PONTIAC FIREBIRD 2001 Owners Manual

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5. Pull the sunshade back a little and remove the
backing paper from the Velcro buttons. Push the
sunshade back into place, sticking the Velcro to
the glass.
6. Install the T
-top, close the latch and lock the
T
-top. Repeat the previous steps for the
passenger
-side sunshade.
You can store the sunshades two different ways:

When the T
-tops are in use, store the sunshades in
their storage area in the rear of the vehicle. Make
sure the cargo cover is in its closed, upright position.

When you have the T
-tops off and in their storage
slots, store the sunshades on the T
-tops, in their
installed position.

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Convertible Top (If Equipped)
The following procedures explain the proper operation
of your convertible top.
Lowering Your Convertible Top
NOTICE:
Don't leave your convertible out with the top
down for any long periods of time. The sun and
the rain can damage your seat material and other
things inside your vehicle.
1. It is recommended that you park on a level surface.
Set the parking brake firmly. Shift an automatic
transmission into PARK (P) or a manual
transmission into REVERSE (R).
2. Turn the ignition to ACC or RUN.
3. Lower both of the sun visors.
NOTICE:
It is not recommended that you raise or lower the
top while the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE:
Don't lower the top if it is damp or wet. When
the top is down, trapped water can cause stains,
mildew and damage to the inside of your vehicle.
Be sure to dry off the top before you lower it.

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NOTICE:
It is not recommended to lower the top if your
vehicle is out in cold weather (0
F /
-18
C or
lower), or you may damage top components.
NOTICE:
Before lowering the convertible top into the
storage area, be sure there are no objects in the
way of the folded, stored top. The weight of a
stored top on items in the storage area will
cause the convertible top back glass to break.
4. Unlock the front of the convertible top by pushing on
the smaller part of the latch, then pulling down on the
larger part of the latch. Be sure the hook on the latch
that attaches into the hole at the windshield releases.

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5. Make sure nothing or
anyone is on or around
the top. Push and hold
the down arrow on
the lower part of the
convertible TOP switch.
The switch is located on the console in front of the
gearshift lever. The top will automatically lower into
the storage area.Installing the Boot Cover
After lowering the convertible top, you may want to
install the boot cover. The three
-piece boot cover is
stored in a bag in the hatch area.
1. Flip the two convertible top latches to the
closed position.
2. Open the hatch and remove the two side covers and
middle section from the storage bag.

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3. Install the two side covers by inserting the tab
into the front seatbelt cover. Lower the covers
onto the vehicle.4. Install the middle section of the cover by sliding the
tabs into the slots on the right side cover. Lower the
cover and insert the latch.
5. Close the hatch.

2-76 Removing Your Boot Cover
1. Open the hatch.
2. Remove the middle piece of the cover by pushing in
on the latch and lifting up on the cover.
3. Remove the two side pieces of the boot cover
by lifting the rear cover and sliding them out of
their slots.

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4. Store each piece of the cover in its separate
compartment according to the graphic printed inside
of the storage bag. Store the bag in the trunk area
and close the hatch.
5. Disengage the two convertible top latches.
Raising Your Convertible Top
1. It is recommended that you park on a level surface.
Set the parking brake firmly. If you have an automatic
transmission, shift into PARK (P). If you have a
manual transmission, shift into REVERSE (R).
2. Turn the ignition to ACC or RUN (or RAP must
be active).
3. Lower both sun visors and lower both windows at
least 3 inches (8 cm). If the boot cover is in place,
it must be removed first.
NOTICE:
It is not recommended that you raise or lower the
top while the vehicle is moving.

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4. Push and hold the up
arrow on the top part
of the convertible
TOP switch.
5. Pull down on the center opening and align the hooks
with the holes. Push forward on the larger part of the
latch until it clicks. Do not force the latch. If it is
hard to lock, the top is not properly aligned.

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NOTICE:
The convertible top may be tight when pushing
forward on the latch when your vehicle is new,
but it will loosen up with time. Make sure that
the hooks are properly aligned before using any
kind of force.
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 driver's side of the trunk area.
1. Open the hatch and find the tab located along the left
side trim panel.
2. Lift up the tab and turn the valve counterclockwise
to release the hydraulic pressure.
3. 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.

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The Instrument Panel -- Your Information System