traction control CHEVROLET CAMARO 2010 5.G Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Instruments and Controls 4-1
Instruments and
Controls
Instrument Panel Overview
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . 4-4
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 4-6
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 4-6
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 4-7
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13 Engine Oil Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Transmission Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 4-17
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 4-18
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
Charging System Light . . . . . . 4-20
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-23
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak®Light . . . . 4-25
Traction Control System (TCS) OFF/StabiliTrak
®OFF
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 4-26
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 4-26
Immobilizer Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27 Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Taillamp Indicator Light . . . . . . 4-27
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Brake System Messages . . . . 4-32
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Cruise Control Messages . . . . 4-32
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 4-33
Engine Power Messages . . . . 4-34
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 4-34
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 4-34
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Airbag System Messages . . . . 4-36
Safety Belt Messages . . . . . . . 4-36

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
4-24 Instruments and Controls
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off.
If the light comes on while driving,
stop as soon as it is safely possible
and turn off the vehicle. Then start
the engine again to reset thesystem. If the ABS light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the
vehicle needs service. A chime may
also sound when the light comes on
steady.
If the ABS light is the only light on,
the vehicle has regular brakes,
but the antilock brakes are not
functioning.
If both lights are on, the vehicle's
antilock brakes are not functioning
and there is a problem with the
regular brakes. See your dealer for
service.
See
Brake System Warning Light
on page 4‑23.
See Brake System Messages
on
page 4‑32for all brake related DIC
messages.
Traction Off Light
This light comes on when the
Traction Control System (TCS) has
been turned off by pressing and
releasing the traction control button.
This light also comes on and the
system turns off if the there is a
problem with the TCS.
If the light comes on and stays on
for an extended period of time while
the system is turned on, the vehicle
needs service.
See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 8‑34andStabiliTrak
Systemon page 8‑35for more
information.

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Instruments and Controls 4-25
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak®Light
The StabiliTrak system or the
Traction Control System (TCS)
indicator/warning light comes on
briefly while starting the engine.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light will then go off.
The indicator/warning light flashes
while the StabiliTrak or TCS system
is working to control the vehicle on
a low traction surface.If the TCS indicator/warning light
comes on and stays on while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
See
Competitive Driving Mode
on
page 8‑37, Traction Control System
(TCS)on page 8‑34and StabiliTrak
Systemon page 8‑35for more
information.
Traction Control System
(TCS) OFF/StabiliTrak®
OFF Light
This light comes on when the
StabiliTrak system is turned off .
If the Traction Control System (TCS) is off, wheel spin is not limited. If the
StabiliTrak system is off, the system
does not assist in controlling the
vehicle. Turn on the TCS and the
StabiliTrak system and the warning
light turns off.
For SS models, if this light is on,
the vehicle is in Competitive Mode.
A warning also appears in the DIC
for StabiliTrak Competitive Mode.
See
Ride Control System Messages
on page 4‑35for more information.
See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 8‑34andStabiliTrak
Systemon page 8‑35for more
information

Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Instruments and Controls 4-35
Left Rear Turn Indicator Failure
This message is displayed if the
turn signal bulb needs to be
replaced. SeeTaillamps, Turn
Signal, and Stoplamps
on
page 9‑40and Replacement Bulbson page 9‑41for more information.
Right Front Turn Indicator
Failure
This message is displayed if the
turn signal bulb needs to be
replaced. See Headlamps, Front
Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
(Base Vehicle)
on page 9‑37or
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and
Parking Lamps (Up-Level Vehicle)
on page 9‑38and Replacement
Bulbson page 9‑41for more
information.
Right Rear Turn Indicator
Failure
This message is displayed if the
turn signal bulb needs to be
replaced. See Taillamps, Turn
Signal, and Stoplamps
on
page 9‑40and Replacement Bulbson page 9‑41for more information.
Turn Signal On
This message is displayed if
the turn signal has been left on.
Turn off the turn signal.
Object Detection System
Messages
Park Assist Off
This message is displayed when the
park assist system has been turned
off. See Ultrasonic Parking Assist
on page 8‑41.
Service Park Assist
This message is displayed if there
is a problem with the park assist
system. Take the vehicle to your
dealer for service.
Ride Control System
Messages
Stabilitrak Competitive Mode
(V8 Engine Only)
This message displays when
competitive mode is selected.
SeeCompetitive Driving Mode
on
page 8‑37for more information.
Service Traction Control
This message displays when there
is a problem with the Traction
Control System (TCS). When this
message is displayed, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly. See your dealer
for service.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Driving and Operating 8-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Competitive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 8-9
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 8-12
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 8-17
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-18
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-19
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 8-19
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-21
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-22
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 8-23
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-24
Parking Over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-24
Active Fuel Management™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-25
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-25
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-26
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 8-26
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-29
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 8-30
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-31
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-32
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-33
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-34
StabiliTrak System . . . . . . . . . . . 8-35
Competitive Driving Mode . . . 8-37
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . 8-38
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-39
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 8-41

