VAUXHALL ADAM 2016.5 Owner's Manual

Driving and operating129Caution
After running at high enginespeeds 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.
Notice
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.
Engine exhaust9 Danger
Engine exhaust gases contain
poisonous carbon monoxide,
which is colourless and odourless and could be fatal if inhaled.
If exhaust gases enter the interior
of the vehicle, open the windows.
Have the cause of the fault
rectified by a workshop.
Avoid driving with an open load
compartment, otherwise exhaust
gases could enter the vehicle.
Catalytic converter
The catalytic converter reduces the
amount of harmful substances in the
exhaust gases.
Caution
Fuel grades other than those listed on page 3 153 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.

130Driving and operatingManual transmission
To engage reverse, depress the
clutch pedal and 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.
Do not slip the clutch unnecessarily.
When operating, depress the clutch
pedal completely. Do not use the
pedal as a foot rest.
Caution
It is not advisable to drive with the hand resting on the selector lever.
Gear shift indication 3 86.
Stop-start system 3 126.
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.
Notice
When unlocking or opening a
vehicle door, a sound may be
audible caused by the hydraulic
system.

Driving and operating131Transmission 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.
Starting the engine
To start the engine, depress the brake
pedal, if transmission is not in N.
Transmission automatically shifts to
N upon starting. There may be a slight
delay.
Starting is not possible if all brake
lights fail.
Stop-start-system
Autostop
If the vehicle is at a standstill and
brake pedal is operated, Autostop is
activated automatically.
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.
Autostart
Release the brake pedal or move selector lever out of D to restart the
engine.
The engine restart is indicated by the needle at the idle speed position in
the tachometer.
The stop-start system will be disabled
on inclines of 15% or more.
Stop-start-system 3 126.
Selector lever

132Driving and operatingAlways move the selector lever in the
appropriate direction as far as it will
go. Upon release, it automatically
returns to the centre position.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 ], the 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 is released.
To start-off without depressing the
foot brake, 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.
Manual mode
To utilise the engine braking effect, select a lower gear in good time when
driving downhill. Changing intomanual mode is only possible while
the engine is running or during an
Autostop.
Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle is only
permissible if the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud or snow. Move the selector
lever between R and D in a repeat
pattern. Do not race the engine and
avoid sudden acceleration.
Parking
The most recently engaged gear (see transmission display) remains
engaged when switching off ignition.
With N, no gear is engaged.
Therefore always apply the parking
brake when switching off ignition. If
parking brake is not applied, P flashes
in the transmission display and the
key cannot be removed from the
ignition switch. P stops flashing in the
transmission display as soon as the
parking brake is slightly applied.
When the ignition is switched off, the
transmission no longer responds to
movement of the selector lever.

Driving and operating133Tyre pressure monitoring systemTo start the sensor matching process
of the tyre pressure monitoring
system, the selector lever must be
moved and held in position N for
five seconds. P illuminates in the
transmission display to indicate that
the sensor matching process can be
started.
Tyre pressure monitoring system
3 185.
Manual mode
If a higher gear is selected when the
engine speed is too low, or a lower
gear when the speed is too high, the
shift is not executed. This prevents
the engine from running at too low or
too high an engine speed. A warning
message is displayed in the Driver
Information Centre. Vehicle
messages 3 95.
If engine speed is too low, the
transmission automatically shifts to a
lower gear.
If engine speed is too high, the
transmission only switches to a higher gear via kickdown.When + or - is selected in automatic
mode, the transmission switches to
manual mode and shifts accordingly.
Gear shift indication
The symbol R, with a number
alongside 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.
● The adaptive programme tailors gearshifting to the driving
conditions, e.g. greater load or
gradients.Kickdown
If the accelerator pedal is pressed down completely in automatic mode, the transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on engine speed.
Fault
To prevent damage to the manual
transmission automated, the clutch is engaged automatically at high clutch
temperatures.
In the event of a fault, control indicator
g illuminates. Additionally, a
warning message is displayed in the
Driver Information Centre. Vehicle
messages 3 95.
Continued driving is restricted or not
possible, depending on the fault.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.

