1994 PONTIAC FIREBIRD lights

turning on the headlights by turning the
headlights on, then turning the switch
back to the parking lights position.
The headlight doors should be open when
driving
in icy or snowy conditions to
prevent the doors from freezing when
closed and when washing the vehicle to
help clean the headlights.
You can open the headlight doors
nanually
:
1. Turn on the headlights.
2. Open the hood.
3. Remove the plastic cover from the
#. Turn the retractor motor knob
retractor motor
knob.
counterclockwise until the headlight
door is fully open. The knob will get
harder to turn when the headlight do01
is all the way up.
retractor motor knob.
5. Replace the plastic cover on the
ro manually close the headlight doors,
:urn the lights off and turn the knob
:lockwise.
If the headlight doors aren’t working properly,
see
your Pontiac dealer
for help.
Daytime Running Lights (Canada)
The Canadian Federal Government has
decided that “Daytime Running Lights”
(DRL) are a useful feature,
in that DIU
can make your vehicle more visible to
pedestrians and other drivers during
daylight hours. DRL are required on new
vehicles sold in Canada.
Your DRL work with a light sensor on top
of the instrument panel. Don’t cover it up.
The front
turn signal lights will come on
in daylight when:
0 The ignition is on
The headlight switch is off, &d
The parking brake is released.
At dusk, the exterior lights will come
on
automatically and the front turn signal
lights will go out. At dawn, the exterior
lights will go out and the front turn signal
lights will come on (if the headlight
switch
is off).
Of course, you may still turn on the
headlights any time you need to.
77 ...
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Features and Controls
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set
the parking brake while the ignition is
in
the "Off" or "LOCK" position. Then start
the vehicle. The
DRL will stay off until
you release the parking brake.
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Fog Lights (Option)
Jse your fog lights for better vision in
!'oggy or misty conditions. Your parking
ights must be
on or your fog lights won'
work.
ro turn the fog lights on, push the right
;ide
of the switch. Push $0 to turn the
Fog lights
off. A light on the switch will
:ome on when the fog lights are
on.
't
Fog lights will go off whenever your high
beams come on. When the high beams go
Dff, the fog lights will come on again. Znterior Lights
Courtesy Lights
When any door is opened, several interior
lights go on. These lights are courtesy
lights. They make it easier for you to
enter and leave your vehicle.
Courtesy lights include the dome light and other lights throughout the interior
of
your vehicle.
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Front Map Lights
Your inside rearview mirror includes two
map lights. Each light has its own switch.
Use the switch closest to the light to turn
it on. The lights will also
go on when a
door is opened.
Floor Mats
Your Firebird’s floor mats are
custom-fitted to the foot wells. Be sure
the driver’s floor mat is in place. If it
isn’t, it could interfere with the
accelerator or brake pedals.
I Mirrors
nside Daymight Rearview Mirror
in inside rearview mirror is attached to
’our windshield. The mirror has pivots
sa
hat you can adjust it up and down or side
o side.
lou
can adjust the mirror for day or night
Iriving. Pull the tab for night driving to
educe glare. Push the tab for daytime
Iriving.
vlanual Adjust Mirror
idjust the passenger side outside mirror
’y hand
so that you can just see the side
’f your vehicle when you are sitting in a
:omfortable driving position.
Convex Outside Mirror
Your right side mirror is convex.
A convex mirror’s surface is curved so
you can see more from the driver’s seat.
Manual Remote Control Mirror
Adjust the driver side outside mirror with
the lever on the door. Adjust the mirror
so
that you can just see the side of your
vehicle when you
are sitting in a
comfortable driving position.
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Trip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell you how far
your vehicle has been driven since you
last set the trip odometer to zero.
To set the trip odometer to zero, press the
knob.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in thousands of revolutions per minute
(rpm).
I NOTICE:
I
Do not operate the engine with the
tachometer in the red area, or engine
damage may occur.
Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This section describes the warning lights
and gages that may be on your vehicle.
The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that
something is wrong before
it becomes
serious enough to cause
an expensive
repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also
save you or others from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may be
or is a problem with one of your vehicle’s
functions.
