tow OPEL ASTRA J 2014 Manual user

100StorageLoading information
■ Heavy objects in the loadcompartment should be placedagainst the seat backrests. Ensure
that the backrests are securely
engaged. If objects can be stacked, heavier objects should be placed at
the bottom.
■ Secure objects with lashing straps attached to the lashing eyes 3 93.
Attach the height adjustable cover
in the lowest position (1) 3 90.
■ Use the four hooks at the sidewalls
of the load compartment for
hanging up carrier bags. Maximum
load: 5 kg per hook.
■ Sports tourer: Use the hooks at the
sidewalls of the load compartment
for hanging up carrier bags. Press
to fold out the hook.
■ Secure loose objects in the load compartment to prevent them from
sliding.
■ When transporting objects in the load compartment, the backrests ofthe rear seats must not be angled
forward.
■ Do not allow the load to protrude above the upper edge of the
backrests.
■ Do not place any objects on the load compartment cover or the
instrument panel, and do not cover
the sensor on top of the instrument
panel.
■ The load must not obstruct the operation of the pedals, parking
brake and gear selector lever, or
hinder the freedom of movement of the driver. Do not place any
unsecured objects in the interior.
■ Do not drive with an open load compartment.9 Warning
Always make sure that the load in
the vehicle is securely stowed.
Otherwise objects can be thrown
around inside the vehicle and
cause personal injury or damage
to the load or car.
■ The payload is the difference between the permitted gross

146Lighting
With the light switch in position
AUTO all lighting functions are
available.
The following functions are available
also with light switch in position 9:
■ Dynamic curve lighting
■ Cornering light
■ Reversing function
■ Dynamic automatic headlight levelling
Playstreet lighting
Activated automatically at low speed
up to approx. 30 km/h. The light beam is turned at an angle of 8° to the
roadside.
Town lighting
Activated automatically at a speed
range between approx. 40 and
55 km/h and when street lights are
detected by the light sensor. The light
range is reduced by an extended light
distribution.Country lighting
Activated automatically at a speed
range between approx. 55 and
115 km/h. The beam of light and the
brightness is different between the left and the right side.
Motorway lighting
Activated automatically at a speed
above approx. 115 km/h and minimal
steering movements. It switches on
after a delay or directly when the
vehicle is powerfully accelerated. The
light beam is longer and brighter.
Adverse weather lighting
Activated automatically up to a speed
of approx. 70 km/h, when the rain
sensor recognizes condensation or
the wiper operates continuously. The
range, distribution and light intensity
is regulated variably depending on visibility.Dynamic curve lighting
The light beam pivots based on
steering wheel angle and speed,
improving lighting in curves.
Control indicator f 3 120.
Corner lighting
On tight bends or when turning off,
depending on the steering angle or
the turn signal light, an additional left
or right reflector is switched on which illuminates the road at a right angle to
the direction of travel. It is activated
up to a speed of 40 km/h.

150Lighting
Light switch in position AUTO:
switching on front fog lights will switch headlights on automatically.
Rear fog lights
Operated with the r button.
Light switch in position AUTO:
switching on rear fog light will switch
headlights on automatically.
Light switch in position 8: rear fog
light can only be switched on with
front fog lights.
The vehicle rear fog light is
deactivated when towing.
Parking lights
When the vehicle is parked, the
parking lights on one side can be
activated:
1. Switch off ignition.
2. Move turn signal lever all the way up (right parking lights) or down
(left parking lights).
Confirmed by a signal and the
corresponding turn signal control
indicator.
Reversing lights
The reversing light comes on when
the ignition is on and reverse gear is
selected.
Misted light covers The inside of the light housing may
mist up briefly in poor, wet and cold weather conditions, in heavy rain or
after washing. The mist disappears
quickly by itself; to help switch on the
headlights.

