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182 Driving and Operating
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 0179 and
Engine Exhaust 0181. If the vehicle
has a manual transmission, see
Parking (Manual
Transmission) 0180.
Automatic
Transmission
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P : This position locks the rear
wheels. It is the best position to use
when starting the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily.
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Driving and Operating 183
{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).
SeeShifting Into Park 0179.
Be sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. Fully apply the brakes and
then press the shift lever button
before shifting from P (Park) when
the vehicle is running. If the vehicle
cannot be shifted out of P (Park),
ease pressure on the shift lever and
push the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as brake application is
maintained. Then press the shift
lever button and move the shift lever
into another gear. See
Shifting out
of Park 0180.
R : 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
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 0170.
N : 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. If the vehicle needs towing,
see Towing the Vehicle 0287.
{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.
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.
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184 Driving and Operating
D :This position is for normal
driving. It provides the best fuel
economy. If more power is needed
for passing, push the pedal down to
achieve the desired level of
acceleration.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control 0161.
The transmission can be shifted like
a manual transmission using the
paddle shift controls while in
D (Drive). See Manual Mode0184.
M : In M (Manual Mode), the
transmission can be shifted like a
manual transmission using the
paddle shift controls. See Manual
Mode 0184.Manual Mode
Manual Paddle Shift
When the shift lever is moved to
M (Manual Mode), the transmission
enters Manual Mode. The
transmission will hold the current
gear until a change is requested.
The paddles on the steering wheel
can be used to manually upshift or
downshift the transmission. The
right (+) plus paddle upshifts, and
the left (−) minus paddle downshifts.
When using the Manual Paddle
Shift feature while in M (Manual
Mode), the current gear will be
displayed in the instrument cluster,
or the Head-Up Display (HUD),
if equipped. See Head-Up Display
(HUD) 0115.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
shifting to 2 (Second) gear allows
the vehicle to gain more traction.
The Manual Paddle Shift system
can be deactivated by moving the
shift lever from M (Manual Mode)
back to D (Drive).
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SeeTransmission Messages 0129.
Downshifting
Do not downshift into the gear at a
speed greater than shown:
1 (First) 72 km/h (45 mph)
2 (Second) 107 km/h (67 mph) 3 (Third) 160 km/h (100 mph)
4 (Fourth) 233 km/h (145 mph)
Caution
When downshifting, if more than
one gear is skipped, or the engine
is racing when the clutch pedal is
released, the engine, clutch,
driveshaft or transmission could
be damaged.
If the engine speed drops below
900 rpm, or if the engine is not
running smoothly, downshift to the
next lower gear. It may be
necessary to downshift two or more
gears. The transmission has a spring that
centers the shift lever near 3 (Third)
and 4 (Fourth). This spring helps to
know what gear the shift lever is in
when shifting. Be careful when
shifting from 1 (First) to 2 (Second)
or downshifting from 7 (Seventh) to
6 (Sixth). The spring will try to pull
the shift lever toward 4 (Fourth) and
3 (Third). Move the lever into
2 (Second) or 6 (Sixth) and do not
let the shift lever move in the
direction of the pulling, or it could
shift from 1 (First) to 4 (Fourth) or
from 7 (Seventh) to 4 (Fourth).
If the vehicle is not upshifted as the
engine speed approaches fuel
shutoff rpm, the engine speed will
be limited to protect the engine. See
Tachometer
0101.
Active Rev Match
Vehicles equipped with a manual
transmission have Active Rev Match
(ARM). ARM aids in smoother
shifting by matching the engine
speed to the next selected gear. By
monitoring shift lever and clutch
operation, ARM adjusts engine speed to match a calibrated value
based on gear selection. On
upshifts and downshifts, engine
speed will be increased and
decreased to match vehicle road
speed and transmission gear
position. ARM is maintained for a
few seconds between shifts, then
deactivates if the shift is not
completed.The system is activated and
deactivated by pressing either of the
paddles marked REV MATCH on
the steering wheel. The system
must be activated with each new
ignition cycle.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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190 Driving and Operating
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 vehicle
suddenly 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.
Electric Parking Brake
The vehicle has an Electric Parking
Brake (EPB). The switch is on the
center console. The EPB can
always be activated, even if the
ignition is off. To prevent draining
the battery, avoid repeated cycles of
the EPB when the engine is not
running.
The system has a red parking brake
status light and an amber parking
brake warning light. SeeElectric
Parking Brake Light 0108 and
Service Electric Parking Brake Light
0 109. There are also parking
brake-related Driver Information
Center (DIC) messages. See Brake
System Messages 0120. In case of
insufficient electrical power, the EPB
cannot be applied or released.
Before leaving the vehicle, check
the red parking brake status light to
ensure that the parking brake is
applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:
1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
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Driving and Operating 191
2. Lift up the EPB switchmomentarily.
The red parking brake status light
will flash and then stay on once the
EPB is fully applied. If the red
parking brake status light flashes
continuously, then the EPB is only
partially applied or there is a
problem with the EPB. A DIC
message will display. Release the
EPB and try to apply it again. If the
light does not come on, or keeps
flashing, have the vehicle serviced.
Do not drive the vehicle if the red
parking brake status light is flashing.
See your dealer. See Electric
Parking Brake Light 0108.
If the amber parking brake warning
light is on, lift up on the EPB switch
and hold it up. Continue to hold the
switch until the red parking brake
status light remains on. If the amber
parking brake warning light remains
on, see your dealer.
If the EPB is applied while the
vehicle is moving, the vehicle will
decelerate as long as the switch is held up. If the switch is held up until
the vehicle comes to a stop, the
EPB will remain applied.
The vehicle may automatically apply
the EPB in some situations when
the vehicle is not moving. This is
normal, and is done to periodically
check the correct operation of the
EPB system.
If the EPB fails to apply, the rear
wheels should be blocked to
prevent vehicle movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB:
1. Place the ignition in the ACC/ ACCESSORY or ON/RUN/
START position.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Push down momentarily on the EPB switch.
The EPB is released when the red
parking brake status light is off.
If the amber parking brake warning
light is on, release the EPB by
pushing down on the EPB switch and holding it down. Continue to
hold the switch until the red parking
brake status light is off. If either light
stays on after release is attempted,
see your dealer.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
The EPB can also be used to
prevent roll back for vehicles with a
manual transmission taking off on a
hill. When no roll back is desired, an
applied EPB will allow both feet to
be used for the clutch and
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192 Driving and Operating
accelerator pedals in preparation for
starting the vehicle moving in the
intended direction. In this case,
there is no need to push the switch
to release the EPB.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
If equipped, HSA may automatically
activate when the vehicle is stopped
on a grade. This feature is designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling,
either forward or rearward, during
vehicle drive off. During the
transition from releasing the brake
pedal to accelerating to drive off on
a grade, HSA holds the braking
pressure to prevent rolling. HSA will
not activate if the vehicle is in a
drive gear and facing downhill or if
the vehicle is facing uphill and in
R (Reverse).
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and a StabiliTrak
system. These systems help limit
wheel spin and assist the driver in
maintaining control, especially on
slippery road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that the
rear wheels are spinning too much
or are beginning to lose traction.
When this happens, TCS applies
the brakes to the spinning wheel
and reduces engine power (by
closing the throttle and managing
engine spark) to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
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If cruise control is being used when
TCS begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control will automatically
disengage. Cruise control may be
reengaged when road conditions
allow. SeeCruise Control 0202.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0170
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.
Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin.
. Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated.
. Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine. Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may need
more time to diagnose the problem.
If the condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
The TCS/StabiliTrak button is on the
center console.