headlamp PONTIAC FIREBIRD 2002 Owners Manual

2-23
Before your vehicle was shipped from the factory, it was
programmed in Mode 2. The mode to which the vehicle
has been programmed may have been changed since it
left the factory. To determine the mode to which your
vehicle is programmed or to program your vehicle to a
different mode, do the following:
1. Press the power door lock switch located on
the door.
2. Count the number of chimes you hear. The number
of chimes tells you which mode your vehicle is set
for. (If you do not wish to change the current mode,
you can either exit the programming mode by
following the instructions later in this section or
program the next feature available on your vehicle.)
3. Press the power door lock switch again on the door
until you hear the number of chimes that corresponds
to the mode selection you want.
The mode you selected is now set. You can either exit
the programming mode by following the instructions
later in this section or program the next feature available
on your vehicle.Remote Keyless Entry Verification
This feature provides feedback when the vehicle
receives a command from the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
Programmable Modes
Mode 1: All Off (The headlamps will not flash and
the horn will not sound to provide you feedback that a
lock/unlock command has been received by the remote
keyless entry transmitter.)
Mode 2: Horn and Lamps/Lamps (Your horn will
sound briefly and your parking lamps will flash
when you press LOCK on the remote keyless entry
transmitter. Only your parking lamps will flash when
you press UNLOCK.)
Mode 3: Horn and Lamps (Your horn will sound briefly
and your parking lamps will flash every time you push
LOCK or UNLOCK.)
Mode 4: Lamps (Your parking lamps will flash every
time you press LOCK or UNLOCK.)
Mode 5: Lamps/Horn and Lamps/Lamps (Your lamps
will flash upon the first press on LOCK, your lamps
will flash and your horn will sound upon the second
press on LOCK and your lamps will flash upon any
press on UNLOCK.)

2-51
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:

Turn and Lane
-Change Signals

Headlamp High/Low
-Beam Changer

Windshield Wipers

Windshield Washer

Cruise Control
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow
you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up
or down. When the turn is finished, the lever will
return automatically.
An arrow on the
instrument panel
cluster will flash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don't
flash but just stay on as you signal a turn or lane change,
a signal bulb may be burned out and other drivers won't
see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don't go on at all when you
signal a turn, check the fuse (see ªFuses and Circuit
Breakersº in the Index).

2-52 Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
When the high beams are
on, this light located on the
instrument panel cluster
also will be on.
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or
from high beam to low, pull the turn signal lever all the
way toward you. Then release it.
Windshield Wipers
You can control the windshield wipers by turning the
band with the wiper symbol on it, located on the turn
signal/multifunction lever.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST.
Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go.
The wipers will stop after one cycle. If you want
more cycles, hold the band on MIST longer.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful in light rain
or snow. Turn the band to choose the delay time.
The closer to LO, the shorter the delay.For steady wiping at low speed, turn the band away
from you to the LO position. For high
-speed wiping,
turn the band further, to HI. To stop the wipers,
turn the band to OFF.
Damaged wiper blades may prevent you from seeing
well enough to drive safely. To avoid damage, be sure to
clear ice and snow from the wiper blades before using
them. If they're frozen to the windshield, carefully
loosen or thaw them. If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers.
A circuit breaker will stop them until the motor cools.
Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
Windshield Washer
There is a paddle with the word PUSH on it at the top of
the turn signal/multifunction lever. To spray washer fluid
on the windshield, push the paddle briefly. The washer
will continue to spray until you release the paddle.
The wipers will clear the window and wipe a few more
times before stopping or returning to the previous setting.
See ªWindshield Washer Fluidº in the Index.

2-56
Exterior Lamps
The control located on the instrument panel to the left
of the steering column operates the exterior lamps.The exterior lamp control has three positions:
OFF: Turning the control to this position turns off all
lamps, except the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
(Parking Lamps): Turning the control to this
position turns on the parking lamps, together with
the following:

Sidemarker Lamps

Taillamps

License Plate Lamps

Instrument Panel Lights
(Headlamps): Turning the control to this position
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.

