service PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1998 Owners Manual

The 1998 Pontiac Firebird Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts\
properly. It also explains the “SRS” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfo\
rt controls and how to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road\
and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving,\
such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
6-1 Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
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Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and \
what fluids and lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Pontiac for assistance and ho\
w to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects”
on page 8-10.
9-1 Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
i

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
PONTIAC, the PONTIAC Emblem and the name
F’IREBIRD are registered trademarks of General
Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the
product
after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors
of Canada Limited” for Pontiac
Division whenever
it appears in this manual.
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION THROUGH
National Institute for AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be Aux propri6taires cmdiens: Vous pouvez vous
there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en fransais chez
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new votre concessionaire ou au:
owner can use it.
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1577 Meyerside Dr.
Mississauga, Ontario
L5T 1B9
Litho in U.S.A. ‘Copyright General Motors Corporation 1997
Part No. 10417104 A Second Edition
All Rights Reserved
ii
. ?)::Y-. ! ; ,
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How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe fi-ontal or near-frontal collisions,
even
bdted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the
instrument panel.
Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts.
Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But
air bags would
not help you in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward those
air bags. Air
bags should never be regarded as an-g more than a
supplement to safety
belts, and then only in moderate to
severe fi-ontal or near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so
quickly that some people may not even realize the air
bag inflated. Some components of the air bag
module
-- the steering wheel hub for the driver’s
air bag, or the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s bag
-- will be hot for a short time. The
parts of the bag that come into contact with you may
be
warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some
smoke and dust coming from vents
in the deflated air
bags.
Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from
seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it
stop people from leaving the vehicle.
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history
of asthma or other
breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is
safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air
by opening a window or door.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken
by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from
the right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, you’ll
need some new parts for your air bag
system.
If you don’t get them, the air bag system
won’t
be there to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include
air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
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0 0 Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information
about the air bag system. The module records
information about the readiness of the system,
when the sensors are activated and driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air
bag system. Improper service can mean that your
air bag system won’t work properly. See your
dealer for service.
NOTICE:
I ~~
If you damage the covering for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
right front passenger’s
air bag. Do not open or
break the
air bag coverings.
~ bag module and the instrument panel for the
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the Firebird Service Manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system.
To
purchase a service manual, see “Service and Owner
Publications’’
in the Index.
CAUTION:
I
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned
off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured
if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape
or yellow connectors. They are probably part of
the air bag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you
is qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
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The ignition keys are
I for the ignition only.
The door keys
are for the
doors and all other locks.
When
a new vehicle is delivered, the dealer removes the
bar coded tags from the door keys and gives them to the
first owner. The
ignition keys don't have plugs. Instead they have
bar-coded key tags. These tags may be removed by
your dealer or even before the vehicle is delivered to
your dealer.
Each plug has a code on it that tells your dealer or
a
qualified locksmith how to make extra door keys. Keep
the plugs in a safe place.
If you lose your door keys,
you'll be able to have new ones made using these plugs.
If you need a new ignition key, contact your dealer who
can obtain the correct key code. Remember to carry the
pre-cut emergency key which Pontiac sends after delivery (this service is not available in Canada). In an
emergency, call Pontiac Roadside Assistance at
1-800-ROADSIE or 1-800-762-3743.
(In Canada call 1-800-268-6800.)
I NOTICE:
Your vehicle has a number of new features that
can help prevent theft. But you can have a lot
of
trouble getting into your vehicle if you ever lock
your keys inside.
You may even have to damage
your vehicle
to get in. So be sure you have
extra keys.
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Your remote keyless entry system operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada.
This device complies with
Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation of
the device.
Changes or modifications to this system by other than an
authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment. This
system has a range
of about 3 feet (1 m) up to
30 feet (9 m). At times you may notice a decrease in
range. This is normal for any remote keyless entry
system.
If the transmitter does not work or if you have
to stand closer to your vehicle for the transmitter to
work, try this:
0
0
0
0
Check to determine if battery replacement is
necessary.
See the instructions that follow.
Check the distance.
You may be too far from your
vehicle.
You may need to stand closer during rainy
or snowy weather.
Check the location. Other vehicles or objects may be
blocking the signal. Take a few steps
to the left or
right, hold the transmitter higher, and
try again.
If you’re still having trouble, see your dealer or a
qualified technician for service.
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PASS-Key@ I1
Your vehicle is equipped
with the PASS-Key
II
(Personalized Automotive
Security System)
theft-deterrent system.
