SATURN ASTRA 2008 Owners Manual

For quicker cool down, do the
following:
1. Press
#to turn on the air
conditioning.
2. Select
Ymode.
3. Set the temperature knob to the
coldest temperature.
4. Set the fan knob to 4.
5. Open all vents.
Recirculation
^(Recirculation):Press to
turn the recirculation mode on or off.
An indicator light inside the button
comes on when the recirculation
mode is active. This mode
recirculates air inside the passenger
compartment and prevents outside
air from entering the vehicle.The quality of the passenger
compartment air may decrease
since the amount of outside
air entering the vehicle is reduced.
When the recirculation mode is
used without air conditioning, the
air humidity increases, and the
windows may fog. Avoid using the
recirculation mode during high
periods of humidity or cool outside
temperatures since this may result in
increased window fogging. If window
fogging is experienced, select the
defrost mode.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog from the
rear window.
The rear window defogger will only
work when the ignition is in
ON/RUN.
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator
light inside the button will be lit
when in use.
If your vehicle has heated mirrors,
they turn on when the rear window
defogger button is pressed. Press
the button again to turn them off.
For more information, seeOutside
Power Mirror(s) on page 2-12.
The rear window defogger will stay
on for approximately 15 minutes
after the button is pressed, unless
the ignition is turned off.
Notice:Do not use anything
sharp on the inside of the rear
window. If you do, you could cut
or damage the warming grid, and
the repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle
license, tape, a decal or anything
similar to the defogger grid.
Climate Controls 7-3
ProCarManuals.com

Outlet Adjustment
Use the thumbwheel below the air
outlets to change the direction of the
air ow. Use the vertical thumbwheel
next to the outlets to control the
amount of air ow or to shut off the
airow completely.
Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
Operation Tips

Clear away any ice, snow, or
leaves from the air inlets at
the base of the windshield that
can block the ow of air into
the vehicle.
Use of non-GM approved hood
deectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Keep the path under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle
more effectively.
If fogging reoccurs while in vent
or bi-level modes with mild
temperature throughout the
vehicle, turn on the air conditioner
to reduce windshield fogging.
7-4 Climate Controls
ProCarManuals.com

Driving and
Operating
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In.........8-2
Ignition Positions................8-2
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP).....................8-3
Starting the Engine.............8-3
Engine Heater....................8-4
Automatic Transmission
Operation..........................8-5
Manual Transmission
Operation..........................8-9
Parking Brake...................8-10
Shifting Into Park..............8-11
Shifting Out of Park..........8-13
Parking the Vehicle...........8-13
Parking Over Things
That Burn........................8-13
Engine Exhaust.................8-14
Running the Vehicle
While Parked..................8-14
Driving Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving..............8-16
Drunk Driving....................8-16
Control of a Vehicle..........8-17
Braking.............................8-17
Antilock Brake
System (ABS).................8-18
StabiliTrak®System..........8-19
Steering............................8-20
Off-Road Recovery............8-22
Passing.............................8-23
Loss of Control.................8-23
Driving at Night.................8-24
Driving in Rain and on
Wet Roads......................8-25
Before Leaving on a
Long Trip........................8-26
Highway Hypnosis.............8-26
Hill and Mountain
Roads.............................8-26
Winter Driving...................8-27
If Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow
..........................8-29
Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out.......................8-30
Loading the Vehicle..........8-30
Fuel
Fuel..................................8-35
Gasoline Octane...............8-35
Gasoline Specications.....8-35
California Fuel..................8-35
Additives...........................8-36
Fuels in Foreign
Countries........................8-36
Filling the Tank.................8-37
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container........................8-38
Driving and Operating 8-1
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Starting and
Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not
need an elaborate break-in. But it
will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting
to brake or slow the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for
the rst 200 miles (322 km) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings
can mean premature wear and
earlier replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.Following break-in, engine
speed and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
Use the key to turn the ignition
switch to four different positions.
Notice:Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct key,
make sure it is all the way in, and
turn it only with your hand. If the
key cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer/retailer.To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in the ON/RUN position
and the regular brake pedal must
be applied.
A (LOCK/OFF):This is the only
position from which you can remove
the key. This locks the steering
wheel, ignition and automatic
transmission.
On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must
be in P (Park) to turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK/OFF position.
The ignition switch can bind in the
LOCK/OFF position with your wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
move the steering wheel from
right to left while turning the key to
STEERING UNLOCK/IGNITION
OFF. If this doesn’t work, then the
vehicle needs service.
8-2 Driving and Operating
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B (STEERING UNLOCKED/
IGNITION OFF):This position
unlocks the steering wheel.
C (ON/RUN):The ignition switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories, as well as to display
some warning and indicator lights.
The battery could be drained if you
leave the key in the ON/RUN position
with the engine off. You may not be
able to start the vehicle if the battery
is allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
D (START):This position starts
the engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON/RUN for normal
driving. A warning tone will sound
when the driver door is opened and
the key is in the ignition.Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The power windows and mirrors
may be used for up to ve minutes
after the key is turned to LOCK/OFF.
The power windows and mirrors will
not operate after any of the front
doors are opened.
The radio may be used for up to
sixty minutes after the key is turned
to LOCK/OFF.
Starting the Engine
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart
when you are already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if your vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when your vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in Neutral
and the parking brake engaged.
Hold the clutch pedal to the
oor and start the engine. The
vehicle will not start if the clutch
pedal is not all the way down.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed
will go down as your engine gets
warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow the
oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts.
Driving and Operating 8-3
ProCarManuals.com