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Driving and Operating 8-5
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. If the brakes are pumped,
the pedal could get harder to push
down. If the engine stops, there will
still 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.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
on
page 9‑4.
Steering
Power Steering
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
power steering system is not
functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but it will take more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the
condition of the tires and the road
surface, the angle at which the
curve is banked, and vehicle speed.
While in a curve, speed is the one
factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed,
do it before entering the curve, while
the front wheels are straight.
Try to adjust the speed so you can
drive through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering
can be more effective than braking.
For example, you come over a hill
and find a truck stopped in your
lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out
from between parked cars and stops
right in front of you. These problems
can be avoided by braking —if you
can stop in time. But sometimes you
cannot stop in time because there
is no room. That is the time for
evasive action —steering around
the problem.
The vehicle can perform very
well in emergencies like these.
First apply the brakes. See Braking
on page 8‑4. It is better to remove
as much speed as possible from
a collision. Then steer around
the problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Driving and Operating 8-7
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those
conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to the vehicle's three control
systems. In the braking skid,
the wheels are not rolling. In the
steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal
and quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, the vehicle
may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.Of course, traction is reduced when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety,
slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to
slow down on slippery surfaces
because stopping distance is longer
and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with
reduced traction, 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. You might
not realize the surface is slippery
until the vehicle is skidding. 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.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Competitive Driving
Competitive driving may affect the
vehicle warranty. See the warranty
book before using the vehicle for
racing or other competitive driving.
The new vehicle break‐in must be
performed before the vehicle is
used for competitive driving. See
New Vehicle Break-In on page 8‑17.
Notice: If you use your vehicle
for competitive driving, the
engine may use more oil than it
would with normal use. Low oil
levels can damage the engine.
Be sure to check the oil level
often during competitive driving
and keep the level at or near the
upper mark that shows the proper
operating range on the engine oil
dipstick. For information on how
to add oil, see Engine Oil
on
page 9‑10.
For 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).

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
8-8 Driving and Operating
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.
If the vehicle is used for racing,
competitive driving, sustained high
speed , or events that generate
excessive wheel slip, the rear axle
fluid temperatures will be higher
than would occur in normal driving.
We recommend that the rear axle
fluid be drained and refilled with
new fluid after every six hours
of racing or competitive driving.
SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants
on page 10‑8for what
fluid to use.
Regularly inspect the driveshaft/
propshaft couplings and halfshaft
boots for cracking or grease
leakage. It is not recommended that
the vehicle be used for ongoing race
track/competitive driving.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in
a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
8-10 Driving and Operating
.Top of hills: Be alert—
something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 8‑31improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain
icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped,
on slippery surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use the Roadside
Assistance Program
on page 12‑6.
To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
(Continued)

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Driving and Operating 8-29
Manual Mode
Tap Shift
Back of steering wheel
Tap Shift allows the driver to
manually control the automatic
transmission. To use Tap Shift, the
shift lever must be in M (Manual
Mode). Vehicles with this feature
have indicators on the steering
wheel. The controls are on the
back of the steering wheel. Tap the
left control to downshift, and the
right control to upshift. A Driver Information Center (DIC) message
indicates the gear the vehicle is in.
See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 4‑28.
While using the Tap Shift feature,
the vehicle will have firmer, quicker
shifting for increased performance.
You can use this for sport driving or
when climbing or descending hills,
to stay in gear longer, or to down
shift for more power or engine
braking. The transmission will
only allow you to shift into gears
appropriate for the vehicle speed
and engine Revolutions Per Minute
(RPM). The transmission will not
automatically shift to the next higher
gear if the engine RPM is too high.
If shifting is prevented for any
reason, the message Shift Denied
will appear in the DIC, indicating
that the transmission has not
shifted gears. While in the Tap Shift
mode, the transmission will not
automatically downshift on hard
acceleration. When coasting to a stop, the
V6 transmission will automatically
downshift to 1 (First) gear, and the
V8 transmission will automatically
downshift to 2 (Second) gear.
A 1 (First) gear start can be selected
using the Tap Shift controls on
V8 models When accelerating from
a stop the transmissions will hold
these gears until the driver manually
selects higher gears using the Tap
Shift controls.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift into second
gear. A higher gear ratio allows you
to gain more traction on slippery
surfaces.