1995 PONTIAC FIREBIRD brakes

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.
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
THIRD (3): This is like D, but you never go into
Overdrive.
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting Here are some times you might choose THIRD instead
out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL [N) with the of OVERDRIVE:
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty. - When driving on hilly, winding roads.
- When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
AUTOMATIC OVERDWE (D) between gears.
This position is for normal driving. If you need more
power for passing,
and you’re:
- Going less than about 35 mph (56 kmk), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
- Going about 35 mph (56 kmk) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more
power.
- When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy.
You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go dowri-:.steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want-to use
’,
your brakes off and on.
4
!
1
I
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND for more than 5 miles
(8 km), or at speeds over 55 mph (88 km/h), or
you can damage your transmission. Use
OVERDRIVE or
THIRD as much as possible.
Don’t shift into SECOND unless you are going
slower than
65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage’your engine.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You can
use it
on very steep hills, or in deep snow or. mud. If the
selector lever is put
in FIRST (l), the transmission
won’t shift into
first gear until the 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 acceleratw
pedal.
This could overheat and damage the
transmission.
Use your brakes or shift into
BARK (P) to hold your vehicle in position
on.‘
a hill.
.- e 1Y .,
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
Lomponents from improper operation.
2-26
ProCarManuals.com

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.
ProCarManuals.com

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.
To release the parking brake:
L
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 overheat.
You may have to
replace them,
and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
2-33
ProCarManuals.com

Cruise Control (Option)
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 rnph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on the
accelerator.
This can really help on long trips. Cruise control
does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, or push the clutch pedal,
if you have a manual transmission, the cruise control
shuts
off.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the optional
traction control system begins to limit wheel spin,
the cruise control will automatically disengage. (See
“Traction Control” in the Index.) When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, you may
turn the cruise
back on.
2-45
ProCarManuals.com

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ABS
INOP
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come on when
you
start your engine and it will stay on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it fixed so it
will be ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull
off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Car” in the Index.)
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and
tum
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Pontiac needs service.
If the
light
is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
2-70
ProCarManuals.com

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only
an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination,
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot
of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition
of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; and the condition of your brakes.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
ProCarManuals.com