
136Climate controlPress 4 again to deactivate
recirculation mode.9 Warning
The exchange of fresh air is
reduced in air recirculation mode.
In operation without cooling the air humidity increases, so the
windows may mist up from inside.
The quality of the passenger
compartment air deteriorates,
which may cause the vehicle
occupants to feel drowsy.
In warm and very humid ambient air conditions, the windscreen might mist up from outside, when cold air is
directed to it. If windscreen mists up
from outside, activate windscreen
wiper and deactivate s.
Basic settings Some settings can be changed in the
Settings menu in the Info-Display.
Vehicle personalisation 3 112.
Auxiliary heater
Air heater
Quickheat is an electric auxiliary air
heater which automatically warms up
the passenger compartment more
quickly.Air vents
Adjustable air vents
To open the vent, turn the adjuster
wheel to the right. Adjust the air
amount at the vent outlet by turning
the adjuster wheel.

Driving and operating139Driving and
operatingDriving hints ............................... 139
Control of the vehicle ...............139
Steering ................................... 140
Starting and operating ...............140
New vehicle running-in ............140
Ignition switch positions ...........140
Retained power off ..................140
Starting the engine ..................141
Overrun cut-off ........................ 142
Stop-start system ....................142
Parking .................................... 144
Engine exhaust .......................... 145
Diesel particle filter ..................145
Catalytic converter ...................146
Automatic transmission ..............146
Transmission display ...............146
Selector lever .......................... 147
Manual mode ........................... 148
Electronic driving programmes 148
Fault ........................................ 148
Interruption of power supply ....148
Manual transmission ..................149Brakes........................................ 150
Antilock brake system .............150
Parking brake .......................... 151
Brake assist ............................. 152
Hill start assist ......................... 152
Ride control systems .................153
Traction Control system ..........153
Electronic Stability Control ......153
Driver assistance systems .........154
Cruise control .......................... 154
Parking assist .......................... 156
Rear view camera ...................158
Fuel ............................................ 160
Fuel for petrol engines .............160
Fuel for diesel engines ............160
Fuel for liquid gas operation ....160
Refuelling ................................ 162
Fuel consumption - CO 2-
Emissions ............................... 165
Trailer hitch ................................ 166
General information .................166
Driving characteristics and towing tips .............................. 167
Trailer towing ........................... 167
Towing equipment ...................168Driving hints
Control of the vehicle
Never 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,
but there will be a controlled reduction
in power steering assist and vehicle
speed is reduced.
Stop-start system 3 142.
Idle boost
If charging of the vehicle battery is
required due to vehicle battery
condition, the power output of the
generator must be increased. This will be achieved by an idle boost whichmay be audible.
On vehicles with Uplevel-Display or
Uplevel-Combi-Display, a message
appears in the Driver Information
Centre.

144Driving and operating● The stop-start system ismanually 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 the restart might be noticeable.Parking9 Warning
● 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. Pull switch m for approx.
one second.
The electric parking brake is
applied when control indicator
m illuminates 3 96.
● Switch off the engine. ● If the vehicle is on a level surface or uphill slope, engage
first gear or set the selector
lever to position P before
removing the ignition key. On
an uphill slope, turn the front
wheels away from the kerb.
If the vehicle is on a downhill
slope, engage reverse gear or
set the selector lever to position P before removing the ignition
key. Turn the front wheels
towards the kerb.
● Close the windows.
● Remove the ignition key from the ignition switch. Turn the
steering wheel until the
steering wheel lock is felt to
engage.
For vehicles with automatic
transmission, the key can only
be removed when the selector
lever is in position P.
Lock the vehicle and activate the anti-
theft alarm system.
Note
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.

146Driving and operatingControl 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 3 160, 3 228 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.
![OPEL MERIVA 2017 Owners Manual 148Driving and operatingManual 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 OPEL MERIVA 2017 Owners Manual 148Driving and operatingManual 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](/manual-img/37/58232/w960_58232-149.png)
148Driving and operatingManual 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. This can
cause a message in the Driver
Information Centre.
In manual mode, no automatic
shifting to a higher gear takes place
at high engine revolutions.
Electronic driving
programmes
● Following a cold start, the operating temperature
programme increases engine
speed to quickly bring the
catalytic converter to the required
temperature.
● The automatic neutral shift function automatically shifts to
idling when the vehicle is stopped with a forward gear engaged and
the brake pedal is pressed.
● Special programmes automatically adapt the shiftingpoints when driving up inclines or
down hills.
Kickdown If the accelerator pedal is pressed
down completely in automatic mode,
the transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on engine speed.Fault
In the event of a fault, g illuminates.
Additionally a code number or a
vehicle message is displayed in the
Driver Information Centre. Vehicle
messages 3 106.
The transmission no longer shifts automatically. Continued travel is
possible with manual shifting.
Only the highest gear is available.
Depending on the fault, second gear
may also be available in manual
mode. Shift only when vehicle is at a
standstill.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Interruption of power supply
In the event of an interruption of
power supply, the selector lever
cannot be moved out of the P
position. The ignition key cannot be
removed from the ignition switch.
If the vehicle battery is discharged,
start the vehicle using jump leads
3 213.

