automatic transmission OPEL ASTRA K 2017 User Guide

Driving and operating159Starting the engine
Vehicles with ignition switch
Turn key to position 1 to release the
steering wheel lock.
Manual transmission: operate clutch
and brake pedal.
Automatic transmission: operate
brake pedal and move selector lever
to P or N.
Manual transmission automated:
operate brake pedal.
Do not operate accelerator pedal.
Diesel engines: turn the key to
position 2 for preheating and wait until
control indicator ! extinguishes.
Turn key briefly to position 3 and
release: an automatic procedure operates the starter with a short delay
until the engine is running, see
Automatic Starter Control.
Manual transmission: during an
Autostop, the engine can be started
by depressing the clutch pedal
3 161.
Automatic transmission or manual
transmission automated: during an
Autostop, the engine can be started
by releasing the brake pedal 3 161.Vehicles with power button
Manual transmission: operate clutch
and brake pedal.
Automatic transmission: operate
brake pedal and move selector lever
to P or N.
Manual transmission automated:
operate brake pedal.
Do not operate accelerator pedal.
Press and release Engine Start/Stop:
an automatic procedure operates the
starter with a short delay until the
engine is running, see automatic
starter control.

160Driving and operatingBefore restarting or to switch off the
engine when vehicle is stationary, press Engine Start/Stop once more
briefly.
Manual transmission: during an
Autostop, the engine can be started
by depressing the clutch pedal
3 161.
Automatic transmission or manual
transmission automated: during an
Autostop, the engine can be started
by releasing the brake pedal 3 161.
Emergency shut off during driving If the engine needs to be switched offduring driving in case of emergency,
press Engine Start/Stop for longer
than two seconds or press twice briefly within five seconds.9 Danger
Switching off the engine during
driving may cause loss of power
support for brake and steering
systems. Assistance systems and
airbag systems are disabled.
Lighting and brake lights will
extinguish. Therefore power down the engine and ignition while
driving only when required in case of emergency.
Starting the vehicle at low
temperatures
Starting 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 vehicle battery.
With temperatures below -30 °C the
automatic transmission requires a
warming phase of approx.
five minutes. The selector lever must
be in position P.
Automatic starter control
This function controls the engine
starting procedure. The driver does
not need to hold the key in position 3
or to hold Engine Start/Stop pressed.
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).
● Brake pedal not operated (manual transmission
automated).
● 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.

Driving and operating161Overrun cut-off
The fuel supply is automatically cut off
during overrun, i.e. when the vehicle
is driven with a gear engaged but accelerator pedal is released.
Depending on driving conditions, the
overrun cut-off may be deactivated.
Stop-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.
Activation
The stop-start system is available as
soon 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 Ï OFF . The
deactivation is indicated when the
LED in the button illuminates.
Autostop
Vehicles with manual transmission
Depending on the engine, two
versions of an Autostop are available. See engine data to identify the engine
identifier code for your vehicle
3 280.
Conventional AutostopAll petrol engines and diesel engines
except B16DTU have only the
conventional Autostop.
An Autostop can be activated at a
standstill or at a low speed up to
5 km/h.
Activate a conventional 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.
Early Autostop
Engine B16DTU has early Autostop
in addition to conventional Autostop.
An Autostop, both conventional and
early, can be activated at a standstill
or at a low speed up to 14 km/h.
Activate an early Autostop as follows: ● Depress the brake pedal.
● Depress the clutch pedal.
The engine will be switched off while
the ignition stays on.

