Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11374030) - 2018 - CRC - 11/8/17
172 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 0196.
. 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) 0193. .
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 0325. 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)
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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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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258 Vehicle Care
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 0267 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 0272.
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
(Continued)
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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260 Vehicle Care
Caution (Continued)
with road hazards like potholes,
or sharp edged objects, or when
sliding into a curb. The warranty
does not cover this type of
damage. Keep tires set to the
correct inflation pressure and
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 incold climates, heavy rain, and
standing water. It is recommended
that winter tires be installed on
the vehicle when driving at
temperatures below approximately
10 °C (50 °F) or on ice or snow
covered roads. See
Winter Tires
0 258.
{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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
(Continued)
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 261
Caution (Continued)
installed. Do not apply heat or
blow heated air directly on the
tires. Always inspect tires before
use. SeeTire Inspection 0270.
Summer Tires
High Performance Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with high
performance summer tires. These
tires have a special tread and
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 Tires 0258.
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
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 0270.
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.
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 273
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 the
vehicle, 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. SeeTire Sidewall
Labeling 0261, 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 0271 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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes
(other than those originally
installed on the vehicle), brands,
or types may cause loss of
control of the vehicle, resulting in
a crash or other vehicle damage.
Use the correct size, brand, and
type of tire on all four wheels.
{Warning
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
(Continued)
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 275
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 the
norm 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
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
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326 Customer Information
driver if they decide the claims are
made too often, or the same type of
claim is made many times.
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 500 miles.
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.