2009 OPEL ANTARA steering wheel

Driving and operation121
All Wheel Drive
All Wheel Drive (AWD) is an active-on-
demand system that engages
automatically, with no action required by
the driver. Depending on the driving
environment, the vehicle switches between
two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, to
give the vehicle more traction and stability
when necessary.
If the front wheels begin to slip, the rear
wheels will automatically begin to drive the
vehicle as required.
More torque is transferred to the wheels
that have the most traction, so the vehicle
has optimum grip at all times.
There may be a slight engagement noise
during hard use.
As well as enabling the vehicle to be driven
off-road, this system also enables the
vehicle to be driven on normal roads
without incurring excessive tyre and
drivetrain wear or causing poor control. All Wheel Drive control indicator
When the ignition is switched on,
control indicator
B illuminates for approx.
4 seconds. The system is ready for
operation when the control indicator
extinguishes.
If the control indicator flashes during
driving, All Wheel Drive is temporarily
disabled.
If it flashes briefly then extinguishes, this is
normal and does not indicate a fault.
If the control indicator flashes
continuously, there is a fault in the system.
Consult a workshop as soon as possible. On-road driving
The increased traction
of All Wheel Drive
vehicles offers greate r driving control in
adverse road condit ions, particularly
heavy snow and ice. However, All Wheel
Drive vehicles are not "skid-proof" and do
not decrease stopping distances.
All Wheel Drive vehicles have a higher
centre of gravity than conventional
vehicles. Always approach curves at an
appropriate driving speed. Do not attempt
to go as fast through turns as you might in
a conventional vehicle.
Strong crosswinds can affect the normal
steering of the vehicle. Drive slower under
strong crosswind conditions.

Driving and operation122
Always exercise caution when in slippery
conditions (caused by sand, gravel, water,
snow or ice on the road), in order to
maintain vehicle control.
Use the accelerator to control the vehicle -
keep brake pedal use to a minimum.
zDo not slip the clutch.
z Do not spin the wheels.
z Do not make exaggerated or jerky
steering movements.
Driving a vehicle in snow and ice should be
undertaken with extreme caution:
z Select a gear suitable for the conditions.
z Start the vehicle moving with minimal
engine revs, low gear and combined
clutch and accelerator control.
z Change to a higher gear as quickly as
possible, to keep the engine revs low.
z With automatic transmission 3, select
drive range D and press button n, to
activate the Winter program. Off-road driving
During off-road drivin
g, you will encounter
a variety of driving conditions and
circumstances too numerous to list here.
Always use good judgement and common
sense. If you feel uncomfortable about
tackling a given situation, do not attempt
it.
Avoid protruding objects (such as rocks or
tree stumps) that may damage the
underbody and tyres of your vehicle.
Test the brakes after operating in mud, to
clear excess mud from the braking
surfaces.
Gripping the steering wheel
Terrain conditions can cause rapid and
unexpected movement in the steering,
especially rough terrain. Preparation
The duration, distance and conditions of
the off-road activity determine the extent
of the preparation th
at is required. The
following are given as guidelines.
Know the area where you will be driving,
either by inspection or from terrain maps.
Decide your route in advance and ensure
that it is a vehicular right of way
1).
Make a thorough check of the vehicle.
Check the following:
z Oil, water, fuel, brake and clutch fluid
levels,
z Drive belts,
z Windscreen wipers and washer system,
z Lamps.
Maintenance - see pages 126, 206.
9 Warning
Be ready to deal with these movements
by having a firm grip on the outer rim of
the steering wheel with the thumbs
outside the spokes, to guard against
injury from kickback.
1)Observe national regulations.

