light PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1997 Owner's Guide

Traction Control System Warning Light
(If Equipped)
I
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly if the anti-lock brake system warning
light is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock
brake system warning light flashing can lead to
an accident. After you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Pontiac needs service. If the
light is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have
anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
TCS
OFF
This warning light should
come on briefly as you start
the engine.
If the. warning
light doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there’s
a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
If your brakes begin to overheat, the brake portion of the
traction control system will shut down, but the throttle
and engine spark control will continue
to work. The
warning light will not come on when this happens.

The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
If you turn the system off by pressing the switch
located at the front
of the console the warning light
will come on and stay on and the light on the switch
will
go out. To turn the system back on, press the
switch again. The warning light should go off.
(See “Traction Control System” in the Index
for more information.)
If the temperature of the throttle control b’egins to
rise, the system will turn off and the warning light
will come
on until the system cools down. The
system does this to prevent damage from
overheating.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period
of time when the
system
is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Low Traction Light
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid
a braking skid,
this light will come on.
LOW
TRAC
If you have the traction control system, this light will
also come
on when the system is limiting wheel spin.
Slippery road conditions may exist if the low traction
light comes on,
so adjust your driving accordingly. The
light will stay on for a few seconds after the anti-lock
system stops a’djusting brake pressure or the traction
control system stops limiting wheel spin.
The low traction
light also comes on briefly when you
turn the ignition
key to RUN. If the light doesn’t come
on then, have
it fixed so it will be there to tell you when
the anti-lock brake system or traction control system
is active.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the
gage pointer moves into the
red area, your engine is too
hot! It means that your
engine coolant has
overheated.
Low Coolant Light (VS Engine)
This warning light should
come on while you are
starting your engine.
If the
light doesn’t
come on, have
it repaired.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems
on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index. Your
Firebird is equipped with
a LOW COOLANT
indicator which is designed to detect when the coolant
level drops below set limits. If the low coolant level
sensor (on the radiator) drops while the engine is
running,
the LOW COOLANT indicator will light and
remain lit until the ignition switch
is turned to the OFF
position. Check coolant level and add coolant as needed.
The LOW COOLANT light might stay on after filling
the radiator. Turn the ignition switch to the
OFF
position, then restart the engine to verify that the LOW
COOLANT light goes out. See “Engine Coolant” in
the Index.
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NOTICE:
Driving with the LOW COOLANT light on could
cause your Pontiac
to overheat. See 66Engine
Overheating”
in the Index. Your Pontlac could
be damaged and
it wou1dn”t be covered by
your warranty.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
Your Pontiac is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation
of the fuel. ignition and emission
control systems. This
system is called
OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels
for the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
(In Canada, OBD 11 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated
by the system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after
a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty,
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This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0
0
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service
is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
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If the Light Is On Steady Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap, The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left
off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel
to evaporate into the
atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through
a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light
off,
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run
out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently
as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect
this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install
the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off. If
so, be sure to fuel your
vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine
not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may
go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more
of these conditions,
change the fuel brand
you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none
of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment
and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that
may have developed.
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Low Oil Light
LOW
OIL
Your vehicle is equipped
with an oil level monitoring
system. When you start
your engine, the warning
light will come on briefly. If
the light doesn’t come on,
have it repaired.
If the light stays on after starting your engine, your
engine
oil level may be too low. You may need to add
oil. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
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.
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Check Gages Light When the gage pointer first indicates EMPTY (E) you
need to get more right away.
CHECK
GAGES
Fuel Gage
I
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.
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. 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.
0
0
0
0
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads FULL
(F).
It takes more (or less) gas to fill up than the gage
reads. For example, the gage reads
1/2 full, but it
took more (or less) than half
of the tank's capacity to
fill it.
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).

Air Conditioning (If Equipped)
I
The air conditioning system uses the same controls as
the heating system, except that the air control knob has
two extra settings, described below.
MAX: Provides maximum cooling or quick cool-down
on very hot days. This setting recirculates most of the air
inside your vehicle.
If it is used for long periods of time,
the air may become dry. This setting directs air through
the upper air vents,
A/C: Use for normal cooling on hot days. This setting
cools outside
air and c‘kts it through the upper air vents.
The i-111- conditioner cumpressor operates in MAX, AIC,
BI-LEVEL, BLEND and DEFROST when the outside
temperature is above freezing. When the
air conditioner
is on,
you may sometimes notice slight changes in
your vehicle’s engine speed and power. This is normal
because the system is designed to cycle the compressor
on and
off to keep the desired cooling and help
fuel economy.
Cooling
The air conditioner works best if you keep your
windows closed. On very
hot days, open the windows
just long enough for the hot air to escape.
1. Turn the air control knob to A/C for normal cooling.
For faster cooling, move the
knob to MAX.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a
comfortable setting.
3. Move the fan control knob to the desired speed.

Rear Window Defogger (If Equipped) Ventilation System
The
rear window defogger
uses
a warming grid to
remove fog from
the rear window.
Press the switch to turn on
the defogger. An indicator
light will come on to remind
you that the defogger is on.
I
The defogger will turn off automatically after about
10 minutes of use. If you turn it on again, the defogger
will operate for about five minutes only. You can also
turn the defogger off by pressing the switch again.
Do not attach anything like a temporary vehicle license
or
a decal across the defogger grid on the rear window.
NOTICE:
Don’t use a razor blade or something else sharp
on the inside of the rear window. If you do, you
could cut or damage the warming grid, and the
repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
Your Pontiac’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into the vehicle when it is moving. Outside
air will
also enter the vehicle when the blower fan
is running.
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