brake fluid CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2020 Owner's Manual

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12470550) - 2020 - CRC - 4/23/20
148 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious—or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time. Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.
Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops or a brake
fault occurs, the brakes may lose
power assist. More effort will be
required to stop the vehicle. It may
take longer to stop.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering
system, do not drive over curbs,
parking barriers, or similar objects (Continued)
Caution (Continued)
at speeds greater than 3 km/h
(1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane
dividers and speed bumps.
Damage caused by misuse of the
vehicle is not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12470550) - 2020 - CRC - 4/23/20
152 Driving and Operating
Caution
Some high octane fuels contain
additives and compounds that
may damage the vehicle and void
the vehicle warranty. See
Prohibited Fuels0205.
Dual Clutch Transmission
Fluid
The transmission fluid and external
filter should be changed after every
24 hours of track usage. If prompted
by the transmission fluid life monitor
that remaining fluid life is low, the
fluid and external filter should be
changed as soon as possible.
Add an additional 2 L (2 qt) of DCT
transmission fluid prior to track
usage. It is not required to remove
the additional 2 L (2 qt) of DCT fluid.
Any transmission level set or
change should be performed at your
dealer.
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Replace existing brake fluid with a
qualified high performance brake
fluid from a sealed container. Brake
fluid with a dry boiling point >310 °C
(590 °F) is qualified. If high
performance brake fluid is used,
replace it with GM approved brake
fluid before driving on public roads.
If high performance brake fluid is in
the vehicle and the age of the brake
fluid is over a month old or
unknown, replace the brake fluid
before track events and competitive
driving. Do not use silicone or
DOT-5 brake fluids.
Check the fluid level before each
competitive driving event.
Brake Fade Warning Assist
The Brake Fade Warning Assist
system monitors the performance of
the brake system. If the system
detects brake fade, or if the brake
fluid is near the boiling point, the
driver will be alerted. The Brake Fade Warning Assist
system is designed for use with the
factory-installed brake pads or
GM-approved replacement pads.
If the brake pads on the vehicle
need to be replaced, use
GM-approved brake pads. If this is
not done, the brake fade warning
system may not function properly.
Stage 1 :
The Driver Information
Center (DIC) displays a “Reduce
Braking to Avoid Overheating”
message and brake pedal effort and
travel is increased. When the
message displays, the driver should
decrease brake pedal pressure.
Stage 2 : The Driver Information
Center (DIC) displays a “Brakes
Overheated Service Now” message
that the brake fluid temperature is
excessive and is about to boil. The
system increases brake pedal effort
and travel, and will also limit vehicle
speed. The driver should
immediately start a cool down lap if
on the track. If this message
displays, take the vehicle to be
serviced at your dealer.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12470550) - 2020 - CRC - 4/23/20
Driving and Operating 157
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Caution
Driving through deep puddles or
standing water can cause water
to come in through the engine air
intake and damage the engine.
If deep puddles or standing water
cannot be avoided, proceed with
caution and do not exceed 8 km/h
(5 mph). Do not drive through
water that may come close to or
cover the vehicle’s underbody.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.
Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0245.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.When driving downhill in D
(Drive), the vehicle may
automatically downshift to assist
with speed control.
. A lower gear may also be
selected to provide further speed
control.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12470550) - 2020 - CRC - 4/23/20
174 Driving and Operating
Caution
A transmission hot message may
display if the transmission fluid is
too hot. Driving under this
condition can damage the vehicle.
Stop and idle the engine to cool
the transmission fluid. This
message clears when the
transmission fluid has cooled
sufficiently.
D : This position is for normal
driving. If more power is needed for
passing, press the accelerator
pedal.
If the vehicle is shifted into D (Drive)
while the speed is too high, the
transmission will get ready to
engage D (Drive). Reduce the
vehicle speed, then the
transmission will engage D (Drive).
To shift into D (Drive):
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Pull the D (Drive) switch on the center console. To shift out of D (Drive):
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Shift to the desired gear.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control 0150.
The transmission can be shifted like
a manual transmission using the
paddle shift controls while in D
(Drive). See Manual Mode 0174.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission.
The repair will not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. If the vehicle
is stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in
place.
Manual Mode
Manual Paddle Shift
With the transmission in D (Drive),
press the M (Manual Mode) switch
on the center console to enter
Manual Mode. Use the paddles on
the steering wheel to manually
upshift or downshift the
transmission. The right + (plus)
paddle upshifts, and the left
−(minus) paddle downshifts.
When using the Manual Paddle
Shift feature, the current gear will be
displayed in the instrument cluster

