Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - CRC - 11/8/17
In Brief 23
stop as soon as possible and inflate
the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See
Vehicle Load Limits0173. The
warning light will remain on until the
tire pressure is corrected.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
may be an early indicator that the
tire pressures are getting low and
the tires need to be inflated to the
proper pressure.
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. Maintain
the correct tire pressures.
See Tire Pressure Monitor System
0 267.
Performance Vehicle
Features
Checking Engine Oil
Your vehicle may have a high
performance dry sump lubrication
system. This system operates differently than a standard engine
lubrication system. See
Engine Oil
0 226.
Check the oil level only after the
engine has been thoroughly warmed
up and then check between five and
10 minutes of shutoff. This ensures
that the oil level reading obtained
will be accurate.
Brake Noise
Under certain weather or operating
conditions, occasional brake squeal
may be heard with the vehicle's
performance braking system. This
brake system is designed for
superior fade resistance and
consistent operation using high
performance brake pads. Brake
squeal is normal and does not affect
system performance.
Tire Chatter/Hop
When driving at slow speeds and in
very tight turns, the vehicle may
have tire chatter/hop. This condition
is normal and the vehicle does not
require service. Road Imperfections/Crown Effects
The vehicle's precise steering and
handling make it very responsive to
road surface feedback. A slight pull
may be felt in the steering
depending on the crown of the road
and/or other road surface variations
such as troughs or ruts. This is
normal and the vehicle does not
require service.
Fuel (LT1 6.2L V8 Engine)
Premium Recommended Fuel
Use premium 93 octane unleaded
gasoline in your vehicle. Unleaded
gasoline with an octane rating as
low as 87 may be used, but it will
reduce performance and fuel
economy. See
Fuel0210.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - CRC - 11/8/17
162 Driving and Operating
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 (Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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
competitive driving. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0313.
General Information
If reduced performance is
experienced during track events or
competitive driving, turning off the
A/C will help to improve engine
performance. Maintain a mixture of 40%
DEX-COOL coolant and 60% clean,
drinkable water to optimize engine
performance.
The front license plate bracket or
aero panel should be removed for
track events and competitive driving
to improve engine performance.
If additional brake cooling is
required, the grille mesh in the lower
corners of the front grille in front of
the brake duct can be removed.
This is not reversible, and a
replacement grille will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
If this is done, it is recommended
that the gap between the fascia and
the cooling duct be taped over.
Brake Burnishing
New brake pads must be burnished
before racing or other competitive
driving.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - CRC - 11/8/17
Driving and Operating 163
Caution
Performing the brake burnish
procedure on a base brake
system can result in brake
damage.
Caution
The new vehicle break-in period
should be completed before
performing the brake burnish
procedure, otherwise damage
may occur to the powertrain/
engine. SeeNew Vehicle
Break-In 0177.
Caution
Brake pedal fade will occur during
any track burnish procedure and
can cause brake pedal travel and
force to increase. This could
extend stopping distance until the
brakes are fully burnished. When this procedure is performed
as instructed, it will not damage the
brakes. The brake pads will smoke
and produce an odor. The braking
force and pedal travel may increase.
After the procedure, the brake pads
may appear white at the rotor
contact.
Perform this procedure only on dry
pavement, in a safe manner, and in
compliance with all local and state
ordinances/laws regarding motor
vehicle operation.
Brake Burnishing Procedure
(Grand Sport or Z06 without J57
Ceramic Brakes or Z07
Performance Package)
1. Apply the brakes 25 times starting at 100 km/h (60 mph) to
50 km/h (30 mph) while
decelerating at 0.4 g. This is a
medium brake application.
Drive for at least 1 km (0.6 mi)
between applying the brakes.
This first step may be skipped
if there are more than 320 km
(200 mi) on the brake pads. 2. Repeatedly apply the brakes
from 100 km/h (60 mph) to
25 km/h (15 mph) while
decelerating at 0.8 g. This is a
hard brake application, without
activating the Antilock Brake
System (ABS). Drive for at
least 1 km (0.6 mi) between
stops. Repeat until the brake
pedal travel starts to increase.
Depending on conditions, this
should take no longer than 25
brake applications.
3. Cool down: Drive at 100 km/h (60 mph) for approximately
15 km (10 mi) without using the
brakes.
