2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 steering wheel

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-5
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering
a curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can
drop off the edge of a road onto
the shoulder while driving.
Follow these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement. 2. Turn the steering wheel about
one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Then turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are
not rolling.
.Steering or Cornering
Skid —too much speed or
steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-11
{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.
.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.
.Be alert on top of hills;
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 9‑35 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 (13,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-13
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and
you or others could be injured.
The vehicle can overheat,
causing an engine compartment
fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and
avoid going above 55 km/h
(35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑76.
Rocking the Vehicle to
Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, or with a manual transmission,
between 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and
R (Reverse), spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not
get the vehicle out after a few tries,
it might need to be towed out.
If the vehicle does need to be towed
out, see Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑82.

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-29
The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Be sure the engine is not running
at high speed when shifting the
vehicle.
D (Drive):This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, push the pedal
down to achieve the desired level of
acceleration.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑5.
S (Sport Mode): When in
S (Sport Mode), the transmission will
work as an automatic until you use
the Manual Paddle Shift Controls,
which activates driver manual gear
selection. See Manual Mode on
page 9‑29. While in S (Sport Mode),
the transmission will have more
noticeable upshifts for sportier
vehicle performance.Manual Mode
Manual Paddle Shift
While in S (Sport Mode), the paddles
located on the steering wheel can
be used to manually up-shift or
down-shift the transmission.
The Manual Paddle Shift system is
activated from S (Sport Mode) by
pushing the paddle, above the
steering wheel spokes, to up-shift
to the next gear, or pulling on the
paddle, behind the steering wheel
spokes, to down-shift to the
next gear. When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift to 2 (Second)
or 3 (Third) gear. A higher gear
allows you to gain more traction on
slippery surfaces. If traction control
is active, upshifts are delayed to
increase your control of the vehicle.
See
Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑36 Traction Control
System (TCS).
The Manual Paddle Shift system
can be deactivated by moving the
shift lever from S (Sport Mode)
back to D (Drive), or by holding
either up‐shift paddle for more than
one second.
The driver may choose to briefly
activate the Manual Paddle Shift
system while in D (Drive). Tapping
either the upshift or downshift
controls will place the transmission
in Manual Paddle Shift mode.

Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-35
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑22. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-42 Driving and Operating
Launch Control
A Launch Control feature is
available, within Competitive Driving
Mode (except ZR1) or Performance
Traction Management (Z06, ZR1),
on vehicles with a manual
transmission to allow the driver to
achieve high levels of vehicle
acceleration in a straight line.
Launch Control is a form of traction
control that manages tire spin while
launching the vehicle. This feature
is intended for use during closed
course race events where
consistent zero to sixty and
quarter mile times are desirable.Launch Control is only available
when the following criteria are met:.Competitive Driving Mode is
selected (except ZR1) or any
of the Performance Traction
Management modes are
selected (Z06, ZR1). The TCS
light comes on the instrument
panel and the appropriate DIC
message displays.
.The vehicle is not moving.
.The steering wheel is pointing
straight.
.The clutch is pressed and the
vehicle is in first gear.
.The accelerator pedal is rapidly
applied to wide open throttle.
The Launch Control feature will
initially limit engine speed as the
driver rapidly applies the accelerator
pedal to wide open throttle. A smooth, quick release of the
clutch, while maintaining the fully
pressed accelerator pedal, will
manage wheel slip. Complete shifts
as described in
Manual
Transmission on page 9‑32.
After the vehicle is launched, the
system continues in Competitive
Mode (except ZR1) or Performance
Traction Management (Z06, ZR1).
Competitive Driving Mode,
Performance Traction Management,
and Launch Control are systems
designed for a closed course race
track and not intended for use on
public roads. The systems are not
intended to compensate for lack of
driver experience or familiarity with
the race track.

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-43
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Vehicles with a limited-slip rear axle
can give more traction on snow,
mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works
like a standard axle most of the
time, but when traction is low, this
feature allows the drive wheel with
the most traction to move the
vehicle.
Selective Ride Control
The vehicle may have a ride control
system called Magnetic Selective
Ride Control. The system provides
the following performance benefits:
.Reduced Impact Harshness
.Improved Road Isolation
.Improved High-Speed Stability
.Improved Handling Response
.Better Control of Body Ride
Motions
Except ZR1
This knob is located on the center
console. Turn it to select the
suspension of your choice.
TOUR:Use for normal city and
highway driving. This setting
provides a smooth, soft ride.
SPORT: Use where road conditions
or personal preference demand
more control. This setting provides
more “feel,” or response to the road
conditions. The setting can be changed at any
time. Based on road conditions,
steering wheel angle, and the
vehicle speed, the system
automatically adjusts to provide the
best handling while providing a
smooth ride. The Tour and Sport
modes will feel similar on a smooth
road. Select a new setting whenever
driving conditions change.
Three Driver Information
Center (DIC) messages (SERVICE
RIDE CONTROL, SHOCKS
INOPERATIVE, and MAXIMUM
SPEED 129 KM/H (80 MPH) display
when a malfunction occurs with the
Selective Ride Control system.
Refer to
Ride Control System
Messages on page 5‑44 for more
information.

Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-44 Driving and Operating
ZR1 or Z06 with PTM
This knob is located on the center
console. Turn it to select the
suspension of your choice.
The knob will return to the
center position when released.
The switch will illuminate the
current suspension setting.TOUR:
Use for normal city and
highway driving. This setting
provides a smooth, soft ride.
SPORT: Use where road conditions
or personal preference demand
more control. This setting provides
more “feel,” or response to the road
conditions.
The setting can be changed at any
time. Based on road conditions,
steering wheel angle, and the
vehicle speed, the system
automatically adjusts to provide the
best handling while providing a
smooth ride. The Tour and Sport
modes will feel similar on a smooth
road. Select a new setting whenever
driving conditions change.
The Selective Ride knob will not
display the Tour or Sport setting
when the Performance Traction
Management mode is selected. When this mode is selected,
turning the Selective Ride knob
will change the Performance
Traction Management mode and
the suspension setting will be
determined automatically.
See
Competitive Driving Mode on
page 9‑39 for more information.
Three Driver Information Center
(DIC) messages (SERVICE
RIDE CONTROL, SHOCKS
INOPERATIVE, and MAXIMUM
SPEED 129 KM/H (80 MPH) display
when a malfunction occurs with the
Selective Ride Control system.
Refer to Ride Control System
Messages on page 5‑44 for more
information.