Chevrolet 1996 Corvette User manual

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The 1996 Corvette Owner’s Manual
Seats and Restraint Systems ............................................................... 1-1
This section tellsyou how to use yourseats and safety belts properly.It also explains the air bag system.
FeaturesandControls .................................................................. 2-1
This section explains how tostart and operate your Corvette.
ComfortControlsandAudioSystems ..................................................... 3-1
This section tellsyou how to adjust the ventilation andcomfort controls and how to operate your
audio system.
Here you’ll find helpful information and tipsabout the road and howto drive under different conditions.
YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. 4-1
ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. 5-1
This section tellsyou what to do if you have a problem while driving, such asa flat tire or overheated
engine, etc.
ServiceandAppearance Care.. .......................................................... 6-1
Maintenanceschedule .................................................................. 7-1
CustomerAssistanceInformation ........................................................ 8-1
Here the manual tells you howto keep yourCorvette running properly and looking good.
This section tellsyou when to perform vehiclemaintenance and whatfluids and lubricantsto use.
This section tellsyou how to contact Chevrolet for assistance and how toget service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on“ReportingSafety Defects” on page 8-9.
Index ................................................................................. 9-1
Here’s an alphabetical listingof almost every subject in thismanual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
i

GENERAL MOTORS, GM and the GMEmblem,
CHEVROLET, theCHEVROLET Emblem,
CORVETTE and the CORVETTE Emblem,are
registered trademarks ofGeneral Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at thetime it
was printed.We reserve the rightto make changes in the
product after thattime without further notice.For
vehicles first soldin Canada, substitute thename
“General Motors ofCanada Limited” for Chevrolet
Motor Division whenever
it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your Corvette,
so it will be
there
if you ever need it when you’re on the road.If you
sell the.vehicle,please leave this manualin it
so the new
owner can
use it.
Litho in
U.S.A.
Part No. 10261 162 B First Edition
ii
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propri6taires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer unexemplairedece guide enfraqaischez
votre concessionaire
ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, OntarioL5T lC7
@CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1995
All Rights Reserved

CORVETTE: THE AMERICAN
DREAM MACHINE
In the early OS, it was only a designer’s dream. Today
the Corvette stands alone as America’s dream car
-- a
testament to its unmistakable charisma andthe
excitement it inspires. Unique styling,powerful
performance and an undeniable panache havemade
Corvette one of the most celebratedsports cars in
the world.
In
1953, Corvette produced 300 new lightweight
fiberglass roadsters.
A handful went to project
engineers, General Motors managers, and a select group
of movie stars and celebrities. Witha two-speed
Powerglide automatic transmission, Blue Flame
six-cylinder engine, and gleamingPolo White exterior,
the Corvette began its driveinto the heart ofAmerica.
Designers freshened up the ’Vette in
1956 by adding a
removable hardtop and thefamous Corvette “coves.”
The sculptured body enhanced its sportylook, and a
standard
2 1 0-horsepower Chevy V8 engine solidified
Corvette’s reputation as
a production race car.
iii

L;
In 1963, Corvette hit the road with an eye-catching new
look
-- the StingRay coupe. An instant success, the
now-classic StingRay featured concealed headlamps
and
a unique split rear window.The split window would
only be offered in
1963, making this model among the
most prized Corvettes ever built.
Restyled inside and out for
1968, this 'Vette sported a
lean and hungryshape, creating a sense of motion even
when standing still. And for the first time, Corvette
offered removable roof panels.
iv

For its 25th anniversary, the 1978 Corvette received a new fastback roofline with a wide expanse of glass that
wrapped around
the sides. Emblenx front and rear identified the '78 'Vette as a Silver Anniversary model.
V

Now in its 44th year of production, Corvette only gets
better. From the Grand Sport 330-horsepower
LT4 engine
to state-of-the-art refinements standard on all Corvettes,
today’s Corvette is a premier driving machine.
In 1984, the fourth generation
of America’s favorite
sports car anticipated the future with a sleek look and
advanced technology that provided superior handling
and performance. Windshield angle was the sheerest of
any domestic vehicle, cornering ability the tightest of
any production car. In short, the 1984 redesign enhanced
the Corvette’s reputation as a leader in the world sports
car market.
i
vi

CORVETTE ASSEMBLY PLANT
The Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green,
Kentucky is one of the most sophisticated and
computerized automobile assembly facilities in the
world.
To build your 1996 Corvette,over 1,200 employes
teamed up with the70 high-tech robots that assist in
a
variety of processes, from welding to painting.
The Bowling Green facility is Corvette’s thirdhome
since 1953.Sincebeginning production in June
of 1981,
it has become one of Kentucky’s mostpopular tourist
attractions.
Corvette Assembly Plant toursare conducted Monday
through Friday. Reservations are requiredfor groups
of
10 or more. For more information, call [phone].
The new National Corvette Museum, located near the
assembly plant, opened its doors in September
of 1994.
It isalso attracting tourists to the area.
vii

