1994 PONTIAC FIREBIRD ESP

Service and Appearance Care
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic
transmission fluid level
is when the
engine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to change your fluid. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a Pontiac dealership Service
Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all
the instructions here, or
you could get a
false reading on the dipstick.
Too much or too little fluid can
damage your transmission. Too much
can mean that some of the fluid could
come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading
if you
check your transmission fluid. Wait
at least 30 minutes before checking
the transmission fluid level if you have
been driving:
When outside temperatures are above
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic - especially in hot
90°F (32°C).
weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should
be at normal operating temperature,
which is 180°F to 200°F (82°C to 93°C).
To check transmission fluid hot: Get
the vehicle warmed up by driving
about
15 miles (24 km) when outside
temperatures
are above 50°F ( 10°C).
If it’s colder than 50°F ( lO”C), drive
the vehicle in
“D’ (Third Gear) until the
engine temperature gage moves and then
remains steady for
ten minutes. Then
follow the hot check procedures.
To check transmission fluid cold: A cold
check is made after the vehicle has been
sitting for eight hours or more with the
engine
off and is used only as a reference.
Let the engine run at idle for five minutes
if outside temperatures are 50°F
(10°C)
or more. If it’s colder than 50°F (lO°C),
you may have to idle the engine longer.
Should the fluid level be low during a
cold check, you must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you a
more accurate reading of the fluid level.
To check the fluid hot or cold:
0
Park your vehicle on a level place.
With the parking brake applied, place
the shift lever
in “P” (Park).
With your foot on the brake pedal,
move the shift lever through each gear
range, pausing for about three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in “P” (Park).
Let the engine
run at idle for three
minutes or more.
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Service and Appearance Care
If the fluid level is low, add only enough
of the proper fluid to bring the level up to
the “COLD’ area for a cold check or the
“HOT” area for a hot check. It doesn’t
take much fluid, generally less than a pint.
Don’t overfill. We recommend you use
only fluid labeled DEXRON@-I11 or
DEXRON@-IIE, because fluids with
that label are made especially for your
automatic transmission. Dama
e caused
by fluid other than DEXRON
-111 or
DEXRON@-IIE is not covered by your
new vehicle warranty.
0 After adding fluid, recheck the fluid
level as described under
“How to
Check.”
obtained, push the dipstick back in all
the way.
&
When the correct fluid level is
Manual Transmission Fluid
How to Check:
Because this operation can be difficult,
you may choose to have this done at a
Pontiac dealership Service Department.
If you
do it yourself, be sure to follow all
the instructions here, or you could get a
false reading.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can
damage your transmission.
Too rriuch
can mean that some of the fluid could
come out and fall
on hot engine parts
or exhaust system, starting a
fire. Be
sure to get
an accurate reading if you
check your transmission fluid.
Check the fluid level only when your
engine is off, the vehicle is parked on a
level place and the transmission is cool
enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transmission case.
Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to
the bottom of the filler plug hole.
3. If the fluid level is good, install the
plug and be sure it is fully seated. If
the fluid level is low, add more fluid
as described in the next steps.
How to Add Fluid:
Here’s how to add fluid. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Add fluid at the filler plug hole. Add
only enough fluid to bring the fluid
level up to the bottom of the filler
plug hole.
3. Install the filler plug. Be sure the plug
is fully seated.
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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.
ll r JI
t \/t
IAI
MI
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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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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Section E: Maintenance Record
After the scheduled services are performed, record the date, odometer reading and who performed the service in the columns
indicated. When completing the Maintenance Performed column, inse\
rt the numbers from the Schedule
I or Schedule I1
maintenance charts which correspond to the maintenance performed. Also, you should retain all maintenance receipts. Your
owner information portfolio is a convenient place to store them.
DATE READING
ODOMETER SERVIC~D BY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED
255.. .
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Customer Assistance Information
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure
Your satisfaction and goodwill are
important to your dealer and Pontiac.
Normally, any concern with the sales
transaction or the operation of your
vehicle will be resolved by your
dealer’s Sales or Service Departments.
Sometimes, however, despite the
best intentions of all concerned,
misunderstandings can occur. If your
concern has not been resolved to your
satisfaction, the following steps should
be taken:
STEP ONE: Discuss your concern with
a member of dealership management.
Normally, concerns can be quickly
resolved at that level. If the matter has
already been reviewed with the Sales,
Service, or Parts Manager, contact the
owner of the dealership or the General
Manager.
STEP TWO: If after contacting a
member of dealership management, it
appears your concern cannot be resolved
by the dealership without further help,
contact the Pontiac Customer Assistance
Center by calling 1 -800-PM-CARES.
[n Canada, contact GM of Canada
Customer Assistance Center
in Oshawa
by calling 1-800-263-3777 (English) or
1-800-263-7854 (French). In Mexico,
call (525) 254-3777. In Puerto Rico or
U.S. Virgin Islands, call 1-809-763- 13 15.
[n all other overseas locations, contact
GM North American Export Sales in
Canada by calling 1-905-644-4 1 12.
For prompt assistance, please have the
following information available to give
the Customer Assistance Representative:
Your name, address, home and
business telephone numbers
Vehicle Identification Number (This is
available from the vehicle registration
or title, or the plate attached to the left
top of the instrument panel and visible
through the windshield.)
Dealership name and location
0 Vehicle delivery date and present
Nature of concern
We encourage you to call the toll-free
number listed previously in order to give
your inquiry prompt attention. However, if you wish to write Pontiac, write to:
mileage United
States
Pontiac Division
Customer Assistance Center
3ne Pontiac Plaza
Pontiac, MI 48340-2952
Canada
Seneral Motors of Canada Limited
Zustomer Assistance Center, 163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Dshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Refer to your Warranty and Owner
4ssistance Information booklet for
2ddresses
of Canadian and GM Overseas
3ffices.
When contacting Pontiac, please
remember that your concern will likely
be resolved in the dealership, using the
dealership’s facilities, equipment and
personnel. That is why
we suggest you
follow Step One first if you have a
concern.
Customer Assistance for the Hearing or
Speech Impaired (TDD)
To assist customers who have hearing
difficulties, Pontiac has installed special
TDD (Telecommunication Devices for
the Deaf) equipment at its Customer
Assistance Center. Any hearing or speech
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