2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE towing

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
2012 Chevrolet Corvette Owner ManualM
Driving and Operating. . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-18
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-27
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-36
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-54 Vehicle Care
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application
Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Additional Maintenance
and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-12
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-15 Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-18
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-25
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the seat
during vehicle maneuvers and
braking, which helps the passenger
sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See
“Safety Belts”and“Child Restraints”
in the Index for additional
information about the importance
of proper restraint use.
If the shoulder portion of the belt is
pulled out all the way, the child
restraint locking feature will be
engaged. This may unintentionally
cause the passenger sensing
system to turn the airbag(s) off for
some adult size occupants. If this
happens, let the belt go back all the
way and start again.
A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion,
or aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and
seat massagers can affect how well
the passenger sensing system operates. We recommend that
you not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific
vehicle. See
Adding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑26 for more information
about modifications that can affect
how the system operates.
{WARNING
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the vehicle and the airbag system.
To purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13‑17.
{WARNING
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.

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 (2,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-2 Driving and Operating
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Gasoline Specifications(U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . 9-49
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-49
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention
away from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or
other electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information
into any navigation device prior
to driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-13
WARNING (Continued)
Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially
any that is blocking the exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm,
but be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 55 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑80.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, or with a manual transmission,
between 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and
R (Reverse), spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑86.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-15
Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axle. See“Certification
Label” later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1.
Locate the statement
“The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs” on your vehicle's
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle,
the amount of available
cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs (1400
−
750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, the load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.
Your vehicle is neither
designed nor intended to
tow a trailer.
Example 1
A. Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 1 =
(400 kg) (181 lbs)
B. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs) × 1 =
68 kg (150 lbs)
C. Available Occupant and Cargo Weight = 113 kg (250 lbs)

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-25
Shifting out of Park
Shift lock release prevents shifting
out of P (Park) unless the vehicle is
running or in accessory mode and
the brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9‐volt) battery. SeeJump Starting
on page 10‑82 for more information.
To shift out of P (Park) use the
following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Release the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑36.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the desired position. If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever
button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever
button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer or a professional towing
service.
Parking (Manual
Transmission)
Before you get out of the vehicle,
move the shift lever into R (Reverse)
and firmly apply the parking brake.
Once the shift lever has been
placed into R (Reverse) with the
clutch pedal pressed in, you can
turn the ignition off and release
the clutch.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-28 Driving and Operating
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. You have to fully apply the
brakes and then press the shift lever
button before you can shift from
P (Park) when the vehicle is
running. If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever and push the shift lever all the
way into P (Park) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the
shift lever button and move the shift
lever into another gear. SeeShifting
out of Park on page 9‑25.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑13. N (Neutral):
In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only. If the vehicle needs
towing, see Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑86.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle. D (Drive):
This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, push the pedal
down to achieve the desired level of
acceleration.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑5.
S (Sport Mode): When in
S (Sport Mode), the transmission will
work as an automatic until you use
the Manual Paddle Shift Controls,
which activates driver manual gear
selection. See Manual Mode on
page 9‑29. While in S (Sport Mode),
the transmission will have more
noticeable upshifts for sportier
vehicle performance.