Running PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1998 Owner's Manual

City Driving Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get
a city map and plan your trip into an unknown part of
the city just as you would for a cross-country trip.
0 Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the
next
part, “Freeway Driving.”)
0 Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is
there because the corner is busy enough to need it.
When a light turns green, and just before you start to
move, check
both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the
intersection or may be running the red light.
One
of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount
of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what
the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
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If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your
trips safer and more enjoyable.
0
0
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to
go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
ra CAUTION:
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down
a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
A CAUTION: I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
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1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
I
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2.
3.
Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter.
Turn off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios.
This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. In addition, it could save your radio!
I Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered
by
your warranty.
I
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
A CAUTION:
An electric fan 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.
Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
5-4

A CAUTION:
-
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the ACDelco Freedom@ battery installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if
a battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take
care of that first.
If you don’t, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you.
If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged,
too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to
positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to negative (-)
or a metal engine part. Don’t connect positive (+) to
negative (-) or you’ll get a short that would damage
the battery and maybe other parts, too.
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away &om moving parts
once the engine is running. I
5-5

Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Electric Cooling Engine Fans
A CAUTION: I
An electric engine cooling 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.
I I
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down.
5-17

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.
A CAUTION:
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.
I NOTICE:
I
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn't covered
by your warranty.
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If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling fans
are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running.
If
they aren’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 50150 mixture of clean water
(preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL@ engine coolant
at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in
the Index for more information.)
a CAUTION:
-1
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 mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
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 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
5-19

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
Checking Things Under the Hood
A CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged
if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:
0 Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
0 Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.
inside
of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.
0 Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
0 Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any
underhood electric fan.
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber.
You or others
could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto
a hot engine.

Checking Transmission Fluid Cold
A cold check is made after the vehicle has been sitting
for eight
hours or more with the engine off and is used
only as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for
five
minutes if outside temperatures are 50°F (1 0°C) or
more. If it's colder than 50°F (lO°C), you may have to
idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low
during a cold check,
you must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give
you a more accurate
reading
of the fluid level.
Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
0 Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
0 With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
0 With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
engine
running.
in
PARK (P).
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range, Then, position the shift
lever
in PARK (P).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more. ~nen,
without shutting
off the engine, follow these steps:
k 'rll
3800 V6 Engine Transmission Dipstick

Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modem vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you have to have new ones put in
-- be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you
don’t, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example,
if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change
-- for the worse. The braking
performance you’ve come
to expect can change in many
other ways if someone puts in the wrong replacement
brake parts.
Battery
Every new Pontiac has an ACDelco Freedom@ battery.
You never have to add water to one
of these. When it’s
time
for a new battery, we recommend an ACDelco
Freedom battery. Get one that has the replacement
number shown
on the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days
or more, remove the black, negative
(-) cable from
the battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
~ A CAUTION:
rn -
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around
a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature” in the Index.
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