Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6042601) - 2014 - CRC - 1/21/14
9-14 Driving and Operating
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. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
on page 9-39.
{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 56 km/h (35 mph).
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 low
forward gear, 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 10-100.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle show
how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
(Continued)
Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6042601) - 2014 - CRC - 1/21/14
9-20 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
{Caution
Using a tool to force the key to
turn in the ignition could cause
damage to the switch or break the
key. Use the correct key, make
sure it is all the way in, and turn it
only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer.The key must be fully extended to
start the vehicle.
To shift out of P (Park), turn the
ignition to ON/RUN and apply the
brake pedal.
1 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/
OFF):
When the vehicle is stopped,
turn the ignition switch to LOCK/
OFF to turn the engine off. Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9-24.
This is the only position from which
the key can be removed. This locks
the steering wheel, ignition, and
automatic transmission.
On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must be
in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch
to the LOCK/OFF position.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags. The ignition switch can bind in the
LOCK/OFF position with the wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
move the steering wheel from right
to left while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to neutral,
continue to firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or Neutral with a
manual transmission. Turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6042601) - 2014 - CRC - 1/21/14
Driving and Operating 9-21
4. Set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake on page 9-37.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
2 (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position provides power to some of
the electrical accessories. It unlocks
the steering wheel and ignition. To
move the key from ACC/
ACCESSORY to LOCK/OFF, push
in the key and then turn it to
LOCK/OFF. 3 (ON/RUN):
The ignition switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories, including the
ventilation fan and 12-volt power
outlet, as well as to display some
warning and indicator lights. This
position can also be used for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. The transmission is also
unlocked in this position on
automatic transmission vehicles.
The battery could be drained if the
key is left in the ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN position with the engine
off. The vehicle might not start if the
battery is allowed to drain for an
extended period of time.
4 (START): This position starts the
engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON/RUN for normal
driving. A warning tone sounds when the
driver door is opened if the ignition
is still in ACC/ACCESSORY and the
key is in the ignition. If the ignition
becomes difficult to turn, see
Keys
on page 2-1.
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
vehicle when it is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
{Caution
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.
Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6042601) - 2014 - CRC - 1/21/14
Driving and Operating 9-31
With the shift lever in M (Manual
Mode) position, and without using
the Tap Shift controls on the
steering wheel, vehicles with any
axle other than GW8 will be in Sport
Mode. Sport Mode provides firmer,
quicker shifting. The transmission
will shift automatically until the Tap
Shift controls are used. Tap Shift
activates driver manual gear
selection. SeeManual Mode on
page 9-32.
V6 Models without Axle GW8, V8
Models Except ZL1
While driving in Sport Mode, if Tap
Shift has not been activated, the
transmission determines when the
vehicle is being driven in a
competitive manner. The
transmission may remain in a gear
longer than it would in the normal
driving mode based on throttle input
and vehicle lateral acceleration.
If there is a rapid reduction in
throttle from a heavy throttle
position, the transmission will
maintain the current gear up to near
redline rpm. While braking, the transmission will automatically
downshift to the next lower gear
keeping engine speed above
approximately 3000 rpm. If the
vehicle is then driven for a short
time at a steady speed, and without
high cornering loads, the
transmission will up-shift one gear
at a time, until 6 (Sixth) gear. After
shifting to 6 (Sixth) gear, or coming
to a complete stop, the transmission
will return to normal Sport Mode
shifting.
ZL1
While driving in Sport Mode, if Tap
Shift has not been activated, the
transmission determines when the
vehicle is being driven in a
competitive manner, in a straight
line or while turning. The
transmission may remain in a gear
longer than it would in the normal
driving mode based on throttle input
and vehicle lateral acceleration.
If there is a rapid reduction in
throttle from a heavy throttle
position, the transmission will
maintain the current gear up toapproximately 4600 rpm. While
braking, the transmission will
automatically downshift to the next
lower gear keeping engine speed
below approximately 3000 rpm.
If the vehicle is then driven for a
short time at a steady speed, and
without high cornering loads, the
transmission will up-shift one gear
at a time, until 6 (Sixth) gear. After
shifting to 6 (Sixth) gear, or coming
to a complete stop, the transmission
will return to normal sport mode
shifting.
If the vehicle detects aggressive
cornering, even without a heavy
application of the throttle, the
transmission will downshift and hold
a lower gear to near redline rpm, to
aid in vehicle handling balance and
to improve corner exit speeds.
Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6042601) - 2014 - CRC - 1/21/14
9-32 Driving and Operating
Manual Mode
Electronic Range Select
(ERS) Mode
Vehicles with axle code GW8 have
an ERS Mode. ERS Mode allows
you to choose the top-gear limit of
the transmission with fully automatic
gear selection. This can help control
the vehicle's speed while driving
downhill or towing a trailer. The
vehicle has an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument cluster. When using the
ERS mode a number will display
next to the M, indicating the current
maximum gear allowed. Vehicles
with this feature have indicators on
the steering wheel. The controls are
on the back of the steering wheel.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever toM (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus paddles on the back of the steering wheel,
to increase or decrease the gear
range available. When you shift from D (Drive) to
M (Manual Mode), the transmission
will shift to a lower gear range. The
highest gear available for this range
is displayed next to the M in the
DIC. The number displayed in the
DIC is the highest gear that the
transmission will be allowed to
operate in. This means that all
gears below that number are
available. For example, when
4 (Fourth) is shown next to the M,
1 (First) through 4 (Fourth) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle.
