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Driving and operating119Engine exhaust9Danger
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 rpm. 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.
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146Vehicle care
■ Open bonnet, close all doors andlock the vehicle.
■ Disconnect the clamp from the negative terminal of the vehicle
battery. Beware that all systems are not functional, e.g. anti-theft alarm
system.
Putting back into operation Following must be done if the vehicle
is putting back into operation:
■ Connect the clamp to the negative terminal of the vehicle battery.
Activate the electronics of the
power windows.
■ Check tyre pressure.
■ Fill up the washer fluid reservoir.
■ Check the engine oil level.
■ Check the coolant level.
■ Fit the number plate if necessary.
End-of-life vehicle
recovery
Information on end-of-life vehicle
recovery centres and the recycling of
end-of-life vehicles is available on ourwebsite, where legally required. Only
entrust this work to an authorised
recycling centre.
Gas vehicles must be recycled by a
service centre authorised for gas
vehicles.Vehicle checks
Performing work9 Warning
Only perform engine compartment
checks when the ignition is off.
The cooling fan may start
operating even if the ignition is off.
Page 155 of 231
Vehicle care153
Wiper blades on the windscreen
Lift the wiper arm, tilt wiper blade at a
90° to the wiper arm and remove to
the side.
Wiper blade on the rear window
Lift wiper arm. Disengage wiper blade as shown in illustration and remove.
Attach the wiper blade slightly angled
to the wiper arm and push until it
engages.
Lower wiper arm carefully.
Bulb replacement
Switch off the ignition and switch off
the relevant switch or close the doors.
Only hold a new bulb at the base. Do not touch the bulb glass with bare
hands.
Use only the same bulb type for
replacement.
To replace bulbs on the right side of
the engine compartment, detach the
air hose from the air filter.
On VXR vehicles, it is recommended
to have the bulbs replaced by a
workshop.
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168Vehicle care
No.Circuit1Starter2Air conditioning system3Diesel fuel filter heater4Horn5Manual transmission auto‐
mated, automatic transmission6Engine control unit7Fog lights8Engine cooling9Engine cooling10Manual transmission auto‐
mated11Glow plugs, ignition system12Headlight range adjustment,
Adaptive forward lighting13Air conditioning system14Manual transmission auto‐
mated15High beam (right)No.Circuit16High beam (left)17Main relay18Engine control unit19Airbags20Main relay21Main relay22Central control unit23Tyre repair kit24Fuel pump25ABS26Heated rear window27ABS28Interior fan29Cigarette lighter30Air conditioning system31Power window (left)32Power window (right)No.Circuit33Heated exterior mirrors34–35–
Instrument panel fuse box
In left-hand drive vehicles, the fuse
box is behind the light switch. Pull the top edge of the panel and fold down.
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188Vehicle care
Lead connection order:1. Connect the red lead to the positive terminal of the booster
battery.
2. Connect the other end of the red lead to the positive terminal of the
discharged battery. The positive
terminal has a cover cap on it.
Undo the cap to access the
positive terminal.
3. Connect the black lead to the negative terminal of the booster
battery.
4. Connect the other end of the black
lead to a vehicle grounding point,
such as the engine block or an
engine mounting bolt. Connect as far away from the discharged
battery as possible, however at
least 60 cm.
Position the leads so that they cannot
catch on rotating parts in the engine
compartment.
To start the engine:
1. Start the engine of the vehicle providing the jump.
2. After 5 minutes, start the other engine. Start attempts should be
made for no longer than
15 seconds at an interval of
1 minute.
3. Allow both engines to idle for approx. 3 minutes with the leads
connected.
4. Switch on electrical consumers (e.g. headlights, heated rear
window) of the vehicle receiving
the jump start.
5. Reverse above sequence exactly when removing leads.
6. Close the cover over the positive pole.
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Vehicle care189Towing
Towing the vehicle
Insert a suitable screwdriver in the
slot at the lower bend of the cap.
Release the cap by carefully moving
the screwdriver downwards.
Corsa VXR: Disengage and remove
cap by pressing on the lower part of
the cap.
The towing eye is stowed with the
vehicle tools 3 170 . The towing eye is
located in a recess.
Screw in the towing eye as far as it will
go until it stops in a horizontal
position.