As you will see in the details
on the next few pages, some warning
lights come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key just to let you know they’re
working. If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when
this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or
is a problem with one of your vehicle’s
functions. Often gages and warning lights
work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehcle. When
one of the warning lights comes on
and stays on when you are driving, or
when one
of the gages shows there may
be a problem, check the section that tells
you what to do about it. Please follow the
manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs
can be costly
- and even dangerous. So
please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
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Your Driving and the Road
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass
another on a two-lane highway waits for
just the right moment, accelerates, moves
around the vehicle ahead, then goes back
into the right lane again. A simple
maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle
on a two-lane highway is a potentially
dangerous move, since the passing
vehicle occupies the same lane as
oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A
miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a
brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to
face with the worst of all traffic accidents
- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road,
to the sides, and to crossroads for
situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any
doubt whatsoever about making a
successful pass, wait for a better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement
markings, and lines. If you can see a
sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your
pass.
A broken center line usually indicates
it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear).
Never cross a solid line
on your side
of the lane or a double solid line, even
if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
Do not get too close to the vehicle you
want to pass while you’re awaiting an
opportunity. For one thing, following
too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you’re following a
larger vehicle. Also, you won’t have
adequate space if the vehicle ahead
suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is
coming up, start to accelerate but stay
in the right lane and don’t get too
close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to
move into the other lane. If the way is
clear to pass, you will have a “running
start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping
back. And if something happens to
cause you to cancel your pass, you
need only slow down and drop back
again and wait for another
opportunity. 0
0
0
If other cars are lined up to pass a
slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take
care that someone isn’t trying to pass
you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over
your shoulder and check the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and start your left lane
change signal before moving out of
the right lane to pass. When you are
far enough ahead of the passed vehicle
to see its front in your inside mirror,
activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that your right outside
mirror is convex. The vehicle you just
passed may seem to be farther away
from you than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle
at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider
before passing the next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving
vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing, it may be
slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy
for the following driver
to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease
a little to
the right.
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Your Driving and the Road
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Dyz’ving ut Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day
driving. Oqe 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 headlights
behind you.
0 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 headlights can
up only
so much road ahead. light
0 In
remote areas, watch for animals.
0 If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
Night Vision
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 headlights, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by
approaching lights. It can take a second or
twQ, 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 headlights), slow
down
a little. Avoid staring directly into
the approaching lights.
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 headlights 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 headlights should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so
should your eyes be examiqed regularly. Some drivers suffer from night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and
aren’t even aware of it.
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Your Driving and the Road
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much
water can build up under your tires that
they can actually ride on the water. This
can happen if the road is wet enough and
you’re going fast enough. When your
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little
or no
contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your tires haven’t much tread or if
the pressure in one or more is low. It can
happen if a lot of water is standing on the
road. If you can see reflections from trees,
telephone poles, or other vehicles, and
raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface,
there could be hydroplaning. Hydroplaning usually happens at higher
speeds. There just isn’t a hard and fast
rule about hydroplaning. The best advice
is to slow down when it is raining.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlights -
not just your parking lights - to help
make
you more visible to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some
extra following distance. And be
especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more
clear room ahead, and be prepared to
have your view restricted by road
spray.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city
streets is the amount of traffic on them.
You’ll want to watch out for what the
other drivers are doing and pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in
city driving:
Know the best way to get to where
you are going. Get a city map and plan
your trip into an unknown part of the
city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the next
section, “Freeway Driving.”)
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Your Driving and the Road
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes
quite sharply. The exit speed is usually
posted. Reduce your speed according to
your speedometer, not to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at
higher speeds, you may tend to thnk you
are going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested.
If you must start when you’re not
fresh
- such as after a day’s work -
don’t plan to make too many miles that
first part of the journey. Wear comfortable
clohng and shoes you can easily drive
in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If
you keep it serviced and maintained, it’s
ready to go. If it needs service, have it
done before starting out. Of course, you’ll
find experienced and able service experts
in Pontiac dealerships all across North
America. They’ll be ready and willing to
help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check
before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
. . .I40
Wiper Blades: Are they m good
shape?
0 Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Have you checked all levels?
0 Lights: Are they all workmg? Are the
lenses clean?
0 Tires: They are vitally important to a
safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
weather outlook along your route?
Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
maps?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as
“highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel? Call
it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the same scenery, along with
the hum of the tires on the road, the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let
it happen to you! If it
does, your vehicle can leave the road in
less than a second, and you could crash
and be injured.
What can you
do about highway
hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
0
0
0 Make sure your vehicle is well
ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check your
rearview mirrors and your instruments
frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull
off the road into
a rest, service, or parking area and
take a nap, get some exercise, or both.
For safety, treat drowsiness on the
highway as an emergency.
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