into your
climate control system which may
cause damage to it. Make sure
you always replace the old filter
with a new one. The passenger compartment air
filter is located on the passenger
side of the engine compartment
near the battery. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑10.
To check or replace the air filter:
1. Remove the cover retainer clips (A) from the passenger
compartment air filter cover.
2. Remove the cover.
3. Remove the filter and install the new air filter.
4. Replace the filter cover.
5. Attach the retainer clips.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
8-8 Climate Controls
2NOTES

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Racing or Other CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-10
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-13
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-18
Front Air Dam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Parking (Manual Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-28
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Active Handling System . . . . . 9-37
Competitive Driving Mode . . . 9-38
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . 9-42
Selective Ride Control . . . . . . . 9-42
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-49
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-49
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-2 Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
your safety belt, see Safety Belts on
page 3‑9.
{WARNING
Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other
drivers) are going to be careless
and make mistakes. Anticipate
what they might do and be ready.
In addition:
.Allow enough following
distance between you and
the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Driver distraction can cause
collisions resulting in injury or
possible death. These simple
defensive driving techniques
could save your life.
Drunk Driving
{WARNING
Drinking and then driving is
very dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking. Do not drink and drive or
ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if
you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink. Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that
anyone needs to drive a vehicle:
judgment, muscular coordination,
vision, and attentiveness.
Police records show that
almost 40 percent 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
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related
deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.