Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085364) - 2016 - crc - 9/15/15
Driving and Operating 201
Manual Transmissions
.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. Allow
the engine rpm to stabilize.
A smooth, quick release of the
clutch, while maintaining the fully
pressed accelerator pedal, will
manage wheel slip. Complete shifts
as described in Manual
Transmission 0187.
Automatic Transmissions
. The brake pedal must be firmly
pressed to the floor, equivalent
to a panic brake event.
. The accelerator pedal is rapidly
applied to wide open throttle. (If
the vehicle rolls due to wide
open throttle, release the
throttle, press the brake pedal
more firmly, and re-apply the
accelerator 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. Allow
the engine rpm to stabilize.
A smooth, quick release of the
brake pedal, while maintaining the
fully pressed accelerator pedal, will
manage wheel slip.
After the vehicle is launched, the
system continues in Competitive
Driving Mode (except Z51 and Z06
with Magnetic Ride Control) or
Performance Traction Management
(Z51 and Z06 with Magnetic Ride
Control).
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.Limited-Slip Differential
(Except Z51 and Z06)
If equipped, the mechanical
limited-slip differential can give more
traction on snow, mud, ice, sand,
or gravel. It works like a standard
axle most of the time, but when
traction is low, this feature allows
the drive wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle. For
vehicles with limited slip differential,
driven under severe conditions, the
rear axle fluid should be changed.
See
Competitive Driving Mode
0 198 andMaintenance
Schedule 0298.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085364) - 2016 - crc - 9/15/15
202 Driving and Operating
Limited-Slip Differential
(Z51 and Z06 Only)
If equipped, the Electronic
Limited-Slip Differential (ELSD) is
automatically activated. ELSD
actively monitors vehicle sensors
and driver inputs to determine the
amount of change for the
conditions. With ELSD, the
vehicle has:
.Enhanced high-speed control.
. Improved traction through
corners, allowing more
acceleration.
. More precise steering.
. Increased vehicle agility.
. Integration with StabiliTrak.
For vehicles with ELSD, driven
under severe conditions, the rear
axle fluid should be changed. See
Competitive Driving Mode 0198
and Maintenance Schedule 0298.
Cruise Control
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more
can be maintained without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
If equipped with a manual
transmission, the cruise control will
remain active when the gears are
shifted. The cruise is disengaged if
the clutch is pressed for several
seconds. If the Traction Control System (TCS)
begins to limit wheel spin while you
are using cruise control, the cruise
control automatically disengages.
See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0192. When road
conditions allow for using safely
again, cruise control can be turned
back on.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.
1(On/Off) : Press to turn cruise
control on or off. A white indicator
comes on in the instrument cluster
when cruise is turned on.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085364) - 2016 - crc - 9/15/15
204 Driving and Operating
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previously set cruise speed.
While pressing the accelerator pedal
or shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing SET/–will result in cruise
set to the current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your
speed. When going downhill, you
might have to brake or shift to a
lower gear to keep your speed
down. If the brake pedal is applied,
cruise control will disengage. Cruise Control in Manual Paddle
Shift Gear Selection
When the vehicle is in M (Manual
Mode) and the manual paddle shift
controls are not being used, cruise
control operates in the same
manner as D (Drive).
When the vehicle is in M (Manual
Mode) and the manual paddle shift
controls are being used, cruise
control operates as follows:
.
If cruise control is active and a
gear is selected with the manual
paddle shift controls, the vehicle
speed is maintained in the driver
selected gear and will not
automatically upshift or
downshift the transmission while
the driver ’s gear selection is
active.
. If driving in hilly terrain, cruise
control may not be able to
maintain vehicle speed if an
upshift or downshift is not
selected by the driver. While
driving on hilly terrain and cruise
control is active with a manual
paddle shift gear selection, the
driver must select the proper gear for the terrain or select D
(Drive) on the shift lever for full
automatic transmission
operation.
