spare wheel PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1999 Owners Manual

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If the alarm is sounding due to the shock sensor or a
door or hatch opening, it can be turned off by either
turning the ignition with a proper key inserted or by
pressing any button on the remote keyless entry
transmitter. If you use your remote keyless entry
transmitter to silence the alarm, additional things will
happen depending upon which button you press.

Pressing the UNLOCK button will turn the alarm
off, unlock the driver's door and disarm the system.

Pressing the LOCK button will turn the alarm off,
keep the doors locked and keep the system armed.

Pressing the REAR 2X button will turn the alarm off
and keep the system armed. A second push of the
button (within five seconds) will unlock and disarm
the hatch only.

Pressing the panic button will turn the alarm off,
keep the doors locked and keep the system armed.
If the alarm is sounding because an incorrect ignition
key was used, press any button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter to turn the alarm off.
The alarm will stop by itself after two minutes.Shock Sensor
Coupe Convertible
The shock sensor is what triggers the alarm when it
detects a blow to your vehicle. It is located over the
right rear wheelhouse near the spare tire in the hatch
area. There are two levels of alarms via the shock
sensor: Two horn blasts and parking lamp flashes for
non
-threatening blows to the vehicle and a full
two
-minute alarm for harder blows to the vehicle. Its
sensitivity can be adjusted if more or less sensitivity is
desired. If sensitivity is increased too much, it may give
false alarms caused by gusts of wind or other natural
events that may shake the vehicle.

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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift
lever in PARK (P), or shift a manual
transmission to FIRST (1) or
REVERSE (R).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need is in the rear area behind the
trim panel on the passenger's side.
First you must remove the cargo cover. See ªCargo
Coverº in the Index.

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On convertible models, you must also remove the trunk
access panel. It's at the upper back of the trunk. Turn the
two wing fasteners under the trunk edge a quarter turn
counterclockwise to remove the panel.
Find the plastic screw heads in the trim panel over the
spare tire. (See ªCompact Spare Tireº in the Index for
more information about the compact spare.) Use a coin
or a key to turn the screw heads until the slots point
front and back to the unlock position. Gently lift the trim
panel's front forward edge and remove the panel.If you have speakers in the trim panel, you may have to
disconnect the wire from the speaker. The speaker wire
may be long enough to remove the trim panel without
disconnecting the wire.To remove the jack and wheel wrench, loosen and
remove the bolt and remove the plastic cover.

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Remove the wing nut and adapter and pull out the spare.The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) and wheel
wrench (B).

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The jack has a bolt at the end. Attach the wheel wrench
to the jack bolt.
Turn the wheel wrench clockwise to raise the lift
head a little.
If your wheel has a center cap, pry it off using
the wheel wrench.
If your vehicle has optional alloy wheels, each wheel
has one locknut in place of the standard wheel nut. A
special wheel lock key (removal tool) and instructions
are located in the center console. Attach the wheel lock
key to the socket of the wheel wrench. Remove the
locking wheel nut by turning counterclockwise.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don't remove them yet.

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4. Raise the vehicle by turning the wheel wrench
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground so there is enough room for the spare
tire to fit.
5. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
6. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.

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NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.

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Replace the jack, wheel wrench and flat tire using the
storage instructions. When you replace the trim panel,
be sure to tuck it under the weatherstrip.
1. Trim Panel
2. Bolt
3. Cover
4. Jack
5. Wing Nut
6. Adapter
7. Compact Spare Tire
8. Full
-Size Tire
9. Carpet Flap
10. Tire Storage Bolt
11. Trunk Access Panel (Convertible Only)
12. Knob

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Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated
when your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time.
Check the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your spare
tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare is made to
perform well at speeds up to 65 mph (105 km/h) for
distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you can finish
your trip and have your full
-size tire repaired or replaced
where you want. Of course, it's best to replace your spare
with a full
-size tire as soon as you can. Your spare will
last longer and be in good shape in case you need
it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don't take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts of your vehicle.
Don't use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don't mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won't fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won't fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains too. Don't use tire chains on your
compact spare.

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When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don't forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket
-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can't tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See ªWhen It's Time for New Tiresº and
ªWheel Replacementº later in this section for
more information.The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See ªScheduled
Maintenance Servicesº in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
If you don't have P245/50ZR16 Goodyear Eagle GS-C
tires or P275/40ZR17 Goodyear Eagle F1
-GS tires, use
the rotation pattern shown above for your tires.