Pontiac 1998 Firebird User manual

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owner's manual
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The 1998 Pontiac Firebird Owner’s Manual
1-1
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3-1
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5-1
Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SRS” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
6-1 ServiceandAppearanceCare
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
7-1
8-1
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Pontiac for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects”
on page 8-10.
9-1 Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can useit to quickly find
something you want to read.
i

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
PONTIAC,the PONTIAC Emblem and the name
F’IREBIRD are registered trademarks of General
Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest informationat the time it
was printed.We reserve the right to make changesin the
product
after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors
of Canada Limited”forPontiac
Division whenever
it appears in this manual.
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY
TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Pleasekeepthismanual in yourvehicle, so it will be Aux propri6taires cmdiens: Vous pouvez vous
there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you procurer un exemplairede ce guideen fransais chez
sell the vehicle, please leave this manualin it
so the new votre concessionaireouau:
owner canuse it.
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1577 MeyersideDr.
Mississauga,Ontario
L5T 1B9
Lithoin U.S.A. ‘Copyright GeneralMotorsCorporation 1997
Part No. 10417104 A Second Edition All RightsReserved
ii
. ?)::Y-. ! ; ,
. ~. ~~ ~~-~

How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manualfrombeginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle.
If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to lookfor what you need is the Indexin
back
of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s in
the manual, and the page number where you’ll findit.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a numberof safety cautions in this book.
We use a
box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
for othye. - 1
These mean thereis something that could hurt
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what todo to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions.
If you don’t, youor
others could be hurt.
You will also find
a circle
with a slash through it
in
this book. This safety
symbol means“Don’t,’’
“Don’t dothis’’ or “Don’t
let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
In the notice area, we tell youabout somethingthat can
I
i Butthe notice will tell you what todo to help avoid
damage your vehicle.
Many times, this damage would
Also, in this bookyou will find these notices: not be coveredbyyourwarranty,and it couldbecostly.
NOTICE:
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you
might see CAUTION
I
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
l
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
I I You’ll also seewarninglabels on yourvehicle. Theyuse
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
iv

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAUE
EXPLODE
BAllERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
e?
AIR BAG p\
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS @ 9
TURN
PARKING
pf
LAMPS
RUNNING
' 0
DAYTIME * 0
LAMPS
FOGLAMPS
$0
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WIPER 9
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
'*
FAN '-d
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT
a
ENGINEOIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here aresome
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER -
HORN )d.
SPEAKER
k
FUEL la
V

b NOTES
vi

Section 1 SeatsandRestraintSystems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Pontiac and how to use your safety belts properly.You can also
learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
1-2 Seats and SeatControls
1- 13 Here Are QuestionsMany PeopleAskAbout
1-14 How toWear SafetyBeltsProperly
1-8 SafetyBelts: They’refor Everyone
Safety
Belts -- and the Answers
1-14 Driver Position
1-21 SafetyBeltUseDuringPregnancy
1-22 RightFrontPassengerPosition
1-22
1-28
1-31
1-34
1-44
1-47
1-47
1-47
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Rear Seat Passengers
Children
ChildRestraints
LargerChildren
Safety BeltExtender
CheckingYour Restraint Systems
Replacing RestraintSystem
Parts After
a Crash
1-1

Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust
them and also about reclining front seatbacks, seatback
latches and the folding rear seatback.
Manual Front Seat
I A CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle
is not moving.
I
Move the lever under the passenger’s front seat to
unlock it.
Slide the seat to where
you want it.Then release the
lever and
try to move the seat with your body to make
sure the seat is locked into place. Be sure the lever
returns to its original position after moving the seat.
1-2

4-Way Manual Seat
Thereare two levers atthe front of the seat.The left
lever adjusts the seatforwardand back.
The right lever
adjusts the angleof the front of the seat.
6-Way Power Seat (If Equipped)
To adjust the seats forward and rearward, lift the lever
under the left front of the seat. Slide the seat to where you
want it. Then release the lever and try to move the seat
with your body to make sure the seat is locked into place.
To raise or lowerthe entire seat, lift the lever underthe
right frontof the seat and
lean forward or backward.
The driver's seat has three controls onthe left side.
A: The front control makes the front of the seat go up
and down.
B: The center control makes the whole seat go up and
down or forward andbackward.
C: Theback control makes the rear of the seat go up
and down.
1-3

