2014 OPEL ASTRA J fuel

Driving and operating165Starting and operating
New vehicle running-in Do not brake unnecessarily hard for
the first few journeys.
During the first drive, smoke may
occur because of wax and oil
evaporating off the exhaust system.
Park the vehicle in the open for a
while after the first drive and avoid
inhaling the fumes.
During the running-in period fuel and
engine oil consumption may be
higher and the cleaning process of the diesel particle filter may take
place more often. Autostop may be inhibited to allow for charging the
battery.
Diesel particle filter 3 170.Ignition switch positions0=Ignition off1=Steering wheel lock released,
ignition off2=Ignition on, for diesel engine:
preheating3=Starting
Retained power off
The following electronic systems can
work until the driver's door is opened
or at the latest for 10 minutes after the
ignition is switched off:
■ Power windows
■ Sunroof
■ Power outlets
Power to the Infotainment system will continue to operate for 30 minutes oruntil the key is removed from the
ignition switch, regardless of whether
any door will be opened.
Starting the engine
Manual transmission: operate clutch.
Automatic transmission: operate
brake and move the selector lever to
P or N.

166Driving and operating
Do not operate the accelerator pedal.Diesel engine: turn the key to position2 for preheating until control
indicator ! extinguishes.
Turn the key briefly to position 3 and
release: an automatic procedure
operates the starter with a short delay
as long as the engine is running, see
Automatic Starter Control.
Before restarting or to switch off the
engine, turn the key back to position
0 .
During an Autostop, the engine can
be started by depressing the clutch
pedal.Starting the vehicle at low
temperatures
The start of the engine without
additional heaters is possible down to -25 °С for diesel engines and -30 °C
for petrol engines. Required is an engine oil with the correct viscosity,
the correct fuel, performed services
and a sufficiently charged battery.
With temperatures below -30 °C the
automatic transmission need a
warming phase of approx. 5 minutes.
The selector lever must be in position P .
Automatic Starter Control
This function controls the engine
starting procedure. The driver does
not have to hold the key in position 3.
Once applied, the system will go on
starting automatically until the engine
is running. Because of the checking
procedure, the engine starts running
after a short delay.Possible reasons for a non-starting
engine:
■ Clutch pedal not operated (manual transmission)
■ Brake pedal not operated or selector lever not in P or N
(automatic transmission)
■ Timeout occurred
Turbo engine warm-up
Upon start-up, engine available
torque may be limited for a short time, especially when the engine
temperature is cold. The limitation is
to allow the lubrication system to fully
protect the engine.
Overrun cut-off The fuel supply is automatically cut off
during overrun, i.e. when the vehicle
is driven with a gear engaged but accelerator is released.

Driving and operating167Stop-start system
The stop-start system helps to save
fuel and to reduce the exhaust
emissions. When conditions allow, it
switches off the engine as soon as the vehicle is at a low speed or at a
standstill, e.g. at a traffic light or in a
traffic jam. It starts the engine
automatically as soon as the clutch is
depressed. A battery sensor ensures
that an Autostop is only performed if
the vehicle battery is sufficiently
charged for a restart.
Activation The stop-start system is available assoon as the engine is started, the
vehicle starts-off and the conditions
as stated below in this section are
fulfilled.Deactivation
Deactivate the stop-start system
manually by pressing the eco button.
Deactivation is indicated when the
LED in the button extinguishes.
Autostop
If the vehicle is at a low speed or at a standstill, activate an Autostop as
follows:
■ Depress the clutch pedal
■ set the lever in neutral
■ release the clutch pedal
The engine will be switched off while
the ignition stays on.
An Autostop is indicated by the
needle at the AUTOSTOP position in
the tachometer.
During an Autostop, the heating and
brake performance will be
maintained.
Caution
The steering assist can be
reduced during an Autostop.

170Driving and operatingEngine exhaust9Danger
Engine exhaust gases contain
poisonous carbon monoxide,
which is colourless and odourless and could be fatal if inhaled.
If exhaust gases enter the interior
of the vehicle, open the windows.
Have the cause of the fault
rectified by a workshop.
Avoid driving with an open load
compartment, otherwise exhaust
gases could enter the vehicle.
Diesel particle filter
The diesel particle filter system filters
harmful soot particles out of the
exhaust gases. The system includes
a self-cleaning function that runs
automatically during driving without
any notification. The filter is cleaned
by periodically burning off the soot
particles at high temperature. This
process takes place automatically
under set driving conditions and may
take up to 25 minutes. Typically it
needs between 7 and 12 minutes. Autostop is not available and fuel
consumption may be higher during
this period. The emission of smells and smoke during this process is
normal.
Under certain driving conditions, e.g.
short distances, the system cannot
clean itself automatically.
If the cleaning of the filter is required
and if previous driving conditions did
not enable automatic cleaning, it will
be indicated by control indicator %.
Simultaneously Diesel partic. filter is
full continue driving or warning
code 55 appears in the Driver
Information Centre.
% illuminates when diesel particle
filter is full. Start cleaning process as
soon as possible.
% flashes when diesel particle filter
has reached the maximum filling
level. Start cleaning process
immediately to avoid damage to the
engine.
Cleaning process
To activate cleaning process,
continue driving, keep engine speed
above 2000 revolutions per minute.
Shift down if necessary. Diesel
particle filter cleaning is then started.
If g illuminates additionally,
cleaning is not possible, seek the
assistance of a workshop.Caution
If the cleaning process is
interrupted, there is a risk of
provoking severe engine damage.

