warning light CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 2012 Owner's Manual

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-37
have ABS. If the regular brake
system warning light is also on,
you do not have ABS and there
is a problem with the brakes.
SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on page 5‑22 and
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑21.
If this message is displayed, the
Traction Control System (TCS) and
the Active Handling System will also
be disabled. The DIC will scroll
three messages: SERVICE
ANTILOCK BRAKES, SERVICE
TRACTION SYSTEM, and
SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING, and
the instrument panel cluster lights
will come on along with a sound.
When the service message is
displayed, the computer controlled
systems will not assist the driver.
Have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible. Adjust
your driving accordingly.
To acknowledge these messages,
press the RESET button.Convertible Top
Messages
ATTACH TRUNK PARTITION
If the vehicle has a power
convertible top, this message
displays and a sound will be heard
if the trunk partition is not in place.
Open the hatch/trunk and make
sure the trunk partition is secure
and no objects are on the trunk
partition. See Rear Storage on
page 4‑1 for more information.
CLOSE TRUNK TO MOVE TOP
This message displays and a sound
will be heard if the trunk is open
while you are trying to operate the
convertible top. Make sure the trunk
is closed before operating the
convertible top. See Convertible Top
on page 2‑24.
SET PARK BRAKE TO
MOVE TOP
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, this message displays
and a sound will be heard if you try
to operate the power convertible top
without first setting the parking
brake. Set the parking brake
before trying to operate the power
convertible top. See Convertible Top
on page 2‑24 for more information.
SHIFT TO PARK OR SET PARK
BRAKE FOR TOP
If the vehicle has an automatic
transmission, this message displays
and a sound will be heard if you try
to operate the power convertible top
without first shifting into P (Park) or
setting the parking brake. Either
shift the vehicle into P (Park) or set
the parking brake before trying to
operate the power convertible top.
SeeConvertible Top on page 2‑24
for more information.

Black plate (47,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-47
INOPERATIVE, and MAXIMUM
SPEED 129 km/h (80 MPH) will
display together. SeeSelective Ride
Control on page 9‑43 for more
information.
SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM
If this message displays when you
are driving, there is a problem with
the Traction Control System (TCS)
and the vehicle is in need of
service. See your dealer. When this
message is displayed, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
The traction control system (TCS)
warning light on the instrument
panel cluster will also turn on and a
sound will be heard.
When this message is displayed,
the computer controlled systems will
not assist the driver in controlling
the vehicle. Have the system
repaired by your dealer as soon
as possible. Adjust your driving
accordingly. See Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 9‑36 for
more information. To acknowledge the message,
press the RESET button.
SHOCKS INOPERATIVE
This message displays when a
malfunction is present in the
Selective Ride Control system
which is causing the shocks to
be in their full soft mode. This is a
warning to the driver that the vehicle
handling may be affected. Have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer as
soon as possible.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button . The message
reappears every 10 minutes until
this condition changes.
TRACTION SYSTEM ACTIVE
This message displays when the
Traction Control System (TCS) is
limiting wheel spin. Slippery road
conditions may exist if this message
is displayed, so adjust your driving
accordingly. The message stays on
for a few seconds after the TCS
stops limiting wheel spin. See
Traction Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑36
for more information.
TRACTION SYSTEM AND
ACTIVE HANDLING –OFF
This message displays, the
instrument panel cluster light turns
on, and a sound will be heard when
the Traction Control System (TCS)
and Active Handling System are
turned off by pressing the Active
Handling System button on the
center console for five seconds.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
remains on with the TCS and Active
Handling System off. Adjust your
driving accordingly. See Traction
Control System (TCS) on page 9‑36
and Active Handling System on
page 9‑38 for more information.
To acknowledge this message,
press the RESET button.

Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-50 Instruments and Controls
You can receive more than one tire
pressure message at a time.
To read other messages that may
have been sent at the same time,
press the RESET button . If a tire
pressure message appears on the
DIC, stop as soon as you can.
Have the tire pressures checked
and set to those shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label.
SeeRun-Flat Tires on page 10‑56,
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑14,
Tire Pressure on page 10‑62, and
Tire Pressure Monitor System on
page 10‑64. The DIC also shows
the tire pressure values. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑26.
To acknowledge the message,
press the RESET button.
A message reappears every
10 minutes until the condition is
corrected.LOW TIRE PRESSURE or
TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE
{WARNING
When the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE or TIRE FLAT
message is displayed on the
Driver Information Center, your
vehicle's handling capabilities
will be reduced during severe
maneuvers. The active handling
system will be affected. See
Active Handling System on
page 9‑38. If you drive too fast,
you could lose control of your
vehicle. You or others could be
injured. Do not drive over 90 km/h
(55 mph) when the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE or TIRE FLAT
message is displayed. Drive
cautiously and check your tire
pressures as soon as you can. This message displays when one or
more of the tires is underinflated.
This message also displays LEFT
FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT
REAR, or RIGHT REAR to indicate
which tire is affected. Multiple
chimes sound and the tire pressure
light on the instrument panel cluster
turns on when this message is
displayed. See
Tire Pressure Light
on page 5‑24. You can receive more
than one tire pressure message at a
time. To read other messages that
may have been sent at the same
time, press the RESET button. If a
tire pressure message appears on
the DIC, stop as soon as you can.
Have the tire pressures checked
and set to those shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
See Run-Flat Tires on page 10‑56,
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑14,
Tire Pressure on page 10‑62, and
Tire Pressure Monitor System on
page 10‑64. The DIC also shows

Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-51
the tire pressure values. SeeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑26.
To acknowledge the message,
press the RESET button.
A message reappears every
10 minutes until the condition is
corrected.
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
This message displays if a part on
the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) is not working
properly. The tire pressure light also
flashes and then remains on during
the same ignition cycle. See Tire
Pressure Light on page 5‑24.
Several conditions may cause this
message to appear. See Tire
Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10‑66 for more information.
If the warning comes on and stays
on, there may be a problem with the
TPMS. See your dealer.
TIRE FLAT
{WARNING
When the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE or TIRE FLAT
message is displayed on the
Driver Information Center, your
vehicle's handling capabilities
will be reduced during severe
maneuvers. If you drive too fast,
you could lose control of your
vehicle. You or others could be
injured. Do not drive over 55 mph
(90 km/h) when the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE or TIRE FLAT
message is displayed. Drive
cautiously and check your tire
pressures as soon as you can.
This message displays when one
or more of the tires is flat. This
message also displays LEFT
FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT
REAR, or RIGHT REAR to indicate which tire is affected. Multiple
chimes sound and the tire pressure
light on the instrument panel cluster
comes on when this message is
displayed. See
Tire Pressure Light
on page 5‑24.
This message is followed by the
MAXIMUM SPEED 90 km/h
(55 MPH) message, and then by
the REDUCED HANDLING
message. The Active Handling
System will intervene more quickly
when a flat tire has been detected.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
You can receive more than
one tire pressure message at a
time. To read other messages that
may have been sent at the same
time, press the RESET button. If a
tire pressure message appears on
the DIC, stop as soon as you can.
Have the tire pressures checked
and set to those shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-1
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Twilight Sentinel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 6-4
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lighting Features
Entry/Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . 6-7
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is located
to the left of the steering wheel on
the multifunction lever.
O(Exterior Lamp Control):
Turn the band with this symbol on it
to operate the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp band has four
positions:
O(Off): Turns off all lamps.
AUTO (Automatic): Sets the
exterior lamps to automatic mode.
AUTO mode turns the exterior
lamps on and off depending on how
much light is available outside the
vehicle. To override AUTO mode, turn the
control to off.
To reset to AUTO mode, turn the
control to exterior lamps and then
back to AUTO. Automatic mode also
resets when the vehicle is turned off
and then back on again if the control
is left in the AUTO position.
;(Parking Lamps):
Turns on
the parking lamps together with the
following:
.Sidemarker Lamps
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
The parking brake indicator light
comes on and stays on when the
parking lamps are on with the
engine off and the ignition to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
5(Headlamps): Turns on the
headlamps, together with the
previously listed lamps and lights.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
6-2 Lighting
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the
exterior lamp control is left on in
either the headlamp or parking lamp
position and the driver door is
opened with the ignition off.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low
beam to high, push the turn signal
lever all the way forward. To change
from high to low beam, pull the lever
rearward.
While the high beams are on, this
light on the instrument cluster will
also be lit.
Flash-to-Pass
To use the flash-to-pass feature,
briefly pull the turn signal lever
toward you. The high-beam
indicator flashes to indicate to the
other driver that you intend to pass.
If the low-beam headlamps are off
and the fog lamps are on, the fog
lamps flash.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running
lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system makes the front
turn signal lamps come on when the
following conditions are met:
.It is still daylight and the ignition
is on.
.The exterior lamp control is in
the AUTO position.
.The transmission is not in
P (Park) or the parking brake
is off.
.The parking brake is off or the
vehicle speed is greater than
13 km/h (8 mph).
When DRL are on, only the front
turn signal lamps will be on.
The parking lamps, taillamps,
instrument panel lights, or other
exterior lamps will not be on when
the DRL are being used.
When it is dark enough outside, the
front turn signal lamps turn off and
the normal low-beam headlamps
turn on.
When it is bright enough outside,
the regular lamps go off, and the
front turn signal lamps will take over.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system comes on immediately.
Once the vehicle leaves the garage,
it takes approximately one minute
for the automatic headlamp system
to change to DRL if it is light

