1997 PONTIAC FIREBIRD flat tire

3. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and spare wheel.
Raise the vehicle
by rotating the wheel wrench
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough
off the
ground
so there is enough room for the spare tire to
fit. Remove all the wheel nuts and take
off the
flat tire.
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Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel
to become loose
and even come
off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts.
If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new
GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as
soon as you can and have the
1 nuts tightened with a torque wrench to 100 lb-ft
(140 N.m).
--
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the
wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Don’t try to put a center cap on your compact spare
tire. It won’t fit. Store the center
cap in the rear area
until you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
NOTICE:
Center caps won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a center cap on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or @he spare.
Sto-5g a Flat or Spr-s Tirp --d To&
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury.
In a sudden stop or collision, loose
1 equipment could strike someone. Store all these
~ in the proper place.
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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 : Trim Panel
2. Bolt
3. Cover
4. Jack
5. Wing Nut
6. Adapter
7. Compact Spare Tire
8. Full-Size Tire
9. Carpet Flap
10. Tire Storage Bolt
11. Convertible Top Protection
12. Knob
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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 kPa).
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 speeds
up to 65 mph
(105 km/h) 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. (When the
compact spare
is used on the rear axle, see Notice
below.) 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.
NOTICE:
If the compact spare is used as a rear tire, do not
drive faster than
50 mph (SO km/h). Damage to
the rear axle may occur
if the compact spare is
driven faster than 50 mph
(80 kmh).
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3.
4.
Hold the wiper blade assembly with one hand and
pull
the element gently with the other hand.
(Replacement blade elements have
three plastic caps
which retain two metal flexor strips.
Do not remove
these caps before the element
is installed.)
At
the heel end of the blade assembly, notched end
of blade element last, slide the blade element into the
blade claw sets.
The plastic retainer caps will be
forced off as the element is fully inserted. Make sure
that all the claw sets
are properly engaged in the
slots of the blade element.
Install wiper blade assembly on wiper arm.
For information on windshield wiper blade replacement
type
and length, see “Capacities and Specifications” in
the Index.
Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has the headlamp system. These headlamps
have horizontal and vertical aim indicators. The
aim
has been pre-set at the factory and should need no
further adjustment.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident and the
headlamp aim seems to be affected, see your Pontiac
dealer. Headlmps on damaged vehicles may require
recalibration of
the horizontal aim by your Pontiac dealer.
To check the aim, the vehicle should be properly
prepared
as follows:
a The vehicle must have a11 four tires on a! perfectly
level surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
There should not be any ‘cargo or loading of the
attached tu it.
vehicle, except it should have a full tank of gas and
one person or
160 lbs. (75 kg) on the driver’s seat.
e Tires should be properly inflated.
The horizontal indicator should read “0.”
NOTICE:
To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read
all the instructions before
beginning. Failure to follow th’ese instructions
could cause damage to headlamp parts.
State inspection stations will allow a vertical reading of
plus
0.76 degrees or minus 0.76 degrees fr0m the center
of the bubble.
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It is recommended that the upper limit not exceed plus
0.4 degrees from the center of the bubble. Other drivers
may flash their high beams at you if your adjustment
is
much above plus 0.4 degrees.
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.
Pa - - ly maintained and imp1 ,derly L,Ld tires
are dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause overheating
as
a result of too much friction. You could have
an air-out and
a serious accident. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION:
(Continued,
0 Underinflated tires pose the same darlger 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
-9 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 “Inflation
-- Tire Pressure” in this section
for inflation pressure adjustment for higher
speed driving.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be
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Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is 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 kdh) where it is legal, raise the cold inflation
pressure
of each tire to 35 psi (240 kPa). 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
0 Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
0 Bad handling
0 B,ad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
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When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
uon’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 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 underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When It’s
Time for New Tires” and
“Wheel Replacement’’ later in this section for
more information. The
purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation
is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
If you don’t have P245/5OZR16 or P275/40ZR17
Goodyear Eagle GS-C tires, use the rotation pattern
shown above for your tires.
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