Your vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for a
few seconds or until the vehicle
starts. If the engine does not start
and the key is held in START for
many seconds, cranking will be
stopped after 15 seconds to
prevent cranking motor damage.
To prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped
by turning the ignition switch to
STEERING UNLOCKED/
IGNITION OFF or LOCK/OFF.
Notice:Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain thebattery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after
5-10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below 0°F or
−18°C), it could be ooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the oor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for up
to a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds between
each try, to let the cranking motor
cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briey but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.Notice:The engine is designed
to work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates.
Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer/retailer. If you do not,
the engine might not perform
properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Engine Heater
The engine heater can provide
easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up
in cold weather conditions at or
below−4°F (−20°C). Vehicles with
an engine heater should be plugged
in at least four hours before starting.
8-4 Driving and Operating
ProCarManuals.com

To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. The engine heater connector is
located in the passenger side
lower front grille. Open the cover
and insert the 110-volt AC
adapter delivered in the vehicles
glove box.
3. Plug the other end of the adapter
into a grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.{CAUTION
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause
an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a
re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a
properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord
will not reach, use a heavy-duty
three-prong extension cord
rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be
sure to unplug both ends of
the adapter and store the adapter
to prevent damage.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer/retailer
in the area where you will be parking
the vehicle for the best advice
on this.
Automatic Transmission
Operation
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, the shift lever is
located on the console between
the seats.
Your vehicle may also have an
electronic shift position indicator that
displays the position of the shift
lever. This indicator is located above
the trip odometer on the instrument
panel cluster.
Driving and Operating 8-5
ProCarManuals.com

PARK (P):This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when the engine is started
because your vehicle cannot
move easily.
{CAUTION
It is dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when
the engine is running unless
you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure
your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking
brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park
on page 8-11.Make sure the shift lever is fully in
PARK (P) before starting the engine.
Your vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The regular brakes must be
applied before you can shift from
PARK (P) when the ignition key is in
ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out of
PARK (P) while holding the brake
pedal down, seeShifting Out of
Park on page 8-13.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to
back up.
Notice:Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse)
only after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and
forth to get out of snow, ice, or sand
without damaging the transmission,
seeRocking Your Vehicle to Get
It Out on page 8-30.NEUTRAL (N):In this position,
the engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart while you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N)
only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N)
when your vehicle is being towed.{CAUTION
Shifting into a drive gear while
the engine is running at high
speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake
pedal, the vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose
control and hit people or
objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed.
8-6 Driving and Operating
ProCarManuals.com

Notice:Shifting out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
DRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving.
Notice:If your vehicle seems to
start up rather slowly or not shift
gears when you go faster, and you
continue to drive your vehicle that
way, you could damage the
transmission. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.THIRD (3):This position is also
used for normal driving, however, it
offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D). Here are
some times you might choose
THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding
roads.
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2):This position gives
you more power but lower fuel
economy. Use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control the vehicles speed
as you go down steep mountain
roads, but then you would also want
to use your brakes off and on.
Notice:Driving in FIRST (1) for
more than 25 miles (40 km) or at
speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h)
may damage the transmission.
Also, shifting into FIRST (1) at
speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h)
can cause damage. Drive in
THIRD (3) or DRIVE (D) instead
of FIRST (1).FIRST (1):This position gives you
even more power but lower fuel
economy than SECOND (2). Use it
on very steep hills, or in deep snow
or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1), the transmission does not
shift into rst gear until the vehicle is
going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires
or holding the vehicle in one
place on a hill using only
the accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission. The
repair will not be covered by your
warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping
on a hill, use the brakes to
hold the vehicle in place.
Driving and Operating 8-7
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Winter Driving Mode
This feature helps you accelerate in
slippery driving conditions by using
THIRD (3) gear when you begin to
accelerate from a stopped position.
The winter driving mode button is
located on the center console.
Press once to turn on the winter
driving mode feature. The vehicle
will be in THIRD (3) gear when the
vehicle begins to move. Once the
vehicle is moving, the vehicle will
upshift normally.The Winter Driving Mode is turned
off by one of the following:Pressing the winter driving mode
button again.
Manually shifting to SECOND (2)
or FIRST (1) gear.
Turning off the ignition.
This light on the instrument panel
cluster will come on when the winter
driving mode is active.
To protect the transmission,
the winter program turns off
automatically at high transmission
oil temperatures.
Automatic Neutral Idle
The Automatic Neutral Idle shift
function automatically sets the
transmission to NEUTRAL (N) to
reduce fuel consumption when
the vehicle is not moving.
Automatic neutral is activated when
ALL of the following occurs:
The selector lever is in
DRIVE (D), THIRD (3),
SECOND (2) or FIRST (1) gear.
The foot brake is pressed.
The vehicle is stopped.
The accelerator pedal is not
pressed.
The transmission uid
temperature is greater than
0° C (32° F).
The road is not steeper than 15°.
8-8 Driving and Operating
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