headlamp CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2003 5.G User Guide

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired Ð by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.Here are some tips on night driving.
·Drive defensively.
·Don't drink and drive.
·Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
·Since you can't see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
·Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
·In remote areas, watch for animals.
·If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But
as we get older these differences increase. A
50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if
you're driving, don't wear sunglasses at night. They may
cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.
4-18

You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who doesn't lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean Ð inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a ®lm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and ¯ash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it's easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness Ð the inability to see in dim light Ð and
aren't even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can't stop, accelerate or turn as well
because your tire-to-road traction isn't as good as on
dry roads. And, if your tires don't have much tread left,
you'll get even less traction. It's always wise to go
slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you are
driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your
re¯exes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
4-19

{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can't see it or
smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.
4-31

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under
the Hood....................................................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-20
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-20
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-29
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-35Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-36
Brakes........................................................5-37
Battery........................................................5-40
Jump Starting...............................................5-41
Rear Axle.......................................................5-46
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-47
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-47
Headlamps..................................................5-47
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-49
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-51
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-51
Tires..............................................................5-54
Extended Mobility Tires (Except Z06)...............5-54
In¯ation -- Tire Pressure................................5-56
Tire Pressure Monitor System (Except Z06)......5-57
Tire Rotation................................................5-58
Buying New Tires.........................................5-59
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-60
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-61
Wheel Replacement......................................5-61
Tire Chains..................................................5-64
Lifting Your Vehicle.......................................5-64
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-68
Tire In¯ator Kit (Z06 Only).............................5-70
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Appearance Care............................................5-75
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-75
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-77
Weatherstrips...............................................5-77
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-78
Finish Damage.............................................5-81
Magnesium Wheel Finish...............................5-81
Underbody Maintenance................................5-81
Titanium Exhaust System (Z06 Only)...............5-81
Fiberglass Springs........................................5-81
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-81
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-82
Vehicle Identi®cation......................................5-83
Vehicle Identi®cation Number (VIN).................5-83
Service Parts Identi®cation Label.....................5-83Electrical System............................................5-84
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-84
Accessory Power Plug...................................5-84
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-85
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-85
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-85
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-86
Capacities and Speci®cations..........................5-92
Capacities and Speci®cations.........................5-92
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts..........5-94
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts..........5-94
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Hood Release
Notice:In order to avoid possible contact of the
hood to the headlamp doors, either take care
in raising the hood with the headlamps up, or turn
off the headlamps prior to opening the hood.
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the handle
located inside the
vehicle below
the instrument panel
on the driver's side.
2. Go to the side of the vehicle and pull up on the rear
edge of the hood, near the windshield.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the ®ller caps are
on properly. Then, just pull the hood down and
close it ®rmly.
5-11

Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment behind the passenger's side headlamp.
See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for more information on location.
{CAUTION:
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap Ð even a little Ð when the engine and
radiator are hot.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the FULL
COLD mark. The FULL COLD mark is on the front
of the coolant surge tank. Don't over®ll the surge tank.
Too much coolant can result in an over¯ow when
the ¯uid is hot.
5-25

Bulb Replacement
For the proper type of replacement bulb, seeBulb
Replacement on page 5-47.
For any bulb changing procedure not listed in this
section, contact your dealer's service department.
Halogen Bulbs
{CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside
and can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb.
You or others could be injured. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions on the bulb
package.
Headlamps
1. The headlamp doors need to be halfway open.
Turn the headlamps on, then quickly back to the
parking lamps setting. You may have to do
this a few times to get the half-open position.
You can also open the headlamp doors manually
by turning the adjuster counterclockwise.
5-47

2. Remove the screws on each side of the
headlamp bezel.
3. Open the hood.
4. To remove the bezel, pull the sides slightly outward
and tilt the bezel forward. Pull the clip centered
above the lens outward. Be careful not to scratch
the paint on the vehicle.5. Reach behind the lamp and turn the bulb
counterclockwise to remove it. Don't touch the
halogen bulbs. The inner bulb is the high beam and
the outer bulb is the low beam.
6. Disconnect the desired bulb from the wiring
harness.
7. Reverse the steps listed previously with a new bulb.
5-48

Back-Up Lamps
You can access the back-up lamps through the inboard
taillamp opening. SeeTaillamps and Turn Signal
Lamps on page 5-49.
1. Squeeze the tab on the socket while turning it
counterclockwise to remove it from the assembly.
2. Remove the bulb from the socket.
3. Reverse the steps listed previously with a new bulb.
Replacement Bulbs
Exterior Lamp Bulb Number
High-Beam Headlamp 9005
Low-Beam Headlamp 9006
Back-Up 2057
Rear Stop/Tail and Turn Signal 3057
For any bulb replacements or procedures not listed
here, please consult your dealer.
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See ªWiper Blade
Checkº under
Part B: Owner Checks and Services on
page 6-8for more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. For the proper type and
length, see
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts on
page 5-94.
It's a good idea to clean or replace the wiper blade
assembly every six months.
Notice:Use care when removing or installing a
blade assembly. Accidental bumping can cause the
arm to fall back and strike the windshield.
To remove the wiper blade assembly, do the following:
1. Open the hood to gain access to the windshield
wipers.
2. Lift the wiper arm until it locks into a vertical
position.
5-51