Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-23
Car Wash Guidelines
Automatic car washes are not
recommended for this vehicle.
Some car washes cause damage
to the vehicle, the wheels, and the
convertible top, if the vehicle is so
equipped.
If you drive the vehicle through an
automatic car wash that does not
have enough clearance for the
undercarriage and/or wide rear tires
and wheels, you could damage the
vehicle. Verify with the manager of
the car wash that the vehicle will fit
before entering the car wash or use
a touchless car wash. See“Washing
Your Vehicle” underExterior Care
on page 10‑86.Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle
use and displays a DIC message
when it is necessary to change the
engine oil and filter. The oil life
system should be reset to 100%
only following an oil change.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Press the TRIP button so the OIL LIFE percentage is
displayed.
2. Press RESET and hold for two seconds. OIL LIFE
REMAINING 100% will appear.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑22.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving
tips to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control, if equipped.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-13
Arming the System
To arm the system:
.PressQon the keyless access
transmitter.
.Open the door and lock the
door with the power door lock
switch. The security light should
flash. Remove the keyless
access transmitter from inside
the vehicle and close the door.
The security light stops flashing
and stays on. After 30 seconds,
the light should turn off.
The vehicle can be programmed
to automatically lock the doors
and arm the theft-deterrent
system when you exit the
vehicle. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑55.
If a door or the hatch/trunk is
opened without using the keyless
access transmitter, the alarm
goes off. The horn sounds for
two minutes, then goes off to save battery power. The vehicle will not
start without a keyless access
transmitter present.
The theft-deterrent system does not
arm if the driver door is locked with
the power door lock switch after the
doors are closed.
If the keyless access transmitter is
removed from the vehicle while a
passenger is in it, have them lock
the doors after they are closed.
The alarm will not arm, so the
passenger will not set it off.
Testing the Alarm
To test the system:
1. Make sure the trunk lid/hatch is
latched.
2. Lower the window on the driver door.
3. Manually arm the system.
4. Close the doors and wait 30 seconds. 5. Reach through the open window
and manually pull the release
lever on the floor.
6. Press the unlock button on the transmitter to turn off the alarm.
If the alarm does not sound, check
to see if the horn works. The horn
fuse may be blown. See Fuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 10‑51.
If the horn works, but the alarm
does not go off, see your dealer.
Disarming the System
Press the unlock button on the
keyless access transmitter or
squeeze the door handle sensor
while the transmitter is near the
vehicle to unlock a door. Unlocking
a door any other way sets off the
alarm. If the alarm sounds, press
the unlock button on the keyless
access transmitter to disarm it.
Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the theft
deterrent system in the vehicle.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
3-4 Seats and Restraints
Storing Memory Positions
To save into memory:
1. Adjust the driver seat, bothoutside mirrors, and the
telescopic steering column,
if equipped.
2. Press and hold “1”until
two beeps sound.
3. Repeat for a second driver position using “2.”
To recall a memory position:
.On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, press and release
“1” or“2.”
If the vehicle is in P (Park), a
single beep sounds and the
memory position is recalled
after a brief delay.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park),
three beeps sound and the
memory position is not recalled.
.On vehicles with a manual
transmission, when the vehicle
is on, the parking brake must be
set to recall a memory position.
Press and release “1”or“2.”
A single beep sounds and the
memory position is recalled after
a brief delay.
If the vehicle is on and the
parking brake is not set,
three beeps sound and the
memory position is not recalled.
Memory Remote Recall
(Automatic Transmission)
The memory feature can recall
the driver seat, outside mirrors,
and telescopic steering column,
if equipped, to stored positions
when entering the vehicle.
To activate memory remote recall,
enter the vehicle and start the
engine. The driver seat, outside
mirrors, and telescopic steering
column will move to the memory
position associated with the
transmitter used to unlock the
vehicle. The automatic recall feature can be
turned on or off using the vehicle
personalization menu. See
“Auto
Memory Recall” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑55 for
more information.
To stop recall movement, press one
of the power seat controls, power
mirror or memory buttons, or the
telescopic steering column switch.
If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling a memory
position, the recall may stop.
Remove the obstruction; then
press and hold the appropriate
manual control for the memory item
that is not recalling for two seconds.
Try recalling the memory position
again by pressing the appropriate
memory button. If the memory
position is still not recalling,
see your dealer for service.
Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-5
Heavy snow or ice can overload
the wipers. If this occurs, a circuit
breaker will stop the wipers until the
motor cools. Clear all ice and snow
from the wiper blades before using
them. If frozen to the windshield,
carefully loosen them or thaw them.
Damaged wiper blades should
be replaced. SeeWiper Blade
Replacement on page 10‑46.
Windshield Washer
The lever on the right side of the
steering column also controls the
windshield washer. There is a
button at the end of the lever.
To spray washer fluid on the
windshield, press the button and
hold it. The washer will spray until
you release the button. The wipers
will continue to clear the window for
about six seconds after the button
is released and then stop or return
to your preset speed.
{WARNING
In freezing weather, do not
use your washer until the
windshield is warmed. Otherwise
the washer fluid can form ice on
the windshield, blocking your
vision.
If the fluid in the windshield washer
fluid reservoir is low, the message
CHECK WASHER FLUID will
appear on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) display. It will take
15 seconds after the bottle is
refilled for this message to turn
off. For information on the correct
washer fluid to use, see Washer
Fluid on page 10‑37 and
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑6.
Compass
Compass Operation
With the compass feature on, each
time the vehicle is started, the
compass will take a few seconds
to adjust and display the current
compass heading. For example,
NE is displayed for north-east.
Compass Calibration
PressPonce to turn the compass
display on or off.
