1994 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Owners Manual

Problems on the Road
Hazard Warning
Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you
warn others. They also let police know
you have a problem. Your front and rear
turn signal lights will flash on and
off.
J
Press the button in to make your front and
rear turn signal lights flash on and
off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no
matter what position your key
is in, and
even if the key isn't in.
'0 turn off the flashers, pull out on the
ollar.
Vhen the hazard warning flashers are on,
our
turn signals won't work.
Ither Warning Devices
F you carry reflective triangles, you can
et one up at the side of the road about
00 feet (100 m) behind your vehicle.
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Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may
want to use another vehicle and some
jumper cables to start your Pontiac. But
please follow the steps below to do
it
safely.
11 other. lt tney are, 11 COUIU cause a
NOTICE:
I1
ground connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to start your
Ignoring these steps could result
in
costlj damage to your vehicle that
wouidn”t be covered by your war-
ranty.
Trying to start your Pontiac by push-
ing or pulling it could damage your
yehicle, even if you have a manual
tran’smission. And if you have
an
automatic transmission, it won’t start
that way.
ro Jump Start Your Pontiac:
1. Cheik the other vehicle. It must have
a 12-volt battery with a negative
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt
system with. a negative ground, both
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure
the vehicles aren’t touching each Pontiac, and the
bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn
off all lights that aren’t needed,
and radios. This will avoid
sparks and
help save both batteries. And it‘could
save your radio!
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs woddn’t
be covered by your warranty.
1
ground system. 4. Open the hoods and locate the
NOTICE: batteries.
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Problems on the Road
Find the positive (+) and negative (-)
terminals on each battery. 5. Check that the jumper cables don’t
have loose
or missing insulation. If
they do, you could get a shock. The
vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before
you connect the cables, here
are some basic things
you should
know. Positive
(+) will go to positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to
negative
(-) or a metal engine part.
Don’t connect
(+) to (-) or you’ll get a
short that would damage the battery
and maybe other parts, too.
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6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to
the positive
(+) terminal of the vehicle
with the dead battery. Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle
has one.
I‘ 7. Don’t let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive
(+) terminal
of the good battery. Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle
has one. But don’t use the junction
block on your Pontiac.
8. Now connect the black negative (-)
cable to the good battery’s negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything
until the next step. The other end
of
the negative cable doesn’t go tathe
dead battery. It goes to a heavy
’
unpainted metal part on the engine
of the vehicle with the dead battery.
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Problems on the Road
9.
IO.
Attach the cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move.
The electrical connection is just as
good there, but the chance of sparks
getting back to the battery is much
less.
Now start the vehicle with the good
battery and run the engine for a
while.
11.
12.
Try to start the vehicle with the dead
battery.
If it won't start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
Remove the cables in reverse order
to prevent electrical shorting. Take
care that they don't touch each other
or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
I I
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tc
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If
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1 Towing Your Vehicle
ry to have a GM dealer or a professional
,wing service tow your Pontiac. The
sua1 towing equipment is a sling-type
4) or a wheel-lift (B) or car carrier (C)
)w truck.
' your vehicle has been changed or
hodified since it was factory-new by
iding aftermarket items like fog lamps,
xo skirting, or special tires and wheels,
lese instructions and illustrations may
ot be correct.
'efore you do anything, turn on the
azard warning flashers.
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When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle cannot be towed
from the front or rear with
sling-type equipment.
drive.
That your vehicle has rear-wheel
The make, model, and year of your
Whether you can still move the shift
If there was an accident, what was
When the towing service arrives, let the
tow operator know that this manual
contains detailed towing instructions
and illustrations. The operator may
want to see them. vehicle.
lever.
damaged.
;.
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Problems on the Road
When your vehicle is being towed, have
the ignition key off. The steering wheel
should be clamped in a straight-ahead
position, with a clamping device designed
for towing service. Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this.
The transmission should be in “Neutral”
and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the rear
wheels, unless you must. If the vehicle
must be towed on the rear wheels, don’t
go more than 35 mph (55 km/h) or farther
than
50 miles (80 km) or your
transmission will be damaged. If these
limits must be exceeded, then the rear
wheels have to be supported on a dolly. Front Towing Hook-Ups
Attach T-hook chains to slots in frame
rearward
of front wheels on both sides.
NOTICE:
Do not attach winch cables or “J”
hooks to suspension components
when using car carrier equipment.
Always use T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook slots.
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I
I
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equiment
or fascia/fog light damage will occur.
Use wheel lift or car carrier equip-
ment. Additional ramping may be
required for car carrier equipment.
Use safety chains and wheel straps. Attach a
separate safety chain around
outboard end of each lower control arm.
~TICE:
I
Take care not to damage the brake
pipes and hoses or the
ABS sensor
and wiring.
NOTICE:
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces
could damage a vehicle. Damage can
occur from vehicle-to-ground
or vehicle-to-wheel-lift-equipment
contact.
To help avoid damage,
install a towing dolly and raise
vehicle until adequate clearance is
obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
4
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