2016.75 VAUXHALL ASTRA J Owner's Manual

Vehicle care255Towing
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 3 236.
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.
Caution
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 50 mph nor further than 60 miles. In all other
cases and when the transmission is
defective, the front axle must be
raised off the ground.
Vehicles with manual transmission
automated: the vehicle must only be
towed facing forwards with the front
axle raised off the ground.
Seek the assistance of a workshop. After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
Insert cap at the top and engage
downwards.

256Vehicle careTowing 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 3 236.
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.
Caution
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.

Vehicle care257Appearance care
Exterior care LocksThe locks are lubricated at the factoryusing 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.
WashingThe 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 wiper and 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.
Clean bright metal mouldings with a
cleaning solution approved for
aluminium to avoid damages.Caution
Always use a cleaning agent with
a pH value of four to nine.
Do not use cleaning agents on hot surfaces.
Do not clean the engine compartmentwith a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
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.
Have the door hinges of all doors
greased by a workshop.
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.

258Vehicle careWindows 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.
Remove dirt residues from smearing
wiper blades by using a soft cloth and window cleaner. Also make sure to
remove any residues such as wax,
insect residues and similar from the
window.
Ice residues, pollution and continuous wiping on dry windows will damage or
even destroy the wiper blades.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.
Towing equipment
Do not clean the coupling ball bar with a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Air shutter
Clean the shutter system in the front
bumper to maintain correct
functionality.
Interior care
Interior and upholstery
Only clean the vehicle interior,
including the instrument panel fascia
and panelling, with a dry cloth or
interior cleaner.

Vehicle care259Clean 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- 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.

260Service and maintenanceService and
maintenanceGeneral information ...................260
Service information ..................260
Recommended fluids, lubricants
and parts .................................... 261
Recommended fluids and lubricants ................................ 261General 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 3 106.
European service intervals Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 20,000 miles or after
one year, whichever occurs first, unless otherwise indicated in theservice display.
A shorter service interval can be valid for severe driving behaviour, e.g. for
taxis and police vehicles.
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,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta,
Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Service display 3 106.
International service intervals Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 10,000 miles or after
one 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 3 106.

Service and maintenance261ConfirmationsConfirmation of service is recorded inthe Service and warranty booklet.
The date and mileage is completed
with the stamp and signature of the servicing workshop.
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 3 106.Recommended fluids,
lubricants and parts
Recommended fluids andlubricants
Only use products that meet the
recommended specifications.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
3 265.
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.
Select the appropriate engine oil
based on its quality and on the
minimum ambient temperature
3 265.

262Service and maintenanceAdditional 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 3 265.
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. Innorthern 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 fluidOver time, brake fluid absorbs
moisture which will reduce braking
effectiveness. The brake fluid should therefore be replaced at the specified
interval.