2008 Chevrolet Corvette Owner's Manual - Page 98

Downshifting (Manual Transmission) Do not downshift into the gear shown below at a speed greater than shown in the table: FIRST (1) SECOND (2) THIRD (3) FOURTH (4) 50 mph (80 km/h) 74 mph (119 km/h) 101 mph (163 km/h) 130 mph (209 km/h) 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. Notice: If you skip more than one gear when you downshift, or if you race the engine when you release the clutch pedal while downshifting, you could damage the engine, clutch, driveshaft or the transmission. Do not skip gears or race the engine when downshifting. The six-speed transmission has a spring that centers the shift lever near THIRD (3) and FOURTH (4). This spring helps you know which gear you are in when you are shifting. Be careful when shifting from FIRST (1) to SECOND (2) or downshifting from SIXTH (6) to FIFTH (5). The spring will try to pull the shift lever toward FOURTH (4) and THIRD (3). Make sure you move the lever into SECOND (2) or FIFTH (5). If you let the shift lever move in the direction of the pulling, you may end up shifting from FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4) or from SIXTH (6) to THIRD (3). 2-34