1997 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Tire

Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the
open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig, Acquaint yourself with the feel. of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle
you are
driving is now
a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle
is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller
by hand to be sure
the brakes
are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help
you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing
a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
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Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2
5-3
5-8
5-14
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating 5-26 If a Tire Goes Flat
5-26 Changing a Flat Tire
5-38 Compact Spare Tire 5-39
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
5-1

12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other
or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Pontiac.
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:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
rear with sling-type equipment.
0 That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an ac’cident, 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.
5-8

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 brake to
a st,ot, 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 t,o a level place.
Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
Cham- ng 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 tu
FIRST (1) or REWRSE (R).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle wan? 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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On convertible models, you must also remove the
convertible top protection panel. It’s
at the upper back of
the trunk. Turn the two screw knobs under the trunk
edge
a quarter turn left (counterclockwise) to remove
the panel.
The following steps will tell you
how to use the jack and
change a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you’ll need is in the right (passenger)
rear area behind the trim panel.
First you must remove the close-out panel. See
“Close-Out Panel” in the Index. Find the plastic screw
heads in the trim panel over
the
spare tire. (See “Compact Spare Tire” later in this
section for more information about the compact spare.)
Use a coin or a key to turn the screw heads until the
slots point front and back. Gently
Iift the trim panel and
move
it out of the way.
5-27

Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don’t remove them yet. Position the
jack under the vehicle. There
is a notch
in the vehicle’s rocker flange
on the coupe model.
Raise the jack head until
it fits firmly into the notch
nearest the flat tire.
On convertible models, place
the jack in a
similar location.
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I
2. Stay away from moldings or fender flanges to avoid
damaging them.
Put the compact tire near you.
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked L= is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured
or killed. Never get under
a vehicle
when it is supported only by a jack.
NOTICE:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned
will damage the vehicle or may allow
the vehicle to fall
off the jack. Be sure to fit the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising your vehicle.
5-32

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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