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 operation127
Driving hints
The first 1000 km (600 miles)
Drive your vehicle at various speeds. Do
not use full throttle. Never allow the engine
to labour at low revs.
Make good use of all gears. Depress the
accelerator pedal a maximum of around
three quarters of the available pedal travel
in all gears and drive ranges.
Do not drive faster than three quarters of
maximum speed.
Avoid quick starts, su dden acceleration
and prolonged high-speed driving, to
avoid engine damage and to conserve
fuel.
Do not brake unnecessarily hard for the
first 200 km (125 miles).
If possible, avoid towing another vehicle.
Never coast with engine not running
Many units may then not function (e.g.
brake servo unit, power steering, airbag
system). Driving in this manner is a danger
to yourself and others. Brake servo unit
With the engine not running, the brake
servo unit is no longer effective once the
brake pedal has been depressed once or
twice. The braking effect is not reduced,
but substantially greater foot pressure is
necessary to stop the vehicle.
Power steering
Never leave the steering wheel on full lock
when the vehicle is stationary, as this may
damage the power steering pump.
If the power steering should fail - e.g. when
the vehicle is being towed with the engine
switched off - the vehicle can still be
properly steered, but considerably greater
effort is necessary.
Driving in mountainous terrain or with a
caravan/trailer
Electrically driven fan; the fan cooling
capacity is not dependent on engine
speed. It is not necessary, therefore, when
driving uphill to shif
t down into a lower
gear if the vehicle can climb in a higher
gear. Driving in extreme conditions
When driving in hazard
ous conditions, e.g.
in snow, ice, mud, sand or water, drive
slowly and cautiously to allow for greater
braking distances.
If stuck, use 2nd gear (automatic
transmission in drive range 2) to avoid
spinning the front wheels.
Use sand, tyre chains or other non-slip
materials to provide traction when stuck in
snow, mud or ice.
Driving through water
Before attempting to drive through water,
check the depth. If the depth is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle,
do not attempt to drive through it.
Driving too quickly through water can
cause water to enter the engine through
the air intake, causing severe damage.
Drive slowly, in a high engine rpm in as low
a gear as possible.
Driving with a roof load
Do not exceed the permissible roof load -
see page 221. For safety reasons,
distribute the load evenly and secure it
tightly with straps so that it cannot slip. Set
the tyre pressure to the value given for full
load. Do not drive faster than 120 km/h
(75 mph). Check and retighten straps at
frequent intervals.

Self-help, vehicle care175
Keep tow rope 3 clear of front bumper,
and ensure it is secure ly fixed to the towing
eye at both ends. Pull on the tow rope 3 to
check.
To prevent entry of exhaust fumes from
towing vehicle, switch on air recirculation
mode (see page 109) and close the
windows.
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that
is being towed.
Never tow a vehicle with damaged parts
that are not secured to the vehicle or if
wheels, brakes or steering are damaged.
Do not tow the vehicle with a tow rope 3 or
tow rod 3 for extended periods, to avoid
damage to the vehicle. Only tow in this
manner on hard-surfaced roads.
For vehicles with automatic transmission 3:
use flatbed or wheel lift equipment only.
Towing can cause severe damage to the
transmission.
Seek the assistance of a workshop. Towing service
Entrust your vehicle only to the towing
service of your choice and obtain an
estimate on towing costs before employing
any towing service. This will prevent
unnecessary expense and possible
insurance problems during claim
processing.
Use flatbed equipment whenever possible.
If vehicle is to be towed using a wheel lift,
tow with all wheels off the road, using a
towing dolly.
Never use sling-type equipment to tow the
vehicle or tow the vehicle with the front or
rear wheels on the road, to avoid causing
serious damage to the vehicle.
Place the gearshift lever in neutral
(automatic transmission 3
in N), switch on
hazard warning lamps, turn key to ignition
switch position ACC and release the
hand brake before towing the vehicle. Towing another vehicle
In emergency situations only, attach a tow
rope
3 - or better still a tow rod 3 - to the
rear towing eye.
The rear towing eye attachment 3 is stored
below the floor cover in the luggage
compartment.
Remove the cover located on the rear
bumper by pressing the lower part of the
cover.

Self-help, vehicle care 183
Some circuits may be protected by several
fuses.
No. Circuit Rating
1Accessory socket 20 A
2 Seat heating 20 A
3 Audio 15 A
4 Trailer 10 A
5 Parking lamp (right side) 10 A
6 Air conditioning 10 A
7 Power steering 10 A
8 Body Control Module 10 A
9 Anti-theft alarm 10 A
10 Central door locking 20 A
11 Turn signal (right side) 15 A
12 Turn signal (left side) 15 ANo. Circuit Rating
13 Stop 15 A
14 Headlamp washer 15 A
15 Rear cluster 10 A
16 Air conditioning 15 A
17 Body Control Module 20 A
18 Body Control Module 15 A
19 Ignition switch 2 A
20 Fog tail lamp 10 A
21 Airbag 10 A
22 Front door lock 15 A
23 Accessory socket 20 A
24 Transmission Control
Module 15 A
25 Engine 15 A
26 Body Control Module 10 A
No. Circuit Rating
27 --
28 Windscreen washer 10 A
29 Exterior mirror heating 15 A
30 Instrument cluster 10 A
31 Ignition 10 A
32 Airbag 10 A
33 Steering wheel remote 2 A
34 Folding mirrors 10 A
35 --
36 Cigarette lighter 20 A
37 Passenger’s electric
window 20 A
38 Driver’s electric window 20 A
39 Automatic transmission 10 A

