service PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1994 Service Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: PONTIAC, Model Year: 1994, Model line: FIREBIRD, Model: PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1994Pages: 290, PDF Size: 14.84 MB
Page 215 of 290
Service and Appearance Care
NOTICE:
If you put things inside your vehicle -
like suitcases, tools, packages, or anything else
- they will go as fast as the
Your warranty does not cover parts or vehicle goes.
If you have
to stop or turn
components that fail because of over- quickly, or if there
is a crash, they’ll keep
loading. going.
. . .214
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Service and Appearance Care
[dation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label
which
is on the driver’s door shows the
correct inflation pressures for your
tires, when they’re cold. “Cold” means
your vehicle has been sitting for at
least three hours or driven
no more
than
a mile.
If your vehicle is equipped with
P245/50ZR16 tires and you’ll be
driving at speeds higher than 100 mph
(160
km/h) where it is legal, raise the
“cold” inflation pressure of each tire
to
35 psi (240 Pa). When you end this
very high speed driving, reduce the
“cold” inflation pressures to those
listed
on the Tire Loading Information
label.
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation overinflation is all right. It’s not.
If your tires don’t have enough air (underinflation) you
can get:
Too much flexing
0 Too much heat
a Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you can get:
0 Unusual wear
Bad handling
0 Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
.’. . 216
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When to Check: Check your tires once a
month or more. Don’t forget your
compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi
(420 kPa).
How to Check: Use a good quality
pocket-type gage to check tire pressure.
Simply looking at the tires will not tell
you the pressure, especially
if you have
radial tires
- which may look properly
inflated even if they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to
put them back on. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them
inspected and rotated at the mileages
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
Services” in the Index.
If you don’t have P245/50ZR16 size tires:
use the rotation pattern shown above for
your size tires.
I1
II
0
SI
B
SI
e:
b
’ fl
A
tl
SI
12
P:
T
4-
-I-
4-
-a4
F you have P245/50ZR16 size tires, they
lust roll in a certain direction for the besl
vera11 performance. The direction is
hown by an arrow on both sidewalls.
lecause these tires are directional, they
hould be rotated as shown in the
xample above. These tires should only
e moved from front to rear and rear to
-ont on the same side of the vehicle.
Lfter the tires have been rotated, adjust
le front and rear inflation pressure as
Sown
on the Tire-Loading Information
lbel. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
roperly tightened. See “Wheel Nut
orque” in the Index.
217.
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Service and Appearance Care
When It’s Time for New Tires
he way to tell when it’s time for new
ires is to check the treadwear indicators,
vhich will appear when your tires have
Inly
2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or less of tread
emaining.
r‘ou need a new tire if:
D You can see the indicators at three or
more places around the tire.
through the tire’s rubber.
or snagged deep enough to show corc
or fabric.
B You can see cord or fabric showing
B The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut
D The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other
damage that can’t be repaired well
because of the size or location of the
damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you
need, look at the Tire-Loading
[nformation label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it
was new had a Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec) number on
each tire’s sidewall. When you get
new
tires, get ones with that same TPC Spec
number. That way, your vehicle will
continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling,
speed rating, traction, ride and other
things during normal service on your
vehicle. If your tires have an all-season
tread design, the TPC number will be
followed by a
“MS” (for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those
not having a TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size, load range,
speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted
or radial) as your original
tires.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature
performance.
(This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well
on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest are: A,
B, and C. They represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement
as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on braking
(straight-ahead) traction tests and does
not include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s
resistance to the generation of heat and its
3bility to dissipate heat when tested under
:ontrolled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No.
109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately ,,or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
Those grades are molded on the sidewalls
of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or
optional equipment on General Motors
vehicles may
vary with respect to these
grades, all such tires meet General Motors
performance standards and have been
approved for use on General Motors
vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric)
tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements in addition to these grades.
I
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Service and Appearance Care
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to
give you
the longest tire life and best
overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to have
your wheels aligned again. However, if
you notice unusual tire wear or your
vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset. If you
notice your vehicle vibrating when
driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or
badly rusted. If wheel nuts keep coming
loose, the wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts should be replaced. If the wheel
leaks air out, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes
be repaired). See your Pontiac dealer if
any
of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel
you need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset, and be mounted the same way as
the one it replaces.
[f you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts, or wheel nuts, replace them
mly with new
GM original equipment
sarts. This way, you will be sure to have
:he right wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for your Pontiac model.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance, and tire or tire chain clearance to
the body and chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
. . .220
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Service and Appearance Care
Don’t use any of these unless this manual
says you can. In many uses, these will
damage your vehicle:
0 Alcohol
Laundry Soap
0 Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your
Pontiac
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of
dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl or leather
with a clean, damp cloth.
Your Pontiac dealer has two
GM cleaners,
a solvent-type spot lifter and a foam-type
powdered cleaner. They will clean normal
spots and stains very well. Do not use
them on vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the
Clean up stains as soon as you can -
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and
cleaner
label.
before they set.
change to a clean area often. A soft
brush may be used
if stains are
stubborn.
D Use solvent-type cleaners in a
well-ventilated area only. If you use
them, don’t saturate
the stained area.
clean the entire area immediately or it
will set.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning,
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
Vacuum and brush the area to remove
any loose dirt.
Always clean a whole trim panel or
section. Mask surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner
following the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean
sponge.
