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1998 Pontiac Firebird Owner's Manual - Page 204

1998 Pontiac Firebird Manual

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Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires Be sure your vehicle's tires inflated to the upper are limit for cold tires. You'll find these numbers on the Certification label at the rear edge the driver's door or of see "Loading Your Vehicle" in the Index. Then sure be you don'tgo over theGVW limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue. Safety Chains Hitches It's importantto have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads a are few reasons why you'll need the right hitch. Here are some rules to follow: 0 You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about safety chains may provided by the hitch be manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for attaching safety chains anddo not attach them to the bumper. Always leave just enough slackso you can turn with your rig. And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground. Trailer Brakes If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg) loaded, thenit needs its own brakes-- and they must The rear bumper on your vehicle not intended for is hitches. Do not attach rental hitches other or bumper-type hitches to it.Use only a frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the bumper. Will you haveto make any holes in body of your the vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? you do, If then be sure to seal the holes later when remove you the hitch. If you don't seal them, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust get into your can vehicle (see "Carbon Monoxide" in the Index). Dirt and water can, too. 0 be adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes you'll be able to install, adjust so and maintain them properly. Because have anti-lock you brakes, do not try to tap your vehicle's brake into system. If you do, both brake systems won't work well, or at all. 4-35

Section	Page
Table of Contents	2
Seats and Restraint Systems	8
Seats and Seat Controls	9
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone	15
Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers	20
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly	21
Driver Position	21
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy	28
Right Front Passenger Position	29
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)	29
Rear Seat Passengers	35
Children	38
Child Restraints	41
Larger Children	51
Safety Belt Extender	54
Checking Your Restraint Systems	54
Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash	54
Features and Controls	56
Keys	57
Door Locks	59
Remote Keyless Entry System	61
Hatch	66
Theft	68
Content Theft-Deterrent System (If Equipped)	69
PASS-Key II	72
Feature Customization (If Equipped)	73
New Vehicle "Break-In"	78
Ignition Positions	79
Starting Your Engine	81
Engine Coolant Heater (Canada Only)	84
Automatic Transmission Operation	85
Manual Transmission Operation	90
Shifting Into PARK (P) (Automatic Transmission Only)	94
Shifting Out of PARK (P) (Automatic Transmission)	96
Parking Your Vehicle (Manual Transmission)	96
Parking Over Things That Burn	97
Engine Exhaust	97
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked (Automatic Transmission)	98
Parking Brake	99
Windows	100
Tilt Steering Wheel	101
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever	101
Exterior Lamps	107
Interior Lamps	110
Mirrors	112
Storage Compartments	113
Twin Lift-off Roof Panels (If Equipped)	117
Convertible Top	124
Instrument Panel	131
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators	134
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems	146
Comfort Controls	147
Air Conditioning	148
Heating	149
Defogging and Defrosting	149
Rear Window Defogger	150
Ventilation System	151
Setting the Clock	152
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player and Equalizer (If Equipped)	152
Monsoon AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player and Equalizer (If Equipped)	153
AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player and Equalizer (If Equipped)	156
Monsoon AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player and Equalizer (If Equipped)	157
Trunk Mounted CD Changer (If Equipped)	159
Theft-Deterrent Feature	162
Audio Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)	164
Understanding Radio Reception	165
Tips About Your Audio System	165
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player	166
Care of Your Compact Discs	167
Care of Your Compact Disc Player	167
Power Antenna Mast Care	167
Your Driving and the Road	170
Defensive Driving	171
Drunken Driving	172
Control of a Vehicle	174
Braking	175
Steering	179
Off-Road Recovery	181
Passing	182
Loss of Control	183
Driving at Night	184
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads	186
City Driving	189
Freeway Driving	190
Before Leaving on a Long Trip	191
Highway Hypnosis	192
Hill and Mountain Roads	192
Winter Driving	194
Loading Your Vehicle	199
Towing a Trailer	201
Problems on the Road	210
Hazard Warning Flashers	211
Jump Starting	212
Towing Your Vehicle	217
Engine Overheating	224
Cooling System	226
How to Add Coolant to the Radiator (3800 V6 Engine)	230
How to Add Coolant to the Radiator (V8 Engine Only)	233
If a Tire Goes Flat	236
Changing a Flat Tire	236
Compact Spare Tire	249
If You’re Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow	250
Service and Appearance Care	254
Service	255
Fuel	256
Fuels in Foreign Countries	258
Filling Your Tank	259
Filling a Portable Fuel Container	261
Checking Things Under the Hood	261
Engine Oil	265
Air Cleaner	271
Air Filter Replacement	272
Automatic Transmission Fluid	273
Manual Transmission Fluid	277
Hydraulic Clutch	279
Engine Coolant	280
Power Steering Fluid	284
Windshield Washer Fluid	285
Brakes	286
Battery	290
Bulb Replacement	291
Tires	297
Appearance Care	306
Care of Safety Belts	309
Cleaning Glass Surfaces	309
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle	310
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels (If Equipped)	312
Underbody Maintenance	313
Appearance Care Materials Chart	314
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)	315
Electrical System	315
Replacement Bulbs	321
Capacities and Specifications	321
Air Conditioning Refrigerants	323
Maintenance Schedule	326
Your Vehicle and the Environment	327
How This Section is Organized	328
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services	329
Short Trip/City Definition	330
Short Trip/City Intervals	330
Long Trip/Highway Definition	331
Long Trip/Highway Intervals	331
Part B: Owner Checks andServices	357
Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections	361
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants	363
Part E: A Place to Maintenance Record	365
Customer Assistance Information	368
Pontiac Cares	369
What Makes Up Pontiac Cares?	370
Customer Satisfaction Procedure	370
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone (TTY) Users	372
Pontiac Roadside Assistance Program	373
Canadian Roadside Assistance	374
Pontiac Courtesy Transportation	375
GM Participation in an Alternative Dispute Resolution Program	376
Warranty Information	377
Reporting Safety Defects to the United States Government	377
Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian Government	378
Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors	378
Ordering Service and Owner Publications in Canada	378

