CHEVROLET CAMARO SS 2010 Owners Manual

Active Fuel
Management™
Vehicles with V8 engines and an
automatic transmission have Active
Fuel Management™. This system
allows the engine to operate on
either all or half of its cylinders,
depending on the driving conditions.
When less power is required, such
as cruising at a constant vehicle
speed, the system will operate in
the half cylinder mode, allowing
the vehicle to achieve better fuel
economy. When greater power
demands are required, such as
accelerating from a stop, passing, or
merging onto a freeway, the system
will maintain full-cylinder operation.
Engine Exhaust
{WARNING
Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
•The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or tail pipes).
•The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
•The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
•The vehicle’s exhaust system
has been modified, damaged
or improperly repaired.
•There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or after-market
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
•Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
•Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Driving and Operating 8-25

Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running. But if you ever have
to, here are some things to know.
{WARNING
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed
area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust
contains Carbon Monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. Never run the
engine in an enclosed area
that has no fresh air ventilation.
For more information, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 8-25.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out
of the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift
lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be
sure the vehicle will not move.
SeeShifting Into Park on page 8-21.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, seeDriving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 8-49.
Automatic
Transmission
The automatic transmission has a
shift lever located on the console
between the seats.
P (Park):This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
8-26 Driving and Operating

{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift
lever to P (Park). SeeShifting
Into Park on page 8-21.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 8-49.
Make sure the shift lever is fully
in P (Park) before starting the
engine. The vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock
control system. The regular brakemust be fully applied first and then
the shift lever button pressed before
shifting from P (Park) when the
ignition key is in ON/RUN. If you
cannot shift out of P (Park), ease
pressure on the shift lever, then
push the shift lever all the way
into P (Park) as you maintain brake
application. Then press the shift
lever button and move the shift lever
into another gear. SeeShifting Out
of Park on page 8-22.
R (Reverse):Use this gear to
back up.
Notice:Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse)
only after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth
to get out of snow, ice or sand
without damaging the transmission,
seeIf the Vehicle is Stuck on
page 8-11.N (Neutral):In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into
a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
Driving and Operating 8-27

D (Drive):This position is for
normal driving. It provides the
best fuel economy. If more power
is needed for passing, and the
vehicle is:
•Going less than 35 mph
(56 km/h), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
•Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or
more, push the accelerator all the
way down.
Powertrain Braking
(V8 and V6 Engines)
When driving on steep descents
in D (Drive) or M (Manual Mode)
where frequent braking is required,
the transmission will shift down a
gear to help hold vehicle speed and
reduce brake wear. If the driver
continues to press the brake, the
transmission will downshift until
3 (Third) gear is reached.
If the brake is released for some
time, the transmission will upshift a
gear. If the road levels out and theaccelerator pedal is pressed, the
transmission will upshift until the
appropriate gear is reached.
4 (Fourth) Gear Hold (V6 Engine)
If, during highway driving, you
wish to pass another vehicle, but
then change your mind (quickly
pushing the accelerator pedal
all the way to the floor and then
immediately releasing the pedal),
the transmission will shift to a lower
gear and then upshift to 4 (Fourth).
This leaves the transmission
prepared with increased
responsiveness for additional driver
input. The passing maneuver can
then be resumed from 4 (Fourth)
gear, or 4 (Fourth) gear hold can
be canceled by lightly pressing
on the accelerator pedal.
Notice:If the vehicle seems
to accelerate slowly or not shift
gears when you go faster, and you
continue to drive the vehicle that
way, you could damage the
transmission. Have the vehicle
serviced right away.M (Manual Mode):This position
engages Sport Mode and allows
the driver to select the range
of gears appropriate for current
driving conditions.
In M (Manual Mode) the
transmission will shift as an
automatic until the Tap Shift
controls are used. Tap Shift
activates driver manual gear
selection.
While driving in M (Manual Mode),
if Tap Shift has not been activated,
the transmission determines when
the vehicle is being driven in a
competitive manner and will select
and hold the transmission in lower
gears and have more noticeable
upshifts for sportier vehicle
performance.
SeeManual Mode on page 8-29
for more information.
8-28 Driving and Operating

Manual Mode
Tap Shift
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 flags on the top of the steering
wheel to indicate to the driver the
location of the switches on the back
of the steering wheel. Tap the leftswitch to downshift, and the right
switch to upshift. A display in the
Driver Information Center will show
which gear the vehicle is in.
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 4-27for more information.
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 notshifted 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.
Driving and Operating 8-29

