138 Driving and operation
Picture no: 18433s.tif
Starting off
Depress the foot brake, release the
hand brake and move the selector lever
toA,
+or-. This will switch the manual
transmission automated to automatic
and engage first gear (or second gear if
the winter program is enabled). "A"
appears on the transmission display.
The vehicle begins to "creep" when the foot
brake is released. It is also possible to start off without
depressing the foot brake if the accelerator
pedal is operated directly after moving the
selector lever. If there
is no acceleration or
the foot brake is not depressed, no gear is
engaged and "A" flashes. After a few
seconds, the display resumes showing "N".
Start off by repeating the previously
described procedure.
In Automatic mode, selection of other
gears is automatic irrespective of driving
conditions.
Move selector lever toward A
Switch between Automatic and Manual
mode.
In Manual mode the gears can be shifted
manually. The transmission display shows
the currently engaged gear.
If the engine speed is too low the manual
transmission automated will automatically
shift to a lower gear even in Manual mode.
This prevents the engine from stalling.
Picture no: 18180s.tif
Move selector lever toward + or -
If a higher gear is selected when the
running speed is too low, or a lower gear
when the speed is too high, the gear
selection will not take place. This prevents
the engine from running at too low or too
high revs.
Gears can be skipped by jogging the
selector lever repeatedly at short intervals. +
Shift to a higher gear.
-
Shift to a lower gear.
Back to overview
142 Driving and operation
Picture no: 18230s.tif
Manoeuvring the vehicle
To manoeuvre the vehicle back and forth
during attempts to park or in garage
entrances the creeping movement can be
utilised by releasing the foot brake.
Never actuate accelerator and brake
pedals simultaneously.
To prevent damage, the manual
transmission automated deactivates the
"creep function" when the temperature of
the automatic clutch is extremely high. Vehicle storage
Apply the handbrake and remove the key
from the ignition. The most recently
engaged gear (indicator in transmission
display) remains engaged. With
N, no gear
is engaged.
When the ignition is switched off the
manual transmission automated no longer
responds to movement of the selector
lever.
Lock the vehicle. Otherwise the battery
may become discharged if the vehicle is
parked for long periods.
If the hand brake has not been applied, the
control indicator R flashes for a few
seconds after the ignition is switched off.
With the engine off and the hand brake not
applied, when the driver ’s door is opened a
warning buzzer sounds and the control
indicator R flashes; switch on ignition,
engage gear, switch off ignition and apply
hand brake.
Picture no: 18231s.tif
Fault
To prevent damage to the automated
manual transmission, the clutch is closed
automatically at high clutch temperatures.
Warning light A lights up in the event of a
fault. Continued driving is possible, but
manual mode can no longer be used for
changing gear.
If "F" also appears in the transmission
display, continued driving is not possible.
Have cause of fault remedied by a
workshop. The system’s integrated self
diagnostics allow faults to be quickly
remedied.
Back to overview
150 Driving and operationSave energy – more kilometres
Please observe the running-in hints on the
previous page and the tips for saving
energy on the following pages.
Good, technically correct and economical
driving ensures maximum durability and
performance for your vehicle.
Overrun cut-off
The fuel supply is automatically cut off
during overrun, e.g. when the vehicle is
driven with a gear engaged but no throttle
application. Overrun cut-off is deactivated
if catalytic converter temperature is high.
Vehicles with turbocharged engine Flow-generated noises may be audible if
the accelerator is released quickly on
account of air flow in the turbocharger.
Engine speed
Drive in a low engine speed range for each
gear as much as possible. Warming up
After a cold start, the automatic
transmission
3 or manual transmission
automated 3 in automatic mode shifts into
higher gears at higher rpm. 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 as well as stop-and-go
traffic increases 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. Cooling fan
The cooling fan is controlled via a
thermoswitch and therefore only runs if
necessary.
The cooling fan automatically switches on
when the diesel particle filter is being
cleaned
3 depending on the engine.
Pedals
Do not place any objects in the foot well
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.
Battery care
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, heated
front seats, etc.).
Declutch when starting in order to relieve
the strain on the starter and the battery.
Back to overview
151
Driving and operation
Saving fuel, protecting
the environment Trend-setting technology
Environmentally friendly and mainly
recyclable materials were used when your
vehicle was being developed and
manufactured. The production methods
used to make your vehicle are also
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 asbestos and cadmium
are not used. The refrigerant in the air
conditioning system 3 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 availabl
e at www.opel.com.
Energy and environment-conscious
driving
z High noise levels and exhaust emissions
are often a result of driving without due
attention to saving energy and
protecting the environment.
z You should therefore drive with energy in
mind: "more miles – less fuel".
Reduce the noise level and exhaust
emissions by adopting an environment-
conscious driving style. This is extremely
worthwhile and improves the 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
3256.
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,
exhaust emission, the amount of
pollutant in the exhaust and the amount
of noise.
z Drive off as soon as possible after
starting.
Uniform speed
z Hectic driving significantly increases fuel
consumption, the exhaust emissions, the
proportion of pollutant in the exhaust
gas and the noise level.
z Do not accelerate and brake
unnecessarily. Drive at uniform speed,
watching the road.
Avoid frequent starting off and stopping
e.g. at traffic 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 one
minute, it is worthwhile switching off the
engine. Five minutes of idling
corresponds to approximately one
kilometre of driving.
