2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE light

Black plate (73,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-73
Adjust the front and rear tires
to the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label after
the tires have been rotated.
SeeTire Pressure on
page 10‑66 andVehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑14.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10‑70.
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications on
page 12‑2.{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
When It Is Time for
New Tires
Factors such as maintenance,
temperatures, driving speeds,
vehicle loading, and road conditions
affect the wear rate of the tires.
Treadwear indicators are one way to
tell when it is time for new tires.
Treadwear indicators appear when
the tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in)
or less of tread remaining. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑72 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑72 for more
information.

Black plate (74,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-74 Vehicle Care
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies for the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple conditions
including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure
maintenance affect how fast aging
takes place. Tires will typically need
to be replaced due to wear before
they may need to be replaced due
to age. Consult the tire
manufacturer for more information
on when tires should be replaced.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle.
Park a vehicle that will be stored for
at least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be
free of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires
or raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec) system
rating. When replacement tires are
needed, GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec system
considers over a dozen critical
specifications that impact the
overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake systemperformance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure
monitoring performance. GM's TPC
Spec number is molded onto the
tire's sidewall near the tire size.
If the tires have an all‐season
tread design, the TPC Spec
number will be followed by MS for
mud and snow. See
Tire Sidewall
Labeling on page 10‑62, for
additional information.
GM recommends replacing all the
tires at the same time. Uniform tread
depth on all tires will help to
maintain the performance of the
vehicle. Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑72 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑72.

Black plate (77,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-77
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) system
does not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a
half (1½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.

Black plate (82,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-82 Vehicle Care
Jump Starting
For more information about the
vehicle battery, seeBattery on
page 10‑43.
If your battery has run down, you
may want to use another vehicle
and some jumper cables to start
your vehicle. Be sure to use the
following steps to do it safely.
{WARNING
Batteries can hurt you. They can
be dangerous because:
.They contain acid that can
burn you.
.They contain gas that can
explode or ignite.
.They contain enough
electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these
things can hurt you. Notice:
If you try to start your
vehicle by pushing or pulling it,
you could damage your vehicle.
Do not push or pull your vehicle
to start it; instead, use the jump
starting procedure in this manual
to start your vehicle when the
battery has run down.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must
have a 12-volt battery with a
negative ground system.
Notice: Only use a vehicle that
has a 12-volt system with a
negative ground for jump
starting. If the other vehicle does
not have a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles
can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach,
but be sure the vehicles are not
touching each other. If they are,
it could cause a ground
connection you do not want.
You would not be able to start
your vehicle, and the bad
grounding could damage the
electrical systems. To avoid the possibility of the
vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start
procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in Neutral
before setting the parking
brakes.
Notice: If the radio or other
accessories are left on during the
jump starting procedure, they
could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by the
warranty. Always turn off the
radio and other accessories when
jump starting the vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug unnecessary
accessories plugged into the
cigarette lighter or the accessory
power outlet. Turn off the radio
and all lamps that are not
needed. This will avoid sparks
and help save both batteries.
And it could save the radio!

Black plate (83,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-83
4. Open the hoods and locate thepositive (+) and negative (−)
terminal locations on each
vehicle.
6.2 L LS3 shown, 7.0 L LS7 and
6.2 L LS9 similar
Your vehicle has a remote
positive (+) terminal (A) and a
remote negative (−) terminal (B),
as shown in the illustration,
which should be used to jump
start your vehicle. The remote positive (+)
terminal (A) can be accessed by
opening the cover of the engine
compartment fuse block.
The remote negative (−)
terminal (B) is located
underneath the engine cover,
below the engine oil fill cap.
See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑10 for
the location of the engine
compartment fuse block and
engine oil fill cap.
You will not need to access
the battery for jump starting.
The remote terminals are for
that purpose.
{WARNING
An electric fan can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{WARNING
Using an open flame near a
battery can cause battery gas to
explode. People have been hurt
doing this, and some have been
blinded. Use a flashlight if you
need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough
water. You do not need to add
water to the battery installed in
your new vehicle. But if a battery
has filler caps, be sure the right
amount of fluid is there. If it is low,
add water to take care of that
first. If you do not, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that
can burn you. Do not get it on
you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush
the place with water and get
medical help immediately.