PASS-Key
I1 is a passive
theft-deterrent system. It
works when you insert or
remove the key from
the ignition.
PASS-Key I1 uses a resistor pellet in the ignition key
that
matches a decoder in your vehicle.
When the PASS-Key
I1 system senses that someone is
using the wrong key, it shuts down the vehicle’s starter and fuel systems. For about three minutes, the starter
won’t work and fuel won’t
go to the engine. If someone
tries to start your vehicle again or uses another key during this time, the vehicle
will not start. This
discourages someone from randomly trying different
keys with different resistor pellets in an attempt to make
a match.
The ignition key must be clean and dry before it’s
inserted in the ignition or the engine may not start. If the
engine does
not start and the SECURITY light stays on
when you try to start the vehicle, the key may be dirty or
wet. Turn the ignition off.
Clean and dry the key. Wait about three minutes and try
again. If the starter still won’t work, and the key appears
to be clean and
dry, wait about three minutes and try
another ignition key. At this time, you may also want to
check the fuses (see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers’’ in the
Index).
If the starter won’t work with the other key, your
vehicle needs service.
If your vehicle does start, the first
ignition key may be faulty. See your dealer or a
locksmith who can service the PASS-Key
11.
If you accidentally use a key that has a damaged or
missing resistor pellet, the starter won’t work. The
SECURITY light will flash. But you don’t have to wait
three minutes before trying another ignition key.
See your dealer or a locksmith who can service the
PASS-Key
I1 to have a new key made.
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If you’re ever driving and the SECURITY light comes on
and stays on, you will be able to restart your engine if you
turn it off. Your PASS-Key II system, however, is not
working properly and must
be serviced by your dealer.
Your vehicle is not protected by the PASS-Key II system.
If you lose or damage a PASS-Key
11 ignition key, see
your dealer or a locksmith who can service PASS-Key
II
to have a new key made. In an emergency, call the
Pontiac Roadside Assistance Center at
1-800-ROADSIE or 1-800-762-3743. (In Canada
1-800-268-6800.)
Feature Customization (If Equipped)
Your vehicle’s locks and lighting systems can be
programmed with several different features. The
features you can program depend upon the options that
came with
your vehicle. The following list tells you the
features that
can be programmed. Listed next to each
feature is the option you need
to have on your vehicle in
order to be able to program that particular feature.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Exit Lighting (available for all)
Delayed Illumination (available for all)
Last Door Closed Locking
(if equipped with power
door locks)
Lockout Prevention (if equipped with power
door locks)
Remote Lock Control Verification (if equipped with
Content Theft-Deterrent System)
Theft-Deterrent
Arming Method (if equipped with
Content Theft-Deterrent System)
Theft-Deterrent Arming Verification (if equipped with Content Theft-Deterrent System)
Driver’s Door
Alarm Delay (if equipped with
Content Theft-Deterrent System)
Shock Sensor Enable (if equipped with Content
Theft-Deterrent System)
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Note that even if the engine is not running, ACC and
RUN allow you to operate your electrical accessories,
such as the radio and ventilation fan.
A CAUTION:
On manual transmission vehicles, turning the key
to
LOCK will lock the steering column and result
in a loss of ability to steer the vehicle. This could
cause a collision.
If you need to turn the engine
off while the vehicle is moving, turn the key only
to
OFF. Don’t press the key release button while
the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure you are using the correct key; if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key hard. But turn the key only with your hand.
Using
a tool to force it could break the key or the
ignition switch.
If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
Key Release Button
If you have a manual
transmission, your ignition
lock has a key release
button.
You must press the
key release button to put the
ignition key in the
LOCK
position before you can take your key out.
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Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR
BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes
the air bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should
go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays
on after you start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for
a few
seconds 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.
Voltmeter
You can read battery
voltage on your voltmeter.
If it reads less than 11 volts
or more than 16 volts while
your engine is running, and
it stays there, you may have
a problem with the
electrical charging system.
Have it checked right away. Driving with the voltmeter
reading in a warning zone could drain your battery.
If you idle your engine for a while, the voltmeter
reading might move into
the yellow zone. If the reading
stays in the yellow zone while you are driving, you may
have a problem with the electrical charging system.
Have
it checked. While the voltmeter reads in the yellow
zone, your battery may not be able to power certain electrical accessories, like
ABS. (If this happens, your
ABS INOP light will come on. See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in the Index.
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