The transmission will not shift into
5 (Fifth) until the + (Plus) paddle is
used or you shift back into D (Drive).
While in M (Manual Mode), the
transmission will prevent shifting to
a lower gear range if the engine
speed is too high. The DIC will still
indicate the lower gear range
selected, but the transmission will
not initiate the downshift until the
vehicle has met a minimum speed
requirement.
Tap Shift
Vehicles with any axle other than
GW8 have a Tap Shift Mode. Tap
Shift allows you to manually control
the automatic transmission. To use
Tap Shift, the shift lever must be in
M (Manual Mode). Vehicles with this
feature have indicators on the
steering wheel. The controls are on
the back of the steering wheel. Tap
the left control to downshift, and the
right control to upshift. The DIC
display indicates the gear the
vehicle is in.
Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6042601) - 2014 - CRC - 1/21/14
Driving and Operating 9-37
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses the wheels are
slowing down. If one of the wheels
is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at
each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
you steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehiclesuddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You may hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate. This is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
To apply the parking brake, pull up
on the parking brake handle. It is
not necessary to press the release
button in while applying the parking
brake. If the ignition is in the ON/
RUN position, the brake system
warning light will come on. See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5-19.
To release the parking brake:
1. Hold the brake pedal down.
Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6042601) - 2014 - CRC - 1/21/14
9-44 Driving and Operating
Launch Control (V8 with
Manual Transmissions except
Z/28)
A Launch Control feature is
available, within Competitive Driving
Mode or PTM, on vehicles with a
manual transmission to allow the
driver to achieve high levels of
vehicle acceleration in a straight
line. Launch Control is a form of
traction control that manages tire
spin while launching the vehicle.
This feature is intended for use
during closed course race events
where consistent zero to sixty
and quarter mile times are
desirable.
Launch Control is only available
when the following criteria are met:
.Competitive Driving Mode is
selected or any of the PTM
modes are selected.
.The vehicle is not moving.
.The steering wheel is pointing
straight.
.The clutch is pressed and the
vehicle is in 1 (First) gear.
.The accelerator pedal is rapidly
applied to wide open throttle.
The Launch Control feature will
initially limit engine speed as the
driver rapidly applies the accelerator
pedal to wide open throttle.
A smooth, quick release of the
clutch, while maintaining the fully
pressed accelerator pedal, will
manage wheel slip. Complete shifts
are described in Manual
Transmission on page 9-34.
After the vehicle is launched, the
system continues in Competitive
Driving Mode or PTM.
Competitive Driving Mode, PTM,
and Launch Control are systems
designed for a closed course race
track and not intended for use on
public roads. The systems are not
intended to compensate for lack of
driver experience or familiarity with
the race track.
ZL1 Coupe Only
Use mode 5 for the most consistent
performance during drag strip use.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Vehicles with a limited-slip rear axle
can give more traction on snow,
mud, ice, sand, or gravel. When
traction is low, this feature allows
the drive wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle. The
limited-slip rear axle also gives the
driver enhanced control when
cornering hard or completing a
maneuver, such as a lane change.
Selective Ride Control
ZL1 Only
The vehicle has a ride control
system called Magnetic Selective
Ride Control. The system provides
the following performance benefits:
.Reduced Impact Harshness
.Improved Road Isolation
.Improved High-Speed Stability
Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6042601) - 2014 - CRC - 1/21/14
Driving and Operating 9-45
.Improved Handling Response
.Better Control of Body Ride
Motions
The Selective Ride buttons are on
the center console. Press to select
the suspension of your choice. The
indicator light will illuminate the
current suspension setting.TOUR:
Use for normal city and
highway driving. The −TOUR button
selects a suspension and Electric
Power Steering (EPS) calibration
that provides a smooth, soft ride.
SPORT: Use where road conditions
or personal preference demand
more control. The +SPORT button
selects a suspension and EPS
calibration that provides more “feel,”
or response to the road conditions.
The setting can be changed at any
time. Based on road conditions,
steering wheel angle, and the
vehicle speed, the system
automatically adjusts to provide the
best handling while providing a
smooth ride. The Tour and Sport
modes will feel similar on a smooth
road. Select a new setting whenever
driving conditions change. The Selective Ride button indicator
lights will not illuminate when any
PTM mode is selected. When this
mode is selected, pressing the
Selective Ride button will change
the PTM mode and the suspension
setting will be determined
automatically. See
Competitive
Driving Mode on page 9-41.
If a malfunction occurs with the
Selective Ride Control system, the
appropriate messages will be
displayed in the DIC. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5-38.