engine coolant PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1996 Owners Manual

I
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
SHlELDlNG
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BATTERY
CAUSE
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:
n
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
1
WINDOW
a?
AIR BAG p
These symbols
have to
do with
your lights:
PARKING pf
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE Fd
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(e)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
J
V
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Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
[n very cold weather, 0°F (- 18 "C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum
of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle,
I'o Use the Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
P
A CAJT,,J:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
coul'd cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could overheat and cause
a
fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. After you've used the coolant heater, be sure to
store the
cord as it was b'efore to keep it away
from moving engine
parts. If you don't, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature,
the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Pontiac dealer
in the area where you'll be puking
your vehicle. The dealer can give
you the best advice for
that particular area.
2-26
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Skip Shift Light (5.7L LT1 Engine)
SKIP
SHIFT
When this light comes on,
you can only shift from
FIRST (1) to
FOURTH (4)
gear instead of FIRST (1) to
SECOND (2) gear. This
helps you to get the best
possible fuel economy.
This light will come on under these conditions:
0 The engine coolant temperature is greater than
You are going 15 to 20 mph (24 to 32 kdh), ana
You are at 35 percent throttle or less.
When this light is on, the gear shift lever will let
you
shift from FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4) only. Once you
are in
FOURTH (4) , you can press the clutch again and
shift into another gear.
Follow the shift speeds in this chart when the SKIP
SHIFT light is on.
170°F (77°C)’
Computer Aided Manual Transmission Shift Speeds
1st to4th ...... 15 mph (24 km/h)
4th to 5th ...... 25 mph (40 km/h)*
5th to 6th ...... 40 mph (64 M)**
Each time you come to a stop, the engine’s Powertrain
Control Module (PCM) determines when to activate the
SKIP
SHIFT upshift system. Use SECOND (2) gear
only when you accelerate very quickly from a stop. You
can then follow the full gear shift pattern.
*30 mph (48 km/h) when accelerating to
highway speeds.
**45 mph (72 km/h) when accelerating to
highway speeds.
Shift Speeds
If you skip more than one gear when you
downshift, you could lose control of your vehicle.
And you could injure yourself or others.
Don’t
shift from SIXTH (6) to THIRD (3), or FIFTH (5)
to SECOND (2) or FOURTH (4) to FIRST (1).
2-34
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Low Traction Light
LOW
TRAC
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid,
this light will come on.
If you have the traction control system, this light will
also come on when the system is limiting wheel spin.
Slippery road conditions may exist if the low traction
light comes
on, so adjust your driving accordingly. The
light will stay on for a few seconds after the anti-lock
system stops adjusting brake pressure or the traction
control system stops limiting wheel spin.
The low traction light also comes
on briefly wlien you
turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the light doesn’t come
on then, have
it fixed so it will be there to tell you
when the anti-lock brake system or traction control
system
is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If ’
‘the gage pointer moves
into the red area, your
engine is too hot! It means
that your engine coolant
has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road”, this section
shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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Low Coolant Light (V8 Engine)
LOW
COOLANT
I
This warning light should
come on while
you are
starting your engine. If the
light doesn’t come on, have
it repaired.
Your Firebird
is equipped with a LOW COOLANT
indicator which is designed to detect when the coolant
level
drops below set limits. If the low coolant level
sensor (on the radiator)
drops while the engine is
running, ‘the LOW COOLANT indicator will light
and remain lit until the ignition switch is turned to
the
OFF position. Check coolant level and add coolant
as needed. The LOW COOLANT light might stay on
after filling the radiator., Turn the ignition switch to the
OFF position, then restart the engine to verify that the
LOW COOLANT light goes out. See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index.
~
NOTICE:
Driving with the LOW COOLANT light on could
cause your Pontiac to overheat. See “Engine
Overheating’’
in the^ Index. Your Pontiac could be
damaged md it wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
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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.
3-3
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Pontiac's instrument panel. You may also find a
LOW COOLANT warning light on your Pontiac
instrument panel.
If Steam Is Comidg Frod Your Engine
p i;
A CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay.away
from the engine if you see or hear steam corning
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the
hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with
no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
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When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ 11 see: When
you decide
it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
V8 Engine
1. Coolant Recovery Tank
2. Radiator Pressure Cap
3. Electric Engine Fan
V6 Engine
1. ’Coolant Recovery Tank
2. Radiator Pressure Cap
3. Electric Engine Fan
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An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine
is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing
and tools away from
any underhood electric fan,
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything
else until it cools down.
When it is cool, remove the coolant recovery tank cap
and
look at the dipstick.
The coolant level should be at FULL COLD. If it
isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in
the
cooling system.

5-16
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Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is a leak.
If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause
an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.

NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fan is running. If the engine
is
overheating, the fan should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
FULL COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water
(preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL TM
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for
more information.)
I A CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix
will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM antifreeze.
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