Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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86 Instruments and Controls
will light either ON or OFF, or the on or off
symbol, to let you know the status of the
front outboard passenger frontal airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on
the passenger airbag status indicator, it
means that the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag is allowed to inflate.
If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on
the airbag status indicator, it means that
the passenger sensing system has turned off
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, if there are no
lights at all, or if the airbag readiness light
is on, there may be a problem with the
lights or the passenger sensing system. See
your dealer for service right away.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever comes
on and stays on, it means that
something may be wrong with the airbag
system. To help avoid injury to yourself
or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness Light 085
for more information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
The charging system light comes on briefly
when the ignition is turned on, but the
engine is not running, as a check to show
the light is working. It should go out when
the engine is started.
If the light stays on, or comes on while
driving, there may be a problem with the
electrical charging system. Have it checked
by your dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery.
When this light comes on, or is flashing, the
Driver Information Center (DIC) also displays
a message.
If a short distance must be driven with the
light on, be sure to turn off all accessories,
such as the radio and air conditioner. Find a
safe place to stop the vehicle.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
This light is part of the vehicle’s emission
control on-board diagnostic system. If this
light is on while the engine is running, a
malfunction has been detected and the
vehicle may require service. The light should
come on to show that it is working when
the ignition is in Service Mode. See Ignition
Positions 0193.
Malfunctions are often indicated by the
system before any problem is noticeable.
Being aware of the light and seeking service
promptly when it comes on may prevent
damage.
Caution
If the vehicle is driven continually with
this light on, the emission control system
may not work as well, the fuel economy
may be lower, and the vehicle may not
(Continued)
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Driving and Operating 187
Warning (Continued)
vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very
cautious about trying to drive through
flowing water.
Caution
Driving through deep puddles or standing
water can cause water to come in
through the engine air intake and
damage the engine. If deep puddles or
standing water cannot be avoided,
proceed with caution and do not exceed
8 km/h (5 mph). Do not drive through
water that may come close to or cover
the vehicle’s underbody.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can build
up under the vehicle's tires so they actually
ride on the water. This can happen if the
road is wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is hydroplaning, it
has little or no contact with the road.There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow
down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather
driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping equipment in
good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid reservoir
filled.
.Have good tires with proper tread depth.
See
Tires 0261.
.Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains
is different than driving on flat or rolling
terrain. Tips include:
.When driving downhill in D (Drive), the
vehicle may automatically downshift to
assist with speed control.
.A lower gear may also be selected to
provide further speed control.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle on a
long downhill slope can cause brake
overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a loss of
braking. Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. This can
cause overheating of the brakes and loss
of steering assist. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear.
.Drive at speeds that keep the vehicle in
its own lane. Do not swing wide or cross
the center line.
.Be alert on top of hills; something could
be in your lane (e.g., stalled car, crash).
.Pay attention to special road signs (e.g.,
falling rocks area, winding roads, long
grades, passing or no-passing zones) and
take appropriate action.
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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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Bulb Replacement
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 256
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 258
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
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
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Vehicle Care 261
FusesUsage
55 Automatic leveling control
56 –
57 Rear window defogger
58 –
59 Left/right window
60 Passenger power seat 61 Driver power seat
Relays Usage
1 –
2 Powertrain relay
3 Run/crank relay
4 Rear defogger relay 5 Air conditioning clutch relay
6 –
7 –
8 –
9 –
10 – Relays
Usage
11 –
12 –
13 –
14 Starter solenoid relay 15 –
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has high-quality
tires made by a leading tire
manufacturer. See the warranty manual
for information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get service. For
additional information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{Warning
.Poorly maintained and improperly
used tires are dangerous.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Overloading the tires can cause
overheating as a result of too
much flexing. There could be a
blowout and a serious crash. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0189.
.Underinflated tires pose the same
danger as overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could cause serious
injury. Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more likely
to be cut, punctured, or broken by
a sudden impact —such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep tires at the
recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If the tread is badly worn,
replace them.
.Replace any tires that have been
damaged by impacts with
potholes, curbs, etc.
(Continued)
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262 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
.Improperly repaired tires can cause
a crash. Only your 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 0268 for inflation pressure
adjustment for high-speed driving.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with all-season tires.
These tires are designed to provide good
overall performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original equipment
tires designed to GM's specific tire
performance criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be identified
by the last two characters of this TPC code,
which will be “MS.” Consider installing winter tires on the
vehicle if frequent driving on snow or
ice-covered roads is expected. All-season tires
provide adequate performance for most
winter driving conditions, but they may not
offer the same level of traction or
performance as winter tires on snow or
ice-covered roads. See
Winter Tires0262.
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 0274.
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, may have had
run-flat tires. There is no spare tire, no tire
changing equipment, and no place to store a
tire in the vehicle.
{Warning
While driving with run-flat tires at a
reduced inflation pressure, avoid making
sudden stops or severe maneuvers as the
handling capabilities of the tires will be
reduced. Driving too fast could cause loss
of control and you or others could be
injured. Do not drive over 80 km/h
(50 mph) with the tire operating at low
pressure. Drive cautiously and check the
tire pressure as soon as possible.
