brakes OPEL AMPERA E 2018 Owner's Manual

14In briefElectric drive unitP:ParkR:ReverseN:NeutralD:DriveL:Low
The selector lever can only be movedout of P when the vehicle is on, the
brake pedal is depressed, and then
the release button is pressed.
Electric drive unit 3 153.
Starting off
Check before starting off ● Tyre pressure and condition 3 231, 3 251.
● Fluid levels 3 213.
● All windows, mirrors, exterior lighting and number plates are
free from dirt, snow and ice and
are operational.
● Proper position of mirrors, seats, and seat belts 3 32, 3 38,
3 43.
● Brake function at low speed, particularly if the brakes are wet.
Starting the vehicle ● Depress brake pedal and press POWER m. When the vehicle
ready light 4 illuminates in the
instrument cluster, the vehicle is
ready to be driven.
● Move the steering wheel slightly to release the steering wheel
lock.
● Do not operate accelerator pedal.Starting and stopping the vehicle
3 150.

Driving and operating147Driving and
operatingDriving hints ............................... 147
Driving economically ...............147
Control of the vehicle ...............148
Starting and operating ...............148
New vehicle running-in ............148
Power button ........................... 148
Retained power off ..................150
Starting and stopping the vehicle .................................... 150
Parking .................................... 151
Electric vehicle operation modes ........................................ 153
Operation ................................. 153
Drive modes ............................ 153
Electric drive unit .......................153
Operation ................................. 153
Brakes ........................................ 157
Antilock brake system .............157
Parking brake .......................... 158
Regenerative braking ..............159
Ride control systems .................161
Traction Control system ..........161
Electronic Stability Control ......162Driver assistance systems .........163
Cruise control .......................... 163
Speed limiter ........................... 164
Forward collision alert .............166
Following distance indication ...168
Active emergency braking .......168
Front pedestrian protection .....171
Parking assist .......................... 173
Side blind spot alert .................181
Lane change alert ....................182
Panoramic view system ...........183
Rear view camera ...................185
Rear cross traffic alert .............187
Traffic sign assistant ................188
Lane keep assist .....................190
Charging .................................... 193
Programmable charging ..........196
Programmed charging override .................................. 203
Charging status .......................203
Charge cord ............................. 204
Electrical requirements ............208
Towing ....................................... 208
General information .................208Driving hints
Driving economically The following advice is intended to
help maximise energy efficiency and
range.
In colder temperatures, while these
efficiency tips will help, the electric
vehicle's driving range may be lower
due to higher energy usage.
The weight of additional cargo in the
vehicle affects efficiency and range.
Avoid carrying more than is needed.
Avoid unnecessary use of electrical
accessories. Power used for
functions other than propelling the
vehicle will reduce electric vehicle
range.
Always keep the tyres properly
inflated and the vehicle properly
aligned.
Driving style
Avoid unnecessary rapid
accelerations and decelerations.
Use cruise control when appropriate.

Driving and operating151The instrument cluster also displays
an active battery gauge when the
vehicle is ready to be driven.
A chime will sound if the driver's door
is opened while the vehicle is
switched on. Always press
POWER m to switch off the vehicle
before exiting the vehicle.
If the vehicle will not start due to a low electronic key battery, the vehicle can
still be driven.
Operation in case of failure 3 148.
RestartingCaution
If the vehicle must be restarted
while it is still moving, move the
selector lever into N and press
POWER m twice without
depressing the brake pedal. The
propulsion system will not restart
in any other way.
Emergency shut off during driving
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the brakes
repeatedly. This may reduce
power assist, requiring increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the selector lever into N. This
can be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting into N, firmly
apply the brakes and steer the
vehicle to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift into P, and switch off the vehicle
by pressing POWERm.
4. Apply the parking brake. If the vehicle cannot be pulled
over and must be shut off while
driving, press and hold
POWER m for more than two
seconds, or press twice briefly within five seconds.9 Danger
Switching off the vehicle while
moving may disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
propulsion system off in an
emergency.
Starting the vehicle at low
temperatures
It is recommended to plug in the vehicle when exterior temperatures
are below 0 °C to maximise high
voltage battery life.
Should the exterior temperature be
lower than -32 °C, the vehicle must be
plugged in when the vehicle is
switched on.
Parking Note
Do not allow the vehicle to remain in
extreme temperatures for long
periods without being driven or
being plugged in.

