CHEVROLET CORVETTE 1997 5.G Owners Manual
Manufacturer: CHEVROLET, Model Year: 1997, Model line: CORVETTE, Model: CHEVROLET CORVETTE 1997 5.GPages: 356, PDF Size: 18.43 MB
Page 121 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to ON or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt
is already buckled.
The safety belt light
will also come
on and
stay on until the driver’s
belt is buckled.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows a deployed air bag symbol. The
system checks the air bag’s electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there
is an electrical
problem. The system check includes the air bag sensors, the
air bag modules, the wiring and the diagnostic
module. For more information
on the air bag system,
see “Air Bag” in the Index.
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light should
go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to
ON. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there
is a problem.
2-72
Page 122 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Voltmeter
When the key is in the ON
position with the engine not
running, the voltmeter
shows the voltage output of
your battery. When the engine is running, it shows
the voltage output of the
charging system.
the rate of charge changes
J
The reading will change as
(with engine speed, for example), but if the voltmeter
reads at
9 volts or below, your instrument panel and
other systems may shut down. The DIC will read LOW
VOLTAGE when your Corvette is at
10 volts or below.
Have it checked right away. Driving with the voltmeter
reading at
10 volts or below could drain your battery
and disable your vehicle.
Brake System Warning Light
Your Corvette’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
BRAKE
This light should come on when you turn the ignition
key to START.
If it doesn’t
come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you
if there’s a problem.
If this warning light stays on after you start the engine,
the parking brake may be set or there may be a brake
problem. Refer to “Parking Brake” in the Index to see
if it is set.
If the parking brake is not set, have your
brake system inspected right away.
2-73
Page 123 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the light comes on while you are driving, and you
have a LOW BRAKE FLUID message showing on the
DIC, pull off the road and stop carefully. You may
notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the
light
is still on, have the vehicle towed for service. (See
“Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
A C WTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake warning light is on. Driving with the
brake warning light
on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve pulled off the
road and stopped carefully, have the vehicle
towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on
for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to
OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system.
If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving, your Corvette
needs service.
If the regular brake system warning light
isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and
there’s a problem with your regular brakes. See “Brake
System Warning Light” earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
ON. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
2-74
Page 124 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Traction Control System (TCS) Light
This light should come on
briefly as you start the
engine. If the light doesn’t
come
on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you if there’s a problem.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
f
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the
shaded area, your engine
is
too hot!
If it stays on, or comes on and the DIC shows a
SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM message when you’re
driving, there’s a problem with your TCS system and
your vehicle needs service. When this light is on, the
system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly. If the driver turns
off the Traction Control
System by pressing the button
on the console, the TCS
system light will come on and the TRACTION
SYSTEM
OFF message will show on the DIC. This
means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
(The larger tic marks are in increments of
30 O below
220°F (104°C) and in increments of 10 O above
220 OF (104”C).)
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
2-75
Page 125 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light)
CHECK
Your Corvette is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping
to produce a cleaner
environment. (In Canada, OBD
I1 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The CHECK ENGINE light
comes on to indicate that there
is a problem and service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by
the system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system
is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0
0 Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service
is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
2-76
Page 126 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do
so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see
“If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water? If
so, your electrical system
may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may
go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn
off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
2-77
Page 127 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Oil Pressure Gage
The engine oil pressure
gage shows the engine oil
pressure in psi (pounds
per square inch) or
Wa (kilopascals) when
the engine
is running.
Oil pressure should be
20 to 80 psi (140 to 550 Wa).
(In certain situations such as long, extended idles on
hot days, it could read as low as
6 psi (40 kPa) and still
be considered normal.) It may vary with engine speed,
outside temperature and oil viscosity, but readings
above the shaded area show the normal operating range.
Readings in the shaded area tell
you that the engine is
low on oil, or that you might have some other oil
problem. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
2-78
The engine oil pressure can also be displayed using the
GAGES button on the DIC. See “Driver Information
Center” in the Index.
I
/A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered
by
your warranty.
Page 128 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Security Light
SECURITY
This light comes on to
remind you
to arm your
theft-deterrent system. If it
comes
on and stays on when
your ignition
is on, there
may be a problem with your
theft-deterrent system.
Check Gages Light
CHECK
GAGES
This light will come on
briefly when you
are
starting the engine. If the
light comes on and stays on
while you are driving, check
your gages to see if they are
in the warning areas.
See “Universal Theft-Deterrent” and “PASS-Key
System” in the Index. This light can
come
on for the following reasons:
0 Low Oil Pressure
0 High Coolant Temperature
0 High or Low Battery Voltage
0 Low Fuel Level
2-79
Page 129 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel Gage
91 Your fuel gage shows
about how much fuel is
in your tank.
When the needle approaches the red zone, RESERVE
FUEL will appear on the Driver Information Center
(DIC) display. When the needle approaches the “E”,
LOW FUEL will appear on the display.
Press RESET to let the vehicle know that you have
acknowledged a DIC message(s). Pressing RESET
will also turn off a DIC message but the LOW FUEL
message will come on again in
10 minutes if you have
not added fuel to the vehicle.
Here
are three concerns some owners have had about the
fuel gage. All these situations
are normal and do not
indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage.
0
0
a
At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before the
gage reads FULL
(F).
It takes more (or less) fuel to fill up than the gage
reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but it
took more (or less) than half of the tank’s capacity
to
fill it.
The gage moves a little when you turn, stop or
speed up.
You can use the DIC to display more detailed fuel
information. Each time you press FUEL, one of the
following will appear
in the DIC.
0
0
0
0
AVERAGE: The fuel economy calculated for the
current tank
of fuel, or since you last reset the
display.
INST The fuel economy calculated for your current
driving conditions.
RANGE: The distance you can drive before
refueling.
BLANK: The fuel gage is displayed alone.
You should reset the fuel information display every time
you refuel. To reset the display, press FUEL until
AVERAGE appears. Then, press RESET on the DIC.
2-80
Page 130 of 356

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driver Information Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC) will display
information about how your vehicle is functioning, as
well as warning messages if a system problem is
detected. The DIC display area is located in the
instrument cluster below the speedometer and
tachometer, directly above the steering column.
The following buttons are on the DIC control panel
which is located to the right of the cluster:
1 FUEL: Press this button to display fuel information
such as fuel economy and range.
2 GAGES: Use this button to display gage information
like oil pressure and temperature, coolant temperature,
transmission fluid temperature, battery voltage and
fronurear tire pressures.
3 TRIP: Use this button to display your total and trip
miles, the elapsed time function, your average speed and
the oil life.
4 OPTIONS: This button allows you to choose personal
options available with your vehicle such as security,
door locks, easy entry seats and language.
5 EM: Use this button to change the display between
English and metric units.
RESET: This button, used along with the other buttons,
will reset system functions and turn off or acknowledge
messages on the DIC.
At the top
of the DIC control buttons is a light sensor.
Be sure not to block the sensor or your lighting
functions may be disrupted.
2-81