2014 OPEL ASTRA J tow

274Vehicle care
3. Place the hook end of the strapthrough the loop and pull it until
the strap is fastened securely to
the lashing eye.
4. Insert the strap through the spokes of the wheel as shown in
the illustration.
5. Mount the hook to the rear lashing
eye.
6. Tighten the strap and secure it using the buckle.
9 Danger
Always drive with folded up and
engaged rear seat backrests when stowing a damaged full size wheel
in the load compartment.
Stowing a damaged full size
wheel in the spare wheel well,
Sports Tourer and 4-door
notchback
Vehicles equipped with a full size
spare wheel:A damaged full size wheel must be
stowed outside up in the spare wheel
well secured with the wing nut.
The floor cover can be placed on the
projecting wheel.Vehicles equipped with a temporary
spare wheel:
Secure a damaged full size wheel
outside up with the wing nut in the
spare wheel well after exchanging the thread bolt by an extension bolt,
placed in the tool bag 3 258. To
replace the bolt:

Vehicle care275
1. Install the hexagon key of thewheel wrench ensuring that it
locates securely on the bolt.
2. Turn the wheel wrench anticlockwise to loosen the bolt.
Remove the bolt.
3. Take the extension bolt from the tool bag 3 258 and screw it in
hand-tight using the hexagon key
of the wheel wrench.
4. Store the tool box and the damaged wheel outside up in the
spare wheel well and secure it by
turning the wing nut clockwise on
the bolt.
The floor cover can be placed on the
projecting wheel.
Replace the extension bolt with the
short bolt before placing the
temporary spare wheel in the well after renewing or repairing the
defective wheel.Stowing the spare wheel back in
the well after replacing the
damaged wheel
1. Open the floor cover, untwist and remove wing nut.
Only 3-door hatchback: open floor
cover, remove rear storage,
untwist and remove wing nut and
conus.
2. Only Sports tourer and 4-door notchback with temporary spare
wheel: replace the extension bolt
with the short bolt by using the
hexagon key of the wheel wrench.
3. Place the tools in the tool box or the tool bag 3 258.
4. Place spare wheel outside up in the wheel well and secure by
turning the wing nut right back.
Only 3-door hatchback: position
the excentric conus in the recess
of the spare wheel before turning
the wing nut right back.
5. Close floor cover and insert rear storage (only 3-door hatchback).

276Vehicle care9Warning
Storing a jack, a wheel or other
equipment in the load
compartment could cause injury if they are not fixed properly. During a sudden stop or a collision, looseequipment could strike someone.
Store jack and tools always in the
respective storage compartments
and secure them by fixing.
Damaged wheel placed in the load
compartment must always be
secured by the strap.
Temporary spare wheel
Caution
The use of a spare wheel that is smaller than the other wheels or in combination with winter tyres
could affect driveability. Have the defective tyre replaced as soon as
possible.
Only mount one temporary spare
wheel. Do not drive faster than
80 km/h. Take curves slowly. Do not use for a long period of time.
If your vehicle gets a flat tyre on the
rear while towing another vehicle,
mount the temporary spare wheel in the front and the full tyre in the rear.
Tyre chains 3 265.
Directional tyres Fit directional tyres such that they roll
in the direction of travel. The rolling
direction is indicated by a symbol
(e.g. an arrow) on the sidewall.
The following applies to tyres fitted
opposing the rolling direction:
■ Driveability may be affected. Have the defective tyre renewed or
repaired as soon as possible.
■ Drive particularly carefully on wet and snow-covered road surfaces.Jump starting
Do not start with quick charger.
A vehicle with a discharged vehicle
battery can be started using jump
leads and the vehicle battery of
another vehicle.9 Warning
Be extremely careful when starting
with jump leads. Any deviation
from the following instructions can
lead to injuries or damage caused
by battery explosion or damage to the electrical systems of both
vehicles.
9 Warning
Avoid contact of the battery with
eyes, skin, fabrics and painted
surfaces. The fluid contains
sulphuric acid which can cause
injuries and damage in the event
of direct contact.

278Vehicle care
2. After 5 minutes, start the otherengine. 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.Towing
Towing the vehicle
Insert a screwdriver in the slot at the
lower part 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.
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 for 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.

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.

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-

325
Child restraints.............................. 56
Child restraint systems ................56
Cigarette lighter .........................109
Climate control ............................. 19
Climate control systems .............155
Clock........................................... 107
Code ........................................... 128
Control indicators........................ 113
Control of the vehicle .................164
Controls ...................................... 102
Convex shape .............................. 33
Coolant and antifreeze ...............285
Cruise control ....................121, 183
Cupholders .................................. 62
Curtain airbag system .................. 54
Curve lighting.............................. 145
D Danger, Warnings and Cautions ...4
Daytime running lights ...............145
Declaration of conformity ............321
Diesel fuel system bleeding .......231
Diesel particle filter .............119, 170
Door open .................................. 121
Doors ............................................ 28
Driver assistance systems ..........183
Driver Information Centre ...........121
Driving characteristics and towing tips .............................. 220
Driving hints ................................ 164E
Electric adjustment ......................33
Electrical system......................... 252
Electric parking brake .................117
Electric parking brake fault .........117
Electronic climate control system 158
Electronic driving programmes ..173
Electronic Stability Control.......... 179
Electronic Stability Control and Traction Control system ..........118
Electronic Stability Control off..... 118
End-of-life vehicle recovery .......225
Engine compartment fuse box ...253
Engine coolant ........................... 227
Engine coolant temperature gauge ..................................... 111
Engine data ............................... 292
Engine exhaust .......................... 170
Engine identification ...................288
Engine oil ................... 226, 285, 289
Engine oil pressure ....................119
Entry lighting .............................. 152
Event data recorders ..................321
Exit lighting ................................ 153
Exterior care .............................. 280
Exterior light ............................... 120
Exterior lighting ....................16, 142
Exterior mirrors ............................. 33F
Fault ........................................... 173
First aid ......................................... 97
First aid kit ................................... 97
Fixed air vents ........................... 163
Flex-Fix system ............................ 66
Fog light ..................................... 120
Fog lights ................................... 237
Folding mirrors ............................. 33
Following distance indication ......196
Forward collision alert................. 193
Front airbag system .....................53
Front fog lights ........................... 149
Front seats.................................... 42
Front storage ................................ 63
Front turn signal lights ...............239
Fuel............................................. 213
Fuel consumption - CO 2-
Emissions ............................... 219
Fuel for diesel engines ..............213
Fuel for liquid gas operation .......213
Fuel for petrol engines ...............213
Fuel gauge ................................. 111 Fuel selector .............................. 111
Fuses ......................................... 252
G
Gauges ....................................... 110
General information ...................219