Ending Cruise Control
. Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press the clutch pedal for
several seconds or shift to
N (Neutral) (manual
transmissions).
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral) (automatic
transmissions).
. Press
*.
. To turn off cruise control,
press
1.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
1is pressed
or if the ignition is turned off.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085364) - 2016 - crc - 9/15/15
212 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 213
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 213
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 228
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 229
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 230
Cooling System (Engine) . . . . . 232
Cooling System (Aero Panel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 237 Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Battery - North America . . . . . . 241
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 243
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 244
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 244
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 245Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 246
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 247
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Competition Oriented Tires . . . 257
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 273
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085364) - 2016 - crc - 9/15/15
Vehicle Care 219
1.Passenger Compartment Air
Filter 0156 (Out of View). See
Passenger Compartment Air
Filter 0156.
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0235.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0247.
4. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0230.
5. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0232 orCooling
System (Aero Panel) 0234.
6. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0223. 7. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0223.
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0240.
9. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir (If Equipped). See
Hydraulic Clutch 0230.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer
Fluid 0238.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085364) - 2016 - crc - 9/15/15
Vehicle Care 221
1. Engine Oil Dipstick. See“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0223.
2. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank Fill Cap. See “Changing Engine Oil
and Filter” Engine Oil 0223.
3. Passenger Compartment Air
Filter 0156 (Out of View). See
Passenger Compartment Air
Filter 0156.
4. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0235.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0247. 6.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0230.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0232 orCooling
System (Aero Panel) 0234.
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0240.
9. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir (If Equipped). See
Hydraulic Clutch 0230.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer
Fluid 0238.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085364) - 2016 - crc - 9/15/15
Vehicle Care 223
1. Engine Oil Dipstick. See“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0223.
2. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank Fill Cap. See “Changing Engine Oil
and Filter” Engine Oil 0223.
3. Passenger Compartment Air
Filter 0156 (Out of View). See
Passenger Compartment Air
Filter 0156.
4. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0235.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0247.
6. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0230.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0232 orCooling
System (Aero Panel) 0234.
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0240.
9. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir (If Equipped). See
Hydraulic Clutch 0230. 10. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer
Fluid 0238.
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:
.
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 0228.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil (Except
Stingray with Z51 and Z06)
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 0123. 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.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 218 for the location of the engine
oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
check within five and
10 minutes of shutoff.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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230 Vehicle Care
reason for fluid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to the
dealer and have it repaired as soon
as possible. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0307 for the
proper fluid to use.
Hydraulic Clutch
It is not necessary to regularly
check clutch fluid unless you
suspect there is a leak in the
system. Adding fluid will not correct
a leak. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired.
The fluid will darken over time. See
Maintenance Schedule 0298 for
when to replace the fluid.
When to Check and What
to Use
The hydraulic clutch fluid reservoir
cap has this symbol on it. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 218 for reservoir location.
Refer to Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0307 for the proper fluid
to use. The fluid requires changing.
See Maintenance Schedule 0298.
How to Check and Add Fluid
Visually check the clutch fluid
reservoir to make sure the fluid level
is at the MIN (minimum) line on the
side of the reservoir. The hydraulic
clutch fluid system should be closed
and sealed.
Do not remove the cap to check the
fluid level or to top off the fluid level.
Remove the cap only when
necessary to add the proper fluid
until the level reaches the MIN line.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 218 for the location of the engine
air cleaner/filter.
Caution
If water is sprayed and enters the
engine air cleaner/filter intake and
housing, the engine could be
damaged. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
For intervals on changing and
inspecting the engine air cleaner/
filter, see Maintenance
Schedule 0298.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Do not start the engine or have the
engine running with the engine air
cleaner/filter housing open. Before
removing the engine air cleaner/
filter, make sure that the engine air
cleaner/filter housing and nearby
components are free of dirt and
debris. Remove the engine air
cleaner/filter. Lightly tap and shake
the engine air cleaner/filter (away
from the vehicle), to release loose