Black plate (86,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-86 Vehicle Care
Towing
Towing the Vehicle
Notice:To avoid damage, the
disabled vehicle should be
towed with all four wheels off the
ground. Care must be taken with
vehicles that have low ground
clearance and/or special
equipment. Always flatbed on a
car carrier.
Consult your dealer or a
professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed.
See Roadside Assistance Program
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑8 or
Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑10.
Recreational Vehicle
Towing
Notice: Dolly towing or dinghy
towing the vehicle may cause
damage because of reduced
ground clearance. Always put the
vehicle on a flatbed truck or
trailer.
The vehicle was neither designed
nor intended to be towed with any
of its wheels on the ground. If the
vehicle must be towed, see Towing
the Vehicle on page 10‑86.
Appearance Care
Exterior Care
Washing the Vehicle
To preserve the vehicle's finish,
wash it often and out of direct
sunlight.
Notice: Do not use petroleum
based, acidic, or abrasive
cleaning agents as they can
damage the vehicle's paint,
metal, or plastic parts. If damage
occurs, it would not be covered
by the vehicle's warranty.
Approved cleaning products can
be obtained from your dealer.
Follow all manufacturer
directions regarding correct
product usage, necessary safety
precautions, and appropriate
disposal of any vehicle care
product.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-9
Battery
The battery supplies power to start
the engine and operate any
additional electrical accessories.
.To avoid break‐down or failure to
start the vehicle, maintain a
battery with full cranking power.
.Trained dealer technicians have
the diagnostic equipment to test
the battery and ensure that the
connections and cables are
corrosion‐free.
Belts
.Belts may need replacing if
they squeak or show signs of
cracking or splitting.
.Trained dealer technicians
can inspect the belts and
recommend replacement
when necessary. Brakes
Brakes stop the vehicle and are
crucial to safe driving.
.Signs of brake wear may include
chirping, grinding, or squealing
noises, or difficulty stopping.
.Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the brakes and
recommend quality parts
engineered for the vehicle.
Fluids
Proper fluid levels and approved
fluids protect the vehicle’s systems
and components. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12 for
GM approved fluids.
.Engine oil and windshield
washer fluid levels should be
checked at every fuel fill.
.Instrument cluster lights may
come on to indicate that
fluids may be low and need
to be filled. Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should
be regularly inspected to ensure
that there are no cracks or leaks.
With a multi‐point inspection, your
dealer can inspect the hoses and
advise if replacement is needed.
Lamps
Properly working headlamps,
taillamps, and brake lamps are
important to see and be seen on
the road.
.Signs that the headlamps need
attention include dimming, failure
to light, cracking, or damage.
The brake lamps need to be
checked periodically to ensure
that they light when braking.
.With a multi‐point inspection,
your dealer can check the lamps
and note any concerns.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
OnStar 14-1
OnStar
OnStar Overview
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services
Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
OnStar Additional Information
OnStar AdditionalInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
OnStar Overview
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.
Overview
The OnStar system status light is
next to the OnStar buttons. If the
status light is:
.Solid Green: System is ready.
.Flashing Green: On a call.
.Red: Indicates a problem.
Push
Qor call 1‐888‐4‐ONSTAR
(1‐888‐466‐7827) to speak to
an Advisor. Push
Xto:
.Make a call, end a call,
or answer an incoming call.
.Give OnStar Hands-Free Calling
voice commands.
.Give OnStar Turn-by-Turn
Navigation voice commands.
Requires the available Directions
and Connections service plan.
Push
Qto connect to a live
Advisor to:
.Verify account information or
update contact information.
.Get driving directions. Requires
the available Directions and
Connections service plan.
.Receive On-Demand
Diagnostics for a check on the
vehicle’s key operating systems.
.Receive Roadside Assistance.