headlamp CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2008 6.G User Guide

When it is dark enough outside, the front turn signal
lamps turn off and the normal low-beam headlamps
turn on.
When it is bright enough outside, the regular lamps
go off, and the front turn signal lamps will take over.
If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
the vehicle leaves the garage, it takes approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
the instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure the instrument panel brightness
knob is in the full bright position. SeeInstrument Panel
Brightness on page 3-19for more information.
If it is dark enough outside and the exterior lamp control
is off, a HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message will
display on the Driver’s Information Center (DIC).
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-57.
Turning the exterior lamp control to off a second time,
or turning on the headlamps will remove the
HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message in the DIC.
If the parking lamps or the fog lamps were turned on
instead, the HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message
will continue to be displayed.
The regular headlamp system should be turned on
when needed.To turn off the DRL, turn the exterior lamp control to
the off position or shift into PARK (P). The DRL
will stay off until the control is toggled again or the
vehicle is shifted out of PARK (P).
This procedure applies only to vehicles rst sold in the
United States.
Fog Lamps
Use fog lamps for better vision in foggy or misty
conditions.
The fog lamps control is located on the multifunction
lever next to the exterior lamp control.
-(Fog Lamps):Turning the band to this position will
turn the fog lamps on.
When you turn the fog lamps on, the fog lamp light will
appear on the instrument panel cluster to indicate
that the fog lamps and the parking lamps are on.
If you turn the high-beam headlamps on, the fog lamps
will turn off. They will turn on again when you switch
to low-beam headlamps.
The ignition must be on for the fog lamps to operate.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
3-17

Twilight Sentinel®
Twilight Sentinel®can turn your lamps on and off for you.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
Twilight Sentinel
®work, so be sure it is not covered.
With Twilight Sentinel
®, you will see the following
happen:
When it is dark enough outside, the front turn signal
lamps (DRL) will go off, and the headlamps and
parking lamps will come on. The other lamps
that come on with headlamps will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps
will go off, and the front turn signal lamps (DRL)
will come on, as long as the exterior lamp switch is
in the AUTO position.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once you
leave the garage, it will take about one minute for the
automatic headlamp system to change to DRL if it is light
outside. During that delay, your instrument panel cluster
may not be as bright as usual. Make sure your instrument
panel brightness control is in full bright position.
SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on page 3-19.You can idle the vehicle with the lamps off, even when
it is dark outside.
After starting the vehicle, turn the exterior lamp control
band on the multifunction lever to off and then
release it. The lamps will remain off until you turn the
control band to off again.
Twilight Sentinel
®also provides exterior illumination as
you leave the vehicle. If Twilight Sentinel®has turned
on the lamps when you turn off the ignition, your lamps
will remain on until:
The exterior lamp switch is moved from off to the
parking lamp position, or
A delay time that you select has elapsed.
See “Personal Options” underDIC Vehicle
Personalization on page 3-75to select the delay time
that you want. You can also select no delay time.
If you turn off the ignition with the exterior lamp switch
in the parking lamp or headlamp position, the Twilight
Sentinel
®delay will not occur. The lamps will turn off as
soon as the switch is turned off.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-18

Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the manual parking lamps or headlamps have been
left on, the exterior lamps will turn off as soon as
the ignition is turned off or Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) is active. This protects against draining the
battery in case you have accidentally left the headlamps
or parking lamps on. The battery saver does not work
if the headlamps are turned on after the ignition switch is
turned to off.
If you need to leave the lamps on, use the exterior lamp
control to turn the lamps back on.
Instrument Panel Brightness
The knob for this feature is
located on the left side of
the instrument panel.
Push the knob in to turn on the interior lights.Turn and hold the knob clockwise to brighten the
lights or counterclockwise to dim them. During the day,
this knob will adjust the instrument panel brightness
and at night will adjust all interior lighting.
Be sure not to have this knob turned all the way
down with the lamps on during the day. Your Driver
Information Center (DIC) may not be visible.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door or the hatch/trunk lid is opened, the
interior lamps will go on unless it is bright outside.
You can also turn the courtesy lamps on and off
by pressing the instrument panel brightness knob.
Entry/Exit Lighting
With entry lighting, the interior lamps will come on when
entering the vehicle. The interior lamps will come on
for about 20 seconds when the engine is off.
You can turn exit and entry lighting off by quickly turning
the courtesy lamps on and off.
3-19

Lights On Reminder
This light comes on
whenever the parking
lamps are on.
SeeHeadlamps on Reminder on page 3-16for more
information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on when
the high-beam headlamps
are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-9
for more information.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left when the
engine is on.
When the needle approaches the low fuel symbol,
a chime will sound and LOW FUEL will appear on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) display. At this time,
you still have a little fuel left, but you should get
more soon.
Press the RESET button to acknowledge a DIC
message(s). Pressing the RESET button 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.
3-50