Fully Articulating Sport Seat (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has these seats, the driver’s seat has the
four-way manual seat adjuster.See “4-Way Manual
Seat” earlier
in this part. The passenger seat has the
two-way manual seat adjuster.See “Manual Front Seat”
earlier
in this part.
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The switch pads on the outer side of the seats “inflate”
and “deflate” parts
of your seatback.
The two buttons that have “dots” inflate and deflate the
side bolster of the seatback. To inflate, press the raised
button.
To deflate, press the indented button.
The two buttons without dotsinflate and deflate the
lumbar (lower backarea
of the seatback)support. To
inflate, press the raised button. To deflate, press the
indented button.
1-4

Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback,lift the lever on the outer side of
the seat. Release the lever to lock the seatback where
you want it.Pull up on the lever and the seat will go to
its original upright position.
If
you have fully articulating sport seats, your recliner
lever lookslikethis.
1-5

But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
I A CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can
be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can't dotheirjob when
you're reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can't do its job.In
a crash you
could go intoit, receiving neck or otherinjuries.
The lap belt can't
do itsjob either. In a crashthe
belt could
go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, notatyour pelvic bones.
This could cause seriousinternalinjuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back inthe seatand wear your safety
belt properly.

Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint upor down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the topof your ears. This position
reduces thechance
of a neck injury in a crash.
On somemodels, the head restraints tilt forward and
rearward also.
Front Seatback Latches
The front seatback folds
forward toletpeople get
into theback seat.
To fold a
seatback
forward, push the
seatback toward the rear as
you lift this latch. Then the
seatback will fold forward.
When you return the seatback toits original position,
make sure theseatbackis locked.Thelatch must be
down for the seat to work properly.
' A CAUTION:
If the seatback isn't locked,it could move
forward in
a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there.
Always press rearward on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.
1-7

Folding Rear Seatback
The rear seatback in your vehicle folds down to provide
more storage space.
To fold the seatback down:
1. Pull forward on both levers.
2. Fold the seatback down.
To raise the seatback:
1. Pull it up to the locked, upright position.
2. Be sure both latches hold the seatback in place. Have
them fixed if they don’t.
Safety Belts: They’refor Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safetybelts
properly.
It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains
the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS), or air bag system.
I A CAUTION:
A
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Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in acrashand
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse.
You canhit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed.
In the same crash,you might
not be if you arebuckled up. Always fastenyour
safety belt,andcheck that your passengers’ belts
arefastened properlytoo.
1-8

I A CAUTION:
Itis extremely dangerous to ride in a cargoarea,
insideor outside
of a vehicle. Ina collision,
people riding in theseareasare more likelytobe
seriouslyinjuredor killed.
Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehiclethat is not
equipped with seats and safety belts.Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seatand using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckleup. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
-
the Index.)
In most states andCanadianprovinces, the law says
to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’llbe in a crash.If you dohave a
crash, you don’t knowif it will be a bad one.
A few crashesare mild, and some crashescanbe so
serious thatevenbuckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes arein between. In many of them,
people whobuckleup can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After morethan
30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling updoes
matter
... a lot!

Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything,you go as fast as
it goes.
Take thesimplest vehicle. Supposeit’sjust a seat
on wheels.
Put someone on it.
1-10
~~

Get it up to speed. Thenstopthe vehicle.The rider
doesn’t stop. Theperson keeps going until stopped
by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
1-11

or the instrument panel . . .
or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That's why
safety belts make such good sense.
1-12

Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But youcan unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so
you can unbuckle andget out, is much greater if
you are belted.
&.’ If my vehicle has air bags,why should I have to
A: Air bagsare in many vehicles today and willbe
in most of themin the future. But they are
supplemental systems only;
so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use
of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, youstillhave
to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especiallyin side and other collisions.
wear safety belts?
@ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver,but if you’rein an
accident
-- even onethat isn’t your fault -- you
and your passengerscan be
hurt. Being a good
driver doesn’t protect youfromthings beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest numberof serious
injuries and deaths occurat speeds of less than
40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
1-13