2-57 Headlamps on Reminder
If you turn the ignition off and leave the lamps on, you
will hear a chime lasting up to five seconds. If the lamps
are still on when you open the driver's door, the chime
will sound again.
Headlamp Doors
The headlamp doors are designed to open when you
turn the headlamps on and close when you turn the
headlamps off. The headlamp doors can be opened
without turning on the headlamps by turning the
headlamps on, then turning the exterior lamp control
back to the parking lamps position.
The headlamp doors should be open when driving in
icy or snowy conditions to prevent the doors from
freezing closed, and when washing the vehicle to help
clean the headlamps.To open the headlamp doors manually, do the following:
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the plastic cover from the retractor
motor knob.
3. Turn the retractor motor knob counterclockwise
until the headlamp door is fully open. The knob
will get harder to turn when the headlamp door is
all the way up.
4. Reinstall the plastic cover on the retractor
motor knob.
To manually close the headlamp doors, turn the
lamps off and turn the retractor motor knob
clockwise. If the headlamp doors aren't working
properly, see your dealer.

2-58 Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during
the day. DRL can be helpful in many different
driving conditions, but they can be especially helpful
in the short periods after dawn and before sunset.
Fully functional daytime running lamps are required
on all vehicles first sold in Canada.
For Canadian vehicles, a light sensor on top of the
instrument panel automatically turns the headlamps on,
so be sure it isn't covered.
The DRL system will not activate if the parking brake
is engaged prior to turning the ignition on.
The DRL system will make your front turn signal lamps
come on when the following conditions are met:

The ignition is on,

the exterior lamp control is off,

the parking brake is released, and

it is bright enough outside (on Canadian vehicles).When the DRL are on, only your front turn signal lamps
will be on. The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps
won't be on. Your instrument panel won't be lit up
either. When you use your turn signals, the front turn
signal and the taillamp on the desired side will flash.
For Canadian vehicles, when it's dark enough outside,
your front turn signal lamps will go out and your
headlamps will come on. The other lamps that come
on with your headlamps will also come on. When it's
bright enough outside, the regular lamps will go off,
and your front turn signal lamps will come on.
On a non
-Canadian vehicle, the headlamps have to be
turned on manually when you need them. On Canadian
and non
-Canadian vehicles, when the headlamps are
turned on, the front turn signal lamps will go out.
When you use your turn signals, the front turn signal
lamp and the taillamp on the desired side will flash.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.

2-59 Fog Lamps
Use your fog lamps for better vision in foggy or misty
conditions. Your parking lamps must be on or your
fog lamps won't work.
Your fog lamp switch is
located on your instrument
panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
To turn the fog lamps on, push the right side of the
fog lamp switch and a light on the switch will come on
indicating that the fog lamps are on. Push the left side
of the fog lamp switch to turn the fog lamps off.
The fog lamps will go off whenever your high
-beam
headlamps come on. When the high
-beam headlamps
go off, the fog lamps will come on again.
If your vehicle is equipped with the content
theft
-deterrent/alarm system and your fog lamp switch
is on, the fog lamps may flash to indicate operation of the
content theft
-deterrent/alarm system. See ªContent
Theft
-Deterrent/Alarm Systemº in the Index.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
This feature controls the brightness of the instrument
panel lights.
The thumbwheel for this feature is located on the
instrument panel to the left of the steering column.
Move the thumbwheel up or down to brighten or dim
the lights. If you move the thumbwheel all the way up,
your courtesy lamps will come on.

4-16
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.Here are some tips on night driving.

Drive defensively.

Don't drink and drive.

Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.

Since you can't see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.

Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your headlamps can light up only so much
road ahead.

In remote areas, watch for animals.

If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.

4-17
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50
-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20
-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you're
driving, don't wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark.
When you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who doesn't lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it's easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren't even aware of it.

4-29

Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you've been stopped by the snow.

Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.