brake fluid PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1998 Owners Manual

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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0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached,
on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a
hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes, Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift to
PARK (P) for an
automatic transmission, or
REVERSE (R) for a
manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while
you:
0 Start your engine;
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on
this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation
are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, drive belts, cooling
system and brake adjustment. Each of these is covered
in
this manual, and the Index will help you find them
quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
this information before you start your trip.
Check periodically to
see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
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Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about
your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
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Service
Fuel
Fuels
in Foreign Countries
Filling
Your Tank
Filling a Portable Fuel Container Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Air Filter Replacement
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual Transmission Fluid Hydraulic Clutch
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid Brakes 6-37
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6-68
6-70 Battery
Bulb
Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Care of Safety Belts
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Aluminum
or Chrome Wheels
(If Equipped)
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants

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.

When you open the hood of the 3800 V6 engine you’ll see:
F a
A. Engine Coolant Reservoir
B. Battery
C. Radiator Cap
D. Oil Fill Cap
E. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick (If Equipped)
E Windshield Washer Reservoir
G. Engine Cooling Fan
H. Air Filter
I. Power Steering Reservoir
J. Engine Oil Dipstick
IS. Brake Fluid Reservoir
L. Clutch fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)
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When you open the hood of the 5.7L V8 engine you’ll see:
A. Engine Coolant Reservoir
B. Battery
C. Engine Oil Dipstick
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E. Windshield Washer Reservoir F.
Engine Cooling Fan
G. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick
(If Equipped)
H. Air Filter
I. Power Steering Reservoir
J. Brake Fluid Reservoir
K. Clutch Fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)

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

NOTICE:
When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions
for
adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage your washer fluid tank and
other parts of the washer system. Also,
water doesn’t clean as well as washer fluid.
three-quarters full when it’s
very cold.
This allows for expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank if
it is
completely full.
Don’t use engine coolant (antifreeze) in
your windshield washer.
It can damage
your washer system and paint.
0 Fill your washer fluid tank only
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment. It is filled with DOT-3
brake fluid.
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There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might
go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down
to an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system.
If it is, you should have your brake
system
fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at
all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when
you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work
is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
A CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on the
engine. The
fluid will burn if the engine is hot
enough. You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
check your brake fluid. See “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections”
in the Index.
Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake fluid without taking off the cap.
Just look
at the brake fluid reservoir. The fluid level
should be above the plastic
seam in the reservoir. If it
isn’t, have your brake system checked
to see if there
is
a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system,
make
sure the level is above the plastic seam, near the base of
the filler neck.

What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid. Use new brake fluid from a sealed container only.
Refer
to “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the
Maintenance Schedule.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
With the wrong kind
of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work
at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
NOTICE:
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such
as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to
be replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint
finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come and
go or be heard
all the time your vehicle is moving (except
when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
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