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12470550) - 2020 - CRC - 4/23/20
192 Driving and Operating
controls, seeSteering Wheel
Controls 087. The driver can also
delete stored locations for the
automatic lift. If the vehicle is raised
automatically using GPS, it will
automatically lower once the vehicle
is located about 60 meters (197 feet)
from the programmed location.
Drivers can disable this function by
turning off GPS location through
their vehicle Front Lift System will
still operate, but only by using the
pushbutton command, and the “Auto
Lift Location Remembered”
confirmation message will not
display.
The Front Lift System can also be
used in accessory mode. Put the
vehicle in ACC/ACCESSORY mode,
then press and hold the button on
the center console for 10
consecutive seconds to
automatically raise the vehicle.
The DIC may display the message
“Lift System Unavailable” if the
following occur:
. Any doors are ajar.
. The hood is open. .
The vehicle is moving over
38 km/h (24 mph).
. Too many lift requests within a
short period.
The Front Lift System should not be
used to service the vehicle. Do not
place anything or body parts under
the vehicle while lifted. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0295.
Competitive Driving Mode
If equipped, Competitive Driving
Mode, PTM, and Launch Control are
systems designed to allow
increased performance while
accelerating and/or cornering. This
is accomplished by regulating and
optimizing the engine, brakes, and
suspension performance. These
modes are for use at a closed
course race track and are not
intended for use on public roads.
They will not compensate for driver
inexperience or lack of familiarity
with the race track. Drivers who
prefer to allow the system to have
more control of the engine, brakes, and suspension are advised to turn
the normal traction control and
StabiliTrak/ESC systems on.
Competitive Driving Mode
Competitive Driving Mode allows full
engine power while StabiliTrak/ESC
helps maintain directional control of
the vehicle by selective brake
application. In this mode, the TCS is
off and Launch Control is available.
Adjust your driving style to account
for the available engine power. See
“Launch Control”
later in this
section.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12470550) - 2020 - CRC - 4/23/20
Vehicle Care 209
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 210
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Underhood Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 221
Dual Clutch Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Dual Clutch Transmission Fluid Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 224
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 230
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Battery - North America . . . . . . 234
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 235
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 236
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 236
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . 238
Bulb Replacement
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 239
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 239
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 249
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 265
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 267Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12470550) - 2020 - CRC - 4/23/20
214 Vehicle Care
Underhood Compartment
Overview
1. Front Lift System Reservoir(Under Cover, if equipped).
See Front Lift System 0191.
2. Battery (Under Cover). See Battery - North America 0234.
3. Brake Fluid Reservoir (Under Cover). See Brake Fluid0233.
4. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 231.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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232 Vehicle Care
Caution
.Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
. Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
. Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
. When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes
Brake Wear
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard continuously while the vehicle
is moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Under certain weather or operating
conditions, brake squeal may be
heard from the vehicle performance
braking system. This brake system
is designed for superior fade
resistance and consistent operation
using high performance brake pads.
Brake squeal is normal and does
not affect system performance.
If equipped with high performance
brake linings, there could be an
increased buildup of brake dust as
well as noises as compared to
standard brake linings.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12470550) - 2020 - CRC - 4/23/20
Vehicle Care 233
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts
with new, approved replacement
parts. If this is not done, the brakes
may not work properly. The braking
performance expected can change
in many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are
installed or parts are improperly
installed.
The Brake Fade Warning Assist
system is designed for use with the
factory-installed brake pads or
GM-approved replacement pads.
If the brake pads on the vehicle
need to be replaced, use
GM-approved brake pads. If this is
not done, the brake fade warning
system may not function properly.
Cold Weather Brake Operation
High performance brake
components may bind and clunk
when moving the vehicle. This may
be noticeable after parking when the
brakes have been wet, such as
when driving in the rain or after a
car wash. This is normal for brakes
with high friction pads and does not
affect the operation of the brakes.
Apply the brakes several times until
the binding or clunking stops. Drive
the vehicle and apply the brakes
several times if it is washed before
long-term storage.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with GM approved DOT 4
brake fluid as indicated on thereservoir cap. See
Engine
Compartment Overview 0215 for
the location of the reservoir.
Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a
level surface, the brake fluid level
should be between the minimum
and maximum marks on the brake
fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir may
go down:
. Normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are installed, the
fluid level goes back up.
. A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system. Have the
brake hydraulic system fixed.
With a leak, the brakes will not
work well.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid

Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12470550) - 2020 - CRC - 4/23/20
234 Vehicle Care
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system.
Caution
If too much brake fluid is added,
the brake fluid can spill and cause
vehicle damage, including
damage to electrical components
and surfaces. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light 0104.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid
at the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0286. What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 4
brake fluid from a clean, sealed
container. See
Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0295.{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces, the
paint finish can be damaged.
Immediately wash off any painted
surface.
Battery - North America
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove
the cap and do not add fluid.
Refer to the replacement number on
the original battery label when a
new battery is needed. For battery
replacement, see your dealer.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Batteries also
contain other chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer. WASH HANDS AFTER
HANDLING. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See California Proposition
65 Warning 0210 and the back
cover.