2009 OPEL ANTARA ESP

Driving and operation126
Maintenance
Certain maintenance operations, e.g.
changes of engine oil, oil filter, air cleaner
element and brake pads, are required
more frequently for severe operating
conditions, e.g. driving on unsurfaced
roads, during thick dust or mud
accumulation, etc.
If the vehicle is driven off-road to a great
extent, the chassis will need regular
inspection.
Your Opel Partner will inform you which
additional service is required between the
normal service intervals, after
consideration of the specific operating
conditions of your vehicle.
Further information - see page 206.
Service checks after wading
After wading, check for the ingress of water
into the following:
zBrake fluid reservoir,
z Air cleaner element,
z Engine,
z Transmission,
z Axles,
z Interior of vehicle.
Renew any lubricating oil or hydraulic fluid
that has a milky appearance, indicating
contamination with water. All Wheel Drive summary
Do
z
Check fuel and tyres, water and oil levels
before venturing off-road.
z Survey on foot before driving off-road,
especially when traversing hillsides,
wading, driving in deep snow and over
ridges.
z Select the correct gear for the conditions.
z Use the engine’s power of acceleration
and deceleration with the correct gear,
to control the vehicle.
z Keep a firm grip on the outer rim of the
steering wheel - keep your thumbs away
from the spokes.
z Drive carefully and be prepared for
emergencies.
z Drive slower under crosswind conditions.
z Approach obstacles and conditions
off-road at the correct angles and with
sufficient momentum to negotiate the
obstacle, but do not put undue strain on
the vehicle.
z Use caution - if you are not sure, do not
do it. Don’tz
Do not venture off-road unless you are
certain that the conditions are capable
of being negotiated safely by you and
your vehicle.
z Do not take unnecessary risks.
z Do not use the brakes excessively, to
maintain steering control.
z Do not change gear on difficult terrain -
depressing the clutch may cause the
vehicle to stop because of drag on the
wheels - or accelerate backwards or
forwards when on a hill.
z Do not ride or slip the clutch.
z Do not spin the wheels if stuck in mud,
sand or snow - they will only dig in
deeper.
z Do not drive at an excessive speed,
especially into corners. Your All Wheel
Drive vehicle has a higher centre of
gravity than conventional vehicles.
Sudden changes of direction can lead to
loss of control.

Driving and operation128
Switching off the engine
If the engine temperature is very high, e.g.
after driving in mountainous terrain: allow
engine to idle for approx. 2 minutes, in
order to prevent heat accumulation.
When you switch off, fans in the engine
compartment may continue running for a
time, to cool the engine.
Vehicles with turbocharger 3
In order to protect the turbocharger, after
running at high engine speeds or high
engine loads, operate the engine briefly at
a low load or run in neutral for approx.
30 seconds before switching off.
Save energy – more kilometres/miles
Please observe the running-in hints on the
previous page and the tips for energy
saving on the following pages.
Good, technically correct and economical
driving ensures maximum durability and
performance for your vehicle.
Overrun
The fuel supply is automatically shut off
during overrun, e.g. when the vehicle is
being driven down long gradients or during
braking. To enable the overrun cut-off to
come into action, do not accelerate or
declutch during overrun. Engine rpm
Under all driving conditions, drive in a
favourable engine speed range.
Warming up
Allow engine to warm up while driving. Do
not warm it up by le
tting it run at idling
speed. Do not apply full throttle until
engine reaches operating temperature.
After a cold start, automatic
transmission 3 does not shift into higher
gears until higher engine speeds have been
reached. This allows the catalytic converter
to quickly reach the temperature required
for optimum pollutant reduction.
Correct gear selection
Do not race your engine whilst in neutral or
with a low gear selected. Driving too fast in
individual gears or drive ranges as well as
stop-and-go traffic in crease engine wear
and fuel consumption.
Change down
When decreasing speed, shift down into
the next lowest gear. Do not slip the clutch
with a high-revving engine. This is
especially important when hill climbing. Clutch operation
3
Always depress the clutch pedal hard to
the floor, to prevent shifting difficulties and
transmission damage. There must be no
mats in the area of the pedals.
When driving, do not use the clutch pedal
as a foot rest; this will cause substantial
clutch wear.
Pedals
Do not place any objects in the footwell
which could slip under the pedals and
inhibit the pedal travel.
To ensure the pedal travel is uninhibited,
there must be no mats in the area of the
pedals.
When driving, do not use the brake pedal
as a foot rest; this will cause substantial
wear to brake components and cause
overheating, resultin g in longer braking
distances.
Battery care whilst driving
When driving slowly or when the vehicle
is stationary, e.g. in slow urban traffic,
stop-and-go traffic or traffic jams, turn off
all unnecessary electrical loads where
possible (e.g. heated rear window,
auxiliary headlamps).
When starting the engine, depress the
clutch pedal so that transmission
resistance is elimin ated and the starter
motor and battery are relieved.

