
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 (6,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
6-6 Lighting
Be sure not to have this knob turned
all the way down with the lamps on
during the day. The Driver
Information Center (DIC) may
not be visible.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door or the hatch/trunk lid
is opened, the interior lamps will go
on unless it is bright outside.
You can also turn the courtesy
lamps on and off by pressing the
instrument panel brightness knob.
Reading Lamps
The inside rearview mirror includes
two reading lamps. The lamps will
go on when a door is opened. When
the doors are closed, press each
lamp switch to turn them on
individually.
Lighting Features
Entry/Exit Lighting
With entry lighting, the interior
lamps will come on when entering
the vehicle. To illuminate your exit,
the interior lamps come on for about
20 seconds when the engine is
turned off.
To turn the entry and exit lighting off,
quickly turn the courtesy lamps on
and off by pressing the instrument
panel brightness knob.
Battery Power Protection
This vehicle has a feature to help
prevent the battery from being
drained in case any of the following
lamps are left on: the underhood
lamp, if your vehicle has this
feature, vanity mirror lamps, cargo
lamps, reading lamps, console,
or glove box lamps. If any of these
lamps are left on, they will
automatically time-out after about10 minutes. To reset it, all of the
above lamps must be turned off or
the ignition key on.
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver
If the manual parking lamps or
headlamps have been left on, the
exterior lamps will turn off as soon
as the ignition is turned off or
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is
active. This protects against
draining the battery in case you
have accidentally left the headlamps
or parking lamps on. The battery
saver does not work if the
headlamps are turned on after the
ignition switch is turned to off.
If you need to leave the lamps on,
use the exterior lamp control to turn
the lamps back on. 

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-1
Infotainment
System
Introduction
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . 7-2
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Radio
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Diversity Antenna System . . . . 7-11
Satellite Radio Antenna . . . . . . 7-11
Audio Players
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
Phone
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Trademarks and License
Agreements
Trademarks and LicenseAgreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-25
Introduction
Infotainment
Determine which radio the vehicle
has and read the following pages to
become familiar with its features.
{WARNING
Taking your eyes off the road
for extended periods could cause
a crash resulting in injury or
death to you or others. Do not
give extended attention to
entertainment tasks while driving.
This system provides access to
many audio and non‐audio listings.
To minimize taking your eyes off the
road while driving, do the following
while the vehicle is parked:
.Become familiar with the
operation and controls of the
audio system.
.Set up the tone, speaker
adjustments, and preset
radio stations.
For more information, see Defensive
Driving on page 9‑3.
Notice: Contact your dealer
before adding any equipment.
Adding audio or communication
equipment could interfere with
the operation of the engine, radio,
or other systems, and could
damage them. Follow federal
rules covering mobile radio and
telephone equipment.
The vehicle has Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP,
the audio system can be played
even after the ignition is turned off.
See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑23 for more
information. 

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
8-4 Climate Controls
^(Air Conditioning Off):Press to
turn the air conditioning compressor
off. Press AUTO to return to
automatic operation. When in
AUTO, the air conditioning
compressor comes on automatically,
as needed.
Air conditioning does not operate at
temperatures below about 2°C to
4°C (35°F to 40°F). In temperatures
above 4°C (40°F), the air
conditioning cannot be turned off in
defrost and defog, as it helps to
remove moisture from the vehicle.
It also helps to keep the windows
clear.
You may notice a slight change in
engine performance when the air
conditioning compressor shuts off
and turns on again. This is normal.
The system is designed to make
adjustments to help with fuel
economy while still maintaining the
selected temperature.
On hot days, open the windows to
let hot inside air escape; then close
them. This helps to reduce the time it takes for the vehicle to cool down.
It also helps the system to operate
more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days
press the AUTO button and adjust
the temperature to a cool,
comfortable setting. To achieve
maximum cool down, do the
following:
1. Select
Hmode.
2. Press
?.
3. Select the a/c on.
4. Select the coolest temperature.
5. Select the highest fan speed.
Using these settings together for
long periods of time may cause the
air inside of your vehicle to become
too dry. To prevent this from
happening, after the air in the
vehicle has cooled, turn the
recirculation mode off.
The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air, so a
small amount of water might drip under the vehicle while idling or
after turning off the engine.
This is normal.
?(Recirculation):
Press to turn
the recirculation mode on or off. An
indicator light comes on to show
that recirculation is on. This mode
prevents outside air from entering
your vehicle. It can be used to
prevent outside air and odors from
entering your vehicle and to help
cool the air inside your vehicle more
quickly. Recirculation mode is not
available in defrost or defog mode.
Sensors
The solar sensor on the vehicle
monitors the solar heat and uses
the information to maintain the
selected temperature when
operating in AUTO mode by
automatically adjusting the
temperature, fan speed, and air
delivery system. The system may
also supply cooler air to the side of
the vehicle facing the sun. The
recirculation mode will also be
activated, as necessary. 

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Climate Controls 8-5
Do not cover the solar sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel near the windshield or the
system will not work properly.
There is also a sensor located
behind the front bumper. This
sensor reads the outside air
temperature and helps to maintain
the temperature inside the vehicle.
Any cover on the front of the vehicle
could give a false reading in the
temperature.
If the outside temperature goes up,
the displayed temperature will not
change until:
.The vehicle's speed is above
19 km/h (12 mph) for
five minutes.
.The vehicle's speed is above
52 km/h (32 mph) for two and
one‐half minutes.
These delays prevent false
readings. If the temperature goes
down, the outside temperature will
be shown when you start the
vehicle. If it has been turned off for less than three hours, the
temperature will be recalled from the
previous vehicle operation.
There is also an inside temperature
sensor located to the left of the
ignition switch. The automatic
climate control system uses this
sensor to receive information, so if
you block or cover it, the system will
not function properly.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog or frost
from the rear window.
The rear window defogger only
works when the engine is running.
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. Be sure to clear
as much snow from the rear window
as possible. An indicator light
comes on to show that the rear
window defogger is on.
The rear window defogger turns off
about 10 minutes after the button is
pressed when traveling less than 48 km/h (30 mph). If turned on
again, the defogger only runs for
about five minutes before turning
off. The defogger can also be turned
off by turning off the engine.
The vehicle has heated outside
rearview mirrors. The mirrors will
heat to help clear fog or frost from
the surface of the mirrors when the
rear window defogger button is
pressed.
For vehicles with a power
convertible top, the rear window
defogger and heated mirrors are
automatically disabled when the
power convertible top is moving
or down.
Notice:
Do not use anything
sharp on the inside of the rear
window. If you do, you could cut
or damage the warming grid, and
the repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle
license, tape, a decal, or anything
similar to the defogger grid. 

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. 

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