tow OPEL ANTARA 2014 Owner's Manual

Driving and operating135
Towing the vehicle 3 188.
Driving through water
Do not exceed the maximum wading
depth 3 204.
Check the depth of water: choose the
lowest entry and departure angles
before entering. Maintain a steady
engine speed, to help prevent water
from entering the exhaust system, but do not exceed 5 km/h, to avoid
splashing the water.
Drive with the flow wherever possible,
not against it. If you have to drive
against the flow, try to drive at an
angle to it, so that the leading corner
of the vehicle will help deflect water
from the engine compartment. Avoid
splashing the water - if the ignition
system becomes wet, the engine may
stall.
Avoid water entering the air intake
system. If water enters the air intake
system, engine seizure with severe
costly damage may result.
Test the brakes after leaving the
water - wet brakes are less effective
than dry ones. Perform the serviceoperations for wading , involving
checks for water contamination, at
the earliest opportunity.
Service checks after wading
Check for the ingress of water into the following:
■ Brake fluid reservoir
■ Air cleaner element
■ Engine
■ Transmission
■ Axles
■ Interior of vehicle
Renew any lubricating oil or hydraulic
fluid that has a milky appearance,
indicating contamination with water.
Cleaning
Clean the vehicle thoroughly and as
soon as possible after driving off-
road.
Do not let mud remain dry on any part
of the vehicle as it becomes abrasive
and can damage paint, glass, seals,
bearings and brake components. If
left to build up, mud can seriously
affect the airflow through and overmechanical components and cause
localised overheating and failure of
parts, especially in the engine
compartment.
Ensure the radiator core and the area between the radiator and intercooler/
oil cooler (where installed) is cleaned, to maintain proper cooling air flow.
Check the radiator and cooler cores
for blockage (sand, silt etc.).
Check the tyre treads.
Clean and check the mechanical
parts of the vehicle, particularly the following areas:
■ Driveshafts, including sealing bellows
■ Front brake calipers, pads and discs
■ Front suspension
■ Clutch fork sealing bellows
■ Rear brake calipers, pads and discs
■ Rear suspension
■ Fuel tank and underguard
■ Breathers, axles and fuel tank
■ Load sensing valve

136Driving and operating
■ Transfer box and underguard
■ Engine oil pan and underguard
Observe the following: ■ Do not spray high-pressure water directly at the vehicle seals
■ The wheels must be removed to clean all mud and stones from the
brake calipers and to check brake
pad wear
■ The areas on the upper side of the underguards must be cleared of
stones, to prevent damage to the
engine oil pan and the fuel tankBrakes
The brake system comprises two
independent brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can
still be braked using the other brake
circuit. However, braking effect is
achieved only when the brake pedal
is depressed firmly. Considerably
more force is needed for this. The
braking distance is extended. Seek the assistance of a workshop before
continuing your journey.
When the engine is not running, the
support of the brake servo unit
disappears once the brake pedal has been depressed once or twice.
Braking effect is not reduced, but
braking requires significantly greater
force. It is especially important to bear this in mind when being towed.
Control indicator R 3 85.
Antilock brake system
Antilock brake system (ABS)
prevents the wheels from locking.ABS starts to regulate brake pressure as soon as a wheel shows a tendency to lock. The vehicle remains
steerable, even during hard braking.
ABS control is made apparent
through a pulse in the brake pedal
and the noise of the regulation
process.
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depressed throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that
the pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce
the pressure on the pedal.
After starting off, the system performs a self-test which may be audible.
Control indicator u 3 86.
Fault9 Warning
If there is a fault in the ABS, the
wheels may be liable to lock due
to braking that is heavier than
normal. The advantages of ABS are no longer available. During

Driving and operating147Trailer hitch
General information
The coupling ball bar is kept in a bag,
fastened with a strap and is stowed
below the floor cover in the load
compartment.
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.
Control indicator á illuminates in the
instrument cluster when a trailer is
connected to the vehicle 3 91.
Driving characteristics and
towing tips In the case of trailers with brakes,
attach the break-away stopping cable
to the eye - not to the coupling ball
bar.If no eye is available, loop cable
around coupling ball bar. Ensure
cable is crossed under the vertical
coupling socket to ensure the trailer
nose cannot drop to the ground if it
becomes separated from the trailer
hitch. Do not allow the cable to drag
along the ground and always allow
enough slack to permit full turning.
Follow the instructions supplied with
the towing equipment.
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, the use of a
friction-type stabiliser is strongly
recommended.
Do not drive faster than 80 km/h, even in countries where higher speeds are
permitted. When driving uphill, do not drive faster than 30 km/h in 1st gear,
or 50 km/h in 2nd gear.
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 3 207.
Trailer towing Trailer loads
The permissible trailer loads are
vehicle-dependent 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.
When the trailer load is being
checked, therefore, only the trailer
wheels - and not the jockey wheel -
must be standing on the weighing
apparatus.
The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In general, they are valid for gradients
up to max. 12 %.

