Black plate (62,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-62 Vehicle Care
Treadwear Indicators:Narrow
bands, sometimes called wear
bars, that show across the
tread of a tire when only
1.6 mm (1/16 in) of tread
remains. See When It Is Time
for New Tires on page 10‑69.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards)
:A tire
information system that
provides consumers with
ratings for a tire's traction,
temperature, and treadwear.
Ratings are determined by
tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into
the sidewall of the tire.
See Uniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 10‑72. Vehicle Capacity Weight
:
The number of designated
seating positions multiplied by
68 kg (150 lbs) plus the rated
cargo load. See
Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑14.
Vehicle Maximum Load on
the Tire
:Load on an individual
tire due to curb weight,
accessory weight, occupant
weight, and cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label
permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle
capacity weight and the
original equipment tire size
and recommended inflation
pressure. See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑14.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount
of air pressure to operate
effectively.
Notice: Neither tire
underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires
that do not have enough air,
can result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Black plate (65,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-65
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly
under‐inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under‐inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under‐inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and
tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is
not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under‐inflation has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.Your vehicle has also been
equipped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start‐ups as
long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation
of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑66 for
additional information.
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and
with Industry Canada
Standards
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑21 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
Rules and with Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-3
Maintenance
Schedule
Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Check the engine oil level.
SeeEngine Oil on page 10‑14.
Once a Month
.Check the tire inflation
pressures. See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑62.
.Inspect the tires for wear.
See Tire Inspection on
page 10‑68.
.Check the windshield washer
fluid level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑34.
Engine Oil Change
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, have the
engine oil and filter changed within
the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven
under the best conditions, the
engine oil life system might not
indicate the need for vehicle service
for more than a year. The engine oil
and filter must be changed at least
once a year and the oil life system
must be reset. Your trained dealer
technician can perform this work.
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since the
last service. Reset the oil life
system when the oil is changed.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑19.
Required Services Every
12 000 km/7,500 mi
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑14 andEngine
Oil Life System on page 10‑19.
.Check engine coolant level.
See Engine Coolant on
page 10‑26.
.Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑34.
.Visually inspect windshield
wiper blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. See Exterior
Care on page 10‑82. Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10‑43.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
11-4 Service and Maintenance
.Check tire inflation pressures.
SeeTire Pressure on
page 10‑62.
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑68.
.Visually check for fluid leaks.
.Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑22.
.Inspect brake system.
.Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of
wear. See Exterior Care on
page 10‑82.
.Check restraint system
components. See Safety
System Check on page 3‑14.
.Visually inspect fuel system for
damage or leaks.
.Visually inspect exhaust system
and nearby heat shields for
loose or damaged parts.
.Lubricate body components.
See Exterior Care on
page 10‑82.
.Check starter switch. See Starter
Switch Check on page 10‑41.
.Check automatic transmission
shift lock control function.
See Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control Function
Check on page 10‑42.
.Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check on
page 10‑42.
.Check accelerator pedal for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
.Visually inspect gas strut for
signs of wear, cracks, or other
damage. Check the hold open
ability of the strut. See your
dealer if service is required.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
14-4 OnStar
Connections
OnStar Hands-Free Calling allows
calls to be made and received
from the vehicle. The vehicle can
also be controlled from a cell phone
through the OnStar mobile app.
See www.onstar.com for
coverage maps.
Hands-Free Calling
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Dial.”System responds:
“Please say the name or number
to call.”
3. Say the entire number without pausing, including a “1”and the
area code. System responds:
“OK calling.”
Retrieve My Number
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “My Number.” System
responds: “Your OnStar
Hands-Free Calling number is.”
End a Call
PushX. System responds:
“Call ended.”
Store a Name Tag for Speed
Dialing
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Store.” System responds:
“Please say the number you
would like to store.”
3. Say the entire number without pausing. System responds:
“Please say the name tag.”
4. Pick a name tag. “System
responds: ”About to store
5. Say “Yes”or“No” to try again.
System responds: “OK, storing
Place a Call Using a Stored
Number
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Call
System responds: “OK,
calling
Verify Minutes and Expiration
PushXand say “minutes” then
“verify” to check how many minutes
remain and their expiration date.
OnStar Mobile App
With an iPhone® or
Android™-based mobile device,
an OnStar mobile app can be
downloaded. The vehicle can
be remote started, if equipped,
or the doors can be unlocked
from anywhere there is cell phone
service. It can also check the fuel
level, tire pressure, and oil life.
Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-5
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-49
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-49
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Fuses Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . 5-62Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-63
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Gauges Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Engine Coolant
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . 11-1
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Hatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 6-4
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Head-up Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
HeadlampsAiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Daytime RunningLamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Twilight Sentinel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . 10-64
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-7
LocksAutomatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) . . . . . . . 3-35, 3-36
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-15
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-12
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-19
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . 9-32 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9 Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Messages
Anti-theft Alarm System . . . . . . . 5-49
Battery Voltage andCharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Convertible Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-39
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48
Service Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Starting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-52
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Vehicle Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53 Mirrors
Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Automatic Dimming
Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
N
NavigationOnStar®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-21
Net, Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
O
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5