1997 PONTIAC FIREBIRD light

AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
(If Equipped)
Playing the Radio
VOL: Push this knob to turn the system on and off.
To increase volume, turn the knob clockwise. Turn it
counterclockwise to decrease volume.
RECALL: Display the time with the ignition off by
pressing this knob. When the radio is playing, press this
knob to recall the station frequency.
Finding a Station
AM-FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and FM2. The display shows your selection.
TUNE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
choose radio stations. Push the knob back into its stored
position when
you’re not using it.
SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next
higher or lower station and stay there.
PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let
you return to your favorite stations.
You can set up to
18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2). Just:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press AM-FM to select the band.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until
SET appears on the display. Whenever you press that
numbered button, the station you set will return.
5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone
BASS: Slide the lever to the right or left to increase or
decrease bass.
TREBLE: Slide the lever to the right or left to increase
or decrease treble, If
a station is weak or noisy, you may
want to decrease the treble.
3-7

Adjusting the Speakers
BAL: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn this
knob to move the sound to the left or right speakers.
The middle position balances the sound between
the speakers.
FADE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn this
knob to move the sound to the front or rear speakers.
The middle position balances the sound between
the speakers.
Push these knobs back into their stored positions when
you’re not using them.
Playing a Cassette Tape
Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are
30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer than
that are
so thin they may not work well in this player.
While the tape is playing, use the
VOL, FADE, BAL,
BASS and TREB controls just as you do for the radio.
The display will
show an arrow to show which side of
the tape is playing. When the down indicator arrow is
lit, selections listed on the bottom side of the cassette are
playing, When the up arrow is lit, selections listed
on the
top side
of the cassette are playing. The tape player
automatically begins playing the other side when it
reaches the end
of the tape.
If E and a number appear on the radio display, the tape
won’t play because
of an error.
0 E10: The tape is tight and the player can’t turn the
tape hubs. Remove the tape. Hold the tape with
the open end down and try to turn the right hub
counterclockwise with
a pencil. Turn the tape over
and repeat.
If the hubs do not turn easily, your tape
may be damaged and should not be used in the
player. Try a new tape to make sure your player is
working properly.
Ell: The tape is broken. Try a new tape.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be
corrected, please contact your dealer.
If your radio
displays
an error number, write it down and provide it to
your dealer when reporting the problem.
PREV (I): Press this button or the SEEK down arrow to
search
for the previous selection on the tape. Your tape
must have at least three seconds
of silence between each
selection for
PREV or SEEK to work. The tape direction
arrow blinks during
PREV or SEEK operation. Press
PREV or the SEEK down arrow to stop searching. The
sound will mute during PREV or SEEK operation.

Playing the Radio
VOL: Push this knob to turn the system on and off. To
increase volume, turn the knob clockwise. Turn it
counterclockwise to decrease volume.
RECALL: Display the time with the ignition off by
pressing this knob. When the radio is playing, press this
knob to recall the station frequency.
Finding a Station
AM-FM:
Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and FM2. The display shows your selection.
TUNE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
choose radio stations. Push the knob back into its stored
position when you’re not using it.
SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next
higher or lower station and stay there.
PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let
you return to your favorite stations.
You can set up to
18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2). Just:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press AM-FM to select the band.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until
SET appears on the display. Whenever you press that
numbered button, the station you set will return.
5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone
EQUALIZER: A
seven band equalizer is part of your
audio system. Slide the levers up to boost or down
to
reduce frequency range.
Adjusting the Speakers
BAL: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
move the sound to the left or right speakers. The middle
position balances
the sound between the speakers.
FADE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
move the sound to the front or rear speakers. The middle
position balances the sound between
the speakers.
Push these knobs back into their stored positions
when
you’re not using them.
Playing a Cassette Tape
Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are
30 to 45 minutes long on e,ach side. Tapes longer than
that are so thin they may not work well in this play’er.
3-11

AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player
and Equalizer (If Equipped)
Included with the AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player
and Equalizer, are 10 high performance speakers and an
8 channel, 500 watt amplifier. See your dealer for details.
Playing the Radio
VOL: Push this knob to turn the system on and off.
To increase volume, turn the knob clockwise. Turn it
counterclockwise to decrease volume.
RECALL: Press this button briefly to recall the station
being played or to display the clock. If you press the
knob when the ignition is
off, the clock will show for a
few seconds.
Finding a Station
AM-FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and
FM2. The display shows your selection.
TUNE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
choose radio stations. Push the knob back into its stored
position when you’re not using it.
SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next
higher
or lower station and stay there,
PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let
you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to
18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2). Just:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press AM-FM to select the band.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until
SET appears on the display. Whenever you press that
numbered button, the station you set will return.
5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
3-14

Setting the Tone
EQUALIZER: A seven band equalizer is part of your
audio system. Slide the levers up to boost or down to
reduce frequency range.
Adjusting the Speakers
BAL: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
move the sound to the left or right speakers. The middle
position balances the sound between the speakers.
FADE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn it to
move the sound to the front or rear speakers. The middle
position balances the sound between the speakers.
Push these
knobs back into their stored positions when
you’re not using them.
Playing a Compact Disc
The integral CD player can play 8 cm “single”
mini-discs. Full-size compact discs and mini-discs are
loaded in the same manner.
Insert a disc partway into the slot, label side up. The
player will pull it in.
If the ignition and the radio are on,
the &ksc will begin playing. If you want to insert a disc
when
the ignition is off, first press EJECT.
If you’re driving on a very rough road or if it’s very hot,
the disc may not play and
E (error) and a number may
appear on the radio display. If the disc comes out, it
could be that:
0 The disc is upside down.
e It is dirty, scratched or wet.
0 The air is very humid. (If so, wait about an hour and
try again.)
If any error occurs repeatedly or
if an error can’t be
corrected, please contact your dealer.
If your radio
displays an error number, write it down and provide it to
your dealer when reporting the problem.
PREV (1): Press this button or the SEEK down arrow to
go to the start of the current track if more than eight
seconds have played.
If you hold the button or press it
more than once,
the player will continue moving back
through the disc.
NEXT (2): Press this button or the SEEK up arrow
to go to the start
of the next track if more than eight
seconds have played. If you hold the button or press it
more than once, the player will continue moving
forward through the
disc.
3-15

Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes
or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat. If they aren’t, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate
that you have used your tape player for
50 hours without
resetting the tape clean timer. If this message appears
on the display, your cassette tape player needs to be
cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as
soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and
player. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a
known good cassette
to see if it is the tape or the tape
player at fault. If this other cassette has
no improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player.
Cleaning may be done with a scrubbing action,
non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. It
is normal
for the cassette to eject while cleaning. Insert
the cassette at least three times to ensure thorough
cleaning.
A scrubbing action cleaning cassette is
available through your Pontiac dealership. You
may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not
eject and, it may not clean
as thoroughly as the
scrubbing type cleaner.
After you clean the player, press and hoId
EJECT for
five seconds to reset the CLN indicator. The radio will
display
--- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality
may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape is in good condition before you have your tape
player serviced.
Care of Your Compact Discs
Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight
and dust.
If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a
clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and
clean it, wiping from
the center to the edge.
Be sure never
to touch the signal surface when handling
discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the
edge
of the hole and the outer edge.
3-23

Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little. This is normal.
ABS
INOP
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay
on or
flash. See “Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road
is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with
ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to st,op rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
the
rear wheels.
4-7

The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time
you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance.
If you
get too close to the vehicle in
front
of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down and let anti-lock work for you.
You may feel
the system working, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a
braking skid, this light will come on.
See
“Low Traction Light” in the Index.
Traction Control System
(Option: LTI V8 Engine)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This
is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only
if it senses
that one or
both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the
system works the rear brakes and reduces engine power
(by closing the throttle and managing engine spark)
to limit wheel spin.