148Driving and operating
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).
The permissible gross train weight
must not be exceeded. This weight is
specified on the identification plate
3 198.
Vertical coupling load
The vertical coupling load is the load
exerted by the trailer on the coupling
ball. It can be varied by changing the
weight distribution when loading the
trailer.
The maximum permissible vertical
coupling load (80 kg) is specified on
the towing equipment identification
plate and in the vehicle documents.
Always aim for the maximum load,especially in the case of heavy
trailers. The vertical coupling load
should never fall below 25 kg.
When measuring the vertical coupling load, ensure the drawbar of the
loaded trailer is at the same height as
it will be when the trailer is coupled
with the towing vehicle loaded. This is
particularly important for trailers with
tandem axle.
Rear axle load When the trailer is coupled and the
towing vehicle is fully loaded
(including all occupants), the
permissible rear axle load (see
identification plate or vehicle
documents) must not be exceeded.
National regulations regarding
maximum speeds for vehicles towing a trailer must be observed.Towing equipmentCaution
When operating without a trailer,
remove the coupling ball bar.
Towing equipment with
detachable coupling ball bar The coupling ball bar is kept in a bag,
fastened with a strap and is stowed
below the floor cover in the load
compartment.
Fitting the coupling ball bar

Driving and operating149
Remove sealing plug from the hole for
the coupling ball bar and stow it in the load compartment.
Confirm that the colour marking on
the lever is red.
Inserting the coupling ball bar
Insert the coupling ball bar into the
coupling housing and push firmly
downwards until the coupling ball bar
audibly engages. If it does not
engage, repeat fitting procedure.
Do not swing the coupling ball bar to
the left or right, or upwards and
downwards, to avoid disrupting
correct fitting.
Lock coupling ball bar by turning the supplied key in the lock cylinder of the coupling ball bar. Remove key.
Check that the coupling ball bar is
correctly attached:
■ Green marking must be visible on lever.
■ Coupling ball bar must be seated firmly in coupling housing.
Coupling ball bar must be locked and key must be removed.

150Driving and operating9Warning
Towing a trailer is permitted only
when the coupling ball bar is fitted correctly. If the coupling ball bar
cannot be properly attached, seek the assistance of a workshop.
Eye for break-away stopping cable
In the case of trailers with brakes,
attach the break-away stopping cable
to the eye - not to the coupling ball
bar.
Dismounting the coupling ball bar
Unlock coupling ball bar and remove
key. Push lever to the left, towards the
coupling ball bar and turn it
downwards. Pull coupling ball bar out of coupling housing.
Remove any rust or dirt from area
around the coupling housing and
coupling ball bar connection before
inserting sealing plug in the hole.
Place the coupling ball bar in the bag supplied, fasten it with the strap and
stow it below the floor cover in the
load compartment.
Do not use steam-jet cleaners or
other high-pressure cleaners to clean
the coupling ball bar.
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 3 138.

Vehicle care151Vehicle careGeneral Information...................151
Vehicle checks ........................... 152
Bulb replacement .......................160
Electrical system ........................166
Vehicle tools .............................. 173
Wheels and tyres .......................175
Jump starting ............................. 187
Towing ....................................... 188
Appearance care .......................190General 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.
■ 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 move selector lever
to P. Prevent the vehicle from
rolling.
■ Do not apply the electrical parking brake.

174Vehicle care
To remove the jack and vehicle tools,open the tailgate.
Push both levers on the floor cover
towards the handle and pull up the
cover by the handle.
Where present, hang the hook to the
upper part of the tailgate opening.
Remove wing bolt from the jack by
rotating it anticlockwise and remove
the jack and wheel wrench bag.
Remove straps holding the bag
containing the wheel wrench.
Remove wheel wrench from the bag.
Vehicles with tyre repair kit
In vehicles with a tyre repair kit, there may not be a jack and vehicle tool kit.
The tyre repair kit is in a storage
compartment below the floor cover in the load compartment.

184Vehicle care
4. Before positioning the jack, set itto the necessary height by
rotating the eye by hand.
Position jack at the jacking point
located nearest to the wheel concerned so that the jack claw
spans the vertical base. Ensure
the jack is positioned correctly.
The jack base must be on the
ground directly below the jacking
point in a manner that prevents it
from slipping.5. Attach wheel wrench to eye of threaded rod and rotate wrench
clockwise to raise vehicle.
If this is not the case, carefully
lower the vehicle immediately and
reposition the jack. Raise the
vehicle until the wheel is just clear of the ground.
6. Unscrew wheel nuts completely and wipe clean with a cloth.
Do not grease the threads. Put
wheel nuts somewhere where the threads will not be soiled.
7. Change the wheel. Notes on spare wheel 3 185.
8. Screw on the wheel nuts and
tighten slightly by hand by turning
clockwise until wheel is held
against the hub.
9. Rotate wrench anticlockwise and lower vehicle to the ground.
10. Install the wheel wrench ensuring that it locates securely and tighten
each wheel nut in a crosswise
sequence. Tightening torque is
140 Nm.
11. Stow the replaced wheel 3 185
and the vehicle tools 3 173.
12. Check the tyre pressure of the installed tyre as soon as possible.

186Vehicle care
The temporary spare wheel is locatedin the load compartment below the
floor cover and is secured with a
screw-in retainer.
Push both levers on the floor cover
towards the handle and pull up the
cover by the handle. Hang the hook
to the upper part of the tailgate
opening.
Vehicle tools 3 173.
Remove the retainer by rotating it
anticlockwise and remove temporary
spare wheel from the spare wheel
well.
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.
When the temporary spare wheel is
fitted, do not take the vehicle through an automatic vehicle wash with guide
rails. The temporary spare wheel may get caught on the rails, causing
damage to the tyre, wheel and other
vehicle parts.
The use of tyre chains is not permitted on the temporary spare wheel.
Tyre chains 3 179.
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 as soon
as possible and have the wheel
balanced and fitted to the vehicle.■ Do not drive faster than 80 km/h.
■ Drive particularly carefully on wet and snow-covered road surfaces.9 Warning
Storing a jack, a wheel or other
equipment in the load
compartment could cause injury if they are not fixed in place
properly. During a sudden stop or
a collision, loose equipment could
cause personal injury or damage
to the vehicle.
Always store the jack and vehicle
tools in their respective storage
compartments and secure them properly.
Always place the damaged wheel
in the load compartment, secured
in the spare wheel well with the
screw-in retainer.