engine oil CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2003 5.G Owners Manual

When starting your engine in very cold weather (below
0ÉF or-18ÉC), do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START and hold it there up to
15 seconds. When the engine starts, let go of
the key.
2. If your engine still won't start (or starts but then
stops), it could be ¯ooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
¯oor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts brie¯y but then stops again, do the
same thing, but this time keep the pedal down
for ®ve or six seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you don't, your engine
might not perform properly.
Starter Interlock Feature
For your convenience and to avoid damage to your
starter, your vehicle is equipped with a starter interlock
feature. This feature will not allow you to crank the
engine while the vehicle is already running.
Racing or Other Competitive Driving
See your warranty book before using your vehicle
for racing or other competitive driving.
Notice:If you use your vehicle for racing or other
competitive driving, your engine may use more
oil than it would with normal use. Low oil levels can
damage the engine. Be sure to check the oil level
often during racing or other competitive driving and
keep the level at or near 1 quart (1 L) above the
upper mark that shows the proper operating range
on the engine oil dipstick. For information on
how to add oil, see ªEngine Oilº in the Index. After
the competitive driving, remove excess oil so
that the level on the dipstick is not above the upper
mark that shows the proper operating range.
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4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels. It's
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle can't move easily.
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Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-2
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-4
Other Warning Devices...................................3-4
Horn.............................................................3-5
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-5
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-6
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-12
Interior Lamps..............................................3-15
Head-Up Display (HUD).................................3-17
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-20
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-21
Climate Controls............................................3-22
Dual Automatic Climate Control System...........3-22
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-28
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators.............3-29
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-30
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-31
Tachometer.................................................3-31
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-31
Air Bag Readiness Light................................3-32
Air Bag Off Light..........................................3-33
Voltmeter Gage............................................3-34
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-35
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-36
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light . . .3-36Active Handling System Light.........................3-37
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-38
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-38
Engine Oil Pressure Gage.............................3-41
Security Light...............................................3-42
Check Gages Warning Light...........................3-42
Fuel Gage...................................................3-42
Driver Information Center (DIC).......................3-44
DIC Controls and Displays.............................3-45
DIC Warnings and Messages.........................3-53
Other Messages...........................................3-61
Audio System(s).............................................3-62
Setting the Time...........................................3-62
Radio with Cassette......................................3-63
Radio with CD..............................................3-67
Trunk-Mounted CD Changer...........................3-71
Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-75
Understanding Radio Reception......................3-77
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player.................3-78
Care of Your CDs.........................................3-79
Care of Your CD Player................................3-79
Fixed Mast Antenna (Z06)..............................3-79
Power Antenna Mast Care (Convertible)...........3-79
Integrated Windshield and Rear Window
Antennas (Coupe).....................................3-80
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

Battery Run-Down Protection
Your vehicle has a feature to help prevent you from
draining the battery in case the underhood lamp, vanity
mirror lamps, cargo lamps, reading lamps, console
or glove box lamps are accidentally left on. If you leave
any of these lamps on, they will automatically timeout
after about 15 minutes. To reset it, all of the above
lamps must be turned off or the ignition key must be
in ON.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{CAUTION:
If the HUD image is too bright, or too high in
your ®eld of view, it may take you more time to
see things you need to see when it's dark
outside. Be sure to keep the HUD image dim
and placed low in your ®eld of view.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Head-Up Display
(HUD), you can see some of the driver information that
appears on your instrument panel cluster.The information may be displayed in English or metric
units and appears as an image focused out toward
the front of your vehicle. The HUD consists of the
following information:
·Speedometer
·Turn Signal Indicators
·High-Beam Indicator Symbol
·Tachometer
·Oil, Temperature and Fuel Gages
·Shift Light (Performance SHIFT Light)
This light is used for performance driving to indicate
that the vehicle's best performance level has
been reached to shift the transmission into the next
higher gear. The SHIFT light will display at an
engine speed of about 5,750 rpm (6,250 rpm on
Z06), just prior to reaching the engine fuel
cut-off mode.
·Check Gages Icon
3-17

Engine Oil Pressure Gage
The engine oil pressure gage shows the engine oil
pressure in psi (pounds per square inch) or kPa
(kilopascals) when the engine is running.
Oil pressure should be 20 to 80 psi (140 to 550 kPa). 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 on page 5-13.The engine oil pressure can also be displayed using the
GAGES button on the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See
Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-44.
{CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches ®re. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
Notice:Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty. United States
Canada
3-41

Security Light
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.
See
Theft-Deterrent System on page 2-16andPASS-Keyžon page 2-17.
Check Gages Warning Light
This light will come on
brie¯y 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.This light can come on for the following reasons:
·Low Oil Pressure
·High Coolant Temperature
·High or Low Battery Voltage
·Low Fuel Level
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left when the
ignition is on.
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. At this time, you still
have a little fuel left, but you should get more soon.
3-42

