lock PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1996 Repair Manual

The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster than any driver could.
The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road conditions.
1
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet. I
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you.
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance.
If you get too close to the vehicle in
front
of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle sudd’enly slows or stops. Alwayssleave
enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down and let anti-lock work for you.
You may feel
the system working,
or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.
LOW
TRAC
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid,
this light will come
on.
See ‘‘L’ow Traction Light”
in the
Index
naction Control, System
(Option: LTl VS Engine) I
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially usefulin slippery
road conditions.
The system operates only if it senses that
one or both of
the rear wheels are spinning or beginning
to lose traction. When
this happens, the system works the
rear brakes and reduces engine, power (by closing the
throttle and managing engine spark) to limit wheel spin.
LOW
TRAC
This light will come on
when YQLU traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin. See “Low Traction
Light”
in the Index. You
may feel or hear the system
working, but this is normal.
The traction control system may operate on dry roads
under some conditions, and you may notice a reduction in
acceleration when this happen,€, This is normal and doesn’t
mean there’s
a problem with your vehicle. Examples of
fhese conditions include a hard acceleration in a turn, or an
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. 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.
i ., _. .I ..
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An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding
the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and
just
as quickly straighten the wheel once you’have
’ avoided the object,
The fact
that such emergency situations are always
possible
is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
YOU may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then, if there
is nothing in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the
right front
tire contacts the pavement edge. Then tum your
steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
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Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road.
For safety, you’ll
want
to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions.
It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will
be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on
a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking
(including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear).
Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You
may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle
is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues
-- such as
enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to make a
“mirrored surface”
-- and slow down when you have
any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking slud.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired -- by
alcohol or
drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
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four anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on apy slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you’hit
a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps
of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or anoverpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear.
If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it.
Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You.should probably stay with your
vehicle unless
you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and
your
passengers safe:
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Turn on your hazard flashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
I) Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around YQU.
-'-' ,Insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
you've
been stopped
by the snow.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body . ., ..
1.;- ::. z;5 .,,.'mats -- anything you can wrap around yourself or
. .t '. - :.
._ ,.i: -5. !tuck ._.. -. under -. your clothing to keeD warm. . , . . .::,-. _I .-..
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
A CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't,see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that
is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time
to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away
from the wind. This will help
keep
CO out.
I
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Hitches Safety Chains
It’s
important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads
are a
€ew reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
I
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the’hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental. hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to
the bumper.
-.
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided-by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer”s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes -- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly. Because you have anti-lock
brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake
system. If you
do, both brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.
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7. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Don’t use the junction block on your Pontiac.
8. Don’t let the other end
touch metal. Connect
it
to the positive (+)
terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
9. Now connect the
black negative
(-) cable
to the
good battery’s
negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anythmg until the
next step. The other end
of the negative (-) cable
doesn’t
go to the dead
battery. It goes to a heavy
unpainted metal part on
the engine of&e vehicle
with the dead battery.
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A CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it
is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edgeswderneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key turned #to the
OFF position. The steering wheel
should be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with
a clamping device designed for towing service. Do not
use the vehicle’s steering column lock
for this. The
transmission should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the
parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels
unless you must. If the
vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section
or your transmission will
be damaged. If these limits must be exceeded, then the
drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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