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Vehicle care151Vehicle careGeneral Information...................151
Vehicle checks ........................... 152
Bulb replacement .......................160
Electrical system ........................166
Vehicle tools .............................. 173
Wheels and tyres .......................175
Jump starting ............................. 187
Towing ....................................... 188
Appearance care .......................190General Information
Accessories and vehicle
modifications
We recommend the use of genuine parts and accessories and factory
approved parts specific for your
vehicle type. We cannot assess or
guarantee reliability of other products
- even if they have a regulatory or
otherwise granted approval.
Do not make any modifications to the electrical system, e.g. changes of
electronic control units (chip tuning).Caution
When transporting the vehicle on
a train or on a recovery vehicle, the
mud flaps might be damaged.
Vehicle storage
Storage for a long period of time
If the vehicle is to be stored for several months:
■ Wash and wax the vehicle.
■ Have the wax in the engine compartment and underbody
checked.
■ Clean and preserve the rubber seals.
■ Change the engine oil.
■ Drain the washer fluid reservoir.
■ Check the coolant antifreeze and corrosion protection.
■ Adjust tyre pressure to the value specified for full load.
■ Park the vehicle in a dry, well ventilated place. Engage first orreverse gear or move selector lever
to P. Prevent the vehicle from
rolling.
■ Do not apply the electrical parking brake.
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152Vehicle care
■ Open the bonnet, close all doorsand lock 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 When the vehicle is to be put 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 our website, where legally required. Only
entrust this work to an authorised
recycling centre.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.
9 Danger
The ignition system and Xenon
headlights use extremely high
voltage. Do not touch.
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Vehicle care153Bonnet
Opening
Pull the release lever and return it to
its original position.
Locate the safety catch, found slightly left of centre on the underside of the
bonnet, push the catch upwards and
lift the bonnet gently.
The bonnet is held open
automatically.
If the bonnet is opened during an Autostop, the engine will be restarted automatically for safety reasons.
Air intake 3 121.
Closing
Lower the bonnet and let it fall into the latch from a low height (20-25 cm).
Check that the bonnet is engaged.
Caution
Do not press the bonnet into the
latch to avoid dents.
Engine oil
Check the engine oil level manually on a regular basis to prevent damage
to the engine.
Ensure that the correct specification
of oil is used. Recommended fluids
and lubricants 3 195.
Check with the vehicle on a level
surface. The engine must be at
operating temperature and switched
off for at least 5 minutes.
Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, insert it to the stop on the handle, pull
out and read the engine oil level.
Insert dipstick to the stop on the
handle and make half a turn.
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154Vehicle care
Different dipsticks are used
depending on engine variant.
When the engine oil level has
dropped to the MIN mark, top up
engine oil.We recommend the use of the same
grade of engine oil that was used at
the last oil change.
The engine oil level must not exceed
the MAX mark on the dipstick.
Caution
Overfilled engine oil must be
drained or suctioned out.
Capacities 3 206, Engine oil quality/
viscosity 3 195.
Fit the cap on straight and tighten it.
Control indicators for engine oil
pressure I 3 88, low engine oil S
3 89 and engine oil life C 3 89.
Once the engine oil has been
changed, the engine oil life monitor
needs to be reset. Seek the
assistance of a workshop.
Engine coolant The coolant provides freeze
protection down to approx. -28 °C. In
northern countries with very low
temperatures the factory filled coolant
provides frost protection down to
approx. -37 °C.Caution
Only use approved antifreeze.
Coolant level
Caution
Too low a coolant level can cause engine damage.
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Vehicle care155
If the cooling system is cold, the
coolant level should be between the
MIN and MAX marks. Top up if the
level is low.
9 Warning
Allow the engine to cool before
opening the cap. Carefully open
the cap, relieving the pressure
slowly.
To top up use a 1:1 mixture of
released coolant concentrate mixed
with clean tap water. If no coolant
concentrate is available, use clean
tap water. Install the cap tightly. Have
the coolant concentration checked
and have the cause of the coolant
loss remedied by a workshop.
Engine coolant temperature control
indicator W 3 88.
Power steering fluidCaution
Extremely small amounts of
contamination can cause steering
system damage and cause it to not work properly. Do not allow
contaminates to contact the fluid
side of the reservoir cap/dipstick or
from entering the reservoir.
