airbag CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2011 6.G Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Corvette Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Keys, Doors and Windows . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2 Instruments and Controls
. . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-55
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-64
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7 Driving and Operating
. . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-18
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-28
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-36
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-54
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer
to the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Trunk Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11 Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-13
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-17
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-18
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Roof Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Convertible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control
System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-22
Z06, Z16, and ZR1 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-23
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
1-10 In Brief
Safety Belt
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly.
.Safety Belts on page 3‑9.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑13.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑18.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH System)
(Coupe and Convertible Models
Only) on page 3‑43orLower
Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
(Z06 and ZR1 Models Only) on
page 3‑44.
Sensing System for
Passenger Airbag
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat‐mounted
side impact airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbags are
not affected by this.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible in the
rearview mirror when the vehicle
is started.
United States
Canada and Mexico
See Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑30 for important information.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
1-26 In Brief
The OnStar system can record
and transmit vehicle information.
This information is automatically
sent to an OnStar call center when
Qis pressed,]is pressed, or if
the airbags or ACR system deploy.
This information usually includes
the vehicle's GPS location and,
in the event of a crash, additional
information regarding the crash that
the vehicle was involved in (e.g. the
direction from which the vehicle was
hit). When the virtual advisor feature
of OnStar hands-free calling is
used, the vehicle also sends OnStar
the vehicle's GPS location so they
can provide services where it is
located.
Location information about the
vehicle is only available if the GPS
satellite signals are unobstructed
and available. The vehicle must have a working
electrical system, including
adequate battery power, for the
OnStar equipment to operate.
There are other problems OnStar
cannot control that may prevent
OnStar from providing OnStar
service at any particular time or
place. Some examples are damage
to important parts of the vehicle in
a crash, hills, tall buildings, tunnels,
weather or wireless phone network
congestion.
OnStar Steering Wheel
Controls
This vehicle may have a Talk/Mute
button that can be used to interact
with OnStar hands-free calling.
See
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑3 for more information. On some vehicles, the mute button
can be used to dial numbers into
voice mail systems, or to dial phone
extensions. See the OnStar Owner's
Guide for more information.
Your Responsibility
Increase the volume of the radio if
the OnStar advisor cannot be heard.
If the light next to the OnStar
buttons is red, the system may
not be functioning properly.
Press
Qand request a vehicle
diagnostic. If the light appears clear
(no light is appearing), your OnStar
subscription has expired and all
services have been deactivated.
Press
Qto confirm that the OnStar
equipment is active.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-1
Seats and
Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . 3-3
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Seatback Latches . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Safety Belts
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Safety Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . 3-21 Safety System Check . . . . . . . . 3-21
Safety Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . 3-24
When Should an AirbagInflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . 3-35
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . 3-36
Replacing Airbag System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . 3-41
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System)
(Coupe and Convertible
Models Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System)
(Z06 and ZR1
Models Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-44
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-48
Securing Child Restraints . . . . 3-48

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
3-12 Seats and Restraints
or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down
as the vehicle does. You get more
time to stop. You stop over more
distance, and your strongest bones
take the forces. That is why safety
belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicleafter a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A: You could be—whether you
are wearing a safety belt or not.
But your chance of being
conscious during and after an
accident, so you canunbuckle
and get out, is muchgreater if
you are belted. And you can
unbuckle a safety belt, even if
you are upside down.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear safety
belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they work with
safety belts —not instead of
them. Whether or not an airbag
is provided, all occupants still
have to buckle up to get the
most protection. That is true
not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other
collisions. Q: If I am a good driver, and I
never drive far from home,
why should I wear safety
belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver,
but if you are in a crash —even
one that is not your fault —you
and your passenger(s) can be
hurt. Being a good driver does
not protect you from things
beyond your control, such as
bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
40 km (25 miles) of home.
And the greatest number of
serious injuries and deaths
occur at speeds of less than
65 km/h (40 mph).
Safety belts are for everyone.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
3-20 Seats and Restraints
To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should
return to its stowed position.
Before a door is closed, be sure the
safety belt is out of the way. If a
door is slammed against a safety
belt, damage can occur to both the
safety belt and the vehicle.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for the front outboard
occupants. Although the safety
belt pretensioners cannot be seen,
they are part of the safety belt
assembly. They can help tighten
the safety belts during the early
stages of a moderate to severe
frontal and near frontal crash if the
threshold conditions for pretensioner
activation are met. And, for vehicles
with side impact airbags, safety belt
pretensioners can help tighten the
safety belts in a side crash.
Pretensioners work only once.
If the pretensioners activate in a
crash, they will need to be replaced,
and probably other new parts for
the vehicle's safety belt system.
SeeReplacing Safety Belt System
Parts After a Crash on page 3‑22.
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone,
including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to
be seriously injured if they do not
wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear
a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap
portion should be worn as low as
possible, below the rounding,
throughout the pregnancy.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
3-22 Seats and Restraints
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts After a
Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in
a crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. See
Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑16.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver.
.A frontal airbag for the right front
passenger.
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the right front
passenger.
All of the airbags in the vehicle will
have the word AIRBAG embossed
in the trim or on an attached label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the middle
part of the steering wheel for the
driver and on the instrument panel
for the right front passenger.
With seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG will
appear on the side of the seatback
closest to the door.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-23
Airbags are designed to supplement
the protection provided by safety
belts. Even though today's airbags
are also designed to help reduce
the risk of injury from the force of an
inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
{WARNING
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt—even
if you have airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
belts, but do not replace them.
Also, airbags are not designed to
deploy in every crash. In some
crashes safety belts are your only
restraint. See When Should an
Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑26.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance
of hitting things inside the vehicle
or being ejected from it. Airbags
are“supplemental restraints” to
the safety belts. Everyone in your
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly —whether or not there
is an airbag for that person.
{WARNING
Airbags inflate with great force,
faster than the blink of an eye.
Anyone who is up against, or
very close to, any airbag when it
inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Do not sit unnecessarily
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
close to the airbag, as you would
be if you were sitting on the edge
of your seat or leaning forward.
Safety belts help keep you in
position before and during a
crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted airbags.