2014 OPEL ASTRA SALOON brake

138Driving and operating
Do not accelerate while engaging a
gear. Never depress the accelerator
pedal and brake pedal at the same
time.
When a gear is engaged, the vehicle
slowly begins to creep when the
brake is released.
Gears 3, 2, 13, 2, 1=Transmission does not
shift above the selected
gear.
Press button on selector lever to
engage 3 or 1.
Only select 3, 2 or 1 to prevent
automatic upshifting or as an aid in
engine braking.
Engine braking
To utilise the engine braking effect,
select a lower gear in good time when
driving downhill.
Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle is only
permissible if the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud or snow. Move the selector
lever between D and R in a repeat
pattern. Do not race the engine and
avoid sudden acceleration.
Parking
Apply the parking brake and engage P .
The ignition key can only be removed
when the selector lever is in position
P .Manual mode
Move selector lever out of position D
towards the left and then forwards or backwards.
+=Shift to a higher gear.-=Shift to a lower gear.
If a higher gear is selected when
vehicle speed is too low, or a lower
gear when vehicle speed is too high,
the shift is not executed.
If engine speed is too low, the
transmission automatically shifts to a
lower gear above a specific vehicle
speed.

140Driving and operating
Kickdown
If the accelerator pedal is pressed
past the pressure point, the
transmission shifts to a lower gear depending on engine speed.
Fault
In the event of a fault, A illuminates.
The transmission no longer shifts
automatically. Continued travel is
possible with manual shifting.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Version without manual mode
2nd gear is not available. Manual
shifting:1=1st gear2=3rd gear3, D=4th gear
Version with manual mode
Only the highest gear is available.
Depending on the fault, 2nd gear may also be available in manual mode.
Interruption of power
supply
In the event of an interruption of
power supply, the selector lever
cannot be moved out of the P or N
position.
If the battery is discharged, start the
vehicle using jump leads 3 200.
If the battery is not the cause of the
fault, release selector lever:
1. Apply parking brake.2. Release selector lever trim from centre console at rear, fold
upwards and rotate to the left.

142Driving and operatingManual transmission
automated
The Easytronic transmission permits manual (manual mode) or automatic
gear shifting (automatic mode), both
with automatic clutch control.
Transmission display
Shows the mode and current gear.
The display flashes for a few seconds
when A, M or R is selected with the
engine running and the foot brake not
activated.
If the Winter programme is activated,
T is illuminated.
Starting the engine
Depress the foot brake when starting
the engine. If the foot brake is not
depressed, j illuminates in the
instrument cluster, "N" flashes in the
transmission display and the engine
cannot be started.
Starting is not possible if all brake
lights fail.
When the foot brake is depressed, the
transmission automatically shifts to
N upon start. There may be a slight
delay.Selector lever
Always move the selector lever in the
appropriate direction as far as it will
go. Upon release, it automatically
returns to the centre position.
N=Neutral.A=Switch between automatic and
manual mode. The
transmission display shows A
or M.R=Reverse gear. Engage only
when vehicle is stationary.+=Shift to a higher gear.-=Shift to a lower gear.

Driving and operating143
Starting off
Depress the foot brake and move the selector lever to A, + or -. The
transmission is in automatic mode
and first gear is engaged. If R is
selected, reverse gear is engaged.
The vehicle starts to move when the
brake is released.
To start off without depressing the
foot brake, accelerate immediately
after engaging a gear.
If neither the accelerator nor the
brake pedal are depressed, no gear
is engaged and A or R flashes for a
brief time in the display.
Stopping the vehicle
In A, first gear is engaged and the
clutch is released when the vehicle is stopped. In R, reverse gear remains
engaged.
Engine braking Automatic mode
When driving downhill, the manual
transmission automated does not
shift into higher gears until a fairlyhigh engine speed has been reached. It shifts down in good time when
braking.
Manual mode
To utilise the engine braking effect,
select a lower gear in good time when
driving downhill.
Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle is only
permissible if the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud or snow. Move the selector
lever between R and A in a repeat
pattern. Do not race the engine and
avoid sudden acceleration.
Parking
Apply the parking brake. The most recently engaged gear (see
transmission display) remains
engaged. With N, no gear is engaged.
When the ignition is switched off the
transmission no longer responds to
movement of the selector lever.Manual mode
If a higher gear is selected when the
engine speed is too low, or a lower
gear when the speed is too high, the
shift is not executed. This prevents
the engine from running at too low or
too high an engine speed.
If engine speed is too low, the
transmission automatically shifts to a
lower gear.
If engine speed is too high, the
transmission only switches to a higher gear via kickdown.
When + or - is selected in automatic
mode, the transmission switches to
manual mode and shifts accordingly.
Electronic driving
programmes ■ Following a cold start, the operating
temperature programme increases engine speed to quickly bring the
catalytic converter to the required
temperature.

