
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
2012 Chevrolet Corvette Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19 Seats and Restraints
. . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-54
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-62 Lighting
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Trademarks and License
Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-25
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.:1-800-243-8872
TTY Users (U.S.): 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
Mexico: 01-800-466-0800
As the owner of a new Chevrolet,
you are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program.
See Roadside Assistance Program
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑8
or Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑10.
Roadside Assistance and OnStar
(U.S. and Canada)
If you have an active OnStar
subscription, press the
Qbutton
and the current GPS location will be
sent to an OnStar advisor who will
assess your problem, contact
Roadside Assistance, and relay
your exact location to get the help
you need. Online Owner Center
(U.S. and Canada)
The Online Owner Center is a
complimentary service that includes
online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner
manual, special privileges,
and more.
Sign up today at:
U.S.: chevrolet.com (click on
“Owners,”
then“Manage My
Chevrolet/Owners Login”)
Canada: chevroletowner.ca
OnStar®
If equipped, this vehicle has a
comprehensive, in-vehicle system
that can connect to a live Advisor
for Emergency, Security, Navigation,
Connection, and Diagnostic
Services. See OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1 for more information.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-1
Keys, Doors, and
Windows
Keys and Locks
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . 2-10
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Doors
Hatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Vehicle Security
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Anti-theft Alarm System . . . . . . 2-14
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Immobilizer Operation . . . . . . . 2-15
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Automatic Dimming Mirror . . . 2-17
Interior Mirrors
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Windows
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Roof
Roof Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Convertible Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-13
Hatch/Trunk Closing (Coupe)
Notice:Closing the hatch/trunk
forcefully or from the sides can
cause damage to the glass, the
defogger or the weather stripping.
Be sure objects will fit in the
hatch/trunk area before closing
the hatch/trunk. When closing the
hatch/trunk, gently pull down
from the center.
Notice: Do not store heavy or
sharp objects in the rear storage
compartments located in the
hatch/trunk area. The objects
could damage the underbody.
Pull down from the center of the
hatch/trunk, closing it with light
force until the power latch feature
activates. The hatch/trunk will
close the rest of the way and latch
automatically.
Emergency Trunk Release
Handle (Coupe)
Notice: Do not use the
emergency trunk release handle
as a tie-down or anchor point
when securing items in the trunk
as it could damage the handle. The emergency trunk release
handle is only intended to aid a
person trapped in a latched trunk,
enabling them to open the trunk
from the inside.
There is a glow-in-the-dark
emergency trunk release handle
located on the rear wall of the trunk
below the latch. This handle will
glow following exposure to light.
Pull the release handle down to
open the trunk from the inside.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
2-14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
it impossible to steal.
Anti-theft Alarm System
This vehicle has a theft-deterrent
alarm system.
The security light flashes if a door is
open and locked with the power
door lock switch.
If this light stays on while the engine
is running, the vehicle needs
service.
Arming the System
To arm the system, pressQon the
RKE transmitter, or open the door
and lock the door with the power
door lock switch. The security light
should flash. Remove the RKE
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 5‑54.
If a door or the hatch/trunk is
opened without using the RKE
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
RKE 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 RKE 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 use the following
procedure.
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.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-15
5. Reach through the open windowand 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 10‑47.
If the horn works, but the alarm
does not go off, see your dealer.
Disarming the System
Press the unlock button on the RKE
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 RKE
transmitter to disarm it.
Do not leave the key or device
that disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.
Immobilizer
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑21 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
Immobilizer Operation
The vehicle has a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system is automatically armed
when the ignition is turned off.
The immobilization system is
disarmed when the ignition is turned
to OFF/ACCESSORY or START and
a valid transmitter is found in the
vehicle.
You do not have to manually arm or
disarm the system.
The security light comes on if there
is a problem with arming or
disarming the theft-deterrent
system. The system has one or more RKE
transmitters that are matched to an
immobilizer control unit in the
vehicle. Only a correctly matched
RKE transmitter starts the vehicle.
The vehicle may not start if the RKE
transmitter is damaged.
If the engine does not start and the
security light comes on, there may
be a problem with the immobilizer
system. Press the START button
again.
If the vehicle does not start and
the RKE transmitter appears to
be undamaged, try another
RKE transmitter. Or, place the
transmitter in the transmitter pocket.
See
“NO FOBS DETECTED”
under Key and Lock Messages on
page 5‑42 for additional information.
Check the fuse. See Fuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 10‑47.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-21
7. To unlock the rear of the roofpanel's rear release latch, press
the back of the release
handle (B). Then press the
button on the front of the release
handle (A).
Pull down the latch lever.
8. Stand on one side of the vehicle, and if necessary, have someone
stand on the other side.
Together, carefully lift the front
edge of the roof panel up and
forward. 9. When the roof panel is loosened
from the vehicle, one person
should grasp the roof panel as
close to the center as possible
and lift it away from the vehicle.
Storing the Roof Panel
{WARNING
If a roof panel is not stored
properly, it could be thrown about
the vehicle in a crash or sudden
maneuver. People in the vehicle
could be injured. Whenever you
store a roof panel in the vehicle,
always be sure that it is stored
securely in the proper location.
Notice: If you drop or rest a roof
panel on its edges, the roof panel,
paint and/or weatherstripping
may be damaged. Always place
the roof panel in the stowage
receivers after removing it from
the vehicle. 1. Turn the roof panel so that the
front edge of the panel is facing
the storage area.
2. Insert the roof panel so that the
outside front edges line up
between the receiver covers.
Push forward on the roof panel
until it stops.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-23
Then align and fit the pins at the
rear of the roof panel inside the
openings in the rear overhead
weatherstrip. Gently lower the
front edge of the roof panel to
the front of the roof opening.
6. Turn the front release handlesinward so that they latch to the
closed position. 7. Push up on the handle of the
rear roof release handle to latch
its hook in the closed position.
8. Push and pull the roof panel up and down and side to side to
ensure the roof panel is securely
installed.
Removable Roof Panel
Notice: If you use a glass
treatment and/or conditioner that
contains ethyl sulfate on the roof
panel, you could damage the
panel. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Only
use a GM-approved glass cleaner
on the roof panel. Special care is necessary when
cleaning, removing, and/or storing
the roof panel.
.Flush with water to remove dust
and dirt, then dry the panel.
.Clean a transparent roof panel
with GM Glass Cleaner. Leave
the cleaner on the panel for
one minute, then wipe the panel
with a soft, lint-free cloth. Do not
use glass cleaner on a painted
roof panel.
.Do not use abrasive cleaning
materials on either type of panel.
If water drops are frequently allowed
to dry on the roof panel, impurities
in the water will adhere to the top.
These impurities may etch or mar
the finish. When the panel gets wet,
dry it off.