1994 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Owners Manual

Service and Appearance Care
[dation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label
which
is on the driver’s door shows the
correct inflation pressures for your
tires, when they’re cold. “Cold” means
your vehicle has been sitting for at
least three hours or driven
no more
than
a mile.
If your vehicle is equipped with
P245/50ZR16 tires and you’ll be
driving at speeds higher than 100 mph
(160
km/h) where it is legal, raise the
“cold” inflation pressure of each tire
to
35 psi (240 Pa). When you end this
very high speed driving, reduce the
“cold” inflation pressures to those
listed
on the Tire Loading Information
label.
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation overinflation is all right. It’s not.
If your tires don’t have enough air (underinflation) you
can get:
Too much flexing
0 Too much heat
a Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you can get:
0 Unusual wear
Bad handling
0 Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
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When to Check: Check your tires once a
month or more. Don’t forget your
compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi
(420 kPa).
How to Check: Use a good quality
pocket-type gage to check tire pressure.
Simply looking at the tires will not tell
you the pressure, especially
if you have
radial tires
- which may look properly
inflated even if they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to
put them back on. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them
inspected and rotated at the mileages
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
Services” in the Index.
If you don’t have P245/50ZR16 size tires:
use the rotation pattern shown above for
your size tires.
I1
II
0
SI
B
SI
e:
b
’ fl
A
tl
SI
12
P:
T
4-
-I-
4-
-a4
F you have P245/50ZR16 size tires, they
lust roll in a certain direction for the besl
vera11 performance. The direction is
hown by an arrow on both sidewalls.
lecause these tires are directional, they
hould be rotated as shown in the
xample above. These tires should only
e moved from front to rear and rear to
-ont on the same side of the vehicle.
Lfter the tires have been rotated, adjust
le front and rear inflation pressure as
Sown
on the Tire-Loading Information
lbel. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
roperly tightened. See “Wheel Nut
orque” in the Index.
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Service and Appearance Care
When It’s Time for New Tires
he way to tell when it’s time for new
ires is to check the treadwear indicators,
vhich will appear when your tires have
Inly
2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or less of tread
emaining.
r‘ou need a new tire if:
D You can see the indicators at three or
more places around the tire.
through the tire’s rubber.
or snagged deep enough to show corc
or fabric.
B You can see cord or fabric showing
B The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut
D The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other
damage that can’t be repaired well
because of the size or location of the
damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you
need, look at the Tire-Loading
[nformation label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it
was new had a Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec) number on
each tire’s sidewall. When you get
new
tires, get ones with that same TPC Spec
number. That way, your vehicle will
continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling,
speed rating, traction, ride and other
things during normal service on your
vehicle. If your tires have an all-season
tread design, the TPC number will be
followed by a
“MS” (for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those
not having a TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size, load range,
speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted
or radial) as your original
tires.
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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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Service and Appearance Care
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to
give you
the longest tire life and best
overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to have
your wheels aligned again. However, if
you notice unusual tire wear or your
vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset. If you
notice your vehicle vibrating when
driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or
badly rusted. If wheel nuts keep coming
loose, the wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts should be replaced. If the wheel
leaks air out, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes
be repaired). See your Pontiac dealer if
any
of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel
you need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset, and be mounted the same way as
the one it replaces.
[f you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts, or wheel nuts, replace them
mly with new
GM original equipment
sarts. This way, you will be sure to have
:he right wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for your Pontiac model.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance, and tire or tire chain clearance to
the body and chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
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I Tire Chains
I
I NOTICE:
I
If your Pontiac has P235/55R 16 or
P245/50ZR16 size tires, don’t use tire
chains; they can damage your vehicle.
If
you have other tires, use tire chains
only where legal and only when you must. Use only SAE Class
“S” type
chains that are the proper size for
your tires. Install them on the rear tires
and tighten them
as tightly as possible
with the ends securely fastened.
Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions. If you
can hear the chains contacting your
vehicle, stop and retighten them. If the
contact continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast with chains on
will damage your vehicle.
Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be
hazardous. Some are toxic. Others can
burst into flame if you strike a match
or get them on a hot part of the vehicle.
Some
are dangerous if you breathe
their fumes in a closed space. When
you use anything from a container to
clean your Pontiac, be sure to follow
the manufacturer‘s warnings and
instructions. And always open your
doors or windows when you’re
cleaning the inside. Never
use these to clean your
vehicle:
0 Gasoline
0 Benzene
0 Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
0 Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
- some more
than others
- and they can all damage
your vehicle, too.
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. C’
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Service and Appearance Care
Don’t use any of these unless this manual
says you can. In many uses, these will
damage your vehicle:
0 Alcohol
Laundry Soap
0 Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your
Pontiac
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of
dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl or leather
with a clean, damp cloth.
Your Pontiac dealer has two
GM cleaners,
a solvent-type spot lifter and a foam-type
powdered cleaner. They will clean normal
spots and stains very well. Do not use
them on vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the
Clean up stains as soon as you can -
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and
cleaner
label.
before they set.
change to a clean area often. A soft
brush may be used
if stains are
stubborn.
D Use solvent-type cleaners in a
well-ventilated area only. If you use
them, don’t saturate
the stained area.
clean the entire area immediately or it
will set.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning,
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
Vacuum and brush the area to remove
any loose dirt.
Always clean a whole trim panel or
section. Mask surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner
following the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean
sponge.
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section,
use a sponge to remove the suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet
sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly
damp paper towel or cloth.
Then dry it immediately with a blow
dryer or a heat lamp.
NOTICE:
Be careful with a hair dryer or heat
lamp.
You could scorch the fabric.
0 Wipe with a clean cloth.
Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type
cleaner at all. Some spots and stains will
clean
off better with just water and mild
soap.
If you need to use a solvent:
Gently scrape excess soil from the
trim material with a clean, dull knife
or scraper. Use very little cleaner, light
pressure and clean cloths (preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at
the outside of the stain, “feathering”
toward the center. Keep changing to
a
clean section of the cloth.
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When you clean a stain from fabric,
immediately dry the area with an air
hose, hair dryer, or heat lamp to help
prevent a cleaning ring. (See
the
previous NOTICE.)
Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy or oily stains:
Such as grease,
oil, butter, margarine, shoe polish, coffee
with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic
creams, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar
and asphalt.
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain.
0 Follow the solvent-type instructions
Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and described earlier.
asphalt will stain if left on a vehicle
seat fabric. They should be removed
as soon as possible. Be careful,
because the cleaner will dissolve them
and may cause
them to spread
Non-greasy stains: Such as catsup,
coffee (black), egg, fruit, fruit juice, milk,
soft drinks, wine, vomit, urine and blood.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
sponge
the soiled area with cool water.
If a stain remains, follow the foam-type
instructions described earlier. If an
odor lingers after cleaning
vomit or urine, treat the area with
a waterhaking soda solution:
1 teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to
1 cup
(250 ml) of lukewarm water.
If needed, clean lightly with
solvent-type cleaner.
Combination stains: Such as candy,
ice cream, mayonnaise, chili sauce and
lnknown stains.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
clean with cool water and allow to
dry-
@ If a stain remains, clean it with
solvent-type cleaner.
Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
Rub with a clean, damp cloth to
remove dirt. You may have to do it
more than once.
Things like tar, asphalt and shoe
polish will stain if you don’t get them
off quickly. Use a clean cloth and a
solvent-type vinyl cleaner.
Cleaning Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarn water and
a mild soap or saddle soap.
For stubborn stains, use a mild
solution of
10% isopropyl alcohol
(rubbing alcohol) and
90% water.
solvent-based or abrasive cleaners,
furntiure polish or shoe polish on
leather.
immediately. If dirt is allowed,to work
into finish, it can harm the leather.
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument
Panel
Use only mild soap and water to Clean
the top surfaces of the instrument.pane1.
Sprays containing silicones or waxes
may cause annoying reflections in the
windshield and even make it difficult to
see through the windshield under certain
conditions.
Never use oils, varnishes,
Soiled leather should be cleaned
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