2009 OPEL ANTARA ignition

Driving and operation133
Catalytic converter, exhaust
emissions
Catalytic converter for petrol engines
Leaded fuel will damage the catalytic
converter and parts of the electronic
system, thereby rendering them
inoperative.
On vehicles with a catalytic converter, the
fuel tank filler neck is of a narrow design so
that a dispensing pump for leaded fuel
cannot be inserted. Damage to the catalytic converter or the
vehicle may result if the following points
are not observed:
z
If the engine misfires or runs roughly
after a cold start, the engine power has
reduced significantly or other unusual
operating problems occur that indicate
a fault in the ignition system, please
contact a workshop as quickly as
possible. Drive at a slower speed and
with less engine revs for a short time,
if necessary.
z If unburned fuel enters the catalytic
converter, this may re sult in overheating
and irreparable damage to the catalytic
converter.
You should therefore avoid frequent cold
starts, unnecessarily long use of the
starter when setting off, running the tank
dry (an irregular fuel supply leads to
overheating) and starting the engine by
pushing or towing.
z If the control indicator for exhaust
emissions Z flashes, lift your foot off the
accelerator until th e control indicator
stops flashing and is steadily lit. Contact
a workshop immediately.
Control indicator Z for exhaust
emissions - see pages 74, 134. Catalytic converter for diesel engines
Damage to the catalytic converter or the
vehicle may result if the following points
are not observed:
Consult a workshop as quickly as possible
in the event of irregular engine running, a
significant loss of engine power or other
unusual malfunctions. If necessary, driving
may be continued for a
short time at a low
speed and with a low engine speed.

Driving and operation134
Controlling exhaust emission
Through design-related measures,
primarily in the fuel injection and ignition
systems (in combination with the catalytic
converter), the proportion of noxious
materials in the exhaust, such as carbon
monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (CH) and
nitrogen oxides (NO
x), is reduced to a
minimum. Control indicator for exhaust emissions
Control indicator
Z illuminates for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched on.
If it illuminates when the engine is running,
there is a fault in the emission control
system or with the diesel particle filter 3.
The permitted emission values may be
exceeded. Consult a workshop.
Flashing with the engine running indicates
a fault that may damage the catalytic
converter. The vehicle’ s electronic system
will switch to an emergency running
program so you may continue to drive
without causing damage, by slowing down
until the flashing stops and the control
indicator is steadily lit. Consult a workshop
immediately. Control indicator for engine electronicsControl indicator
3 illuminates for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched on.
If it illuminates when the engine is running,
there is a fault in the engine electronics.
The electronics switch to the emergency
running program, fuel consumption may
increase and the driveability of the vehicle
may be affected.
In some cases, the fault can be eliminated
by switching the engi ne off and back on
again. If the control indicator illuminates
again when the engine is running, have the
cause of the fault eliminated by a
workshop.

Driving and operation135
Exhaust gases
Do not run engine in enclosed spaces, e.g.
in a garage, or sit in a parked vehicle for an
extended period with the engine running.
Do not drive with tailgate open. If driving
with the tailgate open is necessary, set fan
to highest speed, close windows and
ensure air recirculation mode is off, to allow
entry of outside air.
If the underbody or rear of vehicle is
damaged or corroded, you notice a
change in the sound of the exhaust system,
or whenever you suspect exhaust gases are
penetrating the vehicle interior, consult a
workshop immediately.
When the vehicle is driven for the first time,
wax and oil on the exhaust system may
evaporate, producing smoke-like emissions
which should not be inhaled. Allow wax
and oil to evaporate while the vehicle is in
the open air. Diesel particle filter (DPF) 3
The diesel particle filter removes polluting
soot particles out of the exhaust.
The system contains a self-cleaning
function at certain intervals. The filter is
cleaned by burning the soot particles at
high temperature. This procedure runs
automatically under certain vehicle
conditions and can take up to 15 minutes,
during which time fuel consumption may
increase. The smell and the noise that
occur are normal.
The system cannot automatically clean
itself under certain vehicle conditions, such
as driving short distances.
If control indicator
I illuminates, you
should continue driving, and as soon as the
road and traffic situation permits it,
increase speed to more than 50 km/h
(30 mph) and diesel particle filter cleaning
will start.
Cleaning is quicker at faster speeds and
under load. The engine speed should not
drop below 2000 rpm. The control indicator
extinguishes as soon as cleaning is
complete.
We recommend that you do not turn the
ignition off during cleaning. Maintenance
Have all maintenance work carried out at
the intervals specified by Opel. We
recommend that you entrust this work to
your Opel Partner, who has proper
equipment and trained personnel
available. Electronic testing of systems
permits rapid diagnosis and remedy of
faults. This way, you can be certain that all
components of the vehicle’s electrical,
injection and ignition systems operate
correctly, that your ve
hicle has a low level
of pollutant emission and that the catalytic
converter system will have a long service
life.
You are thereby making an important
contribution towards keeping the air clean
and compliance with emissions legislation.
Checking and adjustment of the fuel-
injection and ignition systems is part of the
scope of a Service. For this reason, you
should have all maintenance work carried
out at the intervals specified in the chapter
"Service, Maintanance" on page 206.
9 Warning
Engine exhaust gases contain poisonous
carbon monoxide, which has no colour or
odour and can be lethal if inhaled.
If exhaust fumes penetrate the vehicle
interior, open the windows and consult a
workshop immediately.

