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
226 Driving and Operating
warranty. If heavy knocking is heard when
using gasoline rated at 93 octane, the
engine needs service.
Do not use any fuel labeled E85 or FlexFuel.
Do not use gasoline with ethanol levels
greater than 15% by volume.
Prohibited Fuels
Caution
Do not use fuels with any of the
following conditions; doing so may
damage the vehicle and void its
warranty:
.For vehicles that are not FlexFuel, fuel
labeled greater than 15% ethanol by
volume, such as mid-level ethanol
blends (16–50% ethanol), E85,
or FlexFuel.
.Fuel with any amount of methanol,
methylal, ferrocene, and aniline. These
fuels can corrode metal fuel system
parts or damage plastic and rubber
parts.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.Fuel containing metals such as
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT), which can damage
the emissions control system and
spark plugs.
.Fuel with a posted octane rating of
less than the recommended fuel. Using
this fuel will lower fuel economy and
performance, and may decrease the
life of the emissions catalyst.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post fuel
octane ratings in anti-knock index (AKI). For
fuel not to use in a foreign country, see
Prohibited Fuels0226.
Fuel Additives
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is highly
recommended for use with your vehicle.
If your country does not have TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, add ACDelco Fuel
System Treatment Plus−Gasoline to the
vehicle’s gasoline fuel tank at every oil change or 15 000 km (9,000 mi), whichever
occurs first. TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline
and ACDelco Fuel System Treatment
Plus−Gasoline will help keep your vehicle’s
engine fuel deposit free and performing
optimally.
Filling the Tank
An arrow on the fuel gauge indicates which
side of the vehicle the fuel door is on. See
Fuel Gauge
083.
{Warning
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn violently
and can cause injury or death.
Follow these guidelines to help avoid
injuries to you and others:
.Read and follow all the instructions on
the fuel pump island.
.Turn off the engine when refueling.
.Keep sparks, flames, and smoking
materials away from fuel.
.Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended.
(Continued)
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
240 Vehicle Care
4. Remove the engine oil filter and allowthe oil to drain.
5. Inspect the drain plug O-ring seal and replace if it is damaged. Reinstall the
drain plug into the oil pan and tighten it
to 25 N.m (18 lb ft).
6. Replace the oil filter and tighten it three-quarters to one turn after the
gasket makes contact. See Maintenance
Replacement Parts 0301 for the correct
filter.
7. Remove the oil fill cap from the external engine oil tank.
Add oil to the oil tank through the
opening in the fill tube. See Capacities
and Specifications 0305.
8. Install the oil fill cap and insert the dipstick, if removed.
{Warning
To help avoid personal injury and/or
engine damage, always install the engine
oil dipstick and oil fill cap until fully
seated to a stop. If not fully seated, oil
could escape on to hot exhaust parts and
cause a fire. 9. Start the engine and check the oil level
as described under "Checking the Engine
Oil." previously in this section.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil depends on
both the proper oil specification and the
viscosity grade. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants 0301.
Specification
Use engine oils that meet the dexos2
specification.
Engine oils that have been approved by GM
as meeting the dexos2 specification are
marked with the dexos2 approved logo. See
www.gmdexos.com.
GM recommends Mobil 1 engine oils that
show the dexos2 approved logo.
Caution
Failure to use the recommended engine
oil or equivalent can result in engine
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Viscosity Grade
Use SAE 0W-40 viscosity grade engine oil.
When selecting an oil of the appropriate
viscosity grade, it is recommended to select
an oil of the correct specification. See
“Specification” previously in this section.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils meeting the dexos2
specification are all that is needed for good
performance and engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause engine
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements
that can be unhealthy for your skin and
could even cause cancer. Do not let used oil
stay on your skin for very long. Clean your
Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14622938) - 2021 - CRC - 9/22/20
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