cooling CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 2012 Owners Manual

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-15
9:Use to turn off the windshield
wipers.
8: Use for a for a single wiping
cycle. For more wipes, hold the
band longer.
Windshield Washer: Press and
hold the button at the end of the
lever to spray washer fluid on the
windshield.
See Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4.
Climate Controls
With this system, the heating, cooling, and ventilation can be controlled.
A. Driver Temperature Control
B. Display
C. Passenger Temperature Control
D. AUTO
E. Air Recirculation
F. Air Conditioning G. Fan Control
H. Air Delivery Mode Control
I. Defrost
J. Rear Window Defogger
See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-3
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-4
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 Boost Gauge (ZR1) . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Engine Oil Pressure
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-17
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-17
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
One-to-Four Shift Light (Manual Transmission) . . . . . 5-22
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
StabiliTrak®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-23
Active Handling System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-25
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . 5-31
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Battery Voltage and Charging Messages . . . . . . . . 5-35
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-36
Convertible Top Messages . . . 5-37
Cruise Control Messages . . . . 5-38
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-40
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-41
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-41
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-42
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Safety Belt Messages . . . . . . . 5-48
Anti-theft Alarm System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49

Black plate (39,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-39
HATCH AJAR (Coupe)
This message displays when the
hatch is not closed completely.
Make sure that the hatch is closed
completely. SeeHatch on page 2‑11
for more information.
PASSENGER DOOR AJAR
This message displays if the
passenger door is not closed
properly. Make sure that the door is
closed completely.
TONNEAU AJAR (Convertible)
This message displays when the
convertible top is not closed
completely. Make sure that the
top is closed completely. See
Convertible Top on page 2‑24 for
more information.
TRUNK AJAR (Convertible)
This message displays when the
trunk is not closed completely.
Make sure that the trunk is closed
completely. See Hatch on page 2‑11
for more information.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
CHECK COOLANT LEVEL
This message displays when
the engine coolant level is low.
Have the cooling system serviced
by your dealer as soon as possible.
See Engine Coolant on page 10‑26.
COOLANT OVER
TEMPERATURE
This message displays and a sound
will be heard if the engine coolant
exceeds 124°C (255°F). If you have
been operating the vehicle under
normal driving conditions, pull off
the road, stop the vehicle, and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
You can monitor the coolant
temperature with the gauges
button on the DIC or the engine
coolant temperature gauge on
the instrument panel cluster. See
Engine Overheating on
page 10‑30, Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑26, and
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
on page 5‑16.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. The message
and sound will come back on until
this condition changes. If you do not
press the RESET button, the
message remains on until the
condition changes.ENGINE OVERHEATED –
STOP ENGINE
This message displays and a sound
will be heard when the engine has
overheated. Stop and turn the
engine off immediately to avoid
severe engine damage. See Engine
Overheating on page 10‑30.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Climate Controls 8-1
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic ClimateControl System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance
Passenger CompartmentAir Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
With this system the heating, cooling, and ventilation can be controlled.
A. Driver Temperature Controls
B. Display
C. Passenger Temperature Control
D. AUTO
E. Recirculation F. Air Conditioning
G. Fan Control
H. Air Delivery Mode Control
I. Defrost
J. Rear Window Defogger

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 (1,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-19
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-22
Cooling System (Engine) . . . 10-25
Cooling System
(Intercooler) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-30
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-32
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-41
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control
Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-42
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Windshield Replacement . . . 10-43
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-11
A. Intercooler. SeeCooling System
(Engine) on page 10‑25 or
Cooling System (Intercooler) on
page 10‑26.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑22.
C. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir and Cap. See Power Steering
Fluid on page 10‑32.
D. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑26.
E. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑34. F. Clutch Master Cylinder
Reservoir (If Equipped).
See Hydraulic Clutch on
page 10‑21.
G. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 10‑34.
H. Passenger Compartment Air Filter (Out of View).
See Passenger Compartment
Air Filter on page 8‑7.
I. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑14.
J. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank. See “Changing Engine Oil
and Filter” Brake Fluid on
page 10‑38. K. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑14.
L. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑78.
M. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑48.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L LS9
Supercharged V8 engine and you
are facing the front of the vehicle.

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-25
Cooling System (Engine)
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
7.0L Engine Shown,6.2L Engine Similar
A. Electric Engine Cooling Fan
B. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
{WARNING
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can cause injury. Keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{WARNING
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle. Notice:
Using coolant other
than DEX-COOL
®can cause
premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant could require
changing sooner, at 50 000 km
(30,000 mi) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Any
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant
in the vehicle.

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 (27,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-27
What to Use
{WARNING
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The vehicle's coolant warning
system is set for the proper
coolant mixture. With plain water
or the wrong mixture, the engine
could get too hot but you would
not get the overheat warning.
The engine could catch fire and
you or others could be burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant.Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:.Gives freezing protection down
to
−37°C (−34°F), outside
temperature.
.Gives boiling protection
up to 129°C (265°F), engine
temperature.
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Notice: If an improper coolant
mixture is used, the engine could
overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core, and other
parts. Notice:
If extra inhibitors
and/or additives are used in the
vehicle cooling system, the
vehicle could be damaged.
Use only the proper mixture of
the engine coolant listed in this
manual for the cooling system.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12 for
more information.
Never dispose of engine coolant
by putting it in the trash, pouring it
on the ground, or into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water.
Have the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.