2014 VAUXHALL ADAM battery

108Lighting
Path lightingHeadlights, tail lights, reversing lights
and number plate lights illuminate the surrounding area for an adjustable
time after leaving the vehicle.
Activating
1. Switch off ignition
2. remove ignition key
3. open driver's door
4. pull turn signal lever
5. close driver's door
If the driver's door is not closed the
lights switch off after two minutes.
Exit lighting is switched off
immediately if the turn signal lever is
pulled while the driver's door is open.
Activation, deactivation and duration
of this function can be changed in the Info-Display. Vehicle personalisation
3 97.
The settings can be saved for the key being used 3 20.
Battery discharge
protection
Vehicle battery state of charge
function
The function guarantees longest
vehicle battery life via a generator with controllable power output and
optimised power distribution.
To prevent discharge of the vehicle
battery when driving, following
systems are reduced automatically in two stages and finally switched off:
■ Auxiliary heater
■ Heated rear window and mirrors■ Heated seats
■ Fan
In the second stage a message which
confirms the activation of the vehicle
battery discharge protection will be
displayed in the Driver Information
Centre.
Switching off electric lights To prevent discharge of the vehicle
battery when the ignition is switched
off, some interior lights are switched
off automatically after some time.

118Driving and operatingDriving and operatingDriving hints............................... 118
Starting and operating ...............118
Engine exhaust .......................... 123
Manual transmission ..................123
Brakes ........................................ 124
Ride control systems .................126
Driver assistance systems .........129
Fuel ............................................ 143Driving hints
Control of the vehicleNever coast with engine not
running (except during Autostop)
Many systems will not function in this
situation (e.g. brake servo unit, power steering). Driving in this manner is a
danger to yourself and others. All
systems function during an Autostop.
Stop-start system 3 120.
Idle boost If charging of the vehicle battery is
required due to battery condition, the
power output of the generator has to
be increased. This will be achieved by
an idle boost which may be audible.
On vehicles with Uplevel-Display, a
message appears in the Driver
Information Centre.
Pedals
To ensure the pedal travel is
uninhibited, there must be no mats in the area of the pedals.Starting 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. Autostop may be inhibited to
allow for charging the vehicle battery.

Driving and operating119Ignition switch positions0=Ignition off1=Steering wheel lock released,ignition off2=Ignition on3=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
■ 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
Operate clutch.
Do not operate the accelerator pedal. Turn key briefly to position 3 and
release: an automatic procedure operates the starter after a brief
delay, until 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 -30 °C . Required is an engine oil with
the correct viscosity, the correct fuel,
performed services and a sufficiently
charged vehicle battery.
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.

120Driving and operating
Possible reasons for a non-starting
engine:
■ Clutch pedal not operated
■ 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.Stop-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 vehicle 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 as
soon 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.
The 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.

Driving and operating121
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.
Conditions for an Autostop
The stop-start system checks if each
of the following conditions is fulfilled:
■ The stop-start system is not manually deactivated
■ the bonnet is fully closed
■ the driver's door is closed or the driver's seat belt is fastened
■ the vehicle battery is sufficiently charged and in good condition
■ the engine is warmed up
■ the engine coolant temperature is not too high
■ the engine exhaust temperature is not too high, e.g. after driving with
high engine load
■ the ambient temperature is above -5° C
■ the climate control system allows an Autostop
■ the brake vacuum is sufficient
■ the vehicle was driven at least at walking speed since the last
Autostop
Otherwise an Autostop will be
inhibited.
Certain settings of the climate control
system may inhibit an Autostop. See
Climate control chapter for more
details 3 112.
Immediately after motorway driving
an Autostop may be inhibited.
New vehicle running-in 3 118.Vehicle battery discharge protection
To ensure reliable engine restarts, several vehicle battery discharge
protection features are implemented
as part of the stop-start system.
Power saving measures
During an Autostop, several electrical
features such as auxiliary electric
heater or rear window heating are
disabled or switched into a power
saving mode. The fan speed of the
climate control system is reduced to
save power.
Restart of the engine by the
driver Depress the clutch pedal to restart the
engine.
The engine start is indicated by the
needle at the idle speed position in
the tachometer.
If the selector lever is shifted out of
neutral before depressing the clutch
first, control indicator - illuminates
or is shown as a symbol in the Driver
Information Centre.
Control indicator - 3 83.

