PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1996 Owners Manual

Windows
Manual Windows
Rotate the window crank handle to open and close each
door window.
Power Windows (Option)
T
With power windows, switches on the door control each
window when the ignition is on or when
RAP is present.
(See “Retained
Accessory Power” in the Index.)
You can also open the passenger window any amount by
pressing the switch and releasing it when the window
has lowered to the position
you want.
The switch-for the driver’s window has anexpress-down
feature. Quickly press and release
the switch for the
driver’s window and
the window will lower completely.
You can also open the driver’s window any amount by
pressing the switch again while the
window is in the
express-down mode when it has lowered to
the position
you want.
Horn ..
To sound the horn, press either horn symbol on your ‘ -. ”’ .
steering wheel.
If your horn sounds two or three chirps when unlocking ,
your vehicle with the Remote Lock Control transmitter
(if
you have that option), the alarm was triggered in
while
you were away. ‘Check the vehicle before entering.
.. .., c ’ .I .. I’ .. . ..
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Tilt Steering Wheel Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before
you drive.
You can also raise it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when you exit and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel
to a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel in place. The
lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
e Headlamp Highkow Beam and Passing Signal
e Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
Cruise Control (Option)
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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 or
down. When
the turn is finished, the lever will +
return automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction.
of the turn or lane
change.
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 arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a turn, check the fuse (see “Fuses and,Circuit
Breakers” in the Index).
Headlarnp High/Low Beam Changer ’
.. -.
.;: , i.:. : . .. 1 g .- ..
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
con, this light
on the
instrument panel also will
be on.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the
mow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete
your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
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Windshield Wipers You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful in light rain or
snow.
Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to LO, the shorter the delay.
For steady wiping at low speed, turn the band away
from you to the
LO position. For high-speed wiping,
turn the band further, to HI. To stop the wipers, move
the band to
OFF.
Damaged wiper blades may prevent you from seeing
well enough to drive safely.
To avoid damage, be sure to
clear ice and snow from the wipers blades before using
them. If they're frozen to the windshield, carefully
loosen or thaw them. If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers.
A circuit
You control the windshield wipers by turning the band
with the wiper symbol on it. breaker will stop them
until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or
ice to prevent an overload.
For
it: single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST. Hold
it there until the wipers start, then let go. The wipers will
stop after one cycle.
If you want more cycles, .hold the
band on MIST longer.
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Windshield Washer
At the top of the turn signal lever there’s a paddle with
the word 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 more times before stopping or returning to the
previous setting. See “Windshield Washer Fluid” in
the Index.
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until
the windshield
is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice
on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
Cruise Control (Option)
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on
the’ accelerator. This can really help on long trips. Cruise
control does not
work at speeds below about 25 mph
(40 km/h).
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When you apply your brakes, or push the clutch pedal, If
your vehicle is in cruise control when the optional
if you have a manual transmission, the cruise control traction control system
begins to
limit wheel spin, the
shuts off. cruise control will automatically disengage. (See
“Traction Control System’’ in the Index.) When road
conditions allow you to safely use
it again, you may turn
the cruise control back on.
Setting Cruise Control
can’t drive safely at a steady speed.
So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
0 Cruise control can be dangerous on If you leave your cruise control switch on when
yodre not using
cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you don’t want to. You
could be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch
OFF until you want to use it.
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1. Move the cruise control switch to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Push in the SET button at the end of the lever and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal. I
Resuming Set Speed
Suppose you set your crui,se control at a desired speed
and then apply
.the brake or clutch pedal. This, of course,
shuts off the cruise control. But you don’t need to reset
it. Once you’re going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can move the cruise control switch from ON to
WA (ResumdAccelerate) for about half a second.
You’ll go right back up to your chosen speed and
stay there.
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Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed. Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
. Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed. you
take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle-will slow
Push the button at the end of the lever, then release down to the cruise control speed
you set earlier.
the button and the accelerator pedal. You’ll now
cruise at the higher speed.
0 Move the cruise switch from ON to R/A. Hold it
there until you get up to the speed you want, and
then release the switch.
(To increase your speed in
very small amounts, move the switch to R/A for
less than half a second and then releas; it. Each
time you do
this, your vehicle will go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.)
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness
of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down.
Of course, applying the brake
takes you out
of cruise control. Many drivers find this to
be too much trouble and don’t use cruise control on
steep hills.
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using Ending Out of Cruise Control
cruise control:
There are several ways to turn off the cruise control:
0 Push in the button at the end of the lever until you 0 Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the clutch
reach the lower speed you want, then release it. pedal, if you have a manual transmission
; OR
To slow down in very small amounts, push the 0 Move the cruise switch to OFF.
button for less than half a second. Each time you do
this, you’ll go 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower. Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory
is erased.
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Lamps The main lamp control is a knob that works these lamps:
0 Headlamps
Taillamps
Parking Lamps
0 License Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
-'Q- , This setting turns on your headlamps and other
operating lamps.
Pg This setting turns on your parking lamps without
your headlamps.
Turn the hob to OFF to turn off the lamps.
Headlamps On Reminder
If you turn the ignition OFF and leave the lamps on, you
will hear a chime lasting up to 5 seconds. If the laws
are still on when you open the driver's door, the chime
will sound again.
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Headlamp Doors The headlamp doors should be open when driving in icy or snowy conditions to prevent the doors from
freezing closed and when washing the vehicle to help
clean the headlamps.
You can open the headlamp doors manually:
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the plastic cover from the retractor
motor knob.
3. Turn the retractor motor knob counterclockwise
until the headlamp door is fully open. The knob will
get harder to turn when the headlamp door is all
the
way up.
4. Replace the plastic cover on the retractor motor knob.
To manually close the headlamp doors, turn the lampssoff
The headlamp doors are designed to open when you turn and turn the knob clockwise. If the headlamp doors aren’t
the headlamps on.and close when you turn the working properly, see your Pontiac dealer for help.
headlamps off. The headlamp doors can be opened
without turning
on the headlamps by turning the
headlamps
on, then turning in the switch back to the
parking lamps position.
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