2021 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8 engine overheat

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
230 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . 231
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 231
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 233
Underhood Compartment Overview . . . 234
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 235
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Dual Clutch Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . 241
Dual Clutch Transmission Fluid Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Bulb Replacement
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 258
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 265 Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 269
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . 270
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 273
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . 275
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . 275
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 277
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 278
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 245
Caution
If the air cleaner/filter is off, dirt can
easily get into the engine, which could
damage it. Always have the air cleaner/
filter in place when driving.
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the engine to
maintain the correct working temperature.
Convertible
1. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
Coupe
1. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can start up
even when the engine is not running and
can cause injury. Keep hands, clothing,
and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator hoses,
or other engine parts. They can be very
hot and can burn you. Do not run the
engine if there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an engine fire
and can burn you. Fix any leak before
driving the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is filled
with DEX-COOL engine coolant. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants0301.
The fluid requires changing at certain
intervals. See Maintenance Schedule 0293.
The following explains the cooling system
and how to check and add coolant when it
is low. If there is a problem with engine
overheating, see Engine Overheating 0248.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. With plain water or
(Continued)

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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246 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
the wrong mixture, the engine could get
too hot but there would not be an
overheat warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a mixture of 40% DEX-COOL coolant and
60% clean, drinkable water. If using this
mixture, nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down to −28 °C
(−18 °F), outside temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to 129 °C
(265 °F), engine temperature.
.Protects against rust and corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
Do not use anything other than a mix of
DEX-COOL coolant that meets GM
Standard GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause damage
to the engine cooling system and the
vehicle, which would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Never dispose of engine coolant by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground,
or into sewers, streams, or bodies of water.
Have the coolant changed by an authorized
service center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used coolant
disposal. This will help protect the
environment and your health.
If ambient temperatures are anticipated
below
−28 °C (−18 °F), make sure a proper
mixture ratio of 50% DEX-COOL coolant and
50% clean, drinkable water is used.
Checking Coolant
Be sure the cooling system is cool and that
the vehicle is on a level surface.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the
coolant surge tank. If the coolant inside the
coolant surge tank is boiling, do not do
anything else until it cools down. If coolant
is visible but the coolant level is not at or
above the cold fill line, add a mixture of
40% DEX-COOL coolant and 60% clean,
drinkable water at the coolant recovery
tank, but be sure the cooling system is cool
before this is done. See Engine Overheating
0 248. The surge tank is in the engine
compartment. See
Engine Compartment
Overview 0235.
When the engine is cold, the coolant level
should be at the COLD FILL indicator in the
coolant surge tank.
When the engine is hot, the level could be
higher than the COLD FILL indicator. If the
coolant is below the COLD FILL indicator
when the engine is hot, there could be a
leak in the cooling system.
If the coolant is low, add the coolant or take
the vehicle to your dealer for service.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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248 Vehicle Care
7. Verify coolant level after the engine isshut off and the coolant is cold.
If necessary, repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 3−7.
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.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators to warn of
engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant temperature
gauge on the instrument cluster. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge 083. The
vehicle may also display a message on the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the hatch
but to get service help right away, see
Roadside Assistance Program 0311.
If the decision is made to lift the hatch,
make sure the vehicle is parked on a level
surface. Then check to see if the engine cooling fans
are running. There are two cooling fans
located in the front (one at each corner) and
two cooling fans in the rear (one on each
side of the engine). If the engine is
overheating, the fans should be running.
If they are not, do not continue to run the
engine, and have the vehicle serviced.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a leak
in the engine cooling system. This can
cause a loss of all coolant and can
damage the system and vehicle. Have
any leaks fixed right away.
If Steam Is Coming from the Engine
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot
cooling system are under pressure.
Turning the pressure cap, even a little,
can cause them to come out at high
speed and you could be burned. Never
turn the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and pressure cap
to cool.
If Steam Is Coming from the Engine
Compartment with no Overheat Warning
Water from rain and car washes could enter
the engine compartment and contact hot
surfaces. If steam is coming from the engine
compartment with no accompanying
overheat warning, no service is needed.
If No Steam Is Coming from the Engine
If an engine overheat warning is displayed
but no steam can be seen or heard, the
problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
.Stops after high-speed driving.
.Idles for long periods in traffic.
If the overheat warning is displayed with no
sign of steam: 1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest fan
speed. Open the windows as necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral), and
let the engine idle.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 249
If the engine coolant temperature gauge is
no longer in the shaded area or an overheat
warning no longer displays, the vehicle can
be driven. Continue to drive the vehicle
slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in front.
If the warning does not come back on,
continue to drive normally and have the
cooling system checked for proper fill and
function.
If the warning continues, pull over safely,
and park the vehicle right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine
for three minutes while parked. If the
warning is still displayed, turn off the
engine until it cools down.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When the vehicle needs windshield washer
fluid, be sure to read the manufacturer
instructions before use. If the vehicle will be
operating in an area where the temperature
may fall below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
1. Open the hood. SeeHood017.
2. Open the cap with the washer symbol
on it. Add washer fluid until the tank
is full.
Caution
.Do not use washer fluid that contains
any type of water repellent coating.
This can cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
.Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze)
in the windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield washer system
and paint.
.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.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.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
Disc brake linings have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched warning
sound when the brake linings are worn and
new linings are needed. The sound can come
and go or can be heard all the time when
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.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Index 331
Electrical System (cont'd)Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 258
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . 86
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine Compartment Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .318
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . 109
F
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Fluid Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Dual Clutch Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Dual Clutch Transmission LifeSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Front Air Dam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Front Lift System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Front Lift System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Front Seats
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Front Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Fuel
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Fuel (cont'd)
Economy, Driving for Better . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 228
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Management, Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Top Tier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Fuses Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 258
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Gauges Engine Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Transmission Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . 79

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334 Index
O
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
OnStar Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
OnStar Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
OnStar Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
OnStar System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124, 134
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Underhood Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
P
Panel, Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
ParkShifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Park (cont'd)
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Parking Brake and P (Park) MechanismCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Extended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Parking or Backing Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . 85
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . 173
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Performance Data Recorder (PDR) . . . . . . . . .142
Performance Shifting Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Personalization
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Phone Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . . . . . . . . 151
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Port USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Positioning Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Power (cont'd)
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Privacy
Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Problems with Route Guidance . . . . . . . . . . 136
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231, 251, 278, Back Cover
Publication Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 316
R
Radio HD Radio Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Radio Data System (RDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Radios AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108