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 operation137
ESC Not Ready control indicator AThe control indicator illuminates in yellow
for approx. 4 seconds when the ignition is
switched on.
Illuminates to indicate that the system is
not ready for conditions to operate.
May illuminate in cold conditions. It should
extinguish when the vehicle warms up. Switching offControl indicator
J illuminates in yellow for
approx. 4 seconds when the ignition is
switched on.
With ESC active, if wheels are slipping on
wet, snowy or icy roads, engine speed may
not increase when accelerator pedal is
depressed. The vehicle may not move. Turn off ESC function to allow engine rpm
to increase, by pressing button
J. Control
indicator J illuminates in the instrument
panel.
The ESC function is turned on again by
pressing button J again (control indicator
extinguishes) or the next time the ignition is
switched on.

Driving and operation141
To activatePress the e button to turn cruise control
on. Accelerate to the desired speed, press
the
d button and release it; the current
speed is stored and maintained. The
accelerator pedal can be released after
setting cruise control speed.
Vehicle speed can be increased
temporarily for overtaking purposes,
by depressing the accelerator pedal.
When the accelerator pe dal is released, the
previously stored speed is resumed. Increase speed
With cruise control active, press and hold
the c button and release it when the
desired vehicle speed is reached.
To increase the speed in steps of
2 km/h (1.2 mph), tap the
c button
and release it.
When the
c button is released, the
current speed is stored and maintained.
Alternatively, use the accelerator pedal to
increase vehicle speed, press the
d
button and release it, then release the
accelerator pedal.
When the
d button and the accelerator
pedal are released, the current speed is
stored and maintained.
Decrease speed
With cruise control active, press and hold
the d button and release it when the
desired vehicle speed is reached.
To decrease the speed in steps of
2 km/h (1.2 mph), tap the
d button
and release it.
When the
d button is released, the
current speed is stored and maintained. To deactivate
Switch off cruise control when not needed,
to avoid accidental activation.
Press
e button to turn cruise control off.
Control indicator m extinguishes and the
vehicle slowly decelerates. To continue
driving, depress the accelerator pedal in
the usual manner.
For safety reasons, cruise control
deactivates under certain driving
conditions.
For example:
z If the vehicle speed drops below 30 km/h
(20 mph), or
z If the brake pedal is depressed, or
z If the clutch pedal 3 is depressed, or
z If the automatic transmission 3 selector
lever is in N, or
z If the traction control aspect of the
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) comes
into action, to limit wheel spin.
Resuming the stored speed
Press the c button at speeds above
30 km/h (20 mph); the speed selected
before cruise control was switched off, is
resumed.
The value of the stored speed is deleted
when the ignition is switched off or the
ebutton is pressed.

Driving and operation142
Park pilot 3
The park pilot makes parking easier by
measuring the distance between the
vehicle and any obstacles to the front and
rear and giving an acoustic signal in the
passenger compartment.
The system records the distance using four
sensors in both the front and rear bumpers.
To activate
The park pilot activates automatically
when the ignition is switched on and a
forward gear or reverse gear is engaged
and the hand brake is released. The acoustic signal may differ depending
on the type of object detected.
If the vehicle approaches an obstacle when
in a forward gear or while reversing, a
series of signals can be heard in the vehicle
interior. The interval between the signals
becomes shorter as the distance is
reduced. If the distance is less than 30 cm,
the signal will be continuous.
To deactivate
The system deactivates automatically
when in neutral (aut omatic transmission 3
in N or P) with the hand brake applied.
When the vehicle speed is greater than
8 km/h (5 mph), the system also
deactivates.
To deactivate the system manually, press
button
b on the instrument panel.
The control indicator in the button will
illuminate.
If the button is pressed again, the control
indicator in the button will extinguish and
the system will be reactivated as soon as a
forward gear or reverse gear is engaged
and the hand brake is released.
9 Warning
Under certain circumstances, various
reflective surfaces on objects or clothing
as well as external noise sources may
cause the system to fail to detect
obstacles.
The park pilot may not recognise sharp
objects, thick clothes or sponge-like
materials which absorb the frequency.
If the sensors are damaged or covered
with snow, dirt or ice, the park pilot may
not activate.
For these reasons, care must be taken
when reversing, even if the park pilot is
operational. This is of particular
importance when in the vicinity of
pedestrians.

Driving and operation144
Tyre pressure monitoring system3
The tyre pressure monitoring system
continually checks the pressure of all four
wheels while driving.
A pressure sensor is integrated in each
wheel. Once a minute, the pressure of each
tyre is sent to a control unit, where it is
compared. If the system detects one or
more pressure differences, a message
appears on the information display.
Current tyre pressures can be shown in the
information display.
For the system to be operational, all wheels
must be equipped with pressure sensors
and all tyres must be filled to the
prescribed pressure. The tyre pressure
monitoring system automatically detects if
the vehicle is being driven with a load of up
to 3 persons or a full load.
Once the ignition is switched on, the system
is operational and will continuously
monitor the tyre pressures at speeds of
approx. 40 km/h (25 mph) and above. Tyre pressure – see pages 224.
Display of current tyre pressure
Select menu item Tyres from the Board
Computer menu.
The current pressure of each tyre is
displayed.
Warning messages
A message is given on the information
display to warn of inconsistent tyre
pressures. In some versions, the message is
displayed in abbreviated form.
For example, the following messages can
be displayed:
9 Warning
The tyre pressure monitoring system does
not replace manual checks with a
suitable gauge.
Check tyre pressures at least every
14 days and prior to any long journey:
the tyres should be checked when cold.
Don’t forget to check the spare. Ü Board Computer
BC 1
BC 2
Timer
Tyres