wheel PONTIAC FIREBIRD 2002 Owners Manual

1-9
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. See ªSafety
Belt Reminder Lightº in
the Index.
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here's why: They work.
You never know if you'll be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you don't know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn't survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat
on wheels.

1-24 How the Air Bag System Works
Where are the air bags?
The driver's air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel.
The right front passenger's air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger's side.

1-25
CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inflate properly
or it might force the object into that person
causing severe injury or even death. The path
of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don't
put anything between an occupant and an air
bag, and don't attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
air bag covering.
When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or near
-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system's designed
ªthreshold level.º If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn't move or deform, the threshold level is
about 12 to 18 mph (19 to 29 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform,
such as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher.
The air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because inflation
would not help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact
and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or
near
-frontal impacts.

1-26
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of
the right front passenger.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near
-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags
would not help you in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts and many side impacts,
primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to safety belts,
and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near
-frontal collisions.What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the air bag inflated.
Some components of the air bag module
-- the steering
wheel hub for the driver's air bag, or the instrument panel
for the right front passenger's bag
-- will be hot for a short
time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated
air bags. Air bag inflation doesn't prevent the driver from
seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it
stop people from leaving the vehicle.
CAUTION:
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can't get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.

1-27
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur
from the right front passenger air bag.

Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, you'll need some new parts for your air bag
system. If you don't get them, the air bag system
won't be there to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.

Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information about
the air bag system. The module records information
about the readiness of the system, when the system
commands air bag inflation and driver's safety belt
usage at deployment. The module also records speed,
engine rpm, brake and throttle data.

Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air
bag system won't work properly. See your dealer
for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver's or the
right front passenger's air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger's air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.

2-
2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Windows
2
-4 Keys
2
-6 Door Locks
2
-8 Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
2
-13 Hatch
2
-16 Theft
2
-17 Content Theft-Deterrent/Alarm System
(If Equipped)
2
-27 PASS-Key
II
2
-29 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-29 Ignition Positions
2
-32 Starting Your Engine
2
-34 Engine Coolant Heater (Canada Only)
2
-36 Automatic Transmission Operation
2
-40 Manual Transmission Operation
2
-43 Parking Brake
2
-45 Shifting Into PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission Only)
2
-47 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission Only)2
-47 Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission Models Only)
2
-48 Parking Over Things That Burn
2
-48 Engine Exhaust
2
-49 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
(Automatic Transmission)
2
-50 Limited-Slip Rear Axle
2
-50 Tilt Wheel
2
-51 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-56 Exterior Lamps
2
-59 Interior Lamps
2
-61 Mirrors
2
-62 Storage Compartments
2
-67 T-Top Roof Panels (If Equipped)
2
-74 Convertible Top (If Equipped)
2
-82 The Instrument Panel -- Your
Information System
2
-86 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators

2-16
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft
-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it impossible to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it's an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves
-- so
don't do it.
When you park your vehicle and open the driver's door,
you'll hear a chime reminding you to remove your key
from the ignition and take it with you. Always do this.
Your steering wheel will be locked, and so will your
ignition. If you take the key with you, and you have an
automatic transmission, it will be locked. And remember
to lock the doors.
Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out of sight.
Put them in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
Even if you park in a lot where someone will be
watching your vehicle, it's still best to lock it up and
take your keys. But what if you have to leave your
ignition key?

If possible, park in a busy, well
-lit area.

Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
trunk or glove box.

Be sure to close and lock the storage area.

Close all windows.

Lock the glove box.

Lock all the doors except the driver's.

Then take the door key and remote keyless entry
transmitter with you.

2-18 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 tothe 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.

2-22
Before your vehicle was shipped from the factory, it was
programmed in Mode 4. 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. Turn the courtesy lamps on by turning the instrument
panel brightness thumbwheel all the way up.
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. Turn the courtesy lamps off to change the
current mode.
4. Turn the courtesy lamps from on to off 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.Last Door Closed Locking and Lockout Prevention
These features are designed to help prevent your keys
from being locked in your vehicle.
Programmable Modes
Mode 1: Both Off (Doors will lock/unlock when you
press the power door lock switch.)
Mode 2: Lockout Prevention Only (If you leave your
keys in the ignition and leave through the driver's door,
you won't be able to lock the doors with the power door
lock switch.)
Mode 3: Last Door Closed Locking Only (If the power
door lock switch is used to lock the vehicle while any
door is open, you will hear three chimes. The doors will
not lock until after all doors are closed.)
Mode 4: Both On (This combines Mode 2 and 3.)

2-30
B (LOCK): This is the only position from which you
can remove the key. This position locks your steering
wheel, ignition and automatic transmission.
If you have an automatic transmission, the ignition
switch can't be turned to LOCK unless the shift lever
is in PARK (P).
CAUTION:
On manual transmission vehicles, turning the key
to LOCK will lock the steering column and result
in a loss of ability to steer the vehicle. This could
cause a collision. If you need to turn the engine
off while the vehicle is moving, turn the key only
to OFF. Don't press the key release button while
the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can't
turn it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key hard. Turn the key only with your hand.
Using a tool to force it could break the key or the
ignition switch. If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
C (OFF): This position unlocks the steering wheel,
ignition and automatic transmission, but does not send
electrical power to any accessories. Use this position
if your vehicle must be pushed or towed. A warning
tone will sound if you open the driver's door when the
ignition is off and the key is in the ignition.
D (RUN): This is the position the switch returns to after
you start your engine and release the switch. The switch
stays in RUN when the engine is running. But even
when the engine is not running, you can use RUN to
operate your electrical power accessories and to display
some instrument panel warning and indicator lights.