steering PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1994 User Guide

Steering Wheel Controls
Your vehicle may be equipped with
steering wheel controls for this audio
system. With steering wheel controls, you
can use the buttons
on your steering
wheel to:
0 Turn the audio system on or off.
Adjust the volume.
Choose AM, FM1 or FM2.
Use the seek and recall functions.
Choose one of the preset stations on
your pushbuttons.
Setting the Tone
Use the levers to set the bass, midrange
and treble until you get the sound you
want. The
“40,” “100,” “250” and
“625” levers adjust the bass.
“1.6K’ is
midrange, and “4K’ and
“l2K’ control
the treble. We suggest setting the “1.6K’
lever in the middle position and then
moving the other levers up or down until
you get the amount of bass and treble you
like.
Adjusting the Speakers
Balance:
Press “BAL” to release the
knob. Turn the knob to move the sound
between the right and left speakers. Push
“BAL” back in to store it when not
adjusting.
Fade: Press “FADE” to release the knob.
Turn the knob to move the sound between
the front and rear speakers. Push “FADE”
back in to store it
when not adjusting.
To Play a Cassette Tape
Your tape player is built to work best with
tapes that are
30 to 45 minutes long on
each side. Tapes longer than that are
so
thin they may not work well in this player.
A cassette symbol will appear in the
upper left corner of the display whenever
a tape is inserted.
The longer side with the tape visible goes
in first. If you hear nothing or hear just a
garbled sound, it may not be in squarely.
Press “EJECT.” to remove the tape and
start over.
Once the tape is playing, use
“VOLUME,” “BAL” and “FADE” just as
you do for the radio. The arrows show
which side
of the tape is playing.
Forward
Press “FWD” to rapidly advance to
another part of the tape. Press “PROG’ or
“FWD’ again to stop it. The radio will
play during this operation.
Reverse
Press “REV” to rapidly rewind the tape.
Press “PROG’ or
“REV” again to stop it.
The radio will play during this operation.
To Play the Next Selection
Press “NEXT” or “SEEK A” to hear the
next selection (instead
of waiting until the
current selection is finished.)
For
“NEXT” to work properly, your tape
must have at least three seconds
of silence
between each selection.
The radio will not play during this
operation.
To Replay the Current Selection
Press “PREV” or “SEEK v” to play a
selection again.
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Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
Steering Wheel Controls
Your vehicle may be equipped with
steering wheel controls for this audio
system. With steering wheel controls, you
can use the buttons on your steering
wheel to:
Turn the audio system on or off.
Adjust the volume.
0 Choose AM, FM1 or FM2.
Use the seek and recall functions.
Choose one of the preset stations on
your pushbuttons.
Setting the Tone
Bass:
Slide the “BASS” lever to the right
to hear more bass.
Treble: Slide the “TREBLE” lever to the
right to hear more treble.
If a station is weak and noisy, slide
“TREBLE’ to
the left to reduce the noise.
Adjusting the Speakers
Balance:
Press “BAL” to release the
knob.
Turn the knob to move the sound
between the right and left speakers. Push
“BAL” back
in to store it when not
adjusting.
Fade: Press “FADE” to release the knob.
Turn
the knob to move the sound between
the front and rear speakers. Push “FADE’
back in to store it when not adjusting.
To Play a Compact Disc
Before you begin, please note: don’t use
the mini-discs that are called “singles.”
They won’t eject. Use full-size compact
discs.
With
the audio system on, insert a disc
into the slot with the label side up. “CD’
will appear on the display and track 1 will
begin to play.
If the disc comes back out and “ERR’
appears on the display, it could be that:
* The disc is upside down.
It is dirty, scratched, or wet.
0 There’s too much moisture in the air.
You are driving on a very rough road.
The temperature is too hot or too cold.
Recall
Press “RECALL” to see what track is
playing. Press it again within five seconds
to see how long it has been playing.
The track number also appears when the
disc is inserted.
To Play the Next Selection
Press “NEXT” or “SEEK A” to hear the
next track now (instead of waiting until
the present track is finished).
If you press and hold this button or press
it more than once, the disc
will advance
further.
To Replay the Current Selection
Press “PREV” or “SEEK v” to hear a
track again.
If you press and hold this button, or press
it more than once,
the disc will return to
previous tracks.
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I Steering Wheel Controls
Your vehicle has steering wheel controls
for this audio system. With steering wheel controls, you can use the buttons on your
steering wheel to:
0 Turn the audio system on or off.
0 Adjust the volume.
0 Choose AM, FM1 or FM2.
0 Use the seek and recall functions.
0 Choose one of the preset stations on
your pushbuttons.