4. Apply the brakes 25 times from 100 km/h (60 mph) to 50 km/h
(30 mph) while decelerating at
0.4 g. This is a medium brake
application. Drive for at least
1 km (0.6 mi) between
applications.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - CRC - 11/8/17
166 Driving and Operating
The cooling ducts should be
installed prior to any track events.
The cooling ducts improve brake
cooling during track events.
To install the cooling ducts and
deflector:
1. Remove the front wheels.Refer to the procedure in the
vehicle service manual.
Steps 2, 3, and 4 are optional
on certain vehicles.
2. Remove the fastener (1) from the rear of the control arm
deflector (2).
3. Remove the remaining threefasteners (1) from the
deflector (2).
4. Remove the deflector (2).5. Remove the adhesive tape from the rubber pads and
install them on the front airbox
as shown. Allow it to dry for
five minutes.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - CRC - 11/8/17
242 Vehicle Care
Caution (Continued)
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
. When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes
Brake Wear
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Under certain weather or operating
conditions, occasional brake squeal
might be heard with the vehicle's
performance braking system. This
brake system is designed for
superior fade resistance and
consistent operation using high performance brake pads. Brake
squeal is normal and does not affect
system performance.
If equipped with high performance
brake linings, there could be an
increased build-up of brake dust as
well as minor noises as compared
to standard brake linings.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Wear (Z06 and Grand Sport
with J57 Ceramic Brakes)
This vehicle does not have built-in
brake pad wear indicators. Periodic
visual inspection is required to
determine when to replace the
brake pads.
The Z06 and Grand Sport Coupe
with J57 models also have an
electronic brake pad wear sensor
system. When pads are worn, the
CHANGE BRAKE PADS message
displays in the Driver Information
Center. Some driving conditions or
climates can cause a brake squeal
when the brakes are first applied or
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - CRC - 11/8/17
Vehicle Care 243
lightly applied. Brake linings should
always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Rotor Wear
Z06 and Grand Sport models may
have ceramic brake rotors. Rotors
should be visually inspected
whenever the brake pads are
replaced. Rotors also need to be
weighed before brake pads are
replaced to confirm that the rotor
mass is greater than the wear-out
mass printed on then rotor. The
rotor can be reused if the weight of
the rotor is above the mass limit.
Rotor inspection and weighing
methods can be found in the service
manual.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts
with new, approved replacement
parts. If this is not done, the brakes
may not work properly. The braking
performance expected can change
in many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are
installed or parts are improperly
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with either DOT 3 or DOT 4
brake fluid as indicated on the
reservoir cap. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview 0221 for
the location of the reservoir. Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a
level surface, the brake fluid level
should be between the minimum
and maximum marks on the brake
fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir may
go down:
.
Normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are installed, the
fluid level goes back up.
. A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system. Have the
brake hydraulic system fixed.
With a leak, the brakes will not
work well.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - CRC - 11/8/17
296 Vehicle Care
Caution
Chrome wheels and other chrome
trim may be damaged if the
vehicle is not washed after driving
on roads that have been sprayed
with magnesium, calcium,
or sodium chloride. These
chlorides are used on roads for
conditions such as ice and dust.
Always wash the chrome with
soap and water after exposure.
Caution
To avoid surface damage, do not
use strong soaps, chemicals,
abrasive polishes, cleaners,
brushes, or cleaners that contain
acid on aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels. Use only
approved cleaners. Also, never
drive a vehicle with aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels through an
automatic car wash that uses(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
silicone carbide tire cleaning
brushes. Damage could occur
and the repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Brake System
Visually inspect brake lines and
hoses for proper hook-up, binding,
leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Inspect
disc brake pads for wear and rotors
for surface condition. Inspect drum
brake linings/shoes for wear or
cracks. Inspect other brake parts,
including drums, wheel cylinders,
calipers, parking brake, master
cylinder, brake fluid reservoir,
vacuum pipes, electric vacuum
pump including bracket and vent
hose, if equipped.
Steering, Suspension, and
Chassis Components
Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of wear at
least once a year.
Inspect power steering for proper
hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc.
Visually check constant velocity joint
boots and axle seals for leaks.
Body Component Lubrication
Lubricate all key lock cylinders,
hood hinges, and liftgate hinges,
unless the components are plastic.
Applying silicone grease on
weatherstrips with a clean cloth will
make them last longer, seal better,
and not stick or squeak.