engine CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2012 6.G Manual PDF

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-26 Driving and Operating
Engine Exhaust
{WARNING
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or tail pipes).
.The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
.The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
.The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified, damaged
or improperly repaired.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
.Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
.Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running. But if you ever have
to, here are some things to know.
{WARNING
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed
area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust
contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. Never run the
engine in an enclosed area that
has no fresh air ventilation. For
more information, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑26.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-27
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be
sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑23.
Automatic
Transmission
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P (Park): This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot
move easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑23.
Be sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-28 Driving and Operating
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. You have to fully apply the
brakes and then press the shift lever
button before you can shift from
P (Park) when the vehicle is
running. If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever and push the shift lever all the
way into P (Park) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the
shift lever button and move the shift
lever into another gear. SeeShifting
out of Park on page 9‑25.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑13. N (Neutral):
In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only. If the vehicle needs
towing, see Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑86.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle. D (Drive):
This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, push the pedal
down to achieve the desired level of
acceleration.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑5.
S (Sport Mode): When in
S (Sport Mode), the transmission will
work as an automatic until you use
the Manual Paddle Shift Controls,
which activates driver manual gear
selection. See Manual Mode on
page 9‑29. While in S (Sport Mode),
the transmission will have more
noticeable upshifts for sportier
vehicle performance.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-30 Driving and Operating
The driver can select 1 (First) gear
for maximum acceleration from
a stop.
When using the Manual Paddle
Shift feature while in S (Sport Mode),
the current gear will be displayed in
the Driver Information (DIC), or the
Head-Up Display (HUD), if the
vehicle has either of these features.
If the vehicle has a Head-Up
Display (HUD), seeHead-Up
Display (HUD) on page 5‑32. The Manual Paddle Shift system will
not allow either an up-shift or a
down-shift if the vehicle speed is too
fast or too slow, nor will it allow a
start from 4 (Fourth) or higher gear.
If up-shifting does not occur when
needed, vehicle speed will be
limited to protect the engine.
When the transmission gear does
not respond to a shift change,
the DIC will show an X over the
gear display.
When a requested shift is denied
due to the speed restrictions shown,
the DIC will momentarily show an
X over the gear display and a
chime will sound. If the vehicle has a HUD, and the
transmission gear does not respond
to a shift change, a chime will sound
and the HUD will momentarily show
an X over the gear display.
Manual Paddle Shift operation is
available for use with Cruise
Control. See
Cruise Control on
page 9‑45 Cruise Control for
more information.
The vehicle speeds required for
Manual Paddle Shift up-shifts
depend on several vehicle inputs,
which will vary the allowed up-shift
speed by a few km/h (mph).

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-31
For vehicles with a 2.56:1 Axle
Ratio (RPO GM8)
.Up-shifts to 4 (Fourth) gear
require approximately
35 km/h (22 mph).
.Up-shifts to 5 (Fifth) gear
require approximately
45 km/h (28 mph).
.Up-shifts to 6 (Sixth) gear
require approximately
65 km/h (41 mph).
To prevent damage to the
powertrain, Manual Paddle
downshifts to a lower gear cannot
be done above certain speeds.
The maximum speed allowed for
downshifting of gears 1 (First)
through 4 (Fourth) are:
.Into 4 (Fourth) gear over
250 km/h (155 mph).
.Into 3 (Third) gear over
188 km/h (117 mph).
.Into 2 (Second) gear over
120 km/h (75 mph).
.Into 1 (First) gear over
68 km/h (42 mph).
For vehicles with a 2.73:1 Axle
Ratio (RPO GU2)
.Up-shifts to 4 (Fourth) gear
require approximately
31 km/h (19 mph).
.Up-shifts to 5 (Fifth) gear require
approximately 39 km/h (24 mph).
.Up-shifts to 6 (Sixth) gear
require approximately
57 km/h (35 mph).
To prevent damage to the
powertrain, Manual Paddle
downshifts to a lower gear cannot
be done above certain speeds. The maximum speed allowed for
downshifting of gears 1 (First)
through 4 (Fourth) are:
.Into 4 (Fourth) gear over
234 km/h (145 mph).
.Into 3 (Third) gear over
176 km/h (109 mph).
.Into 2 (Second) gear over
113 km/h (70 mph).
.Into 1 (First) gear over
64 km/h (40 mph).
If the driver does not request an
upshift as the engine speed
approaches fuel shut off rpm, the
engine speed will be limited to
protect the engine. See Tachometer
on page 5‑12 for more information.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-32 Driving and Operating
Manual Transmission
This is the shift pattern for the
six-speed manual transmission.
Here is how to operate the
transmission:
1 (First):Press the clutch pedal
and shift into 1 (First). Then slowly
let up on the clutch pedal as you
press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into 1 (First) when
you are going less than 64 km/h
(40 mph). If you come to a complete stop and it is hard to shift into
1 (First), put the shift lever in
Neutral and let up on the clutch.
Press the clutch pedal back down.
Then shift into 1 (First).
2 (Second):
Press the clutch
pedal as you let up on the
accelerator pedal and shift into
2 (Second). Then, slowly let up on
the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth) and
6 (Sixth): Shift into 3 (Third),
4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth) and 6 (Sixth) the
same way you do for 2 (Second).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral. Neutral:
Use this position when
you start or idle the engine. The
shift lever is in Neutral when it is
centered in the shift pattern, not in
any gear.
R (Reverse): To back up, press
down the clutch pedal and shift into
R (Reverse). Just apply pressure
to get the lever past 5 (Fifth) and
6 (Sixth) into R (Reverse). Let up
on the clutch pedal slowly while
pressing the accelerator pedal.
The six-speed manual transmission
has a feature that allows you to
safely shift into R (Reverse) while
the vehicle is rolling at less than
5 km/h (3 mph). You will be
locked out if you try to shift into
R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving faster than 5 km/h (3 mph).

