1994 PONTIAC FIREBIRD trailer

Features and Controls
@ Automatic Overdrive
This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power far passing, and you’re:
- Going less than about 35 mph
(56 kdh), push your accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
- Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way
down.
You’ll shift down to the
next gear and
have more power.
D (Third Gear)
This is like @ , but you never go into
Overdrive.
Here are some times you might choose
“D’ instead of @ :
- When driving on hilly, winding roads
- When towing a trailer, so there is less
shifting between gears
- When going down a steep hill
2 (Second Gear)
This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy.
You can use “2” on
hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but
then you would also want to use your
brakes off and on.
NOTICE:
Don’t drive in “2” (Second Gear)
for more than
5 miles (8 km), or at
speeds over
55 mph (88 kmh), or
you can damage your transmission.
Use
(EJ or “D” as much as possible.
Don’t shift into
“2” unless you
are going slower than
65 mph
( 105 km/h), or you can damage
your engine.
1 (First Gear)
This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
“2.” You
can use it on very steep hills, or in deep
snow or mud. If the selector lever is put
in
“I,” the transmission won’t shift into
first gear until fhe vehicle is going slowly
enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t
try to drive. This might happen if you
were stuck in very deep sand or mud
or were up against a solid object.
You
could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill,
don’t hold your vehicle there with
only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat and damage the transmission. Use your brakes or
shift into
“P” (Park) to hold your
vehicle in position on a hill.
Maximum engine speed is limited
to
protect driveline components from improper operation.
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Parking
Parking Brake
The parking brake uses the brakes on the
rear wheels.
To set the parking brake: Hold the brake
pedal down and pull up on the parking brake lever. If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake: Hold the
brake pedal down.
Pull the parking brake
lever up until you can push in the release
button. Hold the release button in as you
move the brake lever all the way down.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on
can cause your rear brakes to over-
heat. You may have to replace them,
and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on any hill:
See “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from
moving.
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Torque Lock
(AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t
shift your transmission into “P” (Park)
properly, the weight of the vehicle may
put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find it difficult
to pull the shift lever out of “P” (Park)
This is called “torque lock.” To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into “P’7 (Park) properly before
you leave the driver’s Seat. To find out
how, see “Shifting Into “P” (Park)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the
shift lever out of
“P” (Park) BEFORE you
release the parking brake.
If “torque lock” does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push yours
a little uphill to take some of the pressure
from the transmission,
so you can pull the
shift lever out of “P” (Park).
Shifting out of P (Park)
(AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION)
Your Pontiac has a brake-transmission
shift interlock. You have to fully apply
your regular brake before you can shift
from “P” (Park) when the ignition is in
the “Run” position. See “Automatic
Transmission” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out of
“F”’ (Park), ease
pressure on the shift lever
- push the
shift lever all the way into
“P” (Park) and
release the shift lever button as you
maintain brake application. Then press
the shift lever button and move the shift
lever into the gear you wish.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but
still can’t shift out of
“P” (Park), try this:
1. Turn the key to “Off.”
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end
3. Shift to “N’ (Neutral).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the
drive gear you want.
of
Step
4.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you
can.
Parking Your Vehicle
(MANUAL TRANSMISSION)
Before you get out of your vehicle, put
your manual transmission in
“R’
(Reverse) and firmly apply the parking
brake.
If your vehicle is equipped
to tow a
trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in the
Index.
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Running Your Engine While
You’re
Parked (AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION)
It’s better not to park with the engine
running. But if you ever have to, here are
some things to know.
Follow the proper steps to be sure your
vehicle won’t move. See “Shifting Into
“P” (Park)” in the Index.
[f you are parlung on a hill and if you’re
pulling a trailer, also see “Towing a
Trailer’’ in the Index.
Windows
Manual Windows
Use the window crank to open and close
each door window.
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67. .
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Here you^ find information
about driving on different kinds
of roads and in varying weather
conditions
. We’ve also included
many other useful tips
on
driving .
Part 4
Your Driving and the Road
Defensive Driving ........... .................................. 126
DrunkenDriving
................................................. 126
Zontrol
of a Vehicle ............................................... 128
DrivingatNight
.................................................. 136
Driving in the Rain
................................................ 137
7reeway Driving
.................................................. 139
lillandMountainRoads ........................................... 141
rowingaTrailer .................................................. 144
3tyDriving ..................................................... 138
WinterDriving
................................................... 142
r-
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Your Driving and the Road
You can run the engine to keep warm, but
be careful.
Run your engine only as long as you
must. This saves fuel. When you run the
engine, make it
go a little faster than just
idle. That
is, push the accelerator slightly.
This uses less fuel for the heat that you
get and it keeps the battery charged.
You
will need a well-charged battery to restart
the vehicle, and possibly for signaling
later on with your headlights. Let the
heater run for awhile. Then, shut the engine
off and close the
window almost
all the way to preserve-the
heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little
as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you
can. To help keep warm, you can get out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous
exercises every half hour or
so until help
comes.
Towing a Trailer
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NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by your
warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section, and
see your Pontiac dealer for important
information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is
equipped with the proper trailer towing
equipment. To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight
of the Trailer” that appears later in this
section. But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering
means changes
in handling, durability,
and fuel economy. Successful, safe
trailering takes correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it are
many time-tested, important trailering
tips and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of your
passengers.
So please read this section
carefully before you pull a trailer. Load-pulling components such
as the
engine, transmission, rear axle, wheel
assemblies, and tires are forced to work
harder against the drag of the added
weight, The engine is required to operate
at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat.
What’s more, the trailer adds considerably
to wind resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
If You Do Decide to Pull a Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
0 There are many different laws,
including speed limit restrictions,
having to do with trailering. Make
sure your rig will be legal, not only
where you live but also where you’ll
be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial
police.
0 Consider using a sway control. You
can ask a hitch dealer about sway
controls.
0 Don’t tow a trailer at all during the
first 1,000 miles (1 600 km) your
new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
(800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t
drive over
50 mph (SO h/h) and don’t
make starts at full throttle. This heips
your engine and other parts of your
vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when
towing a trailer. Don’t drive faster
than the maximum posted speed for
trailers (or no more than
55 mph
(90 km/h)) to save wear on your
vehicle’s parts.
Three important considerations have to do
with weight:
., )I
Weight of the .Trailer $:
How heavy can a trailer safelyabe?
It should never weigh more th&
1,500 pounds (680 kg) under nQrmal
driving conditions. It should n&er
weigh more than
1,000 pounds
(450 kg) when driven on long grades
at high ambient temperatures. But
even that can be too heavy.
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Your Driving and the
It depends on how you plan to use
your rig. For example, speed, altitude,
road grades, outside temperature and
how much your vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. And, it can
also depend on any special equipment
that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our
trailering information or advice, or
you can write
us at:
Pontiac Division Customer Assistance Center
One Pontiac Plaza
Pontiac, MI 48340-2952
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1
H 8P7
In Canada, write to:
. . .I46
Road
A B
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle. The capacity
weight includes the curb weight of the
vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it
and the people who will be riding in
the vehicle. And if you will tow a
trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehlcle’s capacity
weight because your vehicle will be
carrying that weight, too. See
“Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index
for more information about your
vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
If you’re using a “dead-weight”
hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weight
10% of the total loaded
trailer weight (B). If you have a
“weight-distributing” hitch, the
trailer tongue (A) should weigh 12%
of the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh
the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be able
to get them right simply by moving
some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are
inflated to the limit for cold tires.
You’ll find these numbers
on the
Certification label at the rear edge of
the driver’s door or see “Loading
Your Vehicle
” in the Index. Then be
sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit
for your vehicle.
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