OPEL AGILA 2009 Owners Manual

9-4Driving and operating
Selector lever settings
Selector lever can only be moved out
of P or N with the ignition switched on
and the foot brake depressed.
Never shift to P or R while the vehicle
is moving.
Gears 3, 2, L
The transmission does not shift
above the selected gear.
The current gear appears in the
transmission display.
Kickdown
Depress accelerator pedal past the
pressure point and hold in position;
below certain speeds, the
transmission shifts down into a lower
gear.
Engine braking assistance
In order to utilize the engine braking
effect when driving downhill, select
drive range 3, 2 or, if necessary, L in
good time. P Park position. Front wheels
locked. Only engage when the
vehicle is stationary and the
parking brake is applied. "P"
appears in the transmission
display.
R Reverse gear. Only engage
when the vehicle is stationary.
"R" appears in the
transmission display.
N Neutral or idle. "N" appears in
the transmission display.
D Drive position for normal
driving in 1st gear to 4th gear.
"D" appears in the
transmission display.
3 Transmission shifts
automatically up to 3rd gear
only. The current gear appears
in the transmission display.
2 2nd gear only. The current
gear appears in the
transmission display.
L 1st gear only. The current gear
appears in the transmission
display.

9-5 Driving and operating
Stopping the vehicle
Engage parking brake and move
selector lever to position P. It will not
be possible to turn the ignition key to
the LOCK position unless the selector
lever is in positionP.
Rocking the vehicle
If it becomes necessary to rock the
vehicle to free it from water, ice, sand,
mud, snow or a dip, observe the
following:
Move the selector lever between R
and a forward gear in a repeat pattern
while applying light pressure to the
accelerator pedal when the vehicle is
in gear.
Do not spin the wheels or race the
engine and avoid sudden
acceleration.
Manoeuvring the vehicle
To manoeuvre the vehicle back and
forth during attempts to park or in
garage entrances, the creeping
movement can be utilized by
releasing the foot brake.
Never actuate the accelerator and
brake pedals simultaneously.
Fault
If there is a problem with the
automatic transmission, control
indicator
s flashes. The transmission
no longer shifts automatically.
Seek the assistance of a workshop to
rectify the cause of the fault.
Interruption of power supply
If the vehicle battery is flat, the
selector lever cannot be moved out of
position P.
Start the vehicle using jump leads 3
10-26.

9-6Driving and operating
If the battery is not the cause of the
fault, release selector lever as
follows:This procedure is for emergency use
only. If repeated use of this procedure
is necessary, or the procedure does
not work as described, seek the
assistance of a workshop.
Manual transmission
Reverse: with the vehicle stationary,
wait 3 seconds after declutching
before engaging gear. If the gear
does not engage, set the lever in
neutral, release the clutch pedal and
depress again; then repeat gear
selection.When driving, do not use the clutch
pedal as a foot rest; this will cause
substantial clutch wear.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Switch off engine then turn
key to ignition switch position
ACC or ON.
3. Remove cap concealing
release button and using a
suitable tool, push the button.
Then move selector lever.
On variants with SHIFT LOCK
button3, push button and
move selector lever.

9-7 Driving and operating
Engine exhaust
Diesel particle filter (DPF) 3
The diesel particle filter removes
polluting soot particles out of the
exhaust.
The system contains a self-cleaning
function at certain intervals. The filter
is cleaned by burning the soot
particles at high temperature. This
procedure runs automatically under
certain vehicle conditions and can
take up to 30 minutes, during which
time fuel consumption may increase.
The smell and the noise that occur
are normal.
Self-cleaning may begin
automatically during idling; engine
speed increases and cooling fan
operates automatically.The system cannot automatically
clean itself under certain vehicle
conditions, such as driving short
distances.
If control indicator 8 illuminates, you
should continue driving, and as soon
as the road and traffic situation
permits it, increase speed to more
than 75 km/h (50 mph) and diesel
particle filter cleaning will start.
Cleaning is quicker at faster speeds
and under load. The control indicator
extinguishes as soon as cleaning is
complete.We recommend that you do not turn
the ignition off during cleaning.
If regeneration of the diesel particle
filter is not successful or possible,
control indicator A may illuminate
and the vehicle goes into limp home
mode: interrupt your journey and
seek the assistance of a workshop
immediately.

