engine VAUXHALL ASTRA J GTC 2018.5 Workshop Manual

152Driving and operatingParking 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 87.
Electric parking brake
Applying when vehicle is stationary
9 Warning
Pull switch m for approx.
one second, the electric parking
brake operates automatically with
adequate force. For maximum
force, e.g. parking with trailer or on
inclines, pull switch m twice.
The electric parking brake is
applied when control indicator m
illuminates 3 87.
The electric parking brake can always
be activated, even if the ignition is off.
Do not operate electric parking brake
system too often without engine
running, as this will discharge the
vehicle battery.
Before leaving the vehicle, check the electric parking brake status. Control
indicator m 3 87.
Releasing
Switch on ignition. Keep brake pedal
depressed and then push switch m.
Drive away function
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Depressing the clutch pedal and then
slightly releasing the clutch pedal and
slightly depressing the accelerator
pedal releases the electric parking

154Driving and operatingRide control systems
Traction Control system
The Traction Control system (TC) is a component of the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) 3 154.
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.
Control indicator b 3 89.
Deactivation
TC can be switched off when spinning of drive wheels is required:
press b briefly to deactivate TC, k
illuminates. Deactivation is displayed
as status message in the Driver
Information Centre.
TC is reactivated by pressing b
again.
TC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.
Electronic Stability Control
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
improves driving stability when
necessary, regardless of the type of
road surface or tyre grip. It also
prevents the drive wheels from
spinning. ESC operates in
combination with the Traction Control system (TC) 3 154.
As soon as the vehicle starts to
swerve (understeer/oversteer),
engine output is reduced and the
wheels are braked individually. This
considerably improves the driving
stability of the vehicle on slippery road
surfaces.
ESC is operational after each engine
start as soon as the control indicator
b extinguishes.

Driving and operating155When 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 89.
Deactivation
For a more sporty behaviour ESC and
TC can be deactivated separately:
● Press b briefly: only Traction
control system is inactive, ESC
remains active, k illuminates.
● Press and hold b for min. five
seconds: TC and ESC are
deactivated, k and n illuminate.
Additionally, the selected mode is
displayed as status message in the
Driver Information Centre.
If the vehicle comes into threshold
with deactivated ESP, the system will reactivate ESP 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.
ESC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.Deactivation, VXR version
For very high-performance driving
ESC and TC can be deactivated
separately. The following modes are
selectable:
● Press b briefly: only Traction
control system is inactive, ESC
remains active, k illuminates.
● Press b twice briefly within
2 seconds: TC is inactive, ESC is
operable without engine power
reduction, k and n illuminate.
● Hold b pressed for min.
5 seconds: TC and ESC are
completely inactive, k and n
illuminate.

Driving and operating159maintained. Control indicator m in
instrument cluster illuminates green.
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.
Cruise control remains activated
while gearshifting.
Increase speed
With cruise control active, hold thumb wheel turned to RES/+ or briefly turn
to RES/+ repeatedly: speed
increases continuously or in small
increments.
Alternatively, accelerate to the
desired speed and store by turning to
SET/- .
Reduce speed
With cruise control active, hold thumb wheel turned to SET/- or briefly turn to
SET/- repeatedly: speed decreases
continuously or in small increments.
Deactivation Press y; control indicator m in
instrument cluster illuminates white.
Cruise control is deactivated. Last
stored speed remains in memory for
later speed resume.
Automatic deactivation:
● Vehicle speed is below approx. 20 mph.
● Vehicle speed is above approx. 125 mph.
● The brake pedal is depressed.
● The clutch pedal is depressed for
a few seconds.
● Selector lever is in N.
● Engine speed is in a very low range.
● The Traction Control system (TC)
or Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) is operating.
Resume stored speed
Turn thumb wheel to RES/+ at a
speed above 20 mph. The stored
speed will be obtained.
Switching off
Press m; control indicator m in
instrument cluster extinguishes. The
stored speed is deleted.