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 panel cluster below the speedometer and
tachometer, directly above the steering column.
The following buttons are located on the DIC control
panel which is located to the right of the instrument
panel cluster.1 FUEL:Press this button to display fuel information
such as fuel economy and range.
2 GAGES:Press this button to display gage information
like oil pressure and temperature, coolant temperature,
automatic transmission ¯uid temperature, battery
voltage and front/rear tire pressures.
3 TRIP:Press this button to display your total and trip
miles, the elapsed time function, your average speed
and the engine oil life.
4 OPTIONS:This button allows you to choose personal
options that are available on your vehicle, depending
on the options your vehicle is equipped with, such
as security, door locks, easy entry seats and language.
5 E/M (English/Metric):Press 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 Driver Information Center (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.
3-44

Average Speed
Press the TRIP button until the average speed is
displayed, such as:
·AVERAGE SPEED 62 MPH or
·AVERAGE SPEED 100 km/h
Press reset in this mode to start calculating the average
speed. Press and hold RESET to clear.
Engine Oil Life
Press the TRIP button until the engine oil life is
displayed, such as OIL LIFE REMAIN 89%.
This is an estimate of the engine oil's remaining useful
life. It will show 100% when the system is reset after
an oil change. It will alert you to change your oil
on a schedule consistent with your driving conditions.When the remaining oil life is low, the system will alert
you with the message CHANGE OIL SOON.
When the oil life is down to zero, you will receive the
message CHANGE OIL NOW.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE yourself after
each oil change. It will not reset itself. Also, be
careful not to reset the OIL LIFE accidentally at any
time other than when the oil has just been changed. It
can't be reset accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the system, see ªHow to Reset the Change Oil
Soon Messageº underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
Also, see
Engine Oil on page 5-13andScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4.
3-49

If the SERVICE ABS message is being displayed, your
Traction Control System and the Active Handling
System will also be disabled. The Driver Information
Center will scroll three messages: SERVICE ABS,
SERVICE TRACTION SYS and SERVICE ACTIVE
HNDLG, and the instrument cluster car icon will
be illuminated. The driver can acknowledge these
messages by pressing the reset button three times.
When the service message is displayed the computer
controlled systems will not assist the driver and you
should have the system repaired as soon as possible.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
SERVICE COLUMN LOCK (Manual Transmission
Only):If the system that controls the locking and
unlocking of the steering column does not work properly,
have the vehicle towed to a dealer for service.
PULL KEY ± WAIT 10 SEC (Manual Transmission
Only):If this message comes on, the steering column
lock system has detected a problem while disengaging
the steering column lock. This message may occur when
the ignition key is removed and reinserted before the
steering column lock system fully locks or unlocks
the steering column. To acknowledge that you have read
this message, and to clear it from the display, remove
the ignition key and wait 10 seconds before reinserting
the key into the ignition. If you attempt to operate
your vehicle without removing the key for 10 seconds,
the vehicle's fuel system will shut off when you
reach 1.5 mph (2.4 km/h). If the message stays on afterremoving the key and waiting 10 seconds, have your
vehicle taken to an authorized dealer as soon as
possible for diagnosis and repair.
LOW OIL PRESSURE:You will hear four chimes and
the CHECK GAGES telltale will come on 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 the vehicle is serviced. If
you do not press RESET, the message will remain on
the digital display until the vehicle is serviced.
Low oil pressure may be the result of a combination of
low oil level and abrupt changes in the vehicle's
direction. When this warning is displayed, you should
not operate the engine at high rpm or make fast abrupt
moves. As soon as possible, you should check the
oil level. See
Engine Oil on page 5-13.
LOW OIL LEVEL:Press RESET to acknowledge that
you have read the message and to remove it from
the display. The message will reappear every
10 minutes until this condition changes. Once the
vehicle senses a temperature change in the engine oil,
the light will remain off.
You will hear two chimes when this message is
displayed. If this message appears after starting your
engine, your engine oil level may be too low. You
may need to add oil. See
Engine Overheating on
page 5-26.
3-55

COOLANT OVER TEMP:You will hear four chimes
and the CHECK GAGES telltale will come on 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 coolant exceeds 255ÉF (124ÉC), this
message is displayed. 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. 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 on page 5-26.
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 320ÉF (160ÉC),
this message is displayed. You should check the engine
coolant temperature and engine oil level. If your
engine is too hot, see
Engine Overheating on page 5-26.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 (Automatic Transmission
Only):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 ¯uid temperature rises above 270ÉF
(132ÉC) or rises rapidly, this message is displayed.
The transmission may shift gears or apply the torque
converter clutch to reduce the ¯uid temperature. Driving
aggressively or driving on long hills can cause the
transmission ¯uid 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 ¯uid temperature and allow it to cool to at
least 230ÉF (110ÉC). The transmission ¯uid temperature
can be monitored with the GAGES button on the
DIC. See
Automatic Transmission Fluid on page 5-20.
You should also check the engine coolant temperature.
If it is also hot, see
Engine Overheating on page 5-26.
If the HIGH TRANS TEMP message is displayed during
normal vehicle operation on ¯at roads, your vehicle
may need service. See your dealer for an inspection.
3-58