tow VAUXHALL ASTRA J GTC 2018 User Guide

128Climate controlDemisting and defrosting
●Press 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 doorwindows.
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 45, Heated
steering wheel * 3 71.
Cooling n
Press n to switch on cooling. The
LED in the button illuminates to
indicate activation. Cooling is only
functional when the engine is running and climate control fan is switched on.
Press 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.

Climate control129If no cooling or drying is required,
switch off the cooling system for fuel
saving reasons. Activated cooling
may inhibit Autostops.
Stop-start system 3 140.
Air recirculation system 4
Press 4 to activate air recirculation
mode. The LED in the button
illuminates to indicate activation.
Press 4 again to deactivate air
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 may mist
up from outside when cold air is
directed towards it. If windscreen
mists up from outside, activate
windscreen wiper and deactivate s.
Maximum cooling
Briefly open the windows so that hot
air can disperse quickly.
● Switch on cooling n.
● Air circulation system 4 on.
● Press air distribution switch M.
● Set temperature control to coldest level.
● Set fan speed to highest level.
● Open all vents.

130Climate controlDemisting and defrosting the
windows V
●
Press 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 doorwindows.
Notice
If V is pressed while the engine is
running, an Autostop will be inhibited
until V is pressed again.
If s is pressed with the fan switched
on and the engine running, an
Autostop will be inhibited until s is
pressed again or until the fan is
switched off.
If V is pressed while the engine is
in an Autostop, the engine will restart automatically.
If s is pressed with the fan switched
on while the engine is in an
Autostop, the engine will restart
automatically.
Stop-start system 3 140.
Electronic climate control system
The dual zone climate control allows
different climatisation temperatures
for driver side 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 34, Heated
seats ß 3 45, Heated steering wheel
* 3 71.

134Climate controlrestart will be requested by the
climate control system during an
Autostop. Exception: defrost system
is activated and outside temperature
above 0 °C.
The display will indicate ACON when
cooling is activated or ACOFF when
the cooling is deactivated.
Activation or deactivation of cooling
operation after engine start can be
changed in the Settings menu in the
Info-Display. Vehicle personalisation
3 103.
Stop-start system 3 140.
Air recirculation mode 4Press 4 to activate the air
recirculation mode. The LED in the
button illuminates to indicate
activation.
Press 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 may mist
up from outside when cold air is
directed towards it. If windscreen
mists up from outside, activate
windscreen wiper and deactivate s.
Basic settings
Some settings can be changed in the Settings menu in the Info-Display.
Vehicle personalisation 3 103.
Auxiliary heater
Air heater Quickheat is an electric auxiliary air
heater which automatically warms up
the passenger compartment more
quickly.

Climate control135Air 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.
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.

Driving and operating137Driving and
operatingDriving hints ............................... 138
Control of the vehicle ...............138
Steering ................................... 138
Starting and operating ...............138
New vehicle running-in ............138
Ignition switch positions ...........139
Retained power off ..................139
Starting the engine ..................139
Overrun cut-off ........................ 140
Stop-start system ....................140
Parking .................................... 142
Engine exhaust .......................... 143
Diesel particle filter ..................144
Catalytic converter ...................145
Automatic transmission ..............145
Transmission display ...............145
Selector lever .......................... 146
Manual mode ........................... 147
Electronic driving programmes 147
Fault ........................................ 148
Interruption of power supply ....148
Manual transmission ..................149Brakes........................................ 150
Antilock brake system .............150
Parking brake .......................... 151
Brake assist ............................. 152
Hill start assist ......................... 152
Ride control systems .................153
Traction Control system ..........153
Electronic Stability Control ......153
Interactive driving system ........155
Driver assistance systems .........157
Cruise control .......................... 157
Speed limiter ........................... 159
Adaptive cruise control ............160
Forward collision alert .............167
Following distance indication ...170
Active Emergency Braking ......171
Parking assist .......................... 173
Side blind spot alert .................180
Traffic sign assistant ................181
Lane departure warning ..........185
Fuel ............................................ 186
Fuel for petrol engines .............186
Fuel for diesel engines ............187
Fuel for liquid gas operation ....188
Refuelling ................................ 188
Fuel consumption - CO 2-
Emissions .............................. 191
Trailer hitch ................................ 192
General information .................192Driving characteristics and
towing tips .............................. 192
Trailer towing ........................... 193
Towing equipment ...................193
Trailer stability assist ...............196

Driving and operating143key. Turn the front wheels
towards the kerb.
● Close the windows and the sunroof.
● Remove the ignition key from the ignition switch. 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.
● Lock the vehicle.
● Activate the anti-theft alarm system.
● The engine cooling fans may run
after the engine has been
switched off 3 199.
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.
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.

Driving and operating145Cleaning process not possibleIf cleaning is not possible for any
reason, control indicator g
illuminates additionally. Engine
power may be reduced. Seek the
assistance of a workshop
immediately.
Catalytic converter
The catalytic converter reduces the
amount of harmful substances in the
exhaust gases.Caution
Fuel grades other than those listed on pages 3 186, 3 260 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
3 147.
Transmission display
The mode or selected gear is shown
in the transmission display.

Driving and operating147The engine can only be started with
the lever in position P or N. When
position N is selected, press the brake
pedal or apply the parking brake
before starting.
Do not accelerate while engaging a
gear. Never depress the accelerator
pedal and brake pedal at the same
time.
When a gear is engaged, the vehicle
slowly begins to creep when the
brake is released.
Engine braking To utilise the engine braking effect,select a lower gear in good time when
driving downhill, see manual mode.
Rocking the vehicle Rocking the vehicle is only
permissible if the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud or snow. Move the selector
lever between D and R in a repeat
pattern. Do not race the engine and
avoid sudden acceleration.Parking
Apply the parking brake and engageP .
The ignition key can only be removed
when the selector lever is in position
P .
Manual mode
Move selector lever out of position D
towards the left to select manual
mode M.
Tap selector lever
forwards <:shift to a higher gearbackwards ]:shift to a lower gearThe selected gear is indicated in the
instrument cluster.
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
Information Centre.
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 increases engine
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 andthe brake pedal is pressed.

150Driving 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 your 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 86.
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 87.
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.