2008 Saturn Astra Owner's Manual - Page 159

Driving and Operating Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with the engine running at high speed may damage the transmission. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speed when shifting the vehicle. DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. Notice: If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly or not shift gears when you go faster, and you continue to drive your vehicle that way, you could damage the transmission. Have your vehicle serviced right away. THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel economy than DRIVE (D). Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D): 8-7 • When driving on hilly, winding roads. FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). Use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transmission does not shift into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough. Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transmission. The repair will not be covered by your warranty. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place. • When going down a steep hill. SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but lower fuel economy. Use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control the vehicles speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. Notice: Driving in FIRST (1) for more than 25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h) may damage the transmission. Also, shifting into FIRST (1) at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can cause damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or DRIVE (D) instead of FIRST (1).