149
Driving and operation
Driving hints The first 1000 km
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 about
3/4
of the available pedal travel in all gears.
Do not drive faster than three quarters of
maximum speed.
Do not brake unnecessarily hard for the
first 200 km.
During the first drive smoke may develop
because of wax and oil evaporating on the
exhaust system. Park the vehicle in the
open for a while after the first drive and
avoid inhaling the fumes.
Fuel and engine oil consumption is higher
than normal during the running-in period.
Never coast with engine not running
Many units will not function in this situation
(e.g. brake servo unit, electro-hydraulic
power steering). Driving in this manner is a
danger to yourself and others. Brake servo unit
When the engine is not running, the brake
servo unit is no longer effective once the
brake pedal has been depressed once or
twice. Braking effect is not reduced, but
significantly greater force is required for
braking.
Electro-hydraulic power assisted steering
If the power assisted steering fails when
being towed with the engine switched off,
the vehicle can still be steered, but
considerably more force is required.
Driving in mountainous terrain or with a
trailer/caravan
The cooling fan is elec
trically operated. Its
cooling power is therefore independent of
the engine speed.
Since a considerable amount of heat is
generated at high engine speeds and less
at slower speeds, do not shift down when
climbing hills whilst the vehicle is still coping
with the gradient in the higher gear. Driving with a roof load
Do not exceed the permissible roof load
3
173, 3259. For reasons of safety,
distribute the load evenly and secure it
properly with retaining straps. Adjust tyre
pressure to load conditions. Do not drive
faster than 120 km/h. Check and re-tighten
the straps frequently. Observe country-
specific regulations.
Switching off the engine
When you switch off, fans in the engine
compartment may continue running for a
time to cool the engine.
If the engine temperature is very high, e.g.
after driving in mountainous terrain: allow
the engine to idle for approximately two
minutes in order to prevent heat
accumulation.
Vehicles with turbocharged engine
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 befo re switching off
in order to protect the turbocharger.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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161
Driving and operation
Picture no: 18253s.tif
Control indicator
m
When driving, the control indicator m
illuminates as soon as the cruise control is
switched on.
If the cruise control is switched on before
the brake has been applied once, the
control indicator flashes m.
Picture no: 18168s.tif
To activate Turn switch m up and release. The current
speed is stored and maintained. The
accelerator pedal may be released.
Vehicle speed can be increased by
depressing the accelerator pedal. When
the accelerator pedal is released, the
previously stored speed is resumed.
Increase When cruise control is engaged, turn
switch m upwards and hold, or turn briefly
several times: continuous or stepwise
increase of the speed in 2 km/h increments.
After releasing, the current speed is stored
and maintained. Decelerate
When cruise control is engaged, turn
switch
g downwards and hold, or turn
briefly several times: continuous or
stepwise reduction of the speed in 2 km/h
increments.
After releasing, the current speed is stored
and maintained.
To deactivate Tap button 0: this switches the cruise
control off. Warning lamp m goes out.
Automatic deactivation:
z Vehicle speed below approx. 30 km/h.
z The brake pedal is depressed.
z The clutch pedal is depressed 3.
z Selector lever for automatic
transmission 3 or manual
transmission automated 3 in N.
Stored speedThe speed is saved until the ignition is
switched off.
To reset the saved speed at over 30 km/h,
turn switch g downwards.
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165
Driving and operation
Picture no: 17206t.tif
Hydraulic brake system The foot brake comprises two independent
brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can still be
braked using the other brake circuit.
However, the brake pedal must be
depressed a considerable way before any
braking effect occurs, and much more
force is required. The braking distance is
longer. Contact a workshop for assistance
before continuing to drive. To ensure that full
pedal travel can be
utilised, especially in case of a fault in one
of the brake circuits, there must be no mats
in the vicinity of the pedals 3150.
When the engine is not running, the
support of the brake servo unit disappears
once the brake pedal has been depressed
once or twice. Braking effect is not
reduced, but braking requires significantly
greater force. This is especially important
to bear in mind when towing.
The brake fluid level should be checked
regularly. If the brake fluid level is too low
and the hand brake is not applied, control
indicator R on the instrument panel
illuminates 389.
Picture no: 18257s.tif
Brake system control indicator R
The control indicator lights up when the
ignition is switched on when the hand
brake is applied or when the brake or
clutch fluid level is too low. Brake fluid
level 3246.
For vehicles with manual transmission
automated 3, the control indicator flashes
for a few seconds when the ignition is
turned off when the hand brake is not
applied.
9
Warning
If the control indicator illuminates when
the hand brake is released, stop driving
immediately. Contact a workshop for
assistance.
Back to overview
166 Driving and operationAnti-lock brake system (ABS
u)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
ABS starts to regulate brake pressure as
soon as a wheel shows a tendency to lock.
The vehicle remains steerable, even during
hard braking.
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depressed throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that the
pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce the
pressure on the pedal.
Picture no: 18258s.tif
Control indicator u for ABS
It illuminates for a few seconds when
ignition is switched on. Once the control
indicator goes out, the system is ready for
operation.
If the control indica tor does not go out
after a few seconds, or if it illuminates while
driving, there is a fault in the ABS. The
brake system remains operational without
ABS regulation.
Adaptive brake lamp 3
During full-on braking, all three brake
lamps flash for the duration of ABS control. Self testing
When the engine is started and the vehicle
starts off, the system performs a self-check,
which may be audible.
Fault
Have cause of fault remedied by a
workshop. The system’s integrated self
diagnostics allow faults to be quickly
remedied.
9
Warning
If there is a fault in the ABS, the wheels
may be liable to lock due to braking that
is heavier than normal. The advantages
of ABS are no longer available. During
hard braking, the vehicle can no longer
be steered and may swerve.
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167
Driving and operation
Picture no: 18256s.tif
Hand brake Always apply hand brake firmly without
pressing the release button, and apply as
firmly as possible on steep slopes.
To release the hand brake pull lever up
slightly, press release button, and lower
lever all the way down.
To reduce the operating forces of the hand
brake, depress the foot brake at the same
time.
Brake assist
3
If the brake pedal is operated quickly with
a powerful push, the vehicle is
automatically braked at full braking power
in order to achieve the shortest possible
braking distance when full-on braking
occurs (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.
Hill Start Assist
3 (HSA)
The system helps pull away on inclines.
After releasing the footbrake, if the hand
brake is not applied the brakes are only
released after 2 seconds. As soon as the
acceleration is sufficient to prevent rolling
back, the brake is released.
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