1997 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Owners Manual

Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into
PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission.
You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of
PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK
(P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK
(P)” in the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle
push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission)
Before you get out of your vehicle, put your manual
transmission in REVERSE (R) and firmly apply the
parking
brake.
If your vehicle is equipped to tow a trailer, see “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index,
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
Your Pontiac has a brake-transmission shift interlock.
You have to fully apply your regular brake before you
can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition is in the
RUN position.
See “Automatic Trans---’ssion” in
the Index.
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 release the shift lever button as you
maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever
button and move the shift lever into the gear you wish.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out of PARK (P),
try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
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Parking Over Things That Burn
rn ........... .......... ...........
A CAUTION:
I
Engine Exhaust
I
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that
can burn. Engine exhaust can
kill.
It contains the gas
carbon monoxide
(CO), which you can’t see or
smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
0 Your exhaust system sounds strange
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
0 Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
0 Your vehicle was damaged when driving over
high points on the road or over road debris.
0 Repairs weren’t done correctly.
Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
0 Drive it only with all the windows down to
0 Have your vehicle fixed immediately.
or different.
modified improperly.
blow out any
CO; and

Running Your Engine While You’re
Parked (Automatic Transmission)
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
er have to, here are some things.. .fl,.:?=....v,> tg kngw,. ,:+:-., i::, ,..>?pd; y.
Idling the engine with the air system control off
could allow dangerous exhaust into your vehicle
(see the earlier Caution under <‘Engine Exhaustss),
Also, idling in
a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CU) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is
at the highest setting. One place
this
can happen is a garage. Exhaust -- with
CO -- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be
a blizzard, (See
“Blizzard” in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake
firmly set, Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you’ve left the
engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly.
You
or others could be injured. ‘Bo be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift PWW to P;ARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling a
trailer, also see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.
2-42

Windows
Manual Windows
Rotate the window crank handle to open and close each
door
window.
Power Windows (If Equipped)
With power windows, switches on the door control each
window when
the ignition is on or when RAP is present.
(See “Retained Accessory P’ower’’ in the Index.) You
can open the passenger’s window any amount by
pressing the switch and releasing it when the window
has lowered to the position
you want.
The switch for the driver’s window has an express-down
feature. Quickly press and release the switch for the
driver’s window and the window will lower completely.
You can also open the driver’s window any
amount by
pressing the switch again while the window is in the
express-down mode when
it has lowered to the position
you want.
Horn
To sound the horn, press either horn symbol on your
steering wheel.
If your horn sounds two or three chirps when unlocking
your vehicle with the transmitter (if you have that
option), the alarm was triggered while
you were away.
Check the vehicle before entering.
2-43

Tilt Steering Wheel Thrn SignaVMultifunction Lever
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before
you drive.
You can also raise it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when
you exit and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to
a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel in place.
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
0 Turn Signal and Lane Chaaage Indicator
0 Headlamp HighLow Beam Changer and
Passing Signal
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
Cruise Control (Option)
2-44

Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the,lever all the way up or down.
When the turn
is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
An arrow
on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction of the turn
or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release
it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash but just stay on,
a signal bulb may be burned out
and other drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a turn, check the
fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit
Breakers” in the Index).
Headlamp High/Low Beam
To change the headlamps
from low beam to high or
high to low, pull the turn
signal lever all the way
toward
you. Then release it.
When the high beams are
on, this light
on the
instrument panel also will
be on.
2-45

Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by turning the band
with the wiper
symbol on it.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST. Hold
it there until
the wipers start, then let go. The wipers will
stop
after one cycle. If you want more cycles, hold the
band
on MIST longer.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful in light rain or
snow. Turn the band
to choose the delay time. The
closer to LO, the shorter the delay.
For steady wiping at low speed, turn the
band away
from
you to the LO position, For high-speed wiping,
turn the band further, to
HI, To stop the wipers, move
the band
to OFF.
Damaged wiper blades may prevent you from seeing
well enough to drive safely.
To avoid damage, be sure to
clear ice and snow from the wiper blades before using
them.
If they’re frozen to the windshield, carefully
loosen
or thaw them. If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades
or blade inserts,
Heavy
snow or ice can overload your wipers. A circuit
breaker will
stop them until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice to prevent an overload.
2-46

Windshield Washer
At the top of the turn signal lever, there’s a paddle with
the word
PUSH on it. To spray washer fluid on the
windshield, just push the paddle for less than a second.
The washer will continue to spray until you release the
paddle. The wipers will clear the window and wipe
a
few more times before stopping or returning to the
previous setting. See “Windshield Washer Fluid” in
the Index.
n freezing weather, don’t I : your was1 r until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can
form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of ab’out
25 mph (40 kmh) 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 kmh).
When you apply your brakes, or push the clutch pedal,
if you have a manual transmission, the ‘cruise control
shuts
off.
2-47