Driving and operating165● There is no traffic and nothingdetected on the road sides for
several minutes. In this case,
there are no radar echoes and
the sensor may report that it is
blocked.
● The collision imminent braking system is applying the brakes.
● The radar sensor is blocked by an ice or water film.
● A fault is detected in the radar, engine or brake system.
When adaptive cruise control is
deactivated automatically, the control
indicator m illuminates white and a
warning symbol is displayed as a pop- up in the Driver Information Centre.
The stored speed is maintained.
9 Warning
When adaptive cruise control is
deactivated, the driver must take
over full brake and engine control.
Switching off
Press C to switch off adaptive cruise
control. The control indicator m
extinguishes. The stored speed is
deleted.
Switching off the ignition also
switches off adaptive cruise control
and deletes the stored speed.
Driver's attention
● Use adaptive cruise control carefully on bends or mountain
roads, as it can lose the vehicle
ahead and need time to detect it
again.
● Do not use the system on slippery roads as it can create
rapid changes in tyre traction
(wheel spinning), so that you
could lose control.
● Do not use adaptive cruise control during rain, snow or
heavy dirt, as the radar sensor
can be covered by a water film,
dust, ice or snow. This reduces or suppresses completely the
visibility. In case of sensor
blockage, clean the sensor
cover.
System limits ● The system's automatic brake force does not permit hard
braking and the braking level
may not be sufficient to avoid a
collision.

Driving and operating187The system can not operate when no
lane marking is detected.Fuel
Fuel for petrol engines
Only use unleaded fuel that complies
with European standard EN 228 or
equivalent.
The engine is capable of running with
fuel that contains up to 10% ethanol
(e.g. named E10).
Use fuel with the recommended
octane rating. A lower octane rating can reduce engine power and torque
and slightly increases fuel
consumption.
Caution
Do not use fuel or fuel additives
that contain metallic compounds
such as manganese-based
additives. This may cause engine
damage.
Caution
Use of fuel that does not comply to EN 228 or equivalent can lead to
deposits or engine damage.
Caution
Use of fuel with a lower octane
rating than the lowest possible
rating could lead to uncontrolled combustion and engine damage.
The engine specific requirements
regarding octane rating are given in
the engine data overview 3 261. A
country specific label at the fuel filler
flap can supersede the requirement.

188Driving and operatingFuel additives outside Europe
Fuel should contain detergent
additives that help prevent engine
and fuel system deposits from
forming. Clean fuel injectors and
intake valves will allow the emission
control system to work properly.
Some fuel does not contain sufficient
quantities of additive to keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean.
To make up for this lack of
detergency, add Fuel System
Treatment PLUS to the fuel tank at
every engine oil change or every
10,000 miles, whichever occurs first. It is available at your workshop.
Fuels containing oxygenates such as
ethers and ethanol, as well as
reformulated fuel, are available in
some cities. If these fuels comply with
the previously described
specification, then they are
acceptable to use. However, E85
(85% ethanol) and other fuels
containing more than 15% ethanol
must be used only in FlexFuel
vehicles.Caution
Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal
parts in the fuel system and also
damage plastic and rubber parts.
This damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Some fuels, mainly high octane
racing fuels, can contain an octane
enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). Do not use fuels or fuel additives with MMT as they can
reduce spark plug life and affect
emission control system
performance. The malfunction
indicator light Z may illuminate 3 87.
If this occurs, seek the assistance of
a workshop.
Fuel for diesel engines
Only use diesel fuel that complies
with EN 590 and which has a sulphur
concentration of max. 10 ppm.
Fuels with a biodiesel (compliant with
EN 14214) content of max. 7% by
volume may be used (e.g. named
B7).
If travelling in countries outside the
European Union, occasional use of Euro-Diesel fuel with a sulphur
concentration below 50 ppm is
possible.
Caution
Frequent usage of diesel fuel
containing more than 15 ppm
sulphur will cause severe engine
damage.

