spare tire PONTIAC FIREBIRD 2000 Owners Manual

Service Station Guide
Oil Viscosity
Engine Oil
See Section 6
Premium Fuel Recommended
Use unleaded gas only,
91 Octane or higher.

See Section 6
Cooling System
See Section 5
Hood Release
See Section 6
Windshield Washer
Fluid
See Section 6
Spare Tire Pressure
See Section 5
Battery
See Section 6

For
a More
Detailed Look at
What's Under the Hood
See Section 6
Tire Pressure
See Section 6
V6 Engine Oil
Dipstick
See Section 6
V8 Engine Oil
Dipstick
See Section 6

2-15 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
wheelhouse near the spare tire in the hatch area, on the
passenger's side of the vehicle. 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.When your vehicle is new, there will be a label covering
the adjustment knob. Remove the label and adjust the
sensor as desired. Turn the knob clockwise to increase
sensitivity and counterclockwise to decrease sensitivity.
The shock sensor is ignored by the alarm system when
the following happens:

The ignition is on,

the hatch is open,

the alarm is disarmed,

when customized to be ignored, or

for five seconds after the horn sounds an alarm
or chirp.
The shock sensor is ignored after triggering three full
alarms until the system is rearmed.

5-
5-1
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5
-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5
-3 Other Warning Devices
5
-3 Jump Starting
5
-7 Towing Your Vehicle
5
-8 Engine Overheating5
-11 Cooling System
5
-22 If a Tire Goes Flat
5
-23 Changing a Flat Tire
5
-33 Compact Spare Tire
5
-33 If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow

5-23
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 located 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.

5-24
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.

5-26
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.
Your vehicle has alloy wheels, first remove the decorative
nut caps using the wheel wrench. Each wheel may have
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.

5-29
3. 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.
4. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
5. 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.

5-30
CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
6. Install the spare tire and replace the wheel nuts
with the rounded end of the nuts toward the wheel.
Tighten each nut by hand until the wheel is held
against the hub.
7. Lower the vehicle by turning the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.

5-31
8. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a crisscross
sequence as shown.
Install the plastic
nut caps and tighten
by hand.
Then, using the wheel wrench, tighten an additional
one
-quarter turn.
CAUTION:
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts. If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have
the nuts tightened with a torque wrench to
100 lb
-ft (140 N´m).
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.
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.

5-32
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