2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE power steering

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-3
The telescopic steering column
position can be stored with your
memory settings. See“Memory
Seat, Mirrors, and Steering Wheel”
under Power Seat Adjustment on
page 3‑3 for more information.
Steering Wheel Controls
For vehicles with steering wheel
controls, some audio controls can
be adjusted at the steering wheel.
b/g(Mute/Push to Talk): Press
to silence the vehicle speakers only.
Press again to turn the sound on.
For vehicles with Bluetooth or
OnStar
®systems press and holdb /gfor longer than two seconds
to interact with those systems.
See Bluetooth on page 7‑18 and
OnStar Overview on page 14‑1 for
more information.
c(Phone On Hook): Press to
reject an incoming call, or end a
current call.
w x(Next/Previous): Press to
change radio stations or select
tracks on a CD.
To change radio stations:
.Pressworxto go to the next
or to the previous radio station
and stay there. The radio only
seeks stations with a strong
signal that are in the
selected band.
.Press and holdworxfor
two seconds until SCAN displays
and a beep sounds to scan
stations. The radio goes to a
station, plays for a few seconds,
then goes to the next station.
Press again to stop scanning.
.Press and holdworxfor
four seconds until PRESET
SCAN displays and a beep
sounds to scan presets. The
radio goes to a station, plays for
a few seconds, then goes to the
next station. Press again to
stop scanning.
To select tracks on a CD:
.Pressworxto go to the next
or to the previous track when a
CD is playing.
.Press and holdworxfor
more than two seconds to scan
the current CD. The CD goes to
the next track, plays the first
10 seconds, then goes to the
next track. Press again to
stop scanning.

Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-54 Instruments and Controls
If this message is displayed during
normal vehicle operation on flat
roads, the vehicle may need
service. See your dealer for an
inspection.
If driving in a performance or
competitive manner, the use of
(S) Sport Automatic Mode or
(S) Sport Manual Paddle Shift gear
selection is recommended. See
Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑27for more information.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. The message
reappears every 10 minutes until
this condition changes. If you do not
press the RESET button, the
message remains on the display
until the condition changes.
UPSHIFT NOW
See Manual Transmission on
page 9‑32.
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
ACCESSORY MODE ON
This message displays when the
vehicle is in accessory mode.
ICE POSSIBLE
This message displays when the
outside air temperature is cold
enough to create icy road
conditions. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
OPTIONS UNAVAILABLE
This message displays for a few
seconds if a RKE transmitter that is
not labeled 1 or 2 is used and you
try to personalize the features on
the vehicle by pressing the OPTION
button. The personalization system
will not recognize the transmitter
and the DIC will not display the
current driver number or the menus
used to set personalizations. The personalization features will
then be set to the default states.
See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑55 for more information.
SET PARK BRAKE FOR SEAT
RECALL
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, this message displays
if you try to recall the memory
positions when the ignition is on and
the parking brake is not set. If the
vehicle is on, you must set the
parking brake in order for the
memory positions to recall.
See“Memory Seat, Mirrors and
Steering Wheel” underPower Seat
Adjustment on page 3‑3 for more
information.
Washer Fluid Messages
CHECK WASHER FLUID
See Washer Fluid on page 10‑38.

Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-55
Vehicle
Personalization
Many features on your vehicle can
be personalized. This means that
the operation of these features
can be set to operate differently
depending on who is driving the
vehicle. See“Personal Options”
later in this section for the features
that you can personalize.
The personalization settings for
other features are automatically
updated and saved as the driver
adjusts them. These include the
following settings and presets:
.The radio presets, tone,
volume, fade, balance,
equalization (EQ) settings, and
source (radio or CD).
.The last climate control setting.
.The Head-Up Display (HUD)
position and dimming level,
if your vehicle has this feature.
.The instrument panel cluster
dimming level and last selected
DIC display.
Separate personalization settings
are saved for two different drivers.
One of the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitters is assigned to
driver 1. The other is assigned to
driver 2. The backs of the RKE
transmitters are labelled 1 or 2 to
correspond to each driver.
The current driver's preferences are
recalled when one of the following
occurs:
.The lock or unlock button on the
RKE transmitter, labelled 1 or 2,
is pressed.
.The appropriate memory
button, 1 or 2, located on the
driver door is pressed. See
“Memory Seat, Mirrors, and
Steering Wheel” underPower
Seat Adjustment on page 3‑3 for
more information.
.A valid RKE transmitter is
detected upon opening the
driver door.
If more than one valid RKE
transmitter is detected upon opening
the driver door, the driver
preferences for the lowest driver
number will be recalled.
If an RKE transmitter that is not
labelled 1 or 2 is used, the
personalization system will not
recognize the transmitter. The Driver
Information Center (DIC) will not
display a current driver number and
the features that are normally
programmed through the DIC will be
set to the default states. Also, if the
OPTION button is pressed, the DIC
does not display the menus used to
set personalizations, but instead
displays OPTIONS UNAVAILABLE
for a few seconds.