Back to overview
152 Driving and operationOverrun
zThe fuel supply is shut off automatically
on overrun, e.g. when descending steep
hills or when braking 3150.
z To enable the overrun cut-off to come
into action and save fuel, do not
accelerate or declutch during overrun.
Correct gear selection
z High revs increase engine wear and fuel
consumption.
z Do not race your engine. Avoid driving at
high engine speeds.
Making use of the tachometer helps to
save fuel. Drive in a low engine speed
range for each gear as much as possible
with uniform engine speeds. Drive as
often as possible in top gear, select the
next higher gear as soon as possible,
and only change down when the engine
is no longer running perfectly smoothly.
High speed
z The higher the speed, the higher the
consumption and the noise level. At top
speed, you consume a great deal of fuel
and produce excessive noise and
exhaust emissions. z
Slightly releasing th e 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 3, heated rear window)
when not needed.
Roof racks, ski-holders
z Roof loads can increase fuel consumption
by approximately 1l/100 km 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 repair and
maintenance be entrusted to your Opel
Partner.
Extreme driving conditions
z Driving up steep slopes, cornering,
driving on poor roads and driving in ice
and snow all increase fuel consumption.
Fuel consumption increases dramatically
in urban traffic and at low temperatures,
especially on short trips when the engine
operating temperature is not reached.
z Following the instructions given above
will minimise consumption under these
conditions.
Back to overview
155
Driving and operation
Picture no: 17199t.tif
Catalytic converter, exhaust
gassesCatalytic converter
The catalytic converter reduces the
amount of harmful substances in the
exhaust gas, such as carbon monoxide
(CO), hydrocarbons, CH) and nitrous
oxide (NO
x).
Fuel grades other than those listed on
pages 153, 252 (e. g. LRP = Lead
Replacement Petrol or leaded fuel) could
damage the catalytic converter or
electronic components. z
In the event of misfiring, uneven engine
running, a clear reduction in engine
performance or other unusual problems,
have the cause of the fault rectified by a
workshop as soon as possible. In an
emergency, driving can be continued for
a short period, keeping vehicle speed
and engine speed low.
This does not apply when the Electronic
Stability Program (ESP®
Plus
3) kicks in
3 151.
z If unburnt fuel enters the catalytic
converter of a petrol engine, this may
result in overheating and irreparable
damage to the catalytic converter.
You should therefore avoid
unnecessarily long use of the starter
when starting off, running the tank dry
and starting the engine by pushing or
towing.
Picture no: 18182s.tif
Controlling exhaust emission
Design measures, primarily in the fuel
injection system and ignition system zones
in combination with the catalytic converter,
the amount of hazardous substances in the
exhaust emissions, such as carbon
monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (CH) and
nitrogen oxides (NO
x), are reduced to a
minimum.
Caution
Damage to the catalytic converter or the
vehicle may result if the following points
are not observed.
Back to overview
159
Driving and operation
Drive Control Systems Electronic Stability Program
(ESP
®Plus
) 3
ESP®
Plus
improves driving stability when
necessary in any driving situation
regardless of the type of road surface or
tyre grip. It also prevents the drive wheels
from spinning.
As soon as the vehicle starts to swerve
(understeer/oversteer), engine output is
reduced and the wheels are braked
individually. This considerably improves
the driving stability of the vehicle on
slippery road surfaces.
ESP®
Plus
is ready for operation as soon as
the ignition is switched on and control
indicator v goes out.
When the ESP®
Plus
comes into action,
v flashes. The vehicle is now in
a critical situation;
ESP®
Plus
allows you to keep control of the
vehicle and reminds you to match your
speed to the road conditions.
Picture no: 18252s.tif
Control indicator
v
The warning lamp lights up for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched on.
The system is now ready for operation.
Flashing during driving:
This shows 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.
Illuminates while driving:
The system is switched off 3 or a fault is
present. Continued driving is possible.
However, directional control may
deteriorate depending on the road surface
conditions.
Switch on ESP®
Plus
again and have cause
of fault remedied by a workshop. The self-
diagnosis that is integrated in the system
will help you to find a solution quickly.
9
Warning
Do not let this special safety feature
tempt you into taking risks when driving.
ESP®
Plus
does not negate the laws of
physics.
Adapt speed to the road conditions.
Back to overview
160 Driving and operation
Picture no: 18470s.tif
Switching off
3
ESP®
Plus
can be deactivated by pressing
button v 3 .
Switching off is indicated by the control
indicator v lighting up in the
instrument. Also appears on the service
display ESPoff391.
Pressing the v button again or turning on
the ignition switches the ESP®
Plus
on again. Cruise control
3
Cruise control can store and maintain
speeds between 30 and 200 km/h.
Deviation from the stored speed may occur
when driving up or downhill.
For safety reasons the cruise control
system cannot be activated until the foot
brake has been operated, otherwise the
control indicator flashes m.
Cruise control is operated with switch m, g,
and button 0 on the turn signal stalk.
Do not use the 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
3, engage
cruise control only in D, or with manual
transmission automated 3 in automatic
mode only.
9
Warning
If the vehicle has run-flat tyres 3 the
ESP®
Plus
must not be deactivated with
depressurised tyres.
9
Warning
When the cruise control is active, reac-
tion times may be increased due to the
different position of the feet.
Back to overview