1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD warning light

Traction Control System Warning Light (Option)
T’CS
OFF
This warning light should
come on briefly as you start
the engine.
If the warning
light doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to
warn you if there’s
a problem.
I. . . -,.L-,-
If it stays on, or comes‘0n’’when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with
your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is
OW, the system will not lifnit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
If your brakes begin to overheat, the brake portion of the
traction control system will shut down, but the throttle
and engine spark control wiil continue to work. The
warning light will not
come on when this happens.
The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
If you turn the system off by pressing the button
located on the center of the console behind the shift
lever (Automatic Transmission) or in front of the
shiftboot (Manual Transmission), the warning light
will
come on and stay on. To turn the system back
on, press the button again. The warning light should
go
off. (See “Traction Control System’’ in the Index
for more information.)
If the temperature of the throttle control begins
to rise, the system will turn off and the warning
light will come on until the system cools down.
The system,does this
to prevent damage from
overheating.
If the tmchan CQII~XQ~ system warning light comes on
and stays on
for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
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Low Coolant Light (V8 Engine)
LOW
COOLANT
I
This warning light should
come on while
you are
starting your engine. If the
light doesn’t come on, have
it repaired.
Your Firebird
is equipped with a LOW COOLANT
indicator which is designed to detect when the coolant
level
drops below set limits. If the low coolant level
sensor (on the radiator)
drops while the engine is
running, ‘the LOW COOLANT indicator will light
and remain lit until the ignition switch is turned to
the
OFF position. Check coolant level and add coolant
as needed. The LOW COOLANT light might stay on
after filling the radiator., Turn the ignition switch to the
OFF position, then restart the engine to verify that the
LOW COOLANT light goes out. See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index.
~
NOTICE:
Driving with the LOW COOLANT light on could
cause your Pontiac to overheat. See “Engine
Overheating’’
in the^ Index. Your Pontiac could be
damaged md it wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
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NOTICE:
The oil level monitoring system only checks the oil level when you are starting your engine. It does not
keep monitoring the level once your
engine is running.
Also, the oil level check only
works when the engine has been turned
off long
enough for the oil to drain back into the oil pan.
Check Gages Light
CHECK GAGES
This warning light will
come on briefly when you
are starting the engine. If
the light comes on and stays
on while you are driving,
check your gages to see if
they are
in the warning
areas.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage shows about
how much fuel is in your
tank. The gage works only
when the ignition switch is
in the RUN position.
I I
When the gage pointer first indicates EMPTY (E), you
still have a little fuel left (about one to two gallons), but
you need
to get more right away.
Here are four concerns some owners have had about the
fuel gage. All these situations are normal and do not
indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage.
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
It takes more (or less) gas to fill up than the gage
gage
reads
FULL (F).
reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but it took
more (or less) than half of the tank’s capacity to fill it.
a The gage moves a little when you turn, stop or speed up.
When you turn the engine off, the gage doesn’t go
back to EMPTY (E).
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Avoid needless heavy bralung. Some people drive in
spurts --.heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool b’etween
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate
a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake
life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes.
If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops,
you will still. have some power brake assist. But
you will use
it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, It may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder
to push. , ,.
Anti-Lock Brakes
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will
help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your
anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test
is going on, and you ,may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little.
This is normal.
ABS
INOP
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on or
flash, See “Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light”
in the Index.
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abrupt upshift or downshft. Also, when the compact spare
tire is on the rear axle,
the traction control system will
cycle and limit acceleration for about
the first 15 seconds
of driving after each engine start.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. (See “Cruise Control”
in the Index.)
TCS
OFF
When the system is on,
this warning light will
come on to let you know
if
there’s a problem with your
traction control system.
See “Traction Control
System Warning Light”
in the Index.
When this warning light is
on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions,
you should
always leave the system on. But you
can turn the
traction control system
off if you ever need to.
(You should turn the system off if your vehicle ever
gets stuck in sand, mud, ice
or snow. See “Rocking
Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
Automatic Transmission Manual Transmission
To turn the system off, press the button located on
the center
of the console behind the shift lever
(Automatic Transmission) or in front
of the shift
boot (Manual Transmission).
The light on the button will go off, and the traction
control system warning light will come on and stay on.
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. If the traction control system is limiting wheel spin
when you press the button, the light on the button will
.go off and the warning light will come on -- but the
_. ._ ,system won't turn off right away. It will wait until
gathere's
no longer a current need to limit wheel spin. I
You can turn the system back an at any time by pressing
the button
again. The light on the button should come
on, and the traction control system w'arning light should
go off.
If your car is equipped with P245/50zR16 tires, the
traction control system will automatically
turn off at
speeds above 108 mph (1 74 km/h). (The traction, control
system waning light will not corn on.) When the
vehicle
speed drops below 103 mph (1 66 km/h) the
system will automatically come on again.
- Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even
the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system
is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much
more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the "driver lost control" accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here's why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us
is subject to
the same laws
of physics when driving on curves. The
traction
of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you've ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll understand
this.
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fou may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your Pontiac in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle. Include an
ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple
of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include
a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Pontiac's instrument panel. You may also find a
LOW COOLANT warning light on your Pontiac
instrument panel.
If Steam Is Comidg Frod Your Engine
p i;
A CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay.away
from the engine if you see or hear steam corning
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the
hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with
no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
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