Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 11/8/12
9-10 Driving and Operating
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill.
Steering may also be affected
when ignition is off. You could
crash. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear
when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C (32°
F) when freezing rain begins to fall,
resulting in even less traction. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated with salt
or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops on slippery roads, but
apply the brakes sooner than when
on dry pavement. See
Antilock
Brake System (ABS) on page 9‑32.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.
Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 11/8/12
Driving and Operating 9-11
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Assistance
Program (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑10. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems” in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑24.
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.
Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 11/8/12
9-20 Driving and Operating
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) for an automatic
transmission. For a manual
transmission the vehicle can be
started in Neutral or any other gear
as long as the clutch pedal is
pressed. To restart a vehicle with a
manual transmission when you are
already moving, use the Neutral
position only. To restart a vehicle
with an automatic transmission
when you are already moving, use
N (Neutral).
Notice:Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
The RKE transmitter must be inside
the vehicle for the ignition to work.
Cell phone chargers can interfere
with the operation of the Keyless
Access System. Battery chargers
should not be plugged in when
starting or turning off the engine. To start the vehicle, do the following:
1. For vehicles with an automatic
transmission, with your foot on
the brake pedal, press the
START button located on the
instrument panel. For vehicles
with a manual transmission, you
must also press in the clutch
pedal while pressing the START
button.
If there is not an RKE transmitter
in the vehicle or if there is
something causing interference
with it, the DIC will display
NO FOBS DETECTED. See Key
and Lock Messages on
page 5‑40 for more information.
2. When the engine begins cranking, let go of the button and
the engine cranks automatically
until it starts. If the battery in the
RKE transmitter is weak, the
DIC displays FOB BATTERY
LOW. You can still drive the
vehicle. See
“Battery Replacement”
under Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation on
page 2‑3 for more information.
If the fob battery is dead, you
need to insert the fob into the
fob slot to enable engine
starting. See “NO FOBS
DETECTED” underKey and
Lock Messages on page 5‑40.
3. Do not race the engine immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
4. If the engine does not start and no DIC message is displayed,
wait 15 seconds before trying
again to let the cranking motor
cool down.
If the engine does not start after
five to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 11/8/12
Driving and Operating 9-21
to the floor while cranking for up
to 15 seconds maximum. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, repeat these
steps. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by pressing
the START button immediately
after cranking has ended, can
overheat and damage the
cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. Once cranking has
been initiated, the engine continues
cranking for a few seconds or until
the vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start, cranking automatically stops after 15 seconds to prevent
cranking motor damage. To prevent
gear damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine is
already running.
Notice:
If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
on page 9‑50.
Stopping the Engine
If the vehicle has an automatic
transmission, move the shift lever to
P (Park) and press and hold the
Acc. (Off/Accessory) button, located
on the instrument panel, until the
engine shuts off. If the shift lever is
not in P (Park), the engine shuts off
and the vehicle goes into the
accessory mode. The DIC displays
SHIFT TO PARK. Once the shifter is
moved to P (Park), the vehicle turns
off. If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, it is recommended
that you move the shift lever to R (Reverse) and set the parking
brake after you turn off the engine
by pressing and holding the Acc.
(Off/Accessory) button.
If the RKE transmitter is not
detected inside the vehicle when it
is turned to off, the DIC displays
NO FOB
–OFF OR RUN?.
See Key and Lock Messages on
page 5‑40 for more information.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
These features continue to work up
to 10 minutes after the engine is
turned off or until either door is
opened. If a door is opened, the
power windows and audio system
will shut off.
Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 11/8/12
9-22 Driving and Operating
Shifting Into Park
(Automatic Transmission)
1. Hold the brake pedal down andset the parking brake. See
Parking Brake on page 9‑33 for
more information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by holding in the button on the
lever and pushing the lever all
the way toward the front of the
vehicle.
3. Press the Acc. button (ignition switch) to turn the engine off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running (Automatic
Transmission)
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑22. If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold
down the regular brake pedal. See if
you can move the shift lever away
from P (Park) without first pushing
the button on the lever. If you can, it
means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it difficult
to pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
This is called
“torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave
Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 11/8/12
Driving and Operating 9-23
the driver seat. To find out how, see
“Shifting Into P (Park)”previously in
this section.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the transmission
parking pawl, so you can pull the
shift lever out of P (Park).
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. See Jump Starting
on page 10‑75 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 9‑33.
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 (24,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 11/8/12
9-24 Driving and Operating
Engine Exhaust
{WARNING
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or tail pipes).
.The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
.The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
.The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified, damaged,
or improperly repaired.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
.Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
.Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑22 and
Engine Exhaust on page 9‑24. If the
vehicle has a manual transmission,
see Parking (Manual Transmission)
on page 9‑23.
Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 11/8/12
Driving and Operating 9-25
Automatic
Transmission
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P (Park):This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position to
use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑22.
Be sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
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. See
Shifting
out of Park on page 9‑23.
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 9‑12.