2018 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7 Owners Manual

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - crc - 3/29/17
152 Climate Controls
3. Remove the filter and installthe new air filter.
4. Replace the filter cover.
5. Attach the retainer clips.
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 Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - crc - 4/4/17
Driving and Operating 153
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Track Events and CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 167
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 168
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 170
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 174
Front Air Dam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Composite Materials . . . . . . . . . . 174
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Parking (Manual
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 180
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 182
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 186
Active Rev Match . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 190
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 192
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 194 Competitive Driving Mode . . . . 197
Limited-Slip Differential
(Stingray without
Z51 Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Limited-Slip Differential (Z06,
Grand Sport, and Stingray
with Z51) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Driver Assistance Systems
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 204
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 207
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - crc - 4/4/17
154 Driving and Operating
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 manual 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 Belts064.
. 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.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 155
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{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.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - crc - 4/4/17
156 Driving and Operating
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
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 Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - crc - 4/4/17
Driving and Operating 157
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.
Participating in track events or other
competitive driving without following
the instructions provided may affect
the vehicle warranty. See the
warranty manual before using the
vehicle for racing or other
competitive driving. See Competitive
Driving Mode 0197. A manual transmission is
recommended for extended track
usage at higher ambient
temperatures. Consult the Track
Preparation Guide for additional
information. See your dealer.
Be sure to follow all service
procedures before driving the
vehicle at track events or
competitively.
Engine Sound Management
Setting
Caution
Do not place the vehicle in
Engine Sound Management
–
Stealth mode. Damage could
result to exhaust valve actuators.
Engine Oil
Caution
If the vehicle is used for track
events and competitive driving,
the engine may use more oil than (Continued)

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - crc - 4/4/17
158 Driving and Operating
Caution (Continued)
it would with normal use. Low oil
levels can damage the engine.
Check the oil level often and
maintain the proper level. See
Engine Oil0222.
Caution
Not changing the engine oil to
15W-50 may cause engine
damage. Engine oil must be
changed to 15W-50 synthetic.
See Capacities and Specifications
0 313.
Z51 Performance Package, Grand
Sport, and Z06 Only: Check the oil
level often during track events and
competitive driving and keep the
level at or near 0.5 L (0.5 qt) above
the upper mark that shows the
proper operating range on the
engine oil dipstick. After the
competitive driving, remove excess oil so that the level on the dipstick is
not above the upper mark that
shows the proper operating range.
Stingray without Z51 Performance
Package: Additional oil fill above the
upper mark on the dipstick is not
recommended for track events or
other competitive driving. 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. After the
competitive driving, remove excess
oil so that the level on the dipstick is
not above the upper mark that
shows the proper operating range.
After track use, change the oil back
to 5W-30 for street use. See
Engine
Oil 0222.
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.
Brake Fluid
Replace existing brake fluid with a
qualified high performance brake
fluid from a sealed container. Brake
fluid with a dry boiling point >279 °C
(534 °F) is qualified. If high
performance brake fluid is used,
replace it with GM approved brake
fluid before driving on public roads.
If high performance brake fluid is in
the vehicle and the age of the brake
fluid is over a month old or
unknown, replace the brake fluid
before track events and competitive
driving. Do not use silicone or
DOT-5 brake fluids.
Load Limit
Z51 Performance Package Only:
Limit vehicle load to the driver only,
with no other cargo. Inflate tires to
180 kPa (26 psi) and drive at a
maximum speed of 280 km/h
(174 mph).

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - crc - 4/4/17
Driving and Operating 159
Grand Sport and Z06 Only: Limit
vehicle load to the driver only, with
no other cargo. Inflate tires to
180 kPa (26 psi) and drive at a
maximum speed of 296 km/h
(184 mph).
Wheel Alignment
Caution
Using these wheel alignment
settings may cause excessive tire
wear. Only use these wheel
alignment settings for racing or
competitive driving. Excessive tire
wear is not covered under the
vehicle warranty.
If the vehicle is equipped with the
Z51 package, is a Z06, or is a
Grand Sport, the racing and
competitive driving wheel alignment
settings should be set as described
here. Alignment should be
performed by first removing washers
between the upper control arms and
frame according to the following
instructions: .
Z51 - Remove maximum of one
washer per front upper control
arm bolt.
Remove maximum of one
washer per rear upper control
arm bolt.
. Z06 - Remove maximum of one
washer per front upper control
arm bolt.
Do not remove washers from
rear upper control arm bolts.
. Grand Sport - Do not remove
washers from front upper control
arm bolts.
Do not remove washers from
rear upper control arm bolts.
Proceed by adjusting the lower
control arm cam bolts until
alignment is within specifications.
Alignment values are targets. See
your dealer for tolerances.
Front (per corner)
. Caster: +7.0 degrees
. Camber: -2.0 degrees
. Toe: 0.05 degrees toe in Rear (per corner)
.
Caster: 0 degrees
. Camber: -2.0 degrees
. Toe: 0.05 degrees toe in
Thrust Angle: 0 degrees
Rear Axle Fluid
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.
Axles must have 885 km (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