2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE sensor

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-5
Door Locks
From the outside, pressQorK
on the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter.
A. Door Handle Sensor
B. Power Door Lock Switch
C. Door Latch Button
With the RKE transmitter within
range, grip the door handle
sensor (A). SeeRemote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation on
page 2‑3. From the inside, use the power door
lock switch (B).
Q:
Press to lock the doors.
K: Press to unlock the doors.
To open a door from the inside,
push the door latch button (C).
A tone will sound when the button
is pushed.
See Power Door Locks on
page 2‑10.
Loss of Vehicle Electrical
Power
If the vehicle has lost battery power,
the driver door can be opened
manually. Inside the VehiclePull the door release handle.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-3
This vehicle has a keyless access
system with pushbutton start. See
Ignition Positions on page 9‑19for
information on starting the vehicle.
Notice: If you ever lose your
transmitter(s) and/or key, it could
be difficult to get into your
vehicle. You may even have to
damage your vehicle to get in.
Be sure you have a spare
transmitter and/or key.
If locked out of the vehicle, contact
Roadside Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑8 orRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑10.
With an active OnStar subscription,
an OnStar Advisor may remotely
unlock the vehicle. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1.Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑21 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
If there is a decrease in the
RKE operating range:
.Check the distance. The
transmitter may be too far from
the vehicle.
.Check the location. Other
vehicles or objects may be
blocking the signal.
.Check the transmitter's battery.
See “Battery Replacement” later
in this section.
.If the transmitter is still not
working correctly, see your
dealer or a qualified technician
for service.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter functions work up to
30 m (100 ft) away from the vehicle.
Keyless Unlocking
Press the door handle sensor to
unlock and open the doors if the
RKE transmitter is within range.
See Door Locks on page 2‑8 and
“Passive Door Unlock” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑55 for additional information.
Keyless Locking
The doors lock after several
seconds if all doors are closed and
at least one RKE transmitter has
been removed from the interior of
the vehicle. To customize whether
the doors automatically lock when
exiting the vehicle, see “Passive
Door Locking” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑55 for
additional information.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
2-8 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers—especially
children —can easily open
the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door
is locked it will not open. You
increase the chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors are not
locked. So, wear safety belts
properly and lock the doors
whenever you drive.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock
your vehicle whenever
you leave it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
your vehicle. Locking your
doors can help prevent this
from happening.
From the outside, press
Qor"on
the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter.
A. Door Handle Sensor
B. Power Door Lock Switch
C. Door Latch Button
With the RKE transmitter within
range, grip the door handle
sensor (A). See Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation on
page 2‑3. When the passenger door
is opened first, the driver door will
also unlock.
From the inside, use the power door
lock switch (B). See Power Door
Locks on page 2‑10.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
2-14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Arming the System
To arm the system, pressQon the
RKE transmitter, or open the door
and lock the door with the power
door lock switch. The security light
should flash. Remove the RKE
transmitter from inside the vehicle
and close the door. The security
light stops flashing and stays on.
After 30 seconds, the light should
turn off.
The vehicle can be programmed to
automatically lock the doors and
arm the theft-deterrent system when
you exit the vehicle. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑55.
If a door or the hatch/trunk is
opened without using the RKE
transmitter, the alarm goes off. The
horn sounds for two minutes, then
goes off to save battery power. The
vehicle will not start without a RKE
transmitter present. The theft-deterrent system does not
arm if the driver door is locked with
the power door lock switch after the
doors are closed.
If the RKE transmitter is removed
from the vehicle while a passenger
is in it, have them lock the doors
after they are closed. The alarm will
not arm, so the passenger will not
set it off.
Testing the Alarm
To test the system use the following
procedure.
1. Make sure the trunk lid/hatch is
latched.
2. Lower the window on the driver door.
3. Manually arm the system.
4. Close the doors and wait 30 seconds. 5. Reach through the open window
and manually pull the release
lever on the floor.
6. Press the unlock button on the transmitter to turn off the alarm.
If the alarm does not sound, check
to see if the horn works. The horn
fuse may be blown. See Fuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 10‑51.
If the horn works, but the alarm
does not go off, see your dealer.Disarming the System
Press the unlock button on the
RKE transmitter or squeeze the
door handle sensor while the
transmitter is near the vehicle to
unlock a door. Unlocking a door any
other way sets off the alarm. If the
alarm sounds, press the unlock
button on the RKE transmitter to
disarm it.
