fuel PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1994 Owners Manual

How to Use This Manual
Rear Window Defogger
Y
Ventilating Fan
Bi-
L e vel
Vent
Heater Blend
These symbols are used on warning and
indicator lights:
Engine Coolant
Temperature
Battery Charging System
1-7
Fuel
Engine
Oil Pressure w,
Brake (Canada) (0) (8)
Anti-Lock Brake System
(Canada) Low Coolant
m
Here
are some other symbols you may see:
Hatchnrunk Release a
Hood Release
Lighter
Horn
Speaker Convertible Top Switch
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Parking Lots: If you park in a lot where
someone will be watching your vehicle,
it's best to lock it up and take your keys.
But what if you have to leave your
ignition key? What if you have to leave
something valuable in your vehicle?
Put your valuables in a storage area,
like your glove
box.
0 Lock the glove box.
0 Lock all the doors except the driver's.
Then take the door key with you.
I
GM -
I PASS-Key@IZ
four vehicle is equipped with the
-'ASS-Key@II (Personalized Automotive
iecurity System) theft-deterrent system.
-'ASS-Key@II is a passive theft-deterrent
iystem.
This means you don't have to do
mything different to
arm or disarm the
iystem. It works when you insert or
'emove the key from the ignition.
-'ASS-Key@II uses a resistor pellet in
he ignition key that matches a decoder
n your vehicle. When
the PASS-Key@II system senses
that someone is using the wrong key, it
shuts down the vehicle's starter and fuel
systems. For about three minutes, the
starter won't work and fuel won't
go to
the engine. If someone tries to start your
vehicle again or uses another key -during
this time, the vehicle will not start. This
discourages someone from randomly
trying different keys with different
resistor pellets in an attempt to make a
match.
. ..,.
49 . 8
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NOTICE: NOTICE:
Holding your key in “Start” for
longer than
15 seconds at a time will
cause your battery to be drained
much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
2. If your engine won’t start (or starts but
then stops), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing your
accelerator pedal all
the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold
the key in “Start” for about three
seconds. If the vehicle starts briefly
but then stops again, do
the same
thing, but this time keep the pedal
down for five or six seconds. This
clears the extra gasoline from
the
engine Your
engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you
add electrical parts or accessories,
you could change the way the fuel
injection system operates. Before
adding electrical equipment, check
with your dealer. If you don’t, your
engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle
towed, see the part of this manual
that tells how to do
it without
damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
To start your VS engine:
1. Without pushing the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to “Start.”
When the engine starts, let go of the
key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
Holding your key in “Start” for
longer than
15 seconds at a time will
cause your battery
to be drained
much sooner.. And the excessive heat
2. If it doesn’t start within 10 seconds,
push the accelerator pedal all the
way to the floor, while
you hold the
ignition key in “Start.” When the
engine starts, let go of the key and
let up on the accelerator pedal. Wait
about
15 seconds between each try to
help avoid draining your battery.
1
53. .
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Features and Controls
When starting your engine in very cold
weather (below 0°F or
- 18”C), do this:
1.
2.
With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to “Start”
and hold it there. When the engine
starts, let go of the key. Use the
accelerator pedal to maintain engine
speed, if you have to, until your
engine has
run for a while.
If your engine still won’t start (or
starts but then stops), it could be
flooded with too much gasoline.
Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the
way to the floor and holding it there
as you hold the key
in “Start” for
about three seconds. If the vehicle
starts briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing, but this time keep the
pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears
the extra gasoline from
the engine.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you
add electrical parts or accessories,
you could change the way
the fuel
injection system operates. Before
adding electrical equipment, check
with your dealer. If you don’t, your
engine might not perform properly.
If you
ever have to have your vehicle
towed, see the part of this manual
that tells how to do it without
damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Driving through Deep
Standing Water
NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can
come in through your engine’s air
intake and badly damage your
engine. If you can’t avoid deep
puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Performance Mode Switch
(Option)
This switch lets you change from a
normal driving mode to a performance
mode. When you start the engine, the switch will be in normal mode. For
general driving conditions, use the
normal mode. It will remain
in normal
unless you select the “PERFORM”
feature.
For a firmer shift and increased
performance, you may choose the
“PERFORM, mode. The light in the
center
of the switch will light up when
selected. The switch will then remain in
“PERFORMANCE’ mode until the
engine is shut off, when it will go back to
normal mode.
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C L
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TRANSMISSION
INDEEAR@ START
Fecond-Gear Start
‘our vehicle may be equipped with a
econd-Gear Start feature. Press
“2ND
;EAR START” to provide more traction
vhen you are starting on ice or other
lippery surfaces. The transmission will
le in second gear when the vehicle begin;
3 move. After starting in second gear, tht
rehicle will upshift normally.
’his feature
is only for improved traction
then the road surface is slippery and is
lot intended for continuous use. Always
.se “NORMAL” for normal road
onditions.
You may press “2ND GEAR
;TART’’ again to turn off this feature.
Yhenever you start your vehicle, the
ransmission is in the “NORMAL” mode.
Engine Coolant Heater (Engine
Block Heater)
(OPTION)
In very cold weather, 0°F (- 18 “C) or
colder,
the engine coolant heater can help.
You’ll get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be
plugged in a minimum of four hours prior
to starting your vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt outlet.
NOTICE:
After you’ve used the coolant heater,
be sure to store the cord
as it was
before to keep it away from moving
engine parts. If
you don’t, it could be
damaged.
55.
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Features and Controls
@ Automatic Overdrive
This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power far passing, and you’re:
- Going less than about 35 mph
(56 kdh), push your accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
- Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way
down.
You’ll shift down to the
next gear and
have more power.
D (Third Gear)
This is like @ , but you never go into
Overdrive.