Attach a tow rope – or better still a tow
rod – to the towing eye.
The towing eye must only be used for towing and not recovering the vehicle.
Switch on ignition to release steering
wheel lock and to permit operation of
brake lights, horn and windscreen
wiper.
Transmission in neutral.Caution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
When the engine is not running,
considerably more force is needed to
brake and steer.
To prevent the entry of exhaust gases from the towing vehicle, switch on the
air recirculation and close the
windows.
Page 193 of 231

Vehicle care191Appearance care
Exterior care
Locks The locks are lubricated at the factoryusing a high quality lock cylinder
grease. Use de-icing agent only when
absolutely necessary, as this has a
degreasing effect and impairs lock function. After using de-icing agent,
have the locks regreased by a
workshop.
Washing The paintwork of your vehicle is
exposed to environmental influences.
Wash and wax your vehicle regularly.
When using automatic car washes,
select a programme that includes
waxing.
Bird droppings, dead insects, resin,
pollen and the like should be cleaned off immediately, as they contain
aggressive constituents which can
cause paint damage.If using a car wash, comply with the
car wash manufacturer's instructions.
The windscreen wipers and rear
window wiper must be switched off.
Remove antenna and external
accessories such as roof racks etc.
If you wash your vehicle by hand,
make sure that the insides of the
wheel housings are also thoroughly
rinsed out.
Clean edges and folds on opened
doors and the bonnet as well as the
areas they cover.Caution
Always use a cleaning agent with
a pH value of 4 to 9.
Do not use cleaning agents on hot surfaces.
Have the door hinges of all doors
greased by a workshop.
Do not clean the engine compartment with a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Thoroughly rinse and leather-off the vehicle. Rinse leather frequently. Use
separate leathers for painted and
glass surfaces: remnants of wax on
the windows will impair vision.
Exterior lights
Headlight and other light covers are
made of plastic. Do not use any
abrasive or caustic agents, do not use an ice scraper, and do not clean them
dry.
Polishing and waxing Wax the vehicle regularly (at the
latest when water no longer beads).
Otherwise, the paintwork will dry out.
Polishing is necessary only if the paint
has become dull or if solid deposits
have become attached to it.
Paintwork polish with silicone forms a
protective film, making waxing
unnecessary.
Plastic body parts must not be treated with wax or polishing agents.
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192Vehicle care
Windows and windscreen wiperblades
Use a soft lint-free cloth or chamois leather together with window cleanerand insect remover.
When cleaning the rear window from
inside, always wipe in parallel to the
heating element to prevent damage.
For mechanical removal of ice, use a
sharp-edged ice scraper. Press the
scraper firmly against the glass so
that no dirt can get under it and
scratch the glass.
Clean smearing wiper blades with a
soft cloth and window cleaner.
Sunroof
Never clean with solvents or abrasive
agents, fuels, aggressive media (e.g.
paint cleaner, acetone-containing
solutions etc.), acidic or highly
alkaline media or abrasive pads. Do
not apply wax or polishing agents to
the sunroof.
Wheels and tyres Do not use high-pressure jet
cleaners.Clean rims with a pH-neutral wheel
cleaner.
Rims are painted and can be treated
with the same agents as the body.
Paintwork damage Rectify minor paintwork damage witha touch-up pen before rust forms.
Have more extensive damage or rust
areas repaired by a workshop.
Underbody
Some areas of the vehicle underbody
have a PVC undercoating while other critical areas have a durable
protective wax coating.
After the underbody is washed, check
the underbody and have it waxed if
necessary.
Bitumen/rubber materials could
damage the PVC coating. Have
underbody work carried out by a
workshop.
Before and after winter, wash the
underbody and have the protective
wax coating checked.Liquid gas system9 Danger
Liquid gas is heavier than air and
can collect in sink points.
Take care when performing work
at the underbody in a pit.
For painting work and when using a
drying booth at a temperature above
60 °C, the liquid gas tank must be
removed.
Do not make any modifications to the
liquid gas system.
Towing equipment Do not clean the coupling ball bar with
a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Rear carrier system Clean the rear carrier system with a
steam-jet or high-pressure jet cleaner
at least once a year.
Operate the rear carrier system
periodically if not in regular use, in
particular during winter.