2011 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Owners Manual

Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-51
Filling the Tank
{WARNING
Fuel vapor burns violently and a
fuel fire can cause bad injuries.
To help avoid injuries to you and
others, read and follow all the
instructions on the fuel pump
island. Turn off the engine when
refueling. Do not smoke near
fuel or when refueling the vehicle.
Do not use cellular phones. Keep
sparks, flames, and smoking
materials away from fuel. Do not
leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling the vehicle. This is
against the law in some places.
Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel. Keep children away
from the fuel pump; never let
children pump fuel.
The tethered fuel cap is located
behind a hinged fuel door on the
driver side of the vehicle.The fuel door release button is
located on the instrument panel to
the left of the steering wheel. Push
the button to release the fuel door.

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-52 Driving and Operating
There is also a manual fuel door
release tab. It is located against the
upper trim in the rear compartment
on the driver side of the vehicle. Pull
the tab to release the fuel door.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it
slowly counterclockwise.
While refueling, let the cap hang by
the tether below the fuel fill opening.
{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 the Vehicle” in
Exterior Care.
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 5‑18.
The CHECK GAS CAP message
displays on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) if the fuel cap is not
properly installed. See Fuel System
Messages on page 5‑41 for more
information.

Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-53
{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 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 5‑18.
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{WARNING
Never fill a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle. Static
electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the fuel
vapor. You can be badly burned
and the vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to
you and others:
.Dispense fuel only into
approved containers.
.Do not fill a container while
it is inside a vehicle, in a
vehicle's trunk, pickup bed,
or on any surface other than
the ground.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Bring the fill nozzle in contact
with the inside of the fill
opening before operating the
nozzle. Contact should be
maintained until the filling is
complete.
.Do not smoke while
pumping fuel.
.Do not use a cellular phone
while pumping fuel.

Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-54 Driving and Operating
Towing
General Towing
Information
The vehicle is neither designed nor
intended to tow a trailer.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
Notice:Do not add anything
electrical to the vehicle unless
you check with your dealer first.
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle and the
damage would not be covered
by the vehicle's warranty. Some
add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from
working as they should. Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle 12‐volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑34
andAdding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑35.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-22
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23 Manual Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-24
Cooling System (Engine) . . . 10-28
Cooling System (Intercooler) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-34
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-36
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-44
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45 Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-45
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Windshield Replacement . . . 10-47
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-50

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
10-2 Vehicle Care
Electrical System
Electrical SystemOverload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63 Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-78
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-3
General Information
For service and parts needs,
visit your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained
in remote keyless transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
10-4 Vehicle Care
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories
to the vehicle can affect vehicle
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 the vehicle warranty.Damage to vehicle components
resulting from the installation or use
of non‐GM certified parts, including
control module modifications, is not
covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. Your GM
dealer can accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories.
When you go to your GM dealer
and ask for GM Accessories,
you will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine
GM Accessories.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑35.