Driving and operating155At low vehicle speeds, R can be used
to rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the electric drive unit.
N : In this position, the propulsion
system does not transfer torque to the wheels. To restart the propulsion
system when the vehicle is already
moving, use D only.
The vehicle is not designed to stay in
N for extended periods of time. It will
automatically shift into P.
To shift into and out of N:
● To shift into N, move the selector
lever forward until N is illuminated
in red.
● If the vehicle is in P, press the
release button while pressing the selector lever forward until N is
illuminated in red.
To shift out of N, bring the vehicle
to a complete stop and shift into the desired gear.D : This position is for normal driving.
If more power is needed for passing,
and the vehicle speed is:
● less than 56 km/h, push the accelerator pedal about halfway
down.
● about 56 km/h or more, push the accelerator pedal all the way
down.Caution
If the vehicle seems to accelerate
slowly or not respond when you try to go faster, do not continue your
journey. The electric drive unit
could be damaged. Consult a
workshop as soon as possible.
Note
In slippery conditions, operate the
vehicle in D for enhanced riding and
handling performance.
To shift into and out of D:
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. To shift into D, move the selector
lever back. If the vehicle is in P,
press the release button while
pressing the selector lever back.
D is illuminated in red.
To shift out of D, shift to the
desired gear.
L : This position reduces vehicle
speed without using the brakes. Use
L on very steep hills, in deep snow, in
mud or in stop-and-go traffic.Caution
Spinning the tyres or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may
damage the electric drive unit. If you are stuck, do not spin the
tyres. When stopping on a hill, use
the brakes to hold the vehicle in
place.

Driving and operating157Car wash mode (vehicle on)To place the vehicle in N with the
vehicle running:
1. Open the door while pressing the brake, then shift to N.
2. The indicator should now show N.
If it does not, select N again.
3. Shift into P upon returning to the
vehicle.Brakes
The brake system comprises two
independent brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can
still be braked using the other brake
circuit. However, braking effect is
achieved only when the brake pedal
is depressed firmly. Considerably
more force is needed for this. The
braking distance is extended. Seek the assistance of a workshop before
continuing the journey.
When the vehicle is switched off, the
support of the brake servo unit
disappears once the brake pedal has been depressed once or twice.
Braking effect is not reduced, but
braking requires significantly greater
force. It is especially important to bear this in mind when being towed.
Control indicator R 3 79.
Antilock brake system
Antilock brake system (ABS)
prevents the wheels from locking.ABS starts to regulate brake pressure as soon as a wheel shows a tendency
to lock. The vehicle remains
steerable, even during hard braking.
ABS control is made apparent
through a pulse in the brake pedal
and the noise of the regulation
process.
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depressed throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that
the pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce
the pressure on the pedal.
After starting off, the system performs a self-test which may be audible.
Control indicator u 3 79.
Fault9 Warning
If there is a fault in the ABS, the
wheels may be liable to lock due
to braking that is heavier than
normal. The advantages of ABS
are no longer available. During

160Driving and operatingRegeneration on demand
Regeneration on demand allows
increased deceleration by pressing
and holding the steering wheel
paddle. It works in D (Drive) and L
(Low). The accelerator pedal must be mostly released for it to work.
If regenerative braking is active, the regenerative active icon with arrowsis shown as green.
Regenerative braking 3 76.
Cruise control will switch off and the
brake lights may come on when this
feature is activated.
If the vehicle is in D (Drive) and is
brought to a complete stop while the regenerative braking paddle is held,
the vehicle will not creep forward
when the paddle is released. The
accelerator pedal must be pressed to
move the vehicle forward.
One-pedal driving 3 153.
If the vehicle is on a steep gradient,
the brake pedal will be required to
hold the vehicle.
The brake controller applies the
hydraulic brakes using a pump. You
may hear the pump during some
braking manoeuvres, such as rapid
brake application or during
regenerative braking as the vehicle
comes to a stop. This is normal
operation.
Hill Top ReserveHill Top Reserve enables you to
maximise regenerative braking
efficiency when driving from a higher
elevation immediately after charging.
When switched on, this feature will
stop the charging process before thehigh voltage battery is full, allowing space for energy from regenerative
braking.
This feature also integrates with the Location-based charging feature,
allowing you to configure the system
so it is enabled when you are at home ( On – home only ) or away (On – away
only ).
Location based charging 3 196.

164Driving and operatingSwitching on
Press m; control indicator m in
instrument cluster illuminates white
and cruise control is on standby.
Press m again to deactivate cruise
control.
Activation
Accelerate to the desired speed and
press SET/-, the current speed is
stored and maintained. The desired set speed briefly appears in the
instrument cluster. Accelerator pedal
can be released.
Vehicle speed can be increased by depressing the accelerator pedal. When the accelerator pedal is
released, the previously stored speed
is resumed.
Control indicator m 3 81.
Increase speed
With cruise control active, press
RES/+ until the desired speed is
reached or press RES/+ repeatedly:
speed is increased in small increments.
Reduce speed With cruise control active, pressSET/- until the desired speed is
reached or press SET/- repeatedly:
speed is decreased in small
increments.
Resume speed
If the cruise control is set at a desired speed and then the brakes are
applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory. Once the
vehicle speed is approx. 25 km/h or
higher, press RES/+. The vehicle
returns to the previously set speed.
Deactivation Press y; control indicator m in
instrument cluster illuminates white.Cruise control is deactivated, but not
switched off. Last stored speed
remains in memory for later speed
resume.
Automatic deactivation: ● Vehicle speed is below approx. 25 km/h.
● The brake pedal is depressed.
● The selector lever is in N.
● The Traction Control system or Electronic Stability Control is
operating.
Switching off
Press m, control indicator m in
instrument cluster extinguishes. The stored speed is deleted.
Speed limiter
The speed limiter prevents the
vehicle exceeding a preset maximum
speed.
The maximum speed can be set at
speeds above 25 km/h.

