1997 PONTIAC FIREBIRD change time

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.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you’re
in a curve, speed is
the one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you
suddenly accelerate. Both control systems -- steering and
acceleration
-- have to do their work where the tires meet
the road. Unless you have traction control and the system
is on, adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much of
those places. You can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up
on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to
go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based
on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed
so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can
avoid these problems by braking
-- if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t
room.
That’s the time for evasive action -- steering around
the problem.
Your Pontiac can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in
Emergencies” earlier in this section.)
It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem,
to the left
or right depending on the space available.
4-11

Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead
of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle
you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps
are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
0 If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to
the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are
always possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to your Pontiac’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in
the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid
is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If
you have the traction control system, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
4-14

Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer
is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section.
Ask your Pontiac dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Pontiac
dealer
for important information about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
3800 and 5.7L engines and proper trailer towing
equipment.
To identify what the vehicle trailering capacity
is for your vehicle,
you should read the inforrnation in
“Weight of the Trailer” that appears later in
this section.
But trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by
itself. Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering
takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and
that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before
you pull a trailer.
4-32

~ Rust or dirt on the
wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the 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 the places
where the wheel attaches 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.
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident,
Replace the wheel nuts with the rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel. Tighten each nut by hand
until the wheel is held against the hub.
5-34

1 Vf a I IJ
If you have the 5.7L LT1 engine (with the WS6 option),
your air cleaner will be located over the radiator near the
front
of the engine.
To remove the filter, remove the screws (located on the
rear edge of the air cleaner), lift the air cleaner and
remove
the filter.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every 15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
regularly reaches
90” F (32” C) or higher.
0 Uses such as high
performance operation.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do
not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter every
100,000 miles ( 166 000 km),
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
6-22

Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. However, the fluid in your manual
transmission doesn’t require changing.
How to Check
Because this operation can be difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Pontiac dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or
you could get a false reading.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much ‘can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
: sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
I transmission fluid.
Check the fluid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle is parked on a level place and the transmission is
cool
enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transmission case.
Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom
of the filler plug hole.
3. If the fluid level is good, install the plug and be sure
it is fully seated. If the fluid level
is low, add more
fluid as described in the next steps.
How to Add Fluid
Here’s how to add fluid. Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine what kind of fluid to use. See
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Add fluid at the filler plug hole. Add only enough
fluid to bring the fluid level up to the bottom of
the filler plug hole.
3. Install the filler plug. Be sure the plug is fully seated.
6-27

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 may 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 worse. The braking performance
you’ve come
to expect can change in many other ways if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Pontiac has a Delco Freedom@ battery. You
never have to add water to one of these. When it’s time
for a new battery, we recommend a Delco Freedom
battery. Get
one that has the replacement number shown
on the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days
or more, take off the black, negative
(-) cable from
the battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See
‘‘Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
I 1
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio
system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature”
in the Index.
6-40

If you have P245/50ZRl6 or P27940ZR17 Goodyear
Eagle
GS-C tires, they must roll in a certain direction
for the best overall performance. The direction is shown
by an arrow on the sidewall. Because these tires are
directional, they should be rotated
as shown here. These
tires should
only be moved from front to rear and rear to
front on the same side of the vehicle.
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 pa; cJ to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time.
The wheel could come off and caus’e
an accident.
When you change a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt frolm places where the wheel
attaches 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.)
6-52