turn signal 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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The Tclrn SignaMlea~amp Beam Lever
I
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
Headlamp High/Low Beam and Passing Signal
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
Cruise Control (Option)
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for Right) and two
downward (for Left) positions. These positions allow
you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up qr down.
When the turn
is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
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A green arrow on the instrument panel will flash in the
direction of the turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the green arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until
you complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash but just stay on, a signal bulb may be burned out
and other drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the green arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a turn, check the fuse (see“Fuses” in the Index).
Headlamp High/Low Beam
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or high
to low,
pull the turn signal lever all the way toward you.
Then release
it. When the high beams are on, this blue
light on the instrument panel also
will be on.
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Windshield Washer
At &e top of the turn signal lever there’s a paddle with
thd wbrd
PUSH on it. To spray washer fluid on the
windshield, just push the paddle for less
than a second.
The washer will continue to spray until you release the
paddle. The wipers will clear the window and wipe a
few niore times before stopping or retuming to the
pr&+ms setting.
NOTICE:
0 When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
0 Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution
to freeze
and damage your washer fluid
tank aiad
other parts of the washer system.
Also,
water doesn’t clean as well as washer fluid.
0 Fili your washer fluid tank only 3/4 full
when it’s very cold. This allows fop
expansion, which could damage the
tank if
it is completely full.
windshield washer. It can damage your
washer system and paint.
0 Don’t use radiator antifreeze in your
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Daytime Running Lamps (Canada)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) make it easier to see
the front
of your vehicle during the day. DIU can be
helpful when it’s raining and in the short periods after
dawn and before sunset. Several countries, including
Canada, require DRL.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work,
so be sure it isn’t covered.
The DRL system.wil1 make your front turn signal lamps
come on when:
The ignition is on
0 The headlamp switch is off, and
The parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your front turn signal lamps
will be on. The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps
won’t be on. Your instrument panel won’t
be lit up either.
When it’s dark enough outside, your front turn signal
lamps will go out and your headlamps will come on.
The other lamps that come on with your headlamps will
also come on.
When it’s bright enough outside, the regular lamps will
go off, and your front turn signal lamps come on.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system any time you need it.
Lamps On Reminder
If you turn the ignition OFF and leave the lamps on, you
will hear a chime when you open the driver’s door.
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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
turn it back. The numbers may not be true.
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.
Trip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell you how far your car has been
driven since you last set the trip odometer to zero.
To set the trip odometer to zero, press the knob.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in thousands
of revolutions per minute (rpm).
I NOTICE:
I
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in
the red area, or engine damage may occur.
Warning Lights, Gauges and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gauges that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gauges can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gauges could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may be or is, a problem
with one of your car’s functions.
As you will see in the
details on the next few pages, some warning lights come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key just to let you
know they’re working. If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when this happens.
Gauges can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your car’s functions. Often gauges and
warning lights work together to let you know ,when
there’s a problem with your car.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gauges shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow the manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gauges. They’re a big help.
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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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Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on dry roads.
And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get
even less traction. It’s always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain
starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge of the road, and even
people walking.
.
It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep yoqr windshield washer tank filled. Replace
your windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of
streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when ~
strips
of rubber start to separate from the inserts. Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can’t, try to slow down before you
hit them.
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City Driving
I
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
a
a
0
Know the best way to get to where you are going.
Get a city map and
plan your trip into an unknown
part of the city just as
you would for a cross-country
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light
is there because the corner
is busy enough to need it.
When a light turns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be ruqping the red light.
trip.
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers
are doing and pay attention to
traffic
signals.
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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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