1998 PONTIAC FIREBIRD check engine light

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 or pulses a little. This is normal.
ABS
INOP
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay
on.
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 stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each
front wheel and at
both rear wheels.
4-7

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 fiist 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:
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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 working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They 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
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: 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

I A CAUTION:
I
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide)
gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you.
You can’t see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is
in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that
is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away
f’rom the wind. This will help
keep
CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly.
This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way
to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
4-29

1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
I
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2.
3.
Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter.
Turn off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios.
This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. In addition, it could save your radio!
I Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered
by
your warranty.
I
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
A CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not
running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
5-4

A CAUTION:
-
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the ACDelco Freedom@ battery installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if
a battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take
care of that first.
If you don’t, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you.
If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged,
too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to
positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to negative (-)
or a metal engine part. Don’t connect positive (+) to
negative (-) or you’ll get a short that would damage
the battery and maybe other parts, too.
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away &om moving parts
once the engine is running. I
5-5

Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on.
Then just pull the hood down and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
LOW
OIL
If the LOW OIL light on
the instrument panel comes
on, it means you need to
check your engine oil
level right away.
For more
information, see
“Low
Oil Light” in the Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
It’s
a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground. The engine
oil dipstick is the yellow loop near
the
back of the engine.
Note: Do not check the
5.7L engine oil level after the
engine has sat overnight.
A higher than normal reading
might be obtained. Check oil level with the oil warm.
Shut
off the engine, wait a few minutes, and then
check the oil.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil a few minutes
to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil
dipstick might
not show the actual level.
6-12

Section 9 Index
Accessory Plug ............................... 2-62
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your Vehicle ...... 6-3
Air Bag ....................................... 1-22
How Does it Restrain .......................... 1-26
How it Works ................................ 1-24
Location .................................... 1-24
Readiness Light ......................... 1.23. 2.81
Servicing ................................... 1-27
What Makes it Inflate .......................... 1-25
What Will You See After it Inflates ............... 1-26
When Should it Inflate ......................... 1-25
Aircleaner .................................... 6-18
Air Conditioning ................................ 3-3
Air Conditioning Refrigerants ..................... 6-70
Aircontrol ..................................... 3-2
Air Filter Replacement ........................... 6- 19
Alarm. Content Theft-Deterrent System ............. 2- 14
AlarmPanicMode ............................... 2-8
Alignment and Balance. Tire ...................... 6-51
Aluminum Wheels. Cleaning ...................... 6-59
Antenna. Power ................................ 3-22
Antifreeze ..................................... 6-27
Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning Light
................ 2.82. 4.7
Anti-Theft, Radio .............................. 3-17
Appearance Care ............................... 6-53
Appearance Care Materials Chart .................. 6-61
Arbitration Program .............. ............ 8-9
Ashtray and Lighter ........................... 2-60
Audio Equipment, Adding ........................ 3-20
Audio Steering Wheel Controls .................... 3-19
Audio Systems .................................. 3-7
Auto-Down Window ............................ 2-45
Automatic Overdrive ............................ 2-32
Automatic Transmission
Check
...................................... 7-33
Fluid ....................................... 6-20
Operation ................................... 2-30
Park Mechanism Check ........................ 7-35
Shifting ..................................... 2-30
StartingYourEngine .......................... 2-26
Brakes ...................................... 4-7
Axle, Limited-Slip Rear ......................... 2-44
Axle, Rear .................................... 6-27
9-1

Driver Position ................................. 1-14
Driver’s Door
Alarm Delay and Shock Sensor Enable . . 2-22
Driving City
........................................ 4-20
Defensive
.................................... 4-2
Drunken
..................................... 4-3
Freeway
.................................... 4-2 1
In a Blizzard ................................. 4-28
In Foreign Countries ........................... 6-5
IntheRain
.................................. 4-17
Night
...................................... 4-15
On Curves
.................................. 4-10
On Grades While Towing a Trailer
............... 4-37
On
Hill and Mountain Roads .................... 4-23
On Snow and Ice ............................. 4-26
Throughwater
............................... 4-19
WetRoads
.................................. 4-17
Winter
...................................... 4-25
With a Trailer
................................ 4-36
DrunkenDriving
................................ 4-3
Electrical Equipment. Adding
..... 2-27.2.28.3-20. 6-62
Electrical System
............................... 6-62
Engine
.................................. 6-10. 6-11
Coolant
..................................... 6-27
Coolant Heater
............................... 2-29
Coolant Level Check .......................... 7-32
Coolant Temperature Gage
..................... 2-84
Exhaust ..................................... 2-42
FuseBlocks
................................. 6-67 Identification
................................ 6-62
OilLevelCheck .............................. 7-32
Overheating
................................. 5-15
Running
While Parked ......................... 2-43
Specifications ................................ 6-68
StartingYour ................................ 2-26
Engineoil
.................................... 6-12
Additives
................................... 6-17
Checking
................................... 6-13
Used
....................................... 6-17
What Kind
Of Oil to Use ....................... 6-14
WhentoAdd
................................ 6-14
When to Change
.............................. 6-17
Ethanol
........................................ 6-5
Exit Lighting
............................. 2-19, 2-55
Exit Lighting and Delayed Illumination
............. 2-19
Fabric Cleaning
............................... 6-54
FanControlKnob
............................... 3-2
FeatureCustomization
........................... 2-18
Driver’s
Door Alarm Delay and
Shock Sensor Enable ....................... 2-22
Exit Lighting
and Delayed Illumination ........... 2-19
Last
Door Closed Locking and Lockout Prevention . . 2-20
Remote Keyless Entry Lock Verification
........... 2-20
Theft-Deterrent Arming Method ................. 2-21
Filling A Portable Fuel Container ................... 6-8
FillingYourTank ................................ 6-6
Theft-Deterrent Arming Verification
.............. 2-22