Opel Astra Twintop (2012 year). Manual - part 9

130

Climate control

The air conditioning system cools and

dehumidifies (dries) when outside

temperature is above a specific level.

Therefore condensation may form

and drip from under the vehicle.
If no cooling or drying is required,

switch the cooling system off to save

fuel.

Air recirculation system 4

The air recirculation mode is operated

with the 4 button.

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. The quality

of the passenger compartment air

deteriorates, which may cause the

vehicle occupants to feel drowsy.

Maximum cooling

Briefly open the windows so that the

heated air can disappear quickly.

■ Cooling n on.
■ Set air distribution control to M.
■ Set temperature control to required

temperature value.

■ Set fan control to A.
■ Open all vents.

The automatic climate control

automatically cools to the specified

value with the maximum cooling

power.
With the temperature control turned

to its minimum setting, the system

continually runs at maximum cooling.

The system is automatically set to air

recirculation when the air conditioning

is on.

Demisting and defrosting the

windows

■ Cooling n on.
■ Press button V: in position A, fan

automatically switches to maximum

speed, the air distribution is

directed towards the windscreen.

■ Set temperature control to warmest

level.

■ Switch on heated rear window Ü.

Electronic climate control

system

Controls for:

■ Temperature
■ Air distribution and menu selection
■ Fan speed

AUTO = Automatic mode

4

= air recirculation

V

= demisting and defrosting

Climate control

131

Heated rear window Ü 3 37.
The preselected temperature is

automatically regulated. In the

automatic mode the fan speed and air

distribution automatically regulate the

air flow.
The system can be manually adapted

by use of air distribution and air flow

controls.

Data is shown on the Info-Display.

Setting modifications are briefly

shown in the Info-Display,

superimposing over the currently

displayed menu.

The electronic climate control system

is only fully operational when the

engine is running.
Do not cover the sensor on the

instrument panel for correct

operation.

Automatic mode

Basic setting for maximum comfort:

■ Press AUTO button.
■ Open all air vents.
■ Air conditioning on.
■ Set desired temperature.

Temperature preselection

Temperatures can be set to the

desired value.
For reasons of comfort, change

temperature only in small increments.
If the minimum temperature is set,

Lo appears in the display and the

electronic climate control system runs

at maximum cooling.
If the maximum temperature is set,

Hi appears in the display and the

electronic climate control system runs

at maximum heating.

Fan speed

The selected fan speed is indicated

with x and a number in the display.
If the fan is switched off the air

conditioning is also deactivated.
To return to automatic mode: Press

AUTO button.

Demisting and defrosting the

windows

Press the V button. V appears in

the display.
Temperature and air distribution are

set automatically and the fan runs at

a high speed.
To return to automatic mode: press

button V or AUTO.
Switch on heated rear window Ü.

Manual settings in climate menu

Climate control system settings can

be changed via the centre control, the

buttons and the menus shown on the

display.
To view the menu, press the centre

control. The Climate menu appears in

the display.

132

Climate control

Individual menu items are marked by

turning the centre control and

selected by pressing it.
To exit a menu, turn the centre control

until Return or Main appear and

select.

Air distribution

Turn the centre control. The Air

distribut. menu is activated, showing

the possible air distribution settings:
Top

= to windscreen and front

door windows.

Centre = to vehicle occupants.

Bottom = to foot well.
The Air distribut. menu can also be

called up via the Climate menu.
Return to automatic air distribution:

Deactivate corresponding setting or

press button AUTO.

Cooling

In the Climate menu, select menu

item AC and activate or deactivate

cooling.
The air conditioning system cools and

dehumidifies (dries) when outside

temperature is above a specific level.

Therefore condensation may form

and drip from under the vehicle.
If no cooling or drying is required,

switch the cooling system off to save

fuel, Eco appears in the display.

Fan regulation in automatic

mode

Fan regulation in automatic mode can

be adapted.
Select menu item Automatic blower

from the Climate menu and select the

desired fan regulation.

Manual air recirculation mode

The manual air recirculation mode is

operated with the 4 button.

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. The quality

of the passenger compartment air

deteriorates, which may cause the

vehicle occupants to feel drowsy.

Climate control

133

Air conditioning with the engine

not running

When ignition is off, the residual heat

or cooling in the system can be used

for climate control in passenger

compartment.
Press the AUTO button with the

ignition off. Residual air conditioning

on will appear briefly in the display.
Residual climate control can only

operate for a limited period of time. To

cancel, press the AUTO button.

Auxiliary heater

Air heater

Quickheat is an electric auxiliary air

heater which warms up the

passenger compartment more

quickly.

Coolant heater

Diesel-engined vehicles have a fuel-

powered auxiliary heater.

Air vents

Adjustable air vents

At least one air vent must be open

while cooling is on in order to prevent

the evaporator from icing up due to

lack of air movement.

To open vent, turn the adjuster wheel

to B.

Direct the flow of air by tilting and

swivelling the slats.
To close the vent, turn the adjuster

wheel to 7.

9 Warning

Do not attach any objects to the

slats of the air vents. Risk of

damage and injury in case of an

accident.

Fixed air vents

Additional air vents are located

beneath the windscreen and door

windows and in the foot wells.

134

Climate control

Maintenance

Air intake

The air intakes in front of the

windscreen in the engine

compartment must be kept clear to

allow air intake. Remove any leaves,

dirt or snow.

Pollen filter

The pollen filter cleans dust, soot,

pollen and spores from the air

entering the vehicle through the air

intake.

Air conditioning regular

operation

In order to ensure continuously

efficient performance, cooling must

be operated for a few minutes once

a month, irrespective of the weather

and time of year. Operation with

cooling is not possible when outside

temperature is too low.

