PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1997 Owners Manual

Pontiac Roadside Assistance Program
F=
Security While You Travel
I -8OO-ROADSmE (I -800-762-3743)
As the proud owner of a new Pontiac vehicle, you are
automatically enrolled in the Pontiac Roadside
Assistance program. This value-added service
is
intended to provide you with peace of mind as you
drive in the city or travel the open road.
Pontiac's Roadside Assistance toll-free number is staffed by
a team of technically trained advisors, who
are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
We take anxiety out 'of uncertain situations by providing
minor
repair information over the phone or making
arrangements to tow your vehicle to the nearest
Pontiac dealer.

We will provide the following services for
3 years/36,000 miles (60 000 km), at no expense to you:
Fuel delivery
Keys locked in vehicle
Tow to nearest dealership for warranty service
Change a flat tire
Jump starts
0 Courtesy Transportation -- See Pontiac Courtesy
Transportation section for details
We have quick, easy access to telephone numbers of the
following additional services depending on
your needs:
Hotels
0 Glass replacement
Rental vehicle or taxis
Police, fire department or hospitals
In many instances, mechanical failures are covered
under Pontiac’s comprehensive warranty. However,
when other services are utilized, our advisors will
explain any payment obligations you might incur. For prompt and efficient assistance when calling,
please
provide the following information to give the advisor:
0 Location of vehicle
Telephone number of your location
0 Vehicle model, year and color
0 Mileage of vehicle
0 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
* Vehicle license plate number
Pontiac reserves the right to limit services
or
reimbursement to an owner or driver when in Pontiac’s
judgement the claims become excessive
in frequency or
type of occurrence.
While we hope that you never have the occasion to use
our service,
it is added security while traveling for you
and your family. Remember, we’re only a phone call
away. Pontiac Roadside Assistance
-- 1-800-ROADSIDE
or 1-800-762-3743.
8-7

Canadian Roadside Assistance
Vehicles purchased in Canada have an extensive
Roadside Assistance program accessible from anywhere
in Canada or the United States. Please refer
to the
separate brochure provided by the dealer or
'call
1-800-268-6800 for emergency services.
Pontiac Courtesy Transportation
Pontiac strives to give you a worry free ownership of
your vehicle, and we realize the inconvenience of being
without a car.
So Pontiac has come up with a way to
eliminate any frustrations you might have
when trying
to get a ride to work, o'r wondering how you will get
home. Well, your worries
are over. Pontiac provides
no-cost transportation when you bring your
1997 Pontiac in for warranty service.
It appli'es to any repair covered under the
3 year/36,000 mile (60 000 km) limited warranty, and to
any
1997 Bontiac requiring repair as a result of product
recall or special policy situations. For same day service,
you are entitled
to one-way shuttle service of up to
10 miles (16 km). If the vehicle requires multiple day
repairs, you're entitled to either a Pontiac loaner or
reimbursement for a rental car, up to $30/day, for up
to five days.
Some state insurance regulations make it impractical
to
rent vehicles to people under 21 years of age. If you are
under 21 and have difficulty renting a vehicle, Pontiac
will reimburse you,
up to $30/day, for any documented
transportation
you receive.
In Canada, please consult your GM dealer for
information on Courtesy Transportation.
8-8

GM Participation in an Alternative
Dispute Resolution
Program
This program is available in all 50 states and the
District of Columbia. Canadian owners refer to your
Warranty and Owner Assistance Information booklet for
information
on the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration
Plan (CAMVAP). General Motors reserves
the right to
change eligibility limitations and/or to discontinue its
participation in this program.
Both Pontiac and your Pontiac dealer are committed to
making sure you are completely satisfied with your new
vehicle. Our experience has shown that,
if a situation
arises where you feel your concern has not been
adequately addressed, the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure described earlier in this section is
very successful.
There may be instances where an impartial third party
can assist in arriving at a solution to a disagreement
regarding vehicle repairs or interpretation
of the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty. To assist in resolving these
disagreements, Pontiac voluntarily participates in
BBB AUTO LINE.
BBB AUTO LINE is an out-of-court program
administered by the Better Business Bureau system to
settle automotive disputes. This program is available
free of charge to customers who currently own
or lease a
GM vehicle.
If you are not satisfied after following the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure, YOU may contact the BBB using
the toll-free telephone number, or write them at the
following address:
BBB AUTO
LINE
Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.
4200 Wilson Boulevard
Suite
800
Arlington, VA 22203- 1804
Telephone: 1-800-'955-5100
To file a claim, you will be asked to provide your name
and address, your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
and a statement of the nature of your complaint.
Eligibility
is limited by vehicle age and mileage, and
other factors.
8-9

We prefer you utilize the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure before you resort to AUTO
LINE, but you
may contact the BBB at any time. The BBB will attempt
to resolve
the complaint serving as an intermediary. If
this mediation is unsuccessful, an informal hearing will
be scheduled where eligible customers may present their
case to an impartial third-party arbitrator.
The arbitrator will make a decision which you may
accept or reject. If you accept the decision, GM will be
bound by that decision. The entire dispute resolution
procedure should ordinarily take about 40 days from the
time
you file a claim until a decision is made.
Some state laws may require you to use this program
before filing
a claim with a state-run arbitration program
or in the
courts. For further information, contact the
BBB at 1-800-955-5100 or the Pontiac Customer
Assistance Center at
1 -800-PM-CARES .
Warranty Information
Your vehicle comes with a separate warranty booklet
that contains detailed warranty information.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
TO
THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could
cause a crash or lcould cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), in addition to
notifying General Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in
a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved
in individual problems between
you, your dealer or
General Motors.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety
Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or
366-0123 in
the Washington, D.C. area) or write to:
NHTSA, US. Department of Transportation
Washington,
D.C, 20590
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety
from the Hotline,
8-10

