2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE check oil

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-22 Automatic Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-25
Cooling System (Engine) . . . 10-28
Cooling System
(Intercooler) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-34
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-36
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-45 Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-46
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Windshield Replacement . . . 10-47
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-50

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-11
A. Clutch Master CylinderReservoir (If Equipped).
See Hydraulic Clutch on
page 10‑24.
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑38.
C. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 10‑38.
D. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑30. E.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑25.
F. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑36.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” underBrake
Fluid on page 10‑42.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑16.
I. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑52. J. Passenger Compartment
Air Filter (Out of View).
See Passenger Compartment
Air Filter on page 8‑6.
K. Battery on page 10‑43.
If the vehicle has the 6.2 L LS3
V8 engine (without the dry sump
engine oil tank) and you are facing
the front of the vehicle.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-13
A. Intercooler. SeeCooling System
(Engine) on page 10‑28 or
Cooling System (Intercooler) on
page 10‑29.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑25.
C. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir and Cap. See Power Steering
Fluid on page 10‑36.
D. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑30.
E. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑38. F. Clutch Master Cylinder
Reservoir (If Equipped).
See Hydraulic Clutch on
page 10‑24.
G. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 10‑38.
H. Passenger Compartment Air Filter (Out of View).
See Passenger Compartment
Air Filter on page 8‑6.
I. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑16.
J. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank. See “Changing Engine Oil
and Filter” Brake Fluid on
page 10‑42. K. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑16.
L. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑82.
M. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑52.
If the vehicle has the 6.2 L LS9
Supercharged V8 engine and you
are facing the front of the vehicle.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-15
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑25.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑36.
C. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑52.
D. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑82.
E. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑16. F. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank.
See “Changing Engine Oil and
Filter” under Engine Oil on
page 10‑16.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑16.
H. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑30.
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑38. J. Brake Fluid Reservoir.
See “Brake Fluid” under
Brake Fluid on page 10‑42.
K. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Hydraulic Clutch
on page 10‑24.
If the vehicle has the 6.2 L LS3
V8 engine with the manual
transmission (with the dry sump
engine oil tank) or the 7.0 L LS7
V8 engine and you are facing the
driver side of the vehicle.

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-16 Vehicle Care
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and
of the proper viscosity grade.
See“Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑22.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
(Except Z06, ZR1, and
Grand Sport)
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL message
displays on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), check the engine oil
level right away. For more
information, see Engine Oil
Messages on page 5‑41. Check the
engine oil level regularly; this is an
added reminder.
It is a good idea to check the
engine oil level at each fuel fill.
In order to get an accurate reading,
the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle
is a yellow loop. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑10 for the location of the
engine oil dipstick. Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running
recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
2. Pull the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or cloth, then push
it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level.

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-17
When to Add Engine Oil
(Except Z06, ZR1, and Grand
Sport)
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
1 L (1 qt) of the recommended oil
and then recheck the level. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”in
this section for an explanation of
what kind of oil to use. For engine
oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
See Racing or Other Competitive
Driving on page 9‑6 for additional
information on engine oil. Notice:
Do not add too much oil.
Oil levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched
area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could
be damaged. You should drain
out the excess oil or limit driving
of the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑10 for the location of the
engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range . Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Checking Engine Oil
(Z06, ZR1, and Grand Sport)
A. Engine Oil Dipstick
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-18 Vehicle Care
The engine oil dipstick handle is a
yellow loop. The dipstick is located
on the dry sump engine oil tank.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑10 for the location of the
dry sump engine oil tank.
These vehicles have a racetrack‐
ready dry sump engine lubrication
system. This high‐performance
system operates differently than a
standard engine lubrication system
and requires a special procedure
when checking the engine oil level.
Follow this procedure closely when
checking the engine oil level. The engine oil level must be
checked when the engine is warm.
Cold oil level in the dry sump tank
may not indicate the actual
amount of oil in the system.
With this system, engine oil is
contained in an external tank,
separate from the engine. Under
normal operating conditions, the oil
pan under the engine does not store
any oil. If the vehicle has been
parked for an extended period
without the engine being started,
some oil will seep back into the oil
pan, reducing the amount of oil held
in the dry sump tank and there
could be no engine oil at all showing
on the dipstick. This is normal since
the dipstick is designed to read
engine oil level only after the engine
has run long enough to reach
normal operating temperature.Do not add engine oil based on
cold engine dipstick readings.
The engine oil level on the dipstick
will also be inaccurate if checked
while the engine is running.
1. To obtain an accurate engine
oil level reading, warm up the
engine to at least 80°C (175°F).
Cold oil will not give a correct oil
level reading.
2. Once the engine is warm, turn off the engine. Checking the oil
while the engine is running will
result in an incorrect oil level
reading.
3. Wait at least five minutes (but not more than 20 minutes)
to allow oil to drain and settle in
the engine.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-19
4. Remove the dipstick from theexternal engine oil tank and
clean it with a lint‐free paper
towel or a cloth. Re‐insert the
dipstick into the external oil tank,
pushing it all the way in until it
stops.
5. Remove the dipstick from the oil tank and read the level on the
cross‐hatched area. Oil levels
that fall in the cross‐hatched
area are normal.When to Add Engine Oil
(Z06, ZR1, and Grand Sport)
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
1 L (1 qt) of the recommended oil
through the oil fill cap opening in the
oil tank and then recheck the level.
See “Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
for an explanation of what kind of oil
to use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
See Racing or Other Competitive
Driving on page 9‑6 for additional
information on engine oil. Notice:
Do not add too much oil.
Oil levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched
area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could
be damaged. You should drain
out the excess oil or limit driving
of the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑10 for the location of the
external engine oil tank and fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back into the oil tank when through.