CHEVROLET CAMARO 2021 Owner's Manual

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14583589) - 2021 - CRC - 10/1/20
180 Climate Controls
system and result in leaks or noises. Always
install a new filter when removing the old
filter.
For more information on filter replacement,
see your dealer.
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood that
identifies the refrigerant used in the vehicle.
The refrigerant system should only be
serviced by trained and certified technicians.
The air conditioning evaporator should never
be repaired or replaced by one from a
salvage vehicle. It should only be replaced
by a new evaporator to ensure proper and
safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants should be
reclaimed with proper equipment. Venting
refrigerants directly to the atmosphere is
harmful to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite, or other
health-based concerns.
The air conditioning system requires periodic
maintenance. SeeMaintenance Schedule
0 304.

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Driving and Operating 181
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 182
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Track Events and CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 203
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Parking (Manual Transmission) . . . . . . . . 205
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . 205 Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . 206
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Active Rev Match . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Competitive Driving Mode (SS, ZL1 and 1LE Models Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Recommended Fuel (3.6L V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Recommended Fuel (2.0L L4 Turbo Engine and 6.2L V8 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . 230
Recommended Fuel (6.2L V8 Supercharged Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 232
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14583589) - 2021 - CRC - 10/1/20
182 Driving and Operating
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.
.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 041.

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Driving and Operating 183
.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 applied. Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering system,
do not drive over curbs, parking barriers,
or similar objects at speeds greater than
3 km/h (1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane dividers
and speed bumps. Damage caused by
misuse of the vehicle is not covered by
the vehicle warranty.

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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184 Driving and Operating
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power steering.
It does not have power steering fluid.
Regular maintenance is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due to a
system malfunction, the vehicle can be
steered, but may require increased effort.
If the steering assist is used for an extended
period of time while the vehicle is not
moving, power assist may be reduced.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is held
against that position for an extended period
of time, power steering assist may be
reduced.
Normal use of the power steering assist
should return when the system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady speed
through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out of the curve
before accelerating gently into the
straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when steering
around a problem may be more effective
than braking.
.Holding both sides of the steering wheel
allows you to turn 180 degrees without
removing a hand.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS) allows
steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while
driving. Follow these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer the
vehicle so that it straddles the edge of
the pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-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:

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 185
.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
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 0216.
{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
become loose or come off, resulting in a
crash. See Capacities and Specifications
0 318 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 Oil0242.
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.

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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186 Driving and Operating
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.
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 set to the track
specific oil level prior to track usage.
Transmission fluid should be changed afterevery 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.
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 Lubricants
0313.
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
(Continued)

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 187
Caution (Continued)
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. SeeNew
Vehicle Break-In 0199.
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.
1. Apply the brakes 25 times starting at 100 km/h (60 mph) to 50 km/h (30 mph)
while decelerating at 0.4 g. This is a
medium brake application. Drive for at
least 1 km (0.6 mi) between applying the
brakes. This first step may be skipped if
there are more than 320 km (200 mi) on
the brake pads.
2. Repeatedly apply the brakes from 100 km/h (60 mph) to 25 km/h (15 mph)
while decelerating at 0.8 g. This is a hard
brake application, without activating the
Antilock Brake System (ABS). Drive for at
least 1 km (0.6 mi) between stops. Repeat
until the brake pedal travel starts to
increase. Depending on conditions, this
should take no longer than 25 brake
applications. 3. Cool down: Drive at 100 km/h (60 mph)
for approximately 15 km (10 mi) without
using the brakes.
4. Apply the brakes 25 times from 100 km/h (60 mph) to 50 km/h (30 mph)
while decelerating at 0.4 g. This is a
medium brake application. Drive for at
least 1 km (0.6 mi) between applications.
Front Tire Deflectors, Lower Control Arm
Deflectors, and Disc Splash Shields (SS
except 1LE Only)
Before any racing event, remove the tire
deflectors in the front of the vehicle, and
replace the original deflector and splash
shield with the tall deflector and small
splash shield.
Caution
Race track driving with the original front
disc brake splash shield and front tire
deflector may result in brake pedal fade
due to high rotor temperatures.
To install the tall deflector and small splash
shield:

Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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188 Driving and Operating
1. Remove the tire deflector.
2. Remove the front wheels.
3. Remove the calipers (3) from the knuckle.
4. Remove the brake rotors (2).5. Remove the original front splash
shields (1).
6. Remove the lower control arm deflectors.
7. Detach the wheel speed sensor harness clips from the lower control arm
deflector.
8. Install the small splash shields with two
screws (2) per corner. Torque to 9 Y
(80 lb inch).
Caution
Failure to reattach the wheel speed
sensor harness clips correctly could cause
interference with the wheel speed sensor,
and could damage the vehicle. 9. Re-attach the wheel speed sensor
harness clips by pushing them from the
bottom up, on the back tab. On the
original deflector, the push pins are
pushed from the top down.
10. Install the tall deflectors with three screws (1) per corner. Torque to 3.3 Y
(29 lb inch).
When installing new control arms,
torque the three screws to 4.5 Y
(40 lb inch).
11. Install the front rotors with one screw per corner. Torque to 9 Y(80 lb inch).
12. Apply liquid thread adhesive to the
caliper bolts (GM Part No. 9985399 –
Loctite 272 –Goodwrench 12345493).

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Driving and Operating 189
Install the calipers with two screws (1)
per corner. Torque the caliper bolts to
200Y (148 lb ft).
13. Reinstall the front wheels using the wheel nut torque. See Capacities and
Specifications 0318.
Caution
After a track event, remove the tall
deflector and the small splash shield and
reinstall the original deflector and splash
shield. Failure to reinstall the original
parts may lead to corrosion, loss of
output, noise, premature brake pad and
rotor wear, reduced high-speed wet
braking, and damage to the tall deflector. 14. After a track event, repeat the steps to
reinstall the original lower control arm
deflectors and splash shields.
15. Reinstall the tire deflectors.
Custom Launch Control (If Equipped)
Custom Launch Control allows the following
parameters for Launch Control to be
modified:
.Launch RPM
.Slip Target (5%–15%)
.Surface Type
To adjust the Launch RPM, all of these
conditions must be met:
.The vehicle must be in Track Mode. See
“Track Mode” underDriver Mode Control
0 216.
.Performance Traction Management (PTM)
Mode must be enabled. For convertibles,
and SS equipped with 10-speed automatic,
Competitive Driving Mode must be
enabled. See Driver Mode Control 0216.
.The steering wheel must be straight.
.The driver door must be closed.
.The transmission must be in a gear other
than R (Reverse). It will work in P (Park)
or N (Neutral).
.The parking brake must not be engaged. For more information on Competitive Driving
Mode, see
Competitive Driving Mode (SS,
ZL1 and 1LE Models Only) 0219.
1. Using the buttons on the right side of
the steering wheel, press
oto open the
top level DIC menu. Use
xto scroll
down to Options and press SEL.
2. Useworxto navigate to the Launch
Control menu.