mirror PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1995 Owners Manual

Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
NOTICE: ~
If your
key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it is all the way in. If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using
a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
If you have power door locks, your vehicle has a feature
called Retained Accessory Power (RAP). With
RAP
your power door locks, electric mirrors, power
windows, audio system and remote hatch release will
continue to work up to
10 minutes after the ignition key
is turned to
OW and neither door is opened.
If a door is opened, the audio system and power
windows will shut
off. The power door locks, electric
mirrors and remote hatch release work until you shut the
door. Once you have shut
the door, these accessories
will continue to work for approximately
35 seconds.
After this time you will not be able to use these
accessories until the next time you open
a door or turn
the ignition.
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Fog Lamps (Option)
Use your fog lamps for better vision in foggy or misty
conditions. Your parking lamps must be on or your fog
lamps won’t work.
a$ To turn the fog lamps on, push the right side of the
fog lamp switch. Push the left side to
turn the fog lamps
off. A light on the switch will come on when the fog
lamps
are on.
Fog lamps will go off whenever your high beams come
on. When the high beams go
off, the fog lamps will
come on again.
Interior Lamps
Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several interior lamps go on.
These lamps are courtesy lamps. They make it easier for
you to enter and leave your vehicle.
Courtesy lamps include the dome lamp and other lamps
throughout the interior of your vehicle.
Front Map Lamps 1
c
Your inside rearview mirror includes two map lamps.
Each lamp has its own switch. Use the switch closest to
the lamp to
turn it on. The lamps will also go on when a
door is opened.
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Mirrors
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
An inside rearview mirror is attached to your windshield.
The
mirror has pivots so that you can adjust it.
You can adjust the mirror for day or night driving. Pull
the tab for night driving to reduce glare. Push the tab for
daytime driving.
Manual Outside Adjustable Mirror
Adjust the passenger side outside mirror by hand so that
you can just see the side of your vehicle when you are
sitting in a comfortable driving position.
Manual Remote Control Mirror
Adjust the driver side outside mirror with the lever on
the door. Adjust the mirror
so that you just see the side
of your vehicle when you are sitting in a comfortable
driving position.
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Electric Mirror Control (Option) Convex Outside Mirror
Your passenger’s side mirror is convex.
A convex mirror’s surface is curved so you can see more
from the driver’s seat.
The electric mirror control is on the driver’s door. To
adjust either mirror, move the center switch to
LEFT (L)
or RIGHT (R). Then use the touch pad to adjust the
mirror.
The control only works when the ignition switch is in
RUN or ACC, or when RAP is present. (See “Retained
Accessory Power’’ in the Index.)
Floor Mats
Your Firebirds floor mats are custom-fitted to the floor
wells. Be sure the driver’s floor mat is
in place. If it
isn’t, it could interfere with the accelerator or brake
pedal.
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Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You
can also swing them to the side. The elastic bands on
your visor provide extra storage for maps or papers.
Covered Visor Vanity Mirror I
Pull down the sun visor and lift the cover to expose the
vanity mirror.
Ashtray and Lighter
Front Ashtray
Lift up the cover to open the ashtray. To remove it, lift
up on either side
of the ashtray. If you have an automatic
transmission, the ashtray is near the front of your
console. If you have
a manual transmission, tfie ashtray
is near your cupholder.
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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass
while you’re awaiting
an opportunity. For one thing,
following too closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you’re following a larger vehicle.
Also,
you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead
suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable
distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane.
If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And
if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember
to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lights are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little
to the right.
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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.
If 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 foot 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 recognize 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 brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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I
Driving at Night 0
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Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason
is that some drivers are likely to be impaired -- by
alcohol
or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
a Don’t drink and drive.
0
0
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and other
vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and
rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you
are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But
if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
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Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. At
the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic.
Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder ‘as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving
on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
1 ..
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you
miss your exit do not, under
any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the
next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway
hypnosis”? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel?
Call it highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let
it
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in
less than a second, and you could crash and be
injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
0 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service,
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
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Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
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