light PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1996 Owner's Guide

Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
Your Pontiac is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
. . , , ..** , .- ,_ , . ,I , - . 'G, .. .. . .. .-
This system is called OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. (In Canada, OBD
11 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated
by the system before any problem is apparent, which
may prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system
is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may
not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running:If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0 Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service
is required.
0 Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer
or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
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If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your s&ide:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled
as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, whenit is safe to do so, ’
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On
Steady” following.
If the light is still flashing follow the
previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your dealer or
*qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steaay
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering
the following:
Did you just put
fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left
off or improperly installed. This will
dow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your el’ectrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually
be corrected when the electrical system
dries
out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine
starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not bun as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
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Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index).
Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditijons may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause
the light
to turn on.
If you experience this condition, change the fuel brand
you use. It will require at least one full tank of the
proper fuel to turn the light
off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools
to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Engine Oil Pressure Gage
This gage tells you if there
could be
a problem with
your engine oil pressure.
The engine oil pressure gage shows the engine oil
pressure in psi (pounds per square inch) in the United
States, or Wa (kilopascals)
in Canada, when the engine
is running. Oil pressure should be 20 to 80 psi (140 to
550 kPa). On the 3800 engine the oil pressure should be
between
20 and 120 psi (140 to 827 kPa). It may vary
with engine speed, outside temperature and oil viscosity,
but readings above the red area show the normal
operating range. Readings in the red area tell
you that
the engine is low on oil, or that you might have some
other oil problem. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
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Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become
so hot that it
catches fire.
You or others could be burned.
Check your
oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
I
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems
can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Low Oil Light
LOW OIL
Your vehicle is equipped with an oil level monitoring
system. When
you start your engine, the waning light
will come
on briefly. If the light doesn’t come on, have
it repaired.
If the light stays on after starting your engine, your
engine oil Level may be too
low. You may need to add
oil.
See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
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NOTICE:
The oil level monitoring system only checks the oil level when you are starting your engine. It does not
keep monitoring the level once your
engine is running.
Also, the oil level check only
works when the engine has been turned
off long
enough for the oil to drain back into the oil pan.
Check Gages Light
CHECK GAGES
This warning light will
come on briefly when you
are starting the engine. If
the light comes on and stays
on while you are driving,
check your gages to see if
they are
in the warning
areas.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage shows about
how much fuel is in your
tank. The gage works only
when the ignition switch is
in the RUN position.
I I
When the gage pointer first indicates EMPTY (E), you
still have a little fuel left (about one to two gallons), but
you need
to get more right away.
Here are four concerns some owners have had about the
fuel gage. All these situations are normal and do not
indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage.
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
It takes more (or less) gas to fill up than the gage
gage
reads
FULL (F).
reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but it took
more (or less) than half of the tank’s capacity to fill it.
a The gage moves a little when you turn, stop or speed up.
When you turn the engine off, the gage doesn’t go
back to EMPTY (E).
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The air conditioner compressor operates in MAX, A/C,
BI-LEVEL, BLEND and DEFROST when the outside
temperature is above freezing. When the air conditioner
is on, you may sometimes notice slight changes
in your
vehicle’s engine speed and power. This is normal because
the system .is designed to cycle the compressor on and off
to keep
the desired cooling and help fuel economy.
Cooling
The air conditioner works best if you keep your
windows closed.
On very hot days, open the windows
just long enough for the hot air to escape.
1. Turn the air control knob to A/C for normal cooling.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a
3. Move the fan control knob to the desired speed. For faster cooling, move
the knob to
MAX.
comfortable setting. During initial start-up
only, if your vehicle
is equipped
with an optional engine coolant heater, you can use it in
cold weather (around
+20 O F/-8 O C or lower) to improve
heater performance on start up. Because an engine
coolant heater warms the engine coolant, your vehicle’s
‘heating system can more efficiently provide heat for the
passenger area
of your vehicle. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in the Index.
Bi-Level Heating
You may want to use bi-level heating on cool, but sunny
days. This setting directs cool air toward your body and
warmer air toward your feet.
1. Turn the air control knob to BI-LEVEL.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a
comfortable setting.
3. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it.
1. Turn the air control knob to HEATER.
2. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
3. Turn the temperature control knob to a
comfortable setting.