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-33
Shift Speeds
(Manual Transmission)
{WARNING
If you skip a gear when you
downshift, you could lose control
of the vehicle. You could injure
yourself or others. Do not shift
down more than one gear at a
time when you downshift.This chart shows when to shift to the next higher gear for the best
fuel economy.
Manual Transmission RecommendedShift Speeds in km/h (mph)
Engine Acceleration Shift Speed
1 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 5 to 6
All Engines 24 (15) 40 (25) 64 (40) 72 (45) 80 (50)
If the engine speed drops below
900 rpm, or if the engine is not
running smoothly, you should
downshift to the next lower gear.
You may have to downshift two or
more gears to keep the engine
running smoothly or for good
engine performance. Notice:
When shifting gears, do
not move the shift lever around
unnecessarily. This may damage
the transmission. Shift directly
into the next gear.

Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-34 Driving and Operating
One to Four Shift Light
(Manual Transmission)
When this light comes on, you can
only shift from 1 (First) to 4 (Fourth)
instead of 1 (First) to 2 (Second).
SeeOne-to-Four Shift Light (Manual
Transmission) on page 5‑23 for
more information.
Downshifting
(Manual Transmission)
Do not downshift into the gear
shown below at a speed greater
than shown in the table:
1 (First) 80 km/h (50 mph)
2 (Second) 119 km/h (74 mph)
3 (Third) 163 km/h
(101 mph)
4 (Fourth) 209 km/h
(130 mph)
Notice: If you skip more than one
gear when you downshift, or if
you race the engine when you
release the clutch pedal while
downshifting, you could damage
the engine, clutch, driveshaft or
the transmission. Do not skip
gears or race the engine when
downshifting. The six-speed transmission has a
spring that centers the shift lever
near 3 (Third) and 4 (Fourth). This
spring helps you know which gear
you are in when you are shifting.
Be careful when shifting from
1 (First) to 2 (Second) or
downshifting from 6 (Sixth) to
5 (Fifth). The spring will try to pull
the shift lever toward 4 (Fourth) and
3 (Third). Make sure you move the
lever into 2 (Second) or 5 (Fifth).
If you let the shift lever move in the
direction of the pulling, you may end
up shifting from 1 (First) to 4 (Fourth)
or from 6 (Sixth) to 3 (Third).
If the driver does not upshift as the
engine speed approaches fuel shut
off RPM, the engine speed will be
limited to protect the engine. See
Tachometer on page 5‑12
for more
information.

Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-35
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑22. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.

Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-36 Driving and Operating
Parking Brake
The parking brake lever is located to
the right of the center console.
To set the parking brake, hold the
brake pedal down. Pull the parking
brake lever up. If the ignition is on,
the brake system warning light will
come on.
To release the parking brake, hold
the brake pedal down. Then push
the release button in as you move
the parking brake lever all the
way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement
the power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle.
The stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time
is normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates.
The brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) that limits wheel spin.
This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system
operates only if it senses that the
rear wheels are spinning too much
or are beginning to lose traction.
When this happens, the system
works the rear brakes and reduces
engine power (by closing the throttle
and managing engine spark) to limit
wheel spin.
The TRACTION SYSTEM ACTIVE
message displays on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) when TCS
is limiting wheel spin. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑45. The system may be
heard or felt while it is working, but
this is normal.