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Vehicle Care 263
Run-flat tires can be driven up to 80 km
(50 mi) at speeds less than 80 km/h
(50 mph) after a loss of inflation pressure
has occurred. There is no need to stop on
the side of the road to change the tire. The
possible driving range after a pressure loss
will vary based on the vehicle load and
driving conditions. As soon as possible,
contact the nearest authorized GM or
run-flat servicing facility for inspection and
repair or replacement.
When driving on a deflated run-flat tire,
avoid potholes and other road hazards that
could damage the tire and/or wheel beyond
repair. When a tire has been damaged, or if
driven any distance while deflated, check
with an authorized run-flat tire service
center to determine whether the tire can be
repaired or should be replaced. To maintain
the run-flat feature, all replacement tires
must be run-flat tires.
To locate the nearest GM or run-flat
servicing facility, call Customer Assistance.
Low-Profile Tires
If the vehicle has 245/35ZR19 or 305/
30ZR20 size tires, they are classified as
low-profile tires.Caution
Low-profile tires are more susceptible to
damage from road hazards or curb impact
than standard profile tires. Tire and/or
wheel assembly damage can occur when
coming into contact 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.
Summer Tires
High Performance Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with 245/35ZR19 and
305/30ZR20 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
0 262.
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 0272.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into its sidewall. The example
shows a typical passenger tire sidewall.
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278 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
It could fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, use a new GM
original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{Warning
Do not use tire chains. There is not
enough clearance. Tire chains used on a
vehicle without the proper amount of
clearance can cause damage to the
brakes, suspension, or other vehicle parts.
The area damaged by the tire chains
could cause loss of control and a crash.
Use another type of traction device only
if its manufacturer recommends it for the
vehicle's tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To avoid vehicle damage,
drive slowly and readjust or remove the
traction device if it contacts the vehicle.
Do not spin the wheels. If traction
devices are used, install them on the rear
tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out while
driving, especially if the tires are maintained
properly. If air goes out of a tire, it is much
more likely to leak out slowly. SeeTires
0 261 for additional information. But if there
ever is a blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire creates a
drag that pulls the vehicle toward that side.
Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and
grip the steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then gently
brake to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts
much like a skid and may require the same
correction as used in a skid. Stop pressing
the accelerator pedal and steer to straighten
the vehicle. It may be very bumpy and
noisy. Gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.
The vehicle has no spare tire, no tire
changing equipment, and no place to store
a tire.
If the vehicle has run-flat tires, there is no
need to stop on the side of the road to
change a flat tire. See Run-Flat Tires0262.{Warning
Special tools and procedures are required
to service a run-flat tire. If these special
tools and procedures are not used, injury
or vehicle damage may occur. Always be
sure the proper tools and procedures, as
described in the service manual, are used.
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America
For more information about the vehicle
battery, see Battery - North America 0251.
If the battery has run down, use another
vehicle and some jumper cables to start the
vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps
to do it safely.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Batteries also contain other chemicals
known to the State of California to cause (Continued)
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Vehicle Care 281
11. Now connect the black negative (−) cableto the negative (−) terminal (3) of the
good battery.
Do not let the other end touch anything
until the next step.
12. Connect the other end of the negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal (1)
on the dead battery.
13. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine for a while.
14. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If it will not start after a
few tries, it probably needs service.
Caution
If the jumper cables are connected or
removed in the wrong order, electrical
shorting may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Always connect
and remove the jumper cables in the
correct order, making sure that the cables
do not touch each other or other metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
Reverse the sequence exactly when
removing the jumper cables. After starting the disabled vehicle and
removing the jumper cables, allow it to idle
for several minutes.
The power windows may need to be
initialized. See
“Window Indexing” under
Power Windows 029.
Towing the Vehicle
Caution
Incorrectly towing a disabled vehicle may
cause damage. The damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not
lash or hook to suspension components.
Use the proper straps around the tires to
secure the vehicle. Do not drag a locked
wheel/tire. Use tire skates or dollies
under any locked wheel/tire while
loading the vehicle. Do not use a sling
type lift to tow the vehicle. This could
damage the vehicle.
GM recommends a flatbed tow truck to
transport a disabled vehicle. Use ramps to
help reduce approach angles, if necessary.
A towed vehicle should have its drive wheels
off the ground. If the disabled vehicle must
be towed, and is covered by GM and/or OnStar roadside benefits, contact Roadside
Assistance. Otherwise contact a professional
towing service.
If equipped, the Front Lift System can be
raised with the engine off. With the vehicle
in ACC/ACCESSORY and the doors closed,
press and hold the Front Lift System button
for 10 seconds. See
Front Lift System0214.
After the vehicle is loaded, the front can be
lowered by pressing the Front Lift System
button again with the doors closed.
Using the Tow Eye
Caution
Improper use of the tow eye can damage
the vehicle. If equipped, use the tow eye
to load a disabled vehicle onto a flatbed
tow truck from a flat road surface, or to
move the vehicle a short distance. Use
caution and low speeds. The transmission
must be in (N) Neutral when moving the
vehicle.
The vehicle may be equipped with a tow
eye that can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a flatbed car carrier from a flat road
surface. Do not use the tow eye to pull the
vehicle from snow, mud, or sand.