lower gear CHEVROLET CORVETTE 1998 5.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting
out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
1
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0): This position is for
normal driving.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy
than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a):
0 When driving on hilly, winding roads.
0 When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND
(2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND
(2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow
or mud. If the
selector lever is put in FIRST
(l), the transmission
won’t shift into first gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand
or mud or were up against a solid
object.
You could damage your transmission.
Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in position on
a hill.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
components from improper operation.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shift Speeds (Manual Transmission)
This chart shows when to shift to the next higher gear
for best fuel economy.
Manual Transmission Recommended Shift Speeds in mph (kmih)
Engine
Engines .Acceleration Shift Speed
If your engine speed drops below
900 rpm, or if the
engine is not running smoothly, you should downshift to
the next lower gear. You may have to downshift two
or
more gears to keep the engine running smoothly or for
good performance.
NOTICE:
When you are shifting gears, don't move the
gearshift lever around needlessly. This can
damage parts of the transmission and may
require costly repair. Shift directly into the next
appropriate gear.
One to Four Light (Manual Transmission)
IT04
SHIFT
When this light comes on,
you
can only shift from
F'IRST
(1) to FOURTH (4)
instead of FIRST (1) to
SECOND (2). You must
complete the shift into
FOURTH
(4) to deactivate
this feature. This helps you
get the best possible
fuel economy.
After shifting
to FOURTH (4), you may downshift to a
lower gear if you prefer.
2-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot
off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to
the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down.
Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many
drivers find this to be too much trouble and don’t use
cruise control on steep hills.
Getting Out of Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
0 Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the clutch
pedal,
if you have a manual transmission vehicle; or
0 Move the cruise switch to OFF.
The DIC will display the message “CRUISE
DISENGAGED.”
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
Exterior Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will make your front turn signal lamps
come on when:
0 the ignition is on,
the headlamp switch is off and
0 the parking brake is released.
When the DRL
are on, only your front turn signal lamps
will be on. The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps
will not be
on.
Y’JV

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the engine coolant exceeds 255 “F (124”C), this
message is displayed. If you have been operating your
vehicle under normal driving conditions, you should
pull off from
the road, stop your vehicle and turn off the
engine as soon as possible. You can monitor the coolant
temperature with the GAGES button on the DIC or the
engine coolant gage on the instrument panel cluster. See
“Engine Overheating” in the Index.
HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE REDUCE ENGINE
RPM: You will hear four chimes when this message is
displayed. To acknowledge the warning, press the
RESET button. After you press the RESET button, a
message will be displayed and you will hear a chime
every minute until this condition changes. If you do not
press RESET, the message will remain on the digital
display until the condition changes.
If the engine oil temperature exceeds
320°F (1 60” C),
this message is displayed. You should check the engine
coolant temperature and engine oil level. If your engine
is too hot, see “Engine Overheating’’ in the Index. Your
vehicle may need service,
so see your dealer. You can
monitor the oil temperature with the GAGES button on
the DIC.
HIGH TRANS TEMP: You will hear four chimes
when this message is displayed. To acknowledge this
warning, press the RESET button. After you press the
RESET button, the message will be displayed every
10 minutes until the condition changes. If you do not
press RESET, the message remains on the display until
the condition changes.
If the transmission fluid temperature rises above 263°F
(128°C) or rises rapidly, this message is displayed. The
transmission may shift gears or apply the torque
converter clutch to reduce the fluid temperature. Driving
aggressively or driving on long hills can cause the
transmission fluid temperature to be higher than normal.
If this message appears, you may continue to drive at a
slower speed. You should also monitor the transmission
fluid temperature and allow it to cool to at least 230°F
(1 10°C). The transmission fluid temperature can be
monitored with the GAGES button on the DIC. See
“Automatic Transmission Fluid” in the Index. You
should also check the engine coolant temperature.
If it is
also hot, see “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
If the HIGH TRANS TEMP message is displayed
during normal vehicle operation on flat roads, your
vehicle may need service. See your dealer for an
inspection.
2-102

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t 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.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot
off
the accelerator pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid
only the acceleration skid.
If your TCS system is off, then an acceleration slud
is also best handled by easing your foot
off the
accelerator pedal.
If your 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, your
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, you’ll\

want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
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: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
4-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here
are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0
0
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These
parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to
go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shft to a lower gear when you
go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a steep downhill slope.
I li
’ A CAUTION:
II
r
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do all the work
of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Always have your
engine running and your vehicle in gear when
you go downhill.
e
e
e
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something in your lane, like a stalled
car
or an accident.
4-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. See “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” in the Index.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute
or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2.
3.
Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window
as necessary.
If you’re in a traffic
jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@) or
THIRD (3) for automatic transmissions.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to
see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-15