Driving and operating167
Simultaneously a warning chime
sounds. Depress the brake pedal and
steer the vehicle, if it is required by the
situation.
Selecting the alert sensitivity The alert sensitivity to near, medium
or far.Press V, the current setting is shown
on the Driver Information Centre.
Press V repeatedly to change the
alert sensitivity. The selected setting
is also displayed in the Driver
Information Centre. The last selected
setting will be stored when the vehicle
is switched off.Deactivation
The system can be deactivated in the
personalisation menu 3 91.
The forward collision alert will be
activated again with the last selected
alert sensitivity when the vehicle is
switched on next time.
General information
9 Warning
Forward collision alert is just a
warning system and does not
apply the brakes. When

168Driving and operatingapproaching a vehicle ahead too
rapidly, it may not provide you
enough time to avoid a collision.
The driver accepts full
responsibility for the appropriate
following distance based on traffic, weather and visibility conditions.
The complete attention of the
driver is always required while
driving. The driver must always be
ready to take action and apply the
brakes.
System limitations
Forward collision alert is designed to warn about vehicles only, but may
react also to other objects.
In the following cases, forward
collision alert may not detect a vehicle ahead or sensor performance is
limited:
● on winding roads
● when weather limits visibility, such as fog, rain, or snow
● when the sensor is blocked by snow, ice, slush, mud, dirt,
windscreen damage or affected
by foreign items, e.g. stickers
Following distance
indication
The following distance indication
displays the distance in seconds to a
preceding moving vehicle. The front
camera in the windscreen is used to
detect the distance of a vehicle
directly ahead in the vehicle's path. It
is active at speeds above 8 km/h.
When a preceding vehicle is detected
ahead, the distance is indicated in
seconds, displayed on a page in the
Driver Information Centre.
Select Information menu via steering
wheel buttons and press G to select
following distance indication 3 82.
The minimum indicated distance is
0.5 seconds.
If there is no vehicle ahead or the vehicle ahead is out of range, two
dashes will be displayed: -.- sec.
Active emergency braking
Active emergency braking can help toreduce the damage and injury from
crashes with vehicles, pedestrians and obstacles directly ahead, when a
collision can no longer be avoided
either by manual braking or by
steering. Before the active
emergency braking applies, the driver
is warned by the forward collision
alert 3 166 and front pedestrian
protection 3 171.
The feature uses various inputs (e.g.
camera sensor, brake pressure,
vehicle speed) to calculate the
probability of a frontal collision.9 Warning
This system is not intended to
replace the driver responsibility for driving the vehicle and looking
ahead. Its function is limited to

Driving and operating169supplemental use only to reduce
the vehicle speed before a
collision.
The system may not react to
animals. After a sudden lane
change, the system needs a
certain time to detect the next
preceding vehicle.
The driver must always be ready
to take action and apply the brakes
and steer to avoid collisions.
Functionality
If equipped only with front camera the
active emergency braking operates in
a forward gear above walking speed
up to 80 km/h.
A precondition is that the system is
not deactivated in the vehicle
personalisation menu 3 91.
The system includes: ● brake preparation system
● emergency automatic braking ● forward looking brake assist
● front pedestrian protection system
Brake preparation system
When approaching a vehicle ahead
or a pedestrian so quickly that a
collision is likely, the brake
preparation system slightly
pressurises the brakes. This reduces
the response time, when a manual or automatic braking is requested.
The brake system is prepared so that
braking can occur more rapidly.
If equipped only with front camera the system operates up to a speed of
80 km/h.
Emergency automatic braking After activation of brake preparation
system and just before the imminent
collision, this function automatically
applies limited braking to reduce the
impact speed of the collision or
prevent a crash.
Depending on the situation, the
vehicle may automatically brake
moderately or hard. This front
automatic braking can only occur if a
vehicle ahead is detected, indicated
by the vehicle ahead indicator A
3 166. On vehicles with frontpedestrian protection, automatic
braking can also occur when a
pedestrian ahead is detected,
indicated by the pedestrian ahead
indicator 7.
The system operates up to a speed of
80 km/h.
Below a speed of 40 km/h the system can apply full braking.
Emergency automatic braking may slow the vehicle to a complete stop to
try to avoid a potential crash. If this
happens, emergency automatic
braking may engage the electric
parking brake to hold the vehicle at a
stop. To release, push the electric
parking brake switch or firmly depress the accelerator pedal.9 Warning
Emergency automatic braking is
an emergency crash preparation
feature and is not designed to
avoid crashes. Do not rely on the
system to brake the vehicle.
Emergency automatic braking will