clutch OPEL ASTRA J 2014 Owner's Manual

20In briefTransmission
Manual transmission
Reverse: with the vehicle stationary,
wait 3 seconds after depressing
clutch pedal and then press the
release button on the selector lever
and engage the gear.
If the gear does not engage, set the
lever to neutral, release the clutch
pedal and depress again; then repeat
gear selection.
Manual transmission 3 175.
Automatic transmissionP=parkR=reverseN=neutralD=drive
Manual mode: move selector lever
from D to the left.
<=higher gear]=lower gear
The selector lever can only be moved
out of P when the ignition is on and
the brake pedal is applied. To engage
P or R, press the release button.
Automatic transmission 3 171.
Starting off
Check before starting off ■ Tyre pressure and condition 3 260,
3 309.
■ Engine oil level and fluid levels 3 226.
■ 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 33, 3 42,
3 50.
■ Brake function at low speed, particularly if the brakes are wet.

In brief21
Starting the engine
■ Turn key to position 1
■ move the steering wheel slightly to release the steering wheel lock
■ operate clutch and brake
■ automatic transmission in P or N
■ do not operate accelerator pedal
■ diesel engines: turn the key to position 2 for preheating and wait
until control indicator !
extinguishes
■ turn key to position 3 and release
Starting the engine 3 165.
Stop-start system
If the vehicle is at a low speed or at a
standstill and certain conditions are
fulfilled, activate an Autostop as
follows:
■ Depress the clutch pedal
■ set the lever in neutral
■ release the clutch pedal
An Autostop is indicated by the
needle at the AUTOSTOP position in
the tachometer.
To restart the engine, depress the
clutch pedal again.
Stop-start system 3 167.
Parking
■ Always apply the parking brake. Activate the manual parking brake
without pressing the release button.
Apply as firmly as possible on a
downhill slope or uphill slope.
Depress foot brake at the same
time to reduce operating force.
For vehicles with electric parking
brake, pull switch m for approx.
one second.
■ Switch off the engine. Turn the ignition key to position 0 and
remove it. Turn the steering wheel
until the steering wheel lock is felt
to engage.
For vehicles with automatic
transmission, the key can only be
removed when the selector lever is in the P position.
■ 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.

116Instruments and controls
* illuminates yellow.
The front passenger airbag is
deactivated 3 55.9 Danger
Risk of fatal injury for a child using
a child restraint system together
with activated front passenger
airbag.
Risk of fatal injury for an adult
person with deactivated front
passenger airbag.
Charging system
p illuminates red.
Illuminates when the ignition is
switched on and extinguishes shortly
after the engine starts.
Illuminates when the engine is
running
Stop, switch off engine. Vehicle
battery is not charging. Engine
cooling may be interrupted. The
brake servo unit may cease to be
effective. Seek the assistance of a
workshop.
Malfunction indicator light
Z illuminates or flashes yellow.
Illuminates when the ignition is
switched on and extinguishes shortly
after the engine starts.
Illuminates when the engine isrunning
Fault in the emission control system. The permitted emission limits may be
exceeded. Seek the assistance of a
workshop immediately.Flashes when the engine is
running
Fault that could lead to catalytic
converter damage. Ease up on the
accelerator until the flashing stops.
Seek the assistance of a workshop
immediately.
Service vehicle soon g illuminates yellow.
Additionally a warning message or a
warning code is displayed.
The vehicle needs a service.
Seek the assistance of a workshop.
Vehicle messages 3 128.
Brake and clutch system
Brake and clutch fluid level
R illuminates red.
The brake and clutch fluid level is too low 3 229.

Instruments and controls1179Warning
Stop. Do not continue your
journey. Consult a workshop.
Illuminates after the ignition is
switched on if the manual parking
brake is applied 3 176.
Operate pedal
- illuminates or flashes yellow.
Clutch pedal must be operated to start the engine. Stop-start system
3 167.
Illuminates
Brake pedal must be operated to
release the electric parking brake
3 176.
Flashes
Clutch pedal must be operated to start the engine 3 165.
Electric parking brake
m illuminates or flashes red.
Illuminates
Electric parking brake is applied
3 176.
Flashes Electric parking brake is not fully
applied or released. Switch on
ignition, depress brake pedal and attempt to reset the system by first
releasing and then applying the
electric parking brake. If m remains
flashing, do not drive and seek the
assistance of a workshop.
Electric parking brake fault
j illuminates or flashes yellow.
Illuminates
Electric parking brake is operating
with degraded performance 3 176.
Flashes Electric parking brake is in servicemode. Stop vehicle, apply and
release the electric parking brake to
reset.9 Warning
Have the cause of the fault
remedied immediately by a
workshop.
Antilock brake system
(ABS) u illuminates yellow.
Illuminates for a few seconds after the ignition is switched on. The system is
ready for operation when the control
indicator extinguishes.
If the control indicator does not go out after a few seconds, or if it illuminates while driving, there is a fault in the
ABS. The brake system remains
operational but without ABS
regulation.
Antilock brake system 3 175.
Upshift [ illuminates green as control
indicator, or is shown as a symbol in
the Driver Information Centre with
Uplevel-Display or Uplevel-Combi-

