2018.5 OPEL ASTRA J ignition

126LightingReversing lights
The reversing light comes on when
the ignition is on and reverse gear is
selected.
Misted light covers
The inside of the light housing may
mist up briefly in poor, wet and cold weather conditions, in heavy rain or
after washing. The mist disappears
quickly by itself; to help switch on the
headlights.Interior lighting
Instrument panelillumination control
Brightness of the following lights can
be adjusted when the exterior lights
are on:
● instrument panel illumination
● Info-Display
● illuminated switches and operation elements
Turn thumb wheel A and hold until
the desired brightness is obtained.
On vehicles with light sensor, the
brightness can only be adjusted when
the exterior lights are on and the light sensor detects night conditions.
Interior lights
During entry and exit of the vehicle,
the front and rear courtesy lights
automatically switch on and then off
after a delay.
Note
In the event of an accident with
airbag deployment the courtesy
lights are turned on automatically.
Front courtesy light

128LightingLighting featuresCentre console lighting Spotlight incorporated in the interior
lighting comes on when headlights
are switched on.
Entry lighting
Welcome lighting The following lights are switched on
for a short time by unlocking the
vehicle with the radio remote control:
● headlights
● tail lights
● number plate lights
● instrument panel light
● interior lights
● door and console lights
● puddle lights
Some functions work only in the dark and facilitates locating the vehicle.
The lighting switches off immediately
when the ignition key is turned to
position 1 3 142.Activation or deactivation of this
function can be changed in the
Settings menu in the Info-Display.
Vehicle personalisation 3 106.
The settings can be saved for the key
being used 3 24.
The following lights will additionally
switch on when the driver's door is
opened:
● illumination of some switches
● Driver Information Centre
● door pocket lights
● console lights
Exit lighting The following lights switch on if the
key is removed from the ignition
switch:
● interior lights
● instrument panel light (only when
it is dark)
● door lights
● puddle lights
They will switch off automatically after
a delay and will be activated again if
the driver's door is opened.Path lighting
Headlights, tail 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.

Lighting129Exit 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
Settings menu in the Info-Display.
Vehicle personalisation 3 106.
The settings can be saved for the key being used 3 24.
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, the following
systems are reduced automatically in
two stages and finally switched off:
● Auxiliary heater
● Heated rear window and mirrors
● Heated seats
● FanIn 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.

140Driving and operatingDriving and
operatingDriving hints ............................... 141
Control of the vehicle ...............141
Steering ................................... 141
Starting and operating ...............141
New vehicle running-in ............141
Ignition switch positions ...........142
Retained power off ..................142
Starting the engine ..................142
Overrun cut-off ........................ 143
Stop-start system ....................143
Parking .................................... 145
Engine exhaust .......................... 146
Exhaust filter ............................ 146
Catalytic converter ...................148
Automatic transmission ..............148
Transmission display ...............148
Selector lever .......................... 149
Manual mode ........................... 150
Electronic driving programmes 150
Fault ........................................ 151
Interruption of power supply ....151
Manual transmission ..................152Brakes........................................ 153
Antilock brake system .............153
Parking brake .......................... 154
Brake assist ............................. 155
Hill start assist ......................... 155
Ride control systems .................156
Traction Control system ..........156
Electronic Stability Control ......156
Interactive driving system ........158
Driver assistance systems .........160
Cruise control .......................... 160
Speed limiter ........................... 162
Adaptive cruise control ............163
Forward collision alert .............170
Following distance indication ...173
Active Emergency Braking ......174
Parking assist .......................... 176
Side blind spot alert .................183
Traffic sign assistant ................184
Lane departure warning ..........188
Fuel ............................................ 189
Fuel for petrol engines .............189
Fuel for diesel engines ............190
Fuel for liquid gas operation ....191
Refuelling ................................ 191
Trailer hitch ................................ 195
General information .................195
Driving characteristics and towing tips .............................. 195Trailer towing........................... 195
Towing equipment ...................196
Trailer stability assist ...............199

142Driving and operatingIgnition 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 ten minutes after the ignition is switched off:
● power windows
● sunroof
● power outlets
Power to the Infotainment system will continue to operate for 30 minutes or
until 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.
Do not operate the accelerator pedal.
Diesel engine: turn the key to position 2 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
Starting 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 vehicle battery.
With temperatures below -30 °C the
automatic transmission needs a
warming phase of approx. five
minutes. The selector lever must be
in position P.

144Driving and operatingThe engine will be switched off while
the ignition stays on.
An Autostop is indicated by the
needle at the AUTOSTOP position in
the tachometer.
The stop-start system will be disabled
on inclines of 12% or more.
During an Autostop, the heating and
brake performance will be
maintained.
Caution
The power steering assist may be
reduced during an Autostop.
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 self-cleaning function of the exhaust filter is not active.
● 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 3 133.
Immediately after motorway driving,
an Autostop may be inhibited.
New vehicle running-in 3 141.
Vehicle battery discharge protection
To ensure reliable engine restarts, several battery discharge protection
features are implemented as part of
the stop-start system.
Power saving measures
During an Autostop, several electric
features, e.g. auxiliary electric heater
or heated rear window 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.

Driving and operating145The engine start is indicated by theneedle 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 89.
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 vehiclebattery 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 electric accessory, e.g. a
portable CD player, is connected to
the power outlet, a brief power drop during 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 the parking brake. Activate the manual
parking brake without pressing the release button. Apply as
firmly as possible on a downhill slope or uphill slope. Depress
brake pedal at the same time to
reduce operating force.
For vehicles with electric
parking brake, pull switch m for
approx. one second.
The electric parking brake is
applied when control indicator
m illuminates 3 89.
● 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

146Driving and operatingkey. Turn the front wheels
towards the kerb.
● Close the windows and the sunroof.
● 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.
● Activate the anti-theft alarm system.
● The engine cooling fans may run
after the engine has been
switched off 3 202.
Caution
After running at high engine
speeds or with high engine loads,
operate the engine briefly at a low load or run in neutral for
approx. 30 seconds before
switching off, in order to protect
the turbocharger.
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.
Engine exhaust9 Danger
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.
Exhaust filter
The exhaust filter is a particle filter for diesel and gasoline engines.