The 1997 Pontiac Firebird Owner's Manual 1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains thesystem. "SRS" Features and Controls This section explains how to start and operate your Pontiac. 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 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 This section tells what to doyou have a problem while driving, such as a flat or overheated engine, etc. if tire 6-1 Service and Appearance Care Here the manual tells you how to keep your Pontiac running properly and looking good. 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 "Reporting Safety Defects" on page on 8-10. Index Here's an alphabetical listing almost every subject in this manual. can use it to quickly find of You something you want to read. 7-1 8-1 9-1 I We support voluntary technician certification. GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, PONTIAC, the PONTIAC Emblem and the name FIREBIRD are registered trademarks o f General Motors Corporation. WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION THROUGH National institute for This manual includes the latestinformation at the time it the was printed. We reserve theright to make changes in product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitutethe name "General Motors of Canada Limited" for Pontiac Division whenever it appears in this manual. Please keep thismanual in your Pontiac, so it willbe there if you ever need it when you're on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual inso the new it owner can use it. AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE For Canadian OwnersWho Prefer a French Language Manual: Aux propri6taires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous procurer un exemplaire dece guide en frangais chez votre concessionaire ou au: DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1500 Bonhill Rd. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1C7 Litho in U.S.A. @CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1996 Part No. 10293226 B First Edition All Rights Reserved How to Use this Manual Many people read their owner's manual beginning from to endwhen they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help learn about the features and you controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you'll find that pictures and words work togetherto explain things quickly. I A CAUTION: These mean there something thatcould hurt is you or other people. I Index A good place to look for wh,at need is the Index in you the backof the manual.It's an alphabetical listof all that's in the manual, the page number where you'll and find it. In the caution area, we tell you the hazard is. Then what we tellyou what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. you don't, you or If others couldbe hurt. You will also finda circle with a slash throughit in this book. Thissafety symbol means"Don't,'' "Don't do this," or "Don't let this happen." Safety Warnings and Symbols You will find a number of safety cautions in book. this We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt if you were to ignor;e you the warning. iii Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, i this book n you will findthesenotices: In the area, notice we tell YOU about something that lean damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not becovered by your warranty, anditcouldbe costly. But the notice will tell what t'odo to help avoid you the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. and NOTICE warningsin different colors or in different words. You'll also see warning labels your vehicle. They use on the same words, CAUTION NOTICE. or iv Vehicle Symbols These aresome of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. 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 A These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven: These symbols have to do with your lamps: These symbols are on some of your controls: These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Here are some other symbols you may see: COOLANT TEMP DOOR LOCK UNLOCK TURN SIGNALS PARKING LAMPS FASTEN SEAT BELTS 6 PC WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER WINDOW DEFOGGER - FUSE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM LIGHTER 1 BRAKE () 0 HORN )cT COOLANT a w, (@) SPEAKER b p3 ENGINE OIL PRESSURE FLAME EXPLODE BATTERY AIR BAG FUEL . i p ) FOG LAMPS \ $0 VENTILATING FAN ANTI-LOCK BRAKES b NOTES vi v 1-2 1-7 1-12 Section 1 Seats Restraint and Systems Here you'll find information about the seatsyour Pontiac andhow to use your safety belts in properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts. 1-13 1-13 1-20 1-21 1-21 Seats and Seat Controls Safety Belts: They're for Everyone Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts and the Answers -How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Driver Position Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Right Front Passenger Position Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) 1-27 Seat Rear Passengers Children 1-30 1-32 Child Restraints 1-38 Larger Children 1-41 Belt SafetyExtender 1-41 Checking Your Restraint Systems 1-41 ReplacingRestraintSystemParts After a Crash Seats and Seat Controls This section tellsyou about the seats how to adjust -t e and also about reclining front s'eatbacks, seatback hm latches and the folding rear seatback. M-rual Front +at You can lose control the vehicle if you try to of 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 only when seat the vehicle is not moving, Move the lever under the passenger's front seat to unlock it, Slide the seat to where want it. Then release the you lever and try to move the seat with your body to make sure theseat is locked into place. Be sure the lever returns to its original position after moving seat. the 4-Way Manual Seat 6-Way Power Seat (If Equipped) There are two levers at the front the seat. The left of lever adjusts the seat forward back. The right lever and adjusts the angle the frontof the seat. of To adjust the seats forward rearward, lift the lever and under the left frontof the seat. