PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1999 Owners Manual

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This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:

Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see ªIf
the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A
few driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.

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Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. See
ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. It will take a few
driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
ªFuelº in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start
-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration
or stumbling on acceleration. (These conditions may go
away once the engine is warmed up.) This will be
detected by the system and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Gage
3800 V6 Engine 5.7L V8 Engine
This gage tells you there could be a problem with your
engine oil pressure.
The engine oil pressure gage shows the engine oil pressure
in psi (pounds per square inch) in the United States, or kPa
(kilopascals) in Canada, when the engine is running. On
the 5.7L V8 engine, oil pressure should be 20 to 80 psi
(140 to 550 kPa). On the 3800 V6 engine, the oil pressure
should be between 20 and 120 psi (140 to 827 kPa). It
may vary with engine speed, outside temperature and oil
viscosity, but readings above the red area show the normal
operating range. Readings in the red area tell you that the
engine is low on oil, or that you might have some other oil
problem. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.

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CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
If you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Low Oil Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with an oil level monitoring
system. When you start
your engine, the warning
light will come on briefly.
If the light doesn't come on,
have it repaired.
If the light stays on after starting your engine, your
engine oil level may be too low. You may need to add
oil. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.
NOTICE:
The oil level monitoring system only checks the
oil level when you are starting your engine. It
does not keep monitoring the level once your
engine is running. Also, the oil level check only
works when the engine has been turned off long
enough for the oil to drain back into the oil pan.

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2-88 Oil Change Light
This OIL CHANGE light
should come on briefly as a
bulb check when you start
the engine. If the OIL
CHANGE light doesn't
come on, have it serviced.
If the OIL CHANGE light comes on and stays on
for 60 seconds after you start your vehicle, have the
oil changed.
For additional information, see ªEngine Oil, When to
Changeº in the Index. After changing the engine oil, the
system must be reset. See ªHow to Reset the Oil Change
Lightº in the Index.
Service Vehicle Light
This warning light should
come on in your instrument
panel for a three
-second
bulb check when you first
start your vehicle. If the
light doesn't come on, have
it serviced.
This light will stay on steady if you have certain
non
-emission related vehicle problems. These problems
may not be obvious and may affect vehicle performance
or durability. Consult a qualified dealership for
necessary repairs to maintain top vehicle performance.

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2-89 Check Gages Light
This warning light will
come on briefly when you
are starting the engine.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your gages to see if they are in the warning areas.
Hatch Ajar Light
This warning light should
come on in your instrument
panel for a three second
bulb check when you first
start your vehicle. If the
light doesn't come on, have
it serviced.
This light will stay on steady if your hatch is open or
ajar and the ignition key is in RUN.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left when the ignition
is on.

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When the indicator nears E (empty), you still have a
little fuel left, but you should get more soon.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. All
these things are normal and do not indicate that anything
is wrong with the fuel gage.

At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads F (full).

It takes more (or less) fuel to fill up than the gage
reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but it
took more (or less) than half of the tank's capacity
to fill it.

The gage pointer may move while cornering, braking
or speeding up.

The gage may not indicate E (empty) when the
ignition is turned off.
Low Fuel Light
If your fuel is low, your vehicle's CHECK GAGES light
on your instrument panel cluster will come on.
Reduced Engine Power Light
(V6 Engine Only)
The REDUCED ENG PWR
warning light should come
on in your instrument panel
for a three
-second bulb
check when you first start
your vehicle.
If the light doesn't come on, have it serviced.
If the REDUCED ENG PWR warning light comes on, a
noticeable reduction in the vehicle's performance may
occur. The vehicle may be driven at a reduced speed
while the REDUCED ENGINE PWR light is on, but
acceleration and speed may be reduced. Anytime this
warning light stays on, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer as soon as possible for diagnosis
and repair.

3-
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Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you'll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your vehicle. Be
sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3
-2 Comfort Controls
3
-3 Heating
3
-4 Defogging and Defrosting
3
-4 Rear Window Defogger
3
-5 Ventilation System
3
-6 Audio Systems
3
-6 Setting the Clock
3
-6 Monsoon
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette
Tape Player and Equalizer
3
-10 AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player
and Equalizer (If Equipped)3
-12 Trunk Mounted CD Changer (If Equipped)
3
-17 Theft-Deterrent Feature
3
-19 Audio Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
3
-20 Understanding Radio Reception
3
-20 Tips About Your Audio System
3
-21 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
3
-22 Care of Your Compact Discs
3
-22 Care of Your Compact Disc Player
3
-23 Power Antenna Mast Care

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Comfort Controls
With this system you can control the heating, air
conditioning and ventilation in your vehicle.
Your vehicle also has the flow
-through ventilation
system described later in this section.
Fan Control Knob
Turn the fan knob to select the force of air
you want.Temperature Control Knob
Turn the center knob to change the temperature of the
air flowing from the system. Turn it toward the red
(clockwise) for warmer air and toward the blue
(counterclockwise) for cooler air.
Air Control Knob
OFF: The system is off.
MAX: Provides maximum cooling or quick cool
-down
on very hot days. This setting recirculates most of the air
inside your vehicle. If it is used for long periods of time
the air may become dry. This setting directs air through
the upper air vents.
A/C: Use for normal cooling on hot days. This setting
cools outside air and directs it through the upper air vents.
The air conditioner compressor operates in MAX, A/C,
bi
-level, blend and defrost when the outside temperature
is above freezing. When the air conditioner is on, you
may sometimes notice slight changes in your vehicle's
engine speed and power due to the operation of
the compressor.

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BI-LEVEL: Air is directed through the upper air
vents and the heater ducts.
VENT: Air flows through the upper air vents.
HEATER: This setting directs most of the air
through the heater ducts and some of the air through the
windshield defroster vents.
BLEND: Air is directed through the windshield
defroster vents and the heater ducts.
DEFROST: This setting directs most of the air
through the windshield defroster vents and some of the
air through the heater ducts.
Cooling
The air conditioner works best if you keep your
windows closed. On very hot days, open the windows
just long enough for the hot air to escape.
1. Turn the air control knob to A/C for normal cooling.
For faster cooling turn the knob to MAX.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a
comfortable setting.
3. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it.
1. Turn the air control knob to heater.
2. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
3. Turn the temperature control knob to a
comfortable setting.
During initial start
-up only, if your vehicle is equipped
with an optional engine coolant heater, you can use it in
cold weather (around +20
F/
-8
C or lower) to improve
heater performance on initial start up. See ªEngine
Coolant Heaterº in the Index.
Bi-Level Heating
You may want to use bi-level heating on cool, but sunny
days. This setting directs cool air toward your body and
warmer air toward your feet.
1. Turn the air control knob to bi
-level.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a
comfortable setting.
3. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.

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3-4 Ventilation
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, you can still direct outside air through
your vehicle.
1. Turn the air control knob to vent.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to a
comfortable setting.
3. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
Defogging and Defrosting
1. Turn the air control knob to defrost.
2. Turn the temperature control knob to the
desired setting.
3. Turn the fan control knob to the desired speed.
The side window defogging works equally as well in the
heater, blend and defrost modes.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger
uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the
rear window.
Press the button to turn on the defogger. An indicator
light will come on to remind you that the defogger is on.
The defogger will turn off automatically after about 10
minutes of use. If you turn it on again, the defogger will
operate for about five minutes only. You can turn the
defogger off by pressing the button again. The indicator
light will go off when the system is turned off.
Do not attach anything like a temporary vehicle license
or a decal across the defogger grid on the rear window.