Instruments and controls119
Electronic Stability Control 3 179,
Traction Control system 3 178.
Traction Control system off k illuminates yellow.
The system is deactivated.
Preheating
! illuminates yellow.
Preheating is activated. Only
activates when outside temperature
is low.
Diesel particle filter
% illuminates or flashes yellow.
The diesel particle filter requires
cleaning.
Continue driving until %
extinguishes. If possible, do not allow engine speed to drop below
2000 rpm.Illuminates
The diesel particle filter is full. Start
cleaning process as soon as
possible.
Flashes The maximum filling level of the filter
is reached. Start cleaning process
immediately to avoid damage to the
engine.
Diesel particle filter 3 170, Stop-start
system 3 167.
Tyre pressure monitoring
system
w illuminates or flashes yellow.
Illuminates
Tyre pressure loss. Stop immediately
and check tyre pressure.
Flashes Fault in system or tyre without
pressure sensor mounted (e.g. spare
wheel). After 60-90 seconds the
control indicator illuminates
continuously. Consult a workshop.Engine oil pressure
I illuminates red.
Illuminates when the ignition is
switched on and extinguishes shortly after the engine starts.
Illuminates when the engine isrunningCaution
Engine lubrication may be
interrupted. This may result in
damage to the engine and/or
locking of the drive wheels.
1. Depress clutch.
2. Select neutral gear, set selector lever to N.
3. Move out of the flow of traffic as quickly as possible without
impeding other vehicles.
4. Switch off ignition.

128Instruments and controls
Press (the outer ring)■ To select or activate the marked option
■ To confirm a set value
■ To switch a system function on/off
BACK button
Press button to: ■ exit a menu without changing settings
■ return from a submenu to a higher menu level
■ delete the last character in a character sequence
Press and hold the button for a few
seconds to delete the entire entry.
Vehicle personalisation 3 134.
Memorised settings 3 25.
Smartphone controller
The smartphone controller allows a
smartphone to access vehicle data
via WLAN or Bluetooth connection.
This data can then be displayed and analysed on the smartphone.Vehicle messages
Messages are indicated mainly in the
Driver Information Centre (DIC), in
some cases together with a warning and signal buzzer.
Press the SET/CLR button, the
MENU button or turn the adjuster
wheel to confirm a message.
Vehicle messages on the
Midlevel-Display
The vehicle messages are displayed
as code numbers.
No.Vehicle message2No radio remote control
detected, depress clutch pedal
for a restart3Engine coolant level low4Air conditioning off5Steering wheel is locked

Driving and operating165Starting and operating
New vehicle running-in Do not brake unnecessarily hard for
the first few journeys.
During the first drive, smoke may
occur because of wax and oil
evaporating off the exhaust system.
Park the vehicle in the open for a
while after the first drive and avoid
inhaling the fumes.
During the running-in period fuel and
engine oil consumption may be
higher and the cleaning process of the diesel particle filter may take
place more often. Autostop may be inhibited to allow for charging the
battery.
Diesel particle filter 3 170.Ignition switch positions0=Ignition off1=Steering wheel lock released,
ignition off2=Ignition on, for diesel engine:
preheating3=Starting
Retained power off
The following electronic systems can
work until the driver's door is opened
or at the latest for 10 minutes after the
ignition is switched off:
■ Power windows
■ Sunroof
■ Power outlets
Power to the Infotainment system will continue to operate for 30 minutes oruntil the key is removed from the
ignition switch, regardless of whether
any door will be opened.
Starting the engine
Manual transmission: operate clutch.
Automatic transmission: operate
brake and move the selector lever to
P or N.