9-8Driving and operating
Catalytic converter
Controlling exhaust emission
The catalytic converter reduces to a
minimum the proportion of noxious
materials in the exhaust, such as
carbon monoxide (CO),
hydrocarbons (CH) and nitrogen
oxides (NO
x).
Leaded fuel will damage the catalytic
converter and parts of the electronic
system, thereby rendering them
inoperative.„If the engine misfires or runs
roughly after a cold start, the
engine power has reduced
significantly or other unusual
operating problems occur that
indicate a fault in the ignition
system, seek the assistance of a
workshop as quickly as possible.
Drive at a slower speed and with
less engine revs for a short time, if
necessary.
„If unburned fuel enters the catalytic
converter, this may result in
overheating and irreparable
damage to the catalytic converter.
You should therefore avoid
frequent cold starts, unnecessarily
long use of the starter when setting
off, running the tank dry (an
irregular fuel supply leads to
overheating) and starting the
engine by pushing or towing.„If the control indicator for exhaust
emissions Z illuminates whilst
driving, seek the assistance of a
workshop immediately. Control
indicatorZ for exhaust emissions
35-11.
Exhaust gases
Caution
Damage to the catalytic converter or
the vehicle may result if the following
points are not observed.
9 Danger
Engine exhaust gases contain
poisonous carbon monoxide,
which has no colour or odour and
can be lethal if inhaled.
If exhaust fumes penetrate the
vehicle interior, open the windows
and seek the assistance of a
workshop immediately.

9-9 Driving and operating
Brakes
Foot brake
The brake system comprises two
separate brake circuits.
If one brake circuit should fail, the
vehicle can still be braked with the
second remaining circuit.
If this happens, the brake pedal must
be fully depressed with greater pedal
pressure. The distance required for
braking will be greater. Seek the
assistance of a workshop.
In order to utilise the full pedal travel,
particularly in the event of a brake
circuit fault, there must be no mats in
the area of the pedals 3 9-1.
With the engine stopped, the brake
servo assistance is discontinued after
the brake pedal has been depressed
once or twice. The braking effect is
not reduced, but increased foot
pressure will be necessary. Take
extra care if the vehicle is being
towed.
Brake system control indicator 3 5-9.
Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS) u
The ABS prevents the wheels from
locking during heavy braking.
It starts to regulate braking pressure
as soon as a wheel shows a tendency
to lock. The vehicle remains
steerable, even during heavy braking,
e.g. on bends or when swerving to
avoid an obstacle. Even in the case of
extreme braking, ABS makes it
possible to drive round obstacles
without releasing the foot brake.
ABS control indicator 3 5-9.
Fault
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Parking brake
Always apply the parking brake firmly
without actuating the release button.
Apply as fully as possible on uphill or
downhill inclines.
To release the parking brake, press
and hold the button, pull the lever up
slightly and lower lever while holding
the button in.
To reduce the operating forces of the
parking brake, depress the foot brake
at the same time.
Brake system control indicator 3 5-9.
Caution
If there is a fault in the ABS, the
wheels may lock during heavy
braking. This may cause the vehicle
to swerve.

9-10Driving and operating
Brake assist
Rapid powerful application of the
brake pedal automatically applies
maximum brake force amplification to
achieve the shortest possible braking
distance under full braking (brake
assist).
Maintain steady pressure on the
brake pedal for as long as full-on
braking is to continue. When the
brake pedal is released, the
maximum brake force amplification is
taken away.
Ride control systems
Electronic Stability Program
(ESP®) 3
The Electronic Stability Program
improves driving stability when
necessary, independently of the type
of road surface and the tyre grip. It
also prevents the drive wheels from
spinning.
The system monitors vehicle
movements. As soon as the vehicle
starts to swerve (understeers/
oversteers), engine output is reduced
(the sound of the engine changes)
and individual wheels are specifically
braked. This considerably improves
the driving stability of the vehicle on
snow and ice and on wet or slippery
road surfaces.
ESP
® is ready for operation as soon
as the ignition is switched on and the
control indicators
R, ESP and TCSS OFF extinguish.
When the ESP® comes into action,
control indicator
R flashes rapidly in
the instrument cluster. Some noise or
vibration may be apparent.ESP active control indicator 3 5-10.
Interruption of power supply
If the vehicle’s battery has been
disconnected and reconnected,
ESP
® is deactivated and control
indicator R flashes once per second.
Reactivate ESP® by driving in a
straight line at over 15 km/h (9 mph)
for a few seconds until flashing
ceases. Several seconds may lapse
before the control indicator
extinguishes, depending on road
conditions.
Caution
Do not let this special safety feature
tempt you into taking risks when
driving.
Traffic safety can only be achieved
by adopting a responsible driving
style.