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Rear Window Defogger (Option) Do not attach anything like a temporary vehicle li 1 cense
or
a decal across the defogger grid on the rear window. -
uses a warming grid to
The rear window defogger
rear window. remove
fog from the NOTICE:
-
Don’t use a razor blade or something else sharp
on the inside of the rear window. If you do, you
could cut or damage the warming grid, and the
repairs
wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
Press
the switch to turn on the defogger. An indicator
light will come on
to remind you that the defogger is on.
The defogger will turn off automatically after about
10 minutes of use. If you turn it on again, the defogger
will operate for about five
minutes only. You can also
turn the defogger off by pressing the switch again.
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Finding a Station
AM-FM:
Press this button to get AM, €341 or FM2.
The display shows your selection.
If a cassette tape is
playing, press this button to play the radio.
TUNE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it, to
choose radio stations. Push the knob back in when
you’re nat using it.
SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next
higher or lower station.
PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let
you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to
18 stations (six AM,.six FM1 and six FM2).
Setting the Tone
1. Press AM-FM to select the band.
2. Find the station you want by using TUNE or SEEK.
3. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until
SET appears on the display. Whenever you press that
numbered button,’the station you set
will return.
4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
BASS: Slide the lever to the right or left to increase or
decrease bass.
TREBLE: Slide the lever to the right or left to increase
or decrease treble.
If a station is weak or noisy, slide the
lever down to reduce the noise.
Adjusting the Speakers
BAL:
Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn this
knob to move the sound to the left or right speakers. Use
the middle position to balance these speakers. Push the
knob back in when you’re not using it.
FADE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn this
knob to move the sound to the front or rear speakers.
Use the middle position to balance these speakers. Push
the
knob back in when you’re not using it.
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AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
and Equalizer
Playing the Radio
VOL: Push this knob to turn the system on or off. Turn
it clockwise to increase volume and counterclockwise to
: 'decrease volume.
RECALL: Press this button briefly to recall the station
being played or to display the clock.
If you press the
knob when the ignition is off, the clock wiIl show for a
few seconds.
Finding a Station
AM-FM: Press this button to get AM, FM1 or FM2.
The display shows your selection. If a cassette tape is
playing, press this button to play the radio.
TUNE: 'Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
choose radio stations. Push the knob back in when
you're not using it.
SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next
higher or lower station.
PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let
you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to
18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2).
1. Press AM-FM to select the band.
2. Find the station you want by using
TUNE or SEEK.
3. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until
SET appears on the display. Whenever you press that
numbered button, the station you set will return.
4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone . .- I '.
EQUALIZER: A seven band equalizer is part of your
audio system. Slide the levers
up to boost or down to
reduce frequency range.
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Adjusting the Speakers
BAL:
Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
move the sound
to the left or right speakers. Use the
middle position to balance these speakers. Push the knob
back in when you’re not using it.
FADE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
move the sound
to the front or rear speakers. Use the
middle position to balance these speakers. Push the knob
back in when you’re not using it.
Playing a Cassette Tape
Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are
30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer than
that are
so thin they may not work well in this player.
While the tape is playing, use the VOLUME, FADE and
BAL c,ontrols just as you do for the radio. The display
will show an arrow
to show which side of the tape is
playing. When the down indicator arrow is lit, selections
listed on the bottom side of the cassette are playing.
When the up arrow is lit, selections listed on the top side
of the cassette are playing. The tape player
automatically begins playing
the other side when it
reaches
the end of the tape.
If E and a number appear on the radio display, the tape
won’t play because of an error.
0
0
ElO: The tape is tight and the player can’t turn the
tape hubs. Remove the tape. Hold the tape with the
open end down and try to
turn the right hub
counterclockwise with a pencil. Turn the tape over
and repeat. If the hubs do not turn easily, your tape
may be damaged and should not be used in the
player. Try a new tape to make sure your player is
working properly.
Ell: The tape is broken. Try a new tape.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be
corrected, please contact your dealer. If your radio
displays an error number, write it down and provide it to
your dealer when reporting the problem.
PREV (1): Press this button or the SEEK down arrow to
search for the previous selection on the tape. Your tape
must have at least three seconds
of silence between each
selection for PREV or SEEK to work. The tape direction
arrow blinks during PREV
or SEEK operation. Press
PREV or the
SEEK down arrow to stop searching. The
sound is muted during PREV or SEEK operation.
NEXT (2): Press this button or the SEEK up arrow to
search for
the next selection on the tape. If you hold the
button or press it more than once, the player will
continue moving forward through the tape. Your tape
must have
at least three seconds of silence between each
selection for NEXT or SEEK to work. The tape
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