162Driving and operatingVehicles with automatic transmission
or manual transmission automated
If the vehicle is at a standstill with
depressed brake pedal, Autostop is
activated automatically.
The engine will be switched off while
the ignition stays on.
The stop-start system will be disabled
on inclines of 15% or more.
Indication
An Autostop is indicated by the
needle at the AUTOSTOP position in
the tachometer.
After restart, the idle speed is
indicated.
During an Autostop, the heating and
brake performance will be
maintained.
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
Autostop.
Otherwise an Autostop will be
inhibited.
Certain settings of the climate control
system may inhibit an Autostop. See
Climate control chapter for more
details 3 146.
Immediately after motorway driving
an Autostop may be inhibited.
New vehicle running-in 3 156.
Vehicle battery discharge protection
To ensure reliable engine restarts, several vehicle battery discharge
protection features are implemented
as part of the stop-start system.
Power saving measures
During an Autostop, several electrical
features such as auxiliary electric
heater or rear window heating are
disabled or switched to a power
saving mode. The fan speed of the
climate control system is reduced to
save power.

Driving and operating163Restart of the engine by the driverVehicles with manual transmission
Depending on the engine, two
versions of a restart are available.
See engine data to identify the engine identifier code for your vehicle
3 280.
A restart for all engines except
B16DTU is possible at a standstill or
at a low speed up to 7 km/h and up to
14 km/h for engine B16DTU.
Conventional restart
All engines have conventional restart. Depress the clutch pedal withoutpressing the brake pedal to restart the
engine.
On engines with late restart only
possible without depressed brake
pedal.
Late restart
All petrol engines and the diesel
engines B16DTU and B16DTR have
late restart in addition to conventional
restart. Late restart is only active on
gradients up to 5%.
● Depress the brake pedal.
● Depress the clutch pedal.● Select first gear.
● Release the brake pedal to restart the engine.Vehicles with automatic transmission
or manual transmission automated:
Release the brake pedal or move
selector lever out of D into N or P to
restart the engine.
Restart of the engine by the stop-
start system
On vehicles with manual transmission
which are in a conventional Autostop,
the selector lever must be in neutral
to enable an automatic restart.
On vehicles with manual transmission
which are in an early Autostop, an
automatic restart is possible in every
selector lever position.
On vehicles with automatic
transmission or manual transmission
automated, the selector lever must be
in D 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.
● The driver's seat belt is unfastened and 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 electrical accessory, e.g. a
portable CD player, is connected to
the power outlet, a brief power drop
during the restart might be noticeable.

164Driving and operatingParking9Warning
● Do not park the vehicle on an
easily ignitable surface. The
high temperature of the
exhaust system could ignite the
surface.
● 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
brake pedal at the same time to
reduce operating force.
For vehicles with electric
parking brake, pull switch m for
a minimum of one second until
control indicator m illuminates
constantly and electric parking
brake is applied 3 110.
● Switch off the engine. ● If the vehicle is on a level surface or uphill slope, engage
first gear or set the selector
lever to position P before
removing the ignition key or
switching off ignition on
vehicles with power button. 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 the selector lever to position
P before removing the ignition
key or switching off ignition on
vehicles with power button.
Turn the front wheels towards
the kerb.
● Close the windows and the sunroof.
● Remove the ignition key from the ignition switch or switch off
ignition on vehicles with power
button. 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 position P.For vehicles with manual
transmission automated, the key can only be removed from
the ignition switch when the
parking brake is applied.
● Lock the vehicle.
● Activate the anti-theft alarm system.
● The engine cooling fans may run
after the engine has been
switched off 3 225.
Caution
After running at high engine
speeds or with high engine loads,
operate the engine briefly at a low load or run in neutral for
approx. 30 seconds before
switching off, in order to protect
the turbocharger.
Note
In the event of an accident with
airbag deployment, the engine is
switched off automatically if the
vehicle comes to a standstill within a
certain time.

