
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 (22,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-22 Instruments and Controls
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need
to be working.
MetricEnglish
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not
come on, have it fixed so it is ready
to warn if there is a problem.
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
If this warning light stays on after
the engine is started, the parking
brake may still be set or there
could be a brake problem. Refer to
Parking Brake on page 9‑36 to see
if it is set. If the parking brake is
not set, have the brake system
inspected right away.
If the light comes on while driving
and a CHECK BRAKE FLUID
message shows on the DIC, pull off
the road and stop carefully. The
pedal may be harder to push or the
pedal may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the
light is still on, have the vehicle
towed for service. See
Towing the
Vehicle on page 10‑86 andBrake
System Messages on page 5‑37 for
more information.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
For vehicles with the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off. 

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-23
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑22.One-to-Four Shift Light
(Manual Transmission)
When this light comes on, the
vehicle can only be shifted from
1 (First) to 4 (Fourth) instead of
1 (First) to 2 (Second).
The shift must be completed into
4 (Fourth) to turn off this feature.
This helps the vehicle get the best
possible fuel economy.
After shifting to 4 (Fourth), the
vehicle can be downshifted to a
lower gear. Notice:
Forcing the shift lever
into any gear except 4 (Fourth)
when the 1 TO 4 SHIFT light
comes on may damage the
transmission. Shift only from
1 (First) to 4 (Fourth) when the
light comes on.
This light comes on when:
.The engine coolant temperature
is higher than 76°C (169°F).
.The vehicle is going 24 to
31 km/h (15 to 19 mph).
.The vehicle is at 21 percent
throttle or less. 

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-25
Active Handling System
Light
The Active Handling System light
comes on briefly while starting the
engine. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light stays on or comes on
while driving, a chime sounds and a
SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING
SYSTEM message appears on the
DIC and the vehicle need service.When the Active Handling System
is turned off, the light comes on,
a chime sounds, and the
TRACTION SYSTEM AND ACTIVE
HANDLING
–OFF message
displays in the DIC. The Traction
Control System is off and the Active
Handling System does not assist
with controlling the vehicle.
When the Active Handling System
is turned back on, the light turns
off, a chime sounds, and the
TRACTION SYSTEM AND ACTIVE
HANDLING –ON message displays
in the DIC.
See Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑45 for more information.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS.
When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more
of the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A tire pressure message can
accompany the light. See Tire
Messages on page 5‑51 for more
information. Stop as soon as
possible, and inflate the tires to
the pressure value shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label.
See Tire Pressure on page 10‑66
for more information. 

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-31
Press the gauges button again to
display the tire pressure for the rear
tires, such as:
.REAR TIRE PRESSURES
L 234 kPa R 228 kPa or
.REAR TIRE PRESSURES
L 34 PSI R 33 PSI
TRIP Button
The TRIP button displays the
odometer, trip distance, elapsed
time, average speed, and oil life
remaining information.
Odometer:The odometer shows
how far your vehicle has been
driven in either kilometers or miles.
Press the TRIP button to display
odometer readings, such as:
.ODOMETER 20008 km or
.ODOMETER 12345 MI
You can also display the odometer
by turning on the parking lamps. Trip Odometers:
There are two trip
odometers. Press the TRIP button
to display TRIP ODOMETER A
readings and press the button again
to display TRIP ODOMETER B
readings, such as:
.TRIP ODOMETER A 209.9 km or
.TRIP ODOMETER A 130.5 MI
.TRIP ODOMETER B 483.5 km or
.TRIP ODOMETER B 300.5 MI
Both of the trip odometers can be
used simultaneously. The trip
odometers can be reset by pressing
the RESET button on the DIC.
The trip odometers are able to
display up to 3217.9 km (1999.9 mi).
This display will roll over to 0.0 if
the maximum displayed miles or
kilometers are reached.
There is also a miles since last
ignition feature that displays the
number of kilometers (miles) driven
since you last started the vehicle.
Press and hold the RESET button
for three seconds, then release it. The kilometers (miles) since the last
ignition cycle will be set into the trip
odometer.
Elapsed Timer:
Press the TRIP
button until ELAPSED TIMER is
displayed, such as
ELAPSED TIMER .00.
When the ignition is in on, the DIC
can be used as a stopwatch. The
display can show hours, minutes,
and seconds. The elapsed time
indicator will record up to 23 hours,
59 minutes, and 59 seconds, then it
will reset to zero and continue
counting. The display appears as
ELAPSED TIMER .00 in the elapsed
time function.
You can start or stop the elapsed
time by pressing the RESET button.
To reset the elapsed time to zero,
press the RESET button for
three seconds while the timer is
displayed.
Pressing and holding the RESET
button for at least 10 seconds will
reset the timer display to the time
since last ignition cycle. 

