engine coolant PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1995 Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example, these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
FASTEN SEAT 4
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to
do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
pAE: pf
HIGH LAMPSoR BEAM = =o
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
i ‘t’ i
WINDSHIELD Q
WASHER I
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT F*
TEMP --
ENGINE
CHARGING 1-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE (0)
RADIATOR COOLANT
a
FUEL
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
9%
TEMP OIL &
ANTI-LOCK (a)
BRAKE
-
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
RAM0 h
VOLUME
CONDITIONING AIR 43
RELEASE a
LIGHTER m
SPEAKER
b
V
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Second-Gear Start Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
TRANSMISSION
2NDGEAR@ START
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Second-Gear Start
feature. Press
2ND GEAR START to provide more
traction when you are starting on ice or other slippery
surfaces. The transmission will be in second gear when
the vehicle begins to move. After starting in second
gear, the vehicle will upshift normally.
This feature is only for improved traction when the road
surface
is slippery and is not intended for continuous
use. Always use NORMAL for normal road conditions.
You may press
2ND GEAR START again to turn off this
feature. Whenever you start your vehicle, the
transmission is
in the NORMAL mode.
In very cold weather, 0 "F (- 18 O 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.
2-21
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To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine. NOTICE:
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt outlet.
2-22
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.
I
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged in? The answer depends on the weather, the kind of oil
you have, and some other things. Instead of trying to list
everything here, we ask that you contact your Pontiac
dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your vehicle.
The dealer can give
you the best advice for that
particular area.
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Skip Shift Light (5.7L LTl Engine)
When this light comes on, you can only shift from
FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4) gear instead
of FIRST (1) to
SECOND (2) gear. This helps you to get the best
possible fuel economy.
This light will come on under these conditions:
0 The engine coolant temperature is greater than
170°F (77"C),
0 You are going 15-20 mph (24-32.'km/h), and
0 You are at 35% throttle or less.
When this light is on, the gear shift lever will let you
shift from
FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4) gears only. Once
you are in FOURTH (4) 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 (ECM) determines when to activate the
SKIP SHIFT upshift system. Use SECOND (2) 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 krn/h) when accelerating to highway
speeds.
2-30
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Low Traction Light Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
LOW
TRAC
When your anti-lock system is adjusting brake pressure to
help avoid a braking skid, the
LOW TRAC light will
appear
on your instrument cluster. If you have the traction
control system,
this light will also come on when the
system is limiting wheel spin. Slippery road conditions
may
exist if this light comes on, so adjust your driving
accordingly. The light will stay on for a few seconds after
the
anti-lock system stops adjusting brake pressure or the
traction control system stops limiting wheel spin.
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the red area, your engine is too
hot! It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If
you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,”this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
The LOW TRAC light also comes on briefly, as a bulb
check, when the engine is started.
If the light doesn’t
come
on then, have it fixed so it will be there to tell you
when the anti-lock brake system or traction control
system
is active.
2-72
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Low Coolant Light (V8 Engine)
COOLANT
I I
I NOTICE:
Driving with the LOW COOLANT light on caul4
cause your Pontiac to overheat. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index. Your Pontiac&ul@ be
damaged and it wouldn’t be covered
by your
warranty.
This red warning light should come on while you are
starting your engine.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it
repaired. The light also comes
on when the coolant in
your radiator
is low. You may need to add coolant. See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index.
. 2773
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d HEATER: This setting directs most of the air
through the heater ducts and some of the air through the
windshield defroster vents.
z2 BLEND: Air is directed through the windshield
defroster vents and the heater ducts.
9 DEFROST: This setting directs most of the air
through the windshield defkoster vents and some of the
air through the heater ducts.
Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it.
1. Turn the air control knob to HEATER.
2. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
3. Turn the temperature control knob to a comfortable
During initial start-up only, if your vehicle is equipped
with an optional engine coolant heater, you can use it in
cold weather (around
+20 O F/-8 O C or lower) to improve
heater performance on
start up. Because an engine
coolant heater warms the engine coolant, your vehicle’s
setting.
heating system can more efficiently provide heat for the
passenger area of
your vehicle. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in the Index.
Bi-Level Heating
You may want to use bi-level heating on cool, but sunny
days. This setting directs cool air toward your body and
warmer air toward your feet.
1. Turn the air control knob to BI-LEVEL.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a comfortable
3. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
Ventilation
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling
is needed, you can still direct outside air through
your vehicle.
1. Turn the air control knob to VENT.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a comfortable
3. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
setting.
setting.
3-2
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Pontiac in good shape for winter. Be sure
your engine coolant mix is correct.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight,
a red cloth, and a
couple
of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include
a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
4-25
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Pontiac’s instrument panel. You may also find
a low
coolant warning light on your Pontiac instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with
no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
5-16
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Cooling System
V8 Engine
I.
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
1. Coolant recovery tank
2. Radiator pressure cap
3. Electric engine fan
V6 Engines
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
1. Coolant recovery tank
2. Radiator pressure cap
3. Electric engine fan
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