How to Use This Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this,it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you needisthe Index in
the back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list
of all
that’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll
find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We
use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things
that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

L
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
I NOTICE:
These mean thereis something that could
damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
not be covered by your warranty, andit could be costly.
But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in differentcolorsor
in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels
on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
ix

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING Q
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD
BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BAllERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
UNLOCK El
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to
do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e e
TURN
RUNNING * 0
DAYTIME *
LAMPS -**
FOGLAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some of.
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -,F-
TEMP -
ENGINE
BRAKE (0)
ENGINEOIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK (a)
BRAKES
1
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE +
LIGHTER -
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
X

e Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find informationabout the seats in your
Corvette and howto use your safety belts properly. You
can also learn about some things you should
not do with
air bags and safety belts.
Seats and Seat Controls
This part tells you about theseats -- how toadjust them,
and also about reclining seatbacksand seatback latches.
Manual Seat
/d CAUTION:
I
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust
a manual driver’s seat while the vehicleis
moving. The sudden movement couldstartle and
confuse you,
or make youpush a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjustthe driver’s seatonly when
the vehicle is not moving.
Move the lever under thefront of the seat to unlock it.
Slidethe seat to where you want it. Then release the
lever and try to move the seat withyour body, to make
sure the seat is lockedinto place.
1-1

Power Seat (Option)
SEAT
A
4D
4D
RIDE CONT
SPORT
If ,you have the SportSeat,you must move the switch
next to the lumbar controls to
DR (driver) or PS
(passenger) before adjusting your power seat.
Different parts
of thepower seat control move different
parts
of your seat. If you move the whole control, the
whole seat will move. The back of the control will move
the back ofthe seat,and the front of the control will
move the front
of the seat.
Move the control to the front or to the back to move the
seat forward or backward. Move the control toward the
centerof the vehicle to raise the seat and away from the
centerof the vehicle to lower it.
1-2

Sport Seat (Option) Reclining Seatbacks
RIDE CONTROL
SPORT
These switches letyou change the shape of your seat.
There are three lumbar supportsfor the upper,middle
and lower back. There’salso a side bolster thatadjusts
the sides
of the seat around you to giveyou more
lateral support.
First move the selector switch to
DR (driver) or PS
(passenger). Then move theshaping switches until your
seat is comfortable. Forlumbar support, move each
switch left to inflateor right
to deflate.
To adjust the seatback, push the leverback and move the
seatback to where you wantit. Release the lever to lock
the seatback in place.
1-3

But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.
Sittingin a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’tdo their jobwhen
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t doitsjob because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be in
frontof you. In
a crash you couldgo intoit,
receiving neckorother injuries.
The lapbelt can’t
do its job either. In a crash the
belt could
go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, notatyour pelvic bones.
This could causeserious internalinjuries.
For properprotection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatbackupright. Then sitwell
back in the seat andwear your safety belt
properly.
1-4

Seatback Latches
Both seatbacks fold forward to give you access to the rear
area.
To fold a seatback forward, lift this latch and push
the seatback forward. When you return the seatback to its
original position, make sure the seatback is locked.
CAUTION:
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward
on the seatback to be sureit is
locked.
1-5

Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you howto use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And itexplains
the air bag system.
Don’t letanyoneride where he orshecan’t wear
a safetybelt properly. If you arein a crash and
you’re not wearing
a safetybelt, your injuries
can bemuch worse. Youcan hit thingsinsidethe
vehicle or be ejectedfromit. You can be seriously
injured orkilled. Inthe same crash,you might
not beif you arebuckled up. Alwaysfasten your
safetybelt, and check that your passenger’s belt
is fastened properly too.
1
Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as
a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety Belt
Reminder Light” in the
Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law saysto
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know-if you’ll be in acrash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be abad one.
A few crashes are mild, andsomecrashescan be
so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes
are in between. In manyof them,
people who buckle
up can surviveand sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or
killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts
are clear.In most crashesbuckling up does
matter
... a lot!

Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it
goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat on wheels.
Put someone on it.
1-7

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn't stop.
J
Y
The person keeps going until stoppedby something.
In a real vehicle,
it could be the windshield ...
1-8

or the instrument panel ... or the safetybelts!
With safety belts, you slow down
as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop overmore distance,
and your strongest bones take
the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.