Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-29
10. Push the front edge (A) of theconvertible top down from the
outside of the vehicle, or pull
the front edge (A) of the
convertible top down from the
center pull-down handle
located in the inside of the
vehicle.
11. Pull the convertible top front latch down and turn it
counterclockwise to lock the
convertible top.Power Operation
For care and cleaning of the
convertible top see “Cleaning the
Convertible Top” in this section.
High pressure car washes may
cause water to enter the vehicle.
To operate the convertible top use
the following steps.
Notice: Leaving the convertible
top down and exposing the
interior of the vehicle to outdoor
conditions may cause damage.
Always close the convertible top
if leaving the vehicle outdoors.
Notice: Lowering the convertible
top when there are objects in the
storage area could damage it or
break the glass rear window.
Always verify that no objects
are in the storage area before
lowering the convertible top. Notice:
Lowering the convertible
top if it is damp, wet, or dirty
can cause stains, mildew, and
damage to the inside of the
vehicle. Dry off the convertible
top before lowering it.
Notice: If you lower the
convertible top on the vehicle
in cold weather (0°C (32°F) or
lower), you may damage
convertible top components.
Do not lower the top in cold
weather.
Notice: If you raise or lower the
convertible top while the vehicle
is in motion, you could damage
the top or the top mechanism.
The repairs would not be covered
by the warranty. Always put an
automatic transmission in
P (Park) or a manual transmission
in Neutral before raising or
lowering the convertible top.
Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
2-30 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Lowering the Power
Convertible Top
1. Park on a level surface.Start the engine. Shift an
automatic transmission into
P (Park) and set the parking
brake. Shift a manual
transmission into Neutral, and
set the parking brake.
2. Make sure the trunk is closed, the rear trunk partition in the rear
storage area is in the fastened
upright position, and no objects
are forward of the divider.
See “Rear Trunk Partition” under
Rear Storage on page 4‑1.
3. Release the convertible top front latch, located above
the inside rearview mirror, by pulling and turning it
clockwise. Push upward on the
front edge. The windows will
automatically lower.
4. Return the convertible top front latch to the closed position.
5. Push and holdªon the
convertible top switch. The convertible top will lower into
the rear of the vehicle. A chime will
sound when the convertible top has
lowered completely. If the radio is
on, the sound may be muted for a
brief time due to a new audio
system equalization being loaded.
If the convertible top is operated
multiple times, the engine should be
running to prevent drain on the
vehicle's battery. Under certain
conditions, the Driver Information
Center (DIC) may display a
message regarding the convertible
top. See
Convertible Top Messages
on page 5‑37 for more information.
Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-31
Raising the Power Convertible Top
Notice:If you raise or lower the
convertible top while the vehicle
is in motion, you could damage
the top or the top mechanism.
The repairs would not be covered
by the warranty. Always put an
automatic transmission in
P (Park) or a manual transmission
in Neutral before raising or
lowering the convertible top.
1. Park on a level surface. Start the engine. Shift an automatic
transmission into P (Park) and
set the parking brake. Shift a
manual transmission into Neutral
and set the parking brake.
2. Make sure the trunk lid is closed, the rear trunk partition in the rear
storage area is in the fastened
upright position, and no objects
are forward of the divider.
See “Rear Trunk Partition” under
Rear Storage on page 4‑1.
3. Push and hold«on the
convertible top switch. The
convertible top will raise and the
windows will lower if they were
in the raised position. A chime
will sound when the convertible
top is raised completely.
4. After the convertible top is completely raised, release the
convertible top switch.
5. Pull the convertible top front latch down and turn it
counterclockwise to lock the
convertible top. If the radio is on, the sound may be
muted for a brief time due to a new
audio system equalization being
loaded.
If the vehicle has lost power, the
convertible top can still be raised by
releasing pressure on the hydraulic
pump, located under the passenger
side of the tonneau cover, using the
following steps. The carpet liner on
the passenger side must be pulled
back to access the hydraulic pump.
Never attempt to open or close the
convertible top manually without
releasing pressure first.
