Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - CRC - 11/8/17
Vehicle Care 215
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 216
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 217
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 231
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . 233
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 233
Cooling System (Engine) . . . . . 236
Cooling System (Aero Panel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 240 Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Battery - North America . . . . . . 244
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 246
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 247
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 247
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 248
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 250
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 251
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Competition Oriented Tires . . . 260
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 261
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 217
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 081.
Lifting the Vehicle
{Warning
Lifting a vehicle can cause an
injury. The vehicle can slip off the
jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be
badly injured. Find a level place
to lift your vehicle. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatictransmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in
1 (First) or R (Reverse).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the
vehicle will not move, put blocks
in front of and behind the wheels.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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218 Vehicle Care
{Warning
Getting under a vehicle when it is
lifted on a jack is dangerous.
If the vehicle slips off the jack,
you could be badly injured or
killed. Never get under a vehicle
when it is supported only by
a jack.
{Warning
Raising the vehicle with the jack
improperly positioned can
damage the vehicle or the vehicle
may fall and cause injury to you
or others.
If a jack is used to lift the vehicle,
follow the instructions that came
with the jack, and be sure to use the
correct lifting points to avoid
damaging the vehicle.
Caution
Lifting the vehicle improperly can
damage it and result in costly
repairs not covered by the vehicle
warranty. To lift the vehicle
properly and prevent vehicle
damage: . Be sure to place a block or
pad between the jack and
the vehicle.
. Lift only in the areas shown
in the following illustrations.
For additional information, see
your dealer and the Chevrolet
Corvette service manual.
Caution
The front jack pads must not
contact the rocker panels, the
front fenders, or the floor pan.
If they do, damage may occur.
Lifting from the Front –Cradle
The front lifting points can be
accessed from either side of the
vehicle, behind the front tires.
1. Locate the front lifting points.
2. Place a block or pad between the jack and the vehicle.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 219
3. Lift the vehicle with the jack.
Lifting from the Front –Frame
Use only a service jack with a lifting
pad diameter of 64 mm (2.5 in) or
smaller, and thick enough to make
sure the jack does not contact the
vehicle body.
Position the service jack and lifting
pad under the frame rail shipping
slot reinforcement. Lifting from the Rear
–Cradle
The rear lifting points can be
accessed from the rear driver or
passenger side of the vehicle.
1. Locate the rear lifting points.
2. Place a block or pad between the jack and the vehicle.
3. Lift the vehicle with the jack. Lifting from the Rear
–Frame
Use only a service jack with a lifting
pad diameter of 64 mm (2.5 in) or
smaller, and thick enough to make
sure the jack does not contact the
vehicle body.
Position the service jack and lifting
pad under the frame rail shipping
slot reinforcement.
For more information, see Doing
Your Own Service Work 0220.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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222 Vehicle Care
1.Passenger Compartment Air
Filter 0153 (Out of View).
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.
See Cooling System (Engine)
0 236 orCooling System (Aero
Panel) 0239.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0252.
4. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0233. 5. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of
View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0236 orCooling
System (Aero Panel) 0239.
6. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0226.
7. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0226. 8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See
Brake Fluid 0243.
9. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir (If Equipped). See
Hydraulic Clutch 0233.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid
0 241.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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224 Vehicle Care
1. Engine Oil Dipstick. See“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0226.
2. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank Fill Cap. See “Changing Engine Oil
and Filter” Engine Oil 0226.
3. Passenger Compartment Air
Filter 0153 (Out of View).
4. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System (Engine) 0236 or
Cooling System (Aero Panel)
0 239. 5.
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0252.
6. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0233.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0236 orCooling
System (Aero Panel) 0239.
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0243. 9. Clutch Master Cylinder
Reservoir (If Equipped). See
Hydraulic Clutch 0233.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid
0 241.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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226 Vehicle Care
1. Engine Oil Dipstick. See“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0226.
2. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank Fill Cap. See “Changing Engine Oil
and Filter” Engine Oil 0226.
3. Passenger Compartment Air
Filter 0153 (Out of View).
4. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System (Engine) 0236 or
Cooling System (Aero Panel)
0 239.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0252.
6. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0233.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0236 orCooling
System (Aero Panel) 0239.
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0243.
9. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir (If Equipped). See
Hydraulic Clutch 0233. 10. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid
0 241.
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 0231.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil (Except
Z06, Grand Sport, and Stingray
with Z51)
If the ENGINE OIL LOW–ADD OIL
message displays on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), check the
engine oil level right away.
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0221 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 239
1. When the cooling system,including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap and upper
radiator hose, is no longer hot,
remove the pressure cap.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about
one-quarter turn and then stop.
If a hiss is heard, wait for that
to stop. A hiss means there is
still some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture until the
level inside stabilizes at the
cold fill line on the front of the
surge tank.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
upper radiator hose can be felt
getting hot. Any time during
this procedure, watch out for
the engine cooling fan. By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level stabilizes at
the cold fill line on the coolant
surge tank.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
6. Verify coolant level after the engine is shut off and the
coolant is cold. If necessary,
repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1−6.
If the coolant still is not at the
proper level when the system
cools down again, see your
dealer.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and engine
damage may occur. Be sure the
cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Cooling System (Aero
Panel)
The aero panel enhances
aerodynamic efficiency and
improves fuel economy.
Remove the aero panel and bracket
to improve engine cooling and air
conditioning performance when
driving aggressively or in hot
weather.
To remove the aero panel and
bracket:
Stingray Shown, Grand Sport and
Z06 Similar