1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD tires

Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Pontiac dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Firebird.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like
fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
That you vehicle has rea-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle!
rear
with sling-type equipment.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want
to see them.
I I
To help avoid injury to you OF others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
0 Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
0 Never tow with damaged parts not fully
secured.
0 Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted
by the tow truck.
0 Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety
chains when tswhg it.
0 Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being towed.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel
firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently bralie to
a stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may
require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.,
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
I
A CAUTILN:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over
you or other
people. You and they could be
badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift
lever in
PARK (P), or shift a manual
transmission to
FIRST (1) or
REVERSE (a).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks
at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
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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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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
What you d0n’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must
use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be
igjlared. And,
the transmission
or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels
as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while
shifting your transmission back
and forth,
you can destroy your transmission.
For infomation about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
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has traction control, you should turn the system off. (See
“Traction Control System” in the Index.) Then shift
back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear (or with a manual transmission, between
FIRST (1)
or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R)), spinning the
wheels
as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you
shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal
when the transmission is in gear. If that doesn’t
get you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed
out. If
you do-need to be towed out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle” in the Index. !-
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NOTICE:
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. 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. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong
kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not
to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care”
in the Index.
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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 warning 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 fiy).
The brake wear warning sound means that sooner
or later your brakes won’t work well. That could
lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
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.
Free movement
of brake calipers and properly torqued
wheel nuts are necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect brake calipers
for movement, brake pads for wear, and evenly torque
wheel nuts in the proper sequence to
GM specifications.
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
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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 rapid increase
in pe’dal
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 YOU brake pedal goes down farther than narmd, you
rear drum brakes may need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few times.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
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 and you
have to have new ones
put in - be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes my no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change - for the wme. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways if
someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts.
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Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new Pontiac comes with
high-quality tires made
by a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about your tire warranty and
where to obtain service, see your Pontiac Warranty
booklet for details.
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
Overloading’ your tires can cause overheating
as a result of too much friction. You codd
have an airout and a serious accident.
See “Loading Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
, : , .
impact -- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at
the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread
is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
See ‘%flation -- Tire Pressure” in this sectiisa
for inflation pressure adjustment for higher
speed driving.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be IC -..&
. : .I
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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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