2009 SATURN ASTRA engine

Infotainment
Audio System(s)
Audio System(s).................6-1
Radio(s).............................6-2
Theft-Deterrent Feature.....6-23
Audio Steering Wheel
Controls..........................6-23
Radio Reception...............6-24
Fixed Mast Antenna..........6-24
Audio System(s)
Determine which radio the vehicle
has and read the following pages to
become familiar with its features.
{CAUTION
Taking your eyes off the road for
extended periods could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death
to you or others. Do not give
extended attention to
entertainment tasks while driving.
This system provides access to
many audio and non audio listings.
To minimize taking your eyes off
the road while driving, do the
following while the vehicle is parked:
Become familiar with the
operation and controls of
the audio system.
Set up the tone, speaker
adjustments, and preset radio
stations.For more information, seeDefensive
Driving on page 8-16.
Notice:Contact your
dealer/retailer before adding any
equipment.
Adding audio or communication
equipment could interfere
with the operation of the vehicle’s
engine, radio, or other systems,
and could damage them.
Follow federal rules covering
mobile radio and telephone
equipment.
Infotainment 6-1
ProCarManuals.com

Air Delivery Mode Control:
Turn the knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to adjust the
airow direction inside the vehicle.
To change the current air delivery
mode, select one of the following:
)(Bi-Level):Air is directed to
the instrument panel and oor
outlets. Cooler air is directed to the
upper outlets and warmer air to
the oor outlets.
Y(Vent):Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
X(Defog):Air is directed to the
windshield and front door windows.
To reduce fogging, press
#to
turn on the air conditioner. The fan
must also be on.
W(Defog/Floor):Air is directed to
the windshield, front door windows,
and oor outlets. To reduce
fogging, press
#to turn on the air
conditioner. The fan must also
be on.
[(Floor):Air is directed to the
oor outlets.
Temperature Control:Turn the
knob clockwise or counterclockwise
to increase or decrease the
temperature inside the vehicle.
Fan Control:Turn the knob
clockwise or counterclockwise to
increase or decrease the fan speed.
The speed settings can be adjusted
between 1 (Low) and 4 (High).
Turn the knob to
Ato turn the fan
off. When the fan is off, the air
conditioning compressor is also off.
There will be some airow from the
outlets when driving, even with the
fan in the off position.
Air Conditioning
For vehicles with air conditioning.
#(Air Conditioning):Press
to turn the air conditioning system
on or off. An indicator light comes on
when the air conditioning is on.
The air conditioning can only
be operated if the engine is on and
the fan is running.
When the air conditioning is on the
air is cooled and dehumidied. If
cooling or dehumidication is
not desired, turn off the air
conditioning to save fuel.
On hot days, open the windows
briey to let the hot inside air
escape, then close them. This helps
to reduce the time it takes for the
vehicle to cool down.
7-2 Climate Controls
ProCarManuals.com

Driving and
Operating
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In.........8-2
Ignition Positions................8-2
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP).....................8-3
Starting the Engine.............8-3
Engine Heater....................8-5
Automatic Transmission
Operation..........................8-6
Manual Transmission
Operation..........................8-9
Parking Brake...................8-10
Shifting Into Park..............8-11
Shifting Out of Park..........8-12
Parking the Vehicle...........8-13
Parking Over Things
That Burn........................8-13
Engine Exhaust.................8-14
Running the Vehicle
While Parked..................8-14
Driving Your Vehicle
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy.........................8-15
Defensive Driving..............8-16
Drunk Driving....................8-16
Control of a Vehicle..........8-17
Braking.............................8-17
Antilock Brake
System (ABS).................8-18
StabiliTrak®System..........8-19
Steering............................8-20
Off-Road Recovery............8-21
Passing.............................8-22
Loss of Control.................8-22
Driving at Night.................8-23
Driving in Rain and on
Wet Roads......................8-24
Before Leaving on a
Long Trip........................8-25
Highway Hypnosis.............8-25
Hill and Mountain
Roads.............................8-26
Winter Driving...................8-27
If Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow
..........................8-29
Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out.......................8-29
Loading the Vehicle..........8-30
Fuel
Fuel..................................8-34
Gasoline Octane...............8-34
Gasoline Specications.....8-34
California Fuel..................8-34
Additives...........................8-34
Fuels in Foreign
Countries........................8-35
Filling the Tank.................8-36
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container........................8-37
Driving and Operating 8-1
ProCarManuals.com

