2000 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Index

5-24
On convertible models, you must also remove the trunk
access panel. It's at the upper back of the trunk. Turn the
two wing fasteners under the trunk edge a quarter turn
counterclockwise to remove the panel.
Find the plastic screw heads in the trim panel over the
spare tire. (See ªCompact Spare Tireº in the Index for
more information about the compact spare.) Use a coin
or a key to turn the screw heads until the slots point
front and back to the unlock position. Gently lift the trim
panel's front forward edge and remove the panel.If you have speakers in the trim panel, you may have to
disconnect the wire from the speaker. The speaker wire
may be long enough to remove the trim panel without
disconnecting the wire.To remove the jack and wheel wrench, loosen and
remove the bolt and remove the plastic cover.

5-34
CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transmission or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you're
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don't
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see ªTire Chainsº in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn the system off.
(See ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index.) Then shift
back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear (or with a manual transmission, between FIRST (1)
or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R)), spinning the
wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. By slowly
spinning your wheels in the forward and reverse
directions, you will cause a rocking motion that may
free your vehicle. If that doesn't get you out after a few
tries, you may need to be towed out. If you do need to
be towed out, see ªTowing Your Vehicleº in the Index.

6-2
Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you'll go to your dealer for
all your service needs. You'll get genuine GM parts and
GM
-trained and supported service people.
We hope you'll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you'll
want to use the proper service manual. It tells you much
more about how to service your vehicle than this manual
can. To order the proper service manual, see ªService
and Owner Publicationsº in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see ªServicing Your Air
Bag
-Equipped Vehicleº in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See ªMaintenance Recordº in the Index.

6-3
CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.

Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.

Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. ªEnglishº and ªmetricº
fasteners can be easily confused. If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your dealer before adding equipment to the outside of
your vehicle.
Fuel
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the VIN at the top left of your instrument panel.
(See ªVehicle Identification Numberº in the Index.)
If you have the 3800 V6 engine (VIN Code K), use
regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher.
If you have the 5.7L V8 engine (VIN Code G), use
premium unleaded gasoline rated at 91 octane or higher
for best performance. You may use middle grade or
regular unleaded gasolines, but your vehicle's
acceleration may be slightly reduced.

6-4
It is recommended that the gasoline meet specifications
which have been developed by the American Automobile
Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and endorsed by the
Canadian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association for
better vehicle performance and engine protection.
Gasolines meeting the AAMA specification could provide
improved driveability and emission control system
performance compared to other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane for premium is at least 91
(at least 89 for middle grade and 87 for regular). If the
octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking
noise when you drive. If it's bad enough, it can damage
your engine.
If you're using fuel rated at the recommended octane or
higher and you hear heavy knocking, your engine needs
service. But don't worry if you hear a little pinging
noise when you're accelerating or driving up a hill.
That's normal, and you don't have to buy a higher
octane fuel to get rid of pinging. It's the heavy, constant
knock that means you have a problem.If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
label), it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specifications. If such fuels are not available
in states adopting California emissions standards, your
vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel may turn on and/or your
vehicle may fail a smog
-check test. (See ªMalfunction
Indicator Lampº in the Index.) If this occurs, return to
your authorized Pontiac dealer for diagnosis to
determine the cause of failure. In the event it is
determined that the cause of the condition is the type of
fuels used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane
-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask your service station operator whether or not
the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does not
recommend the use of such gasolines. If fuels containing
MMT are used, spark plug life may be reduced and your
emission control system performance may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Pontiac dealer for service.

6-7
CAUTION:
If you get gasoline on yourself and then
something ignites it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out on you if you open the
fuel filler cap too quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any ªhissº noise to stop. Then unscrew
the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. See ªCleaning the
Outside of Your Vehicleº in the Index.When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound. Make sure
you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See ªMalfunction Indicator Lampº in
the Index.
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit properly. This may
cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light
and your fuel tank and emissions system may be
damaged. See ªMalfunction Indicator Lampº in
the Index.

6-12
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps
are on.
Then pull the hood down and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
If the LOW OIL light
appears on the instrument
panel, it means you need to
check your engine oil level
right away. For more
information, see ªLow Oil
Lightº in the Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
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.
Do not check the 5.7L V8 engine oil level after the
engine has been sitting overnight. A higher than normal
reading might be obtained. Check oil level with the
oil warm.
Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don't, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.

6-13
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
3800 V6 Engine
5.7L V8 Engine
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD line, then you'll need
to add at least one quart of oil. But you must use the
right kind. This part explains what kind of oil to use. For
crankcase capacity, see ªCapacities and Specificationsº
in the Index.