Get Driving and operating -> Brakes Guide for Vauxhall Astra 4 Door Seventh Generation (2016-2021)

Driving and operating

167

The engine can only be started with

the lever in position P or N. When

position N is selected, press the brake

pedal or apply the parking brake

before starting.

Do not accelerate while engaging a

gear. Never depress the accelerator

pedal and brake pedal at the same

time.

If a higher gear is selected when

Parking

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.

Apply the parking brake and engage

P.

The ignition key can only be removed

when the selector lever is in position

P.

In manual mode, no automatic

shifting to a higher gear takes place

at high engine revolutions.

Manual mode

When a gear is engaged, the vehicle

slowly begins to creep when the

brake is released.

Gear shift indication

The symbol R or S with a number

beside it is indicated when

gearshifting is recommended for fuel

saving reasons.

Shift indication appears only in

manual mode.

Engine braking

To utilise the engine braking effect,

select a lower gear in good time when

driving downhill, see manual mode.

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.

Electronic driving

programmes

●

Special programmes

Move selector lever out of position D

towards the left in position M.

Tap selector lever upwards + to shift

to a higher gear.

Tap the selector lever downwards - to

shift to a lower gear.

automatically adapt the shifting

points when driving up inclines or

down hills.

●

In snowy or icy conditions or on

other slippery surfaces, the

electronic transmission control

enables the driver to select

168

Driving and operating

manually first, second or third

gear for starting off. Except

vehicles with continouosly

variable transmission.

socket below the selector lever

and push the trim upwards.

Rotate trim to the left.

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.

Kickdown

Pressing down the accelerator pedal

beyond the kickdown detent will lead

to maximum acceleration

independent of the selected driving

mode. The transmission shifts to a

lower gear depending on engine

speed and shifts to a higher gear at

high engine revolutions.

If the vehicle battery is discharged,

start the vehicle using jump leads

3 262.

If the vehicle battery is not the cause

of the fault, release the selector lever.

1. Apply the parking brake.

3. Insert a small stick (e.g. a pen or

screw driver) into the opening

near the selector lever. Push

down the stick vertically and move

the selector lever out of P. If this

position is engaged again, the

selector lever will be locked again.

Have the cause of the power

supply interruption remedied by a

workshop.

Fault

In the event of a fault a message is

displayed in the Driver Information

Centre.

Vehicle messages 3 121.

Electronic transmission control

enables only fourth gear. The

transmission no longer shifts

automatically.

Have the cause of the fault remedied

by a workshop.

4. Mount the selector lever trim onto

2. Release the selector lever trim

from the centre console. Poke

with a finger into the leather

the centre console and refit.

Driving and operating

169

When clutch slip is detected for a

specific time, the engine power will be

reduced. A warning is displayed in the

Driver Information Centre. Release

the clutch.

Manual transmission

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 the brake pedal

is depressed firmly. Considerably

more force is needed for this. The

braking distance is extended. Seek

the assistance of a workshop before

continuing the journey.

Caution

It is not advisable to drive with the

hand resting on the selector lever.

Gear shift indication 3 110.

Stop-start system 3 156.

When the engine is not running, the

support of the brake servo unit

To engage reverse, depress the

clutch pedal and then press the

release 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.

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 3 109.

Do not slip the clutch unnecessarily.

Antilock brake system

When operating, depress the clutch

pedal completely. Do not use the

pedal as a foot rest.

Antilock brake system (ABS)

prevents the wheels from locking.

170

Driving and operating

ABS starts to regulate brake pressure

as soon as a wheel shows a tendency

to lock. The vehicle remains

Fault

Manual parking brake

9 Warning

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.

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.

After starting off, the system performs

a self-test which may be audible.

9 Warning

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.

9 Warning

Before leaving the vehicle, check

parking brake status. Control

indicator R (manual parking

brake) or m (electrical parking

brake) illuminate constantly when

parking brake is applied.

Control indicator u 3 110.

Adaptive brake light

During full braking, all three brake

lights flash for the duration of ABS

control.

Driving and operating

171

Do not operate electric parking brake

system too often without engine

running as this will discharge the

vehicle battery.

Dynamic braking when vehicle is

moving

When the vehicle is moving and the

switch m is kept pulled, the electric

parking brake system will decelerate

the vehicle, but will not apply

statically.

To reduce the operating forces of

the parking brake, depress the

foot brake at the same time.

Control indicator R 3 109.

Releasing

Switch on ignition. Keep foot brake

pedal depressed and then push

switch m. If control indicator m

extinguishes, electric parking brake is

released.

Electric parking brake

As soon as the switch m is released,

dynamic braking will be stopped.

Automatic applying

If the vehicle is equipped with

automatic transmission and adaptive

cruise control is active, electric

parking brake is applied automatically

when vehicle is stopped by the

system for more than 2 minutes.

Drive away function

Vehicles with manual transmission:

Depressing the clutch pedal and then

slightly releasing the clutch pedal and

slightly depressing the accelerator

pedal releases the electric parking

brake automatically. This is not

possible when switch m is pulled at

the same time.

Parking brake releases automatically

after moving off.

Functionality check

Applying when vehicle is stationary

Pull the switch m. If control indicator

m illuminates, electric parking brake

is applied.

The electric parking brake can always

be activated, even if the ignition is off.

Vehicles with automatic transmission:

Engaging D and then depressing the

accelerator pedal releases the

electric parking brake automatically.

This is not possible when switch m is

pulled at the same time.

When the vehicle is not moving, the

electric parking brake might be

applied automatically. This is done to

check the system.

172

Driving and operating

Fault

Hill start assist

Ride control systems

Failure mode of electric parking brake

is indicated by a control indicator j

and by a vehicle message which is

displayed in the Driver Information

Centre.

The system helps prevent unintended

movement when driving away on

inclines.

Traction Control system

The Traction Control system (TC) is a

component of the Electronic Stability

Control (ESC).

When releasing the brake pedal after

stopping on an incline, brakes remain

on for further two seconds. The

brakes release automatically as soon

as the vehicle begins to accelerate.

Vehicle messages 3 121.

TC improves driving stability when

necessary, regardless of the type of

road surface or tyre grip, by

preventing the drive wheels from

spinning.

As soon as the drive wheels starts to

spin, engine output is reduced and

the wheel spinning the most is braked

individually. This considerably

improves the driving stability of the

vehicle on slippery road surfaces.

Control indicator m flashes: electric

parking brake is not fully applied or

released. When continuously

flashing, release electric parking

brake and retry applying.

Brake assist

If brake pedal is depressed quickly

and forcefully, maximum brake force

is automatically applied.

Operation of brake assist might

become apparent by a pulse in the

brake pedal and a greater resistance

when depressing the brake pedal.

Maintain steady pressure on the

brake pedal as long as full braking is

required. Maximum brake force is

automatically reduced when brake

pedal is released.

TC is operational after each engine

start as soon as the control indicator

b extinguishes.

When TC operates b flashes.

Driving and operating -> Brakes for Your Vauxhall Astra 4 Door Seventh Generation (2016-2021)

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