weight CHEVROLET CORVETTE 1998 5.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CORVETTE: THE AMERICAN
DREAM MACHINE
In the early O OS, it was only a designer’s dream. Today
the Corvette stands alone as America’s dream car
-- a
testament to its unmistakable charisma and the
excitement it inspires. Unique styling, powerful
performance and an undeniable panache have made
Corvette one
of the most celebrated sports cars in
the world.
In
1953, Corvette produced 300 new lightweight
fiberglass roadsters.
A handful went to project
engineers, General Motors managers, and a select group
of movie stars and celebrities. With a two-speed
Powerglide automatic transmission, Blue Flame
six-cylinder engine, and gleaming Polo White exterior,
the Corvette began its drive into the heart
of America.
Designers freshened up the ’Vette in
1956 by adding a
removable hardtop and the famous Corvette “coves.”
The sculptured body enhanced its sporty look, and a
standard 210-horsepower Chevy V8 engine solidified
Corvette’s reputation as a production race car.
iii

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Child Restraints
Every time infants and young children ride in
vehicles, they should have protection provided by
appropriate restraints.
@ What are the different types of add-on child
A: Add-on child restraints are available in four basic
types. When selecting a child restraint, take into
consideration not only the child’s weight and size,
but also whether or not the restraint will be
compatible with the motor vehicle in which it
will be used.
restraints?
An infant car bed (A) is a special bed made for use
in a
motor vehicle. It’s an infant restraint system
designed to restrain
or position a child an a
continuous flat surface. With an infant car bed,
make sure that the infant’s head rests toward the
center
of the vehicle.
1-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission Only)
A CAUTION:
I
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the
engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running,
it could
overheat and even catch fire. You
or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)
before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours
a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-35

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Lowering Your Convertible Top
I NOTICE:
Don’t leave your convertible out with the top
down for any long periods of time. The sun and
rain can damage your seat material and other
things inside your vehicle.
1. Set the parking brake firmly. Shift an automatic
transmission into PARK (P). Shift a manual
transmission into REVERSE
(R). Turn the ignition
key
to OFF. Lower both sunshades and rotate them
toward the door glass.
NOTICE:
Before lowering the convertible top into the
storage area, be sure there are no objects in the
way of the folded, stored top. The weight of a
stored top on items in the storage area may cause
the convertible top back glass to break.
2. Unlock the front of the convertible top by lowering
the latch handles and turning them inward. Push the
latch handles back to the up position.
2-69