Driving and operating167Caution
Fuel grades other than those listedon pages 3 215, 3 280 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).
Manual shifting is possible in manual mode by tapping the selector lever to
+ or - 3 168.
Transmission display
The mode or selected gear is shown
in the Driver Information Centre.
In automatic mode, the driving
programme is indicated by D.
In manual mode, M and the number
of the selected gear is indicated.
R indicates reverse gear.
N indicates neutral position.
P indicates park position.
Selector leverP:park position, wheels are locked, engage only when the vehicle is
stationary and the parking brake
is appliedR:reverse gear, engage only when
the vehicle is stationaryN:neutralD:automatic modeM:manual mode

Driving and operating169If 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
Information Centre.
In manual mode, no automatic
shifting to a higher gear takes place
at high engine revolutions.
Gear shift indication
The symbol R or S with a number
beside it is indicated when
gearshifting is recommended for fuel
saving reasons.
Shift indication appears only in
manual mode.
Electronic driving programmes
● Following a cold start, the operating temperature
programme increases engine
speed to quickly bring the
catalytic converter to the required
temperature.● Special programmes automatically adapt the shifting
points when driving up inclines or
down hills.
● In snowy or icy conditions or on other slippery surfaces, the
electronic transmission control
enables the driver to select
manually first, second or third gear for starting off.
Kickdown
Pressing down the accelerator pedal
beyond the kickdown detent will lead to maximum acceleration
independent of selected driving
mode. The transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on engine speed.
Fault
In the event of a fault a message is
displayed in the Driver Information
Centre. Vehicle messages 3 122.
Electronic transmission control
enables only fourth gear. The
transmission no longer shifts
automatically.Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Interruption of power supply In the event of an interruption of
power supply, the selector lever
cannot be moved out of the P
position. The ignition key cannot be
removed from the ignition switch.
If the vehicle battery is discharged,
start the vehicle using jump leads
3 265.
If the vehicle battery is not the cause
of the fault, release the selector lever.
1. Apply the parking brake.

Driving and operating171When clutch slip is detected for aspecific time, the engine power will be
reduced. A warning is displayed in the
Driver Information Centre. Release
the clutch.Caution
It is not advisable to drive with the hand resting on the selector lever.
Gear shift indication 3 111.
Stop-start system 3 161.
Manual transmission
automated
The automated manual transmission permits manual gearshifting (manual
mode) or automatic gearshifting
(automatic mode), both with
automatic clutch control.
Manual shifting is possible by tapping the selector lever in manual mode.
Note
When unlocking or opening a
vehicle door, a sound may be
audible caused by the hydraulic
system.Transmission display
In automatic mode, the driving
programme is indicated by D in the
Driver Information Centre.
In manual mode, M and the number
of the selected gear is indicated.
R indicates reverse gear.
N indicates neutral.

172Driving and operatingSelector lever
Always move the selector lever in the
appropriate direction as far as it will
go. Upon release, it automatically
returns to the centre position.
Note
Do not hold the selector lever in an
intermediate position. Not fully
engaging a gear may lead to
malfunction and an error message
may be displayed in the Driver
Information Centre.
Return the selector lever to the
centre position. After a short while N
will be displayed in the Driver
Information Centre and the system
will operate normally again.N:neutral positionD/M:switch between automatic (D)
and manual (M) shift mode.
The transmission display
shows either D or M with the
selected gear<:upshifting in manual mode]:downshifting in manual modeR:reverse gear. Engage only
when vehicle is stationary
If selector lever is moved from R to the
left, D is directly engaged.
If selector lever is moved from D to +
or -, manual mode M is selected and
the transmission shifts.
Starting off Depress the brake pedal and move
the selector lever to D/M or R. If D is
selected, transmission is in automatic
mode and first gear is engaged. If R
is selected, reverse gear is engaged.
The vehicle starts to move when the
brake pedal is released.
To start-off without depressing the
brake pedal, accelerate immediately
after engaging a gear as long as D or
R flashes.
If neither the accelerator nor the
brake pedal are depressed, no gear
is engaged and D or R flashes for a
brief time in the display.
Stopping the vehicle In D, first gear is engaged and the
clutch is released when the vehicle is
stopped. In R, reverse gear remains
engaged.
Engine braking
Automatic mode
When driving downhill, the manual
transmission automated does not shift into higher gears until a fairly
high engine speed has been reached. It shifts down in good time when
braking.