Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16408685) - 2023 - CRC - 3/28/22
174 Driving and Operating
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here
are some driving tips to get the best fuel
economy possible.
.Set the climate controls to the desired
temperature after the engine is started,
or turn them off when not required.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long periods
of time.
.When road and weather conditions are
appropriate, use cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed limits or
drive more slowly when conditions
require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
.Combine several trips into a single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with the same
TPC Spec number molded into the tire's
sidewall near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms and can
take your focus from the task of driving.
Exercise good judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away from
the road. Many local governments have
enacted laws regarding driver distraction.
Become familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep your eyes
on the road, keep your hands on the
steering wheel, and focus your attention on
driving.
.Do not use a phone in demanding driving
situations. Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read, take notes,
or look up information on phones or
other electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat passenger to
handle potential distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle features
before driving, such as programming
favorite radio stations and adjusting
climate control and seat settings. Program
all trip information into any navigation
device prior to driving.
Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 175
.Wait until the vehicle is parked to
retrieve items that have fallen to the
floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend to
children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate carrier or
restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations while
driving, whether with a passenger or on a
cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too long or
too often could cause a crash resulting in
injury or death. Focus your attention on
driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for more
information on using that system and the
navigation system, if equipped, including
pairing and using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always expect the
unexpected.” The first step in driving
defensively is to wear the seat belt. See
Seat Belts 042.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers)
are going to be careless and make
mistakes. Anticipate what they may do
and be ready.
.Allow enough following distance between
you and the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Impaired Driving
Death and injury associated with impaired
driving is a global tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking alcohol or taking drugs and then
driving is very dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment
can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol or drugs. You can have a
serious —or even fatal —collision if you
drive after drinking or taking drugs.
Do not drive while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs, or ride with a driver
who has been drinking or is impaired by
drugs. Find alternate transportation
home; or if you are with a group,
designate a driver who will remain sober.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating are
important factors in helping to control a
vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time. Deciding to push the brake
pedal is perception time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is about
three-quarters of a second. In that time, a
vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels
20 m (66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind include:
.Keep enough distance between you and
the vehicle in front of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is
being driven, brake normally but do not
pump the brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the engine
stops, there will be some power brake assist
but it will be used when the brake is
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Driving and Operating 177
2. Turn the steering wheel aboutone-eighth of a turn, until the right front
tire contacts the pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three control
systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not rolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid —too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow these
suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the accelerator pedal
and steer the way you want the vehicle
to go. The vehicle may straighten out. Be
ready for a second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your driving
according to weather conditions. Stopping
distance can be longer and vehicle control
can be affected when traction is reduced
by water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to recognize
warning clues —such as enough water,
ice, or packed snow on the road to make
a mirrored surface —and slow down
when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle
speed by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid only
the braking skid.
Track Events and Competitive
Driving
{Danger
High-performance features are intended
for use only on closed tracks by
experienced and qualified drivers and
should not be used on public roads.
High-speed driving, aggressive cornering,
hard braking, and other high-performance (Continued)
Danger (Continued)
driving can be dangerous. Improper driver
inputs for the conditions may result in
loss of control of the vehicle, which could
injure or kill you or others. Always drive
safely.
If the vehicle is a Camaro High Performance
model, see the additional items in the
Camaro High Performance supplement.
Track events or competitive driving may
affect the vehicle warranty. See the
warranty manual before using the vehicle
for racing or other competitive driving.
The Engine Sound Management setting (if
equipped) should not be set to Stealth Mode
during track events and competitive driving.
See Driver Mode Control 0209.
{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
(Continued)
Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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178 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
become loose or come off, resulting in a
crash. SeeCapacities and Specifications
0 309 for wheel nut torque specifications.
Engine Oil
Caution
If you use the vehicle for racing or other
competitive driving, the engine may use
more oil than it would with normal use.
Low oil levels can damage the engine. For
information on how to add oil, see
Engine Oil0235.
Be sure to check the oil level often during
racing or other competitive driving and
keep the level at or near the upper mark
that shows the proper operating range on
the engine oil dipstick.
3.6L (LGX) V6 Engine
Change the engine oil to 0W-40 or 5W-40
that meets the dexos2 specification. If this
oil is not available, the following oil can be
used as an alternative: Valvoline SYNPOWER
MST 5W-40. For LS/LT 1LE, add 0.9 L (1.0 qt) of oil over
the nominal fill level for a track event. After
the competitive driving, remove the excess
oil so that the level on the dipstick is not
above the upper mark that shows the
proper operating range.
During track usage, do not follow the Engine
Oil Life System status. Change the engine oil
after four hours of accumulative track usage.
6.2L (LT1) V8 Engine
The LT1 engine is factory filled with 0W-40
dexosR oil. 0W-40 dexosR engine oil is
approved for both track and street use with
the LT1 engine. 15W-50 full synthetic engine
oil may also be used for track use, but after
track use must be changed back to 0W-40
dexosR for street use. See
Capacities and
Specifications 0309.
Fuel
Use premium unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 93 at a track event.
Unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 may be used, but performance
will be degraded.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Have the transmission fluid checked and set
to proper level prior to track usage.
