2011 CHEVROLET CORVETTE coolant level

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-31
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{WARNING
If the HUD image is too bright,
or too high in your field of view, it
may take you more time to see
things you need to see when it is
dark outside. Be sure to keep the
HUD image dim and placed low in
your field of view.
For vehicles with the Head-Up
Display (HUD), you can see some
of the driver information that
appears on the instrument panel
cluster. The information may be displayed
in English or metric units and
appears as an image focused
out toward the front of the vehicle.
The HUD consists of the following
information:
.Speedometer
.Turn Signal Indicators
.High-Beam Indicator Symbol
.Tachometer
.Manual Paddle Shift Gear
Indicator (If Equipped)
These displays on the HUD are
for use when using the manual
paddle shift controls to shift the
transmission. See
“Manual
Paddle Shift” inAutomatic
Transmission on page 9‑28.
.Shift Light
This light is used for
performance driving to
indicate that the vehicle's
best performance level has
been reached to shift the transmission into the next higher
gear. An arrow pointing up will
light up on the display just prior
to reaching the engine fuel
cut-off mode. This cut-off is
about 6,500 RPM for the
LS3 engine, 6,600 RPM for
the LS9 & ZR1 engines and
7,000 RPM for the LS7 engine.
.Check Gauges Warning
.Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
.Transmission Fluid Temperature
Gauge, (Automatic Transmission
Vehicles Only)
.Engine Oil Temperature Gauge
.Engine Oil Pressure Gauge
.G-Force Gauge
.Boost Gauge (If Equipped)
.Audio Functions, Street
Mode Only
.Navigation, Only with Navigation
Radio, Turn-by-Turn Guidance

Black plate (39,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-39
Door Ajar Messages
DRIVER DOOR AJAR
This message displays if the driver
door is not closed properly. Make
sure that the door is closed
completely.
HATCH AJAR (Coupe)
This message displays when the
hatch is not closed completely.
Make sure that the hatch is closed
completely. SeeHatch on page 2‑10
for more information.
PASSENGER DOOR AJAR
This message displays if the
passenger door is not closed
properly. Make sure that the door
is closed completely.
TONNEAU AJAR (Convertible)
This message displays when
the convertible top is not closed
completely. Make sure that the
top is closed completely. See
Convertible Top on page 2‑22 for
more information.
TRUNK AJAR (Convertible)
This message displays when the
trunk is not closed completely.
Make sure that the trunk is closed
completely. See Hatch on page 2‑10
for more information.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
CHECK COOLANT LEVEL
This message displays when the
engine coolant level is low. Have
the cooling system serviced by your
dealer as soon as possible. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑29.
COOLANT OVER
TEMPERATURE
This message displays and a sound
will be heard if the engine coolant
exceeds 124°C (255°F). If you have
been operating the vehicle under
normal driving conditions, pull off
the road, stop the vehicle, and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
You can monitor the coolant
temperature with the gauges
button on the DIC or the engine
coolant temperature gauge on
the instrument panel cluster. See
Engine Overheating on page 10‑34,
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑25, and Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 5‑15.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. The message
and sound will come back on until
this condition changes. If you do
not press the RESET button, the
message remains on until the
condition changes.

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
5-40 Instruments and Controls
ENGINE OVERHEATED–
STOP ENGINE
This message displays and a sound
will be heard when the engine
has overheated. Stop and turn the
engine off immediately to avoid
severe engine damage. See Engine
Overheating on page 10‑34.
ENGINE PROTECTION
REDUCE ENGINE RPM
This message displays if the
engine oil temperature exceeds
160°C (320°F). Check the engine
coolant temperature and engine oil
level. If the engine is too hot, see
Engine Overheating on page 10‑34.
The vehicle may need service, so
see your dealer.
You can monitor the oil temperature
with the gauges button on the DIC.
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑25.
Multiple chimes sound when
this message is displayed. This
message remains displayed and
active until the issue is resolved.
HOT ENGINE AIR
CONDITIONING OFF
This message displays when
the engine coolant becomes
hotter than the normal operating
temperature. To avoid added strain
on a hot engine, the air conditioning
compressor is automatically turned
off. When the coolant temperature
returns to normal, the A/C operation
automatically resumes. You can
continue to drive the vehicle. If this
message continues to appear, have
the system repaired by your dealer
as soon as possible to avoid
compressor damage.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL
This message displays when the
life of the engine oil has expired.
See Scheduled Maintenance on
page 11‑2. After an oil change, the engine oil life system must be reset.
See
“Engine Oil Life” underDriver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑25. Also, see Engine Oil on
page 10‑15 andEngine Oil Life
System on page 10‑22 for more
information.
CHECK OIL LEVEL
On some vehicles, this message
displays and two chimes sound if
the oil level in the vehicle is low.
Once the vehicle senses a change
in the engine oil level, the light
remains off.
If this message appears after
starting the engine, the engine oil
level may be too low. You may need
to add oil. See Engine Overheating
on page 10‑34.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. The message
reappears every 10 minutes until
this condition changes.

Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-41
LOW OIL PRESSURE
This message displays if low
oil pressure levels occur. If this
message appears while the engine
is running, stop the engine and do
not operate it until the cause of low
oil pressure is corrected. Severe
damage to the engine can result.
A sound will be heard when this
message is displayed. SeeEngine
Oil on page 10‑15.
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE DRAG CONTROL
ACTIVE
This message displays when
engine drag control is active.
When driving in a lower gear in
rainy, snowy, or icy conditions and
then letting up on the accelerator
or downshifting, the rear wheels
may begin to slip and this message
displays. This message stays on for
a few seconds following the engine
drag control event.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER
If this message displays and the
check engine light comes on,
a noticeable reduction in the
vehicle's performance may occur.
If the REDUCED ENGINE POWER
message is displayed, but there
is no reduction in performance,
proceed to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven.
The vehicle may be driven at a
reduced speed while the REDUCED
ENGINE POWER message is
displayed, but acceleration and
speed may be reduced. Anytime
the check engine light stays on,
the vehicle should be taken to
your dealer as soon as possible
for diagnosis and repair. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑18 for more information.
Multiple chimes sound when this
message is displayed. To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. The message
reappears every five minutes until
this condition changes.
If the REDUCED ENGINE
POWER message is displayed in
combination with the COOLANT
OVER TEMPERATURE message,
see
Engine Overheating on
page 10‑34.
Fuel System Messages
CHECK GAS CAP
This message displays if the fuel
cap has not been fully tightened.
Check the fuel cap to make
sure that it is on properly. Once
tightened, it takes at least one
overnight park to reset or clear this
message. If both the CHECK GAS
CAP message and the malfunction
indicator lamp in the instrument
panel cluster are on, you may need
to see your dealer for service.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑18 for more information.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-15
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑24.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑36.
C. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑52.
D. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑82.
E. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑15.
F. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank. See “Changing Engine Oil and Filter”
Engine Oil on page 10‑15.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑15. H. Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑29.
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑37.
J. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brake Fluid on page 10‑41.
K. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Hydraulic
Clutch on page 10‑24.
If the vehicle has the 6.2 L LS3
V8 engine with the manual
transmission (with the dry sump
engine oil tank) or the 7.0 L LS7
V8 engine and you are facing the
driver side of the vehicle.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life,
careful attention must be paid
to engine oil. Following these
simple, but important steps will
help protect your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and
of the proper viscosity grade.
See “Selecting the Right
Engine Oil.”
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil.”
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑22.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do With
Used Oil.”

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-31
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level is not at or
above the FULL COLD mark, add
a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant at the
coolant recovery tank, but be sure
the cooling system is cool before
this is done. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 10‑29 for more information.
The engine coolant surge tank
is located toward the rear of the
engine compartment on the driver
side of the vehicle. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑10 for more information
on location. When the engine is cold, the coolant
level should be at the FULL COLD
mark on the coolant surge tank.
When the engine is hot, the
level could be higher than the
FULL COLD line. If the coolant is
below the FULL COLD line when
the engine is hot, there could be
a leak in the cooling system.
If the coolant is low, add the coolant
or take the vehicle to a dealer for
service.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-33
3. Fill the coolant surge tank withthe proper DEX-COOL coolant
mixture until the level inside
stabilizes at the FULL COLD
mark on the front of the
surge tank.4. With the coolant surge tankpressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
upper radiator hose can be felt
getting hot. Any time during this
procedure, watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level stabilizes
at the FULL COLD mark on
the coolant surge tank. 5. Replace the pressure cap.
Be sure the pressure cap is
hand-tight and fully seated.
Check the level in the surge tank
when the system has cooled
down. If the coolant is not at
the proper level, repeat Steps 1
through 4, then reinstall the
pressure cap. If the coolant is
not at the proper level when the
system cools down again, see
the dealer.
Notice: If the pressure cap is not
tightly installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.

Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
10-34 Vehicle Care
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the
instrument panel cluster.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Gauge on page 5‑15. The vehicle
may also display a COOLANT
OVER TEMPERATURE message
on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See Engine Cooling
System Messages on page 5‑39
for more information.
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood but to get service help right
away. See Roadside Assistance
Program (United States and
Canada) on page 13‑8 orRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑10.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface. Then check to see if the engine
cooling fan is running. If the engine
is overheating, the fan should be
running. If it is not, do not continue
to run the engine and have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice:
Engine damage from
running your engine without
coolant is not covered by the
vehicle warranty. See Overheated
Engine Protection Operating
Mode for information on driving
to a safe place in an emergency.
Notice: If the engine catches fire
while driving with no coolant, the
vehicle can be badly damaged.
The costly repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑35 for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If Steam is Coming from the
Engine
{WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or
hear steam coming from it. Turn it
off and get everyone away from
the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait until there is no sign of
steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when the
vehicles engine is overheated,
the liquids in it can catch fire.
You or others could be badly
burned. Stop the engine if it
overheats, and get out of the
vehicle until the engine is cool.
(Continued)