156Climate control
Demisting and defrosting
■Press button V: fan automatically
switches to higher speed, the air distribution is directed towards the
windscreen.
■ Set temperature control to warmest
level.
■ Switch on heated rear window Ü.
■ Open side air vents as required and
direct them towards the door
windows.
Air conditioning system
In addition to the heating and
ventilation system, the air
conditioning system has controls for:
n=cooling4=air recirculation
Heated seats ß 3 49, Heated
steering wheel * 3 103.
Cooling n
Press button
n to switch on cooling.
Activation is indicated by the LED in
the button. Cooling is only functional
when the engine is running and
climate control fan is switched on.
Press button n again to switch off
cooling.
The air conditioning system cools and
dehumidifies (dries) as soon as the
outside temperature is slightly above
the freezing point. Therefore
condensation may form and drip from under the vehicle.

158Climate control
Demisting and defrosting the
windows V
■
Press button V: fan automatically
switches to higher speed, the air distribution is directed towards the
windscreen.
■ Switch cooling n on.
■ Set temperature control to warmest
level.
■ Switch on heated rear window Ü.
■ Open side air vents as required and
direct them towards the door
windows.
Note
If the V button is pressed while the
engine is running, an Autostop will
be inhibited until the V button is
pressed again.
If the V button is pressed while the
engine is in an Autostop, the engine will restart automatically.
Stop-start system 3 167.
Electronic climate control
system
The dual zone climate control allows
different climatisation temperatures
for driver and front passenger side.
In Automatic mode temperature, fan
speed and air distribution are
regulated automatically.
Controls for:
■ Temperature on driver side■ Air distribution
■ Fan speed
■ Temperature on front passenger side
n=coolingAUTO=automatic mode4=manual air recirculationV=demisting and defrosting
Heated rear window Ü 3 37, Heated
seats ß 3 49, Heated steering wheel
* 3 103.

162Climate control
Air recirculation mode 4
Press button
4 to activate the air
recirculation mode. Activation is
indicated by the LED in the button.
Press button 4 again to deactivate
recirculation mode.
9 Warning
The exchange of fresh air is
reduced in air recirculation mode.
In operation without cooling the air humidity increases, so the
windows may mist up from inside.
The quality of the passenger
compartment air deteriorates,
which may cause the vehicle
occupants to feel drowsy.
In warm and very humid ambient air conditions, the windscreen might mist up from outside, when cold air is
directed to it. If windscreen mists up
from outside, activate windscreen
wiper and deactivate s.
Basic settings Some settings can be changed in the
menu Settings in the Info-Display.
Vehicle personalisation 3 134.
Auxiliary heater
Air heater Quickheat is an electric auxiliary air
heater which automatically warms up
the passenger compartment more
quickly.
Air vents
Adjustable air vents
At least one air vent must be open
while the cooling is on.
To open the vent, turn the adjuster
wheel towards the bigger W symbol.
Adjust the air amount at the vent
outlet by turning the adjuster wheel.

Climate control163
Direct the flow of air by tilting and
swivelling the slats.
To close the vent, turn the adjuster
wheel towards the smaller W symbol.
9 Warning
Do not attach any objects to the
slats of the air vents. Risk of
damage and injury in case of an
accident.
Fixed air vents
Additional air vents are located
beneath the windscreen and door windows and in the foot wells.
Maintenance
Air intake
The air intake in front of the
windscreen in the engine
compartment must be kept clear to
allow air intake. Remove any leaves,
dirt or snow.
Pollen filter
The pollen filter cleans dust, soot,
pollen and spores from the air
entering the vehicle through the air
intake.
Air conditioning regular
operation In order to ensure continuously
efficient performance, cooling must
be operated for a few minutes once a
month, irrespective of the weather
and time of year. Operation with
cooling is not possible when the
outside temperature is too low.
Service
For optimal cooling performance, it is recommended to annually check the
climate control system, starting
three years after initial vehicle
registration, including:
■ Functionality and pressure test■ Heating functionality
■ Leakage check
■ Check of drive belts
■ Cleaning of condenser and evaporator drainage
■ Performance check

