2011 CHEVROLET CORVETTE brake

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-10 Driving and Operating
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑58.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find
a safe place to park your vehicle
and rest. Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep interior temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving
—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will
have to do all the work of slowing
down and they could get so hot
that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-11
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in
your own lane.
.Top of hills: Be
alert—something
could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑34 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain
icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating
If you put things inside your
vehicle—like suitcases,
tools, packages or anything
else —they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes. If you have to
stop or turn quickly, or if there is
a crash, they will keep going.
{WARNING
Things you put inside your
vehicle can strike and injure
people in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash.
.Put things in the rear area
of your vehicle. Try to
spread the weight evenly.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
.Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
.When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
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 322 km (200 miles):
.To break in new tires, drive at
moderate speeds and avoid hard
cornering for the first 322 km
(200 miles).
.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.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-19
For the first 80 km (500 miles):
.Avoid full throttle starts and
abrupt stops.
.Do not exceed 4,000 rpm.
.Avoid driving at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
including the use of cruise
control.
.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.For the first 2 414 km (1,500 miles):
.Do not participate in track
events, sport driving schools,
or similar activities during the
first 2 414 km (1,500 miles).
.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).
Front Air Dam
The vehicle is equipped with a front
air dam which has minimal ground
clearance.
Vehicles with the ZR-1 package,
or Z‐06 vehicles with RPO ULZ,
also come with a splitter made from
carbon fiber.
{WARNING
ZR‐1s, and Z‐06s with RPO ULZ,
contain parts made from carbon
fiber.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
When damaged, the exposed
edges can be very sharp.
A person could be injured
by these sharp edges. Use
caution when washing the
vehicle, coming in contact with,
or removing damaged carbon
fiber parts. See your dealer for
replacement.
Under normal operation, these
components will occasionally
contact some road surfaces
(speed bumps, driveway
ramps, etc.). This can be heard
inside the vehicle as a scraping
noise. This is normal and does
not indicate a problem.
Use care when approaching bumps
or objects on road surfaces and
avoid them when possible.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-20 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic
keyless ignition with a push-button
start.
In order to shift out of P (Park),
the vehicle must be running or in
Acc. mode and the regular brake
pedal must be applied.
/(START):Press this button
while your foot is on the brake for
an automatic transmission, or while
pressing in the clutch for a manual
transmission, to start the engine.
If the vehicle is in OFF or Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) mode, the
keyless access transmitter must
be inside the vehicle to start the
engine.
9Acc. (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
OFF/ACCESSORY): When the
vehicle is stopped with the engine
on, press the button once to turn
the engine off.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags. In an emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer
the vehicle to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park)
to turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑35

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-22 Driving and Operating
Cell phone chargers can interfere
with the operation of the Keyless
Access System. Battery chargers
should not be plugged in when
starting or turning off the engine.
To start the vehicle, do the following:
1. For vehicles with an automatictransmission, with your foot
on the brake pedal, press the
START button located on the
instrument panel. For vehicles
with a manual transmission, you
must also press in the clutch
pedal while pressing the START
button.
If there is not a keyless access
transmitter in the vehicle or if
there is something causing
interference with it, the DIC will
display NO FOBS DETECTED.
See Key and Lock Messages on
page 5‑42 for more information. 2. When the engine begins
cranking, let go of the button and
the engine cranks automatically
until it starts. If the battery in the
keyless access transmitter is
weak, the DIC displays FOB
BATTERY LOW. You can still
drive the vehicle.
See “Battery Replacement”
under Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation on
page 2‑3 for more information.
If the fob battery is dead, you
need to insert the fob into
the fob slot to enable engine
starting. See “NO FOBS
DETECTED” underKey and
Lock Messages on page 5‑42.
3. Do not race the engine immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the
oil warms up and lubricates
all moving parts. 4. If the engine does not start and
no DIC message is displayed,
wait 15 seconds before trying
again to let the cranking motor
cool down.
If the engine does not start after
5-10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below −18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor while cranking for up
to 15 seconds maximum. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, repeat these
steps. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-23
Notice:Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by pressing
the START button immediately
after cranking has ended, can
overheat and damage the
cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled
Cranking System. This feature
assists in starting the engine
and protects components.
Once cranking has been initiated,
the engine continues cranking
for a few seconds or until the vehicle
starts. If the engine does not start,
cranking automatically stops after
15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear
damage, this system also prevents
cranking if the engine is already
running. Notice:
The engine is designed
to work with the electronics in
the vehicle. If electrical parts
or accessories are added, you
could change the way the engine
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Stopping the Engine
If the vehicle has an automatic
transmission, move the shift lever
to P (Park) and press and hold the
Acc. (Off/Accessory) button, located
on the instrument panel, until the
engine shuts off. If the shift lever
is not in P (Park), the engine shuts off and the vehicle goes into the
Accessory Mode. The DIC displays
SHIFT TO PARK. Once the shifter is
moved to P (Park), the vehicle turns
off. If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, it is recommended
that you move the shift lever to
R (Reverse) and set the parking
brake after you turn off the engine
by pressing and holding the Acc.
(Off/Accessory) button.
If the keyless access transmitter is
not detected inside the vehicle when
it is turned to off, the DIC displays
NO FOB
–OFF OR RUN?.
See Key and Lock Messages on
page 5‑42 for more information.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-24 Driving and Operating
Shifting Into Park
(Automatic Transmission)
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.1. Hold the brake pedal down
and set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake on page 9‑35
for more information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by holding in the button on the
lever and pushing the lever all
the way toward the front of the
vehicle.
3. Press the Acc. button (ignition switch) to turn the engine off.
Leaving the Vehicle With the
Engine Running (Automatic
Transmission)
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running,
it could overheat and even catch
fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle
with the engine running.