Driving and operation129
Save fuel, protect the
environment
Trend-setting technology
When developing and manufacturing your
vehicle, Opel used environment-friendly
and, in the main, recyclable materials. The
production methods used to make your
vehicle are likewise environmentally-
compatible.
Recycling of production wastes keeps the
circulation of material closed. Reduction of
energy and water requirements also helps
to conserve natural resources.
A highly advanced design means that your
vehicle can be easily disassembled at the
end of its working life, and the individual
materials separated for subsequent re-use.
Materials such as as bestos and cadmium
are not used. The refrigerant in the air
conditioning system is CFC-free.
New painting techniques employ water as
a solvent. End-of-life vehicle recovery
Information on end-of-life vehicle recovery
centres and the recycling of end-of-life
vehicles is available at www.opel.com.
Drive in an energy and
environment-conscious way
z
High fuel consumption, noise levels and
exhaust emissions are often caused by a
driving style that is not energy and
environment-conscious.
z You should therefore drive with energy in
mind: "more kilometres/miles with less
fuel".
z Reduce the noise level and exhaust
emissions by adopting an environment-
conscious driving style. This is extremely
worthwhile and improves quality of life.
Fuel consumption depends to a great
extent on your own personal driving style.
The following hints are intended to help
you consume fuel at a rate that is as close
as possible to the specified levels.
Check your vehicle’s fuel consumption
every time you refuel. This facilitates early
detection of any irregularities causing
increased fuel consumption. Warming up
z
Full throttle and warming up at idle
speed increase wear, fuel consumption,
fuel emission, the amount of pollutant in
the exhaust and the amount of noise.
z Drive off immediately after starting.
Warm up the engine by running it at
moderate engine speeds.
Uniform speed
z Hectic driving significantly increases fuel
consumption, the quantity of emission
and the proportion of pollutant in the
exhaust.
z Do not accelerate and brake
unnecessarily. Drive at uniform speed.
Avoid frequent starting-off and
stopping, e.g. at tra ffic lights, in short
distance traffic and in queues of traffic,
by means of clever planning. Select
roads with good traffic flow.
Idling
z The engine also consumes fuel when
idling.
z If you have to wait for more than
1 minute, it is worthwhile switching off
the engine. Five minutes of idling
corresponds to approx. one kilometre
(0.6 miles) of driving.
z Idling for more than 5 minutes can cause
excessive temperatures and damage to
the exhaust system.