Self-help, vehicle care205
Windscreen wiper blades
Wax, such as that used in car washes, can
cause streaks to form on the windscreen
when the wipers are used.
Smearing wiper blades can be cleaned with
a soft cloth and Opel Cleaning Solvent and
Antifreeze, and replaced if necessary –
see page 198. Do not use abrasive
cleaners.
Locks
The locks are lubricated with a high-grade
lock cylinder grease at the factory. Opel
Lock Cylinder Grease prevents the locks
from freezing up.
Only use de-icing agents in emergencies,
as they have a degreasing effect and will
impair the function of the locks. After using
a de-icing agent, have the locks re-greased
by a workshop. Engine compartment
Areas of the engine compartment that are
painted in the same colour as the vehicle
must be looked after
like any other painted
surface.
It is advisable to wash the engine
compartment before and after winter and
preserve it with wax. Cover alternator and
fluid reservoirs with plastic sheets before
washing the engine.
When washing the engine with a steam-jet
cleaner, do not direct the steam-jet at
components of the Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS), the air conditioning system or the
belt drive and its components.
Protective wax that has been applied is
also removed during the engine wash. For
this reason, have the engine, brake system
components in the engine compartment,
axle components with steering, body parts
and cavities thoroughly preserved with
protective wax after the wash.
An engine wash can be performed in the
spring in order to remove dirt that has
adhered to the engine compartment,
which may also have a high salt content.
Check protective wax layer and make good
if necessary. Underbody
Your vehicle has a factory-applied PVC
undercoating in the wheel arches
(including the longitudinal members) which
provides permanent protection and needs
no special maintenance. The surfaces of
the vehicle underbody not covered by PVC
are provided with a durable protective wax
coating in critical areas.
On vehicles which are washed frequently
in automatic car wash
es with underbody
washing facility, the protective wax
coating may be impaire d by dirt-dissolving
additives. Check the underbody after
washing and have it waxed if necessary.
Before the start of the cold weather season,
check the PVC coating and protective wax
coating and, if necessary, have them
restored to perfect condition.
Caution
– commercially available bitumen/
rubber materials can damage the PVC
coating. We recommend that you have
underbody work carried out by a
workshop, who knows the prescribed
materials and has experience in the use
thereof.
The underbody should be washed
following the end of the cold weather
season to remove any dirt adhering to the
underbody since this may also contain salt.
Check protective wax coating and, if
necessary, have it restored to perfect
condition.

208 Service, maintenance
Service operations by year 1)
km ( x 1000)1)
miles ( x 1000)1)
1)Whichever occurs first.
⊕ Additional operations.
o Under extreme operating conditions and if required by country-specific conditions, the intervals are reduced.
15
10 1
30
20 45
30 2
60
40 75
50 3
90
60
⊕o Diesel fuel filter: drain water
(If relative humidity is high an
d/or fuel is of lower quality) Annually
Fuel filter: replace and drain water - diesel (g rade EN 590) Every 2 years/60 000 km/40 000 miles
Parking brake: check and adjust
Wheel mounting and suspension front an d rear, brake lines, brake pressure
hoses, fuel lines and exhaust system: visual check xxx
Corrosion protection: check and record in Service and Warranty Booklet Annually
Front and rear wheel br akes: check visually xxx
o
⊕Annual service check if annual mileage exceeds 20 000 km Annually
Engine, transmission, PTO, rear differential, A/C compressor: check for leaks xxx
Steering system boots, track rods , final drive: visual check xxx
Track rod end and supporting ball joint: check xxx
⊕Brake and clutch fluid: change Every 2 years
Wheel fastening: loosen and tighten to torque
Tyre condition and pressures: check, correct xxx
⊕Annual service check if annual
mileage exceeds 20 000 km Annually
First aid kit, tyre repair kit and lash ing eyes: visual check Every 2 years
Headlamp aiming: check, adjust x x x
Door hinges, door stop, lock cylinder, lock striker, bonnet catch, tailgate
hinges and check links: lubricate xxx
Test drive, final check
Service interval display and oil life monitor: reset - if applicable xxx