1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD spare tire

Replace the jack, wheel wrench and flat tire using the
storage instructions. When
you replace the trim panel,
be sure
to tuck it under the weatherstrip.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Trim Panel
Bolt
Cover
Jack
Wing Nut Adapter Compact
Spare Tire
Full-Size Tire
Carpet Flap
Tire Storage Bolt
Convertible Top Protection
Knob
5-39
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Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when
your
vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be 60 psi
(420 Wa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare is
made
to perform well at posted speed limits for
distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you can
finish your trip and have your full-size tire repaired or
replaced where you want. Of course, it’s best to replace
your spare with a full-size tire as soon as you can. Your
spare will last longer and be in good shape in case
you
need it again. When
the compact spare is
on the rear axle, the optional
traction control system will cycle and limit acceleration
for about the first
15 seconds of driving after each
engine start.
I NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through
an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
5-40
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NOTICE:
If the compact spare is used as a rear tire, do not
drive faster than
50 mph (80 km/h). Damage to
the rear axle may occur if the compact spare is
driven faster than 50 mph (80 km/h). This speed
limitation does not apply when the compact spare
is used as a front tire.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire
or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
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Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, located on the
driver’s door, shows the correct inflation pressures for
your tires when they’re cold. “Cold“ means your vehicle\

has been sitting for
at least three hours or driven no
more than 1 mile ( 1.6 km).
If you’ll be driving at speeds higher than 100 mph
(160 km/h) where it is legal, raise the cold inflation
pressure
of each tire to 35 psi (240 Pa). When you end
this very high-speed driving, reduce the cold inflation
pressures to those listed on the Tire-Loading
Information label.
NOTICE:
~ ~~ ~~ ~
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation
is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation),
you can
get the following:
Too much flexing
e Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
NOTICE: (Continued)
~ ~~~~
NOTICE: (Continued)
0 Bad wear
0 Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
Bad handling
0 Rough ride
Needless damage fram road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a-month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be
at 61) psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them.
Radial tires may look properly
inflated even when they’re underidlated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stem.
They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
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Don’t include the compact spare tire in your
tire rotation.
After the tires
have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear
inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the Index.
I
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to’ which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident,
When you change a wheel, remove
any rust or
dirt from places where the wheel
attach.& to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use
a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if
you need to, to get all the rust or dirt off.
(See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the.Index.)

When It’s The for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new
tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators,
which will
appear when your
tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need
a new tire if any of the following statements
are true: . .. 1. .. . .. ...
You can see the indicators at three or more places
.. . ‘ : __ .I
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s
rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a. bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that can’t be
repaired well because of the size or location of the damage.
6-48
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Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when
it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating, traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
I>>.,.. ,.. ;: (for mud and snow). A. . > ..
I ‘, -. If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted
or radial) as your original tires.
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have a crash.
Using tires
of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though.
It was developed for use on your vehicle.
.
6-49
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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.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger cars and light trucks may vary with respect
to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
I , conditions on a specified government test course. For
example,
a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 112) 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, and 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 (straightahead) 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 ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled co’nditions 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 performame
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109.
6-50
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Compact Disc Player ....................... 3- 13. 3 . 15
Errors ................................. 3.14. 3.17
Care ....................................... 3-22
Compact Spare Tire ............................. 5-40
Control of a Vehicle . . .. ........... 4-5
Convertible Top ....... .................... 2-66
Convex Outside Mirror .......................... , 2-57
Coolant ....................................... 6-26
Bleed Valves ................................. 5 -24
Heater. Engine ............................... 2-26
Recovery Tank ........................ ' ....... 5-, 17
Cooling System ................................ 5-15
Courtesy Lamps ................................ 2-53
Courtesy Transportation ........................... 8-7
Cruise Control .................................. 2-46
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone Users ......... 8-4
Customer Assktance Information ................... 8- 1
Customer Satisfaction Procedure .................... 8-2
Damage. Finish ................................ 6-60
Damage. Sheet Metal ............................ 6-60
Daytime Running Lamps ......................... 2-52
Dead Battery ................................... 5-2
Defects. Reporting Safety ................... ., 8-9. 8-10
Defensive Driving ............................... 4- 1
Defogger. Rear Window .......................... 3-4
Defogging ...................................... 3-5
Defrosting ., .................................... 3-5
Delayed Illumination ............................ 2-53
Dimensions. Vehicle ............................ 6-70
Dolby@ B Noise Reduction ....... ..... 3-9
Door
Last Door Closed Locking Feature
.... . . 2-4, 2-17
Lockout Prevention
................ . . 2.4, 2.17
Locks ......................... ....... 2-3
Downshifting .................................. 2-35
Driver Position ................................. 1 . 12
Driving Driver's Door Alarm Delay/Shock Sensor Enable
..... 2-20
City.' ........................................ 4-20
Defensive .......... ................... 4.- 1
Drunken ..................................... 4-2
Freeway .................................... 4-21
In a Blizzard ................................. 4-27
In Foreign Countries ........................... 6-4
In the Rain .................................. 4-17
Night ...................................... 4-15
On Curves .................................. 4-10
On Grades While Towing a Trailer ............... 4-37
On Hill and Mountain Roads .................... 4-23
On Snow and Ice ............................. 4-26
Throughwater ............................... 4-19
WetRoads .................................. 4-17
Winter ...................................... 4-25
With a Trailer ................................ 4-36
Drunken Driving ................................ 4-2
%lectrical Equipment, Adding .......... 2-24,3-21, 6-63
Electrical System ............................... 6-63
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