Setting the Tone
Use the levers to set the bass, midrange
and treble
until you get the sound you
want. The “40,” “lOO,” “250” and “625”
levers adjust the bass. “1.6K” is
midrange, and
“4K” and “12K” control
the treble. We suggest setting the “1.6K”
lever in the middle position and then
moving the other levers up or down until
you get the amount of bass and treble you
like.
Adjusting the Speakers
Balance:
Press “BAL” to release the
knob. Turn the knob to move the sound
between the right and
left speakers. Push
‘‘BAL,” back in to store
it when not
adjusting.
Fade: Press “FADE” to release the knob.
Turn the knob to move the sound betweer
the front and rear speakers. Push “FADE”
back
in to store it when not adjusting.
To Play a Compact Disc
Before you begin, please note: don’t use
the mini-discs that are called “singles.”
They won’t eject. Use full-size compact
discs.
With the audio system on, insert a disc
into the slot with the label side up.
“CD”
will appear on the display and track 1 wil
begin to play.
If the disc comes back out and “ERR”
appears on the display,
it could be that:
0 The disc is upside down.
0 It is dirty, scratched, or wet.
0 There’s too much moisture in the air.
0 You are driving on a very rough road.
The temperature is too hot or too cold
Recall
Press “RECALL” to see what track is
playing. Press
it again within five seconds
to see how long it has been playing.
The track number also appears when the
disc is inserted.
To Play the Next Selection
Press “NEXT” or “SEEK A” to hear the
next track now (instead of waiting until
the present track is finished).
If you press and hold this button or press
it more than once, the disc will advance
further.
To Replay the Current Selection
Press “PREV” or “SEEK v” to hedr a
track again.
If
you press and hold this button, or press
it more than once, the disc will return to
previous tracks.
Reverse
Press and hold “REV” to rapidly return to
a favorite passage. Release
it to play the
passage. The radio
will play during this
operation.
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Your Driving and the Road
There’s something else about drinking
and driving that many people don’t know.
Medical research shows that alcohol
in a
person’s system can make crash injuries
worse. That’s especially true for brain,
spinal cord and heart injuries. That means
that if anyone who has been drinking
-
driver or passenger - is in a crash, the
chance of being killed or permanently
disabled is higher than
if that person had
not been drinking. And we’ve already
seen that the chance of a crash itself is
higher for drinking drivers.
I‘
I Control of a Vehicle
ou have three systems that make your
2hicle go where you want it to go.
hey are the brakes, the steering and the
xelerator. All three systems have to do
teir work at the places where
the tires
teet
the road.
ometimes, as when you’re driving on
IOW or ice, it’s easy to ask more of those
mtrol systems than the tires and road
an provide. That means you can lose
mtrol of your vehicle.
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Braking
3ralung action involves perception time
md reaction time.
%st, you have to decide to push
on the
)rake pedal. That’s perception time.
rhen you have to bring up your foot
md do it. That’s reaction time.
4verage reaction time is about
3/4 of a
;econd. But that’s only an average. It
might be less with one driver and as
long as two or three seconds or more
with another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and eyesight all
play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second,
a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h)
travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot
of distance in an emergency, so keeping
enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And,
of course, actual stopping distances
vary greatly with the surface of the road
(whether it’s pavement or gravel); the
condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; and the condition of your brakes.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some
people drive in spurts
- heavy
acceleration followed by heavy braking
- rather than keeping pace with traffic.
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Your Driving and the Road
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when
you need to. With anti-lock, you can steer
and brake at the same time.
In many
emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the system
is not
functioning, you can steer but it will
take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents
mentioned on the news happen on curves.
Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of
us is subject to the same laws of physics
when driving on curves. The traction of
the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path
when you turn the front wheels. If there’s
no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle
going in the same direction. If you’ve
ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice,
you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve
depends on the condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which
the curve is banked, and your speed.
While you’re in a curve, speed is the
one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp
curve. Then you suddenly accelerate.
Both control systems
- steering and
acceleration
- have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you
have traction control and the system is
on, adding the sudden acceleration can
demand too much of those places.
You
can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens?
Ease up on the accelerator pedal, steer the
vehicle the way you want
it to go, and
slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that
you should adjust your speed. Of course,
the posted speeds are based on good
weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to go
slower.
[f you need to reduce your speed as you
approach a curve,
do it before you enter
the curve, while your front wheels are
straight ahead.
Try to adjust
your speed so you can
”drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
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Steering in Emergencies
rhere are times when steering can be
.nore effective than braking. For example,
you come over a hill and find a truck
stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly
pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts
out from between parked cars and stops
right
in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking
- if you can stop in
time.
