dead battery PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1998 Owners Manual

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.
2-75

I A CAUTION:
I
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide)
gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you.
You can’t see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is
in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that
is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away
f’rom the wind. This will help
keep
CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly.
This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way
to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
4-29

to the positive (+)
vehicle with the dead
battery.
Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal if
Don't use the junction
block on your vehicle.
I terminal of the
~ the vehicle has one.
7. Don't let the other end
touch metal. Connect it
to the positive
(+)
terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black
negative
(-) cable to
the
good battery's
negative
(-) terminal.
Don't
let the other end
touch anything until
the next step.
The other
end
of the negative (-)
cable doesn't go to the
dead battery.
It goes to a heavy unpainted metal
part on the engine of
the vehicle with the dead battery.
5-6

9. Attach the cable at least
18 inches
(45 cm) away
from the dead battery,
but not near engine
parts that move. The
-
electrical connection is
just as good there, but
the chance
of sparks
getting back to the
battery
is much less.
10.
11.
12.
Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting.
Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
5-7

Fabric ...................................... 6-54
Glass
....................................... 6-56
Inside
of Your Pontiac ......................... 6-54
Instrument Panel
............................. 6-55
Interior Plastic Components
..................... 6-55
Leather
..................................... 6-55
Outside of Your Pontiac
........................ 6-57
Removable Roof Panel
......................... 6-57
Special Problems
............................. 6-54
Stains
...................................... 6-54
Tires
....................................... 6-59
Vinyl
....................................... 6-55
Wheels
..................................... 6-59
Windshield
and Wiper Blades ................... 6-56
Clock. Setting the
................................ 3-7
Close-Out Panel
................................ 2-59
Clutch. Hydraulic
............................... 6-26
Comfort Controls
................................ 3-2
Compact Disc
............................. 3.11. 3.12
CareofYour
................................. 3-22
Player
................................. 3.11. 3.12
Player Errors
........................... 3.13. 3.15
Trunk Mounted Player
......................... 3-14
CareofYour
................................. 3-22
Compact Spare Tire
............................. 5-40
Alarm/PanicMode
............................. 2-8
Feature Customization
......................... 2- 18
Content Theft-Deterrent System
................... 2- 14
Control of a Vehicle .............................. 4-5
Convertible Top
................................ 2-69 Convex Outside Mirror
.......................... 2-58
Coolant
....................................... 6-27
Bleed Valves
................................. 5-22
Heater. Engine
............................... 2-29
RecoveryTank
............................... 5-19
Cooling
........................................ 3-3
Cooling System
................................ 5-17
Courtesy Lamps
................................ 2-55
Courtesy Transportation
........................... 8-8
Cruise Control
................................. 2-49
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone Users ......... 8-5
Customer Assistance Information ................... 8-1
Customer Satisfaction Procedure .................... 8-3
Damage. Finish
............................... 6-60
Damage. Sheet Metal
............................ 6-59
Daytime Running Lamps ......................... 2-53
DeadBattery ................................... 5-3
Defects. Reporting Safety
........................ 8-10
Defensive Driving
............................... 4-2
Defogger. Rear Window
.......................... 3-5
Defogging
..................................... 3-4
Defrosting
..................................... 3-4
Delayed Illumination
............................ 2-55
Dimensions. Vehicle ............................ 6-70
Dolby@
B Noise Reduction ....................... 3-10
Door Last Door Closed Locking
.................. 2-5. 2-19
Lockout Prevention ....................... 2-6. 2-19
Locks
....................................... 2-4
9-3