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Driving and operating213Refuelling9Danger
Before refuelling, switch off engine
and any external heaters with
combustion chambers. Switch off
any mobile phones.
Follow the operating and safety
instructions of the filling station
when refuelling.
9 Danger
Fuel is flammable and explosive.
No smoking. No naked flames or
sparks.
If you can smell fuel in your
vehicle, have the cause of this
remedied immediately by a
workshop.
Caution
In case of misfuelling, do not
switch on ignition.
Fuel filler flap is located at right rear
side of the vehicle.
The fuel filler flap can only be opened
if the vehicle is unlocked. Release the
fuel filler flap by pushing the flap.
To open, turn the cap slowly to the left.
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216Driving and operating
EURO adapter: Spain
DISH (Italy) adapter: Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Denmark,
Estonia, France, Greece, Italy,
Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania,
Macedonia, Austria, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Sweden,
Switzerland, Serbia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Czech Republic, Turkey,
Ukraine, Hungary
Fuel filler cap
Only use genuine fuel filler caps. Diesel-engined vehicles have special fuel filler caps.
Fuel consumption - CO 2-
Emissions
The fuel consumption (combined) of
the model Opel Astra is within a range
of 8.1 to 3.7 l/100 km.
The CO 2 emission (combined) is
within a range of 189 to 97 g/km.
For the values specific to your
vehicle, refer to the EEC Certificate of
Conformity provided with your vehicle or other national registration
documents.General information
The official fuel consumption and
specific CO 2 emission figures quoted
relate to the EU base model with
standard equipment.
Fuel consumption data and CO 2
emission data are determined
according to regulation
R (EC) No. 715/2007 (in the latest
applicable version), taking into
consideration the vehicle weight in
running order, as specified by the
regulation.
The figures are provided only for the
purpose of comparison between
different vehicle variants and must
not be taken as a guarantee for the
actual fuel consumption of a
particular vehicle. Additional
equipment may result in slightly
higher results than the stated
consumption and CO 2 figures.
Furthermore, fuel consumption is dependent on personal driving style
as well as road and traffic conditions.
Page 219 of 343

Driving and operating217Trailer hitch
General information
Only use towing equipment that has
been approved for your vehicle.
Entrust retrofitting of towing
equipment to a workshop. It may be
necessary to make changes that
affect the cooling system, heat
shields or other equipment.
The bulb outage detection function for trailer brake light cannot detect a
partial bulb outage, e.g. in case of 4 x
5 Watt bulbs, the function only detects
lamp outage when only a single
5 Watt lamp remains or none remain.
Fitting of towing equipment could
cover the opening of the towing eye.
If this is the case use the coupling ball bar for towing. Always keep the
coupling ball bar in the vehicle.Driving characteristics and
towing tips Before attaching a trailer, lubricate
the coupling ball. However, do not do
so if a stabiliser, which acts on the
coupling ball, is being used to reduce snaking movements.
For trailers with low driving stability
and caravan trailers with a permitted
gross vehicle weight of more than
1300 kg (Sports tourer: 1200 kg) the use of a stabiliser is strongly
recommended when driving above
80 km/h.
If the trailer starts snaking, drive more
slowly, do not attempt to correct the
steering and brake sharply if
necessary.
When driving downhill, drive in the
same gear as if driving uphill and
drive at a similar speed.
Adjust tyre pressure to the value
specified for full load 3 309.Trailer towing
Trailer loads
The permissible trailer loads are
vehicle and engine-dependent
maximum values which must not be exceeded. The actual trailer load is
the difference between the actual
gross weight of the trailer and the
actual coupling socket load with the
trailer coupled.
The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In general, they are valid for gradients
up to max. 12 %.
The permitted trailer load applies up to the specified incline and up to an
altitude of 1000 metres above sea
level. Since engine power decreases
as altitude increases due to the air
becoming thinner, therefore reducing
climbing ability, the permissible gross
train weight also decreases by 10 %
for every 1000 metres of additional
altitude. The gross train weight does
not have to be reduced when driving
on roads with slight inclines (less than
8 %, e.g. motorways).
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Driving and operating221
■The coupling ball bar must be firmly
engaged in the opening.
■ The coupling ball bar must be locked and the key removed.9 Warning
Towing a trailer is permitted only
when a coupling ball bar is fitted correctly. If the coupling ball bardoes not engage correctly, seekthe assistance of a workshop.
Dismounting the coupling ball
bar
Open the protective flap and turn the
key to position c to unlock the
coupling ball bar.
Pull out rotary handle and turn
clockwise as far as it will go. Pull out coupling ball bar downwards.
Insert sealing plug in opening. Fold away socket.
All versions except 3-door hatchback:
Attach the rear side of the cover into
the recess of the bumper and fold the
front side upward.
Press fastenings outward.
Trailer stability assist
If the system detects snaking
movements, engine power is reduced and the vehicle/trailer combination is
selectively braked until the snaking ceases. While system is working keep
steering wheel as still as possible.
Trailer stability assist (TSA) is a
function of the Electronic Stability
Control 3 175.
Page 224 of 343

222Vehicle careVehicle careGeneral Information...................222
Vehicle checks ........................... 223
Bulb replacement .......................230
Electrical system ........................250
Vehicle tools .............................. 256
Wheels and tyres .......................258
Jump starting ............................. 276
Towing ....................................... 278
Appearance care .......................280General 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.
■ Fill up fuel tank completely.
■ 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 set selector lever to P . Prevent the vehicle from rolling.
■ Do not apply the parking brake.
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Vehicle care223
■ 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 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 226 of 343
224Vehicle care9Danger
The ignition system and Xenon
headlights use extremely high
voltage. Do not touch.
Bonnet
Opening
Pull the release lever and return it to
its original position.
Move the safety catch sideways to the left vehicle side and open the bonnet.
Secure the bonnet support.
If the bonnet is opened during an
Autostop, the engine will be restarted automatically for safety reasons.
Closing Before closing the bonnet, press the
support into the holder.
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
3 285.
Check with the vehicle on a level
surface. The engine must be at
operating temperature and switched
off for at least 5 minutes.
Page 227 of 343
Vehicle care225
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.
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
last 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 3 308.
Fit the cap on straight and tighten it.
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.