Match case Limit results 1 per page

Total

Weight

Your

Vehicle’s

Tires

sure

your

vehicle’s

tires

are

inflated to the

upper

limit

for

cold

tires.

You’ll

find

these

numbers

the

Certification

label

the

rear

edge

the driver’s door or

see

“Loading

Your

Vehicle”

the

Index.

Then

be sure

you

don’t go over

the

GVW

limit

for

your

vehicle,

including

the

weight

the

trailer

tongue.

Hitches

It’s

important to have

the

correct

hitch

equipment.

Crosswinds,

large

trucks

going

and

rough

roads

are

few reasons

why

you’ll

need

the

right

hitch.

Here

are

some

rules

follow:

The rear

bumper

your

vehicle

is not

intended for

hitches.

not

attach

rental

hitches

or other

bumper-type

hitches to

it. Use

only

frame-mounted

hitch

that

does

not

attach

the

bumper.

Will

you

have

make

any

holes

the body

your

vehicle

when

you

install

trailer

hitch?

you do,

then be sure to seal

the

holes

later

when

you remove

the hitch. If

you

don’t

seal

them,

deadly

carbon

monoxide

(CO)

from

your

exhaust

can get

into

your

vehicle

(see

“Carbon

Monoxide”

the

Index).

Dirt

and

water

can,

too.

Safety

Chains

You should

always

attach

chains

between

your

vehicle

and

your

trailer.

Cross

the

safety

chains

under

the

tongue

of the trailer

that

the

tongue

will

not

drop

the

road

if it becomes

separated from the

hitch.

Instructions

about

safety

chains

may

be provided

the

hitch

manufacturer or by

the

trailer

manufacturer.

the

manufacturer’s

recommendation for attaching

safety

chains

and do not

attach

them

the

bumper.

Always

leave just enough

slack

you

can

turn

with

your

rig.

And,

never

allow

safety

chains

drag

the

ground.

Trailer

Brakes

If your

trailer

weighs

than

1,000

lbs.

(450

kg)

loaded,

then

needs

its

own

brakes

and they

must

adequate. Be sure

read

and

the

instructions

for the

trailer

brakes

you’ll be able to install,

adjust

and

maintain

them

properly.

Because

you

have

anti-lock

brakes, do not

try

tap

into your

vehicle’s

brake

system. If

you do,

both

brake

systems

won’t

work

well,

all.

4-35