2008 SATURN ASTRA service

OnStar service cannot work unless
your vehicle is in a place where
OnStar has an agreement with a
wireless service provider for service
in that area. OnStar service also
cannot work unless you are in a
place where the wireless service
provider OnStar has hired for that
area has coverage, network capacity
and reception when the service is
needed, and technology that is
compatible with the OnStar service.
Not all services are available
everywhere, particularly in remote
or enclosed areas, or at all times.OnStar service that involves location
information about your vehicle
cannot work unless GPS satellite
signals are unobstructed and
available in that place as well.
Your vehicle must have a working
electrical system (including adequate
battery power) for the OnStar
equipment to operate. There are
other problems OnStar cannot
control that may prevent OnStar
from providing service to you at
any particular time or place. Some
examples are damage to important
parts of your vehicle in an accident,
hills, tall buildings, tunnels, weather
or wireless phone network
congestion.Your Responsibility
You may need to increase the
volume of your radio to hear the
OnStar advisor. If the light next to the
OnStar buttons is red, this means
that your system is not functioning
properly and should be checked
by your dealer/retailer. If the light
appears clear (no light is appearing),
your OnStar subscription has
expired. You can always press the
OnStar button to conrm that your
OnStar equipment is active.
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Starting and
Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not
need an elaborate break-in. But it
will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting
to brake or slow the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for
the rst 200 miles (322 km) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings
can mean premature wear and
earlier replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.Following break-in, engine
speed and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
Use the key to turn the ignition
switch to four different positions.
Notice:Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct key,
make sure it is all the way in, and
turn it only with your hand. If the
key cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer/retailer.To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in the ON/RUN position
and the regular brake pedal must
be applied.
A (LOCK/OFF):This is the only
position from which you can remove
the key. This locks the steering
wheel, ignition and automatic
transmission.
On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must
be in P (Park) to turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK/OFF position.
The ignition switch can bind in the
LOCK/OFF position with your wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
move the steering wheel from
right to left while turning the key to
STEERING UNLOCK/IGNITION
OFF. If this doesn’t work, then the
vehicle needs service.
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Notice:Shifting out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
DRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving.
Notice:If your vehicle seems to
start up rather slowly or not shift
gears when you go faster, and you
continue to drive your vehicle that
way, you could damage the
transmission. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.THIRD (3):This position is also
used for normal driving, however, it
offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D). Here are
some times you might choose
THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding
roads.
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2):This position gives
you more power but lower fuel
economy. Use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control the vehicles speed
as you go down steep mountain
roads, but then you would also want
to use your brakes off and on.
Notice:Driving in FIRST (1) for
more than 25 miles (40 km) or at
speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h)
may damage the transmission.
Also, shifting into FIRST (1) at
speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h)
can cause damage. Drive in
THIRD (3) or DRIVE (D) instead
of FIRST (1).FIRST (1):This position gives you
even more power but lower fuel
economy than SECOND (2). Use it
on very steep hills, or in deep snow
or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1), the transmission does not
shift into rst gear until the vehicle is
going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires
or holding the vehicle in one
place on a hill using only
the accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission. The
repair will not be covered by your
warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping
on a hill, use the brakes to
hold the vehicle in place.
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Shifting Out of Park
This vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. The shift
lock release is designed to:
Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
PARK (P) with the shift lever
button fully released.
Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of PARK (P), unless
the ignition is in the ON/RUN
position and the regular brake
pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less
than 9 volt) battery.
If your vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. SeeJump Starting on
page 9-68for more information.To shift out of PARK (P) use the
following sequence:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
PARK (P):
1. Fully release the shift lever
button.
2. While holding down the brake
pedal, press the shift lever
button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from PARK (P), consult your
dealer/retailer or a professional
towing service.
Parking the Vehicle
Before you get out of your vehicle,
move the shift lever into FIRST (1) or
REVERSE (R) and rmly apply the
parking brake. Once the shift lever
has been placed into FIRST (1) or
REVERSE (R) with the clutch pedal
pressed in, you can turn the ignition
off and release the clutch.
Parking Over Things
That Burn
{CAUTION
Things that can burn could
touch hot exhaust parts under
your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry
grass, or other things that
can burn.
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It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if your vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to “rock” your vehicle
to attempt to free it. It may also be
necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin
is required. SeeIf Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 8-29.
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that a
problem exists with the system.
The light on the instrument panel
cluster will be on solid to warn
the driver that StabiliTrak is disabled
and requires service. If the problem
does not clear after restarting
the vehicle, you should see your
dealer/retailer for service.The
gswitch is located on the
instrument panel below the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
To turn off StabiliTrak, press and
hold the
gswitch until the light in the
switch illuminates.
To turn StabiliTrak on again, press
the
gswitch again or restart the
vehicle.
A light in the switch should come
on briey when the ignition key
is turned to ON/RUN as a check
to let you know that the light
is working.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer
accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 9-3for
more information.
Steering
If the engine stalls while you
are driving, the power steering assist
system should continue to operate
until you are able to stop the
vehicle. If you lose power steering
assist because the power steering
system is not functioning, you
can steer, but it will take more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in
either direction several times until it
stops, or hold the steering wheel in
the stopped position for an extended
amount of time, you may notice a
reduced amount of power steering
assist. The normal amount of power
steering assist should return shortly
after a few normal steering
movements.
The power steering system does not
require regular maintenance. If you
suspect steering system problems
and/or the Service Vehicle Soon light
comes on, contact your dealer/
retailer for service repairs.
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Before Leaving on a
Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, consider having it serviced by
your dealer/retailer before departing.
Things to check on your own
include:
Windshield Washer Fluid:
Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:All
levels checked?
Lamps:Do they all work and are
lenses clean?
Tires:Are treads good? Are tires
inated to recommended
pressure?
Weather and Maps:Safe to
travel? Have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, nd
a safe place to park your vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on at or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
Keep the vehicle serviced
and in good shape.
Check all uid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{CAUTION
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to
let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
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Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel
is an important part of the proper
maintenance of your vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, we
recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane rating of 87 or
higher. If the octane rating is less
than 87, you might notice an audible
knocking noise when you drive,
commonly referred to as spark
knock. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher assoon as possible. If you are using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher
and you hear heavy knocking, the
engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should
meet ASTM specication
D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 or 3.511 in Canada.
Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. SeeAdditives on
page 8-36for additional information.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certied to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California emissions
standards, your vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specications, but emission control
system performance might be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp could turn on and your vehicle
might fail a smog-check test. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 4-20. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer/retailer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of
fuel used, repairs might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
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Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now required
to contain additives that help prevent
engine and fuel system deposits
from forming, allowing the emission
control system to work properly.
In most cases, you should not have
to add anything to the fuel. However,
some gasolines contain only the
minimum amount of additive required
to meet U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations.
To help keep fuel injectors and intake
valves clean, or if your vehicle
experiences problems due to dirty
injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline. Also, your
dealer/retailer has additives that
will help correct and prevent most
deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might
be available in your area.We recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
10% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
Notice:Your vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under your
warranty.
Some gasolines that are
not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant
where you buy gasoline whether the
fuel contains MMT. We recommend
against the use of such gasolines.Fuels containing MMT can reduce
the life of spark plugs and the
performance of the emission control
system could be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp might turn
on. If this occurs, return to your
dealer/retailer for service.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the United States or
Canada, the proper fuel might be
hard to nd. Never use leaded
gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text
on fuel. Costly repairs caused
by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask
an auto club, or contact a major oil
company that does business in
the country where you will be
driving.
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