PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1998 Owners Manual

After the inboard edge of the panel is in position under
the center roof rail, lower the outboard edge of the panel
into position, close the latch and lock the T-top.
NOTICE:
Do not attempt to install the panels by sliding
them horizontally toward the center roof rail.
Doing
so may cause the weatherstrips to be
aligned improperly, which may result
in leaks
and possible damage to the weatherstrips.
NOTICE:
High pressure car washes may cause water to
enter your vehicle. Never
spray water directly at
the roof panel joints. This will cause leaks.
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T-Top Sunshades
1. Start with the panel marked DRIVER FRONT.
Unlatch the driver’s side T-top, raise it halfway and
close the latch handle.
2. With the top raised and resting on the center roof
rail, slide the flat edge
of the sunshade panel (with
the vinyl side to the glass) between the glass and
plastic trim, making sure the edge marked DRIVER
FRONT is pointing to
the front of the vehicle.
3. Open the latch and close the T-top. Check to see if
there are any gaps showing. Unlatch the T-top and
adjust the sunshade as required.
stick the VelcroB buttons on the glass for a proper fit
every time you install the sunshades. To do this, first
remove the T-top with the sunshade installed and
place
it upside down on a table or bench. Take care
not to scratch the glass.
4. Once the sunshade is installed properly, you can
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5. Pull the sunshade back a little and remove the
backing paper from the Velcro buttons. Push the
sunshade back into place, sticking the Velcro to
the glass.
6. Install the T-top, close the latch and lock the T-top.
Repeat the above steps for the passenger-side
sunshade.
You can store the sunshades two different ways:
0 When the T-tops are in use, store the sunshades in
their storage
area in the rear of the vehicle, and
make sure the close-out panel
is in its closed,
upright
position.
When you have the T-tops off and in their storage
slots, store the sunshades on the T-tops,
in their
installed position.
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Convertible Top
The following procedures explain the proper operation
of your convertible top.
Lowering Your Convertible Top
I NOTICE:
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I
It is not recommended that you raise or lower the
top while the vehicle is moving.
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I
I 1
NOTICE:
Don’t leave your convertible out with the top
down for any long periods
of time. The sun and
the rain can damage your seat material and other
things inside
your vehicle.
1. It is recommended that you park on a level surface.
Set the parking brake firmly and shift an automatic
transmission into
PARK (P) or a manual
transmission into
REVERSE (R). The ignition must
be in
ACC or RUN. Lower both sun visors.
NOTICE:
Don’t lower the top if it is damp or wet. When
the top
is down, trapped water can cause stains,
mildew and damage
to the inside of your vehicle.
Be sure to dry off the top before you lower it.
I NOTICE:
It is not recommended to lower the top if your
vehicle
is out in cold weather, (0°F (-18OC) or
lower), or you may damage top components.
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NOTICE:
Before lowering the convertible top into the storage area, be sure there are no objects in the
way of the folded, stored top. The weight of
a
stored top on items in the storage area will cause
the convertible top back glass
to break.
2. Unlock the front of the convertible top by pushing on
the smaller part
of the latch, then pulling down on.
the larger part of the latch. Be sure the hook
on the latch that attaches into the hole at the
windshield releases.
3. Make sure there is
nothing
or anyone on or
around the top. Push and
hold the
bottom of the
convertible
TOP switch.
The switch
is on the
console in front
of the
gear shift lever. The top
will automatically lower
into the storage area.
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Installing the Boot Cover
After lowering the convertible top, you may want to
install the boot cover. The three-piece boot cover is
stored in a bag in the hatch.
3. Install the middle section of the cover by sliding the
tabs into the slots on the right side cover. Lower the
cover and insert the latch.
4. Close the hatch.
1. Open the hatch and remove the two side covers from
the storage bag.
2. Install the two side covers by inserting the tab into the
front seatbelt cover. Lower the covers onto the vehicle.
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Raising Your Convertible Top
1. It is recommended that you park on a level surface.
Set the parking brake firmly. If you have an
automatic transmission, shift into PARK
(P).
If you have a manual transmission, shift into
REVERSE (R). The ignition must be in ACC, RUN
or RAP must be on. Lower both sun visors. Lower
both windows at least three inches
(8 cm). If the boot
cover is in place, it must be removed first.
I NOTICE:
I
It is not recommended that you raise or lower the
top while the vehicle is moving.
L
2. Open the hatch. Remove the middle piece of the
cover by pushing in on the latch and lifting up
on
the cover.
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1
3. Remove the two side pieces of the boot cover by
lifting the rear cover and sliding them out of
their slots.
4. Store each piece of the cover in its separate
compartment in the storage
bag. Store the bag in the
hatch and close the hatch.
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5. Push and hold the
top of
the convertible
TOP switch.
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6. Pull down on the center opening and align the hooks
with the holes. .Ish forward on the larger part of the
latch until
it clicks. Do not force the latch. If it is
hard
to lock, the top is not properly aligned.
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If your vehicle has a power loss, such as a dead battery,
you can still raise or lower the top manually by turning
the valve in the left side of the hatch.
.
Open the hatch and find the tab along the left side trim
panel. Lift up the tab and turn the valve clockwise to
release the hydraulic pressure. Turn the ignition key to
LOCK. You can now raise or lower your top manually.
Be sure to close the valve after installing your top
so
you can raise or lower it electrically later.
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