Driving and operating169
■ the driver's seat belt is unfastenedand the driver's door is opened
■ the engine temperature is too low
■ the charging level of the vehicle battery is below a defined level
■ the brake vacuum is not sufficient
■ the vehicle is driven at least at walking speed
■ the climate control system requests
an engine start
■ the air conditioning is manually switched on
If the bonnet is not fully closed, a warning message is displayed in the
Driver Information Centre.
If an electric accessory, e.g. a
portable CD player, is connected to
the power outlet, a brief power drop during restart might be noticeable.
Parking ■ Do not park the vehicle on an easily
ignitable surface. The high
temperature of the exhaust system
could ignite the surface.■ Always apply parking brake. Apply manual parking brake without
pressing release button. Apply as
firmly as possible on downhill or uphill slopes. Depress the foot
brake at the same time to reduce
operating force.
Apply electric parking brake by pulling switch m for approx.
one second.
■ Switch off the engine and ignition. Turn the steering wheel until the
steering wheel lock engages.
■ If the vehicle is on a level surface or
uphill slope, engage first gear or set the selector lever to P before
switching off the ignition. On an
uphill slope, turn the front wheels
away from the kerb.
If the vehicle is on a downhill slope, engage reverse gear or set theselector lever to P before switching
off the ignition. Turn the front
wheels towards the kerb.
■ Lock the vehicle and activate the anti-theft alarm system.Note
In the event of an accident with
airbag deployment, the engine is
turned off automatically if the vehicle
comes to a standstill within a certain time.

Driving and operating171
Cleaning takes place quickest at high
engine speeds and loads.
The control indicator % extinguishes
as soon as the self-cleaning
operation is complete.
Catalytic converter
The catalytic converter reduces the
amount of harmful substances in the
exhaust gases.Caution
Fuel grades other than those listed on pages 3 213, 3 292 could
damage the catalytic converter or
electronic components.
Unburnt petrol will overheat and
damage the catalytic converter.
Therefore avoid excessive use of the starter, running the fuel tank
dry and starting the engine by
pushing or towing.
In the event of misfiring, uneven
engine running, a reduction in engine performance or other unusual
problems, have the cause of the fault
rectified by a workshop as soon as
possible. In an emergency, driving
can be continued for a short period,
keeping vehicle speed and engine
speed low.Automatic transmission
The automatic transmission permits
automatic gearshifting (automatic
mode) or manual gearshifting
(manual mode).
Transmission display
The mode or selected gear is shown
in the transmission display.

Driving and operating173Manual mode
Move selector lever out of position D
towards the left and then forwards or backwards.
<=Shift to a higher gear.]=Shift to a lower gear.
If a higher gear is selected when
vehicle speed is too low, or a lower
gear when vehicle speed is too high,
the shift is not executed. This can
cause a message in the
Driver-Info-Display.
In manual mode no automatic shifting to a higher gear takes place at high
engine revolutions.
Electronic driving
programmes ■ Following a cold start, the operating
temperature programme increasesengine speed to quickly bring the
catalytic converter to the required
temperature.
■ The automatic neutral shift function
automatically shifts to idling when
the vehicle is stopped with a
forward gear engaged and the
brake pedal is pressed.
■ When SPORT mode is engaged, the vehicle shifts at higher engine
speeds (unless cruise control is
on). SPORT mode 3 181.■ Special programmes automatically
adapt the shifting points when
driving up inclines or down hills.
■ When starting off in snowy or icy conditions or on other slippery
surfaces, the electronic
transmission control selects a
higher gear automatically.
Kickdown If the accelerator pedal is pressed
down completely in automatic mode,
the transmission shifts to a lower gear depending on engine speed.
Fault In the event of a fault, g illuminates.
Additionally a code number or a
vehicle message is displayed in the
Driver Information Centre. Vehicle
messages 3 128.
The transmission no longer shifts
automatically. Continued travel is
possible with manual shifting.