
OPEL Karl Owner Manual (GMK-Localizing-EU RHD-9231168) - 2016 - crc -
5/7/15
18 In Brief
Starting the Engine
Check before starting off
.Tyre pressure and condition0
Tyre Pressure 0175.
. Engine oil level and fluid levels
0Engine Oil 0158.
. All windows, mirrors, exterior
lighting and number plates are
free from dirt, snow and ice and
are operational.
. Proper position of mirrors, seats,
and seat belts
0Convex
Mirrors 027, Seat Position 033,
Three-Point Seat belt 037.
. Brake function at low speed,
particularly if the brakes are wet.
Starting the engine
.
Turn key to position 1.
. Move the steering wheel slightly
to release the steering
wheel lock.
. Operate clutch and brake.
. Automatic transmission in P
or N.
. Do not operate accelerator
pedal.
. Turn key to position 3 and
release Starting the engine.
0
Starting the Engine 0136.
Stop-start system
If the vehicle is at a low speed or at
a standstill and certain conditions
are fulfilled, activate an Autostop as
follows:
.
depress the clutch pedal
. set the lever in neutral
. release the clutch pedal
An Autostop is indicated by the
needle at the AUTOSTOP position
in the tachometer.
To restart the engine, depress the
clutch pedal again.

OPEL Karl Owner Manual (GMK-Localizing-EU RHD-9231168) - 2016 - crc -
5/7/15
68 Instruments and Controls
Control indicators in the centreEngine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
Displays the coolant temperature.
Left area: Engine operating
temperature not yet reached
Central area: Normal operating
temperature
Right area: Temperature too high
Caution
If engine coolant temperature is
too high, stop vehicle, switch off
engine. Danger to engine. Check
coolant level.
Service Display
The engine oil life system lets you
know when to change the engine oil
and filter. Based on driving
conditions, the interval at which an
engine oil and filter change will be
indicated can vary considerably.

OPEL Karl Owner Manual (GMK-Localizing-EU RHD-9231168) - 2016 - crc -
5/7/15
Instruments and Controls 73
If the light does not go out, you
should switch the engine off and
consult a workshop as soon as
possible. We recommend that you
consult your authorised workshop.
Tyre Pressure Monitoring
System Light
7
illuminates or flashes yellow.
Illuminates
Tyre pressure loss. Stop
immediately and check tyre
pressure.
Flashes
Fault in system or tyre without
pressure sensor mounted (e.g.
spare wheel). After 60-90 seconds
the control indicator illuminates
continuously. Consult a workshop.
Tyre pressure monitoring system
0
Tyre Pressure 0175.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
:
illuminates red. Illuminates when the ignition is
switched on and extinguishes
shortly after the engine starts.
Illuminates when the engine is
running
Caution
Engine lubrication may be
interrupted. This may result in
damage to the engine and/or
locking of the drive wheels.
If the engine oil pressure warning
light comes on while driving, Pull off
the road, stop the engine and check
the oil level. 1. Depress clutch.
2. Select neutral gear, set selector lever to N.
3. Move out of the flow of traffic as quickly as possible without
impeding other vehicles.
4. Switch off ignition.
{Warning
When the engine is off,
considerably more force is
needed to brake and steer.
Autostop the brake servo unit will
still be operational.
Do not remove key until vehicle is
stationary, otherwise the steering
wheel lock could engage
unexpectedly.
Check oil level before seeking
assistance of a workshop
0Engine
Oil 0158.
Low Fuel Warning Light
.
illuminates or flashes yellow.
Illuminates
Level in fuel tank is too low.
Flashes
Fuel used up. Refuel immediately.
Never run the tank dry.
Catalytic converter
0Catalytic
Converter 0140.

OPEL Karl Owner Manual (GMK-Localizing-EU RHD-9231168) - 2016 - crc -
5/7/15
136 Driving and Operating
Starting the Engine
Manual gearbox: Operate clutch
Automatic transmission : Operate
brake and move the selector lever
to P or N
Do not operate accelerator pedal.
Turn the key briefly to position 3 and
release : An automatic procedure
operates the starter with a short
delay as long as the engine is
running, see Automatic Starter
Control.
Before restarting or to switch off the
engine, turn the key back to
position 0.During an Autostop, the engine can
be started by depressing the clutch
pedal.
Starting the vehicle at low
temperatures
The start of the engine without
additional heaters is possible down
to -25 °C for diesel engines and
-30 °C for petrol engines.
Diesel engines The start of the
engine without additional heaters is
possible down to -25 °C.
Petrol engines The start of the
engine without additional heaters is
possible down to -30 °C.
Required is an engine oil with the
correct viscosity, the correct fuel,
performed services and a
sufficiently charged vehicle battery.
With temperatures below -30 °C, the
automatic transmission requires a
warming phase of approx.
5 minutes.
The selector lever must be in
position P.
Automatic starter control
This function controls the engine
starting procedure. The driver does
not need to hold the key in
position 3.
Once applied, the system will go on
starting automatically until the
engine is running. Because of the
checking procedure, the engine
starts running after a short delay.
Possible reasons for a non-starting
engine:
.
clutch pedal not operated
(manual gearbox)
. time out occurred
Overrun cut-off
The fuel supply is automatically
cut-off during overrun, i.e. when the
vehicle is driven with a gear
engaged but accelerator is released.

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Vehicle Care 155
Vehicle Care
General Information
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Vehicle Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
End-of-Life Vehicle Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 162
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Headlamps and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Front Indicator Lamps . . . . . . . . 165
Taillights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Side Indicator Lamps . . . . . . . . . 167 Centre High-Mounted Brake
lamp (CHMBL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Number Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 168
Interior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Instrument Panel Illumination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Electrical System
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Vehicle Tools
Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Wheels and Tyres
Wheels and Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Winter Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Tyre Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Tyre Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Tyre Pressure MonitorSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Tread Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Wheel Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Tyre Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Tyre Repair Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Tyre Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Compact Spare Tyre . . . . . . . . . 186
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

OPEL Karl Owner Manual (GMK-Localizing-EU RHD-9231168) - 2016 - crc -
5/7/15
156 Vehicle Care
General Information
Accessories and
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 or
reverse gear. Prevent the
vehicle from rolling.
. Do not apply the parking brake. .
Open the bonnet, close all doors
and 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.

OPEL Karl Owner Manual (GMK-Localizing-EU RHD-9231168) - 2016 - crc -
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158 Vehicle Care
Push the safety catch 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 allow it to 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
0Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0195. 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.When the engine oil level has
dropped to the MIN mark, top up
engine oil.

OPEL Karl Owner Manual (GMK-Localizing-EU RHD-9231168) - 2016 - crc -
5/7/15
192 Vehicle Care
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,
make sure the heating element
inside is not damaged.
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
with a 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.
Interior Care
Interior and upholstery
Only 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.