fuel pressure PONTIAC FIREBIRD 2002 Owners Manual

4-23
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.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
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 and maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs
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.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 good 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?

4-30
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle
-- such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as ªdinghy towingº (towing your
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and ªdolly
towingº (towing your vehicle with two wheels on the
ground and two wheels up on a device known as
a ªdollyº).
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any of
its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
see ªTowing Your Vehicleº in the Index.
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire
-Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver's door tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the vehicle capacity weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory
-installed options.

6-47 Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on
the rear edge of the driver's door, shows the correct
inflation pressures for your tires when they're cold.
ªColdº means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
If you'll be driving at high speeds (e.g., speeds of
100 mph (160 km/h) or higher), where it is legal,
set the cold inflation pressure to the maximum
inflation pressure shown on the tire sidewall, or to
38 psi (265 kPa), whichever is lower. See the example
below. When you end this high
-speed driving, return to
the cold inflation pressure shown on the Tire
-Loading
Information label.
Example:
You'll find maximum load and inflation pressure
molded on the tire's sidewall, in small letters, near the
rim flange. It will read something like this: Maximum
load 690 kg (1521 lbs.) @ 300 kPa (44 psi) Max. Press.
For this example, you would set the inflation pressure
for high
-speed driving at 38 psi (265 kPa).
NOTICE:
Don't let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It's not. If your tires
don't have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:

Too much flexing

Too much heat

Tire overloading

Bad wear

Bad handling

Bad fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:

Unusual wear

Bad handling

Rough ride

Needless damage from road hazards

7-17
Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed in this part are owner checks and services which
should be performed at the intervals specified to help
ensure the safety, dependability and emission control
performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Part D.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant
to perform these underhood checks at each fuel fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil
if necessary. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index for
further details.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX
-COOL

coolant mixture if necessary. See ªEngine Coolantº in
the Index for further details.Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the
windshield washer tank and add the proper fluid if
necessary. See ªWindshield Washer Fluidº in the
Index for further details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Make sure tires are inflated to the correct pressures.
Don't forget to check your spare tire. See ªTiresº in
the Index for further details.
At Least Twice a Year
Restraint System Check
Make sure the safety belt reminder light and all your
belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and anchorages are
working properly. Look for any other loose or damaged
safety belt system parts. If you see anything that might
keep a safety belt system from doing its job, have it
repaired. Have any torn or frayed safety belts replaced.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag coverings,
and have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)