2018 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS Owners Manual

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11348325) - 2018 - crc - 4/11/17
192 Climate Controls
Air Vents
Use the air outlets in the center and
on the side of the instrument panel
to direct the airflow. Turn the center
knobs on the air outlets clockwise or
counterclockwise to open or close
off the airflow.
Operation Tips
.In defog or defrost mode, warm
air flows from side air outlets. To
improve side window defogging
or defrosting, direct side air
outlets toward the side windows. .
Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
. Clear snow off the hood to
improve visibility and help
decrease moisture drawn into
the vehicle.
. Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The passenger compartment air
filter reduces dust, pollen, and other
airborne irritants from outside air
that is pulled into the vehicle. The
filter will need to be replaced
periodically. See Maintenance
Schedule 0330.
Using the climate control system
without an air filter installed is not
recommended. Water or other
debris could enter the system and
result in leaks or noises. Always
install a new filter when removing
the old filter.
For more information on filter
replacement, see your dealer.

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11348325) - 2018 - crc - 4/11/17
Climate Controls 193
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle. The refrigerant system
should only be serviced by trained
and certified technicians. The air
conditioning evaporator should
never be repaired or replaced by
one from a salvage vehicle.
It should only be replaced by a new
evaporator to ensure proper and
safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants
should be reclaimed with proper
equipment. Venting refrigerants
directly to the atmosphere is harmful
to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite,
or other health-based concerns.

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11348325) - 2018 - crc - 4/11/17
194 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Track Events and CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 202
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 203
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 205
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 209
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 216
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 218
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 222
Active Rev Match . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 226
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 228
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 230
Competitive Driving Mode . . . . 233
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . 235
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 238
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 239
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 241
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 244
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11348325) - 2018 - crc - 4/11/17
Driving and Operating 195
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices. .
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving. Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means
“always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the seat belt. See Seat Belts065.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
. Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11348325) - 2018 - crc - 4/11/17
196 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious—or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time. Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.
Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power
assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11348325) - 2018 - crc - 4/11/17
Driving and Operating 197
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11348325) - 2018 - crc - 4/11/17
198 Driving and Operating
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.Track Events and
Competitive Driving
{Danger
High-performance features are
intended for use only on closed
tracks by experienced and
qualified drivers and should not
be used on public roads.
High-speed driving, aggressive
cornering, hard braking, and other
high-performance driving can be
dangerous. Improper driver inputs
for the conditions may result in
loss of control of the vehicle,
which could injure or kill you or
others. Always drive safely.
If the vehicle is a Camaro High
Performance model, see the
additional items in the Camaro High
Performance supplement.
Track events or competitive driving
may affect the vehicle warranty. See
the warranty manual before using
the vehicle for racing or other
competitive driving. The Engine Sound Management
setting (if equipped) should not be
set to Stealth Mode during track
events and competitive driving. See
Driver Mode Control
0230.Engine Oil
Caution
If you use the vehicle for racing or
other competitive driving, the
engine may use more oil than it
would with normal use. Low oil
levels can damage the engine.
For information on how to add oil,
seeEngine Oil 0257.
Be sure to check the oil level
often during racing or other
competitive driving and keep the
level at or near the upper mark
that shows the proper operating
range on the engine oil dipstick.
2.0L (LTG) Turbo Engine
Keep the oil level at or near 1 L
(1 qt) above the upper mark on the
engine oil dipstick which shows the
proper operating range.

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11348325) - 2018 - crc - 4/11/17
Driving and Operating 199
6.2L (LT1) Engine
Change the engine oil to 0W-40 or
5W-40 that meets the dexos2
specification. If this oil is not
available, the following oils can be
used as an alternative: Valvoline
SYNPOWER MST 5W-40, Mobil 1
ESP Formula M 5W-40. See
Capacities and Specifications0344.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Have the transmission fluid set to
the track specific oil level prior to
track usage. Transmission fluid
should be changed after every
15 hours of track usage. Any
transmission level set or change
should be performed at your dealer.
Manual Transmission Fluid
Manual transmission fluid should be
changed after every 15 hours of
track usage.
Rear Axle Fluid
Axles must have 2 400 km
(1,500 mi) before being used in
track driving. The rear axle fluid temperatures
may be higher than when driving in
severe conditions. Drain and refill
with new fluid after the first racing or
competitive driving event, and then
after every 24 hours of racing or
competitive driving. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
0339.
Caution
During a first time track or racing
event, high rear axle
temperatures can occur. Damage
could be caused to the rear axle
and would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Do not drive as
long or as fast the first time the
vehicle is driven on the track or
raced.
Brake Fluid
For track events or competitive
driving, it is recommended that the
brake fluid be replaced with a high
performance brake fluid that has a
dry boiling point greater than 279 °C
(534 °F). After conversion to the high performance brake fluid, follow
the brake fluid service
recommendations outlined by the
fluid manufacturer. Do not use
silicone or DOT-5 brake fluids.
Brake Burnishing
To prepare the Camaro brake
systems for track events and racing,
complete the appropriate high
performance brake burnishing
procedure described below.
New brake pads must be burnished
before racing or competitive driving.
Caution
These procedures are specific to
the Camaro SS, or LT with Y4Q
Heavy Duty Cooling System that
is equipped with J55 brakes. This
procedure should not be run on
other Camaro models as damage
may result.