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Driving and operation127
Driving hints
The first 1000 km (600 miles)
Drive your vehicle at various speeds. Do
not use full throttle. Never allow the engine
to labour at low revs.
Make good use of all gears. Depress the
accelerator pedal a maximum of around
three quarters of the available pedal travel
in all gears and drive ranges.
Do not drive faster than three quarters of
maximum speed.
Avoid quick starts, su dden acceleration
and prolonged high-speed driving, to
avoid engine damage and to conserve
fuel.
Do not brake unnecessarily hard for the
first 200 km (125 miles).
If possible, avoid towing another vehicle.
Never coast with engine not running
Many units may then not function (e.g.
brake servo unit, power steering, airbag
system). Driving in this manner is a danger
to yourself and others. Brake servo unit
With the engine not running, the brake
servo unit is no longer effective once the
brake pedal has been depressed once or
twice. The braking effect is not reduced,
but substantially greater foot pressure is
necessary to stop the vehicle.
Power steering
Never leave the steering wheel on full lock
when the vehicle is stationary, as this may
damage the power steering pump.
If the power steering should fail - e.g. when
the vehicle is being towed with the engine
switched off - the vehicle can still be
properly steered, but considerably greater
effort is necessary.
Driving in mountainous terrain or with a
caravan/trailer
Electrically driven fan; the fan cooling
capacity is not dependent on engine
speed. It is not necessary, therefore, when
driving uphill to shif
t down into a lower
gear if the vehicle can climb in a higher
gear. Driving in extreme conditions
When driving in hazard
ous conditions, e.g.
in snow, ice, mud, sand or water, drive
slowly and cautiously to allow for greater
braking distances.
If stuck, use 2nd gear (automatic
transmission in drive range 2) to avoid
spinning the front wheels.
Use sand, tyre chains or other non-slip
materials to provide traction when stuck in
snow, mud or ice.
Driving through water
Before attempting to drive through water,
check the depth. If the depth is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle,
do not attempt to drive through it.
Driving too quickly through water can
cause water to enter the engine through
the air intake, causing severe damage.
Drive slowly, in a high engine rpm in as low
a gear as possible.
Driving with a roof load
Do not exceed the permissible roof load -
see page 221. For safety reasons,
distribute the load evenly and secure it
tightly with straps so that it cannot slip. Set
the tyre pressure to the value given for full
load. Do not drive faster than 120 km/h
(75 mph). Check and retighten straps at
frequent intervals.
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Driving and operation131
Fuels, refuelling
Fuel consumption
Optional equipment (e.g. wide tyres,
towing equipment) increases the kerb
weight and, in some cases, also the
permissible Gross Vehicle Weight.
This in turn increases fuel consumption and
reduces the maximum speed of the vehicle.
When the vehicle is new, there is increased
friction between the engine and
transmission components lasting for
several thousand kilometres. This also
increases fuel consumption. Fuel for petrol engines
Commercially available high-quality fuels
are suitable (see page 217). Fuel quality
has a decisive influence on the power
output, driveability and life of the engine.
The additives contained in the fuel play an
important role in this
regard. You should
therefore use only high-quality fuels
containing additives.
Petrol with too low an octane number can
cause pinking. Opel cannot be held liable
for resulting damage.
Petrol with a higher octane number can
always be used.
A dispensing pump for leaded fuel cannot
be inserted in the fuel tank of a vehicle that
must be operated on unleaded fuel only.
Use of petrol with an octane rating of 95
will ensure economical driving Fuel for diesel engines
Diesel engines must be operated only on
commercially available diesel fuel meeting
the specifications of DIN EN 590.
Marine diesel fuel, fuel oils, diesel fuels,
which are entirely or partially plant based
such as rape seed oil or bio-diesel,
Aquazole and similar diesel-water
emulsions must not be used.
The flow and filterability of diesel fuels are
insufficient at low temperatures, as a result
of crystallized paraffins.
Diesel fuels with improved low-
temperature properties are therefore
available on the market during the winter
months. Make sure that you use winter fuel
before the start of the cold weather
season.
Use of diesel fuels with manufacturer-
guaranteed winter properties eliminates
the need for additives.
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Driving and operation132
Fuel filler cap
If replacing the fuel filler cap, be sure to use
the original fuel filler cap for your model, to
ensure full functionality.
Refuelling
Ensure suitable fuel is available before
driving in foreign countries. The fuel filler neck with bayonet cap is
located on the left rear side of the vehicle.
The tank flap is locked together with the
doors - see page 25.
Unlock doors, tailgate and tank flap by
pressing button q
on the remote control or
by pressing central locking switch m in the
driver’s door.
Open the tank flap by hand.
If, in cold weather, the tank flap does not
open, tap it and try again.
To unlock fuel filler cap: turn it anti-
clockwise.
If hissing occurs, wait until it stops before
completely unscrewing the fuel filler cap.
Remove fuel filler cap and place it in its
holder on the inside of the tank flap.
The fuel tank has a limiting system which
prevents overfilling of the tank. Correct refuelling is largely dependent on
correct operation of the dispensing pump:
z
Insert dispensing pump as far as it will go
and switch it on.
z After the first automatic cut-off, do not
fill the tank any further.
Replace the fuel filler cap and turn it
clockwise until you hear several clicks.
Close tank flap.
Wipe off any overflowing fuel immediately.
If fuel is spilt onto the vehicle, rinse the area
with clean, cold water as soon as possible,
to avoid permanent damage to painted
surfaces.
9 Warning
Care must be taken when dealing with
fuel.
Before refuelling, it is absolutely vital to
switch off the engi ne and any heating
systems with combustion chambers.
Switch off mobile phones.
Fuel is inflammable and explosive,
therefore avoid dealing with fuel near
naked flames and doing anything that
would generate sparks. No smoking!
This also applies where the smell of fuel is
noticeable. If the smell of fuel vapour
occurs in the vehicle itself, have the cause
remedied immediately by a workshop.