Driving and operating145
A illuminates in the event of a fault.
Continued driving is possible. Manual
mode cannot be used for shifting.
If F appears in the transmission
display, continued driving is not
possible.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Interruption of power
supply
The clutch is not disengaged if there is an interruption of the power supply
when a gear is engaged. The vehicle
cannot move.
If the battery is discharged, start the
vehicle using jump leads 3 200.
If the cause of the fault is not a
discharged battery, seek the
assistance of a workshop.
If the vehicle must be moved out of the flow of traffic, disengage the
clutch as follows (for vehicles with 5-
speed manual transmission
automated only):
1. Apply parking brake and switch off
ignition.
2. Open the bonnet 3 161.
3. Clean the transmission around the cap so that no dirt can get intothe opening when the cap is
removed.
4. Rotate cap to slacken and remove
by lifting upwards.
5. Using a flat-head screwdriver, turn the adjusting screw under the
cap clockwise until clear
resistance can be felt. The clutch
has now been disengaged.
6. Refit cleaned cap. The cap must be in full contact with the housing.
On vehicles with 6-speed manual
transmission automated, the clutch cannot be released; if the vehicle
must be moved, raise the vehicle at
the front to tow.Caution
Do not turn beyond the resistance since this could damage the
transmission.

146Driving and operatingCaution
Towing the vehicle and starting
the engine is not permitted when
the clutch has been disengaged in this way, although the vehicle can
be moved a short distance.
Seek the immediate assistance of a
workshop.
Brakes
The brake system comprises two
independent brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can
still be braked using the other brake
circuit. However, braking effect is
achieved only when you depress the
brake pedal firmly. Considerably
more force is needed for this. The
braking distance is extended. Seek the assistance of a workshop beforecontinuing your journey.
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. It is especially important to bear this in mind when being towed.
Control indicator R 3 98.
Antilock brake system Antilock brake system (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.
ABS control is made apparent
through a pulse in the brake pedal
and the noise of the regulation
process.
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.
After starting off the system performs a self-test which may be audible.
Control indicator u 3 98.
Adaptive brake lamp During full braking, all three brake
lamps flash for the duration of ABS
control.

Driving and operating147
Fault9Warning
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.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Parking brake Always apply parking brake firmly
without operating the release button,
and apply as firmly as possible on a
downhill or uphill slope.
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slightly, press the release
button and fully lower the lever.
To reduce the operating forces of the
parking brake, depress the foot brake
at the same time.
Control indicator R 3 98.
Brake assist
If the brake pedal is depressed quickly and forcefully, maximum
brake force is automatically applied
(full braking).
Maintain steady pressure on the brake pedal for as long as full braking
is required. Maximum brake force is
automatically reduced when the
brake pedal is released.
Hill start assist The system helps prevent unintendedmovement when driving away on
inclines.
When releasing the foot brake after
stopping on an incline, the brakes
remain on for a further two seconds.
The brakes release automatically as
soon as the vehicle begins to
accelerate.Ride control systems
Electronic stability
program
Electronic stability program
(ESP® Plus
) improves driving stability
when necessary, 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 operational as soon as
control indicator v extinguishes.
When ESP® Plus
comes into action v
flashes.

148Driving and operating9Warning
Do not let this special safety
feature tempt you into taking risks
when driving.
Adapt speed to the road
conditions.
Control indicator v 3 99.
Deactivation
ESP® Plus
can be deactivated when
Sport mode is engaged for high-
performance driving:
Hold the SPORT button depressed
for about 4 seconds. Control indicator v illuminates. ESPoff also appears in
the service display.9 Warning
Do not deactivate ESP® Plus
if a
run-flat tyre has lost pressure.
ESP® Plus
is reactivated by pressing
the SPORT button. ESPon appears in
the service display. ESP® Plus
is also
reactivated the next time the ignition is switched on.
Sport mode 3 148.
Interactive driving system Interactive driving system (IDS Plus
)
combines the electronic stability
program (ESP® Plus
) with the antilock
brake system (ABS) and continuous damping control (CDC) to improve
driving dynamics and vehicle safety.
Sport mode
Suspension and steering become
more direct and provide better
contact with the road surface. The
engine reacts more quickly to
accelerator pedal movements.
Automatic gear changing is also more
responsive.
Control indicator IDS+ 3 100.
Activation
Press SPORT button.
Control indicator 1 3 98.