Transmission fluid should be changed after
every 15 hours of track usage. Any
transmission level set or change should be
performed at your dealer.
Manual Transmission Fluid
Manual transmission fluid should be
changed after every 15 hours of track usage.
Brake Fluid
Replace existing brake fluid with a qualified
high performance DOT 4 brake fluid from a
sealed container. Brake fluid with a dry
boiling point >310 °C (590 °F) is qualified.
If high performance brake fluid is used,
replace it with GM approved brake fluid
before driving on public roads. If high
performance brake fluid is in the vehicle and
the age of the brake fluid is over a month
old or unknown, replace the brake fluid
before track events and competitive driving.
Do not use silicone or DOT 5 brake fluids.
Check the fluid level before each competitive
driving event.
Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 179
Rear Axle Fluid
Axles must have 2 400 km (1,500 mi) before
being used in track driving.
The rear axle fluid temperatures may be
higher than when driving in severe
conditions. Drain and refill with new fluid
after the first racing or competitive driving
event, and then after every 24 hours of
racing or competitive driving. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants0304.
Caution
During a first time track or racing event,
high rear axle temperatures can occur.
Damage could be caused to the rear axle
and would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not drive as long or as fast
the first time the vehicle is driven on the
track or raced.
Brake Fluid
For track events or competitive driving, it is
recommended that the brake fluid be
replaced with a high performance brake fluid
that has a dry boiling point greater than
279 °C (534 °F). After conversion to the high
performance brake fluid, follow the brake fluid service recommendations outlined by
the fluid manufacturer. Do not use silicone
or DOT-5 brake fluids.
Brake Burnishing
To prepare the Camaro brake systems for
track events and racing, complete the
appropriate high performance brake
burnishing procedure described below.
New brake pads must be burnished before
racing or competitive driving.
Caution
These procedures are specific to the
Camaro LT with Y4Q Heavy Duty Cooling
System and J55 brakes, SS, ZL1, and
models equipped with the 1LE track
package. This procedure should not be
run on other Camaro models equipped
with JL9 or J55 brakes without Y4Q heavy
duty cooling system as damage may
result.
Caution
The new vehicle break-in period should be
completed before performing the brake
burnishing procedure or damage may
occur to the powertrain/engine. See
New
Vehicle Break-In 0191.
When performed as instructed, this
procedure will not damage the brakes.
During the burnishing procedure, the brake
pads will smoke and produce an odor. The
braking force and pedal travel may increase.
After the procedure is complete, the brake
pads may appear white at the rotor contact.
Run this procedure in a safe manner and in
compliance with all local and state
ordinances/laws regarding motor vehicle
operation. Run this procedure only on dry
pavement.
Racing/Track Brake Burnishing Procedure
Caution
Brake fade will occur during this track
burnish procedure and can cause brake
pedal travel and force to increase. This
could extend stopping distance until the
brakes are fully burnished.
Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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186 Driving and Operating
Ensure the parking brake is disengaged to
re-enter Launch Control.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle
traction and affect your ability to stop and
accelerate. Always drive slower in these
types of driving conditions and avoid driving
through large puddles and deep-standing or
flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They
might not work as well in a quick stop
and could cause pulling to one side. You
could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car/vehicle wash, lightly apply
the brake pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces. Driving through flowing water
could cause the vehicle to be carried
away. If this happens, you and other
vehicle occupants could drown. Do not(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
ignore police warnings and be very
cautious about trying to drive through
flowing water.
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.
SeeTires 0262.
.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:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in good
shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, and
cooling system.
.Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep or long hills.
{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.
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Driving and Operating 187
{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.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or IceCaution
To avoid damage to the wheels and
brake components, always clear snow and
ice from inside the wheels and
underneath the vehicle before driving. 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 0207.
.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) 0205.
.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
0 317. 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.
(Continued)
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188 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.Adjust the climate control system to
circulate the air inside the vehicle and
set the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate Control Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0198.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then shut
the engine off and partially close the
window. Moving about to keep warm also
helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive, when
running the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs faster than
the idle speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to signal
for help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to
free the vehicle when stuck in sand, mud,
ice, or snow.
The Traction Control System (TCS) can often
help to free a stuck vehicle. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control 0207. If TCS cannot free the vehicle, turn TCS off
and use the rocking method. See
“Rocking
the Vehicle to Get it Out” following.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. The vehicle can
overheat, causing an engine compartment
fire or other damage. Spin the wheels as
little as possible and avoid going above
56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right to
clear the area around the front wheels. Turn
off any traction system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible. To
prevent transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while shifting,
and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward and
reverse directions causes a rocking motion
that could free the vehicle. If that does not
get the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to be towed out. If the vehicle
does need to be towed out, see
Transporting
a Disabled Vehicle 0289.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how much
weight the vehicle can carry. This
weight is called the vehicle capacity
weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options. Two labels
on the vehicle may show how much
weight it may properly carry: the Tire
and Loading Information label and the
Certification label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any heavier
than the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the maximum
front or rear Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). This can cause
systems to break and change the
way the vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a crash.
(Continued)