1995 PONTIAC FIREBIRD brakes

Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never .allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes
-- and they must be
adequate. Be sure
to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to instal, adjust and
maintain them properly. Because you have anti-lock
brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake
system. If you do, both brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel
of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand.to be sure
thg brakes
are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If you are towing a trailer and you have an automatic
transmission with Overdrive, you may prefer
to driving
in THIRD
(D) instead of OVERDRIVE (or, as you need
to, a lower gear). Or, if you have
a manual transmission
with FIFTH (or SIXTH) gear and you are towing a
trailer, it’s better not to use FIFTH (or
SIXTH) gear.
Just drive in FOURTH (drive in FIFTH if you have a
six-speed manual transmission) or, as you need to, a
lower gear.
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Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a
hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could
start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to
do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes, Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK (P), or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more on this. Things that
are especially important in trailer
operation
are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered
in this manual, and the Index will help you find them
quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
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Open the cap labeled WASHER FLUID ONLY. Add
washer fluid until the tank is full.
NOTICE:
When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
0 Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage your washer fluid tank and
other parts of the washer system. Also,
water doesn’t clean as well as washer fluid.
0 Fill your washer fluid tank only 3/4 full
when it’s very cold. This allows for
expansion, which could damage the tank
if
it is completely full.
windshield washer. It can damage your
washer system and paint.
0 Don’t use radiator antifreeze in your
Brake Master Cylinder
Your brake master cylinder is here. It is filled with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
your master cylinder might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the fluid level goes back up. The other reason is that
fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed, since a leak means
that sooner or later your brakes won’t work well, or
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What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No. 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only,
and always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap before removing it.
c,
NOTICE:
Don’t let someone put in the wrong kind of
fluid. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in
your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced.
Brake fluid can damage paint, so be careful
not to spill brake fluid on your vehicle.
If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
“Appearance Care” in the Index.
Brake Wear
Unless you have the four-wheel disc brake option, your
Pontiac has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched wanzing sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads
are needed. The sound may come and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except
when you
are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
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Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied, This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
If you have rear drum brakes, they don’t have wear
indicators, but if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing
noise, have the rear brake linings inspected.
Also, the
rear brake drums should be removed and inspected each
time the tires are removed for rotation or changing.
When you have the front brakes replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or
if there is a rapidincrease in pedal
travel.
This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake stop, your disc
brakes adjust for wear. If you rarely make a moderate or
heavier stop, then your brakes might not adjust correctly.
If you drive in that way, then -- very carefully -- make
a few moderate brake stops about every 1,000 miles
(1 600 km), so your brakes will adjust properly.
If your brake pedal goes down farther than norrid, your
rear drum brakes may need adjustment. Adjdsi them by
backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few times.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complkx. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and wokk well.
together if the vehicle is to have really good briking.
Vehicles
we design and test have top-quality GM brake
parts
in them, as your Pontiac does when it is new.
When you replace parts of your braking system, -- for
example, when your brake linings wear down dnd yob .
have to have new ones put in -- be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, yuia
brakes
may no longer work properly. For em$le, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
€& ybuf
vehicle, the balance between your front and re& btakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking perfoi-mhnce ,
you’ve come to expect can change in many other way$ if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
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On vehicles with a key release button, try to turn the key Park on a fairly steep hill, with the vehicle facing
to LOCK without pressing the button. The key should downhill. Keeping your foot on the regular brake, set the
turn to LOCK only with the key button depressed. parking brake.
On all vehicles, the key should come out only in LOCK. 0 To check the parking brake: With the engine running
Parking Brake and Automatic Transmission PARK foot pressumfrom the regular brake pedal. Do this
(P) Mechanism Check until the vehicle is held by the parking brake only.
and transmission in NEUTRAL (N), slowly remove
0 To check the PARK (P) mechanism's holding ability:
Shift to PARK (P). Then release all brakes.
Underbody Flushing
At least every spring, use plain water to flush any
corrosive materials from the underbody. Take care to
clean thoroughly
any areas where mud and other debris
can collect.
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Throttle Linkage Inspection
Inspect the throttle linkage for interference or binding,
and for damaged or missing parts. Replace parts as
needed.
Manual Transmission
Check the transmission fluid level; add if needed. See
“Manual Transmission”
in the Index. A fluid loss may
indicate a problem. Check the system and repair if
needed.
Rear Axle Service
Check the gear lubricant level in the rear axle and add if
needed. See “Rear Axle” in the Index. A fluid loss may
indicate a problem. Check the axle and repair it if
needed.
Brake System Inspection
Inspect the complete system. Inspect brake lines and
hoses for proper hookup, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing,
etc. Inspect disc brake pads for wear and rotors for
surface condition. Also inspect drum brake linings for
wear and cracks. Inspect other brake parts, including
drums, wheel cylinders, calipers, parking brake, etc. The
parking brake
is self-adjusting and no manual
adjustment is required.
You may need to have your
brakes inspected more often if your driving habits or
conditions result in frequent braking.
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