Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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176 Driving and Operating
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0199.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0196.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0328. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
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Vehicle Care 219
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 220
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 220
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 235
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 237
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 237
Cooling System (Engine) . . . . . 239
Cooling System (Aero Panel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 244 Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Battery - North America . . . . . . 248
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 250
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 251
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 251
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 252Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 253
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 254
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Competition Oriented Tires . . . 265
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 281
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
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Vehicle Care 263
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that
have been damaged by
impacts with potholes,
curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an
authorized tire service
center should repair,
replace, dismount, and
mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation 0272 for
inflation pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originally
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
roads. Consider installing winter
tires on the vehicle if frequent
driving on ice or snow covered
roads is expected. See your dealer
for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection.
Also, see Buying New Tires 0278.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
If using winter tires:
. Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
. Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires. Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Run-Flat Tires
This vehicle, when new, had run-flat
tires. There is no spare tire, no tire
changing equipment, and no place
to store a tire in the vehicle.
The vehicle also has a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
that indicates a loss of tire pressure
in any of the tires.
{Warning
If the low tire warning light
displays on the instrument cluster,
the handling capabilities will be
reduced during severe
maneuvers. Driving too fast could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured. Do not
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Vehicle Care 265
Caution (Continued)
when possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road
hazards.
Competition Oriented
Tires
This vehicle may come with P285/
30ZR19 and P335/25ZR20 Michelin
PS CUP2 competition oriented tires
that are DOT approved for street
use. Competition oriented tires use
a special tread pattern and
compound that provide more grip
than normal road tires. The
minimum tread depth will be
reached earlier than typical tires,
resulting in reduced tire life. This
special tread pattern and compound
will have decreased performance in
cold climates, heavy rain, and
standing water. It is recommended
that winter tires be installed on the
vehicle when driving at
temperatures below approximately10 °C (50 °F) or on ice or snow
covered roads. See
Winter
Tires 0263.
{Warning
Driving on wet roads, in heavy
rain, or through standing water
with competition oriented tires
may cause hydroplaning and loss
of control. Use extreme caution
and drive slowly on wet roads.
{Warning
Driving with competition oriented
tires on snow, ice, or cold road
surfaces can cause loss of control
or an accident. Competition
oriented tires are summer season
tires and are not intended to be
driven on snow, ice, or road
surfaces below 10 °C (50 °F). Do
not drive a vehicle with
competition oriented tires in these
conditions.
Caution
Competition oriented tires have
rubber compounds that lose
flexibility and may develop
surface cracks in the tread area
at temperatures below −7 °C
(20 °F). Always store competition
oriented tires indoors and at
temperatures above −7 °C (20 °F)
when not in use. If the tires have
been subjected to −7 °C (20 °F) or
less, let them warm up in a
heated space to at least 10 °C
(50 °F) for 24 hours or more
before being installed or driving a
vehicle on which they are
installed. Do not apply heat or
blow heated air directly on the
tires. Always inspect tires before
use. See Tire Inspection 0275.
Summer Tires
High Performance Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with high
performance summer tires. These
tires have a special tread and
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266 Vehicle Care
compound that are optimized for
maximum dry and wet road
performance. This special tread and
compound will have decreased
performance in cold climates, and
on ice and snow. It is recommended
that winter tires be installed on the
vehicle if frequent driving at
temperatures below approximately
5 °C (40 °F) or on ice or snow
covered roads is expected. See
Winter Tires0263.
Caution
High performance summer tires
have rubber compounds that lose
flexibility and may develop
surface cracks in the tread area
at temperatures below −7 °C
(20 °F). Always store high
performance summer tires
indoors and at temperatures
above −7 °C (20 °F) when not in
use. If the tires have been
subjected to −7 °C (20 °F) or less,
let them warm up in a heated
space to at least 5 °C (40 °F) for
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
24 hours or more before being
installed or driving a vehicle on
which they are installed. Do not
apply heat or blow heated air
directly on the tires. Always
inspect tires before use. See Tire
Inspection 0275.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into its sidewall. The
examples show a typical
passenger tire sidewall.Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
(1) Tire Size:The tire size is a
combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size” illustration later in this
section for more detail.
(2) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
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278 Vehicle Care
of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. When
replacement tires are needed,
GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of thevehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by MS for mud
and snow. See
Tire Sidewall
Labeling 0266, for additional
information.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four.
Uniform tread depth on all tires
will help to maintain the
performance of the vehicle.
Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time.
If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires should wear out at
about the same time. See Tire
Rotation 0276 for information on proper tire rotation. However,
if it is necessary to replace only
one axle set of worn tires, place
the new tires on the rear axle.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H,
V, W, and ZR speed rated tires.
Never exceed the winter tire's
maximum speed capability when
using winter tires with a lower
speed rating.
{Warning
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
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280 Vehicle Care
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from thenorm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
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Customer Information 329
Services Provided
.Emergency Fuel Delivery:
Delivery of enough fuel for the
vehicle to get to the nearest
service station.
. Lock-Out Service: Service to
unlock the vehicle if you are
locked out. A remote unlock may
be available if you have OnStar.
For security reasons, the driver
must present identification
before this service is given.
. Emergency Tow from a Public
Road or Highway: Tow to the
nearest Chevrolet dealer for
warranty service, or if the vehicle
was in a crash and cannot be
driven. Assistance is not given
when the vehicle is stuck in the
sand, mud, or snow.
. Flat Tire Change: Service to
change a flat tire with the spare
tire. The spare tire, if equipped,
must be in good condition and
properly inflated. It is the owner's
responsibility for the repair or
replacement of the tire if it is not
covered by the warranty. .
Battery Jump Start: Service to
jump start a dead battery.
. Trip Interruption Benefits and
Assistance: If your trip is
interrupted due to a warranty
event, incidental expenses may
be reimbursed within the
Powertrain warranty period.
Items considered are reasonable
and customary hotel, meals,
rental car, or a vehicle being
delivered back to the customer,
up to 805 km (500 mi).
Services Not Included in
Roadside Assistance
. Impound towing caused by
violation of any laws.
. Legal fines.
. Mounting, dismounting,
or changing of snow tires,
chains, or other traction devices.
Service is not provided if a vehicle
is in an area that is not accessible
to the service vehicle or is not a
regularly traveled or maintained
public road, which includes ice and
winter roads. Off-road use is not
covered.
Services Specific to
Canadian-Purchased Vehicles
. Fuel Delivery: Reimbursement
is up to 7 liters. If available,
diesel fuel delivery may be
restricted. Propane and other
fuels are not provided through
this service.
. Lock-Out Service: Vehicle
registration is required.
. Trip Interruption Benefits and
Assistance: Must be over
150 km from where your trip was
started to qualify.
Pre-authorization, original
detailed receipts, and a copy of
the repair orders are required.
Once authorization has been
received, the Roadside
Assistance advisor will help to
make arrangements and explain
how to receive payment.
. Alternative Service: If
assistance cannot be provided
right away, the Roadside
Assistance advisor may give
permission to get local
emergency road service. You will
receive payment, up to $100,