1995 PONTIAC FIREBIRD ignition

Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
NOTICE: ~
If your
key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it is all the way in. If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using
a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
If you have power door locks, your vehicle has a feature
called Retained Accessory Power (RAP). With
RAP
your power door locks, electric mirrors, power
windows, audio system and remote hatch release will
continue to work up to
10 minutes after the ignition key
is turned to
OW and neither door is opened.
If a door is opened, the audio system and power
windows will shut
off. The power door locks, electric
mirrors and remote hatch release work until you shut the
door. Once you have shut
the door, these accessories
will continue to work for approximately
35 seconds.
After this time you will not be able to use these
accessories until the next time you open
a door or turn
the ignition.
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Starting Your Engine
Engines start differently. The 8th digit of your Vehicle
Identification Number
(VIN) shows the code letter or
number for your engine. You will fiid the
VIN at the top
left of your instrument panel. (See “Vehicle
Identification Number”
in the Index.) Follow the proper
steps to start the engine.
Automatic transmission:
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N)
only.
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Pontiac is
moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle
is stopped.
Manual transmission:
The gear selector should be in neutral. Hold the clutch
pedal to the
floor and start the engine. Your vehicle
won’t
start if the clutch pedal is not all the way down --
that’s a safety feature.
To start your V6 engine:
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed
will go down as your‘
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer thh
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive. heat
can damage your starter motor.
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2. If your engine won’t start (or starts but then stops), it
could be flooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the car starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine. ~ ~
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed
to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories9 you could change the
way
the fuel in&tion system operates. Before adding
electrical equipment, check with your dealer.
If
you don’t, your engine might not perform
properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Car” in the ‘Index.
To start your 5.7 Liter LT1 engine:
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go
of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets
warm.
I
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start within 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor, while you
hold the ignition key in START. When the engine
starts, let go
of the key and let up on the accelerator
pedal. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to
help avoid draining your battery.
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When starting your engine in very cold weather (below
0°F or -18"C), do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START and hold it there. When the
engine starts, let
go of the key. Use the accelerator
pedal to maintaiq engine speed, if you have to, until
your engine has run for
a while.
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the
car starts
briefly but then stops again,
do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
2. If your engine still won't start (or starts but then
' NOTICE:
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7
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the
way
the fuel injection system operates. Before adding
electrical equipment, check with your dealer.
If
you don't, your engine might not perform
properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that tells how to do
it
without damaging your vehicle. See "Towing
Your Car" in the Index.
' 4+
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Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your Pontiac has a
brake-transmission shift interlock. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P) when the ignition key is in the RUN position.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) and also release the shift lever button on floor
shift console models
as you maintain brake application.
Then move the shift lever into the gear you wish. (Press
the shift lever button before moving the shift lever on
floor shift console models.) See “Shifting Out of
PARK (P) in
this part.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transmission. Shift to REVERSE
(R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck:
In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow, If You’re” in the
Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL,
(N) when your vehicle is being towed.
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You can shift into FIRST (1) when you’re going less
than
20 mph (32 kmk). If you’ve come to a
complete stop and it’s hard to shift into FIRST
(1)
put the shift lever in NEUTRAL and let up on the
clutch. Press the clutch pedal back down. Then shift
into FIRST
(1).
0 SECOND (2): Press the clutch pedal as you let up
on the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (2).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press
the accelerator pedal.
THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, and SIXTH (3,4,5,
and 6 Gears): Shift into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4),
FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6) the same way you do for
SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
0 To Stop: Let up on the accelerator pedal and press
the brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift
to“Neutra1.”
0
0
NEUTRAL (N): Use this position when you start or
idle your engine.
REVERSE (R): To back up, press down the clutch
pedal and shift into REVERSE (R). Let up on the
clutch pedal slowly while pressing the accelerator
pedal. If you
shift from SIXTH (6) into REVERSE
(R) the shift lever must be first placed in the
NEUTRAL position centered between SECOND
(2)
and THIRD (3) prior to shfting into REVERSE (R).
Your six-speed manual transmission has a feature that
allows you to safely shift into REVERSE (R) while the
vehicle is rolling (at less than
5 mph). You will be
locked-out if you try to shift into REVERSE (FQ while
your vehicle is moving faster than
5 mph.
If you have turned your ignition off and wish to park
your vehicle
in Reverse, you will have to move the shift
lever quickly to the right, “crashing” through the high
load spring and then into gear.
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Limited-Slip Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your rear axle can give you
additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It
works like a standard axle most
of the time, but when
one of the rear wheels has no traction and the other does,
the limited-slip feature
will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
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.
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2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position like
this:
Hold in the button on the lever, and push the
lever all the way toward the front of your car.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
walk away from your car with the ignition key in
your hand, your car
is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission Models
Only)
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into the PARK (P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without first pushing the button. If you can, it means
that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into PARK
(P).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) 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 PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK
(P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)
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 PARK (P).
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