PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1998 Owners Manual

Tilt Steering Wheel Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive.
You can
also raise it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when
you exit and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel
to a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel
in place. The lever on the left
side
of the steering column
includes
your:
0 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
0 Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer and
Passing Signal
0 Windshield Wipers
0 Windshield Washer
Cruise Control (Option)
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lhrn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn
or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will retum automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction of the
turn or
1 lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until
the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash but just stay on,
a signal bulb may be burned out
and other drivers won’t see your
turn signal. If
a bulb is burned out, replace it
to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t
go on at all when you
signal a turn, check the fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit
B&kers” in the Index).
Headlamp High/Low Beam
When the high-beams are
on, this light on the
instrument panel also will
be on.
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or
from high beam to low, pull the turn signal lever all the
way toward you. Then release it.
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Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by turning the band
with the wiper symbol on it.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST. Hold
it there until the wipers start, then
let go. The wipers will
stop after one cycle.
If you want more cycles, hold the
band on
MIST longer. You
can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes.
This can be very useful in light rain or
snow.
Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to
LO, the shorter the delay.
For steady wiping at low speed,
turn the band away
from
you to the LO position. For high-speed wiping,
turn the band further, to HI. To stop the wipers, move
the band to OFF.
Damaged wiper blades may prevent you from seeing
well
enough to drive safely. To avoid damage, be sure to
clear ice and snow from the wiper blades before using
them. If they’re frozen to the windshield, carefully
loosen or thaw them. If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades
or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers.
A circuit
breaker will stop them until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice to prevent an overload.
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Windshield Washer
There is a paddle with the word PUSH on it at the top of
the
turn signal lever. To spray washer fluid on the
windshield, just push the paddle for less than a second.
The washer will continue to spray until you release the
paddle. The wipers will clear the window and wipe
a
few more times before stopping or returning to the
previous setting. See “Windshield Washer Fluid” in
the Index.
A CAUTION:
I
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can
form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can
maintain
a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more
without keeping
your foot
on the accelerator.
This can really help on long trips. Cruise control does
not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
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When you apply your brakes or push the clutch pedal
(manual transmission), the cruise control shuts off.
Setting Cruise Control
A CAUTION:
- -
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at
a steady speed. So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or
in heavy traffic.
slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the optional
traction control system begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control will automatically disengage. (See
“Traction Control System”
in the Index.) When road
conditions allow
you to safely use it again, you may turn
the cruise control back on.
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you’re not using cruise, you might hit
a button
and
go into cruise when you don’t want to. You
could be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use it.
1. Move the cruise control switch to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Push in the SET button at the end of the lever and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
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Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then apply the brake or clutch pedal. This, of course,
shuts off the cruise control. But you don’t need to
reset it.
Once you’re going about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can move the cruise control switch from
ON to
R/A (Resume/Accelerate) for about half a second.
You’ll go right back up to your chosen speed and stay there.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are three ways to go to a higher speed:
0
0
0
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed.
Push the button at the end of the lever, then release
the button and the accelerator pedal. You’ll now
cruise at
the higher speed.
To increase your speed in very small amounts, move
the switch to
R/A for less than half a second and then
release it. Each time you do this, your vehicle will go
about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
Move the cruise switch from
ON to R/A. Hold it
there until you get up to the speed you want, and
then release the switch.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
Push in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
0 To slow down in very small amounts, push the
button for less than half a second. Each time you do
this, you’ll
go 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise
control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon
your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When
going
downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down.
Of course, applying the brake
takes
you out of cruise control. Many drivers find this to
be too much trouble and don’t use cruise control on
steep hills.
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Ending Out of Cruise Control
There are several ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the clutch
pedal, if you have a manual transmission; or
Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control
set speed memory is erased.
Exterior Lamps
-.
The main lamp control is a knob that works these lamps:
Headlamps
Taillamps
Parking Lamps
License Lamps
0 Sidemarker Lamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
# , This setting turns on your headlamps and other
operating lamps.
pg This setting turns on your parking lamps and other
operating lamps without your headlamps.
Turn the
knob to OFF to turn off the lamps.
