1994 PONTIAC FIREBIRD traction control

Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don’t have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what
the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep
trying to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the
vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most
skids by taking reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your Pontiac’s three control systems. In
the braking skid your wheels aren’t
rolling.
In the steering or cornering skid,
too much speed or steering in a curve
causes tires to slip and lose cornering
force. And in the acceleration skid too
much throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by
Easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
[f you have the traction control system,
remember:
It helps avoid only the
acceleration skid. If you do not have
traction control, or if the system is
off,
then an acceleration skid is also best
handled by easing your foot
off the
accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your
bot off the accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the vehicle to
go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be
ready for a second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other material is on
the road. For safety, you’ll want to slow
down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important
to slow down
on slippery surfaces because stopping
distance will be longer and vehicle
control more limited. While
driving
on a surface with reduced
traction,
try your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration, or braking
(including engine braking by shifting to
a lower gear). Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not
realize the surface is ‘slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recqgnize
warning clues
- such as enough water,
ice or packed snow
on the road to make a
“mirrored surface”
- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system
(ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid.
*:p? ’
‘.I ,
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Whatever the condition - smooth ice,
packed, blowing or loose snow
- drive
with caution. If you have traction control,
keep the system on. It will improve your
ability to accelerate when driving on a
slippery road. Even though your vehicle
has a traction control system, you’ll want
to slow down and adjust your driving to
the road conditions. See “Traction
Control System’’ in the Index. If you
don’t have the traction control
system, accelerate gently. Try not to break
the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish
the surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your
ability to make a hard stop on a slippery
road. Even though you have the anti-lock
braking system, you’ll want to begin
stopping sooner than you would
on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
0
0
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road
might be fine until you hit a spot that’s
covered with ice. On an otherwise
clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t
reach: around clumps of trees, behind
buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or
an overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If
you
see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake
before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and
avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you
could be
in a serious situation. You should
probably stay with your vehicle unless
you know for sure that
you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here
are some things to do
to summon help and
keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers. 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.
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NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy
parts of your vehicle as well as the
tires.
If you spin the wheels too fast
while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your trans-
mission.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and
right. That will clear the area around your
front wheels. If your vehicle has traction
control, you should
turn the system off.
(See “Traction Control System” in the
Index.) Then shift back and forth’ between
“R’ (Reverse) and a forward gear (or with
a manual transmission, between First or
Second gear and Reverse), spinning the
wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and
press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
If that
doesn’t get you out after a few tries,
you
may need to be towed out. If you:do need
to be towed out, see “Towing
Yow
Vehicle” in the Index. .’
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature
performance.
(This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well
on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest are: A,
B, and C. They represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement
as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on braking
(straight-ahead) traction tests and does
not include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s
resistance to the generation of heat and its
3bility to dissipate heat when tested under
:ontrolled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No.
109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately ,,or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
Those grades are molded on the sidewalls
of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or
optional equipment on General Motors
vehicles may
vary with respect to these
grades, all such tires meet General Motors
performance standards and have been
approved for use on General Motors
vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric)
tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements in addition to these grades.
I
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C B
G H J
Underhood Electrical Center
Fuses
1 - Electronic Brake Control Module
(5 Amp.)
2
- Fog Lamps (20 Amp.)
3 - HeadIight Doors Module (15
4 - Headlight Doors Module (1 5
5 - Anti-Lock Brake System (5 Amp.)
6 - Coolant Fan Relays; EVAP Canister Purge Solenoid; Exhaust
Gas Recirculation; Low Coolant
Relay; Reverse Lockout Solenoid
(10 Amp.)
Amp.)
Amp.)
7 - Air
Injection Pump Assembly;
8 - Not Used
9 - Fuel Injectors (7.5 Amp.)
10 - Fuel Injectors (7.5 Amp.)
11 - VIN Engine Code S: Camshaft
Air
Pump Relay
(20 Amp.)
Position Sensor; Crankshaft Position Sensor; Electronic
Ignition Module
(10 Amp.)
VIN Engine Code P: Ignition
Coil; Ignition Coil Driver
(10 Amp.)
12 - Air Conditioning Compressor
Relay; Cruise Control Switches
and Module
(20 Amp.)
Relays
B - Air Conditioning Compressor
C - Anti-Lock Brake System
D - Primary Coolant Fan (Driver Side)
E - Air Pump
F - Secondary Coolant Fan
(Passenger Side)
G - Traction Control System
H - Fog Lamps
J - Not Used
231 . ..