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-37
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable point. The battery saver
system starts reducing certain
features of the vehicle that you may
be able to notice. At the point that
features are disabled, this message
is displayed. It means that the
vehicle is trying to save the charge
in the battery. Turn off unnecessary
accessories to allow the battery to
recharge.
BATTERY VOLTAGE HIGH
SeeVoltmeter Gauge on page 5‑17.
BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW
SeeVoltmeter Gauge on page 5‑17.
SERVICE CHARGING SYSTEM
If this message displays while you
are driving, there may be a problem
with the electrical charging system. It could mean that there is a loose
or broken drive belt or that there is
another electrical problem. Have the
vehicle checked right away by your
dealer. Driving while this message is
on could drain the battery.
If you must drive a short distance
with the message on, be certain to
turn off the vehicle's accessories,
such as the radio and air
conditioner.
Multiple chimes sound when this
message is displayed.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. The message
reappears every 10 minutes until
this condition changes.
Brake System Messages
ABS (Antilock Brake System)
ACTIVE
This message displays when the
Antilock Brake System (ABS) is
adjusting brake pressure to help
avoid a braking skid.
Slippery road conditions may exist if
this message is displayed, so adjust
your driving accordingly. The
message stays on for a few
seconds after the system stops
adjusting brake pressure. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS) on
page 9‑35
for more information.
CHANGE BRAKE PADS
On vehicles with electronic brake
pad wear sensors, this message will
be displayed when the pads are
worn. See your dealer for service.
CHECK BRAKE FLUID
This message displays, a sound will
be heard, and the brake system
warning light on the instrument
panel cluster turns on if the ignition
is on to inform the driver that the
brake fluid level is low. See Brake
System Warning Light on
page 5‑22. Have the brake system
serviced by your dealer as soon as
possible. See Brakes on
page 10‑38. 

Black plate (38,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-38 Instruments and Controls
SERVICE ANTILOCK BRAKES
If this message displays while you
are driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off.
Then start the engine again to reset
the system. If the message stays
on, or comes back on again while
you are driving, the vehicle is in
need of service. See your dealer.
If the antilock brake system (ABS)
warning light is on and the regular
brake system warning light is not
on, you still have brakes, but do not
have ABS. If the regular brake
system warning light is also on, you
do not have ABS and there is a
problem with the brakes. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on page 5‑22and
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑22. If this message is displayed, the
Traction Control System (TCS) and
the Active Handling System will also
be disabled. The DIC will scroll
three messages: SERVICE
ANTILOCK BRAKES, SERVICE
TRACTION SYSTEM, and
SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING, and
the instrument panel cluster lights
will come on along with a sound.
When the service message is
displayed, the computer controlled
systems will not assist the driver.
Have the system repaired by
your dealer as soon as possible.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
To acknowledge these messages,
press the RESET button.
Convertible Top
Messages
ATTACH TRUNK PARTITION
If the vehicle has a power
convertible top, this message
displays and a sound will be heard
if the trunk partition is not in place.
Open the hatch/trunk and make
sure the trunk partition is secure
and no objects are on the trunk
partition. See
Rear Storage on
page 4‑2 for more information.
CLOSE TRUNK TO MOVE TOP
This message displays and a sound
will be heard if the trunk is open
while you are trying to operate the
convertible top. Make sure the
trunk is closed before operating the
convertible top. See Convertible Top
on page 2‑24. 

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-42 Instruments and Controls
CHECK OIL LEVEL
On some vehicles, this message
displays and two chimes sound if
the oil level in the vehicle is low.
Once the vehicle senses a change
in the engine oil level, the light
remains off.
If this message appears after
starting the engine, the engine oil
level may be too low. You may need
to add oil. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 10‑34.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. The message
reappears every 10 minutes until
this condition changes.
LOW OIL PRESSURE
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. If this
message appears while the engine
is running, stop the engine and do
not operate it until the cause of low
oil pressure is corrected. Severe
damage to the engine can result. A sound will be heard when this
message is displayed. See
Engine
Oil on page 10‑16.
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE DRAG CONTROL
ACTIVE
This message displays when engine
drag control is active. When driving
in a lower gear in rainy, snowy,
or icy conditions and then letting up
on the accelerator or downshifting,
the rear wheels may begin to slip
and this message displays. This
message stays on for a few
seconds following the engine drag
control event.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER
If this message displays and the
check engine light comes on, a
noticeable reduction in the vehicle's
performance may occur. If the
REDUCED ENGINE POWER
message is displayed, but there is
no reduction in performance, proceed to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven.
The vehicle may be driven at a
reduced speed while the REDUCED
ENGINE POWER message is
displayed, but acceleration and
speed may be reduced. Anytime the
check engine light stays on, the
vehicle should be taken to your
dealer as soon as possible for
diagnosis and repair. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑19
for more information.
Multiple chimes sound when this
message is displayed.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. The message
reappears every five minutes until
this condition changes.
If the REDUCED ENGINE POWER
message is displayed in
combination with the COOLANT
OVER TEMPERATURE message,
see Engine Overheating on
page 10‑34.