If after several seconds the display
does not show a compass heading,
there may be a strong magnetic
field interfering with the compass.
Interference can be caused by a
magnetic antenna mount, note
pad holder or similar object. If the
letter C or CAL appears in the
compass window, the compass
needs calibration.
Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-29
Battery Voltage:This display
shows the current battery voltage.
Press the gauges button again to
display the battery voltage, such as:
.BATTERY VOLTAGE
13.5 VOLTS
Tire Pressure: This display shows
the tire pressure for each tire.
Press the gauges button again to
display the tire pressure for the front
tires, such as:
.FRONT TIRE PRESSURES
L 234 kPa R 228 kPa or
.FRONT TIRE PRESSURES
L 34 PSI R 33 PSI
Press the gauges button again to
display the tire pressure for the rear
tires, such as:
.REAR TIRE PRESSURES
L 234 kPa R 228 kPa or
.REAR TIRE PRESSURES
L 34 PSI R 33 PSI
TRIP Button
The TRIP button displays the
odometer, trip distance, elapsed
time, average speed, and oil life
remaining information.
Odometer: The odometer shows
how far your vehicle has been
driven in either kilometers or miles.
Press the TRIP button to display
odometer readings, such as:
.ODOMETER 20008 km or
.ODOMETER 12345 MI
You can also display the odometer
by turning on the parking lamps.
Trip Odometers: There are two trip
odometers. Press the TRIP button
to display TRIP ODOMETER A
readings and press the button again
to display TRIP ODOMETER B
readings, such as:
.TRIP ODOMETER A 209.9 km or
.TRIP ODOMETER A 130.5 MI
.TRIP ODOMETER B 483.5 km or
.TRIP ODOMETER B 300.5 MI Both of the trip odometers can
be used simultaneously. The trip
odometers can be reset by pressing
the RESET button on the DIC.
There is also a miles since last
ignition feature that displays the
number of kilometers (miles) driven
since you last started the vehicle.
Press and hold the RESET button
for three seconds, then release it.
The kilometers (miles) since the last
ignition cycle will be set into the trip
odometer.
Elapsed Timer:
Press the
TRIP button until ELAPSED
TIMER is displayed, such as
ELAPSED TIMER .00.
When the ignition is in on, the
DIC can be used as a stopwatch.
The display can show hours,
minutes and seconds. The elapsed
time indicator will record up to
23 hours, 59 minutes and
59 seconds, then it will reset to zero
and continue counting. The display
appears as ELAPSED TIMER .00
in the elapsed time function.
Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
5-30 Instruments and Controls
You can start or stop the elapsed
time by pressing the RESET button.
To reset the elapsed time to zero,
press the RESET button for
three seconds while the timer
is displayed.
Pressing and holding the RESET
button for at least 10 seconds will
reset the timer display to the time
since last ignition cycle.
Average Speed:Press the TRIP
button until the average speed is
displayed, such as:
.AVERAGE SPEED 100 km/h or
.AVERAGE SPEED 62 MPH
Press and hold the RESET button to
reset to 0.0 km/h (mph). Engine Oil Life:
Press the TRIP
button until the engine oil life is
displayed, such as OIL LIFE
REMAINING 89%.
This is an estimate of the engine
oil's remaining useful life. It will
show 100% when the system is
reset after an oil change. It will
alert you to change the oil on a
schedule consistent with your
driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the system will alert you with the
message CHANGE ENGINE OIL.
Remember, you must reset the
engine oil life system yourself
after each oil change. It will not
reset itself. To reset the system,
see Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑22. Be careful not to
reset the engine oil life system accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change.
See
Scheduled Maintenance on
page 11‑2 andEngine Oil on
page 10‑15 for more information.
OPTION Button
The OPTION button allows you
to access the PERSONAL
OPTIONS menu and customize
the personalization settings on your
vehicle. See Vehicle Personalization
on page 5‑55 for more information.
RESET Button
The RESET button, used along
with other buttons, will reset
system functions and turn off or
acknowledge messages on the DIC.
Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
5-36 Instruments and Controls
SERVICE CHARGING SYSTEM
If this message displays while you
are driving, there may be a problem
with the electrical charging system.
It could mean that there is a loose
or broken drive belt or that there is
another electrical problem. Have the
vehicle checked right away by your
dealer. Driving while this message is
on could drain the battery.
If you must drive a short distance
with the message on, be certain to
turn off the vehicle's accessories,
such as the radio and air
conditioner.
Multiple chimes sound when this
message is displayed.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. The message
reappears every 10 minutes until
this condition changes.
Brake System Messages
ABS (Antilock Brake System)
ACTIVE
This message displays when the
Antilock Brake System (ABS) is
adjusting brake pressure to help
avoid a braking skid.
Slippery road conditions may exist
if this message is displayed, so
adjust your driving accordingly.
The message stays on for a few
seconds after the system stops
adjusting brake pressure. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS) on
page 9‑34for more information.
CHANGE BRAKE PADS
On vehicles with electronic brake
pad wear sensors, this message will
be displayed when the pads are
worn. See your dealer for service.
CHECK BRAKE FLUID
This message displays, a sound
will be heard, and the brake
system warning light on the
instrument panel cluster turns
on if the ignition is on to inform the
driver that the brake fluid level is
low. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 5‑21. Have the brake
system serviced by your dealer as
soon as possible. See Brakes on
page 10‑38.
SERVICE ANTILOCK BRAKES
If this message displays while
you are driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off.
Then start the engine again to reset
the system. If the message stays
on, or comes back on again while
you are driving, the vehicle is in
need of service. See your dealer.
If the antilock brake system (ABS)
warning light is on and the regular
brake system warning light
is not on, you still have brakes,
but do not have ABS.
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.