Chevrolet 2009 Corvette User manual

04AKENG03
Owner's Manual
Table of Contents
How to Use this Manual................................. 3
Important Safety Precautions........................ 5
Section 1
Instrumentation and Controls ..................... 21
Section 2
Seats and Restraints................................... 205
Section 3
Starting and Operating Instructions ......... 239
Section 4
Service and Maintenance........................... 281
Section 5
Problems on the Road................................ 357
Index........................................................... 375
Corvette
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. . . 2
We thank you for choosing a
General Motors product, and we
want to assure you of our continu-
ing commitment to your motoring
pleasure and satisfaction.
This manual should be considered
a permanent part of the vehicle.
Keep it with the vehicle when sold,
to provide the next owner with
important operating, safety and
maintenance information.
Environment-friendly and recycled
materials were used in the devel-
opment and manufacture of your
vehicle. The production methods
used to make your vehicle are also
environment-friendly.
Production waste is recycled, with
some of the waste material recov-
ered for re-use. Water require-
ments have been reduced to help
conserve natural resources.
All information, illustrations and
specifications in this manual are
based on the latest product infor-
mation available at the time of
printing. We reserve the right to
make changes in the product with-
out further notice.
The illustrations throughout the
manual are typical and are not
intended to be exact representa-
tions of any part of your vehicle.
Please be aware that the vehicle
you purchased may not be
equipped with each option that is
explained in this manual.
This Owner's Manual is supple-
mented by a "Maintenance Sched-
ule and Warranty and Owner
Assistance Information" booklet.
Although we feel that this Owner's
Manual is complete, in that it
covers the more important vehicle
operating information, it is most
valuable when used with the
Maintenance Schedule.
Important Notes About this Manual
05AKENG03_Corvette_080714 Page 2 Monday, July 14, 2008 1:07 PM

3 . . .
When it comes to service, keep in
mind that your dealer knows your
vehicle best and is committed to
your complete satisfaction. Your
dealer invites you to return for all
of your service needs both during
and after the warranty period.
Should you have any concern that
has not been handled to your satis-
faction, follow the steps outlined
in the "Maintenance Schedule and
Warranty and Owner Assistance
Information" booklet.
FOR CONTINUING SATISFAC-
TION AND QUALITY, KEEP YOUR
GM VEHICLE ALL GM. GENERAL
MOTORS PARTS ARE IDENTIFIED
BY ONE OF THESE TRADEMARKS:
Use this manual to learn about the
features of your new vehicle and
how they operate.
The manual is intended to be used
as a reference guide to help you to
quickly identify and use the various
features of your vehicle. For this
reason, the manual is organized
according to feature location as
opposed to feature operation.
It also includes some very impor-
tant safety and maintenance infor-
mation and even deals with some
problems you may have while
driving.
This manual is divided into five
sections:
• Section 1: Instrumentation
and Controls
To get a general understanding of
how the content of this manual is
organized, imagine yourself sitting
in the driver's seat. Your attention
is first focused on the instrument
panel directly in front of you, then
up and out to the mirrors,
windows and doors and continu-
ing back around the vehicle to the
rear cargo area, then up to the
overhead area and the roof. The
content of this manual is orga-
nized to follow this order. The vast
majority of your vehicle's instru-
ments and controls are built into
these areas, and are discussed first
in this manual, in Section 1.
How to Use this Manual
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. . . 4
• Section 2: Seats and
Restraints
Next, focus on the center of
your vehicle: the seats and
safety belts. Information about
these features and about your
vehicle's air bag system is cov-
ered in Section 2. Section 2
also includes any information
pertaining to child restraints.
• Section 3: Starting and Oper-
ating Instructions
Once you have been familiar-
ized with your vehicle's instru-
ments, controls, seats and
restraint systems in Sections 1
and 2, Section 3 outlines your
vehicle's starting and operat-
ing instructions. This section
includes information about
your keys and keyless entry (if
equipped), about the ignition
and vehicle starting, and about
the transmission, transfer case
(if equipped), parking, traction,
steering, brake, and suspension
systems. It also covers your
vehicle's specific loading and
towing capabilities.
• Section 4: Service and
Maintenance
The Service and Maintenance
section:
- contains fuel information
- helps you locate the various
components in your vehicle's
engine compartment
- offers basic maintenance and
fluid information for the
major, easily-accessible
engine components (e.g., oil,
coolant, transmission fluid,
power steering fluid, brake
fluid, refrigerant, washer
fluid, battery)
How to Use this Manual
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5 . . .