166Driving and operating
Do not operate the accelerator pedal.Diesel engine: turn the key to position2 for preheating until control
indicator ! extinguishes.
Turn the key briefly to position 3 and
release: an automatic procedure
operates the starter with a short delay
as long as the engine is running, see
Automatic Starter Control.
Before restarting or to switch off the
engine, turn the key back to position
0 .
During an Autostop, the engine can
be started by depressing the clutch
pedal.Starting the vehicle at low
temperatures
The start of the engine without
additional heaters is possible down to -25 °С for diesel engines and -30 °C
for petrol engines. Required is an engine oil with the correct viscosity,
the correct fuel, performed services
and a sufficiently charged battery.
With temperatures below -30 °C the
automatic transmission need a
warming phase of approx. 5 minutes.
The selector lever must be in position P .
Automatic Starter Control
This function controls the engine
starting procedure. The driver does
not have to hold the key in position 3.
Once applied, the system will go on
starting automatically until the engine
is running. Because of the checking
procedure, the engine starts running
after a short delay.Possible reasons for a non-starting
engine:
■ Clutch pedal not operated (manual transmission)
■ Brake pedal not operated or selector lever not in P or N
(automatic transmission)
■ Timeout occurred
Turbo engine warm-up
Upon start-up, engine available
torque may be limited for a short time, especially when the engine
temperature is cold. The limitation is
to allow the lubrication system to fully
protect the engine.
Overrun cut-off The fuel supply is automatically cut off
during overrun, i.e. when the vehicle
is driven with a gear engaged but accelerator is released.

Driving and operating167Stop-start system
The stop-start system helps to save
fuel and to reduce the exhaust
emissions. When conditions allow, it
switches off the engine as soon as the vehicle is at a low speed or at a
standstill, e.g. at a traffic light or in a
traffic jam. It starts the engine
automatically as soon as the clutch is
depressed. A battery sensor ensures
that an Autostop is only performed if
the vehicle battery is sufficiently
charged for a restart.
Activation The stop-start system is available assoon as the engine is started, the
vehicle starts-off and the conditions
as stated below in this section are
fulfilled.Deactivation
Deactivate the stop-start system
manually by pressing the eco button.
Deactivation is indicated when the
LED in the button extinguishes.
Autostop
If the vehicle is at a low speed or at a standstill, activate an Autostop as
follows:
■ Depress the clutch pedal
■ set the lever in neutral
■ release the clutch pedal
The engine will be switched off while
the ignition stays on.
An Autostop is indicated by the
needle at the AUTOSTOP position in
the tachometer.
During an Autostop, the heating and
brake performance will be
maintained.
Caution
The steering assist can be
reduced during an Autostop.

168Driving and operating
Conditions for an Autostop
The stop-start system checks if each
of the following conditions is fulfilled:
■ The stop-start system is not manually deactivated
■ the bonnet is fully closed
■ the driver's door is closed or the driver's seat belt is fastened
■ the vehicle battery is sufficiently charged and in good condition
■ the engine is warmed up
■ the engine coolant temperature is not too high
■ the engine exhaust temperature is not too high, e.g. after driving with
high engine load
■ the ambient temperature is above -5° C
■ the climate control system allows an Autostop
■ the brake vacuum is sufficient
■ the self-cleaning function of the diesel particle filter is not active
■ the vehicle was driven at least at walking speed since the last
AutostopOtherwise an Autostop will be
inhibited.
Certain settings of the climate control
system may inhibit an Autostop. See
Climate control chapter for more
details 3 158.
Immediately after motorway driving
an Autostop may be inhibited.
New vehicle running-in 3 165.
Vehicle battery discharge protection
To ensure reliable engine restarts, several battery discharge protection
features are implemented as part of
the stop-start system.
Power saving measures
During an Autostop, several electric
features, e.g. auxiliary electric heater
or rear window heating are disabled
or switched into a power saving
mode. The fan speed of the climate
control system is reduced to save
power.Restart of the engine by the
driver
Depress the clutch pedal to restart the
engine.
The engine start is indicated by the
needle at the idle speed position in
the tachometer.
If the selector lever is shifted out of
neutral before depressing the clutch
first, control indicator - illuminates
or is shown as a symbol in the Driver
Information Centre.
Control indicator - 3 116.
Restart of the engine by the
stop-start system The selector lever has to be in neutral
to enable an automatic restart.
If one of the following conditions occurs during an Autostop, the
engine will be restarted automatically by the stop-start system:
■ The stop-start system is manually deactivated
■ the bonnet is opened