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then release the lever and try move the to seat withyour body tomake sure the seat locked is into place. side. The driver's seat has three controls on the left A. The front control makes the front the seat goUP of and down. B. The center controlmakes the whole seat go up and down or forward and backward. C . The back control makes the back the seatgo up of and down. To raise or lower the entire seat, lift the lever under the right frontof the seat and lean forward or backward. 1-3 Fully Articulating Sport Seat (If Equipped) If your Pontiac has these seats, the driver's seat has the four-way manual seat adjuster. See "4-Way Manual two Seat" earlierin this part. The passenger seat has the way manual seat adjuster. "Manual Front Seat" See earlier in this part. and The two buttons without dot inflate deflate the lumbar (lower back area the seatback) support. of To inflate, press the raised button. deflate, pressthe To indented button. Reclining Front Seatbacks I The switch pads the outer sideof the seats "inflate" on 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. To adjust the seatback, lift the lever the outer sideof on the seat. Release the lever lock the seatback where to you want it. Pull upon the lever and the'seat go to will its original upright position. 1-4 If you have fullyarticulating sport seats, yourrecliner lever looks like this. But don't have seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. a I /r\ CAC J O N : Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle CAUTION: (Continued) 1-5 rup,- safety beltscan't do their job when your 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 couldgo up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection whenthe vehicle isin motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat wear your safety belt properly. and Front Seatback Latches The front seatbacks fold forward to let people get into the back seat,To fold a seatback forward, lift the latch locatedon the lower backside of the seatback. Then the seatback will fold forward. When you return the seatback to its original position, make ,surethe seatbackis locked. The latch must be down for the seat to work properly, Head Restraints Slide thehead restraint up or down that the topof the so restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in crash. a On some models, the head restraints forward and tilt rearward also. If the seatback isnlt 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. 1-6 Folding Rear Seatback Safety Belts: They're for Everyone This partof the manual tells how to use safety belts you properly. It also tellsyou some thingsyou should notdo with safety belts. And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or a r bag system. i Don't letanyone ride where he or she can't wear a safety belt properly. you are in a crash and If you're not wearing a safety belt,your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the The rear seatback in your Pontiac folds down to provide vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously more storage space. injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your To fold the seatback down: safety belt,and check that your passengers' belts 1. Pull forward on both levers. are fastened properly too. 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 place. Have in them fixedif they don't. 1-7 I I In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safetybelts.Here's why: They work. You never knowif you'll be in a crash. If you do havea crash, you don't know if it will be a bad one. A few crashesare mild, and some crashes be so can serious that even buckled a person wouldn't survive. up But most crashes are in between. In many them, of people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. It is extremelydangerous 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 peopleto ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts,Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in seat and using a a safety belt properly. After morethan 25 yt;ars of safety beltsi vehicles, n the facts areclear. In most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot! comes on as a reminder to buckle up. (See "Safety Belt Reminder Light" in the Index.) I 1-8 Why Safety BeltsWork When you ride in or on mydung, you go as fast as it goes. I Put someone on it. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat on wheels. 1-9 Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn't stop. The person keeps goinguntil stopped by something. In a real vehicle,it could be the windshield ... 1-10 or the instrument Dane1 ... or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down asthe vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over moredistance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That's why safety belts make such good sense. 1-11 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers If I'm a good driver, andI never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? Q Z A: Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident ifI'm wearing a safety belt? You could be -- whether you're wearing a safety belt or not. Butyou can unbucklea safety belt, even if you're upside down. And your chanceof being conscious dur ...