Service

For optimal cooling performance, it is

recommended to annually check the

climate control system, starting

three years after initial vehicle

registration, including:

■ Functionality and pressure test
■ Heating functionality
■ Leakage check
■ Check of drive belts
■ Cleaning of condenser and

evaporator drainage

■ Performance check

Driving and operating

135

Driving and operating

Driving hints ............................... 135
Starting and operating ............... 135
Engine exhaust .......................... 138
Automatic transmission .............. 139
Manual transmission .................. 144
Manual transmission

automated .................................. 145
Brakes ........................................ 149
Ride control systems ................. 150
Cruise control ............................. 152
Object detection systems ........... 153
Fuel ............................................ 154
Towing ....................................... 157

Driving hints

Control of the vehicle

Never coast with engine not

running

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.

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.
Fuel and engine oil consumption may

be higher during the running-in

period.

136

Driving and operating

Ignition switch positions

0 = Ignition off

1 = Steering wheel lock released,

ignition off

2 = Ignition on, for diesel engine:

preheating

3 = Starting

Starting the engine

Starting engine with ignition

switch

Operate clutch and brake, automatic

transmission in P or N, do not

accelerate; for diesel engines, turn

the key to position 2 for preheating

until control indicator ! goes out;

turn key briefly to position 3 and

release key when engine is running.
Before restarting or to switch off the

engine, turn key back to position 0.

Starting engine with the

Start/Stop button

The electronic key must be inside the

vehicle. Operate clutch and brake,

automatic transmission in P or N, do

not accelerate, for diesel engines,

press the button briefly to start

preheating, move the steering wheel

slightly to release the steering wheel

lock, wait until control indicator !

goes out and then press button for

1 second and release when the

engine is running.

Driving and operating

137

To repeat the starting procedure or to

switch off the engine, press the button

again.

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 and the

manual transmission automated

need a warming phase of approx.

5 minutes. The selector lever must be

in position P respectively N.

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.

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 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 or set

the selector lever to P 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 or set the

selector lever to P before switching

off the ignition. Turn the front

wheels towards the kerb.

■ Lock the vehicle and activate the

anti-theft locking system and the

anti-theft alarm system.

138

Driving and operating

Engine exhaust

9 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.

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. The filter

is cleaned by burning off the soot

particles at high temperature. This

process takes place automatically

under set driving conditions and may

take up to 25 minutes. 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 filter requires cleaning and

previous driving conditions did not

enable automatic cleaning, control

indicator ! flashes. Continue driving,

keeping engine speed above 2000

revolutions per minute. Shift down if

necessary. Diesel particle filter

cleaning is then started.

Stopping the journey or switching off

the engine during cleaning is not

recommended.

Caution

If the cleaning process is

interrupted more than once, there

is a great risk of provoking severe

engine damage.

Cleaning takes place quickest at high

engine speeds and loads.

Driving and operating

139

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 3 154, 3 218 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 makes

automatic shifting possible

(automatic mode) and the version

with ActiveSelect also makes manual

shifting possible (manual mode).

Transmission display

The mode or selected gear is shown

in the transmission display.

140

Driving and operating

Selector lever

P = park position, Front wheels

locked, engage only when the

vehicle is stationary and the

parking brake is applied

R = reverse gear, engage only

when vehicle is stationary

N = neutral

D = automatic mode with all gears

The selector lever can only be moved

out of P or N when the ignition is on

and the foot brake is depressed

(selector lever lock).
When the selector lever is in N, the

selector lever lock is activated after

a delay and only if the vehicle is

stationary.

When the selector lever is in the P or

N position, control indicator j in the

gear indicator strip illuminates red

when the selector lever is locked. If

the selector lever is not in the P

position when the ignition is switched

off, control indicator j and P in the

gear indicator strip flash.
To engage P or R, push button on

selector lever.
When position N is selected, press

foot brake or engage parking brake

before starting.

Driving and operating

141

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, 1

3, 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.

142

Driving and operating

No automatic shifting to a higher gear

takes place at a high engine speed.
For reasons of safety, kickdown is

also available in manual mode.

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.

■ The adaptive programme tailors

gearshifting to the driving

conditions, e.g. greater load or

gradients.

■ When Sport mode is engaged, the

vehicle shifts at higher engine

speeds (unless cruise control is

on). Sport mode 3 151.

Winter programme T

Activate the Winter programme to

assist starting off on a slippery road

surface.

Activation on vehicles without manual

mode

Press the T button with P, R, N, D or

3 engaged. The vehicle starts off in

3rd gear.

Activation on vehicles with manual

mode

In automatic mode, press the T

button. Depending on road

conditions, the vehicles starts off in

2nd or 3rd gear.

Deactivation

The Winter programme is switched off

by:

■ pressing the T button again
■ manually selecting 2 or 1
■ changing to manual mode
■ turning off the ignition
■ or if the transmission oil

temperature is too high

Driving and operating

143

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 gear

2

= 3rd gear

3, 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 3 202.

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.

144

Driving and operating

3. Push the yellow catch forward

with a screwdriver and move the

selector lever out of P.

4. Mount selector lever trim on

centre console and refit.

Reselecting P causes locking again.

Have a workshop eliminate the cause

of the power loss.

Manual transmission

To engage reverse, with the vehicle

stationary wait 3 seconds after

depressing the clutch pedal and then

pull up the button on the selector lever

and engage the gear.
If the gear does not engage, set the

lever to neutral, release the clutch

pedal and depress again; then repeat

gear selection.
Do not grind the clutch unnecessarily.
When operating, depress the clutch

pedal completely. Do not use the

pedal as a foot rest.

Caution

It is inadvisable to drive with hand

resting on the selector lever.

Driving and operating

145

Manual 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.