152Driving and operatingbrake automatically. This is not
possible when the switch m is pulled
at the same time.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: Engaging D and then depressing the
accelerator pedal releases the
electric parking brake automatically. This is not possible when the switch
m is pulled at the same time.
Dynamic braking when vehicle is
moving
When the vehicle is moving and
switch m is kept pulled, the electric
parking brake system will decelerate
the vehicle, but will not apply
statically.
As soon as switch m is released,
dynamic braking will be stopped.
Fault
Failure mode of electric parking brake
is indicated by control indicator j and
by a code number or a vehicle
message which is displayed in the
Driver Information Centre.
Control indicator j 3 97, vehicle
messages 3 106.Apply electric parking brake: pull and
hold switch m for more than
five seconds. If control indicator m
illuminates, electric parking brake is
applied.
Release electric parking brake: push
and hold switch m for more than
two seconds. If control indicator m
extinguishes, electric parking brake is released.
Control indicator m flashes: electric
parking brake is not fully applied or
released. When continuously
flashing, release electric parking
brake and retry applying.
Control indicator m 3 97.
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 unintended movement 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.
The hill start assist is not active during
an Autostop.
Stop-start system 3 142.

Driving and operating15725 km/h beforehand. If vehicle speed
has exceeded 25 km/h beforehand,
front parking assist remains
deactivated when speed drops below 11 km/h.
When the system is deactivated, the
LED in the button extinguishes and
Park Assist Off pops-up in the Driver
Information Centre.
The system is deactivated
automatically when exceeding
25 km/h.
If the vehicle is equipped with rear
parking assist only, the system
automatically switches off when
reverse gear is disengaged. Manual
deactivation is also possible by
pressing r.
Indication An obstacle is indicated by a buzzing
sound. The interval between the
sounds becomes shorter as the
vehicle gets closer to the obstacle.
When the distance is less than
30 cm, the buzzing is continuous.Fault
In the event of a fault in the system,
r illuminates or a vehicle message
is displayed in the Driver Information
Centre.
Additionally, r illuminates or a
vehicle message is displayed in the
Driver Information Centre if a
malfunction of the system due to
temporary conditions like snow
covered sensors is detected.
Vehicle messages 3 106.
Important hints for using the
parking assist systems9 Warning
Under certain circumstances,
various reflective surfaces on
objects or clothing as well as
external noise sources may cause the system to fail to detect
obstacles.
Special attention must be paid to
low obstacles which can damage
the lower part of the bumper. If
such obstacles leave the detection
area of the sensors during
approach of the vehicle, a
continuous warning tone will
sound.Caution
Performance of the sensors can
be reduced when sensors are
covered, e.g. by ice or snow.
Performance of the parking assist
systems can be reduced due to
heavy loading.
Special conditions apply if there
are taller vehicles involved (e.g.
off-road vehicles, mini vans,
vans). Object identification in the
upper part of these vehicles
cannot be guaranteed.
Objects with a very small reflection
cross-section, e.g. objects of
narrow size or soft materials, may
not be detected by the system.
The parking assist system will not
avoid a collision with objects which are out of the detection range of
the sensors.

158Driving and operatingNote
The parking assist system
automatically detects factory-fitted
towing equipment. It is deactivated
when the connector is plugged in.
The sensor may detect a non-
existent object (echo disturbance)
caused by external acoustic or
mechanical disturbances.
Note
If engaging a forward gear and
exceeding a certain speed, the rear
parking assist will be deactivated
when the rear carrier system is
extended.
If engaging reverse at first, the
parking assist will detect the rear
carrier system and provide a buzzing
sound. Press r briefly to
deactivate the parking assist.
Rear view camera
The rear view camera assists the
driver when reversing by displaying a view of the area behind the vehicle.
The view of the camera is displayed
in the Colour-Info-Display.9 Warning
The rear view camera does not
replace driver vision. Note that
objects that are outside the
camera's field of view and the
advanced parking assist sensors,
e.g. below the bumper or
underneath the vehicle, are not
displayed.
Do not reverse the vehicle by only looking at the Info-Display and
check the surrounding behind and
around the vehicle before
reversing.
Activation
Rear view camera is automatically
activated when reverse gear is
engaged.
Functionality
The camera is mounted in the tailgate handle and has a viewing angle of
130°.