PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1995 Manual PDF

Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your Pontiac has a
brake-transmission shift interlock. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P) when the ignition key is in the RUN position.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) and also release the shift lever button on floor
shift console models
as you maintain brake application.
Then move the shift lever into the gear you wish. (Press
the shift lever button before moving the shift lever on
floor shift console models.) See “Shifting Out of
PARK (P) in
this part.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transmission. Shift to REVERSE
(R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck:
In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow, If You’re” in the
Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL,
(N) when your vehicle is being towed.
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
THIRD (3): This is like D, but you never go into
Overdrive.
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting Here are some times you might choose THIRD instead
out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL [N) with the of OVERDRIVE:
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty. - When driving on hilly, winding roads.
- When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
AUTOMATIC OVERDWE (D) between gears.
This position is for normal driving. If you need more
power for passing,
and you’re:
- Going less than about 35 mph (56 kmk), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
- Going about 35 mph (56 kmk) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more
power.
- When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy.
You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go dowri-:.steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want-to use
’,
your brakes off and on.
4
!
1
I
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND for more than 5 miles
(8 km), or at speeds over 55 mph (88 km/h), or
you can damage your transmission. Use
OVERDRIVE or
THIRD as much as possible.
Don’t shift into SECOND unless you are going
slower than
65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage’your engine.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You can
use it
on very steep hills, or in deep snow or. mud. If the
selector lever is put
in FIRST (l), the transmission
won’t shift into
first gear until the 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 acceleratw
pedal.
This could overheat and damage the
transmission.
Use your brakes or shift into
BARK (P) to hold your vehicle in position
on.‘
a hill.
.- e 1Y .,
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
Lomponents from improper operation.
2-26
ProCarManuals.com

Manual Tradsmission
Five-Speed
1 3 5
2 4 R
This is your shift pattern. Here’s how to operate your
transmission:
0
0
0
FIRST (1): Press the clutch pedal and shi€t into
FIRST
(1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) whed you’re going less
than
20 mph (32 M). If you’ve cowe to a
compiete stop and it’s hard to‘shift into FIRST
(1)
put the shift lever in NEUTkAL and let up on the
clutch. Press the clutch pedal back down. Then
shift
into FIRST (1).
SECOND (2): Press the clutch pedal 10 fhe floor as
you let up on the accelerator pedal and
s&ft into
SECOND
(2). Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator pedal.
THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH (3,4,5, Gears): Shift
into THIRD
(3)’ FOURTH t4) and FIFTH (5) the
same way you do for SECOND
(2). Slowly let up on
the clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal.
2-27
ProCarManuals.com

0 To Stop: Let up on the accelerator pedal and press
the brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to
NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL (N): Use this position when you start or
idle your engine.
REVERSE (R): To back up, press down the clutch
pedal
and shift ipto REVERSE (R). Let up on the
clutch pedal slowly while pressing the accelerator
pedal.
F
NOTICE:
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped. Shifting to REVERSE
(R) while your
vehicle is moving could damage your
transmission.
Also, use Reverse, along with the parking brake, for
parking your vehicle.
I
2-28
Six-Speed
3 5 R
2 4 6
This is your shift pattern. Here’s how to operate your
transmission:
FIRST (1): Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
ProCarManuals.com

You can shift into FIRST (1) when you’re going less
than
20 mph (32 kmk). If you’ve come to a
complete stop and it’s hard to shift into FIRST
(1)
put the shift lever in NEUTRAL and let up on the
clutch. Press the clutch pedal back down. Then shift
into FIRST
(1).
0 SECOND (2): Press the clutch pedal as you let up
on the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (2).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press
the accelerator pedal.
THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, and SIXTH (3,4,5,
and 6 Gears): Shift into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4),
FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6) the same way you do for
SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
0 To Stop: Let up on the accelerator pedal and press
the brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift
to“Neutra1.”
0
0
NEUTRAL (N): Use this position when you start or
idle your engine.
REVERSE (R): To back up, press down the clutch
pedal and shift into REVERSE (R). Let up on the
clutch pedal slowly while pressing the accelerator
pedal. If you
shift from SIXTH (6) into REVERSE
(R) the shift lever must be first placed in the
NEUTRAL position centered between SECOND
(2)
and THIRD (3) prior to shfting into REVERSE (R).
Your six-speed manual transmission has a feature that
allows you to safely shift into REVERSE (R) while the
vehicle is rolling (at less than
5 mph). You will be
locked-out if you try to shift into REVERSE (FQ while
your vehicle is moving faster than
5 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.
I
/ I
I I 2-29
f
1
ProCarManuals.com

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
ProCarManuals.com

Shift Speeds (Manual Transmission)
This chart shows when to shift to the next higher gear
.for best fuel economy.
I MANUAL TRANSMISSION RECOMMENDED SHIFT SPEEDS, IN MPH (kmh) I
Engine Acceleration Shifi Speed
1 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4t0 5 5 to 6 r
(Code S) 3.4L L32 13-16 21-28 32-37 (21-25) (34-35) (51-59) (72-75) 45-47 NIA
If your speed drops below 20 mph (30 kmk), or if the
engine
is not running smoothly, you should downshift to
the next lower gear.
You may have to downshift two or
more gears to keep the engine running smoothly or for
good performance.
NOTICE: I
If you skip more than one gear when you)
downshift, or if you race the engine wheaiyou
downshift, you can
damage the clutch or"
transmission.
2-31
ProCarManuals.com

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.
Parking Brake
The parking brake uses the brakes on the rear wheels.
To set the parking brake:
Hold the brake pedal down and pull up on the parking
brake lever.
If the ignition is on, the brake system
warning light
will come on.
ProCarManuals.com

If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any
hill: See“Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section
shows what to
do first to keep the trailer from moving.
To release the parking brake:
L
Hold the brake pedal down. Pull the parking brake lever
up until you
can push in the release button. Hold the
release button in as you move the brake lever all the way
down.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat.
You may have to
replace them,
and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
2-33
ProCarManuals.com