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS TO THE CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT
If you live in Canada, and you believe that your vehicle
has a safety defect, you should immediately notify
Transport Canada, in addition to notifying General
Motors of Canada Limited. You may write to:
Transport Canada
Box 8880
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 352
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTIS
TO
GENERAL MOTORS
In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada)
in
a situation like this, we certainly hope you’ll notify
us. Please call
us at 1-800-PM-CARES or write:
Pontiac Division Customer Assistance Center
One Pontiac Plaza
Pontiac, MI 48340-2952 In Canada, please call
us at 1-800-263-3777 (English)
or 1-800-263-7854 (French). Or, write:
General
Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre,
163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Ordering Service and Owner
Publications in Canada
Service manuals, service bulletins, owner’s manuals and
other service literature
are available for purchase for all
current and past model General Motors vehicles.
The toll-free telephone number for ordering information
in Canada is 1-800-668-5539.

1997 PONTIAC SERVICE PUBLICATIONS ORDERING INFORMATION
The following publications covering the operation and servicing of your vehicle can be purchased by filling out
the Sewice Publication Order Form in this book and mailing it in with your check, money order,
or credit card information to Helm, /ncorporated (address below.)
CURRENT PUBLICATIONS FOR 1997 PONTIAC
SERVICE MANUALS
Service Manuals have the diagnosis and repair information
on engines, transmission, axle, suspension, brakes,
electrical, steering,
body, etc.
RETAIL
SELL PRICE: $90.00
TRANSMISSION, TRANSAXLE, TRANSFER CASE UNIT
REPAIR MANUAL
This manual provides information on unit repair service
procedures, adjustments and specifications for €he
1997 GM transmissions, transaxles and transfe:r cases.
RETAIL SELL PRICE: $40.00
SERVICE BULLETINS
Service Bulletins give technical service information needed
to knowledgeably service General Motors cars and trucks.
Each bulletin contains instructions
to assist in the
diagnosis and service
of your vehicle.
OWNER’S INFORMATION
Owner publications are written directly for Owners and
intended
to provide basic operational information about the
vehicle. The owner’s manual will include the Maintenance
Schedule for
all models,
In-Portfolio: Includes
a Portfolio, Owner’s Manual and
Warranty Booklet. RETAIL SELL
PRICE: $1 5.00
Without Portfolio: Owner’s Manual only.
RETAIL SELL PRICE: $1 0.00
CURRENT & PAST MODEL ORDER FORMS
Sewice Publications are available for current and past
rno’del
GM vehicles. To request an order form, please
specify year and
model name of the vehicle.

ORDER TOLL FREE (NOTE: For Credit Card Holders Only)
(Monday-Friday
8:OO AM - 6:OO PM EST)
FAX Orders Only 1-31 3-865-5927
1 -800-782-4356
Orders will be mailed within 10 days of receipt. Please allow ade uate time for postal
service. If further information is needed, write to the address s 7l own below or call
1-800-782-4356. Material cannot be returned for credit without packing slip with return
information within 30 days of delivery. On returns, a re-stocking fee may
be applied
against the orlglnal order.

& NOTES
8-14

Section 9 Index
Accessory Plug ............................. 2-61
AirBag
....................................... 1-21
How Does it Restrain .......................... 1-25
How it Works ................................ 1-23
Location
.................................... 1-23
Readiness Light
......................... 1.22. 2.78
What Makes it Inflate
.......................... 1-24
What Will
You See After it Inflates ............... 1-25
When Should it Inflate
......................... 1-24
Aircleaner
.................................... 6-18
Air Conditioning
................................ 3-3
Air Conditioning Refrigerants ..................... 6-74
Air Control. Climate Control System ................. 3-2
Alarm. Content Theft-Deterrent ................... 2- 13
Alarm/PanicMode ............................... 2-7
Alignment and Balance. Tire
...................... 6-55
Aluminum Wheels. Cleaning
...................... 6-64
Antenna. Power
................................ 3-24
Antifreeze
..................................... 6-29
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
................ 2-80. 4-7
Brakes
...................................... 4-7
Anti-Theft. Radio
.............................. 3- 19
Appearance Care ............................... 6-58
Servicing ................................... 1- 26 Appearance Care Materials
...... .......... 6-67
Arbitration Program
.............................. 8-9
Ashtrays ...................................... 2-59
Audio Controls. Steering Wheel Touch Control ....... 3-21
Audio Equipment. Adding ........................ 3-22
Audio Systems
.................................. 3-6
Automatic Overdrive ............................ 2-30
Automatic Transmission
Check
...................................... 7-45
Fluid
....................................... 6-22
Operation ................................... 2-28
Park Mechanism Check
........................ 7-47
Shifting ..................................... 2-28
Starting Your Engine .......................... 2-25
Axle. Limited-Slip Rear ......................... 2-36
Axle. Rear
.................................. 6-29
Battery ...................................... 6-40
Jump Starting ................................. 5-3
Warnings
................................ 5-3. 5-5
BBB Auto Line ................................. 8-9
Better Business Bureau Mediation ................... 8-9
Blizzard . . ... ................. 4-28
Replacement. Remote Keyless Entry ............... 2-9