Black plate (57,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-57
Auto Memory Recall (Automatic
Transmission only):If your
automatic transmission vehicle has
the memory package, you may have
this option. This option allows the
driver seat, the telescopic steering
column, if your vehicle has this
feature, and the outside rearview
mirrors to automatically move to the
current driver's set position when
the engine starts.
Press the OPTION button until
AUTO MEMORY RECALL appears
on the display, then press the
RESET button to scroll through the
following modes:
.YES
.NO (default)
If you choose YES, the driver seat,
the outside rearview mirrors and the
telescopic steering column, if your
vehicle has this feature, positions
are recalled when you turn the
ignition on.
If you choose NO, this option will
turn off. When the mode you want is
selected, press the OPTION button
to set your choice and advance to
the next personal option.
Auto Exit Recall:
If your vehicle
has the memory package, you may
have this option. This option allows
the driver seat and telescopic
steering column, if your vehicle has
this feature, to automatically move
to the current driver's exit position
when one of the following occurs:
.The vehicle is turned off or in
Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) or accessory mode and
the driver door is opened.
.The vehicle is turned off or in
RAP and the unlock button on
the RKE transmitter is pressed.
In order for the Auto Exit Recall
feature to work on an automatic
transmission vehicle, the vehicle
must be in P (Park). On a manual
transmission vehicle, the parking
brake must be set. Press the OPTION button until
AUTO EXIT RECALL appears on
the display, then press the RESET
button to scroll through the following
modes:
.YES
.NO (default)
If you choose YES, when you turn
the ignition off and open the driver
door or press the unlock button on
the RKE transmitter, the seat and
the telescopic steering wheel, if your
vehicle has this feature, will return
to their stored exit positions for an
easy exit or an easy entrance when
returning to the vehicle.
The seat and steering wheel will
only return to the stored driving
position if you press the appropriate
memory button or activate the Auto
Memory Recall feature.
If you choose NO, this option will
turn off.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-1
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Twilight Sentinel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 6-4
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lighting Features
Entry/Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . 6-6
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is located
to the left of the steering wheel on
the multifunction lever.
O(Exterior Lamp Control):
Turn the band with this symbol on it
to operate the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp band has
four positions:
O(Off): Turns off all lamps.
AUTO (Automatic): Sets the
exterior lamps to automatic mode.
AUTO mode turns the exterior
lamps on and off depending on
how much light is available outside
the vehicle. To override AUTO mode, turn the
control to off.
To reset to AUTO mode, turn the
control to exterior lamps and then
back to AUTO. Automatic mode also
resets when the vehicle is turned off
and then back on again if the control
is left in the AUTO position.
;(Parking Lamps):
Turns on the
parking lamps together with the
following:
.Sidemarker Lamps
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
The parking brake indicator light
comes on and stays on when the
parking lamps are on with the
engine off and the ignition to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
5(Headlamps): Turns on the
headlamps, together with the
previously listed lamps and lights.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Racing or Other CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-10
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-13
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-18
Front Air Dam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Parking (Manual Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-27
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Active Handling System . . . . . 9-38
Competitive Driving Mode . . . 9-39
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . 9-42
Selective Ride Control . . . . . . . 9-43

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-4 Driving and Operating
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three‐fourths of a second.
In that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.Helpful braking tips to keep in
mind include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up,
it can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Magnetic Effort Steering
This system continuously adjusts
the effort felt when steering at all
vehicle speeds. It provides ease
when parking, yet a firm, solid feel
at highway speeds.
Hydraulic Power Steering
Your vehicle has hydraulic
power steering. It may require
maintenance. See Power Steering
Fluid Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑36.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
power steering system is not
functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but may required increased
effort. See your dealer if there is
a problem.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-19
{WARNING
ZR1s, and Z06s with RPO CFZ,
contain parts made from carbon
fiber.
When damaged, the exposed
edges can be very sharp.
A person could be injured by
these sharp edges. Use caution
when washing the vehicle,
coming in contact with,
or removing damaged carbon
fiber parts. See your dealer for
replacement.
Under normal operation, these
components will occasionally
contact some road surfaces
(speed bumps, driveway
ramps, etc.). This can be heard
inside the vehicle as a scraping
noise. This is normal and does not
indicate a problem.
Use care when approaching bumps
or objects on road surfaces and
avoid them when possible.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic
keyless ignition with a push-button
start.
In order to shift out of P (Park),
the vehicle must be running or in
Acc. mode and the regular brake
pedal must be applied.
/(START): Press this button
while your foot is on the brake for
an automatic transmission, or while
pressing in the clutch for a manual
transmission, to start the engine.
If the vehicle is in OFF or Retained Accessory Power (RAP) mode, the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be inside the
vehicle to start the engine.
9Acc. (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
OFF/ACCESSORY): When the
vehicle is stopped with the engine
on, press the button once to turn
the engine off.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in
an emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer
the vehicle to a safe location.