Do not leave the key or device
that disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-19
In addition, the vehicle has
dual-stage frontal airbags.
Dual-stage airbags adjust the
restraint according to crash severity.
The vehicle has electronic frontal
sensors, which help the sensing
system distinguish between a
moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. For moderate
frontal impacts, dual-stage airbags
inflate at a level less than full
deployment. For more severe frontal
impacts, full deployment occurs.
Depending on the model, the
vehicle may have one or two seat
position sensors. The seat position
sensor(s) enable the sensing
system to monitor the position of
the driver seat (all models
except Z06 and ZR1) and the
front outboard passenger seat
(all models). Seat position sensor(s)
provide information that is used in
determining whether the airbags
should inflate at a reduced or
full level.The vehicle has seat-mounted side
impact airbags. See
Airbag System
on page 3‑15. Seat-mounted side
impact airbags are intended to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes, depending on the location
of the impact. Seat-mounted side
impact airbags will inflate if the
crash severity is above the
system's designed threshold level.
The threshold level can vary with
specific vehicle design.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags
are not intended to inflate in frontal
impacts, near-frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is intended to inflate on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
vehicle damage or repair costs.What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag location, see Where Are
the Airbags? on page 3‑17.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
3-22 Seats and Restraints
The passenger sensing system
will turn off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
under certain conditions. No other
airbag is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the front outboard passenger seat.
The sensors are designed to detect
the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag should be allowed to
inflate or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight and
size. We recommend that
rear-facing child restraints not be
transported in the vehicle, even if
the airbags are off.Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front. This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag inflates.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the passenger frontal
airbag inflates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to
the inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
passenger frontal airbag inflates
and the passenger seat is in a
forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the front
outboard passenger airbag(s), no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
inflate under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag(s) are off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the
airbag(s) are off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the front outboard passenger
seat, always move the seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a
rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint, a
rear-facing child restraint should not
be installed in the vehicle, even if
the airbags are off.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
3-26 Seats and Restraints
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end or side sheet
metal, may keep the airbag system
from working properly. The
operation of the airbag system can
also be affected by changing or
moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and
diagnostic module, steering wheel,
instrument panel, inside rearview
mirror, front sensors, or airbag
wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag
wiring.In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
front outboard passenger position,
which includes sensors that are
part of the passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system may not
operate properly if the original seat
trim is replaced with non-GM
covers, upholstery or trim, or with
GM covers, upholstery or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any
object, such as an aftermarket seat
heater or a comfort enhancing pad
or device, installed under or on top
of the seat fabric, could also
interfere with the operation of the
passenger sensing system.
This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger
sensing system from properly
turning off the passenger airbag(s).
See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑21. If you have to modify your vehicle
because you have a disability and
have questions about whether the
modifications will affect the vehicle's
airbag system, or if you have
questions about whether the airbag
system will be affected if the vehicle
is modified for any other reason,
call Customer Assistance.
See
Customer Assistance Offices
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑5 or
Customer Assistance Offices
(Mexico) on page 13‑6.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-18 Instruments and Controls
Airbag Readiness Light
The system checks the airbag's
electrical system for possible
malfunctions. If the light stays on
it indicates there is an electrical
problem. The system check
includes the airbag sensor(s),
the passenger sensing system, the
pretensioners, the airbag modules,
the wiring, and the crash sensing
and diagnostic module. For more
information on the airbag system,
seeAirbag System on page 3‑15.
The airbag readiness light flashes
for a few seconds when the engine
is started. If the light does not come
on then, have it fixed immediately.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light stays
on after the vehicle is started or
comes on while driving, it means
the airbag system might not be
working properly. The airbags in
the vehicle might not inflate in a
crash, or they could even inflate
without a crash. To help avoid
injury, have the vehicle serviced
right away.
If there is a problem with the airbag
system, an airbag Driver Information
Center (DIC) message can also
come on. See Vehicle Messages on
page 5‑36 for more information.
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
The vehicle has the passenger
sensing system. See Passenger
Sensing System on page 3‑21 for
important safety information. The
rearview mirror has a passenger
airbag status indicator.
United States