134Driving and operatingBrakes
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 engine is not running, 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 85.
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 86.
Adaptive brake light
During full braking, all three brake
lights flash for the duration of ABS
control.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
hard braking, the vehicle can no longer be steered and may
swerve.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.

Driving and operating135Parking brake
Manual parking brake9 Warning
Always apply parking brake firmly
without operating the release
button, and apply as firmly as
possible on a downhill or uphill
slope.
To release the parking brake, pull
the lever up slightly, press the
release button and fully lower the
lever.
To reduce the operating forces of
the parking brake, depress the
brake pedal at the same time.
Control indicator R 3 85.
Brake assist
If the brake pedal is depressed
quickly and forcefully, maximum
brake force is automatically applied
(full braking).
Maintain steady pressure on the
brake pedal for as long as full braking is required. Maximum brake force is
automatically reduced when the
brake pedal is released.
Hill start assist
The system helps prevent unintended movement when driving away on
inclines.
When releasing the brake pedal after
stopping on an incline, the brakes
remain on for a further two seconds.
The brakes release automatically as
soon as the vehicle begins to
accelerate or the two seconds holding
time is over.
The hill start assist is not active during
an Autostop.

136Driving and operatingRide control systems
Traction Control system
The Traction Control system (TC) is a component of the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC).
TC improves driving stability when
necessary, regardless of the type of
road surface or tyre grip, by
preventing the drive wheels from
spinning.
As soon as the drive wheels starts to
spin, engine output is reduced and
the wheel spinning the most is braked
individually. This considerably
improves the driving stability of the
vehicle on slippery road surfaces.
TC is operational after each engine
start as soon as control indicator b
extinguishes.
When TC operates b flashes.
9 Warning
Do not let this special safety
feature tempt you into taking risks
when driving.
Adapt speed to the road
conditions.
Deactivation
TC can be switched off when spinning of drive wheels is required: press b
briefly.
A status message appears in the
Driver Information Centre when TC is
deactivated.
When TC is deactivated, ESC
remains active.
TC is reactivated by pressing b
again. A status message pops up in the Driver Information Centre when
TC is reactivated.
TC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.

Driving and operating137Fault
If there is a fault in the system the
control indicator b illuminates
continuously and a message or a
warning code appears in the Driver
Information Centre. The system is not operational.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Electronic Stability Control
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
improves driving stability when
necessary, regardless of the type of
road surface or tyre grip.
As soon as the vehicle starts to
swerve (understeer/oversteer),
engine output is reduced and the wheels are braked individually.
ESC operates in combination with the Traction Control system (TC). It
prevents the drive wheels from
spinning.
ESC is operational after each engine start as soon as control indicator b
extinguishes.
When ESC operates b flashes.
9 Warning
Do not let this special safety
feature tempt you into taking risks
when driving.
Adapt speed to the road
conditions.
Control indicator b 3 86.
Deactivation
ESC and TC can be deactivated:
● hold b pressed for a minimum of
five seconds: ESC and TC are
both deactivated. t illuminates
and status messages appear in
the Driver Information Centre.

138Driving and operating
● To deactivate only Tractioncontrol system press b briefly:
TC is inactive but ESC remains
active. A status message
appears in the Driver Information
Centre when TC is deactivated.
If the vehicle reaches the stability
threshold with deactivated ESC, the
system will automatically reactivate
ESC for the time duration of the
threshold, when the brake pedal is
depressed once.
ESC is reactivated by pressing b
again. If the TC system was
previously disabled, both TC and
ESC are reactivated. A status
message pops up in the Driver
Information Centre and t
extinguishes when TC and ESC are reactivated.
ESC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.
Fault
If there is a fault in the system the
control indicator b illuminates
continuously and a message or a
warning code appears in the Driver
Information Centre. The system is not operational.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
City mode City mode is a feature which enables
increased steering assistance during
lower speed conditions, e.g. city
traffic or parking. Steering assistance
is increased for greater convenience.Activation
Press B when engine is running. The
system works from standstill up to
22 mph, and in reverse gear. Above
this speed the system changes to
normal mode. When activated, City
mode engages automatically below
22 mph.
An illuminated LED in the City mode
button indicates that the system is
active.
Additionally, a message pops-up in
the Driver Information Centre.
City mode remains active during an Autostop, but is only operationalwhen the engine is running.