2003 ASTON MARTIN DB AR1 Q handbrake

xii
DB AR1 Owner's Guide
Monthly
Windscreen Washer - Top-up with the recommended windscreen wash
fluid. Check the operation of the windscreen washers. Use the recommended
concentration of additives to prevent freezing in winter conditions. Check
the windscreen wash fluid level more frequently if the wash system is being
heavily used.
Safety Warning
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, and birth
defects or other reproductive harm. In addition, certain fluids contained in
vehicles and certain products of component wear contain or emit chemicals
known to the state of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Glossary of Terms
The following glossary contains frequently used alternative names or
spellings for vehicle components mentioned in this Owner's Guide:
Bonnet Hood
Boot Trunk
Brake Disc Rotor
Handbrake Parking Brake
Petrol Gasoline
Tyre Tire
Wing Fender
Windscreen Windshield

C - Driving
1-C-6
Warning Light Indications at Ignition On
As the ignition is switched on, the DB AR1 electronic control units each
complete a self check to ensure correct operation. During these checks, the
warning lights on the instrument panel will illuminate as follows:
• Bulb Check - All warning lamps illuminate for about three seconds as a
bulb check. (The Sport and Transmission Fail lamps are not illuminated
on manual transmission vehicles).
• The Ignition and Oil Pressure warning lights illuminate until the engine
starts.
• The Check Engine light will illuminate during the engine management
self-check and will extinguish when the starter button is pressed.
• The Seat Belt warning light illuminates and a gong sounds for six seconds
if the driver's seat belt is not fastened. On fastening the seat belt, the gong
immediately ceases. The warning lamp extinguishes at the end of the six
second warning period.
• The ABS and Traction Control warning lights illuminate and extinguish
if the system self checks are satisfactory.
• The Brake warning light will illuminate and extinguish if the brake fluid
level is within specification.
• The SRS Airbag warning light will illuminate and extinguish if the SRS
Airbag control system check is satisfactory.
Only the handbrake (parking brake) warning light should stay on after the
engine has started and is running correctly. The handbrake warning light will
extinguish as the handbrake is fully released.
Note: Other Information lights may remain on (e.g. Main Beam Warning or Low
Screen Wash) dependant on the vehicle state and switch settings at the time.

C - Driving
1-C-7 If either the ABS or Brake Fluid Warning lights remain illuminated, refer to
the description of Brake Warnings during Driving later in this section.
Starting the Engine - Hot or Cold
WARNINGS:
Before driving the vehicle, ensure that you are wearing appropriate footwear to
efficiently operate the floor mounted pedals.
Ensure that floor mounted pedal movement is not restricted by floor mats or
other objects trapped beneath the pedals.
Manual Transmission - The engine can only be started with the clutch
pedal fully depressed.
Touchtronic Transmission - The engine can only be started when the gear
selector lever is in Park or Neutral.
Place the gear selector lever in Neutral (Park on Touchtronic vehicles) and
check that the handbrake is applied. Fully depress the clutch pedal on
manual transmission vehicles.
Insert the ignition key and rotate it to position II. Press the
starter button, wait until the engine fires, then release the
starter button.
Note: Do not press the accelerator during engine starting. The Electronic Engine
Management System automatically compensates for cold or hot start conditions
and makes appropriate adjustments to the fuel/air mixture and engine idle speed
without driver intervention.

C - Driving
1-C-23
The Handbrake (Parking Brake)
The handbrake lever is situated on the outside of the drivers seat. The
handbrake operates on brake drums within the rear wheel brake discs.
To engage the handbrake, pull up firmly on the lever without pressing the
release button. The handbrake ratchet will latch and the handbrake warning
light will illuminate. Note that this lamp is the only indication that the
handbrake is applied. The lever can then be lowered to its fully down
position.
To release the handbrake, pull up on the lever against spring pressure, press
and hold the lock release button whilst lowering the lever to its maximum
down position.
The handbrake warning light extinguishes when the handbrake is fully
released.
Caution: Always check that the warning lamp is correctly extinguished before moving
off. Do not attempt to drive the vehicle if the warning lamp remains on.

