PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1997 Owners Manual

Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel
to become loose
and even come
off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts.
If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new
GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as
soon as you can and have the
1 nuts tightened with a torque wrench to 100 lb-ft
(140 N.m).
--
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the
wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Don’t try to put a center cap on your compact spare
tire. It won’t fit. Store the center
cap in the rear area
until you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
NOTICE:
Center caps won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a center cap on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or @he spare.
Sto-5g a Flat or Spr-s Tirp --d To&
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury.
In a sudden stop or collision, loose
1 equipment could strike someone. Store all these
~ in the proper place.
5-36

Replace the jack, wheel wrench and flat tire using the
storage instructions. When
you replace the trim panel,
be sure to tuck
it under the weatherstrip.
1 : Trim Panel
2. Bolt
3. Cover
4. Jack
5. Wing Nut
6. Adapter
7. Compact Spare Tire
8. Full-Size Tire
9. Carpet Flap
10. Tire Storage Bolt
11. Convertible Top Protection
12. Knob
5-37

Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi
(420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, YOU
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare is
made to perform well at speeds
up to 65 mph
(105 km/h) for distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km),
so you can finish your trip and have your full-size tire
repaired or replaced where you want. (When the
compact spare
is used on the rear axle, see Notice
below.) Of course, it’s best to replace your spare with a
full-size tire as soon as you can. Your spare will last
longer and be in good shape in case you need it again. When the compact
spare is on the rear axle, the optional
traction control system will cycle and limit acceleration
for about the first 15 seconds of driving after each
engine start.
NOTICE:
If the compact spare is used as a rear tire, do not
drive faster than
50 mph (SO km/h). Damage to
the rear axle may occur
if the compact spare is
driven faster than 50 mph
(80 kmh).
5-38

NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic vehicle wash
with guide rails. The compact spare can get
caught on the rails. That can damage the
tire and
wheel, and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains
too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
:f You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
1
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you
or others could be injured. And,
the transmission or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
5-39

NOTICE:
b
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too
fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels.
If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn the system off. (See
“Traction Control System”
in the Index.) Then shift
back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear
(or with a manual transmission, between FIRST (I)
I or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R)), spinning the
wheels
as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is
in gear. If that doesn’t
get you out after
a few tries, you may need to be towed
out. If you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle’’ in the Index.
5-40

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Pontiac. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check imDortant fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your I
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2 Service
6-3 Fuel
6-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6-6 Filling Your Tank
6- 8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6- 12 Engine Oil
6-18 Air Cleaner
6-22 Automatic Transmission Fluid 6-27 Manual Transmission Fluid
6-29 Engine Coolant
6-3
3 Power Steering Fluid
6-35 Windshield Washer Fluid
6-36 Brakes
6-40 Battery
6-4
1 Bulb Replacement 6-49
6-58
6-5
8
6-6 1
6-63
6- 64
4-65
6-66
6- 67
6-68
6-68
6-68
6-73
6-73
Tires
Appearance Care Cleaning the Inside
of Your Pontiac
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Pontiac
Aluminum
or Chrome Wheels
Tires
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Replacement
Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
6-1

Service
Your Pontiac dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your
dealer for all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM
parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your
GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Delco
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want
to get the proper Pontiac Service Manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your Pontiac than
this manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications” in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before att’empting
to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipp’ed Pontiac” in the
Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index,
6-2

You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to
do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and (‘metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your Pontiac dealer before adding equipment
to the
outside
of your vehicle.
Fuel
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the
VIN at the. top left of your instrument panel.
(See “Vehicle Identification Number” in the Index.)
If you have the 3800 engine (VIN Code K), use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher.
If you have the 5.7L engine (VIN Code I?), use premium
unleaded gasoline rated at
91 octane or higher for best
performance. You may use middle grade or regular
unleaded gasolines, but your vehicle may not accelerate
as well.

At a minimum, the gasoline you use should meet
specifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and
CGSB 3.5-M93 in Canada. Improved gasoline
specifications have been developed by the American
Automobile Manufacturers Association
(AAMA) for
better vehicle performance and engine protection.
Gasolines meeting the AAMA specification could
provide improved driveability and emission control
system protection compared to other gasolines,
Be sure the posted octane for premium is at least
91 (at least 89 for middle grade and 87 for regular).
If the octane is less than
87, you may get a heavy
knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough,
it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at the recommended octane
or higher and you still hear heavy knocking, your
engine needs service.
But dm9t worry if you hear a little
pinging noise when you’re accelerating
or driving up a
hill. That’s normal, and you don’t have
to buy a higher
octane fuel
to get rid of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant
knock that means you have
a problem. If
your vehicle is certified
to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels are
not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily
on fuels meeting federal
specifications, b’ut emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp
on
your instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail
a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Pontiac dealer for diagnosis to determine
the
cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
Some gasolines that
are not reformulated for low
emissions contain
an sctane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains
MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines. If fuels containing MMT are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may
be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may turn
on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
Pontiac dealer for service.
6-4

To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and fuel
system, allowing your emission control system to
function properly. Therefore, you should not have to add
anything to the fuel. In addition, gasolines containing
oxygenates, such
as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to
help clean the air. General Motors recommends that you
use these gasolines if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to
find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel n’ot
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use of improper fuel wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors International Product Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
6-5