2011 CHEVROLET CORVETTE service

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-48 Driving and Operating
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel
is an important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, we
recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
Look for the TOP TIER label on the
fuel pump to ensure gasoline meets
enhanced detergency standards
developed by auto companies. A list
of marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.
The 8th digit of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) shows
the code letter or number that
identifies the vehicle's engine.The VIN is at the top left of the
instrument panel. See
Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) on
page 12‑1.
Recommended Fuel
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.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-49
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. SeeFuel Additives
on page 9‑50 for additional
information.
California Fuel
Requirements
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 5‑18. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer 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.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the United States or
Canada, the proper fuel might be
hard to find. Never use leaded
gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text
on fuel. Costly repairs caused by
use of improper fuel would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask
an auto club, or contact a major oil
company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.

Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
9-50 Driving and Operating
Fuel Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now
required to contain additives
that help prevent engine and fuel
system deposits from forming,
allowing the emission control
system to work properly. In most
cases, nothing should have to be
added to the fuel. However, some
gasolines contain only the minimum
amount of additive required to meet
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency regulations. To help keep
fuel injectors and intake valves
clean, or if the vehicle experiences
problems due to dirty injectors or
valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. Look for the TOP TIER
label on the fuel pump to ensure
gasoline meets enhanced
detergency standards developed
by the auto companies. A list of
marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found
at www.toptiergas.com.For customers who do not use
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline
regularly, one bottle of GM Fuel
System Treatment PLUS, added
to the fuel tank at every engine oil
change, can help clean deposits
from fuel injectors and intake
valves. GM Fuel System Treatment
PLUS is the only gasoline additive
recommended by General Motors.
It is available at your dealer.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might
be available in your area. We
recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
10% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
Notice:
This vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under the
vehicle warranty.
Some gasolines that are
not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant
where you buy gasoline whether the
fuel contains MMT. We recommend
against the use of such gasolines.
Fuels containing MMT can reduce
the life of spark plugs and the
performance of the emission
control system could be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp
might turn on. If this occurs, return
to your dealer for service.

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 (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.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-5
Lifting the Vehicle
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle can cause an
injury. The vehicle can slip off the
jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be
badly injured. Find a level place
to lift your vehicle. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in
P (Park), or shift a manual
transmission to 1 (First) or
R (Reverse).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the
vehicle won't move, you can put
blocks in front of and behind the
wheels.
{WARNING
Getting under a vehicle when it is
jacked up is dangerous. If the
vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed.
Never get under a vehicle when
it is supported only by a jack.
{WARNING
Raising the vehicle with the
jack improperly positioned can
damage the vehicle or the vehicle
may fall and cause your or others
injury.
If you ever use a jack to lift your
vehicle, follow the instructions that
came with the jack, and be sure to
use the correct lifting points to avoid
damaging your vehicle. Notice:
Lifting your vehicle
improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly
repairs not covered by your
warranty. To lift your vehicle
properly, follow the advice in
this part.
To help prevent vehicle damage:
.Be sure to place a block or
pad between the jack and the
vehicle.
.Make sure the jack you are
using spans at least two
crossmember ribs.
.Lift only in the areas shown
in the following pictures.
For additional information, see
your dealer and the Chevrolet
Corvette service manual.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-7
Lifting From the Rear
The rear lifting points can be
accessed from the rear of the
vehicle, on either the driver's or
passenger's side.
1. Locate the rear lifting points (A),according to the illustration
shown.
2. Be sure to place a block or pad between the jack and the
vehicle.3. Lift the vehicle with the jack,making sure the jack spans at
least two of the crossmember
ribs (B).
For more information, see Doing
Your Own Service Work on
page 10‑8.