9-11 Driving and operating
Fault
Control indicator
ESP illuminates
during driving if there is a fault with
ESP
®. Seek the assistance of a
workshop to have the cause of the
fault remedied.
ESP fault control indicator 3 5-10.
Traction Control Support
System (TCSS) 3
TCSS is a component part of the
Electronic Stability Program (ESP®)
which helps to maintain driving
stability and prevents the drive
wheels from spinning.
Switching off
With ESP® active, if wheels are stuck
in mud, sand or snow, TCSS can be
switched off when spinning of the
wheels is necessary.
Press button
TCSS OFF; control
indicator TCSS OFF illuminates in the
instrument cluster.
Switch TCSS on when normal driving
is resumed, by pressing button
TCSS OFF again. All ESP® systems
are reactivated.Control indicator
TCSS OFF illuminates
briefly in the instrument cluster when
the ignition is switched on and may
also illuminate during driving
depending on road surface.
TCSS off control indicator 3 5-10.

9-12Driving and operating
Fuel
Petrol engine fuel
Use only unleaded fuels meeting the
specifications of DIN EN 228.
Refuel using the correct octane
number 3 12-3.
If the RON 95 label is attached to the
tank flap, unleaded fuel with an
octane rating of 95 or higher must be
used.
Diesel engine fuel
Use only diesel engine fuel meeting
the specifications of DIN EN 590.
Marine diesel fuel, fuel oils, diesel
fuels, which are entirely or partially
plant based such as rape seed oil or
bio-diesel, Aquazole and similar
diesel-water emulsions must not be
used.The flow and filterability of diesel
fuels are temperature-dependent.
Fuel filler cap
If replacing the fuel filler cap, be sure
to use the original fuel filler cap for
your model, to ensure full
functionality.
Refuelling
Caution
A fuel of too low an octane can lead
to engine damage.
9 Warning
Before refuelling, switch off the
engine and any heating systems
with combustion chambers.
Switch off mobile phones.
Fuel is inflammable and
explosive, therefore avoid dealing
with fuel near naked flames and
doing anything that would
generate sparks. No smoking!
This also applies where the smell
of fuel is noticeable. If the smell of
fuel vapour occurs in the vehicle
itself, have the cause remedied
immediately by a workshop.
Observe the operating and safety
instructions of the petrol station
when refuelling.

9-13 Driving and operating
The tank flap is opened by pulling up
the release lever located on the
outboard side of the driver’s seat.The fuel filler neck is located on the
left rear side of the vehicle.
To open fuel filler cap: turn it anti-
clockwise.
Fuel consumption,
CO
2emissions
Directive 80/1268/EEC (last changed
by 2004/3/EG) has applied for the
measurement of fuel consumption
since 1996.
The directive is oriented to actual
driving practices: Urban driving is
rated at approx.
1/3 and extra-urban
driving with approx. 2/3 (urban and
extra-urban consumption). Cold
starts and acceleration phases are
also taken into consideration.
The specification of CO
2 emission is
also a constituent of the directive.The figures given must not be taken
as a guarantee for the actual fuel
consumption of a particular vehicle.
All values are based on the EU base
model with standard equipment.
The calculation of fuel consumption
as specified by directive 2004/3/EG
takes account of the vehicle’s kerb
weight, ascertained in accordance
with these regulations. Optional
extras may result in slightly higher
fuel consumption and CO
2emission
levels than those quoted.
Fuel consumption, CO
2emissions
312-4.
Caution
Wipe off any overflowing fuel
immediately.