mirror CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 2012 Owner's Manual

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-18 Instruments and Controls
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
The vehicle has the passenger
sensing system. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 3‑22
for important safety information.
The rearview mirror has a
passenger airbag status indicator.
United States
Canada and Mexico When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the symbol
for on and off, for several seconds
as a system check. Then, after
several more seconds, the status
indicator will light either ON or OFF,
or the on or off symbol, to let you
know the status of the front
outboard passenger frontal and
seat-mounted side impact airbags.
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag are allowed to inflate.
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag. If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there
are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the
passenger sensing system.
See your dealer for service.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑17 for more
information, including important
safety information.

Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-56 Instruments and Controls
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 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.
Press the OPTION button until
AUTO MEMORY RECALL appears
on the display, then press the
RESET button to scroll through the
following modes:
.YES
.NO (default)
If you choose YES, the driver seat,
the outside rearview mirrors and the
telescopic steering column, if your
vehicle has this feature, positions
are recalled when you turn the
ignition on.
If you choose NO, this option will
turn off. When the mode you want is
selected, press the OPTION button
to set your choice and advance to
the next personal option.
Auto Exit Recall:
If your vehicle
has the memory package, you may
have this option. This option allows
the driver seat and telescopic
steering column, if your vehicle has
this feature, to automatically move
to the current driver's exit position
when one of the following occurs:
.The vehicle is turned off or in
Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) or accessory mode and
the driver door is opened.
.The vehicle is turned off or in
RAP and the unlock button on
the RKE transmitter is pressed.
In order for the Auto Exit Recall
feature to work on an automatic
transmission vehicle, the vehicle
must be in P (Park). On a manual
transmission vehicle, the parking
brake must be set. Press the OPTION button until
AUTO EXIT RECALL appears on
the display, then press the RESET
button to scroll through the following
modes:
.YES
.NO (default)
If you choose YES, when you turn
the ignition off and open the driver
door or press the unlock button on
the RKE transmitter, the seat and
the telescopic steering wheel, if your
vehicle has this feature, will return
to their stored exit positions for an
easy exit or an easy entrance when
returning to the vehicle.
The seat and steering wheel will
only return to the stored driving
position if you press the appropriate
memory button or activate the Auto
Memory Recall feature.
If you choose NO, this option will
turn off.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
6-6 Lighting
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
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. The 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.
Reading Lamps
The inside rearview mirror includes
two reading lamps. The lamps will
go on when a door is opened.
When the doors are closed, press
each lamp switch to turn them on
individually.
Lighting Features
Entry/Exit Lighting
With entry lighting, the interior
lamps will come on when entering
the vehicle. To illuminate your exit,
the interior lamps come on for about
20 seconds when the engine is
turned off.
To turn the entry and exit lighting off,
quickly turn the courtesy lamps on
and off by pressing the instrument
panel brightness knob.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-7
Battery Power Protection
This vehicle has a feature to help
prevent the battery from being
drained in case any of the following
lamps are left on: the underhood
lamp, if your vehicle has this
feature, vanity mirror lamps,
cargo lamps, reading lamps, center
console, or glove box lamps. If any
of these lamps are left on, they will
automatically time-out after about
10 minutes. To reset it, all of the
above lamps must be turned off or
the ignition key on.
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.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
8-6 Climate Controls
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog or frost
from the rear window.
The rear window defogger only
works when the engine is running.
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. Be sure to clear
as much snow from the rear window
as possible. An indicator light
comes on to show that the rear
window defogger is on.
The rear window defogger turns off
about 10 minutes after the button is
pressed when traveling less than
48 km/h (30 mph). If turned on
again, the defogger only runs for
about five minutes before turning
off. The defogger can also be turned
off by turning off the engine. The vehicle has heated outside
rearview mirrors. The mirrors will
heat to help clear fog or frost from
the surface of the mirrors when the
rear window defogger button is
pressed.
For vehicles with a power
convertible top, the rear window
defogger and heated mirrors are
automatically disabled when the
power convertible top is moving
or down.
Notice:
Do not use anything
sharp on the inside of the rear
window. If you do, you could cut
or damage the warming grid, and
the repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle
license, tape, a decal, or anything
similar to the defogger grid.
Air Vents
Use the tab located on the air
outlets to change the direction of
the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from the air inlets at
the base of the windshield that
may block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors may adversely affect
the performance of the system.
.Keep the area around the base
of the center stack console and
air path under the seats clear of
objects to help circulate the air
inside of the vehicle more
effectively.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-6 Driving and Operating
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions.
But skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide,
follow these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues—such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear.
Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Racing or Other
Competitive Driving
Racing or competitive driving
may affect the vehicle warranty.
See the warranty book before
using the vehicle for racing or other
competitive driving.
Notice: If you use the vehicle
for racing or other competitive
driving, the engine may use more
oil than it would with normal use.
Low oil levels can damage the
engine. For information on how
to add oil, see Engine Oil on
page 10‑14. Z06, ZR1, and Grand Sport
Coupe manual transmission only:
Be sure to check the oil level
often during racing or other
competitive driving and keep the
level at or near the upper mark
that shows the proper operating
range on the engine oil dipstick.
Except Z06, ZR1, and Grand
Sport Coupe manual
transmission: Be sure to check
the oil level often during racing or
other competitive driving and
keep the level at or near 1 L (1 qt)
above the upper mark that shows
the proper operating range on
the engine oil dipstick. After the
competitive driving, remove
excess oil so that the level on the
dipstick is not above the upper
mark that shows the proper
operating range.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-10 Driving and Operating
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. SeeTires on
page 10‑54.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes 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. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
9-12 Driving and Operating
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use theRoadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑8 orRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑10. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about
5 cm (2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan
speed to the highest setting.
See Climate Control System
in the Index.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑26.
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.
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm,
but be careful.

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-52 Vehicle Care
FusesUsage
BTSI
SOL/STR
WHL LCK Brake
Transmission
Shift Interlock,
Steering Wheel
Column Lock
CLSTR/HUD Cluster,
Heads-Up Display
CRUISE
SWTCH Cruise Control
Switch
CTSY/LAMP Courtesy Lamp
DR LCK Door Locks
DRIV DR
SWITCH Driver Door Switch
ECM Engine Control
Module (ECM)
EXH MDL Exhaust Module
(Z06 & ZR1),
Spare (Coupe and
Convertible) Fuses
Usage
FUSE PLR Fuse Puller
GM LAN
RUN/CRNK GM LAN Devices
HTD SEAT/
WPR RLY Heated Seat,
Wiper Relays
HVAC/
PWR SND Heating Ventilation/
Air Conditioning,
Power Sounder
IGN SWTCH/
INTR SNSR Ignition Switch,
Intrusion Sensor
ISRVM/HVAC Electric Inside
Rearview Mirror,
Heating,
Ventilation, Air
Conditioning
ONSTAR OnStar
(if equipped)
RDO/
S-BAND Radio, S-Band Fuses
Usage
REAR FOG/
ALDL/TOP
SWTCH Rear Fog Lamp,
Assembly Line
Diagnostic Link
Connector,
Convertible Top
Switch
REVERSE
LAMPS Reverse Lamps
RUN CRNK Run/Crank Relay
SDM/AOS
SWTCH
AIRBAG Sensing and
Diagnostic Module,
Automatic
Occupant Sensing
Module, Airbag
SPARE Spare
SPARE Spare
SPARE Spare
SPARE Spare
STOP LAMP Stop Lamp
SWC DM Steering Wheel
Dimming

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