How to Use this Manual
- contains information about
tire inflation, inspection, rota-
tion and replacement
- locates and describes your
vehicle's fuses and circuit
breakers
- contains some bulb replace-
ment instructions and
specifications
- includes major component
specifications and capacities
• Section 5: Problems on the
Road
This section tells you how to
handle certain problems you
may have while driving. It
covers:
- jump starting your vehicle
- towing your vehicle
-engine overheating
-changing a flat tire
Each section begins with a brief
table of contents to help you
locate the information you want.
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. . . 6
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION AND NOTICE BOXES
CAUTIONS and NOTICES alert you
to conditions that may result in
injury, or that may damage your
vehicle.
CAUTION
Means: This can hurt people.
NOTICE
Means: This can damage your
vehicle.
Seating Position
CAUTION
Do not adjust the driver's seat
when the vehicle is moving.
The seat could jerk and cause a
loss of control.
Sitting in a reclined position
when your vehicle is in motion
can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts
can't do their job when the
seatback is excessively reclined.
Safety Belts
CAUTION
Always wear your safety belt. Be
sure it is adjusted properly at all
times.
Do not let anyone ride where
they cannot wear a safety belt
properly. If you are in a crash
and you are not wearing a safe-
ty belt, you can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same
crash, you might not be injured
if you are buckled up. Always
fasten your safety belt, and
check that your passengers'
belts are fastened properly, too.
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7 . . .
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION (Continued)
Wearing a safety belt improper-
ly could cause serious injury.
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 to your abdomen. This
could cause serious or even fatal
injuries.
CAUTION (Continued)
Wear your belt fitted closely
against the body. Do not wear
your shoulder belt under your
arm. Make sure the belt is not
twisted across your body.
You could be seriously injured if
your belt is buckled in the
wrong place. Always buckle
your belt into the buckle near-
est you.
CAUTION
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.
CAUTION (Continued)
A safety belt must be used by
only one person at a time. Do
not allow two children to share
the same belt.
Accident statistics show that
children are safer if they are
restrained in the rear seat.
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. . . 8
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION (Continued)
A pregnant woman should
wear a lap-shoulder belt, and
the lap portion should be worn
as low as possible throughout
the pregnancy.
Air Bags
CAUTION
Both the safety belt restraint
system and the air bag restraint
system are designed to best
protect adults.
Anyone who is up against, or
very close to, an inflating air
bag could be seriously injured
or killed. CAUTION (Continued)
Be sure that if children are too
small to be well restrained by
the safety belt system, that they
are secured in an appropriate
child restraint.
The presence of an airbag is not
a substitute for a safety belt and
is only effective in conjunction
with the safety belts.
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9 . . .
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION (Continued)
Air bags are designed to be
used with the safety belts. Even
with an air bag, if you are in a
crash and not wearing a safety
belt, your injuries could be
much worse.
If you are too close to an inflat-
ing air bag, it could seriously
injure you. Safety belts help
keep you in position in case an
air bag inflates in a collision.
The driver should sit as far back
as possible while still able to
maintain control of the vehicle.
The path of an inflating air bag
must be kept clear of any
objects at all times.
CAUTION (Continued)
When an air bag inflates, it
leaves dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing prob-
lems for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trou-
ble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you
are unable to get out of the
vehicle, then open a window or
door.
Children and Safety Restraints
CAUTION
Never hold a baby in your arms
while riding in a vehicle. During
a crash a baby will become so
heavy you can't hold it. For
example, in a crash at only 40
km/h, a 5.5 kg baby will
suddenly become a 110 kg
force on your arms. The baby
would be almost impossible to
hold. Secure the baby in an
infant restraint.
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. . . 10
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION (Continued)
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint in the front passenger
seating position could be seri-
ously injured or killed if the
passenger's air bags inflate. This
is because the restraint would
be very close to the inflating air
bags.
See "Supplemental Restraints"
in Section 2 for more
information.
CAUTION
Infants who must use rear-
facing child restraints cannot
ride safely in passenger air bag-
equipped vehicles that do not
have rear seats.
If, however, you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the front passenger seat, be
sure to move the front passen-
ger seat as far back as it will go.
Leaving Your Vehicle
CAUTION
Avoid leaving your vehicle while
the engine is running.
Do not leave children in the
vehicle with the ignition key.
They could operate the power
windows or other controls and
could even make the vehicle
move. A child or others could
be injured or even killed.
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11 . . .
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION (Continued)
It is very dangerous to leave
children inside the vehicle for
any extended period of time -
especially in hot weather. When
you leave the vehicle, take your
children with you.
Vehicles with Automatic
Transmissions
CAUTION (Continued)
If your vehicle is equipped with
an automatic transmission,
observe the following precau-
tions to ensure proper and safe
operation. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle may move suddenly and/or
cause an accident.