But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t
room. That’s the time for evasive action
- steering around the problem.
Your Pontiac can perform very well
in
:mergencies like these. First apply your
)rakes. It is better to remove as much
;peed as you can from a possible
:ollision. Then steer around the problem,
to the left or right depending on the space
available.
An emergency like this requires close
attention and a quick decision. If you are
holding the steering wheel at the
recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions,
you can turn it a full 180 degrees very
quickly without removing either hand.
But you have to act fast, steer quickly,
and just as quickly straighten the wheel
mce you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations
xe always possible is a good reason to
practice defensive driving at all times and
wear safety belts properly.
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3ff-Road Recovery
fou may find sometime that your right
aheels have dropped
off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder
(A) while you’re
hiving.
[f the level of the shoulder
is only slightly
)elow the pavement, recovery shbuld be
Fairly easy. Ease
off the accelerator and
:hen, if there is nothing in the way, steer
$0 that your vehicle straddles the edge of
he pavement. You can turn the steering
wheel up to
114 turn (B) until the:right
kont tire contacts the pavement edge.
rhen
turn your steering wheel to go
;traight down the roadway.
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Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don’t have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what
the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep
trying to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the
vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most
skids by taking reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your Pontiac’s three control systems. In
the braking skid your wheels aren’t
rolling.
In the steering or cornering skid,
too much speed or steering in a curve
causes tires to slip and lose cornering
force. And in the acceleration skid too
much throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by
Easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
[f you have the traction control system,
remember:
It helps avoid only the
acceleration skid. If you do not have
traction control, or if the system is
off,
then an acceleration skid is also best
handled by easing your foot
off the
accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your
bot off the accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the vehicle to
go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be
ready for a second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other material is on
the road. For safety, you’ll want to slow
down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important
to slow down
on slippery surfaces because stopping
distance will be longer and vehicle
control more limited. While
driving
on a surface with reduced
traction,
try your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration, or braking
(including engine braking by shifting to
a lower gear). Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not
realize the surface is ‘slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recqgnize
warning clues
- such as enough water,
ice or packed snow
on the road to make a
“mirrored surface”
- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system
(ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid.
*:p? ’
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Whatever the condition - smooth ice,
packed, blowing or loose snow
- drive
with caution. If you have traction control,
keep the system on. It will improve your
ability to accelerate when driving on a
slippery road. Even though your vehicle
has a traction control system, you’ll want
to slow down and adjust your driving to
the road conditions. See “Traction
Control System’’ in the Index. If you
don’t have the traction control
system, accelerate gently. Try not to break
the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish
the surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your
ability to make a hard stop on a slippery
road. Even though you have the anti-lock
braking system, you’ll want to begin
stopping sooner than you would
on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
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Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road
might be fine until you hit a spot that’s
covered with ice. On an otherwise
clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t
reach: around clumps of trees, behind
buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or
an overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If
you
see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake
before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and
avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you
could be
in a serious situation. You should
probably stay with your vehicle unless
you know for sure that
you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here
are some things to do
to summon help and
keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers. Tie a red
cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow. Put
on
extra clothing or wrap a blanket around
you. If
you have no blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor mats
- anything you can wrap around yourself
or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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Your Driving and the Road
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move
your hand to the right. Always back up
slowly and, if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making 7hms
When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal.
Do this so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Thrn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lights will also
flash, telling other drivers you’re about to
turn, change lanes or stop. When
towing a trailer, the green 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.
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
“D”
instead of Overdrive (or, as you need to, a
lower gear). Or,
if you have a manual
transmission with fifth (or sixth) gear and
you are towing a trailer, it’s better not to
use fifth (or sixth) gear. Just drive in
fourth gear (fifth gear 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
“P” (Park) yet, or into gear
for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chxks under the
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load. trailer wheels.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then
apply your parking brake, and then shift to
“P” (Park), or “R” (Reverse)
for a manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
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Problems on the Road
When your vehicle is being towed, have
the ignition key off. The steering wheel
should be clamped in a straight-ahead
position, with a clamping device designed
for towing service. Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this.
The transmission should be in “Neutral”
and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the rear
wheels, unless you must. If the vehicle
must be towed on the rear wheels, don’t
go more than 35 mph (55 km/h) or farther
than
50 miles (80 km) or your
transmission will be damaged. If these
limits must be exceeded, then the rear
wheels have to be supported on a dolly. Front Towing Hook-Ups
Attach T-hook chains to slots in frame
rearward
of front wheels on both sides.
NOTICE:
Do not attach winch cables or “J”
hooks to suspension components
when using car carrier equipment.
Always use T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook slots.
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