automatic transmission VAUXHALL ASTRA K 2020 User Guide

156Driving and operatingStarting 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. 5 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)
● 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 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. The ignition stays on.
The engine switches on automatically
when certain conditions apply or
restart is activated by a driver.
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.

Driving and operating157Deactivation
Deactivate the stop-start system
manually by pressing D. 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
3 278.
Conventional AutostopAn Autostop can be activated at a
standstill or at a speed lower than
3 mph.
Activate a conventional Autostop as
follows:
● Depress the clutch pedal.
● Set the lever in neutral.
● Release the clutch pedal.
Early Autostop
An Autostop, both conventional and
early, can be activated at a speed
lower than 9 mph.
Early Autostop is inhibited if the
incline is greater than 5%.
Activate an early Autostop as follows: ● Depress the brake pedal sufficiently.
● Depress the clutch pedal.
The engine will be switched off while
the ignition stays on.
Early Autostop is inhibited when the
turn lights are on, trailer hitch is
connected, the steering wheel is
moved beyond a certain point or the
inclines is greater than 5%.Vehicles with automatic transmission
If the vehicle is at a standstill with
depressed brake pedal, Autostop is
activated automatically.
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.

158Driving and operatingConditions 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 brake vacuum is sufficient.
● Between the last restart and a new Autostop must be about10 seconds.● The self-cleaning function of the exhaust filter is not active.
● The vehicle was driven at least at
walking speed since the last
Autostop.
Otherwise an Autostop will be
inhibited.
The stop-start system will be
deactivated on inclines of 12% or
more.
Certain settings of the climate control
system may inhibit an Autostop. See
Climate control chapter for more
details 3 140.
Immediately after motorway driving
an Autostop may be inhibited.
New vehicle running-in 3 151.
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 e.g. auxiliary electric heater
or heated rear window are disabled orswitched to a power saving mode.
The fan speed of the climate control
system is reduced to save power.
Restart 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
3 278.
Conventional restart
Depress the clutch pedal to restart the
engine. For engines with late restart,
this is only possible without
depressing the brake pedal.
Late restart ● Depress the brake pedal.
● Depress the clutch pedal.
● Select first gear.
● Release the brake pedal to restart the engine.Vehicles with automatic transmission:Release the brake pedal or move
selector lever out of D into N or P to
restart the engine.

Driving and operating159Restart 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, when
not in neutral if the brake pedal and
the clutch pedal are depressed.
On vehicles with automatic
transmission, the selector lever must
be in D to enable an automatic restart.
The engine will be restarted
automatically by the stop-start
system, if one of the following
conditions occurs during an Autostop:
● The stop-start system is manually deactivated.
● The bonnet is opened.
● The driver's seat belt is unfastened and / or 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 desired compartment temperature does not match the
actual temperature.
● 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.
Notice
If a trailer or a bike carrier is
attached, early Autostop and late
restart is deactivated.Parking9 Warning
● 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 1 second until
control indicator m illuminates
constantly and electric parking
brake is applied 3 109.
● Switch off the engine. ● If the vehicle is on a level surface or uphill slope, engage
first gear or set the selector

160Driving and operatinglever 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.● Lock the vehicle by pressing the
button on the door handle or the
button e on the remote control.
● Activate the anti-theft alarm system.
● The engine cooling fans may run
after the engine has been
switched off 3 223.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
switched off automatically if the
vehicle comes to a standstill within a
certain time.
In countries with extreme cold
temperatures it may be necessary to
park the vehicle without applied
parking brake. Make sure to park the
vehicle on a level surface.

Driving and operating161Engine exhaust9Danger
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.
Exhaust filter
The exhaust filter is a particle filter for diesel and petrol engines.
Automatic cleaning process
The exhaust filter system filters soot
particles out of the exhaust gases.
The system includes a self-cleaning
function that runs automatically
during driving without any notification.
The filter is cleaned by periodically
burning off the soot particles at high
temperature. This process takes
place automatically under set driving
conditions and may take up to
25 minutes. Typically it needs
between 7 and 12 minutes. Autostop
is not available and fuel consumption may be higher during this period. The
emission of smells and smoke during
this process is normal.
System requires cleaning
Under certain conditions, e.g. driving
short distances, the system cannot
clean itself automatically.
If cleaning of the filter is required and if previous driving conditions did not
enable automatic cleaning, it will be
indicated by a warning message in
the Driver Information Centre.A warning message appears when
exhaust filter is full. Start cleaning
process as soon as possible.
A warning message also appears
when exhaust filter has reached the
maximum filling level. Start cleaning
process immediately to avoid
damage to the engine.
Activate self-cleaning process
Cleaning process is completed more
quickly at high engine speeds and
loads. Therefore, drive in lower gears
than normal, and use manual gear
selection on vehicles with automatic
transmission. Usage of electrical
consumers like air conditioning and
heated windows to increase engine
load supports cleaning process.Caution
If possible, do not interrupt
cleaning process. Drive until
cleaning is completed to avoid the
need for service or repair by a
workshop.

Driving and operating165
4. Unscrew protective cap from thefiller neck.
5. Open AdBlue canister.
6. Mount one end of the hose on the
canister and screw the other end
on the filler neck.
7. Lift the canister until it is empty, or
until the flow from the canister has stopped. This can take up to
5 minutes.
8. Place the canister on the ground to empty the hose, wait
15 seconds.
9. Unscrew the hose from the filler neck.
10. Mount the protective cap and turn
clockwise until it engages.
Notice
Dispose of AdBlue canister
according to environmental
requirements. To reuse the hose
flush it with clear water after usage.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 - 3 167.
Continuous variable transmission The engine speed is always within the
ideal fuel consumption range. When
selector level is in D and high power
is requiered, the electronic
transmission control changes from
stepless operation to a seven step
automatic shifting.

166Driving and operatingTransmission 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.
Gear selectionP:park position, wheels are locked,
engage only when the vehicle is
stationaryR:reverse gear, engage only when
the vehicle is stationaryN:neutralD:automatic modeM:manual mode<:upshift in manual mode]:downshift in manual mode
The selector lever is locked in P and
can only be moved when the ignition
is on, the release button on the
selector lever is pushed and the brake
pedal is applied.
Without brake pedal applied, control
indicator j illuminates.
If the selector lever is not in P when
the ignition is switched off, control
indicator j flashes.
To engage P or R, press the release
button.

Driving and operating167The 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 in position M.
Tap selector lever upwards + to shift
to a higher gear.
Tap the selector lever downwards - to
shift to a lower gear.
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.
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
● 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

168Driving and operatingmanually first, second or third
gear for starting off. Except
vehicles with continouosly
variable transmission.
Kickdown
Pressing down the accelerator pedal
beyond the kickdown detent will lead to maximum acceleration
independent of the selected driving
mode. The transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on engine
speed and shifts to a higher gear at
high engine revolutions.
Fault
In the event of a fault a message is
displayed in the Driver Information
Centre.
Vehicle messages 3 121.
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
3 262.
If the vehicle battery is not the cause
of the fault, release the selector lever.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Release the selector lever trim from the centre console. Poke
with a finger into the leather
socket below the selector lever
and push the trim upwards.
Rotate trim to the left.
3. Insert a small stick (e.g. a pen or screw driver) into the opening
near the selector lever. Push
down the stick vertically and move
the selector lever out of P. If this
position is engaged again, the
selector lever will be locked again.
Have the cause of the power
supply interruption remedied by a
workshop.
4. Mount the selector lever trim onto
the centre console and refit.