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section,
use a sponge to remove the suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet
sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly
damp paper towel or cloth.
Then dry it immediately with a blow
dryer or a heat lamp.
NOTICE:
Be careful with a hair dryer or heat
lamp.
You could scorch the fabric.
0 Wipe with a clean cloth.
Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type
cleaner at all. Some spots and stains will
clean
off better with just water and mild
soap.
If you need to use a solvent:
Gently scrape excess soil from the
trim material with a clean, dull knife
or scraper. Use very little cleaner, light
pressure and clean cloths (preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at
the outside of the stain, “feathering”
toward the center. Keep changing to
a
clean section of the cloth.
. . .222
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Service and Appearance Care
Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
A CAUTION:
Do not bleach or dye safety belts.
If you
do, it may severely weaken
them.
In a crash they might not be
able to provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only
with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass
Cleaner (GM Part
No. 1050427) or a
liquid household glass cleaner will
remove normal tobacco smoke and dust
films.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass,
because they may cause scratches. Avoid
placing decals on the inside rear window,
since they may have
to be scraped off
later. If abrasive cleaners are used on the
inside of the rear window, an electric
defogger element may be damaged. Any
temporary license should not be attached
across the defogger grid.
Cleaning the Outside of the Windshield
and Wiper Blades
[f the windshield is not clear after using
the windshield washer, or if the wiper
blade chatters when running, wax or
other material may be on the blade or
windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with
GM Windshield Cleaner, Bon-Ami
Powder@ (GM Part
No. 1050011). The
windshield is clean if beads do not form
when you rinse it with water.
Clean the blade by wiping vigorously
with a cloth soaked in full strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse
the blade with water.
Wiper blades should be checked on a
regular basis and replaced when worn.
Cleaning Twin Lift-off Roof Panels
Special care is necessary when cleaning,
removing and/or storing the roof panels.
0
0
Flush with water to remove dust and
dirt, then dry the panels.
Clean the panels with GM Glass
Cleaner (GM Part
No. 1050427) or
a liquid household glass cleaner.
Leave the cleaner
on the panel for one minute, then wipe the panel with
a soft, lint-free cloth.
0 Don’t use abrasive cleaning materials.
Cleaning the Outside of Your
Pontiac
The paint finish on your vehicle provides
beauty, depth of color, gloss retention and
durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s
finish is to keep it clean by washing it
often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle
in the direct
rays of-the sun. Don’t use strong soaps
or chemical detergents. Use .Tiquid hand,
dish or car washing (mild-detergent)
soaps. Don’t use cleaning agents that are
petroleum based, or contain acid or abrasives.
All cleaning agents should be
flushed promptly and not allowed to dry
on the surface, or they could stain. Dry the finish with a soft, clean chamois or
a 100% cotton towel to avoid surface
scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause
water to enter your vehicle.
. . .224
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Service and Appearance Care
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires
sheet metal repair or replacement, make
sure the body repair shop applies
anti-corrosion material to the parts
repaired or replaced to restore corrosion
protection.
Foreign Material
Calc'ium chloride and other salts, ice
melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap,
bird droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, and other foreign matter can
damage your vehicle's finish
if they
remain on painted surfaces. Use cleaners
that are marked safe for painted surfaces
to remove foreign matter.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep
scratches in the finish should be repaired
right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major
repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired
with touch-up materials available from
your dealer or other service outlets.
Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer's body and paint
shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal
and dust control can collect on the
underbody. If these are not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on
the underbody parts such as fuel lines,
frame, floor pan, and exhaust system even
though they have corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these
materials from the underbody with plain
water. Clean any areas where mud and
other debris cah collect. Dirt packed in
closed areas
of the frame should be
loosened before being flushed. Your
dealer or an underbody vehicle washing
system can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions
:an create a chemical fallout. Airborne
?ollutants can fall upon and attack painted
curfaces on your vehicle. This damage
:an take two forms: blotchy,
inglet-shaped discolorations, and small
irregular dark spots etched into the paint
surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes
this, Pontiac will repair, at no charge to
the owner, the surfaces of new vehicles
jamaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20
000 km)
of purchase, whichever comes first.
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Service and Appearance Care
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Vehicle Identification
Number
(VIN)
rhis is the' legal identifier for your
'ontiac. It appears on a plate in the front
:orner of the instrument panel, on the
lriver's side. You can see it if you look
hrough the windshield from outside your
rehicle. The
VIN also appears on the
Jehicle Certification and Service Parts
abels and the certificates of title and
egistration.
hgine Identification
?he eighth character in your VIN is the
:ngine code. This code will help you
.dentify your engine, specifications, and
*eplacement parts.
. .228
Service Parts
Identification Label
You'll find this label inside your console
storage compartment. It's very helpful if
you ever need to order parts.
On this
label is:
D your VIN,
the model designation,
paint information, and
a list of all production options and
special equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed
From the vehcle.
Add-on Electrical
Equipment
NOTICE:
Don't add anything electrical to your
Pontiac unless you check with your
dealer first. Some electrical equip-
ment can damage your vehicle and
the damage wouldn't be covered
by your warranty. Some add-on
electrical equipment can keep other
components from working as they
should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system.
Before attempting to add anything
zlectrical to your Pontiac, see "Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Pontiac" in the
Index.
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