Manual Transmission
Shift Pattern (V8 Engines)
Shift Pattern (V6 Engine)
These are the shift patterns for the
six-speed manual transmissions.To operate the transmission:
1 (First):Press the clutch pedal and
shift into 1 (First). Then slowly let up
on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
You can shift into 1 (First) when
you are going less than 64 km/h
(40 mph). If you come to a complete
stop and it is hard to shift into
1 (First), put the shift lever in Neutral
and let up on the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down. Then shift
into 1 (First).
2 (Second):Press the clutch pedal
as you let up on the accelerator
pedal and shift into 2 (Second).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator
pedal.3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth)
and 6 (Sixth):Shift into 3 (Third),
4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth) and 6 (Sixth) the
same way you do for 2 (Second).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake pedal,
and shift to Neutral.
Neutral:Use this position when
you start or idle the engine. The shift
lever is in Neutral when it is centered
in the shift pattern, not in any gear.
R (Reverse):To back up, press
down the clutch pedal and shift
into R (Reverse). On V8 models,
apply pressure to get the lever
past 5 (Fifth) and 6 (Sixth) into
R (Reverse). Let up on the clutch
pedal slowly while pressing the
accelerator pedal.
8-30 Driving and Operating

One to Four Shift Light
Message (V8 Only)
When this message comes on,
you can only shift from 1 (First) to
4 (Fourth) instead of 1 (First) to
2 (Second). The message will be
displayed in the Driver Information
Center.You must complete the shift into
4 (Fourth) to turn off this feature.
This helps you get the best possible
fuel economy.
After shifting to 4 (Fourth), you may
downshift to a lower gear if you
prefer.
Notice:Forcing the shift lever
into any gear except 4 (Fourth)
when the 1 TO 4 SHIFT message
comes on may damage the
transmission. Shift only from
1 (First) to 4 (Fourth) when the
message comes on.
This message will come on when:•The engine coolant temperature
is higher than 76°C (169°F),
•The vehicle is going 24 to
31 km/h (15 to 19 mph) and
•The vehicle is at 21 percent
throttle or less.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock
Brake System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake pedal
moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 4-23. Driver Information Center
Driving and Operating 8-31

Let us say the road is wet and you
are driving safely. Suddenly, an
animal jumps out in front of you.
You slam on the brakes and
continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling,
the computer will separately work
the brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can
help the driver steer around
the obstacle while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
antilock work. The antilock pump
or motor might be heard operating,
and the brake pedal might be felt to
pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
To apply the parking brake, pull
up on the parking brake handle.
It is not necessary to push in on
the release button while applying
the parking brake. If the ignition is
in the ON/RUN position, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light
on page 4-22.
8-32 Driving and Operating

To release the parking brake:
1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Pull the parking brake handle up
until you can press the release
button.
3. Hold the release button in as you
move the brake handle all the
way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature wear
or damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.Driving with the parking brake
applied will cause a warning chime to
sound and the Park Brake message
to appear in the DIC. The message
will remain on until:
•the parking brake is released
•the vehicle comes to a stop.
If you are towing a trailer and you
are parking on a hill, seeDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 8-49.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a Brake Assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brakecontrol module to supplement
the power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle.
The stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsations or
pedal movement during this time
is normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates
The Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly decreased.
Driving and Operating 8-33

Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) that limits wheel spin.
The system utilizes engine and
braking controls to control wheel
spin during acceleration at all driving
speeds for maximum driver control
regardless of conditions. When the
system senses impending wheel slip
during acceleration, it signals the
throttle control to reduce drive wheel
torque. Under extreme situations,
such as going from pavement to ice
during acceleration, the system
will selectively apply the brakes to
maintain control. The system may
be heard or felt while it is working,
but this is normal.The TCS/StabiliTrak warning light
flashes when the traction control
system is limiting wheel spin.
The StabiliTrak/TCS warning light
comes on solid if there is a problem
with the traction control system.
SeeTraction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light on
page 4-24for more information.
If the light stays on, see your
dealer/retailer for service. When the
TCS/StabiliTrak warning light is on,
the system will not limit wheel spin.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
TCS automatically comes on
whenever the vehicle is started.
To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, the systemshould always be left on, but it may
be necessary to turn the system off if
the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud or
snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. Also, turn TCS off while
in deep snow or on loose gravel,
to assist vehicle motion at lower
speeds. SeeIf the Vehicle is Stuck
on page 8-11for more information.
See alsoWinter Driving on
page 8-10for information on using
TCS when driving in snowy or icy
conditions.
To turn the system off, press
and release the StabiliTrak/TCS
button located on the console
in front of the shift lever.
8-34 Driving and Operating