2000 Pontiac Firebird Owner's Manual - Page 97

THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6): Shift into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6) gear the same way you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal. To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the clutch pedal and brake pedal, and shift to NEUTRAL. NEUTRAL: Use this position when you start or idle your engine. REVERSE (R): To back up, press the clutch pedal and shift into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch pedal slowly while pressing the accelerator pedal. If you shift from SIXTH (6) into REVERSE (R), the shift lever must be first placed in NEUTRAL position centered between SECOND (2) and THIRD (3) prior to shifting into REVERSE (R). Your six-speed manual transmission has a feature that allows you to safely shift into REVERSE (R) while the vehicle is rolling at less than 5 mph (8 km/h). If you have turned your ignition off and want to park your vehicle in REVERSE (R), you will have to move the shift lever quickly to the right, then forward into gear. Shift Speeds CAUTION: If you skip a gear when you downshift, you could lose control of your vehicle. You could injure yourself or others. Don't shift down more than one gear at a time when you downshift. This chart shows when to shift to the next higher gear for best fuel economy. 2-37