ABS CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 2012 User Guide

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-11
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.The
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑35 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.

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 5‑44. The system may be
heard or felt while it is working, but
this is normal.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-26 Vehicle Care
Cooling System
(Intercooler)
The 6.2L LS9 supercharged
V8 engine has an intercooler
cooling system. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑8 for location of the
intercooler.
The intercooler cooling system has
a special procedure for draining and
adding coolant. Because this
procedure is difficult, see the dealer
for service if the intercooler is low
on coolant. The procedure can also
be found in the service manual.
To purchase a service manual,
see Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13‑18.
Checking Coolant
1. Verify that the engine and intercooler are no longer hot.
2. Place a cloth to absorb possible coolant loss under the driver's
side bleeder valve (A).
3. Loosen, but do not completely unscrew the bleeder valve to
check for coolant in the system. 4. Tighten the bleeder valve if there
is coolant flowing out of the
bleeder valve.
5. If there is no coolant flowing out of the bleeder valve, there could
be a leak in the system. Tighten
the bleeder valve and contact
the dealer for service.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle
is filled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating on
page 10‑30.

Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-45
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal and Parking
Lamps
A. High-beam Headlamp
B. Low-beam Headlamp
C. Front Parking/Turn Signal
If the low-beam headlamp needs
to be replaced, see your dealer.
SeeHigh Intensity Discharge (HID)
Lighting on page 10‑44 for more
information. To replace a high-beam or front
parking/turn signal bulb:
1. Turn the wheel to allow access
to the wheel well.2. Remove the three outerfasteners to move the access
panel back.
3. Remove the outer cover to expose the high-beam headlamp
bulb socket.
4. Remove the headlamp bulb byreleasing the outer tabs from the
socket.
5. Remove the front parking/turn signal bulb by turning the bulb
socket counterclockwise.
6. Replace the high-beam headlamp bulb with a new bulb
and reattach to the bulb socket.
Replace the front parking/turn
signal bulb by turning the bulb
socket clockwise.
7. Reverse the Steps 2 through 4 to reinstall.

Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-46 Vehicle Care
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
and Stoplamps
To replace a stoplamp, taillamp/turn
signal bulb:
1. Remove the screw from the topof the lamp assembly.
2. Tilt the lamp assemblytoward you.
3. Turn the bulb socket one-quarter turn counterclockwise and pull
it out.
4. Pull the bulb straight out to remove it from the socket. 5. Push the new bulb in the bulb
socket until it snaps into place.
6. Reinstall the lamp assembly by first lining up the tabs on the
bottom of the lamp assembly
with the tabs in the vehicle, then
slide it in.
7. Replace the screw at the top of the lamp assembly.
Replacement Bulbs
Exterior Lamp Bulb
Number
Front Parking/
Turn Signal 5702KA
Headlamp,
High‐Beam Lamp H9
Sidemarker Lamp 194LL (W3W)
Stoplamp/Taillamp/
Turn Signal Lamp 3047K
For replacement bulbs not listed
here, contact your dealer.
Electrical System
Electrical System
Overload
The vehicle has fuses and circuit
breakers to protect against an
electrical system overload.
When the current electrical load is
too heavy, the circuit breaker opens
and closes, protecting the circuit
until the current load returns to
normal or the problem is fixed.
This greatly reduces the chance of
circuit overload and fire caused by
electrical problems.
Fuses and circuit breakers protect
power devices in the vehicle.
Replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size and rating.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-49
FuseUsage
3 Antilock Brake
System (ABS)/Real
Time Damping
4 Wiper
5 Stoplamps/
Back-Up Lamps
6 Oxygen Sensor
7 Battery Main 5
8 Parking Lamps
9 Powertrain Relay
Input/Electronic
Throttle Control
10 Manual
Transmission
Solenoids
11 Antilock Brake
System
12 Odd Numbered
Fuel Injectors Fuse
Usage
13 Electronic
Suspension
Control (Option)
14 Canister Purge
Solenoid, Mass Air
Flow Sensor
15 Air Conditioner
Compressor
16 Even Numbered
Fuel Injectors
17 Windshield Washer
18 Headlamp Washer
19 Passenger Side
Low-Beam
Headlamp
20 Fuel Pump
(except ZR1)
21 Driver Side
Low-Beam
Headlamp Fuse
Usage
22 Front Fog Lamp
23 Passenger Side
High-Beam
Headlamp
24 Driver Side
High-Beam
Headlamp
56 Engine Control
Module (ECM)/
Transmission
Control
Module (TCM)/
Easy Key Module
J-Style Fuses Usage
25 Cooling Fan
26 Battery Main 3
27 Antilock Brake
System

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Active Handling System . . . . . . . 9-38 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Additional Information, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-22
Air Dam, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19 Airbag System (cont'd)
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-17
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-18
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Alarm System Anti-theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Antenna Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Anti-theft Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Alarm System Messages . . . . . 5-49
Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22 Appearance Care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8, 13-10
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Audio System Diversity Antenna System . . . . 7-11
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Dimming Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
i-6 INDEX
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-10
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-42
Keyless Entry
Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-58
Lamps Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-2
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
LATCH System Replacing Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35, 3-36 Latches, Seatback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Lifting the Vehicle, Tires . . . . . . . 10-4
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Lighting
Entry/Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lights
Active Handling System . . . . . . 5-24
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-21
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
One-to-Four Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-17
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . 9-43