122Driving and operating
Restart of the engine by the
stop-start system The selector lever must be in neutral
to enable an automatic restart.
If one of the following conditions
occurs during an Autostop, the
engine will be restarted automatically
by the stop-start system:
■ The stop-start system is manually deactivated:
■ the bonnet is opened
■ the driver's seat belt is unfastened and the driver's door is opened
■ the engine temperature is too low
■ the charging level of the vehicle battery is below a defined level
■ the brake vacuum is not sufficient
■ the vehicle is driven at least at walking speed
■ the climate control system requests
an engine start
■ the air conditioning is manually switched on
If the bonnet is not fully closed, a warning message is displayed in the
Driver Information Centre.If an electrical accessory, e.g. a
portable CD player, is connected to
the power outlet, a brief power drop
during restart might be noticeable.
Parking ■ Do not park the vehicle on an easily
ignitable surface. The high
temperature of the exhaust system
could ignite the surface.
■ Always apply parking brake. Apply manual parking brake without
pressing release button. Apply as
firmly as possible on downhill or
uphill slopes. Depress the foot
brake at the same time to reduce
operating force.
■ Switch off the engine and ignition. Turn the steering wheel until the
steering wheel lock engages.
■ If the vehicle is on a level surface or
uphill slope, engage first gear
before switching off the ignition. On
an uphill slope, turn the front
wheels away from the kerb.
If the vehicle is on a downhill slope, engage reverse gear beforeswitching off the ignition. Turn the
front wheels towards the kerb.
■ Lock the vehicle and activate the anti-theft alarm system.
Notice
In the event of an accident with airbag deployment, the engine is
turned off automatically if the vehicle comes to a standstill within a certain
time.

150Vehicle care
■ Open the bonnet, close all doorsand lock the vehicle.
■ Disconnect the clamp from the negative terminal of the vehicle
battery. Beware that all systems are not functional, e.g. anti-theft alarm
system.
Putting back into operation When the vehicle is to be put back into
operation:
■ Connect the clamp to the negative terminal of the vehicle battery.
Activate the electronics of the
power windows.
■ Check tyre pressure.
■ Fill up the washer fluid reservoir.
■ Check the engine oil level.
■ Check the coolant level.
■ Fit the number plate if necessary.End-of-life vehicle
recovery
Information on end-of-life vehicle
recovery centres and the recycling of
end-of-life vehicles is available on our website. Only entrust this work to an
authorised recycling centre.
Gas vehicles must be recycled by a
service centre authorised for gas
vehicles.Vehicle checks
Performing work9 Warning
Only perform engine compartment
checks when the ignition is off.
The cooling fan may start
operating even if the ignition is off.

154Vehicle care
The brake fluid level must be betweenthe MIN and MAX marks.
When topping up, ensure maximum cleanliness as contamination of the
brake fluid can lead to brake system
malfunctions. Have the cause of the
loss of brake fluid remedied by a
workshop.
Only use high-performance brake
fluid approved for the vehicle. Brake
and clutch fluid 3 194.
Vehicle battery
Vehicles without stop-start system
will be equipped with a lead acid
battery. Vehicles with stop-start
system will be equipped with an AGM battery which is not a lead acid
battery. The vehicle battery is
maintenance-free provided that the driving profile allows sufficient
charging of the battery. Short-
distance-driving and frequent engine
starts can discharge the vehicle
battery. Avoid the use of unnecessary
electrical consumers.
Batteries do not belong in household
waste. They must be disposed of at
an appropriate recycling collection
point.
Laying up the vehicle for more than
4 weeks can lead to vehicle battery
discharge. Disconnect the clamp from the negative terminal of the vehicle
battery.
Ensure the ignition is switched off
before connecting or disconnecting
the vehicle battery.
The anti-theft alarm siren must be
deactivated as follows: Switch the
ignition on then off, disconnect the
vehicle's battery within 15 seconds.
Battery discharge protection 3 108.
Replacing the vehicle battery Notice
Any deviation from the instructions
given in this section may lead to
temporary deactivation of the stop-
start system.
When the vehicle battery is being
replaced, please ensure that there
are no open ventilation holes in the
vicinity of the positive terminal. If a
ventilation hole is open in this area, it