Driving and operating171
Cleaning takes place quickest at high
engine speeds and loads.
The control indicator % extinguishes
as soon as the self-cleaning
operation is complete.
Catalytic converter
The catalytic converter reduces the
amount of harmful substances in the
exhaust gases.Caution
Fuel grades other than those listed on pages 3 213, 3 292 could
damage the catalytic converter or
electronic components.
Unburnt petrol will overheat and
damage the catalytic converter.
Therefore avoid excessive use of the starter, running the fuel tank
dry and starting the engine by
pushing or towing.
In the event of misfiring, uneven
engine running, a 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.Automatic transmission
The automatic transmission permits
automatic gearshifting (automatic
mode) or manual gearshifting
(manual mode).
Transmission display
The mode or selected gear is shown
in the transmission display.

Driving and operating213Fuel
Fuel for petrol engines Only use unleaded fuel that complies
with European standard EN 228 or
E DIN 51626-1 or equivalent.
Your engine is capable to run with
E10 fuel that fulfills these standards.
E10 fuel contains up to 10 %
bioethanol.
Use fuel with the recommended
octane rating 3 292. Use of fuel with
too low an octane rating can reduce
engine power and torque and slightly
increases fuel consumption.Caution
Do not use fuel or fuel additives
that contain metallic compounds
such as manganese-based
additives. This may cause engine
damage.
Caution
Use of fuel that does not comply to EN 228 or E DIN 51626-1 or
equivalent can lead to deposits or
engine damage and may affect
your warranty.
Caution
Use of fuel with too low an octane
rating could lead to uncontrolled combustion and engine damage.
Fuel for diesel engines
Only use diesel fuel that complies
with EN 590.
In countries outside the European
Union use Euro-Diesel fuel with a
sulphur concentration below 50 ppm.
Caution
Use of fuel that does not comply to EN 590 or similar can lead to
engine powerloss, increased wear
or engine damage and may affect
your warranty.
Do not use marine diesel oils, heating
oils, Aquazole and similar diesel-
water emulsions. Diesel fuels must
not be diluted with fuels for petrol
engines.
Fuel for liquid gas
operation
Liquid gas is known as LPG
(Liquefied Petroleum Gas) or under
its French name GPL (Gaz de Pétrole Liquéfié). LPG is also known as
Autogas.
LPG consists mainly of propane and
butane. The octane rating is between
105 and 115, depending on the
butane proportion. LPG is stored
liquid at around 5 - 10 bar pressure.

214Driving and operating
The boiling point depends on the
pressure and mixing ratio. At ambient pressure, it is between -42 °C (pure
propane) and -0.5 °C (pure butane).Caution
The system works at an ambient
temperature of approx. -8 °C to
100 °C.
Full function of the LPG system can
only be guaranteed with liquid gas
which complies with the minimum
requirements of DIN EN 589.
Fuel selector
Pressing the LPG button switches
between petrol and liquid gas
operation as soon as the required
parameters (coolant temperature,
gas temperature and minimum
engine speed) have been reached.
The requirements are usually fulfilled
after around 60 seconds (depending
on exterior temperature) and the first
firm press on the accelerator. The
LED status shows the current
operating mode.1 off=petrol operation1 illumi‐
nates=liquid gas operation1 flashes=no switching is
possible, one type
of fuel is empty
As soon as the liquid gas tanks are
empty, petrol operation is
automatically engaged until the
ignition is switched off.
Every six months, run the petrol tank
down until control indicator i
illuminates, then refuel. This helps
maintain fuel quality and system
function for petrol operation.
Fill the tank completely at regular
intervals to prevent corrosion in the
tank.
Faults and remedies
If gas mode is not possible, check the following:
■ Is there enough liquid gas present?
■ Is there enough petrol present for starting?
Due to extreme temperatures in
combination with the gas
composition, it may take slightly
longer before the system switches
from petrol to gas mode.
In extreme situations, the system may
also switch back to petrol mode if the
minimum requirements are not
fulfilled.
Seek the assistance of a workshop in the event of all other faults.

Driving and operating215Caution
Repairs and adjustments may onlybe made by trained specialists in
order to maintain the safety and
warranty on the LPG system.
Liquid gas is given a particular odour
(odorised) so that any leaks can be
detected easily.
9 Warning
If you smell gas in the vehicle or in
the immediate vicinity, switch to petrol mode immediately. No
smoking. No naked flames or
ignition sources.
If possible, close the manual shut-off
valve on the multivalve. The
multivalve is located on the liquid gas
tank in the load compartment,
underneath the rear floor cover.
Turn the thumb wheel clockwise.
If no further gas odour is perceptible
when the manual shut-off valve is
closed, the vehicle can be used in
petrol mode. If the gas odour persists, do not start the engine. Have the
cause of the fault remedied by a
workshop.
When using underground car parks,
follow the instructions of the operator
and local laws.
Note
In the event of an accident, switch off
the ignition and lights. Close the
manual shut-off valve on multivalve.
Refuelling9 Danger
Before refuelling, switch off engine
and any external heaters with
combustion chambers. Switch off
any mobile phones.
Follow the operating and safety
instructions of the filling station
when refuelling.