Starting and
Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does
not need an elaborate break-in.
But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these
guidelines:
Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for
the rst 200 miles (322 km)
or so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with new
linings can mean premature
wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get
new brake linings.Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
Use the key to turn the ignition
switch to four different positions.
Notice:Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct key,
make sure it is all the way in, and
turn it only with your hand. If the
key cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer/retailer.To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in the ON/RUN position
and the regular brake pedal must be
applied.
A (LOCK/OFF):This is the only
position from which you can remove
the key. This locks the steering
wheel, ignition and automatic
transmission.
On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must be
in P (Park) to turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK/OFF position.
The ignition switch can bind in the
LOCK/OFF position with your wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
move the steering wheel from right
to left while turning the key to
STEERING UNLOCK/IGNITION
OFF. If this doesn’t work, then the
vehicle needs service.
B (STEERING UNLOCKED/
IGNITION OFF):This position
unlocks the steering wheel.
8-2 Driving and Operating
ProCarManuals.com

C (ON/RUN):The ignition switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories, as well as to display
some warning and indicator lights.
The battery could be drained if you
leave the key in the ON/RUN position
with the engine off. You may not be
able to start the vehicle if the battery
is allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
D (START):This position starts the
engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON/RUN for normal
driving. A warning tone will
sound when the driver door is
opened and the key is in the ignition.Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The power windows and mirrors
may be used for up to ve minutes
after the key is turned to
LOCK/OFF.
The power windows and mirrors will
not operate after any of the front
doors are opened.
The radio may be used for up to
sixty minutes after the key is turned
to LOCK/OFF.
Starting the Engine
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage
the transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in
N (Neutral) and the parking brake
engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
to the oor and start the engine. The
vehicle will not start if the clutch
pedal is not all the way down.
Driving and Operating 8-3
ProCarManuals.com

Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed
will go down as the engine gets
warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow the
oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for a
few seconds or until the vehicle
starts. If the engine does not start
and the key is held in START for
many seconds, cranking will be
stopped after 15 seconds to
prevent cranking motor damage.To prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped
by turning the ignition switch to
STEERING UNLOCKED/
IGNITION OFF or LOCK/OFF.
Notice:Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start
after 5-10 seconds, especially
in very cold weather (below 0°F
or−18°C), it could be ooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the oor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for up
to a maximum of 15 seconds.Wait at least 15 seconds between
each try, to let the cranking motor
cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briey but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Notice:The engine is designed to
work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates.
Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer/retailer. If you do not, the
engine might not perform
properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
8-4 Driving and Operating
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Heater
The engine heater can provide
easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up
in cold weather conditions at or
below−4°F (−20°C). Vehicles with
an engine heater should be plugged
in at least four hours before starting.
To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. The engine heater connector is
located in the passenger side
lower front grille. Open the cover
and insert the 110-volt AC
adapter delivered in the vehicles
glove box.
3. Plug the other end of the adapter
into a grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.{CAUTION
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be
sure to unplug both ends of
the adapter and store the adapter
to prevent damage.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer/retailer
in the area where you will be
parking the vehicle for the best
advice on this.
Driving and Operating 8-5
ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Transmission
Operation
If the vehicle has an automatic
transmission, the shift lever
is located on the console between
the seats.
The vehicle may also have an
electronic shift position indicator that
displays the position of the shift
lever. This indicator is located above
the trip odometer on the instrument
panel cluster.P (Park):This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position to
use when the engine is started
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{CAUTION
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have
to. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift
lever to P (Park). SeeShifting Into
Park on page 8-11.Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the
engine. The vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock
control system. The regular brakes
must be applied before you can
shift from P (Park) when the ignition
key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot
shift out of P (Park) while holding the
brake pedal down, seeShifting
Out of Park on page 8-12.
R (Reverse):Use this gear to
back up.
Notice:Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse)
only after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and
forth to get out of snow, ice, or sand
without damaging the transmission,
seeRocking Your Vehicle to Get
It Out on page 8-29.
8-6 Driving and Operating
ProCarManuals.com