change time PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1996 User Guide

. If the traction control system is limiting wheel spin
when you press the button, the light on the button will
.go off and the warning light will come on -- but the
_. ._ ,system won't turn off right away. It will wait until
gathere's
no longer a current need to limit wheel spin. I
You can turn the system back an at any time by pressing
the button
again. The light on the button should come
on, and the traction control system w'arning light should
go off.
If your car is equipped with P245/50zR16 tires, the
traction control system will automatically
turn off at
speeds above 108 mph (1 74 km/h). (The traction, control
system waning light will not corn on.) When the
vehicle
speed drops below 103 mph (1 66 km/h) the
system will automatically come on again.
- Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even
the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system
is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much
more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the "driver lost control" accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here's why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us
is subject to
the same laws
of physics when driving on curves. The
traction
of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you've ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll understand
this.
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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
L 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 lamps
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.
Loss of Control
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.
Let’s
review what driving experts say about what E your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
happens when the
three control systems (brakes, steering accelerator
pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the vehicle to
go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. vehicle may straighten
out. Always be ready for a
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. second
skid if it occurs.
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. -- . r- _.. In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and ..
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Your car can tow a trailer if it is equipped with proper
trailer towing equipment.
To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity
is for your vehicle, you should read
the infrwmakion in “Weight of the Tr~ler” that appears
later in this section. But trailering
is different than* just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes
in handling, durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has
to be
used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are
many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that
of
your passengers. So please read this section carehlly
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine,
transmission, rear axle, wheel assemblies and tires
are
forced to work harder against the drag of the added
weight. The engine is required
to operate at relatively
higher speeds and under greater loads, generating extra
heat. What’s more, the trailer adds,considerably to wind
resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.
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If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here,are some important points:
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will
be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using
a sway control. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway
controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your eng-k,
axle or 0ther.part.s could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive ov’er 50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts
at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
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4. Raise the vehicle by rotating the wheel wrench
clockwise. Raise the vehicle
far enough off the ground
SO there is enough room for the spare tire to fit.
Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
5. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
A CAUTION:’
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or
dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use
a cloth or a paper towel
to do
this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later,
if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
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Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil
is changed.
Change both
the fluid and filter every 15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more
of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
con’ditions, change
the fluid and filter every 100,000 miles
(166 000 km).
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at your Pontiac dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission. Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire.
Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if
you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32 ” C).
At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which
is 180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
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Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. However, the fluid in your manual
transmission doesn’t require changing.
How to Check
Because this operation can be difficult, you may choose
to have this done at your Pontiac dealership Service
Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission. Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on
hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
Check the fluid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle is parked on a level place and the transmission
is
cool enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transmission case.
Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of
the filler plug hole.
3. If the fluid level is good, install the plug and be sure
it
is fully seated. If the fluid level is low, add more
fluid as described in the next steps.
How to Add Fluid
Here’s how to add fluid. Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine what kind of fluid to use. See
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Add fluid at the filler plug hole. Add only enough
fluid to bring the fluid level up to the bottom
of the
filler plug hole.
3. Install the filler plug. Be sure the plug is fully seated.
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rear brake drums should be removed and inspected each
time the tires are removed for rotation or changing.
When you have the front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always
be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase
in pe’dal
travel.
This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake stop, your disc
brakes adjust for
wear. If you rarely make a moderate or
heavier stop, then your brakes might not adjust correctly.
If you drive in that way, then -- very carefully -- make
a few moderate brake stops about every 1,000 miles
(1 600 km), so your brakes will adjust properly.
If YOU brake pedal goes down farther than narmd, you
rear drum brakes may need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few times.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality
GM brake
parts
in them, as your Pontiac does when it is new.
When
you replace parts of your braking system -- for
example, when your brake
linings wear down and you
have to have new ones
put in - be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes my no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change - for the wme. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways if
someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts.
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Don’t include the compact spare tire in your
tire rotation.
After the tires
have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear
inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the Index.
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Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to’ which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident,
When you change a wheel, remove
any rust or
dirt from places where the wheel
attach.& to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use
a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if
you need to, to get all the rust or dirt off.
(See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the.Index.)

When It’s The for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new
tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators,
which will
appear when your
tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need
a new tire if any of the following statements
are true: . .. 1. .. . .. ...
You can see the indicators at three or more places
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around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s
rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a. bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that can’t be
repaired well because of the size or location of the damage.
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Main Fuse Block Fuse
PCM BATT
FUSE USAGE CHART
10 2D 30 40 STOPlHAZARD TURN B-U PCM BATT RADIO ACCY
TAIL LTS HVAC PWR
ACCY
COURTESY
GAGES AIR BAG CIGARIACCY DEFOGISEATS
IGN PCM IGN WIPERIWASH BATT WINDOWS
160 Q 17- . IP DIMMER ACCY RADIO
SEE OWNER'S MANUAL
FOR MORE INFORMATION PRINTED IN U.S.A 10281550
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Fuse Usage
STOP/HAZARD Hazard Flasher,
Brake Switch Assembly
Switch, Transmission Range
Switch, Back-up Lamp Switch,
Turn Flasher, Daytime Running
Lamps
(DRL) Module
TURN'
B-U Performance/Traction
Control RADIO ACCY
TAIL,
LTS
HVAC
PWR ACCY
COURTESY
GAGES
AIR BAG
Usage
Powertrain Control Module '(PCM),
Fuel Pump Relay
Radio, Power Antenna,
Bose Relay, Remote Compact
Disc Changer
Daytime Running Lamps
(DRL) Module, Headlamp Switch
HVAC Selector Switch,
Rear Defogger TimerRelay,
Rear Defogger Switch, Rear
Defogger Switch/Timer
Park Lamp Relay,
Hatch Release Relay,
Power Mirror Switch,
Radio,
Shock Sensor, Instrument Cluster
Body Control Module (BCM)
Body Control Module (BCM),
Brake Switch Assembly (BTSI),
Instrument Cluster, Daytime
Running Lamps
(DIU) Module,
Auxiliary Accessory Wire
Air
Bag System,
Dual Pole Arming Sensor
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