CRUISE DISENGAGED
This message displays briey when you disengage the
cruise control system by stepping on the brake on
an automatic transmission vehicle or the clutch on a
manual transmission vehicle, or by turning off the cruise
control switch. SeeCruise Control on page 3-11for
more information.
ENGINE DRAG CONTROL ACTIVE
This message displays when engine drag control is
active. When driving in a lower gear in rainy, snowy, or
icy conditions and then letting up on the accelerator
or downshifting, the rear wheels may begin to slip and
this message displays. This message stays on for a
few seconds following the engine drag control event.
ENGINE OVERHEATED – STOP ENGINE
This message displays and a continuous chime sounds
when the engine has overheated. Stop and turn the
engine off immediately to avoid severe engine damage.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-31.
ENGINE PROTECTION REDUCE
ENGINE RPM
This message displays if the engine oil temperature
exceeds 320°F (160°C). Check the engine coolant
temperature and engine oil level. If the engine is
too hot, seeEngine Overheating on page 5-31.
Your vehicle may need service, so see your
dealer/retailer.
You can monitor the oil temperature with the gages
button on the DIC. SeeDIC Operation and Displays
on page 3-52.
Multiple chimes sound when this message is displayed.
This message remains displayed and active until the
issue is resolved.
HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED
This message displays if it is dark enough outside and
the headlamps and the Twilight Sentinel®controls
are off. This message informs the driver that turning on
the exterior lamps is recommended. It has become
dark enough outside to require the headlamps and/or
other exterior lamps.
3-62

Entering the Personal Options Menu
To enter the personal options menu, use the following
steps:
1. If you have an automatic transmission vehicle,
turn the vehicle on with the shift lever in PARK (P).
If you have a manual transmission vehicle, turn
the vehicle on with the parking brake set.
To avoid excessive drain on the battery, it is
recommended that the headlamps are turned off.
2. Press the OPTION button and you will enter the
PERSONAL OPTIONS menu.
The DIC will display the current driver
number (1 or 2) for a few seconds and then will
display instructions on which buttons to use
for setting the personalizations. The RESET button
is used to select a setting for a particular feature.
The OPTION button is used to move to the
next feature.
3. Press the OPTION button while the instruction
screen is displayed to enter the rst personalization
menu item.
4. Once you have cycled through all of the personal
options, pressing the OPTION button a nal time
exits the personal options menu. In addition,
if no button is pressed within 45 seconds, the DIC
will exit the personal options menu.
Personal Options
The following options are available for programming:
Display Units:This option allows you to choose
the measurement units.
Press the OPTION button until DISPLAY UNITS appears
on the display, then press the RESET button to scroll
through the following modes:
ENGLISH (default)
METRIC
If you choose ENGLISH, all information will be displayed
in English units.
If you choose METRIC, all information will be displayed
in metric units.
When the mode you want is selected, press the
OPTION button to set your choice and advance to the
next personal option.
Auto Memory Recall (Automatic Transmission only):
If your automatic transmission vehicle has the memory
package, you may have this option. This option
allows the driver’s seat, the telescopic steering column,
if your vehicle has this feature, and the outside
rearview mirrors to automatically move to the current
driver’s set position when the engine starts.
3-76

Approach Lights:This option briey turns on the
parking lamps, the front fog lamps and the back-up
lamps during low light periods when the keyless access
transmitter is used to unlock the vehicle.
Press the OPTION button until APPROACH LIGHTS
appears on the display, then press the RESET button to
scroll through the following modes:
OFF
ON (default)
If you choose OFF, this option will turn off.
If you choose ON, the parking lamps, the front fog
lamps, and the back-up lamps will come on for
20 seconds during low light periods when all of the
following occurs:
You press the unlock button on the keyless access
transmitter.
Both of the doors are closed.
The vehicle is off or in RAP.
The lamps remain on for 20 seconds or until a door is
opened, the lock button on the keyless access transmitter
is pressed or the vehicle is no longer off or in RAP.
SeeKeyless Access System on page 2-5for more
information.When the mode you want is selected, press the
OPTION button to set your choice and advance to the
next personal option.
Twilight Delay:This option allows you to set the
amount of time you want the parking lamps and front
fog lamps to remain on after you exit the vehicle.
This will occur when the vehicle is off or in RAP and the
headlamps are on due to the automatic headlamp
system. The parking lamps and front fog lamps will
remain on until the driver selected time expires,
the exterior lamp control is activated or the vehicle is no
longer off or in RAP.
Press the OPTION button until TWILIGHT DELAY
appears on the display, then press the RESET button to
scroll through the following modes:
OFF
15 S
30 S (default)
90 S
If you choose OFF, this option will turn off.
If you choose 15 S, the twilight delay time will be set to
15 seconds.
If you choose 30 S, the twilight delay time will be set to
30 seconds.
3-78

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired — by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light up
so much road ahead.
Watch for animals.
When tired, pull off the road.
Do not wear sunglasses.
Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out.
Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
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 might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and
affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive
slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and deep-standing or
owing water.
4-16

You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{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 cannot 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 the exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is 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 the headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
4-22

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the
Vehicle......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-8
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-13
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-17
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-23
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-25
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-27
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-27
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-27
Engine Coolant.............................................5-28
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-31Engine Overheating.......................................5-31
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-33
Cooling System............................................5-34
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-39
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-41
Brakes........................................................5-42
Battery........................................................5-45
Jump Starting...............................................5-46
Rear Axle.......................................................5-51
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-51
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-52
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting............5-52
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-52
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and
Parking Lamps..........................................5-53
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-55
Windshield Replacement.................................5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-55
Tires..............................................................5-58
Winter Tires.................................................5-59
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-60
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-62
Run-Flat Tires..............................................5-64
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1