Chevrolet 2006 Corvette User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Safety Belts .............................................. 1-7
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-21
Airbag System ......................................... 1-38
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-54
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks ...................................... 2-10
Windows ................................................. 2-16
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-19
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-21
Mirrors .................................................... 2-38
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-45
Universal Home Remote System ................ 2-46
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-51
Roof Panel .............................................. 2-55
Convertible Top ....................................... 2-60
Vehicle Personalization ............................. 2-72
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-25
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-32
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-48
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-77
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ........ 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-38
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-51
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-52
Windshield Replacement ........................... 5-54
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-55
Tires ...................................................... 5-57
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-82
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-92
Electrical System ...................................... 5-92
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-101
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-13
Index ................................................................ 1
2006 Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, the names
CORVETTE and Z06 and the CORVETTE Emblem are
registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of
Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever
it appears in this manual.
Keep this manual the vehicle, so it will be there if it is
needed when on the road. If the vehicle is sold,
leave this manual in it.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle. If this
is done, it can help you learn about the features
and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work
together in the owner manual to explain things.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 06CORVETTE A First Printing
©
2005 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about
things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
{CAUTION:
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 do not,
you or others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Do Not,”
“Do Not do this” or “Do Not
let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the
damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle.
They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specific component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the following
topics:
•Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
•Features and Controls in Section 2
•Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
•Climate Controls in Section 3
•Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
•Audio System(s) in Section 3
•Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:
v

✍NOTES
vi

Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Manual Seats ................................................1-2
Six-Way Power Seats .....................................1-2
Power Lumbar and Side Bolsters ......................1-3
Heated Seats .................................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-4
Seatback Latches ...........................................1-6
Safety Belts .....................................................1-7
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone .................1-7
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-11
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-12
Driver Position ..............................................1-12
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-19
Passenger Position .......................................1-20
Safety Belt Pretensioners ...............................1-20
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-20
Child Restraints .............................................1-21
Older Children ..............................................1-21
Infants and Young Children ............................1-24
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-26
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) (Z06 Models Only) ........................1-30
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) (Coupe and Convertible
Models Only) ............................................1-34
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Passenger Seat Position ............................1-34
Airbag System ...............................................1-38
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-41
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-44
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-45
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-46
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? ........1-46
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-48
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-52
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-53
Restraint System Check ..................................1-54
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-54
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-54
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Manual Seats
To move a manual passenger seat, pull up the bar
located under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the
seat to where you want it and release the bar. Then
try to move the seat with your body to make sure it is
locked into place.
Six-Way Power Seats
The control for the driver’s power seat is located on the
outboard side of the seat cushion. Your vehicle may
also have a passenger power seat.
•Move the front of the control up or down to adjust
the front portion of the cushion.
•Move the rear of the control up or down to adjust
the rear portion of the cushion.
•Slide the seat control forward or rearward to move
the entire seat forward or rearward.
Your preferred seat position can be stored and recalled if
you have the memory option. See Memory on page 2-72.
1-2

Power Lumbar and Side Bolsters
Your vehicle may have power lumbar and side bolsters.
The switches are located on the outboard side of the
seat cushion.
Use the power seat control to move the seat to the
proper position. See Six-Way Power Seats on page 1-2.
Use the vertical lumbar switch (A) to adjust support in
the seatback. Press the switch forward to increase
support. Press the switch rearward to decrease support.
Use the horizontal switch (B) to adjust the side
bolsters. Pull up the switch to move the wings of the
seatback in closer to your body. Push down the switch
to move the wings away from your body.
Keep in mind that as your seating position changes,
as it may during long trips, so should the position of your
lumbar support. Adjust the seat as needed.
1-3

Heated Seats
If your vehicle is equipped
with heated seats, the
buttons are located on the
center console.
There is one button for each seat. Each button has
three settings: high, low, and off.
To turn on the heated seats, press the top of the button
once. The seat will heat to the high setting. Press the
top of the button again to switch to the low setting.
The lights at the top of the button will indicate which
setting it is in. Press the bottom of the button to turn the
system off.
The heated seats can only be used when the ignition
is on. When the vehicle is off, the heated seats will
turn off.
Reclining Seatbacks
The lever for the reclining seatback is located on the
outboard side of each seat.
To adjust the seatback, lean slightly forward to lift your
weight off the seatback. Pull completely up on the
lever until it stops, and lean back to position the
seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to
lock the seatback into place.
1-4

{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.
Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its job. In a crash,
you could go into it, receiving neck or other
injuries.
The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash
the belt could go up over your abdomen.
The belt forces would be there, not at your
pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
1-5

Seatback Latches
Both seatbacks fold forward to give you access to the
rear area. To fold a seatback forward, lift this latch,
which is located on top of the backside of the seat,
and pull the seatback forward. The seatback will lock
down in this position.
To unlock, lift up on the latch and push the seatback
rearward. When you return the seatback to its original
position, make sure the seatback is locked in place.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.
1-6

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are 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.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she can not
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passenger’s belt is
fastened properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up.
See Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-34.
1-7

In most states and all Canadian provinces, the law says
to wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling 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.
1-8

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.
1-9

The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel...
1-10

or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be — whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you’re upside down. And your chance
of being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be
in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag
system ever offered for sale has required the use
of safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that
has airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the
most protection. That’s true not only in frontal
collisions, but especially in side and other collisions.
1-11

Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident — even one that isn’t your fault — you
and your passenger can be hurt. Being a good
driver doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different rules for
smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your
vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-21 or Infants and
Young Children on page 1-24. Follow those rules for
everyone’s protection.
First, you will want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We will start with the driver position.
Driver Position
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to wear
it properly.
1. Close the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see
how, see “Seats” in the Index.
1-12

3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way,
it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and
start again.
If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt
Extender on page 1-20.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the
shoulder belt.
1-13

The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies
force to the strong pelvic bones. And you would be less
likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the
belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go
over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of
the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.
The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash,
or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
1-14