CAUTION (Continued)
• Be sure the shift lever is in P
(Park) and the parking brake
is firmly applied when you
leave your vehicle.
• Keep your foot firmly on the
brake pedal and do not race
the engine when shifting out
of P (Park) or N (Neutral).
• Do not shift into
D (Drive) or
R (Reverse) when the engine
is racing.
• Do not shift into
P (Park)
while the vehicle is moving.
Read Section 3, "Starting and
Operating Instructions", for
more information.
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. . . 12
Important Safety Precautions
Exhaust Warnings
CAUTION
• Things that can burn can
touch hot exhaust parts
under your vehicle and ignite.
Don't park over papers,
leaves, dry grass or other
things that can burn.
• Engine exhaust can kill. It
contains carbon monoxide
(CO) gas, which you can't see
or smell. It can cause uncon-
sciousness and death.
CAUTION (Continued)
• Do not idle the engine in a
closed-in place, such as the
garage. Carbon monoxide
(CO) gas could get into your
vehicle.
• Idling the engine with the
windows closed and the air
conditioning fan off (if
equipped), may allow dan-
gerous exhaust fumes into
your vehicle.
CAUTION (Continued)
•It can also be very dangerous
to drive with the trunk, rear
windows, hatch or rear doors
open. If you must drive with
one of these open or with
their seal broken, make sure
all other windows are closed
and turn the fan on to the
highest speed using any set-
ting that brings in outside air.
Doing this will force outside
air into the vehicle.
• Make sure that no window,
door, trunk or hatch at the
rear of the vehicle is open if
you are pulling a trailer.
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13 . . .
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION (Continued)
• Engine exhaust may also be
entering your vehicle if:
– your exhaust system
sounds strange or different
– your vehicle gets rusty
underneath
– your vehicle has been
damaged or improperly
serviced
– the base of your vehicle,
especially your exhaust
pipe, is blocked by snow or
debris
CAUTION (Continued)
If you suspect that exhaust is
entering your vehicle, drive
with all the windows open, turn
the air conditioning (if
equipped) on to any setting
that circulates outside air and
have the vehicle serviced
immediately.
Water and Your Vehicle
CAUTION
After a car wash or driving
through a puddle, the brakes
may not work well. Apply light
pedal pressure until the brakes
work normally.
Do not drive through deep
puddles. If water enters into an
air inlet, it might damage the
engine. If you must drive
through a puddle, drive careful-
ly so as not to allow the water to
splash against the underbody of
the vehicle.
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. . . 14
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water
creates strong forces. If you try
to drive through flowing water,
as you might at a low water
crossing, your vehicle can be
carried away. As little as 15 cm
of flowing water can carry away
a smaller vehicle. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Don't
ignore police warning signs,
and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through
flowing water.
Driving on Hills
CAUTION
If you need to stop on a hill, do
not hold the vehicle there with
the accelerator pedal. This
could damage the transmission.
Apply the brakes to hold the
vehicle in position.
When you are going down a
steep hill, use a lower shift
range, along with the brakes, to
control the vehicle's speed.
Do not coast downhill in
Neutral or with the ignition off.
The brakes could overheat and
you could have an accident.
Vehicle Loading
CAUTION
Do not load your vehicle in
excess of the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating or either Gross
Axle Weight Rating. If you do,
parts on your vehicle could
break and it could change the
way your vehicle handles. Over-
loading could result in loss of
vehicle control and personal
injury. It can also shorten the
service life of your vehicle.
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15 . . .
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION (Continued)
Things you put inside your vehi-
cle can strike and injure people
in a sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash. Put things in the cargo
area of your vehicle and try to
spread the weight evenly.
Never stack things inside the
vehicle any higher than the
seatbacks. Do not leave unse-
cured child restraints inside the
vehicle. Try to secure anything
that is carried inside the vehicle.
Fuel and Other Flammable
Materials
CAUTION
Turn off the engine before
refueling.
When you open the fuel filler
cap, open it slightly at first to
release the pressure inside the
tank, then turn it all the way.
Never fill a portable fuel
container while it is in your
vehicle.
Dispense gasoline only into
approved containers.
Do not smoke while pumping
gasoline.
Do not carry combustible mate-
rials, such as gasoline, in the
vehicle.
CAUTION (Continued)
Do not put paper or flammable
items in an ashtray. They may
catch fire from a cigarette.
To allow room for fuel expan-
sion in the fuel tank (caused by
heat from the engine), fill the
tank only until the pump's auto-
matic nozzle shuts off.