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Index
Cassette Tape Player and Graphic
Cassette Tape Player. AM/FM
Cassette Tape Player.
Equalizer. AM/FM
Stereo with
. . 1 12
Stereo with
.................. 109
Care of Your
................. 122
Chains. Tire
................... 221
Changing a Flat Tire
............. 171
Check Gages Light
.............. 97
Checlung Things under
the Hood . . 18
Checlung Your Restraint Systems
. . 40
Chemical Paint Spotting
.......... 226
Child Restraints
................ 31
Rear Seat
................... 33
Right Front Seat
.............. 35
Top Strap ................... 32
Where to Put the
.............. 31
Children (Safety Belts)
........... 30
Children. Larger (Safety Belts)
.... 38
Cigarette Lighter
............... 86
Circuit Breakers. Fuses and
....... 229
City Driving
................... 138
Cleaner. Air
................... 195
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels
............ 225
Convertible Top
.............. 225
Fabric
...................... 222
Glass
....................... 224
Inside of Your Pontiac
......... 222
Instrument Panel. Top of
....... 223
... 270
Cleaning
Leather
..................... 223
Outside of Your Pontiac
........ 224
Problems. Special
............. 223
Twin Lift-off Roof Panels
...... 224
Vinyl
...................... 223
Windshield and Wiper Blades
... 224
Clock. Setting the
............... 109
Close-Out Panel
................ 84
Clutch. Hydraulic
............... 20 1
Comfort Controls ............... 104
Comfort Controls and Audio
Systems
.................... 103
Compact Disc. To Play a
...... 116. 1 19
Compact Disc Player and Graphic
Equalizer. AM/FM Stereo with
. . 118
Compact Disc Player. AM/FM Stereo with
.................. 115
Compact Discs. Care of Your
...... 122
Compact Spare Tire
............. 180
Compartments. Storage and
....... 83
Control of a Vehicle
............. 128
Controls
Console. Front
................. 84
Control. Loss of
................ 135
Air Conditioner
.............. 106
Brightness
.................. 76
Comfort
.................... 104
Features and
................. 41
Heater
...................... 104
Main Light
.................. 76 Controls
Remote Lock
................ 44
Seat
........................ 8
Convertible Top
................ 98
Installing the Boot Cover
....... 99
To Lower
................... 98
To Raise
.................... 100
Convex Outside Mirror
.......... 79
Coolant Adding
..................... 202
Engine
..................... 201
Heater. Engine
............... 55
How to Add to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
............. 164
How to Add to the Radiator
. . 165. 167
Temperature Gage. Engine
...... 94
Cooling
....................... 106
Cooling System
................ 162
Courtesy Lights
................ 78
Courtesy Transportation
.......... 263
Covered Visor Vanity Mirror
...... 85
Cruise Control
................. 72
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
............... 75
To Erase Speed Memory
....... 75
To Get Out of
................ 75
To Increase Speed While Using . . 74
To Reduce Speed While Using
. . 74
To Resume a Set Speed
........ 73
ToSet
...................... 72
Traction Control System and
.... 75
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Lights Gages and Indicators. Warning
. . 90
Interior
..................... 78
Low Coolant
................. 98
Low Oil .................... 97
Low Traction
................ 94
Main Control
................ 76
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
.... 95
Operation of
................. 76
Safety Belt Reminder
.......... 18
Service Engine
Soon .......... 95
Skip Shift
................... 61
Traction Control System
Warning
.................. 93
Lights On Reminder
............. 76
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
.......... 62
Loading Your Vehicle
........... 2 13
Lock Control. Remote
........... 44
Locks. Door
................... 43
Locks. Power Door
............. 44
Loss of Control ................ 135
Low Coolant Light
.............. 98
Low Oil Light
................. 97
Low Traction Light
............. 94
Lubricant. Rear Axle
............ 201
Lubricants. Recommended
....... 253
Main Fuse Block
............. 230
Main Light Control
............. 76
Maintenance Inspections. Periodic
.......... 25 1 Maintenance
Record
..................... 255
Schedule .................... 239 .