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
6-4 Lighting
To temporarily disable Twilight
Sentinel, turn the band to
O.
To turn Twilight Sentinel back on,
turn the band to
Oagain, then
release it.
If the Twilight Sentinel has the
headlamps turned on and you turn
the ignition off, the headlamps will
stay on for a period of time while
you leave the vehicle.
Use the Driver Information Center to
turn Twilight Sentinel on or off and
to increase or decrease the length
of the delayed illumination period.
See “Personal Options” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑54.
The regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
Hazard Warning Flashers
The hazard warning flashers warn
others that you have a problem.
The button is located near the
center of the instrument panel.
|(Hazard Warning Flashers):
Press to make the front and rear
turn signal lamps flash on and off.
Press again to turn the flashers off.
The hazard warning flashers work
no matter what mode the ignition is
in, even if the ignition is turned off. When the hazard warning flashers
are on, the turn signals will
not work.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
An arrow on the instrument panel
cluster flashes in the direction of the
turn or lane change.
Move the lever all the way up or
down to signal a turn.
Raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to flash to signal a lane
change. Release the lever and the
turn signal automatically flashes
three times. If more flashes are
desired, continue to hold the lever.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-9
Notice:Brake pedal fade will
occur during this track burnish
procedure and can cause brake
pedal travel and force to increase.
This could extend stopping
distance until the brakes are fully
burnished.
1. Drive a normal first lap and not too aggressive.
2. Laps 2 and 3 should be gradually driven faster and more
aggressive, while allowing for
reduced brake output and
increased stopping distance
due to brake fade.
3. Lap 4 as near to full speed, while allowing for reduced brake
output and increased stopping
distance due to brake fade.
4. Laps 5 and 6 should be cool down laps
5. Lap 7 should be normal driving or an easy out lap.Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
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.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
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.
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.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-13
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and
you or others could be injured.
The vehicle can overheat,
causing an engine compartment
fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and
avoid going above 55 km/h
(35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑76.
Rocking the Vehicle to
Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, or with a manual transmission,
between 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and
R (Reverse), spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not
get the vehicle out after a few tries,
it might need to be towed out.
If the vehicle does need to be towed
out, see Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑82.

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.