Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6007198) - 2014 - CRC - 2/5/14
10-10 Vehicle Care
1. Engine Oil Dipstick. See“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10-10.
2. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank Fill Cap. See “Changing Engine Oil
and Filter” Engine Oil on
page 10-10.
3. Passenger Compartment Air
Filter on page 8-5 (Out of View).
4. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10-22.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10-36.
6. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10-18.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) on page 10-20 or
Cooling System (Aero Panel) on
page 10-21.
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” underBrakes on
page 10-27. 9. Clutch Master Cylinder
Reservoir (If Equipped). See
Hydraulic Clutch on page 10-17.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10-26.
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10-16.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
(Except Z51)
If the ENGINE OIL LOW–ADD OIL
message displays on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), check the
engine oil level right away. See
Engine Oil Messages on page 5-35.
Check the engine oil level regularly.
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 10-7 for the location of the
engine oil dipstick.
Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6007198) - 2014 - CRC - 2/5/14
Vehicle Care 10-23
Warning (Continued)
coolant mixture. With plain water
or the wrong mixture, the engine
could get too hot but you would
not get the overheat warning. The
engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
mixture of 40% DEX-COOL
coolant and 60% clean, drinkable
water.
Use a mixture of 40% DEX-COOL
coolant and 60% clean, drinkable
water. If using this mixture, nothing
else needs to be added. This
mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down
to −28°C (−18°F), outside
temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to
129°C (265°F), engine
temperature.
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
{Caution
If improper coolant mixture,
inhibitors, or additives are used in
the vehicle cooling system, the
engine could overheat and be
damaged. Too much water in the
mixture can freeze and crack
engine cooling parts. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Use only the
proper mixture of engine coolant
for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11-12.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on
the ground, or into sewers, streams,
or bodies of water. Have the coolant
changed by an authorized service
center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
If ambient temperatures are
anticipated below
−28°C (−18°F),
make sure a proper mixture ratio of
50% DEX-COOL coolant and 50%
clean, drinkable water is used.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level is not at or
above the cold fill line, add a
mixture of 40% DEX-COOL coolant
and 60% clean, drinkable water at
the coolant recovery tank, but be
sure the cooling system is cool
before this is done. See Engine
Overheating on page 10-25.
Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6007198) - 2014 - CRC - 2/5/14
10-24 Vehicle Care
The engine coolant surge tank is
toward the rear of the engine
compartment on the passenger side
of the vehicle. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 10-7.
When the engine is cold, the coolant
level should be at the cold fill line on
the coolant surge tank.
When the engine is hot, the level
could be higher than the cold fill
line. If the coolant is below the cold
fill line when the engine is hot, there
could be a leak in the cooling
system.
If the coolant is low, add the coolant
or take the vehicle to a dealer for
service.
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
{Warning
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling
system and surge tank pressure
cap to cool. If coolant is needed, add the proper
DEX-COOL coolant mixture directly
to the surge tank, but be sure the
cooling system is cool before this
is done.
1. When the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank
pressure cap and upper radiator
hose, is no longer hot, remove
the pressure cap.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about
one-quarter turn and then stop.
If a hiss is heard, wait for that to
stop. A hiss means there is still
some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper DEX-COOL coolant
mixture until the level inside
stabilizes at the cold fill line on
the front of the surge tank.
Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6007198) - 2014 - CRC - 2/5/14
Vehicle Care 10-25
4. With the coolant surge tankpressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
upper radiator hose can be felt
getting hot. Any time during this
procedure, watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level stabilizes at the
cold fill line on the coolant
surge tank.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly. Check the level in the surge tank
when the system has cooled
down. If the coolant is not at the
proper level, repeat Steps 1−4,
then reinstall the pressure cap.
If the coolant is not at the proper
level when the system cools
down again, see the dealer.{Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the
instrument cluster. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge on
page 5-12. The vehicle may also
display a message on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Engine Cooling System Messages
on page 5-34.
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood but to get service help right
away, see Roadside Assistance
Program on page 13-5. If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface.
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fan is running. If the engine
is overheating, the fan should be
running. If it is not, do not continue
to run the engine and have the
vehicle serviced.{Caution
Running the engine without
coolant may cause damage or a
fire. Vehicle damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine
{Warning
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
(Continued)
Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6007198) - 2014 - CRC - 2/5/14
Service and Maintenance 11-3
Maintenance
Schedule
Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Check the engine oil level. See
Engine Oil on page 10-10.
Once a Month
.Check the tire inflation
pressures. See Tire Pressure on
page 10-51.
.Inspect the tires for wear. See
Tire Inspection on page 10-56.
.Check the windshield washer
fluid level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10-26.
Engine Oil Change
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, have the
engine oil and filter changed within
the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven
under the best conditions, the
engine oil life system might not
indicate the need for vehicle service
for more than a year. The engine oil
and filter must be changed at least
once a year and the oil life system
must be reset. Your trained dealer
technician can perform this work.
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since the
last service. Reset the oil life
system when the oil is changed.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10-16.
Required Services Every
12 000 km/7,500 mi
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil on page 10-10 andEngine
Oil Life System on page 10-16.
.Check engine coolant level. See
Engine Coolant on page 10-22.
.Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10-26.
.Visually inspect windshield wiper
blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. See Exterior
Care on page 10-78. Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10-33.