Services, Scheduled ........... 242
Underbody
.................. 226
When Trailer Towing
.......... 149
Malfunction Indicator tamp
...... 95
Manual
Adjust Mirrors
............... 79
Front Seat
................... 8
Remote Control Mirror
........ 79
Seat. Four-Way
............... 8
Transmission (Five-Speed) ..... 59
Transmission (Six-Speed)
...... 60
Transmission Fluid
............ 200
Windows
................... 67
Map Lights. Front
.............. 79
Map Pocket
................... 84
Master Cylinder. Brake
.......... 206
Mirrors Control. Electric
.............. 80
Convex Outside .............. 79
Inside Daymight Rearview
..... 79
Manual Adjust
............... 79
Manual Remote Control
........ 79
Visor Vanity. Covered
......... 85
Mode Switch. Performance ....... 54
Mountain Roads. Hill and ... ; .... 14
New Vehicle “Break-In”
....... 50
Night Driving .................. 136 Night Vision
................... 136
Nuts.
Wheel ................... 234
Odometer. Speedometer and
..... 89
Odometer. Trip
................. 90
Off-Road Recovery
............. 133
Oil. Engine .................... 191
Operation
of Lights ............. 76
Overheating. Engine
............ 161
Owner Checks and Services ....... 248
P (Park) Shifting into .......... 64
P (Park). Shifting out
of .......... 65
Paint
Chemical Spotting
............ 226
Finish Care
.................... 225
Finish Damage
................ 226
Foreign Material
............... 226
Brake
...................... 63
On Hills (Trailer Towing) ....... 148
Over Things That Burn ........ 66
Your Vehicle ................. 65
Parts. Replacement
.............. 234
PASS-Key I1
................... 49
Passenger Positions (Safety Belts) . . 27
Rear Seat
................... 28
Right Front .................. 27
Passengers. Rear Seat
(Safety Belts)
................ 28
Passing
....................... 134
Parking
..
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Index
Steering
Storage Tips
........................ 132
Compartments
............... 83
Vehicle
..................... 208
Stuck: In Sand. Mud. Ice or Snow
. . 180
Sun Visors
.................... 85
Sunshades. T-Top ............... 82
Supplemental Inflatable Restraint System (Air Bags)
............ 23
Switch. Ignition
................ 51
Switch. Performance Mode
....... 54
Symbols. Vehicle
............... 5
TTop Sunshades .............. 82
Tachometer .................... 89
Tank. Filling Your
.............. 187
Temperature Control Knob
....... 104
Theft
......................... 48
Theft Deterrent Feature/
THEFTLOCK
............... 120
Theft.Deterrent. PASS-Key I1 ..... 49
Thermostat
.................... 204
Tilt Wheel
..................... 69
Tips. Steering .................. 132
Tips. Ventilation
................ 108
Tire Loading
................... 2 13
Tires
......................... 215
Balance. Wheel Alignment and
. . 220
Buying New
................. 2 18
Symbols. Safety Warnings and
.... 4
... 276
Tires
Chains
..................... 221
Changing
a Flat .............. 17 1
Inflation Pressure ............. 2 16
Inspection and Rotation
........ 217
Temperature Grades
........... 2 1 9
Traction Grades .............. 219
Treadwear ................... 2 19
Uniform Quality Grading
....... 219
When It's Time for New
....... 2 18
AM/F" Stereo with Cassette Tape
Player
.................... 1 10
AM/FM Stereo with Cassette
Tape Player and Graphic
Tone.
Setting the
Equalizer
............... 1 13
A" Stereo with Compact Disc
Player
.................... I 16
A" Stereo with Compact
Disc Player and Graphic
Equalizer
............... 1 19
Top Strap (Child Restraints)
....... 32
Torque Lock
.................. 65
Towing
A Trailer .................... 144
Front Hook-Ups
.............. 158
Rear Hook-Ups .............. 160
Your Vehicle
................. 156
Traction Control System
......... 130
And Cruise Control ........... 75
Warning Light ............... 92 Trailer Brakes
.................. 147
Trailer. Towing a
............... 144
Transmission
Automatic
................... 56
Fluid. Automatic ............. 198
Fluid. Manual
................ 200
Manual. Five-Speed
........... 59
Manual. Six-Speed
............ 60
Transmitters. Matching to Your
Vehicle (Remote Lock Control)
. . 45
Transportation. Courtesy ......... 263
Trip Odometer
................. 89
Trip. Before Leaving on a Long
.... 140
Turn Signal and Lane Change
Indicator
.................... 69
Turn Signaweadlight
Beam Lever
................. 69
Twin Lift-off Roof Panels
........ 80
Underbody Maintenance ....... 226
Underhood Electrical Center
...... 231
Understanding Radio Reception
... 121
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
..... 219
Used Oil. What to Do With
....... 195
Used Replacement Wheels
........ 220
Vehicle Control of a
................. 128
Damage Warnings
............ 4
Dimensions ................. 236
Environment and Your
......... 240
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