Chevrolet 1997 Corvette User manual

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The 1997 Chevrolet Corvette Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly.It also explains the air bagsystem.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your Corvette.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audiosystem.
Your Drivingand the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells whatto do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheatedengine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Corvette running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you whento perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Chevrolet for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also givesyou information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
8- 10.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listingof almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
somethingyou want to read.
i

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and the
name CORVETTE are registered trademarks of
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includesthe latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
in the
product after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, substitutethe name
“General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet
Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your Chevrolet,
so it will be
there
if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new
owner can use it.
Litho
in U.S.A.
Part
No. 10406716 A First Edition
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
We supportvoluntary
techniciancertification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propriktaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplairede ce guideen frangais chez
votre concessionaire
ou au:
DGN Marketing ServicesLtd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, OntarioL5T IC7
@CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1997
All RightsReserved
ii

CORVETTE: THE AMERICAN
DREAM MACHINE
In the early ’50s, it was only a designer’s dream. Today
the Corvette stands alone
as America’sdream car -- a
testament
to its unmistakable charisma and the
excitement
it inspires. Unique styling, powerful
performance and an undeniable panache have made
Corvetteone
of the most celebrated sports cars in
the world.
In 1953, Corvetteproduced 300 new lightweight
fiberglass roadsters.
A handful went toproject
engineers,General Motors managers, and a select group
of movie stars and celebrities.With a two-speed
Powerglide automatictransmission, Blue Flame
six-cylinder engine, and gleaming Polo White exterior,
the Corvettebegan its drive into the heart of America.
Designers freshened up the ’Vette in
1956 by adding a
removable hardtop and the famous Corvette “coves.”
The sculptured body enhanced its sporty
look, and a
standard 210-horsepower Chevy V8 engine solidified
Corvette’sreputation as aproduction race car.
ii i

In 1963, Corvette hit the road with an eye-catchingnew
look -- the StingRay coupe.An instant success, the
now-classic StingRay featuredconcealedheadlamps
and
a unique splitrear 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 sporteda
lean and hungry shape, creating a sense of motion even
when standing still. And for the first time, Corvette
offered removable roof panels.
iv

Supplement to the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette Owner’sManual
This text under “RemoteHatchlTrunkLid Release ”
may replace themanual release cable information
located
in Section 2 of your Owner’sManual.
Locate the manual release cables
in your vehicle. If they
are locatedin the slots
of the bottom of the latch trim
covers (underneaththe center storage compartment
in
the trunkarea),refer topage 2-14 in your Owner’s
Manual.’
If not, followthe.directions listed here.
If your vehicle is equipped with a hatch and you have
lost battery power, use the manual release cables to open
the hatch.
To access the cables, remove the two access
panels located in the rear
of the trunk area. There is one
cable located underneath each access panel.
Pull each cable straight down
for each latch torelease
the hatch.
97CORVOO2
1

For its 25th anniversary, the 1978Corvette paced the 62nd Annual Indianapolis 500 and received a new fastback
roofline with
a wide expanse of glass that wrapped around the sides.
V

In 1984,the fourth generation of America’s favorite
sports car anticipated the future with a sleek look and
advanced technology thatprovided superior handling
and performance. Windshield angle was the sheerest of
any domestic vehicle, cornering ability the tightest of
any production car. In short, the 1984redesign enhanced
the Corvette’s reputation as a leader in the world sports
car market.
After 44 years
of production, Corvette only gets better.
The fifth-generation Corvettearrives in 1997, featuring
a completely restyled body and a new, all-aluminum,
5.7 Liter, 345-horsepower
LS1 V8 engine.The
structure
of the fifth-generation redesign is the stiffest
ever developed in 44 years of Corvetteproduction,
resulting.inunparalleled ride quality and outstanding
handling. Also unique to the newCorvetteis a
rear-mounted transmission.
Available as a Coupe for 1997, the new Corvette offers
such standard features as extended-mobility tires, a
Bose audio system, and a new, latch-operated roof
designed for easy removal.
With many design cues inspired by the classicmodels of
the 1960s,the new fifth generation Corvetteis an
impressive combination of sleek styling and world-class
sports car performance.
vi

CORVETTE ASSEMBLY PLANT
The CorvetteAssembly Plant in Bowling Green,
Kentucky
is one of the most sophisticated and
computerized automobile assembly facilities in
the world. To build your 1997Corvette, over
1,000 employes teamed up with the 58 high-tech
robots that assist in a variety of processes, from welding
to painting.
The Bowling Green facility
is Corvette’sthird home
since 1953.Sincebeginning production in June
of 1981,it has become one of Kentucky’s most
popular tourist attractions.
CorvetteAssembly Plant tours are expected to resume
April
1, 1997and will be conducted Monday through
Friday, starting at
9 a.m. and 1p.m.. Reservations are
required for groups of
10 or more. For more
information, call [phone].
The new National CorvetteMuseum, located near the
assembly plant, opened its doors in September of 1994.
It
is also attracting tourists to the area. Formore
information, call [phone].
vii