Here are some times you might choose
“D’ instead of @ :
- When driving on hilly, winding roads
- When towing a trailer, so there is less
shifting between gears
- When going down a steep hill
2 (Second Gear)
This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy.
You can use “2” on
hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but
then you would also want to use your
brakes off and on.
NOTICE:
Don’t drive in “2” (Second Gear)
for more than
5 miles (8 km), or at
speeds over
55 mph (88 kmh), or
you can damage your transmission.
Use
(EJ or “D” as much as possible.
Don’t shift into
“2” unless you
are going slower than
65 mph
( 105 km/h), or you can damage
your engine.
1 (First Gear)
This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
“2.” You
can use it on very steep hills, or in deep
snow or mud. If the selector lever is put
in
“I,” the transmission won’t shift into
first gear until fhe vehicle is going slowly
enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t
try to drive. This might happen if you
were stuck in very deep sand or mud
or were up against a solid object.
You
could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill,
don’t hold your vehicle there with
only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat and damage the transmission. Use your brakes or
shift into
“P” (Park) to hold your
vehicle in position on a hill.
Maximum engine speed is limited
to
protect driveline components from improper operation.
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Your six-speed manual transmission
has a feature that allows you to safely
shift into
“R’ (Reverse) while the vehicle
is rolling (at less than 3 mph). You will be
“locked-out” if you try to shift into “R”
(Reverse) while your vehicle is’ moving
faster than
3 mph.
If you have turned your ignition off and
wish to park your vehicle in Reverse, you
will have to move the shift lever quickly
to the right, “crashing” through the high
load spring and then into gear.
SKIP
SHIFT
;kip Shift Light (5.7L LT1 Engine)
Yhen this light comes on, you can only
hift from
“1” (First) to “4” (Fourth) gear
nstead of “1” (First) to “2” (Second)
gar. This helps you to get
the best
lossible fuel economy.
’his light will come on under these
onditions:
The engine coolant temperature is greater than 170°F (77”C),
You are going
15-20 mph
(24-32
km/h), and
You are
at 35% throttle or less. When this
light
is on, the gear shift lever
will let you shift from
“1” (First) gear to
“4”(Fourth) gears only. Once you are
in
“4” (Fourth) gear, you can press the
clutch again and shift into another gear.
Follow the shift speeds in this chart when
the
“SKIP SHIFT” light is on.
Computer Aided Manual Transmission
Shift Speeds:
1st to 4th. . , . , . . 15 mph (24 km/h)
4th to 5th ...... 25 mph (40 km/h)*
5th
to 6th ...... 40 mph (64 km/h)**
Each time you come to
a stop, the
engine’s Electronic Control Module
(EGM) determines when to activate the
“SKIP SHIFT” upshift system. Use
“2”
(Second) gear only when you accelerate
very quickly from’a stop.
You can then
follow the full gear shift pattern.
*30 mph (48 km/h) when accelerating
to highway speeds.
**45 mph (72 km/h) when accelerating
to highway
speeds.
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Features and Controls
shift Speeds (MANUAL TRANSMISSION)
This chart shows when to shift to the next higher gear for best fuel economy.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION RECOMMENDED SHIFT SPEEDS, IN MPH (km/h)
Acceleration Shift Speed
1 to2 5
to
6 4 to 5 3 to 4 2 to 3
Engine
3.4L L32
you should downshift to the next lower gear. You may have to downshift two or more
If
your speed drops below
20 mph (30 km/h), or if the engine is not running smoothly,
(80)
(72)
(64)
(40)
(24)
(Code P)
50 45 40
25 15 5.7L LTI NIA
(72-75)
(51-59)
(34-35)
(21-25)
(Code
S)
45-47
32-37
21 -28
13-1 6
gears to keep the engine running smoothly or for
good performance.
NOTICE:
If you skip more than one gear when
you downshift, or if you race the
engine when you downshift, you can
damage the clutch or transmission.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your rear axle
can give you additional traction on
snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works
like a standard axle most of the time,
but
when one of the rear wheels has
no traction and the other does, the limited-slip feature will allow the
wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
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Features and Controls
x1 000
GAUGES
Instrument Panel and Cluster
Your instrument cluster is designed to let
you know at a glance how your vehicle is
running. You'll know how fast you're
going, about how much fuel you have
left and many other things you'll need to
know to drive safely and economically.
Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your
speed in both miles per hour (mph)
and kilometers per hour
(km/h). Your
odometer shows how far your vehicle has
been driven, in either miles (used in the
U.S.) or kilometers (used in Canada).
Your Pontiac's odometer is
tamper-resistant.
If you can see silver
lines between the numbers, probably
someone has tried to tLirn it back. The
numbers may not be true.
U.S. shown, Canada similar
You may wonder what happens if your
Pontiac needs a new odometer installed. If
possible, the new one has to be set to the same reading the old one had. If it can't
be, then it's set at zero, but a label on the
driver's door must show the old reading
and when the new one was installed.
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Features and Controls
Fuel Gage
four fuel gage shows about how much
bel is in your tank. The fuel gage works
mly when the ignition switch is in the
‘Run” position. When the gage pointer
‘Irst indicates
“E,” you still have a little
uel left (about one to two gallons), but
IOU need to get more right away.
3ere are four concerns some owners
lave had about the fuel gage. All these
iituations are normal and do not indicate
:hat anything is wrong with the fuel gage.
,..go
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts
off before the gage reads “E”
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
“E.”
Brake System Warning Light
Your Pontiac’s hydraulic brake system is
divided into two parts. If one part isn’t
working, the
other part can still work and
stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both pws working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could
be a brake problem. Have your brake
system inspected right away.
This light should come on as you start the
vehicle. If it doesn’t come on then, have
it
fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there’s a problem.
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