Pontiac 2000 Firebird User manual

Free lockout assistance
Free dead-battery assistance
Free out-of-fuel assistance
Free flat-tire change
Emergency towing
1-800-762-3743
(For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call 1-800-268-6800)
that provides in an emergency:
1-800-762-3743
(For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call 1-800-268-6800)
Bumper-to-Bumper
3-years/36,000 miles (60 000 km)
Limited Warranty
Courtesy
Transportation
Every
2000 Firebird
under warranty is
backed with the
following
services:

2000 Pontiac Firebird
Owner's Manual
Litho in U.S.A.
Part Number 10410956 A First Edition
© Copyright General Motors Corporation 1999
All Rights Reserved i

Table of Contents
Keys and Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Hatch
Automatic Transmission (If Equipped)
Manual Transmission Operation (If Equipped)
Parking Brake
Windows
Tilt Wheel
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
Windshield Wipers
Cruise Control
Interior and Exterior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Cargo Cover
Accessory Power Outlet
Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages
Seats and Seat Controls
Safety Belts
Air Bag System
Child Restraints
Section
1
Section
2
Seats and Restraint Systems
Features and Controls
ii

Section
3
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
Section
4
Your Driving and the Road
Section
5
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Braking/Anti-lock Brakes (If Equipped)
Traction Control System
Steering
Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer
Heating and Air Conditioning
Setting the Radio Clock
Radio/Cassette Player/CD Player
Radio Theft-Deterrent Feature
Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
Changing a Flat Tire
If You're Stuck
Problems on the Road
iii

Table of Contents (cont'd)
Maintenance Schedule
Service and Appearance Care
Section
7
Section
6
Scheduled Maintenance
Periodic Maintenance Inspections
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Maintenance Records
iv
Tires and Wheels
Appearance Care
Electrical System/Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Capacities and Specifications
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Fuel
Checking Fluids and Lubricants
GM Oil Life System™
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement

Table of Contents (cont'd)
Customer Assistance Information
In the Index you will find an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual.
You can use it to quickly find something you want to read.
Section
8
Customer Satisfaction Procedures
Customer Assistance Offices
Roadside Assistance and Courtesy Transportation
Warranty Information (See Warranty Manual)
Reporting Safety Defects on page 8-10
Service Publications
Index
Section
9
Please refer to the last page of this manual for your Service Station Guide
v

vi
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
PONTIAC, the PONTIAC Emblem and the name
FIREBIRD are registered trademarks of General
Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the
product after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors of Canada Limited” for Pontiac
Division whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be
there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new
owner can use it.
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez
votre concessionaire ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1577 Meyerside Dr.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1B9

vii
How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
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.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of 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.
CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
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 do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

viii
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

ix
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
CAUTION
POSSIBLE
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
ACID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR
FLAME
COULD
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
AIR BAG
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
MASTER
LIGHTING
SWITCH
TURN
SIGNALS
PARKING
LAMPS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
DAYTIME
RUNNING
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
WASHER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
REAR
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
BATTERY
CHARGING
SYSTEM
BRAKE
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
HORN
SPEAKER
FUEL
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

Service Station Guide
Oil Viscosity
Engine Oil
See Section 6
Premium Fuel Recommended
Use unleaded gas only,
91 Octane or higher.
See Section 6
Cooling System
See Section 5
Hood Release
See Section 6
Windshield Washer
Fluid
See Section 6
Spare Tire Pressure
See Section 5
Battery
See Section 6
For
a More
Detailed Look at
What's Under the Hood
See Section 6
Tire Pressure
See Section 6
V6 Engine Oil
Dipstick
See Section 6
V8 Engine Oil
Dipstick
See Section 6

1- 1-1
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle 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 Seat Controls
1-7 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
1-12 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts -- and the Answers
1-13 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1-13 Driver Position
1-20 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
1-21 Right Front Passenger Position
1-21 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
1-28 Rear Seat Passengers
1-31 Children
1-34 Child Restraints
1-45 Larger Children
1-48 Safety Belt Extender
1-48 Checking Your Restraint Systems
1-48 Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash

1-2
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 Seats
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.
Move the lever located under the 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.

1-3
4-Way Manual Seats
There are two levers located at the front of the seat.
The left lever adjusts the seat forward and rearward.
The right lever adjusts the angle of the front of the seat.
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 lower the seat, lift the lever under the right
front of the seat and lean forward or backward.
6-Way Power Seat (If Equipped)
The driver’s seat has three power seat controls located
on the 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 and backward.
C: The back control makes the rear of the seat go up
and down.

1-4
In addition to the power seat
control, there are two other
switches located on the side
of the seat that help you
change the shape of
your seat.
There is one lumbar support (the front switch) for the
lower back. There is also a side bolster switch (the rear
switch) that adjusts the sides of the seat around you to
give you lateral support.
For lumbar support, push the front switch down to
inflate and up to deflate.
For lateral support, push the rear switch down to inflate
and up to deflate.
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.

1-5
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
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 do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In a crash you
could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.

1-6
Head Restraints
Head restraints are fixed on some models and adjustable
on others. Slide an adjustable head restraint up or down
so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of
your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck
injury in a crash.
Front Seatback Latches
The front seatbacks fold
forward to let people get
into the back seat. To fold a
seatback forward, lift the
latch located on the lower
backside of the seatback.
When you return the seatback to its original position,
make sure the seatback is locked. The latch must be
down for the seat to work properly.
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. Lift the seatback to its locked, upright position.
2. Be sure both latches hold the seatback in place. Push
and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
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.
CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit 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 are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.

1-8
CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety Belt
Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!