How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to endwhen they first receivetheir new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help you learn aboutthe features and
controls foryour vehicle. In thismanual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabeticallist of what’sin
the manual, and the page number where you’ll
find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will finda number of safety cautionsin 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.
I A CAUTION:
I
These mean thereissomething that could hurt
you or other people.
In the cautionarea, we tell you whatthe hazard is. Then
we tell you what to doto help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Pleaseread these cautions.
If you don’t,you or
others could behurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slashthrough it in
this book. This safety
symbolmeans “Don’t,’’
“Don’tdothis,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you willfind these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is 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, and it could
be costly. But the notice will tell you what
to do to help
avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, youmight see
CAUTION andNOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels
on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION orNOTICE.
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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
EYESBY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD
BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BATTERY
L
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
n
UNLOCK w
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e
TURN
RUNNING
* . 0
DAYTIME -0
LAMPS ***
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
ENGINEOIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(a)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE -%-
LIGHTER m
HORN )a(
SPEAKER
b
FUEL B

e Section 1 SeatsandRestraintSystems
Here you’ll find information aboutthe seatsin your Corvetteand how to useyour safety belts properly. You can also
learn about somethings you should not dowith air bags and safety belts.
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1-10
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Seats and Controls
SafetyBelts: They’re for Everyone
Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
SafetyBelts
-- and the Answers
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position
SafetyBelt Use During Pregnancy
PassengerPosition
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1-25
1-27
1-30
1-33
1-33
1-34
Air Bag System
Children
ChildRestraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
1-1

Seats and Seat Controls
Power Seat
This parttells you about the seats -- how to adjust them,
and also aboutreclining seatbacks and seatback latches.
Manual Front Seat (Option)
(Passenger Only)
,_i :
Pull up on the lever in front of the seat to unlock it.
Slide
the seat to where you want it.Then release the
lever
and try to move the seat with your body to make
sure the seat is locked into place.
The switch for the power seats is located
on the sideof
each seat,near the base.
Different parts of the power seat control move different
parts of your seat. If you move the wholecontrol,the
whole seat will move. The back of the control will raise
or lower the back of the seat, and thefront of the control
will raise or lower
the front of the seat.
Move the control to the front or to the back
to move the
seat forward or backward. Move thecontrol up
to raise
the seat and down to lower it.
Your preferred seat position can be stored and recalled
if you
have the memory option. See “Memory”
in the Index.

Sport Seat (Option)
In additionto the power seat control, there are three
other switchesthat help youchange the shapeof your
seat. There are two lumbar supports
(A and B) for the
middle andlower back. There’s
also a sidebolster
switch
(C) that adjuststhe sides of the seat around you
to give you morelateral support.
For lumbar support, move each switch
(A and B)
forwardto inflate or rearward to deflate.
Move theside bolster switch
(C) up for more side
support and downfor less support.
Reclining Seatbacks
The lever for the reclining seat back is located on the
side of each seat,near the base.
To adjust the seatback,pull up on the lever and tilt the
seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to lock
the seatback into place.
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I ::
But don’t have a seatback reclinedif your vehicle is moving.
r
Sittingin a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Evenif youbuckle
up, your safety belts can’t do theirjob when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’tdoitsjob because it
won’t beagainstyour body. Instead, itwill be in
frontof you. In
a crashyou could gointo it,
receiving neckor otherinjuries.
The lapbelt can’tdoitsjob either. In a crash the
belt could
go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would bethere, not atyour pelvic bones.
Thiscould cause seriousinternalinjuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle
is in
motion, havethe seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seatand wear your safety belt properly.
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Seatback Latches
I
Both seatbacksfold forward to give you access tothe
rear area.
To fold a seatback forward, lift this latch and
pull the seatbackforward.The seatback will lock down
in thisposition. To unlock, lift up on the latch and push
the seatbackrearward.When you return the seatback to
its original position, make sure the seatback is locked.
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 sure it
is locked.
1-5

Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with
safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
I
A CAUT-ON:
-
Don’t let anyoneride wherehe orshecan’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you arein a crash and
you’re not wearinga safety belt,your injuries
can be much worse. Youcan hitthingsinside the
vehicle orbe ejectedfrom
it. You can be seriously
injured orkilled. In the samecrash, you might
not be if youarebuckled up. Alwaysfasten your
safety belt,and check that your passenger’s belt
is fastenedproperly too.
It is extremelydangerousto ride in a cargoarea,
insideoroutside
of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas aremore likely to be
seriouslyinjured orkilled.
Do not allow people to
ride inany area of your vehiclethat is not
equippedwith seatsand safety belts.Be sure
everyone inyour vehicle is ina seat and using a
safety belt properly.
1-6

Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most statesand Canadianprovinces, the law says to
wear safetybelts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never knowif you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash,you don’t know ifit will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
seriousthat even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But mostcrashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can surviveand sometimes walk
away. Withoutbelts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than
30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear.
In most crashesbuckling up does
matter
... a lot!
Why Safety BeltsWork
When you ride in oron anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplestvehicle. Suppose it’sjust a seat
on wheels.
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