Manual operation of the convertible
top cannot be attempted for
five minutes after the last time the
convertible top switch was pressed
if the convertible top was not
opened completely and the tonneau
cover latched or closed completely
with the front latch locked in place
at the time the convertible top
switch was released.
Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
2-32 Keys, Doors, and Windows
1. Open the tonneau cover bypulling the manual release
cable.
The tonneau cover manual
release cable is located behind
the passenger seat head
restraint, on the underside
forward edge of the tonneau
cover.
Be careful when opening the
tonneau cover by hand. If the
tonneau cover is opened
quickly, damage can occur to
the hinging mechanism, which
can prevent proper operation of
the convertible top. 2. Pull back the carpet liner on
the passenger side to access
the hydraulic pump.
3. Locate the pressure release
bolt on the front side of the
hydraulic pump.
4. Use the wrench, located in the center console, and turn
the pressure release bolt
counterclockwise one revolution,
to relieve pressure to the
hydraulic pump. This will allow
the manual raising of the
convertible top. 5. Then follow the steps under
raising the manual convertible
top. See “Manual Operation” or
“Power Operation” in this
section.
When power is restored to the
vehicle, the hydraulic bolt must be
tightened, by turning it clockwise.
The convertible top switch can
then be used to lower or raise the
convertible top.
If the convertible top is operated
multiple times, the engine should be
running to prevent drain on the
vehicle's battery. Under certain
conditions, the Driver Information
Center (DIC) may display a
message regarding the convertible
top. See Convertible Top Messages
on page 5‑37 for more information.
If the battery has been
disconnected, the power windows
must be initialized for the power
convertible top to operate. See
Power Windows on page 2‑18 for
more information.
Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-33
Cleaning the Convertible Top
The convertible top should be
cleaned often. However, high
pressure car washes may cause
water to enter the vehicle.
When hand washing the convertible
top, do it in partial shade. Use a
mild soap, lukewarm water, and a
soft sponge. A chamois or cloth may
leave lint on the top, and a brush
can chafe the threads in the top
fabric. Do not use detergents, harsh
cleaners, solvents, or bleaching
agents.
Wet the entire vehicle and wash the
top evenly to avoid spots or rings.
Let the soap remain on the fabric
for a few minutes. When the top is
really dirty, use a mild foam-type
cleaner. Thoroughly rinse the entire
vehicle, then let the top dry in direct
sunlight.To protect the convertible top:.After washing the vehicle, make
sure the convertible top is
completely dry before lowering it.
.Do not get any cleaner on the
vehicle's painted finish; it could
leave streaks.
Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
2-34 Keys, Doors, and Windows
2NOTES
Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
3-16 Seats and Restraints
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
{WARNING
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt, even
with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
belts, not replace them. Also,
airbags are not designed to inflate
in every crash. In some crashes
safety belts are the only restraint.
SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? on page 3‑18.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce the chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or
being ejected from it. Airbags are
“supplemental restraints” to the
safety belts. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly, whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{WARNING
Because airbags inflate with great
force and faster than the blink of
an eye, anyone who is up
against, or very close to, any
airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not
sit unnecessarily close to any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Safety belts help keep
you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear the safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted airbags.
{WARNING
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag
when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus
lap-shoulder belts offer protection
for adults and older children, but
not for young children and infants.
Neither the vehicle's safety belt
system nor its airbag system
is designed for them. Young
children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint
system can provide. Always
secure children properly in
the vehicle. To read how, see
Older Children on page 3‑29 or
Infants and Young Children on
page 3‑31.
Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
3-20 Seats and Restraints
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel.
In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants
can contact the inside of the
vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts by
distributing the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's body.
But airbags would not help in
many types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. SeeWhen
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3‑18 for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal and seat-mounted
side impact airbags inflate, they
quickly deflate, so quickly that some
people may not even realize the
airbags inflated. Some components
of the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? on page 3‑17.
The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.
{WARNING
When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors, turn
the interior lamps on, turn on the
hazard warning flashers, and shut