OPEL AMPERA E 2017.5 Manual user
Manufacturer: OPEL, Model Year: 2017.5, Model line: AMPERA E, Model: OPEL AMPERA E 2017.5Pages: 265, PDF Size: 6.24 MB
Page 211 of 265

Driving and operating209● IEC 62196-2
● IEC 62196-3
● ISO 15118
Ensure that all local electrical code/ standards are being met for a
10 ampere continuous load. Always
follow the charging equipment
installation instructions. Contact a
workshop for more information.9 Warning
If the capacity of the electrical
circuit or AC socket is not known,
only use the lowest charge level
until the circuit capacity has been
inspected by a qualified
electrician. Using a charge level
that exceeds either the electrical
circuit or the AC outlet capacity
may start a fire or damage the
electrical circuit.
Towing
General information
The vehicle is neither designed nor
intended to tow a trailer or another vehicle.
Page 212 of 265

210Vehicle careVehicle careGeneral Information...................210
Accessories and vehicle modifications .......................... 210
Lifting the vehicle .....................211
Vehicle storage ........................211
Vehicle checks ........................... 213
Performing work ......................213
Bonnet ..................................... 213
Cooling system ........................214
Washer fluid ............................ 216
Brakes ..................................... 216
Brake fluid ............................... 217
Vehicle battery ......................... 217
Wiper blade replacement ........219
Headlight aiming ......................219
Bulb replacement .......................220
Halogen bulbs ......................... 220
Xenon headlights .....................220
Front turn signal lights .............220
Tail lights ................................. 221
Side turn signal lights ..............221
Number plate light ...................221
Electrical system ........................222
High voltage devices and wiring ...................................... 222Electrical system overload .......222
Fuses ....................................... 223
Engine compartment fuse box . 224
Instrument panel fuse box .......227
Vehicle tools .............................. 230
Tools ........................................ 230
Wheels and tyres .......................230
Tyres ....................................... 230
Winter tyres ............................. 231
Tyre designations ....................231
Tyre pressure .......................... 231
Tyre pressure monitoring system .................................... 233
Tread depth ............................. 235
Changing tyre and wheel size . 235
Wheel covers ........................... 236
Tyre chains .............................. 236
Jump starting ............................. 237
Towing ....................................... 239
Towing the vehicle ...................239
Towing another vehicle ...........240
Appearance care .......................240
Exterior care ............................ 240
Interior care ............................. 242General 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.
Any modification, conversion or other changes made to standard vehicle
specifications (including, without
limitation, software modifications,
modifications of the electronic control
units) may invalidate the warranty
offered by Opel. Furthermore, such
changes may affect driver assistance systems and cause the vehicle to no
longer conform to the operating
permit, impacting the validity of your
vehicle registration.
Page 213 of 265

Vehicle care211Caution
When transporting the vehicle on
a train or on a recovery vehicle, the
mud flaps might be damaged.
Lifting the vehicle
9 Warning
Lifting the vehicle improperly can
cause serious injuries and
damage to the vehicle.
The vehicle should be lifted only by well-trained staff at an
authorised workshop.
Jacking position for lifting platform
Rear arm position of the lifting
platform at the underbody.
Front arm position of the lifting
platform at the underbody.
Ramps may be needed under the
front tyres to provide the necessary
clearance for certain lifting platforms
in this location.
Vehicle storage Storage for a long period of timeIf 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.
● 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 P.
Prevent the vehicle from rolling.
Page 214 of 265

212Vehicle care● Do not apply the parking brake.
● Open the bonnet, close all doors and lock the vehicle.Up to four weeks
Plug in the charge cord.Four weeks to 12 months ● Discharge the high voltage battery until two or three bars
remain on the battery range
indicator (battery symbol) on the
instrument cluster.
● Do not plug in the charge cord
● Always store the vehicle in a place with temperatures between−10 °C and 30 °C.
● Vehicle storage at extreme temperatures may cause
damage to the high voltage
battery.
● Remove the black negative (−) cable from the 12-volt vehicle
battery and attach a trickle
charger to the vehicle battery
terminals or keep the 12-volt vehicle battery cables connected
and trickle charge from thepositive (+) and negative (−)
terminals in the engine
compartment.Caution
The vehicle is equipped with an
AGM 12-volt battery, which can be damaged by using the incorrect
type of trickle charger.
An AGM compatible charger must be used, with the appropriate
setting selected.
Follow the trickle charger
manufacturer instructions.
After the vehicle battery cable is
reconnected, it is possible that the
vehicle may not operate. If this
happens, the high voltage battery
may need to be charged.
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 coolant level.
● Fit the number plate if necessary.
Page 215 of 265

Vehicle care213Vehicle checks
Performing work9 Danger
Never try to perform maintenance
work on high voltage battery
components yourself. You may be
injured and the vehicle may be
damaged. Service and repair of
these high voltage battery
components should only be
performed by a trained service
technician with proper knowledge
and tools. Exposure to high
voltage may cause shock, burns,
and even death. The high voltage
components in the vehicle can
only be serviced by technicians
with special training.
High voltage components are
identified by labels. Do not
remove, open, take apart, or
modify these components. High
voltage cable or wiring has orange covering. Do not probe, tamper
with, cut, or modify high voltage
cable or wiring.9 Warning
Only perform engine compartment
checks when the vehicle is off.
The cooling fan may start
operating even if the vehicle is off.
Caution
Even small amounts of contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids, reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Bonnet
Opening
1. Pull the release lever and return it
to its original position.
Page 216 of 265

