2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE maintenance

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-15
Metric—Z06 and ZR1 ModelsEnglish
English— Z06 and ZR1 Models
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
The engine oil pressure gauge
shows the engine oil pressure
in kPa (kilopascals) or psi (pounds
per square inch) when the engine
is running.
Oil pressure should be 140 to
550 kPa (20 to 80 psi). In certain
situations such as long, extended
idles on hot days, it could read as
low as 40 kPa (6 psi) and still be
considered normal.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-20 Instruments and Controls
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system assists
the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, the emission controls might
not work as well, the vehicle fuel
economy might not be as good,
and the engine might not run as
smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the
engine, transmission, exhaust,
intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement of the
original tires with other than
those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modifications to
these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty. This could
also result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑4.
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing:
A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
The following can prevent more
serious damage to the vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
If the light continues to flash,
stop and park the vehicle.
Turn the vehicle off , wait at least
10 seconds, and restart the engine.
If the light is still flashing, follow the
previous steps and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible. Light On Steady:
An emission
control system malfunction has
been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might
be required.
The following may correct an
emission system malfunction:
.Check that the fuel cap is fully
installed. See Filling the Tank on
page 9‑51. The diagnostic
system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn
the light off.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-21
.Check that good quality fuel is
used. Poor fuel quality causes
the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and may
cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these
conditions occurs, change the
fuel brand used. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper
fuel to turn the light off.See Recommended Fuel on
page 9‑48.
If none of the above have made the
light turn off, your dealer can check
the vehicle. The dealer has the
proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems
that might have developed.Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some local governments may have
programs to inspect the on-vehicle
emission control equipment. For the
inspection, the emission system test
equipment is connected to the
vehicle’s Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the vehicle is placed in Service
Only Mode and the malfunction indicator lamp does not come
on. See your dealer for
assistance in verifying proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp.
.The OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics) system determines
that critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed. The
vehicle would be considered not
ready for inspection. This can
happen if the 12-volt battery has
recently been replaced or run
down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-32 Instruments and Controls
Average Speed:Press the TRIP
button until the average speed is
displayed, such as:
.AVERAGE SPEED 100 km/h or
.AVERAGE SPEED 62 MPH
Press and hold the RESET button to
reset to 0.0 km/h (mph).
Engine Oil Life: Press the TRIP
button until the engine oil life is
displayed, such as OIL LIFE
REMAINING 89%.
This is an estimate of the engine
oil's remaining useful life. It will
show 100% when the system is
reset after an oil change. It will alert
you to change the oil on a schedule
consistent with your driving
conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the system will alert you with the
message CHANGE ENGINE OIL.
Remember, you must reset the
engine oil life system yourself
after each oil change. It will not reset itself. To reset the
system, see
Engine Oil Life System
on page 10‑22. Be careful not to
reset the engine oil life system
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change.
See Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 andEngine Oil on
page 10‑16 for more information.
OPTION Button
The OPTION button allows you to
access the PERSONAL OPTIONS
menu and customize the
personalization settings on your
vehicle. See Vehicle Personalization
on page 5‑55 for more information.
RESET Button
The RESET button, used along
with other buttons, will reset
system functions and turn off or
acknowledge messages on the DIC.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{WARNING
If the HUD image is too bright,
or too high in your field of view, it
may take you more time to see
things you need to see when it is
dark outside. Be sure to keep the
HUD image dim and placed low in
your field of view.
For vehicles with the Head-Up
Display (HUD), you can see some
of the driver information that
appears on the instrument panel
cluster.

Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-41
ENGINE OVERHEATED–
STOP ENGINE
This message displays and a sound
will be heard when the engine has
overheated. Stop and turn the
engine off immediately to avoid
severe engine damage. See Engine
Overheating on page 10‑34.
ENGINE PROTECTION
REDUCE ENGINE RPM
This message displays if the engine
oil temperature exceeds 160°C
(320°F). Check the engine coolant
temperature and engine oil level.
If the engine is too hot, see Engine
Overheating on page 10‑34. The
vehicle may need service, so see
your dealer.
You can monitor the oil temperature
with the gauges button on the DIC.
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑28. Multiple chimes sound when this
message is displayed. This
message remains displayed and
active until the issue is resolved.
HOT ENGINE AIR
CONDITIONING OFF
This message displays when the
engine coolant becomes hotter than
the normal operating temperature.
To avoid added strain on a hot
engine, the air conditioning
compressor is automatically turned
off. When the coolant temperature
returns to normal, the A/C operation
automatically resumes. You can
continue to drive the vehicle. If this
message continues to appear, have
the system repaired by your dealer
as soon as possible to avoid
compressor damage.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL
This message displays when the
life of the engine oil has expired.
See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3. After an oil change, the
engine oil life system must be reset.
See “Engine Oil Life” underDriver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑28. Also, see Engine Oil on
page 10‑16 andEngine Oil Life
System on page 10‑22 for more
information.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-11
FM Stereo
FM signals only reach about
16 to 65 km (10 to 40 mi). Although
the radio has a built-in electronic
circuit that automatically works to
reduce interference, some static
can occur, especially around tall
buildings or hills, causing the
sound to fade in and out.
XM™Satellite Radio Service
XM Satellite Radio Service gives
digital radio reception from coast to
coast in the 48 contiguous United
States, and in Canada. Just as
with FM, tall buildings or hills can
interfere with satellite radio signals,
causing the sound to fade in and
out. In addition, traveling or standing
under heavy foliage, bridges,
garages, or tunnels may cause loss
of the XM signal for a period of time.
Cellular Phone Usage
Cellular phone usage may cause
interference with the vehicle's radio.
This interference may occur when
making or receiving phone calls,
charging the phone's battery,
or simply having the phone on.
This interference causes an
increased level of static while
listening to the radio. If static is
received while listening to the
radio, unplug the cellular phone and
turn it off.
Diversity Antenna System
The AM-FM antenna is a hidden
self‐tuning system. It optimizes the
AM and FM signals relative to the
vehicle's position and radio station
source. No maintenance or
adjustments are needed.
Satellite Radio Antenna
For vehicles with XM Satellite Radio
Service, the antenna is located on
the roof or on the trunk lid of the
vehicle. Keep the antenna clear of
obstructions for clear radio
reception.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Climate Controls 8-1
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate ControlSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
With this system the heating, cooling, and ventilation can be controlled.
A. Driver Temperature Controls
B. Display
C. Passenger Temperature Control
D. AUTO
E. Recirculation F. Air Conditioning
G. Fan Control
H. Air Delivery Mode Control
I. Defrost
J. Rear Window Defogger

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
8-6 Climate Controls
Air Vents
Use the tab located on the air
outlets to change the direction of
the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from the air inlets at
the base of the windshield that
may block the flow of air into
your vehicle.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors may adversely affect
the performance of the system.
.Keep the area around the base
of the instrument panel console
and air path under the seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside of your vehicle
more effectively.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The passenger compartment air
filter removes certain particles from
the air including pollen and dust
particles. Reductions in airflow,
which may occur more often in
dusty areas, indicate that the
filter may need to be replaced.
SeeMaintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3. Notice:
Driving without a
passenger compartment air filter
in place can cause water and
small particles, like paper and
leaves, to be pulled into your
climate control system which may
cause damage to it. Make sure
you always replace the old filter
with a new one.
The passenger compartment air
filter is located on the passenger
side of the engine compartment
near the battery. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑10.