wheel PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1998 User Guide

4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store
the cord
as it was before 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 dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle.
The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when
you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
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NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine
doesn’t connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
Shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running
at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot
is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out
of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting
out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by
your warranty.
I
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (03): This position is
for normal driving. If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy
than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
0 When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
When going down a steep hill.
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator
all the way
down.
between gears.
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SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use
SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you
go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.
NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(88 km/h), or you can damage your transmission.
Use AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(a) or
THIRD (3) as much as possible.
Don’t shift into
SECOND (2) unless you are going
slower than
65 mph (105 kmh), or you can
damage your engine. FIRST
(1): This
position (if equipped) gives you
even more power (but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, or in
deep snow
or mud. If the gear shift lever is put in first
gear, the transmission won’t shift into
FIRST (1) until
the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud
or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in position
on a hill.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
components
from improper operation.
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Limited-Slip Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your limited-slip rear axle can
give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice,
sand or
gravel. It works like a standard axle most
of the time,
but when one of the rear wheels has
no traction and the
other does,
this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
Parking Brake
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down.
Pull the parking brake lever up until you can push in the
release button. Hold the release button
in as you move
the brake lever all the way
down.
To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down and
pull up on the parking brake lever. If the ignition is on,
the brake system warning light
will come on.
NOTICE: I
~~ ~
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat.
You may have to
replace them, and
you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
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If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Windows
Manual Windows
Turn the window crank handle to open and close each
door window.
Power Windows (If Equipped)
Switches on the driver’s door control each window
when the ignition is on or when
RAP is present.
(See “Retained Accessory Power” in the Index.)
You can open the passenger’s window any amount by
pressing the switch and releasing it when the window
has lowered to the position you want.
The driver’s window has an auto-down feature. This
switch is labeled AUTO. Tap the bottom of the switch
and the driver’s window will open a small amount.
If the
rear of the switch is pressed all the way down and
released, the window will
go all the way down.
To stop the window while
it is lowering, press the top of
the switch.
To raise the window, press and hold the top
of the switch.
Horn
To sound the horn, press either horn symbol on your
steering wheel.
If your horn sounds two or three chirps when unlocking
your vehicle
with the optional remote keyless entry
transmitter, the
alarm was triggered while you were
away. Check the vehicle before entering.
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Tilt Steering Wheel Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive.
You can
also raise it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when
you exit and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel
to a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel
in place. The lever on the left
side
of the steering column
includes
your:
0 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
0 Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer and
Passing Signal
0 Windshield Wipers
0 Windshield Washer
Cruise Control (Option)
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When you apply your brakes or push the clutch pedal
(manual transmission), the cruise control shuts off.
Setting Cruise Control
A CAUTION:
- -
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at
a steady speed. So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or
in heavy traffic.
slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the optional
traction control system begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control will automatically disengage. (See
“Traction Control System”
in the Index.) When road
conditions allow
you to safely use it again, you may turn
the cruise control back on.
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you’re not using cruise, you might hit
a button
and
go into cruise when you don’t want to. You
could be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use it.
1. Move the cruise control switch to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Push in the SET button at the end of the lever and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
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A. Fog Lamp Switch
B. Main Lamp Control C. Air Vents
D. Instrument Panel Cluster
E. Horn
E Audio System
G. Glove
Box
H. Comfort Controls
I. Cupholders
J. Parking Brake Lever
K. Storage Console
L. Rear Window Defogger Switch
M. Convertible Top Switch (If Equipped)
N. Traction Control System Switch (V8) or Second
Gear Start Switch (V6 Automatic)
0. Cigarette Lighter
P. Shift Lever
Q. Ashtray (Automatic Transmission)
R. Steering Wheel Controls
S. Remote Hatch Release
T. Accessory Power Outlet
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ABS
INOP
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and
it will stay
on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your vehicle needs service. If the
light is on and the regular brake system warning light
isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Control System Warning Light
(Option)
This warning light should
come on briefly
as you start
the engine. If the warning
light doesn’t come on
then,
have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there’s
a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
The traction control system warning light will come on
if
you turn the system off by pressing the TCS button
located in front
of the console, the warning light will
come on and stay on. To turn the system back on,
press the button again. The warning light should go
off. (See “Traction Control System” in the Index for
more information.)
If
the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
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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.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal. 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 traction control system stops limiting
wheel spin.
The low traction light
also comes on briefly when 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 manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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