1997 PONTIAC FIREBIRD light

LOW
TRAC
This light will come on
when your traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin. See “Low Traction
Light” in the Index.
You
may feel or hear the system
working, but this is normal.
TCS
OFF
When the system is on,
this warning light will
come on to let you how
if
there’s a problem with your
traction control. system.
See “Traction Control
System Warning Light”
in the Index.
The traction control system may operate on dry roads
under some conditions, and you may notice a reduction
in acceleration when this happens. This is normal and
doesn’t mean there’s a problem with your vehicle.
Examples of these conditions include a hard acceleration
in
a turn, or an abrupt upshift or downshift. Also, when
the compact spare tire is on
the rear axle, the traction
control system will cycle and limit acceleration for about
the first 15 seconds of driving after each engine start.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. (See “Cruise Control’’ in
the Index.)
When this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off
if you ever need to. (You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud,
ice or snow. See “Rocking Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
4-9

To turn the system off, press
the button located at the
front
of the console.
The light on
the switch will go off, and the traction
control system warning light will come on and stay on.
If the traction control system is limiting wheel spin
when
you press the switch, the light on the switch will
go off and the warning light will come on -- but the
system won’t turn
off right away. It will wait until
there’s
no longer a current need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the switch again. The light
on the button should come
on, and the traction control system warning light should
go off. If
your car is equipped with P245/5OZR16 tires, the
traction control system will automatically turn
off at
speeds above 108 mph
(174 km/h). (The traction control
system warning light will not come on.) When the
vehicle speed drops below
103 mph (166 kmh) the
system will automatically come on again.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
4- 10

Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn
it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and
just
as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible
is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
I OFF-ROAD RECOVERY / ,
I
I
’/// edge of paved surface
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can
turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your
steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
4-12

Here are some tips on night driving.
a
e
0
m
e
e
e
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can’t
see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially
on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see
the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can
also affect your night
vision.
For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine
you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will have
less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare
from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps.
It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to
the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t
lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed
keadlamps), slow down
a little. Avoid staring directly
into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse
by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up
a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and
flash more than clean glass would,
making
the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light
up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn
or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier
to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just
as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren’t even aware of it.
4-16

Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some
car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work
as well in
a quick stop and may cause pulling to
one side. You could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.
4-18

Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen if a lot
of water is standing on
the road.
If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles
or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddies or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine’s air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody
of your vehicle. If you
can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared
to have your view restricted
by road spray.
“Tires” in the Index.)
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See
4-19

City Driving Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get
a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time
and energy. (See the
next part,
“Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light
is there because the corner
is busy enough to need it.
When a light turns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection
or mav be running the
red light.
One
of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount
of traffic on them, You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention
to
traffic signals.
4-20

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave
the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop
and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can
be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce
your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower
than you actually are,
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in,
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready
to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Pontiac dealerships all across North America.
They’ll be
ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are
some things you can check before a trip:
0
a
a
a
a
0
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all worlung? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: Th’ey are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recomended pressure?
Weather Fureecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay
your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-22