F - Owner Maintenance
1-F-22
Jacking and Wheel Changing
WARNINGS:
The front road wheels must be in the straight ahead position before removal. The
front tyre will catch on the wheel arch during removal if not in the "straight
ahead" position.
Check that the temporarily repaired tyre is inflated to the specified pressure.
Never exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) when a temporarily repaired wheel is fitted.
Ensure that no persons are in the vehicle before jacking commences.
Ensure that the handbrake (parking brake) is set and that the car is in 'Park' (Auto)
or 1st Gear (Manual).
Ensure that the vehicle is parked on firm and level ground to ensure a secure base
for the jack.
Do not run the engine while the car is on the jack and never let anyone work
under the car whilst it is on the jack.
Spare Wheel Access (where fitted)
On vehicles with the space saver spare
wheel, the spare wheel is stored in a
well in the boot floor.
Lift out the boot floor and toolkit.
Remove the spare wheel retaining screw
and lift out the spare wheel.

F - Owner Maintenance
1-F-23
Jacking and Wheel Changing
1. Place the vehicle on firm and level ground and secure the handbrake.
Place the chock from the toolkit under the wheel diagonally opposite to
the one to be removed. If parked on an incline, chock the 'downhill' side
of the wheel.
2. Remove the locking wheel nut
cap from the special nut using the
extractor tube from the toolkit.
Assemble the wheel nut wrench.
3. Using the wheel nut wrench from the tool kit, slightly loosen the four
normal wheel nuts in turn so that the nuts may be removed easily when
the wheel is raised from the ground.
4. Using the special socket from the toolkit, slightly loosen the fifth special
wheelnut.

F - Owner Maintenance
1-F-27 The DB AR1 may then be winched onto a transporter or towed to a safe
location using a rope, provided that the following precautions are observed:
Transporting
If the vehicle is to be transported on a trailer or flat bed transporter, the
handbrake must be applied and the wheels chocked. Vehicles fitted with
Touchtronic transmission must have the gear selector lever moved to N or
D but NEVER in P. The parking lock may be damaged if the vehicle is
transported with the gear selector lever in P.
Four tie-down brackets are provided, two on each axle. These are NOT
suitable for solid bar towing.
Front Axle Tie-Down Rear Axle Tie Down
Vehicles with Defective Touchtronic Transmission
The vehicle must be carried on a transporter or towed with the rear wheels
clear of the ground (see suspended towing) or towed with the propeller shaft
disconnected at the final drive input flange. If the propeller shaft is
disconnected, it must be firmly secured away from the final drive flange.

F - Owner Maintenance
1-F-36
Electrical Start from Another Vehicle
If your DB AR1 will not start due to a discharged battery, it may be started
by connecting the battery from another vehicle to the discharged battery.
Before the vehicle is started in this way, ensure that the donor vehicle has
a 12 volt battery and negative (-), black earth terminal to ensure that the
correct battery polarity is maintained.
WARNING: If the voltage or earth of the donor vehicle is different or not known,
do not attempt starting in the way described.
1. Position the vehicles so that the connecting cable will reach between
the batteries. Ensure that the vehicles do not touch each other.
2. To lessen the risk of an electrical short circuit, remove rings, metal
watch bands and any other jewellery. Wear eye protection when
working near the battery. Turn off all electrical motors and ancillaries
in both vehicles. Switch off all lights except those needed to protect the
vehicles or illuminate the work area. Switch off the ignition and apply
the handbrake.
3. Lift out the boot floor panels to gain access to the battery.
4. Connect the red (+) cable between the red (+) positive terminal of the
two batteries.
5. Connect the black (-) cable between the black (-) negative terminals of
the two batteries.
6. Start the donor vehicle engine and run at about 1500 - 2000 rpm.
7. Start the engine. Allow the engine to run for some minutes until the flat
battery is partially charged. Switch off both vehicles.