1998 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Owners Manual

Part C: Periodic Maintenance
Inspections
Listed below are inspections and services which should
be performed at least twice a year (for instance, each
spring and fall). You should let your dealer’s service
department or other qualified service center do these
jobs. Make sure any necessary repairs are completed
at once.
Proper procedures to perform these services may be
found in a service manual. See “Service and Owner
Publications” in the Index.
Steering and Suspension Inspection
Inspect the front and rear suspension and steering
system for damaged, loose or missing
parts, signs of
wear or lack of lubrication. Inspect the power steering
lines
and hoses for proper hook-up, binding, leaks.
cracks, chafing, etc.
Exhaust System Inspection
Inspect the complete exhaust system. Inspect the body
near the exhaust system. Look for broken, damaged,
missing or out-of-position parts as well as open seams,
holes, loose connections or other conditions which could
cause a heat build-up in the floor pan
or could let
exhaust fumes into the vehicle. See “Engine Exhaust”
in
the Index.
Engine Cooling System Inspection
Inspect the hoses and have them replaced if they are
cracked, swollen or deteriorated. Inspect a11 pipes,
fittings and clamps; replace as needed. Clean the outside
of the radiator
and air conditioning condenser. To help
ensure proper operation, a pressure test of the cooling
system and pressure cap is recommended at least once
a year.
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Throttle System Inspection
Inspect the throttle system for interference or binding,
and for damaged or missing parts. Replace parts as
needed. Replace any components that have high effort
or excessive wear.
Do not lubricate accelerator and
cruise control cables.
Rear Axle Service
Check the gear lubricant level in the rear axle and add if
needed. See “Rear Axle” in the Index. A fluid loss
may indicate
a problem. Check the axle and repair it
if needed.
Brake System Inspection
Inspect the complete system. Inspect brake lines and
hoses for proper hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc. Inspect disc brake pads for wear and rotors
for surface condition. Inspect other brake parts, including calipers, parking brake, etc. Check parking
brake adjustment. You may need to have your brakes
inspected more often if your driving habits or conditions
result in frequent braking.
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Part D: Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants
NOTE: Fluids and lubricants identified below by name,
part number or specification may be obtained from
your dealer.
USAGE
Engine Oil
Engine Coolant
Hydraulic Brake System
FLUIDLUBRICANT
Engine Oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certified For
Gasoline Engines “Starburst”
symbol of the proper viscosity. To
determine the preferred viscosity
for your vehicle’s engine, see
“Engine Oil’’
in the Index.
50/50 mixture of clean water
(preferably distilled) and use only
GM Goodwrench@ DEX-COOL@
or Havoline@ DEX-COOL@
Coolant. See “Engine Coolant” in
the Index.
Delco Supreme 11
@ Brake Fluid
(GM Part No. 12377967 or
equivalent DOT-3 Brake Fluid).
USAGE
Hydraulic Clutch
System
Power Steering System
Manual
Transmission
Automatic
Transmission
Key Lock
Cylinders
Clutch Linkage
Pivot Points
FLUIDLUBRICANT
Hydraulic Clutch Fluid (GM Part
No. 12345347 or equivalent
DOT-3 Brake Fluid).
GM Power Steering Fluid (GM
Part No. 1052884 - 1 pint,
1050017 - 1 quart, or equivalent).
DEXRON@-111 Automatic
Transmission Fluid.
DEXRON@-I11 Automatic
Transmission Fluid.
Multi-Purgse Lubricant,
Superlube (GM Part
No. 12346241 or equivalent).
Engine Oil.
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USAGE
Floor Shift
Linkage
Chassis
Lubrication
Rear Axle
(Standard
Differential)
I
FLUIDLUBRICANT
Lubriplate@ Lubricant Aerosol
(GM Part
No. 12346293 or
equivalent) or lubricant meeting
requirements
of NLGI # 2
Category LB or GC-LB.
Chassis Lubricant (GM Part
No. 12377985 or equivalent) or
lubricant meeting requirements of
NLGI #2, Category LB or GC-LB.
SAE 75W-90 Synthetic Gear
Lubricant
(GM Part No. 12378261
or equivalent meeting GM
Specification 9986 1 15.
Rear Axle (Limited-Slip
Differential)
USAGE
Windshield
Washer Solvent
Hood Latch
Assembly, Secondary Latch,
Pivots,
Spring
Anchor and
Release Pawl
Hood and Door
Hinges
Weatherstrip
Conditioning
FLUIDLUBRICANT
__~
GM Optikleen@ Washer Solvent
(GM
Part No. 1051515) or
equivalent.
Lubriplate@ Lubricant AerosoI
(GM
Part No. 12346293 or
equivalent) or lubricant meeting
requirements
of NLGI # 2,
Category LB or GC-LB.
Multi-Pu ose Lubricant,
Superlube
% (GM Part
No. 12346241 or equivalent).
SAE 75W-90 Synthetic Gear
Lubricant (GM Part
No. 12378261)
or equivalent meeting GM
Specification
9986115. With a
complete
drain and refd add
4 ounces (1 18 ml) of Limited-Slip
Differential Lubricant Additive
(GM Part No. 1052358 or
equivalent) where required.
See “Rear Axle” in the Index. Dielectric Silicone
Grease
(GM
Part No. 12345579 or equivalent).
7-39

Part E: Maintenance Record
After the scheduled services are performed, record the Services” or “Periodic Maintenance”\
can be added on
date, odometer reading and who performed the service the following record pages. Also, you should retain dl
in the boxes provided after the maintenance interval. maintenance r\
eceipts. Your owner information portfolio
Any additional information from “Owner Checks and
is a convenient place to store them.
I
Maintenance Record
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Maintenance Record
ODOMETER I
READING SERVICED BY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED
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I
Maintenance Record
ODOMETER
DATE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED SERVICED BY READING
7-42

&f Section 8 Customer Assistance Information
Here you will find out how to contact Pontiac if you need as\
sistance. This section also tells you how to obtain service publications and how to report any safety defects.
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8-8
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Pontiac Cares
What Makes Up Pontiac Cares?
Customer Satisfaction Procedure
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone
(TTY) Users
Pontiac Roadside Assistance Program
Canadian Roadside Assistance
Pontiac Courtesy Transportation
GM Participation in an Alternative
Dispute Resolution Program 8-
10 Warranty Information
8-10 Reporting Safety Defects to the United
States Government
8-11 Reporting Safety Defects to the
Canadian Government
8-11 Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors
8-11 Ordering Service and Owner Publications in Canada
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