Driving and operating189Caution
Use of fuel that does not comply toEN 590 or similar can lead to
engine powerloss, increased wear
or engine damage and may affect
your warranty.
Do not use marine diesel oils, heating
oils, Aquazole and similar diesel-
water emulsions. Diesel fuels must
not be diluted with fuels for petrol
engines.
Low temperature operation At temperatures below 0° C, some
diesel products with biodiesel blends may clog, freeze or gel, which mayaffect the fuel supply system. Starting
and engine operation may not work
properly. Make sure to fill winter
grade diesel fuel at ambient
temperatures below 0°C.
Arctic grade diesel fuel can be used
in extreme cold temperatures below
-20° C. Using this fuel grade in warm
or hot climates is not recommended
and may cause engine stalling, poor starting or damage on the fuel
injection system.
Fuel for liquid gas operation
Liquid gas is known as LPG
(Liquefied Petroleum Gas) or under its French name GPL (Gaz de Pétrole Liquéfié). LPG is also known as
Autogas.
LPG consists mainly of propane and
butane. The octane rating is between
105 and 115, depending on the
butane proportion. LPG is stored
liquid at around five to ten bar
pressure.
The boiling point depends on the
pressure and mixing ratio. At ambient pressure, it is between -42 °C (pure
propane) and -0.5 °C (pure butane).
Caution
The system works at an ambient
temperature of approx. -8 °C to
100 °C.
Full function of the LPG system can
only be guaranteed with liquid gas
which complies with the minimum
requirements of DIN EN 589.
Fuel selector 3 80.
Refuelling

192Driving and operatingThe filling valve for the liquid gas is
behind the fuel filler cap.
Unscrew protective cap from the filler
neck.
Screw the required adapter hand-
tight onto the filler neck.
ACME adapter: Screw the nut of the
filling nozzle onto the adapter.
Engage the locking lever of the filler
nozzle.
DISH adapter: Place the filler nozzle
into the adapter. Engage the locking
lever of the filler nozzle.
Bayonet adapter: Place filler nozzle
on the adapter and turn one quarter
turn. Engage the locking lever of the
filler nozzle.
EURO adapter: Press the filler nozzle
onto the adapter. Engage the locking
lever of the filler nozzle.
Press the button of the liquid gas supply point. The filling system stops
or begins to run slowly when 80% of
the tank volume is reached
(maximum fill level).
Release button on filling system to
stop the filling process. Release the
locking lever and remove the filler
nozzle. A small quantity of liquid gas
can escape.
Remove adapter and stow in vehicle.Fit protective cap to prevent the
penetration of foreign bodies into the
filler opening and the system.9 Warning
Due to the system design, an
escape of liquid gas after
releasing the locking lever is
unavoidable. Avoid inhaling.
9 Warning
The liquid gas tank may only be
filled to 80% for safety reasons.
The multivalve on the liquid gas tank
automatically limits the fill quantity. If
a larger quantity is added, we
recommend not exposing the vehicle
to the sun until the excess amount
has been used up.
Fuel filler cap
Only use genuine fuel filler caps. Diesel-engined vehicles have special fuel filler caps.

Driving and operating193Trailer hitch
General information
Only use towing equipment that has
been approved for your vehicle.
Entrust retrofitting of towing
equipment to a workshop. It may be
necessary to make changes that
affect the cooling system, heat
shields or other equipment.
The bulb outage detection function for trailer brake light cannot detect a
partial bulb outage, e.g. in case of 4 x
5 Watt bulbs, the function only detects
lamp outage when only a single
5 Watt lamp remains or none remain.
Fitting of towing equipment could
cover the opening of the towing eye.
If this is the case use the coupling ball bar for towing. Always keep the
coupling ball bar in the vehicle.Driving characteristics and
towing tips
Before attaching a trailer, lubricate the coupling ball. However, do not do
so if a stabiliser, which acts on the coupling ball, is being used to reduce snaking movements.
For trailers with low driving stability
and caravan trailers with a permitted
gross vehicle weight of more than
1300 kg the use of a stabiliser is
strongly recommended when driving
above 50 mph.
If the trailer starts snaking, drive more slowly, do not attempt to correct the
steering and brake sharply if
necessary.
When driving downhill, drive in the
same gear as if driving uphill and
drive at a similar speed.
Adjust tyre pressure to the value
specified for full load 3 268.Trailer towing
Trailer loads The permissible trailer loads are
vehicle and engine-dependent
maximum values which must not be
exceeded. The actual trailer load is the difference between the actual
gross weight of the trailer and the
actual coupling socket load with the
trailer coupled.
The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In general, they are valid for gradients
up to max. 12%.
The permitted trailer load applies up to the specified incline and up to an
altitude of 1000 metres above sea
level. Since engine power decreases
as altitude increases due to the air
becoming thinner, therefore reducing
climbing ability, the permissible gross
train weight also decreases by 10%
for every 1000 metres of additional
altitude. The gross train weight does
not have to be reduced when driving
on roads with slight inclines (less than
8%, e.g. motorways).