2015 CHEVROLET CAMARO automatic transmission

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7695163) - 2015 - crc - 9/4/14
Driving and Operating 9-21
key is in the ignition. If the ignition
becomes difficult to turn, seeKeys
on page 2-1.
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
{Caution
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 9-61.
{Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
while starting the vehicle, damage
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
may occur to the hydraulic power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). 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.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in Neutral
and the parking brake engaged.
Hold the clutch pedal down to the
floor and start the engine. Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed
will go down as the engine
warms. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts.
{Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
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 let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. 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

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7695163) - 2015 - crc - 9/4/14
9-26 Driving and Operating
3. Remove the retainer and theshift lock manual release cover.
4. Push and hold the manual release lever toward the rear of
the vehicle.
5. Press the select button and move the shift lever to the
N (Neutral) position.
6. Release the lever.
7. After the vehicle has been moved, align the shift lock
manual release cover plate and
install the retainer so the
automatic transmission can
operate properly. 8. Place the console trim panel in
the original position, aligning the
fasteners on the trim panel with
the slots in the console. Press in
the side trim until it clicks in
place.
The shift lever locks if it is moved
back to the P (Park) position.Parking (Manual
Transmission)
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, before getting 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,
turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF,
remove the key, and release the
clutch.
If parking on a hill, or if the vehicle
is pulling a trailer, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9-56.
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.
Active Fuel Management®
Vehicles with V8 engines and an
automatic transmission, except ZL1,
have Active Fuel Management
®.
This system allows the engine to
operate on either all or half of its
cylinders, depending on the driving
conditions.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7695163) - 2015 - crc - 9/4/14
9-28 Driving and Operating
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.
SeeShifting Into Park on page 9-24
and Engine Exhaust on page 9-27.
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, see Parking (Manual
Transmission) on page 9-26.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9-56.
Automatic
Transmission
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
displays the current gear selected in
the lower left corner. When Sport
Mode is active, an S is displayed.
If Manual Mode or Electronic Range
Select (ERS) Mode are active, an M
and the current gear selected (Tap
Shift) or the maximum gear allowed
(ERS Mode) are displayed next to
the M.
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 on
page 9-24 andDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 9-56.

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7695163) - 2015 - crc - 9/4/14
Driving and Operating 9-29
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The regular brake must be
fully applied first and then the shift
lever button pressed before shifting
from P (Park) when the ignition key
is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out
of P (Park), ease pressure on the
shift lever, then 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.
{Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
{Caution
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. When the ZL1 is in
D (Drive), the first shift after start will
be from 1 (First) gear. Following
starts will begin in 2 (Second) gear.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7695163) - 2015 - crc - 9/4/14
9-30 Driving and Operating
If more power is needed for
passing, and the vehicle is:
.Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
Powertrain Braking (V6 and
V8 Engines Except ZL1)
When driving on steep descents
with the shift lever in D (Drive) or
M (Manual Mode) where frequent
braking is required, the transmission
will shift down a gear to help hold
vehicle speed and reduce brake
wear. If the driver continues to press
the brake, the transmission will
downshift until 3 (Third) gear is
reached.
If the brake is released for some
time, the transmission will upshift a
gear. If the road levels out and the
accelerator pedal is pressed, the
transmission will upshift until the
appropriate gear is reached.
{Caution
If the vehicle accelerates slowly,
or does not shift gears, the
transmission could be damaged.
Have the vehicle serviced
right away.
M (Manual Mode): This position
allows the driver to select gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions.
With the shift lever in M (Manual
Mode) position, vehicles with axle
code GW8 will enter ERS Mode.
See Manual Mode on page 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. See
Manual Mode on
page 9-31.
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

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7695163) - 2015 - crc - 9/4/14
Driving and Operating 9-31
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 to
approximately 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 gearat 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.
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 to
M (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.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7695163) - 2015 - crc - 9/4/14
9-32 Driving and Operating
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.
While in M (Manual Mode), the
transmission will prevent shifting to
a lower gear if the engine speed is
too high. If the tap down−(Minus)
paddle is held while the vehicle
slows down, the M in the DIC will
flash, and the downshift will be
allowed when vehicle speed is low
enough. Continuing to hold the tap
down −(Minus) paddle will not
cause the transmission to continue
downshifting. Each downshift must
be requested separately by
releasing and reapplying the tap
down −(Minus) paddle.
English
Metric
Vehicles equipped with a Head-Up
Display (HUD) may also have shift
timing lights across the top of the
display. As you approach a shift
point, the rows of lights grow closer
together. The transmission should
be shifted before the lights come
together in the middle of the display.
If the lights begin flashing, you have
exceeded the shift point. Shift
immediately.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7695163) - 2015 - crc - 9/4/14
Driving and Operating 9-33
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5-24 andHead-Up Display
(HUD) on page 5-28.
When in Tap Shift Mode, you can
exit Tap Shift by holding the right
(upshift) control for two seconds.
The transmission will return to
automatic shifting.
You may choose to briefly enter Tap
Shift Mode while in D (Drive).
Tapping either the upshift or
downshift control will place the
transmission in Tap Shift Mode. Exit
Tap Shift Mode by holding the
upshift control for two seconds. The
system will return to automatic
shifting after 10 seconds of cruising
at a steady speed, or when the
vehicle comes to a stop. You may use this for sport driving or
when climbing or descending hills,
to stay in gear longer, or to
downshift for more power or engine
braking. The transmission will only
allow you to shift into gears
appropriate for the vehicle speed
and engine revolutions per minute
(rpm). The transmission will not
automatically shift to the next higher
gear if the engine rpm is too high.
If shifting is prevented for any
reason, the message SHIFT
DENIED will appear in the DIC,
indicating that the transmission has
not shifted gears. While in the Tap
Shift Mode, the transmission will not
automatically downshift on hard
acceleration.
When coasting to a stop in Tap Shift
Mode, the V6 transmission will
automatically downshift to 1 (First)
gear, and the V8 transmission will
automatically downshift to
2 (Second) gear. A 1 (First) gear
start can be selected using the Tap
Shift controls on V8 models. When
accelerating from a stop, the
transmissions will hold these gears
until higher gears are manually
selected using the Tap Shift
controls.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift into
2 (Second) gear. A higher gear ratio
allows you to gain more traction on
slippery surfaces. ZL1 vehicles may
also be shifted into 3 (Third) gear.