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. . . 16
Important Safety Precautions
Batteries
CAUTION
Vehicle batteries can hurt you.
They contain acid and electrici-
ty that can burn and gas that
can explode or ignite. Use care
and follow any applicable
instructions when working near
a battery.
Do not let battery fluid touch
your skin. If you do get it in your
eyes or on your skin, flush the
place with water and get medi-
cal help immediately.
Do not use a match or flame
near a vehicle's battery. If you
need more light, use a
flashlight.
CAUTION (Continued)
Every new GM vehicle uses a
battery that requires no mainte-
nance. However, if another
battery has filler caps, be sure
the right amount of fluid is
there. If it is low, add water to
make sure that there is no
explosive gas present.
Towing Your Vehicle
CAUTION
To help avoid injury to you or
others:
• Do not let anyone ride in a
vehicle that is being towed.
•Do not tow faster than safe or
posted speeds.
•Be sure to secure any loose or
damaged parts.
• Never get under a vehicle
after it has been lifted.
• Always use separate safety
chains on each side of the
vehicle.
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17 . . .
Important Safety Precautions
Engine Compartment
CAUTION
Steam from an overheated
engine can burn you badly.
Stay away from the engine if
you see or hear steam coming
from it.
Be careful when working
around the engine compart-
ment. Some engine parts can
get very hot and could burn
you.
CAUTION (Continued)
Exercise extreme caution
around the electric engine fan.
It sometimes starts by itself,
even when the engine is not
running.
Cooling System
CAUTION
Do not run the engine if the
coolant is leaking. If the vehicle
loses all coolant, it could cause
an engine fire and you could be
burned.
Adding only plain water or a
liquid other than the recom-
mended coolant can be
dangerous. The engine could
overheat, but you would not
get the overheat warning. The
engine could catch on fire and
you or others could be burned.
CAUTION
Under some conditions the
ethylene glycol in engine cool-
ant is combustible. To avoid
being burned,
do not spill cool-
ant on the exhaust system or on
hot engine parts. If you have
any doubt, have this operation
performed by a qualified
technician.
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. . . 18
Important Safety Precautions
CAUTION (Continued)
Steam and scalding liquids from
a hot cooling system can blow
out and burn you badly. Never
turn the cap when the engine
and cooling system are hot.
Changing a Flat Tire
CAUTION
Changing a tire can cause inju-
ry. The vehicle can slip off the
jack and injure you or other
people.
Getting under a vehicle when it
is jacked up is dangerous. If the
vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed.
Never get under a vehicle when
it is supported only by a jack.
CAUTION (Continued)
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on
the parts to which it is fastened,
can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The
wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove any rust or dirt
from the places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, you could use a
cloth or a paper towel to do
this; but be sure to use a scraper
or wire brush later, if necessary,
to get all the rust or dirt off.
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19 . . .
Important Safety Precautions
System Problems
CAUTION
Driving with the brake warning
light on can lead to an accident.
Have the brakes checked imme-
diately if the brake warning
light stays on.
Do not keep driving with low oil
pressure. Your engine could
overheat and may catch on fire.
You or others could be burned.
Check the oil as soon as possi-
ble and have your vehicle
serviced.
CAUTION
If any warning light on the
instrument panel illuminates
while you are driving, immedi-
ately park your vehicle in a safe
place, and follow the instruc-
tions in this manual.
If the engine stalls while you are
driving, the power-assisted
brake and steering systems will
not work properly, and braking
and steering will require
substantial effort. Try to pull
over to a safe place before your
vehicle stops.
NOTICE
Additional electronic equip-
ment, such as a CB radio, cellu-
lar phone, navigation package
or two-way radio, may interfere
with the operation of your vehi-
cle's engine, radio or other elec-
tronic systems and even
damage them. Please consult
with an authorized GM dealer
before installing electronic
equipment.
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. . . 20
Important Safety Precautions
Additional Safety Cautions
CAUTION
Drinking and driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness and
judgment can be affected by
even a small amount of alcohol.
You can have a serious, or even
fatal collision if you drive after
drinking. Please don't drink and
drive or ride with a driver who
has been drinking. Ride home
in a cab or designate a driver
who will not drink.
CAUTION (Continued)
Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person's system can
make crash injuries worse. This
is especially true of injuries to
the brain, spinal cord or heart.
This means that when any
person who has been drinking -
whether a driver or a passenger
- is in a crash, that person's
chance of being killed or
permanently disabled is higher
than if the person had not been
drinking.
CAUTION
Unlocked doors can be danger-
ous. Make sure to lock all doors
while riding in the vehicle.
Turn the cruise control switch
off when you are not using it.
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