check engine PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1996 User Guide

NOTICE:
The oil level monitoring system only checks the oil level when you are starting your engine. It does not
keep monitoring the level once your
engine is running.
Also, the oil level check only
works when the engine has been turned
off long
enough for the oil to drain back into the oil pan.
Check Gages Light
CHECK GAGES
This warning light will
come on briefly when you
are starting the engine. If
the light comes on and stays
on while you are driving,
check your gages to see if
they are
in the warning
areas.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage shows about
how much fuel is in your
tank. The gage works only
when the ignition switch is
in the RUN position.
I I
When the gage pointer first indicates EMPTY (E), you
still have a little fuel left (about one to two gallons), but
you need
to get more right away.
Here are four concerns some owners have had about the
fuel gage. All these situations are normal and do not
indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage.
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
It takes more (or less) gas to fill up than the gage
gage
reads
FULL (F).
reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but it took
more (or less) than half of the tank’s capacity to fill it.
a The gage moves a little when you turn, stop or speed up.
When you turn the engine off, the gage doesn’t go
back to EMPTY (E).
2-87
ProCarManuals.com

Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes
of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud
and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions
by
adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to it.
To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
Increase volume slowly until you hear Comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone
or two-way radio -- be sure you can add
what you want. If you .can, it’s very important to
do
it properly.. Added sound equipment may
interfere with the operation
of your vehicle’s
engine, Delco radio or other systems, and even
with the operation
of sound equipment that has
been added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
~ damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may interfere
3-21
ProCarManuals.com

Avoid needless heavy bralung. Some people drive in
spurts --.heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool b’etween
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate
a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake
life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes.
If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops,
you will still. have some power brake assist. But
you will use
it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, It may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder
to push. , ,.
Anti-Lock Brakes
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will
help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your
anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test
is going on, and you ,may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little.
This is normal.
ABS
INOP
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on or
flash, See “Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light”
in the Index.
4-6
ProCarManuals.com

. 'The exit speed is usually posted.
, . :Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
- : .' :to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you. are going
slower than you actually are.
.pg I*:., :.'-L. :.& .-.(,-.r
Be€ore Leaving on a Long nip'* A
Make sure you're ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you're not fresh -- such 'as after a day's
, work -- don't plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip?' If you keep it
serviced
md maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs L
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you'll find experienced and able service experts in
Pontiac dealerships all across
North America. They'll be
ready and willing to help if you need it.
,' <:. 8
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in goo,d shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free
trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving?
Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What's the weather outlook
along your route? Should .you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-22
ProCarManuals.com

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum
of the tires on. the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to you!
If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in
less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you
do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview
mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
0 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking aiea and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway
as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
4-23
ProCarManuals.com

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning
to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
e Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and
also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts
can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift
to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor
braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle
in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
0 In hilly terrain, you may want to switch to the
PERFORMANCE mode for better performance.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads’in
hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you
stay in your own lane.
could be something in your lane, like a stalled car or
an accident.
As you go over the top of a hill, be al’ert. There
4-24
ProCarManuals.com

Turn on your hazard flashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
I) Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around YQU.
-'-' ,Insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
you've
been stopped
by the snow.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body . ., ..
1.;- ::. z;5 .,,.'mats -- anything you can wrap around yourself or
. .t '. - :.
._ ,.i: -5. !tuck ._.. -. under -. your clothing to keeD warm. . , . . .::,-. _I .-..
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
A CAUTION:
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 can't,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 your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time
to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away
from the wind. This will help
keep
CO out.
I
4-28
ProCarManuals.com

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different ‘turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Pontiac dealer.
The arrows
on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
1 ’ Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transmission overheating.
If YOU are towing a trailer and you have an automatic
transmission with Overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
THIRD (D) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear). Or, if you have a
manual transmission with
FJFTH (5) (or SIXTH (6)) gear
and you are towing a trailer, it’s better not to use FIFTH
(5) (or SIXTH) (6) gear. Just drive in FOURTH (4) (drive
in
FIFTH (5) if you have a six-speed manual transmission)
or,
as you need to, a lower gear.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load..
’
4. Reapply the regular brakes, Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to
PARK (P), or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual transmission.
4-37
ProCarManuals.com

.. ' When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a €Till
' ' 1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while
you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let .up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pul1ing.a trailer. See
the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation
are automatic: transmission fluid (don't
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belts,
cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will heip you find them quickly.
If you're trailering, it's a good idea to review these
sections befcn-e
you start yam trip.
Check;periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts .
are tight.
.. 1
4-38
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
Trying to start your Pontiac by pushing or
pulling
it could damage your vehicle, even if you
have a manual transmission.
And if you have an
automatic transmission, it won’t start that way.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to start
your Pontiac, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter. Turn
off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. In addition, it could save your radio!
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
(CE:
r
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
I==--
~
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
ProCarManuals.com