Driving and operation130
Overrun
zThe fuel supply is automatically shut off
during overrun, e.g. when the vehicle is
being driven down long gradients or
during braking - see page 128.
z To enable the overrun cut-off to take
effect and save fuel, do not accelerate or
declutch.
Correct gear selection
z High revs increase engine wear and fuel
consumption.
z Do not race your engine. Avoid driving at
high engine speeds.
Driving with an eye on the tachometer
saves fuel. If possible, drive at low revs in
each gear and at a constant speed.
Drive in top gear as much as possible,
shift up as soon as possible and do not
shift down prematurely.
High speed
z The faster the speed, the higher the fuel
consumption and noise level. Driving at
full throttle uses up a great deal of fuel
and generates excessive noise and high
emission levels.
z Slightly releasing the accelerator pedal
results in distinct fu el savings with no
major loss of speed.
Drive at no more than around three
quarters of maximum speed and you will
use up to 50% less fuel, without losing a
great deal of time. Tyre pressure
z
Inadequate tyre pressure, leading to
higher road resistance, costs money in
two ways; for more fuel and increased
tyre wear.
z Regular checks (every 14 days) pay off.
Electrical loads
z The power consumption of electrical
equipment increases fuel consumption.
z Switch off all additional consumers (e.g.
air conditioning, heated rear window)
when they are no longer required.
Roof racks 3
z Roof racks can increase fuel
consumption by approx. 1 l/100 km
(3.5 gal./1000 miles) due to air
resistance.
z Remove them if they are not being used. Repair and maintenance
z
Improper repairs or adjustment and
maintenance work can increase fuel
consumption. Do not carry out work on
the engine yourself.
You may, out of ignorance, infringe
environmental laws by not disposing of
materials properly.
Appropriate parts might not be recycled.
Contact with some of the materials
involved may pose a health hazard.
z We recommend that repairs and
maintenance be entrusted to an
Opel Partner.
Extreme driving conditions
z Driving up steep gradients, cornering,
driving on poor roads, and winter driving
all increase fuel consumption.
Fuel consumption increases dramatically
in urban traffic and at winter
temperatures, especially on short trips
when the engine operating temperature
is not reached.
z Follow the hints given above to keep fuel
consumption to a minimum under such
conditions.

Driving and operation136
Drive control systems
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
The Electronic Stability Control improves
driving stability when necessary,
independently of the type of road surface
and the tyre grip. It also prevents the drive
wheels from spinning.
The system monitors vehicle movements.
As soon as the vehicle starts to swerve
(understeers/oversteers), engine output is
reduced (the sound of the engine changes)
and individual wheels are specifically
braked. This considerably improves the
driving stability of the vehicle on snow and
ice and on wet or slippery road surfaces.
ESC is ready for operation after the ignition
is switched on and the ESC control
indicators
7, A and J illuminate then
extinguish after approx. 4 seconds. When the ESC comes into action, control
indicator
7 flashes in the instrument panel.
Some noise or vibration may be apparent.
The vehicle is now in a critical situation;
the ESC helps you to keep control of the
vehicle and reminds you to match your
speed to the road conditions.
ESC A
ctive & Warning control indicator 7The control indicator illuminates in yellow
for approx. 4 seconds when the ignition is
switched on. The system is ready for
operation when it extinguishes.
Flashing when driving;
The system has come into action. The
engine output may be reduced (the sound
of the engine changes) and the vehicle
may be braked automatically to a small
degree.
Illuminated when driving;
Fault in the system. Poor road surface
conditions may cause vehicle stability to be
impaired.
Have the cause of the fault remedied by a
workshop. The system’s integrated self-
diagnostics allows faults to be quickly
remedied.
9 Warning
Do not let this special safety feature
tempt you into taking risks when driving.
Traffic safety can only be achieved by
adopting a responsible driving style.

