tow CHEVROLET CORVETTE 1996 4.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Use wheel-lift or car carrier equipment. Additional
ramping may be required
for car carrier equipment.
Use safety chains and wheel straps.
NOTICE:
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage a vehicle. Damage can occur from
vehicle-to-ground or vehicle-to-wheel-lift
equipment.
To help avoid damage, install a
towing dolly and raise the vehicle until adequate
clearance is obtained between- the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out’’ while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off
the accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake
to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get
the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If
a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely. If your
vehicle has Extended Mobility Tires (tires with
“EMT”
molded on the sidewalls), see “Extended Mobility Tires”
in the Index.
.Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
A CAUTION:
3
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in
PARK (P), or shift a manual transmission
to
FIRST (1) or REVERSE (R).
3. lbrn off the engine.
To
be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 8. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
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 can use
a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use
a scraper or wire
brush later, if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
A CAUTION.
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall
off, causing a.serious accident.
9. Replace the wheel nuts with the rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel. Tighten each nut
by hand
until the wheel
is held against the hub.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I1
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If your vehicle is equipped with a spare tire, the road tire
is larger than the spare,
so you must adjust the tray to
its lower position. Lift and push the tire carrier tray
towqrd the front
of the vehicle. The tray will drop to
its lower position.
If you are returning the spare to its storage area, raise
the tire carrier tray to its upper position. Put
the tire
on the tray. For the flat road tire, lift the latch
bolt, pull it toward the rear
of the vehicle, and the bolt
will drop down to the lower position. For the spare tire,
push up the latch bolt and push it toward the front
of the
vehicle to raise it to the upper position.
5-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. You should turn
your ASR system off. (See “ASR System” in the Index.)
Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear (or with a manual transmission, between
FIRST
(1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R)),
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
5-40
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil level every time
you get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick is
next to the coolant high fill
reservoir. The dipstick
handle is a round, yellow
loop.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or a
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these
steps:
1. The automatic
transmission fluid dipstick is behind the
engine oil dipstick,
ne&- the windshield.
The dipstick handle is a round, red loop.
Pull
out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean
rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again. 3.
Check both sides
of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level should be in the area marked
“80°F” for a cold check and will move into the
“WARM” area as the temperature increases. When
the fluid
is at normal operating temperature (180°F
to 200”F, 82°C to 93”C), the level must be in the
crosshatched area marked
“ 190°F.’’ See “Automatic
Transmission Fluid Temperature Reading” in the
Index.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
6-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it will set.
Fabric Protection
Your Corvette has carpet that has been treated with
Scotchgard" Fabric Protector, a 3M product. It protects
fabrics by repelling oil and water, which are the carriers
of most stains. Even with this protection, you still need
to clean your carpet often to keep it looking new.
Further information on cleaning is available by calling
1-800-433-3296 (in Minnesota, 1-800-642-6167).
Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
0 Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You
may have to do it more than once.
0 Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if
you don't get them off quickly. Use a clean cloth and
a GM Vinylkeather Cleaner or equivalent product.
Cleaning Coated Moldings
These moldings are around the hatch opening in your
Corvette's rear area.
0 When lightly soiled, wipe with a sponge or soft
lint-free cloth dampened with water.
0 When heavily soiled, use warm soapy water.
You can remove scratches from a coated molding by
wiping briskly with the solvent-type cleaner described
earlier. If a ring forms, repeat the procedure over a larger
area, wiping toward the center of the ring.
If the ring
still remains, wipe the whole molding.
Cleaning Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or
saddle soap.
For stubborn stains, use a GM Vinylkeather Cleaner
Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
or
equivalent product.
cleaners, furniture polish or shoe polish on leather.
0 Soiled leather should be cleaned immediately. If dirt is
allowed to work into the finish, it can harm the leather.
6-55

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones or
waxes may cause annoying reflections in the windshield
and even make it difficult to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
Cleaning Soft-Touch Paint Surfaces
Use only mild soap and water to clean the Soft-Touch
paint surfaces in your Corvette.
Cleaning Speaker Covers
Vacuum around a speaker cover gently, so that the
speaker won’t be damaged. Some spots and stains will
clean off better with just water and mild soap. If
something gets on one of them and you need to use a
solvent, follow these steps:
Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material
with a clean, dull knife or scraper. Use very little
cleaner, light pressure and clean cloths (preferably
cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at the outside of
the stain, “feathering” toward
the center. Keep
changing to
a clean section of the cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric, immediately dry the
area with a blow dryer to help prevent a cleaning ring.
Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
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Do not bleach or dye safety belts. If you do, it
may severely weaken them. In a crash they might not be able to provide adequate protection. Clean
safety belts only with mild soap and lukewarm
water.
Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part
No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco smoke and dust films.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may
cause scratches. Avoid placing decals on the inside rear
window, since they may have to be scraped
off later.
If abrasive cleaners are used on the inside of the rear
window, an
electric defogger element may be damaged.
Any temporary license should not be attached across the
defogger grid.
6-56

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cleaning the Outside of Your Corvette
The paint finish on your vehicle providqs beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep
it clean
by washing it often with lukewarm or cold
water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Don’t
use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use
liquid hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soaps.
Don’t
use cleaning agents that are petroleum based,
or that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents
should be flushed promptly and not allowed to dry on
the surface, or they could stain. Dry the finish with a
soft, clean chamois or a
100% cotton towel to avoid
surface scratches and water spotting. High
pressure car washes may cause water to enter your
vehicle.
NOTICE:
Conveyor systems on some automatic car washes
may damage a Corvette. They may not have enough clearance for the undercarriage or for the
extra wide rear tires
on Grand Sport Coupe
models.
Check with the manager before using a car wash,
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Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your Corvette
by hand may be necessary to remove residue from the
paint finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning
products from your dealer. (See “Appearance Care and
Materials” in the Index.)