2021 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8 cooling

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
170 Climate Controls
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate ControlSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . 173
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System
The heating, cooling, and ventilation in the
vehicle can be controlled with this system.
1. Driver Temperature Control
2. Driver and Passenger Heated and Ventilated Seats (If Equipped)
3. SYNC (Synchronized Temperature)

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
180 Driving and Operating
Be sure to follow all service procedures
before driving the vehicle at track events or
competitively.
{Warning
Prior to each track event and again
before returning to public roads, tighten
the wheel nuts with a torque wrench to
the proper torque specification. Wheel
nuts that are improperly or incorrectly
tightened can cause the wheels to
become loose or come off, resulting in a
crash. SeeCapacities and Specifications
0 305 for wheel nut torque specifications.
If equipped, the front license plate bracket
should be removed and replaced with the
aero cover for track use.
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 it would with normal use.
Low oil levels can damage the engine.
Check the oil level often and maintain
the proper level. See Engine Oil0238.
Check the oil level often during track events
and competitive driving. See “Checking the
Engine Oil" in Engine Oil0238.
Engine Cooling
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.
Fuel
Unleaded gasoline, rated at 93 octane or
higher, is required.
Caution
Some high octane fuels contain additives
and compounds that may damage the
vehicle and void the vehicle warranty. See
Prohibited Fuels 0226.
Dual Clutch Transmission Fluid
The transmission fluid and external filter
should be changed after every 24 hours of
track usage. If prompted by the transmission
fluid life monitor that remaining fluid life is
low, the fluid and external filter should be
changed as soon as possible.
Add an additional 2 L (2 qt) of DCT
transmission fluid prior to track usage. It is
not required to remove the additional 2 L
(2 qt) of DCT fluid.
Any transmission level set or change should
be performed at your dealer.
Brakes
Battery Disconnect
Disconnect the battery before servicing the
hydraulic brake system. It is critical to
disconnect the battery before bleeding the
system, replacing the pads, or any other
work. The battery must be disconnected to

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
Driving and Operating 183
1. Start track lapping at lower speeds andlower braking efforts for three minutes
of driving. Allow for increased braking
distances due to reduced brake output.
2. After Step 1, increase speed and braking effort for the next six minutes of
lapping, gradually ending up at 90%
effort. Continue to allow for increased
braking distance due to reduced brake
output.
3. Cool the brakes by lapping with minimal light braking for six minutes.
Brake Cooling Kit
Prior to any track event, high speed driving
event, or competitive driving, the following
should be completed:
.Ensure all brake cooling parts are
correctly and securely installed.
.Install the rear lower control arm cooling
ducts per the instructions below also
included with the kit. After any track
event or competitive driving, remove the
rear lower control arm cooling ducts.
These parts are for track use only.
Removing the ducts helps prevent debris
from being channeled into the rear brakes
during regular use of the vehicle.
.Inspect for and remove any blockage in
the ducts.
.Inspect and replace any duct that has
damage.
Passenger Side Front Shown, Driver Side Front Similar
1. Front Brake Cooling Duct
2. Front Lower Control Arm Deflector
Passenger Side Rear Shown, Driver Side Rear Similar
3. Rear Knuckle Mounted Cooling Duct
4. Rear Lower Control Arm Cooling Duct
Shock Spring Seat Adjustment
The front shocks, on vehicles without
hydraulic front lift and rear shocks, have
threaded spring seats that allow adjustment
of the preload on the coil springs. The
vehicle corner weights can be adjusted for
track use. If the vehicle trim height is
modified, it should be returned to normal
trim height before street use.

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-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
236 Vehicle Care
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). SeeCooling System 0245.
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter (Under Access Panel). See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0 243.
3. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank and Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0238.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil0238.
5. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0245.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
238 Vehicle Care
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). SeeCooling System 0245.
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter (Under Access Panel). See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0 243.
3. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0245.
4. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank and Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0238.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil0238.
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine performance and
long life, pay careful attention to engine oil.
Follow these important steps:
.Use engine oil approved to the proper
specification and of the proper viscosity
grade. See “Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” later 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” later in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the appropriate
time. SeeEngine Oil Life System 0241.
.Always dispose of engine oil properly. See
“What to Do with Used Oil” in this
section.
Checking the Engine Oil
1. Engine Oil Dipstick
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap
Check the engine oil level regularly, every
650 km (400 mi), especially prior to a long
trip. To get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be parked on a level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview 0235 for the
location.
The vehicle has a racetrack-ready dry sump
engine lubrication system. This high
performance system operates differently
than a standard engine lubrication system
and requires a special procedure when
checking the engine oil level. Follow this
procedure closely. The engine oil level must be checked when
the engine is warm. Cold oil level in the dry
sump tank may not indicate the actual
amount of oil in the system. Engine oil is
contained in an external tank, separate from
the engine. Under normal operating
conditions, the oil pan under the engine
does not store any oil. If the vehicle has
been parked for an extended period without
the engine being started, some oil will seep
back into the oil pan. This will reduce the
amount of oil held in the dry sump tank
and there could be no engine oil on the
dipstick. This is normal since the dipstick is
designed to read the engine oil level only
after the engine has run long enough to
reach normal operating temperature. Do not
add engine oil based on cold engine dipstick
readings. The engine oil level on the dipstick
must be checked while the engine is running
at idle.
To check the engine oil:
1. Turn the engine on and let it warm up to at least 80 °C (175 °F).
2. Once the engine is warm, check the oil while the engine is running at idle.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
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-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
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.