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol.
In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving.
In recent years, over 17,000 annual motor
vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than
300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under
21, it’s
against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There
are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to solve this highway safety problem
is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But
what if people do? How much is “too much” if the
hver plans to drive? It’s a lot less than many might
think. Although it depends on each person and situation,
here is some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
0 The amount of alcohol consumed
0 The drinker’s body weight
0 The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
According to the American Medical Association, a
180-lb.
(82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about
0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4-ounce (120
ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks
if each had 1- 1/2 ounces
(45
ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
4-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if
the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces
or
90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s
BAC would be close to
0.12 percent. A person who
consumes food just before
or during drinking will have
a somewhat lower BAC level.
There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have
a lower relative percentage
of body water than men.
Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a
woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a
man of her same body weight when each has the same
number
of drinks.
The law in many
U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC
of 0.10 percent. In a growing number of U.S. states, and
throughout Canada, the limit is
0.08 percent. In some
other countries, it’s even lower. The BAC limit for
all
commercial drivers in the United States is 0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over
0.10 percent after three to
six
drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we’ve seen, it
depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how
quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC
of
0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of
many people are impaired at a BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All
drivers are impaired at BAC levels above
0.05 percent.
Statistics show that the chance of being in
a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC
of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At a BAC level of
0.10 percent, the chance of
this driver having a collision is
12 times greater; at a
level of
0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
The body takes about
an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink.
No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up. “I’ll be careful” isn’t the
right answer. What
if there’s an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able
to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There’s something else about drinking and driving that
many people don’t know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord or
heart.
This means that when anyone who has been
drinking
-- driver or passenger -- is in a crash, that
person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than
if the person had not been drinking.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 314 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even
in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph ( 100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be
a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition
of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount
of brake force applied. Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster
if you
do
a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake normally but don’t pump your brakes.
If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
e. ?
. .. ,.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loading Your Vehicle
TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
VEHICLE CAP. WT.
FRT. CTR. RR. TOTAL LBS.
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY WEIGHT
XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE
SIZE SPEED PRESSURE
RTG PSI/KPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA.
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PSIi28KPa
SEE OWNER‘S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATiON
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver’s door tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation. It
also gives you important information about the number
of people that can be in your vehicle and the total weight
that you can carry. This weight is called Vehicle
Capacity Weight and includes the weight
of all
occupants, cargo, and all non-factory-installed options.
MFD BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP
DATE GVWR GAWR FRT GAWR
RR
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CABLE U.S. FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY, BUMPER, AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS IN EFFECT ON THE DATE
OF
MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
I
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver’s door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) for either the front
or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load,
you should spread it
out. Don’t carry more than
100 lbs. (45 kg) in your
rear area.
4-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can break,
or it can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control.
Also,
overloading can shorten the life of your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because of overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle -- like suitcases,
tools, packages
or anything else -- they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes.
If you have to stop or turn quickly, or
if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.
rn I
A CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in
a crash.
0 Put things in the rear area of your vehicle.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
lky to spread the weight evenly.
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
0 When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
Towing A Trailer
Your Corvette is neither designed nor intended to tow
a trailer.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Foreign Countries. Fuel ........................... 6-4
Fourth Gear. Manual Transmission
................. 2-29
French Language Manual
11
Front Sidemarker Lamp Bulb Replacement ........... 6-35
FrontTowing
.................................. 5-10
Front
Turn Signal Lamp Bulb Replacement .......... 6-35
Fuel
.......................................... 6-3
Canada
.................................. 6-4. 6-5
Gage
....................................... 2-86
In Foreign Countries ........................... 6-4
Fuel. Filling Your Tank
........................... 6-5
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
....................... 6-64
.. ...........................
Gages Engine Coolant Temperature
.................... 2-8 1
Engine Oil Pressure ........................... 2-84
Fuel
....................................... 2-86
Voltmeter
................................... 2-79
GAWR
.................................. 4.29. 4.30
Gear Positions
.................................. 2-26
Gross Axle Weight Rating ................... 4.29. 4.30
Guide en Fransais
................................. ii
GVWR
.................................. 4.29. 4.30
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
................. 4.29. 4.30
Halogen Bulbs
................................ 6-33
Hazard Warning Flashers
.......................... 5-2
Headlamp Doors
............................... 2-44
HeadlampMighbeams Bulb Replacement
............ 6-33
Headlamps
.................................... 2-43
High/Low Beam Changer
...................... 2-45
Wiring
..................................... 6-64
Hearing Impaired. Customer Assistance
.............. 8-4
Heating
....................................... 3-10
... Heritagepages ................................... n1
Highway Hypnosis .............................. 4-22
Hill and Mountain Roads
......................... 4-22
Hood
.............................................
Checking Things Under ......................... 6-8
Release
...................................... 6-9
Horn
......................................... 2-41
Hydraulic Clutch
............................... 6-20
Ignition Switch
................................ 2-20
Inadvertent Load Control
......................... 2-53
Inside DayNight Rearview Mirror
................. 2-53
Brakesystem
................................ 7-15
Exhaust System
.............................. 7-15
Radiator and Heater Hose
...................... 7-15
Steering
.................................... 7-15
Tire
........................................ 7-15
Wheel
...................................... 7-15
Instrumentpanel
............................... 2-74
Brightness Control
............................ 2-52
Cleaning
.................................... 6-54
Cluster
..................................... 2-76
FuseBlock
.................................. 6-64
Instrument Panel Cupholder
....................... 2-54
Interior Lamps
................................. 2-52
Jump Starting
.................................. 5-3
High-BeamLamps
.............................. 2-45
Hydroplaning
.................................. 4-18
Inflation. Tire
.................................. 6-44
Inspections
.................................... 7-15
Suspension
.................................. 7-15
......... 9-5