2014 OPEL ASTRA J Manual user

Vehicle care279Caution
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.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: The vehicle must be towed facing
forwards, not faster than 80 km/h nor further than 100 km. In all other cases
and when the transmission is
defective, the front axle must be
raised off the ground.
Seek the assistance of a workshop.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
Insert cap at the top and engage
downwards.
Towing another vehicle
Insert a screwdriver in the slot at the
lower bend of the cap. Release the
cap by carefully moving the
screwdriver downwards.
The towing eye is stowed with the
vehicle tools 3 258.
Screw in the towing eye as far as it will
go until it stops in a horizontal
position.
The lashing eye at the rear
underneath the vehicle must never be used as a towing eye.
Attach a tow rope – or even better a
tow bar – to the towing eye.
The towing eye must only be used for
towing and not for recovering a
vehicle.

280Vehicle careCaution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
Insert cap at the top and engage
downwards.
Appearance care
Exterior care
Locks The locks are lubricated at the factory
using 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 a 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 vehicle
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 vehicle wash, comply with
the vehicle wash manufacturer's instructions. The windscreen wiperand 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.

Vehicle care281
On vehicles with emblem touchpad:
when cleaning with a high-pressure
jet cleaner ensure a minimum
distance of 30 cm when working
around the tailgate to prevent
unintended unlocking.
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.
Do not use hard objects to remove
spots of tar. Use tar removal spray on
painted surfaces.
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.
Windows and windscreen wiper blades
Use a soft lint-free cloth or chamois
leather together with window cleaner and 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.
Glass panel
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 glass panel.
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.

282Vehicle care
Paintwork damageRectify minor paintwork damage with
a touch-up pen before rust forms.
Have more extensive damage or rust
areas repaired by a workshop.
UnderbodySome 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.
Air shutter
Clean the shutter system in the front
bumper to maintain correct
functionality.
Interior care Interior and upholsteryOnly clean the vehicle interior,
including the instrument panel fascia
and panelling, with a dry cloth or
interior cleaner.
Clean the leather upholstery with
clear water and a soft cloth. In case of
heavy soiling, use leather care.
The instrument cluster and the
displays should only be cleaned using
a soft damp cloth. If necessary use a weak soap solution.
Clean fabric upholstery with a
vacuum cleaner and brush. Remove
stains with an upholstery cleaner.
Clothing fabrics may not be
colourfast. This could cause visible
discolourations, especially on light-

Vehicle care283
coloured upholstery. Removable
stains and discolourations should be
cleaned as soon as possible.
Clean seat belts with lukewarm water or interior cleaner.Caution
Close Velcro fasteners as open
Velcro fasteners on clothing could
damage seat upholstery.
The same applies to clothing with
sharp-edged objects, like zips or
belts or studded jeans.
Plastic and rubber parts
Plastic and rubber parts can be
cleaned with the same cleaner as
used to clean the body. Use interior cleaner if necessary. Do not use any
other agent. Avoid solvents and petrol in particular. Do not use high-
pressure jet cleaners.

284Service and maintenanceService and
maintenanceGeneral information ...................284
Recommended fluids, lubricants and parts .................................... 285General information
Service information In order to ensure economical and
safe vehicle operation and to
maintain the value of your vehicle, it
is of vital importance that all
maintenance work is carried out at the proper intervals as specified.
The detailed, up-to-date service
schedule for your vehicle is available
at the workshop.
Service display 3 112.
European service intervals
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 30,000 km or after
1 year , whichever occurs first, unless
otherwise indicated in the service
display.
The European service intervals are
valid for the following countries:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Greenland, Hungary,Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Service display 3 112.
International service intervals Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 15,000 km or after
1 year , whichever occurs first, unless
otherwise indicated in the service
display.
The international service intervals are
valid for the countries which are not listed in the European service
intervals.
Service display 3 112.
Confirmations
Confirmation of service is recorded in the Service and Warranty Booklet.
The date and mileage is completed
with the stamp and signature of the
servicing workshop.

Service and maintenance285
Make sure that the Service and
Warranty Booklet is completed
correctly as continuous proof of
service is essential if any warranty or goodwill claims are to be met, and is
also a benefit when selling the
vehicle.
Service interval with remaining
engine oil life duration The service interval is based on
several parameters depending on
usage.
The service display lets you know
when to change the engine oil.
Service display 3 112.Recommended fluids,
lubricants and parts
Recommended fluids andlubricants Only use products that meet the
recommended specifications.
Damage resulting from the use of
products not in line with these
specifications will not be covered by
the warranty.9 Warning
Operating materials are
hazardous and could be
poisonous. Handle with care. Pay
attention to information given on
the containers.
Engine oil
Engine oil is identified by its quality
and its viscosity. Quality is more
important than viscosity when
selecting which engine oil to use. The oil quality ensures e.g. engine
cleanliness, wear protection and oil
aging control, whereas viscosity
grade gives information on the oil's
thickness over a temperature range.
Dexos is the newest engine oil quality
that provides optimum protection for
gasoline and diesel engines. If it is unavailable, engine oils of other listed qualities have to be used.
Recommendations for gasoline
engines are also valid for
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG),
Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and
Ethanol (E85) fuelled engines.
Select the appropriate engine oil
based on its quality and on the
minimum ambient temperature
3 289.
Topping up engine oil
Engine oils of different manufacturers
and brands can be mixed as long as
they comply with the required engine
oil quality and viscosity.
Use of engine oil with only
ACEA A1/B1 or only A5/B5 quality is
prohibited, since it can cause long-
term engine damage under certain
operating conditions.

286Service and maintenance
Select the appropriate engine oil
based on its quality and on the
minimum ambient temperature
3 289.
Additional engine oil additives
The use of additional engine oil
additives could cause damage and
invalidate the warranty.
Engine oil viscosity grades
The SAE viscosity grade gives
information of the thickness of the oil.
Multigrade oil is indicated by two
figures, e.g. SAE 5W-30. The first
figure, followed by a W, indicates the
low temperature viscosity and the
second figure the high temperature viscosity.
Select the appropriate viscosity grade
depending on the minimum ambient
temperature 3 289.
All of the recommended viscosity
grades are suitable for high ambient
temperatures.Coolant and antifreeze
Use only organic acid type-long life
coolant (LLC) antifreeze approved for
the vehicle. Consult a workshop.
The system is factory filled with
coolant designed for excellent
corrosion protection and frost
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. This concentration should be maintained all year round.
The use of additional coolant
additives that intend to give additional
corrosion protection or seal against
minor leaks can cause function
problems. Liability for consequences resulting from the use of additional
coolant additives will be rejected.
Brake and clutch fluid
Only use high-performance brake
fluid approved for the vehicle, consult a workshop.Over time, brake fluid absorbs
moisture which will reduce braking
effectiveness. The brake fluid should
therefore be replaced at the specified interval.
Brake fluid should be stored in a
sealed container to avoid water
absorption.
Ensure brake fluid does not become
contaminated.