-‘a-
Headlamps On Reminder
If you turn the ignition off and leave the lamps on, you
will hear
a chime lasting up to five seconds. If the lamps
are still on when
you open the driver’s door, the chime
will sound
again.
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Headlamp Doors Daytime Running Lamps
The headlamp doors are designed to open when you turn
the headlamps
on and close when
you turn the
headlamps off. The headlamp doors can
be opened
without turning on the headlamps by turning the
headlamps on, then turning the switch back to the
parking lamps position.
The headlamp doors should
be open when driving in
icy or snowy conditions to prevent the doors from
freezing closed, and when washing the vehicle to help
clean the headlamps.
You can open the headlamp doors manually:
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the plastic cover from the retractor
motor knob.
3. Turn the retractor motor knob counterclockwise until
the headlamp door
is fully open. The knob will get
harder to turn when the headlamp door
is all the
way up.
4. Replace the plastic cover on the retractor motor knob. Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make
it easier for
others to
see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
For Canadian vehicles, a light sensor on top of the
instrument panel automatically turns the headlamps on,
so be sure it isn’t covered.
The DRL system will make your front turn signal lamps
come on when:
0 The ignition is on,
the headlamp switch is OFF,
0 the parking brake is released and
0 it is bright enough outside (on Canadian vehicles).
To manually close the headlamp doors, turn the lamps
off and turn the retractor motor knob clockwise. If the
headlamp doors aren’t working properly, see your dealer
for help.
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When the DlU are on, only your front turn signal
lamps will be on. The taillamps, sidemarker and other
lamps won’t be on. Your instrument panel won’t be lit
up either.
For Canadian vehicles, when it’s dark enough outside,
your front turn signal lamps will go out and your
headlamps will come on. The other lamps that come on
with your headlamps will also come on. When it’s bright
enough outside, the regular lamps will go
off, and your
front turn signal lamps will come on.
On a non-Canadian vehicle, the
DRL have to be turned
on manually when you need them. On Canadian and
domestic vehicles, when the headlamps are turned on,
the front
turn signal lamps will go out. When you use
your turn signals, the front turn signal lamp and the
taillamp on the desired side will flash.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when
you need it.
Fog Lamps
Use your fog lamps for better vision in foggy or misty
conditions. Your parking lamps must be on or your fog
lamps won’t work.
To turn the fog lamps on,
push the right side of the
fog lamp switch.
Push the
left side of the switch to
turn the fog lamps
off. A
light on the switch will
come on when the fog
lamps are on.
Fog lamps will
go off whenever your high-beam
headlamps come on. When the high beams go
off, the
fog lamps will come on again.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Content
Theft-Deterrent System
and your fog lamp switch is on,
the fog lamps may flash to indicate operation of the
Content Theft-Deterrent System. See “Content
Theft-Deterrent System” in the Index.

Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
This switch controls the brightness of your
instrument panel lights. Turn the switch to brighten or
dim the lights.
If you turn the switch all the way up,
your courtesy lamps will come on.
Courtesy Lamps
When either door is opened, several interior lamps go
on. These lamps are courtesy lamps. They make it easier
for you to enter and leave your vehicle.
Courtesy lamps include the dome lamp and other lamps
throughout
the interior of your vehicle.
To prevent battery rundown, your interior lamps will be
disabled about
10 minutes after the ignition is turned to
OFF. The 10-minute timer will be restarted if you do
any of the following:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Open either door.
3. Press any button on your remote keyless entry
transmitter.
4. Turn the interior lamp switch from off to on.
5. Open the hatch.
Delayed Illumination
With delayed illumination, the courtesy lamps will stay
on for
25 seconds after you close the doors when
entering the vehicle. They will stay on for five seconds
after you close the doors when exiting the vehicle. The
times will be shortened if the ignition is turned
to RUN
or if the power locks are activated. To turn this feature
on or off, see “Feature Customization”
in the Index.
Exit Lighting
With exit lighting, the interior lamps will come on when
you remove the key from the ignition to help you see
while exiting the vehicle. To turn this feature on or
off,
see “Feature Customization” in the Index.
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