Open the cap and remove. Wipe the
dipstick dry and turn the cap in the
container. Open the cap again and
read the power steering fluid level.
The power steering fluid level must be between the MIN/COLD and the
MAX /HOT marks.
If the fluid level is too low, seek the
assistance of a workshop.
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156Vehicle careWasher fluid
Fill with clean water mixed with a
suitable quantity of washer fluid which
contains antifreeze. For the correct mixing ratio refer to the washer fluid
container.
Caution
Only washer fluid with a sufficient
antifreeze concentration provides
protection at low temperatures or
a sudden drop in temperature.
Do not spray washer fluid onto
windscreen in freezing weather, to avoid ice forming and impairing
vision.
In cold weather, do not fill the washer
fluid reservoir more than three
quarters full, to allow enough room for expansion if the fluid freezes, and to
prevent damage to the reservoir.
Brakes In the event of minimum thickness of
the brake lining, a squealing noise
sounds during braking.
Continued driving is possible but
have the brake lining replaced as
soon as possible.
Once new brake linings are installed,
do not brake unnecessarily hard for
the first few journeys.Brake fluid9 Warning
Brake fluid is poisonous and
corrosive. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, fabrics and painted surfaces.
The brake fluid level must be betweenthe MIN and MAX marks.
When topping up, ensure maximum cleanliness as contamination of the
brake fluid can lead to brake system
malfunctions. Have the cause of the
loss of brake fluid remedied by a
workshop.
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Vehicle care157Caution
Only use high-performance brake
fluid approved for the vehicle.
Brake fluid 3 195.
Brake fluid level control indicator R
3 85.
Clutch fluid
9 Warning
Clutch fluid is poisonous and
corrosive. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, fabrics and painted surfaces.
If the fluid in the reservoir falls below
the MIN mark, seek the assistance of
a workshop.
Clutch fluid 3 195.
Vehicle battery Vehicles without stop-start system
will be equipped with a lead acid
battery. Vehicles with stop-start
system will be equipped with an
AGM vehicle battery which is not a
lead acid battery.
The vehicle battery is maintenance-
free provided that the driving profile
allows sufficient charging of the
battery. Short-distance-driving and
frequent engine starts can discharge
the vehicle battery. Avoid the use of
unnecessary electrical consumers.
Batteries do not belong in household
waste. They must be disposed of at
an appropriate recycling collection
point.
Laying up the vehicle for more than
6 weeks can lead to battery
discharge. Disconnect the clamp from the negative terminal of the vehicle
battery.
Ensure the ignition is switched off
before connecting or disconnecting
the vehicle battery.
Retrofitted electrical or electronic
accessories can place an additional
load on the vehicle battery or
discharge the battery. Seek the
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158Vehicle care
assistance of a workshop regardingtechnical possibilities, such as fitting
a more powerful battery.
Ensure the ignition is switched off
before reconnecting the vehicle
battery. Then perform the following
actions:
1. Set date and time in the information display 3 77.
2. If necessary, activate the power windows and sun roof 3 30, 3 32.
In order to prevent the vehicle battery
from discharging, some consumers
such as the courtesy lights
automatically switch off after a delay.
Charge a disconnected vehicle
battery every 6 weeks.
Vehicle battery discharge protection
3 114.
Replacing the vehicle battery Note
Any deviation from the instructions
given in this paragraph may lead to
a temporary deactivation of the stop- start system.When the vehicle battery is being
replaced, please ensure that there
are no open ventilation holes in the
vicinity of the positive terminal. If a
ventilation hole is open in this area, it
must be closed off with a dummy cap,
and the ventilation in the vicinity of the negative terminal must be opened.
Only use batteries that allow the fuse
box to be mounted above the vehicle
battery.
In vehicles with stop-start system,
ensure to have the AGM (Absorptive
Glass Mat) vehicle battery replaced
with an AGM battery again.An AGM battery can be identified by
the label on the battery. We
recommend the use of an original
Opel battery.
Note
Using an AGM vehicle battery
different from the original Opel
vehicle battery may result in a lower performance of the stop-start
system.
We recommend that you have the
vehicle battery replaced by a
workshop.
Stop-start system 3 125.
Charging the vehicle battery9 Warning
On vehicles with stop-start
system, ensure that the charging potential does not exceed
14.6 volts when using a battery
charger. Otherwise the vehicle
battery might be damaged.
Jump starting 3 187.