Driving and operation140
Cruise control 3
Cruise control can store and maintain
speeds over approx. 30 km/h (20 mph).
Deviation from the stored speed may occur
when driving uphill or downhill.
For safety reasons, cruise control cannot
be activated until the foot brake has been
depressed once.
Cruise control is operated with buttons
d, c and e on the turn signal lever. Do not use cruise control if it is not
advisable to maintain a constant speed
(e.g. in situations presenting a danger to
yourself and other road users, in heavy
traffic or on winding, slippery or greasy
roads).
With automatic transmission, only use
cruise control while in
D.
When cruise control is active, reaction
times may be increased, due to the
different position of the feet.
Control indicator for cruise control
When driving, control indicator m will
illuminate when the syst em is switched on
and the desired vehicle speed is stored.
Illuminated in yellow;
cruise control is ready for operation by
pressing the
ebutton.
Illuminated in green;
cruise control speed is set by pressing the
d button.
9 Warning
The driver is always responsible for
ensuring that vehicle speed is
appropriate for the speed limit and
driving conditions - even if cruise control
is engaged.
Failure to follow the instructions could
lead to injuries or endanger life.

Driving and operation146
Brake assist
Rapid powerful application of the brake
pedal automatically applies maximum
brake force amplification to achieve the
shortest possible braking distance under
full braking (brake assist).
Maintain steady pressure on the brake
pedal for as long as full-on braking is to
continue. When the brake pedal is
released, the maximum brake force
amplification is taken away.Foot brake
The brake system comprises two separate
brake circuits.
If one brake circuit should fail, the vehicle
can still be braked with the second
remaining circuit.
If this happens, the brake pedal must be
fully depressed with greater pedal
pressure. The distance required for braking
will be greater.
If, at any time during driving, the brake
pedal can be depressed further than
normal, the vehicle repeatedly pulls to one
side under braking or brake noise is heard,
consult a workshop.
In order to utilise the full pedal travel,
particularly in the event of a brake circuit
fault, there must be no mats in the area of
the pedals - see page 128.
With the engine stopped, the brake servo
assistance is discontinued after the brake
pedal has been depressed once or twice.
The braking effect is not reduced, but
increased foot pressure will be necessary.
Take extra care when the vehicle is being
towed.
Check the brake lamps before starting out
on a journey. Shortly after the start of each
journey, the brake system should be tested
for its effectiveness at low speed and
without inconveniencing other road users,
especially if the brakes are wet, e.g. after
washing your vehicle.
Excessive braking when going downhill can
cause brakes to temporarily overheat. Shift
to a lower gear rather than continuously
applying brakes.
The brake fluid level should be checked
regularly - see page 196.

Driving and operation148
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
u
The ABS continually monitors the vehicle's
brake system and prevents the wheels from
locking, irrespective of the road condition
and tyre grip.
It starts to regulate the braking pressure as
soon as a wheel shows a tendency to lock.
The vehicle remains steerable, even in the
event of very heavy braking, e.g. on bends
or when swerving to avoid an obstacle.
Even in the case of full-on braking, the ABS
makes it possible to drive round an
obstacle without releasing the brakes.
ABS control is made apparent through a
pulse in the brake pedal and the noise of
the regulation process. Control indicator
u for ABS
Illuminates in yellow for approx. 4 seconds
when the ignition is switched on.
At the same time, the system performs a
self-check. When the control indicator
extinguishes, the system is ready for
operation.
If the control indicato r does not illuminate
when the ignition is switched on, does not
extinguish after approx. 4 seconds, or if it
illuminates during driving, there is a fault in
the ABS. The vehicle's brake system may
remain operational without ABS
regulation. If control indicator
u illuminates during
driving along with brake system control
indicator 4, there is a serious fault in the
brake system. Have the system checked
immediately by a workshop.
Fault
You can continue driving, provided you
drive with care and anticipation.
Have the cause of the fault remedied by a
workshop. The system's integrated self-
diagnostics allows faults to be quickly
remedied.
9 Warning
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depresse d throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that the
pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce the
pressure on the pedal.
Do not let this special safety feature
tempt you into taking risks when driving.
Traffic safety can only be achieved by
adopting a responsible driving style.
9 Warning
If there is a fault in the ABS, the wheels
may tend to lock in the event of unusually
heavy braking. This may cause the
vehicle to swerve. The benefits of the ABS
are lost.