1997 PONTIAC FIREBIRD belt

Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill.
If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and
the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual transmiss’ion.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3, When the wheel C~OGBS are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes, Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to
PARK (P), or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while
you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation
are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help you find them quickly,
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
sections before
you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-38

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Pontiac. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check imDortant fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your I
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2 Service
6-3 Fuel
6-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6-6 Filling Your Tank
6- 8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6- 12 Engine Oil
6-18 Air Cleaner
6-22 Automatic Transmission Fluid 6-27 Manual Transmission Fluid
6-29 Engine Coolant
6-3
3 Power Steering Fluid
6-35 Windshield Washer Fluid
6-36 Brakes
6-40 Battery
6-4
1 Bulb Replacement 6-49
6-58
6-5
8
6-6 1
6-63
6- 64
4-65
6-66
6- 67
6-68
6-68
6-68
6-73
6-73
Tires
Appearance Care Cleaning the Inside
of Your Pontiac
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Pontiac
Aluminum
or Chrome Wheels
Tires
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Replacement
Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
6-1

When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires
is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord
or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.

Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of dif€erent sizes or types
(radi,al
and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and
you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to
your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
It's
all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use 0n your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance, (This
applies
only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded
on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system
does not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary
use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some lirnited-pro'duction tires.
While the tires available
on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
performance Criteria
(TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate
of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the gov'esnrnent course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics
and climate.
6-54

Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones or
waxes may cause annoying reflections in the windshield
and even make it difficult to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
Do not bleach or dye sal belts. 1 v'ou do, it
may severely weaken them. In a crash, they
might not be able to provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild soap and
lukewarm water.
Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part
No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco
smoke and dust films on
interior glass.
Don't use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may
cause scratches. Avoid placing decals on
the inside rear
window, since they may have to be scraped off later. If
abrasive cleaners are used on the inside
of the rear
window, an electric defogger element
may be damaged.
Any temporary license should not be attached across the
defogger grid.
6-61

Maintenance Schedule
I Short TriplCity Definition I
Follow the Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule if any
one
of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
or other commercial application.
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to break
down soonex
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Chassis Lubrication
(or
6 months, whichever occurs first). Tire Rotation.
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) of Trailering: Rear
Axle Fluid Change (Vehicles Towing Trailers).
At the First 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Rear Axle Fluid
Change (Limited-Slip Differential).
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection, if driving in dusty conditions. Automatic
Transmission
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete muintenance schedule on
the following pages.
I- 7-5

Maintenance Schedule
n
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the
conditions from the Short Trip/City Maintenance
Schedule is true.
Do not use this schedule if the vehicle
is used for trailer towing, driven in
a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with n fully warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine oil to break
down sluwm
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change
(or every 12 months, whichever occurs first),
Chassis Lubrication (or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). Tire Rotation,
At the First 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Rear Axle Fluid
Change (Limited-Slip Differential),
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 109,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service
(or every 60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be
sure to follow the cornnlete maintenance schedule on
the following pages,
7-6

I Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule I
60,000 Miles (I00 000 km) (Continued)
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
If you do not use your vehicle under any of
these conditions, change the fluid and filter at
lO0,OOO miles (166 000 km).
Manual transmission fluid doesn’t
require change.
0 Inspect engine accessory drive belt.
0 Replace air cleaner filter.
delivery
service.
An Emission Control Service.
0 Inspect fuel tank, cap and lines for damage
or leaks. Inspect fuel cap gasket €or any
damage. Replace parts as needed.
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote?.)
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and
Rotation’’ in the Index for proper rotation
pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.) (Also see hotnote ++.)