214Vehicle care
2.Move the safety catch sideways to
the left vehicle side and open the
bonnet.
3. Release the bonnet support from its retainer above the radiator
support and place it securely into
the slotted retainer in the bonnet.
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.
Cooling system
The vehicle has three different
cooling systems.
Regularly check the coolant level of
the respective cooling systems and
have the cause of a possible coolant
loss remedied by a workshop.
Caution
Make sure that you never run the
vehicle with insufficient coolant.
Too low a coolant level can cause damage to the vehicle.
Heater cooling system
The coolant reservoir is located in the engine compartment.
The coolant provides freeze
protection down to approx. -28 °C.
Page 217 of 265

Vehicle care215Caution
Only use approved antifreeze.
If the engine cooling system is cold,
the coolant level should be above the
filling line mark. Top up if the level is
low.
9 Warning
Allow the engine to cool before
opening the cap. Carefully open
the cap, relieving the pressure
slowly.
To top up use a 1:1 mixture of
approved coolant concentrate mixed
with tap water. Install the cap tightly.
High voltage battery cooling
system9 Danger
The high voltage battery coolant
may only be serviced by a
qualified technician.
Improper handling could cause serious injuries or death.
The high voltage battery coolantreservoir is located on the front side
of the engine compartment.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the high voltage battery coolant reservoir.
If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is below the cold fill line, there
could be a leak within the cooling
system.
If the coolant level is too low, seek the assistance of a workshop.
Power electronics and charger
modules cooling system9 Danger
The power electronics and
charger modules coolant may only be serviced by a qualified
technician.
Improper handling could cause serious injuries or death.
The power electronics and charger
modules are cooled using the same coolant loop.
The power electronics and charger
modules coolant reservoir is located
on the front side of the engine
compartment.
Page 218 of 265

216Vehicle care
Check to see if coolant is visible in thepower electronics and charger
modules coolant reservoir. If coolant
is visible but the coolant level is below
the cold fill line, there could be a leak
in the cooling system.
If the coolant level is too low, seek the assistance of a workshop.
Washer fluid
Fill with clean water mixed with a
suitable quantity of approved
windscreen washer fluid which
contains antifreeze.
When adding windscreen washer
fluid to the vehicle, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use.
Caution
Only washer fluid with a sufficient
antifreeze concentration provides
protection at low temperatures or
a sudden drop in temperature.
● When using concentrated washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer's instructions for
adding water.
● Do not mix water with ready-to- use washer fluid. Water can
cause the solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid tank
and other parts of the washer
system.
● Fill the washer fluid tank only three quarters full when it is verycold. This allows for fluid
expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank if it
is completely full.
● Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in the windscreen
washer. It can damage the
windscreen washer system and
paint.
Washer fluid 3 244.
Brakes In the event of minimum thickness ofthe brake lining, a squealing noise
sounds during braking.
Page 219 of 265

Vehicle care217Continued driving is possible but
have the brake lining replaced as
soon as possible.
Once new brake linings are installed,
do not brake unnecessarily hard for
the first few journeys.
Brake fluid9 Warning
Brake fluid is poisonous and
corrosive. Avoid contact with eyes,
skin, fabrics and painted surfaces.
When the vehicle has not been
running for at least 1 minute, the
maximum fluid level is at the top of the reservoir body. When the vehicle is
running, the brake fluid level must be
between the MIN and MAX marks.
If fluid level is below MIN seek the
assistance of a workshop.
After work is done on the brake
hydraulic system, make sure the oil
level is in the proper operating range
between the MIN and MAX marks when the vehicle is running. Only use
high-performance brake fluid
approved for the vehicle. Consult a
workshop.
Brake fluid 3 244.
Vehicle battery9 Danger
Only a trained service technician
with the proper knowledge and
tools may inspect, test or replace
the high voltage battery.
Seek the assistance of a
workshop if the high voltage
battery needs service.
This vehicle has a high voltage
battery and a standard 12-volt vehicle battery.
If the vehicle is involved in a crash, the
sensing system may shut down the
high voltage system. If this occurs,
the high voltage battery will be
disconnected and the vehicle will not start.
A service message will be displayed
in the Driver Information Centre.
Before the vehicle can be operated
again, it must be serviced at a
workshop.
Airbag system 3 46.
A vehicle cover, which can reduce
sun loading on the vehicle and
improve high voltage battery life, is
available from your Opel Ampera-e
Service Partner.
The Opel Ampera-e authorised
repairer has information on how to
recycle the high voltage battery.
Page 220 of 265

218Vehicle careKeep the vehicle plugged in, even
when fully charged, to keep the high
voltage battery temperature ready for the next drive. This is important when
outside temperatures are extremely
hot or cold.
Refer to the replacement number
shown on the original vehicle battery
label if a new 12-volt vehicle battery
is required. The vehicle has an
Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) 12-volt
vehicle battery.
Installation of a standard 12-volt vehicle battery will result in reduced
12-volt battery life. When using a 12-
volt battery charger on the 12-volt
AGM battery, note that some
chargers have an AGM battery
setting on the charger. If available, use the AGM setting on the charger,
to limit charge voltage to 14.8 volts.
Follow the charger manufacturer's
instructions.Batteries do not belong in household
waste. They must be disposed of at
an appropriate recycling collection
point.
There are connecting points for jump
starting in the engine compartment.
Jump starting 3 237.
Remove the 12-volt vehicle battery
black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle battery to prevent the 12-volt
battery from running down, or use a
battery trickle charger.
Ensure the vehicle is switched off
before connecting or disconnecting
the vehicle battery.
Vehicle storage 3 211.
Battery discharge protection 3 105.Warning label
Meaning of symbols:
● No sparks, naked flames or smoking.
● Always shield eyes. Explosive gases can cause blindness or
injury.
● Keep the vehicle battery out of reach of children.
● The vehicle battery contains sulphuric acid which could cause
blindness or serious burn
injuries.