fuel OPEL COMBO 2010 User Guide

96 Climate control
Picture no: 16489s.tif
Demisting and defrosting the windows
Misted or icy windows, e. g. due to damp
weather, damp clothing or low outside
temperatures:zTurn the temperature switch clockwise as
far as it will go (warm).
zSet fan to 3 or 4.
zSet air distribution switch to V.
zActivate heated rear window Ü.
zOpen side air vents as required and
direct them towards side windows.
zFor simultaneous warming of the foot
well, set air distribution switch to J.
Air conditioning system
3
In addition to the effects of the heating
and ventilation system, the air conditioning
system cools and dehumidified (dries) the
inflowing air.
If no cooling or dehumidification is
required, switch off cooling to save fuel.
Cooling switches off automatically at low
outside temperatures.
9 Warning
Failure to follow the description could
lead to misting or icing of the windows,
which in turn could lead an accident
stemming from lack of visibility.

97
Climate control
Picture no: 13203s.tif
Cooling n
Only operate with the engine and fan
running. Activate and deactivate with
then button.
When cooling (air-conditioning
compressor) is on, the air is cooled and
dried. If no cooling or drying is required,
switch off cooling to save fuel.
Cooling switches off automatically at low
outside temperatures.
When cooling operates, condensation
forms and drips from the underside of the
vehicle.
Picture no: 13202s.tif
Air recirculation system 4
The air recirculation mode of the
ventilation system is activated and
deactivated by pressing the 4 button.
If fumes or unpleasant odours penetrate
from outside: temporarily switch on air
recirculation system 4.
To increase cooling at high outside
temperatures, switch on the air
recirculation system briefly.Air distribution to V: the air recirculation
system is automatically switched off to
speed up window demisting and prevent
fogging.
9 Warning
The air recirculation system minimises
the entry of outside air. The humidity
increases, and the windows can mist up.
The quality of the passenger
compartment air deteriorates which
may cause vehicle occupants to feel
drowsy.

100 Driving and operationDriving and operation
Manual transmission
automated
3
The Easytronic transmission permits
manual (manual mode) or automatic gear
shifting (automatic mode), both with
automatic clutch control.
Picture no: 12478s.tif
Transmission display
Shows the mode and current gear.
If the Winter programme is activated, T is
illuminated. Manual transmission automated3... 100
Manual transmission ........................... 105
Driving hints ......................................... 106
Saving Fuel, Protecting the
Environment ...................................... 108
Fuels, refuelling .................................... 110
Catalytic converter, engine exhaust .. 114
Hydraulic brake system ...................... 118
Anti-lock Braking System (ABSu)3 119
Hand brake .......................................... 120
Brake assist .......................................... 120
Wheels, tyres ........................................ 121
Roof racks 3......................................... 125
Towing equipment 3........................... 126
Caravan/trailer towing ........................ 126

106 Driving and operationDriving hints The first 1000 km
Drive your vehicle at various speeds. Do
not use full throttle. Never allow the engine
to labour at low revs.
Change gear frequently. Do not press the
accelerator pedal more than approx.
3/4 in
all gears.
Do not drive faster than three quarters of
maximum speed.
Do not brake unnecessarily hard for the
first 200 km.
During the first drive, smoke may develop
because of wax and oil evaporating off the
exhaust system. Park the vehicle in the
open for a while after the first drive and
avoid inhaling the fumes.
Fuel and engine oil consumption is higher
than normal during the running-in period.
Never coast with engine not running
Many units will not function in this situation
(e.g. brake servo unit, power steering3).
Driving in this manner is a danger to
yourself and others. Brake servo unit
When the engine is not running, the brake
servo unit is no longer effective once the
brake pedal has been depressed once or
twice. Braking effect is not reduced, but
significantly greater force is required for
braking.
Electric power steering 3
If the power-assisted steering fails when
being towed with the engine switched off –
the vehicle can still be steered, but
considerably more force is required.
Driving in mountainous terrain or with a
trailer/caravan
The cooling fan is electrically operated. Its
cooling power is therefore independent of
the engine speed.
Since a considerable amount of heat is
generated at high engine speeds and less
at slower speeds, do not shift down when
climbing hills whilst the vehicle is still coping
with the gradient in the higher gear.
Diesel engines: On gradients of 10 % or
more, do not drive faster than 30 km/h in
first gear or 50 km/h in second gear. Driving with a roof load
Do not exceed the permissible roof load,
3189. For reasons of safety, distribute the
load evenly and strap it down firmly using
retaining straps so that it cannot slip.
Check the tyre pressure when the vehicle is
loaded. Do not travel faster than 120 km/h.
Check and re-tighten the straps frequently.
Observe country-specific regulations.
Switching off the engine
When you switch off, fans in the engine
compartment may continue running for a
time to cool the engine.
If the engine temperature is very high, e.g.
after driving in mountainous terrain: allow
the engine to idle for approximately two
minutes in order to prevent heat
accumulation.
Vehicles with turbocharged engine

After running at high engine speeds or high
engine loads, operate the engine briefly at
a low load or run in neutral for approx.
30 seconds before switching off in order
to protect the turbocharger.

107
Driving and operation
Save energy – more kilometres
Please observe the running-in hints on the
previous page and the tips for saving
energy on the following pages.
Good, technically correct and economical
driving ensures maximum durability and
performance for your vehicle.
Overrun cut-off
The fuel supply is automatically cut off
during overrun, e.g. when the vehicle is
driven with a gear engaged but no throttle
application. Overrun cut-off is deactivated
if catalytic converter temperature is high.
Vehicles with turbocharged engine

Flow-generated noises may be audible if
the accelerator is released quickly on
account of air flow in the turbocharger.
Engine speed
Drive in a low engine speed range for each
gear as much as possible. Warming up
Allow the engine to warm up while driving.
Do not warm it up by letting it run at idling
speed. Do not apply full throttle until the
engine has reached operating
temperature.
In automatic mode, the manual
transmission automated 3 does not shift to
the higher gears after a cold start until
higher engine speeds are reached. This
allows the catalytic converter to quickly
reach the temperature that is required for
optimum pollutant reduction.
Correct gear selection
Do not race your engine whilst in neutral or
with a low gear selected. Driving too fast in
individual gears as well as stop-and-go
traffic increases engine wear and fuel
consumption.
Change down
When decreasing speed, shift down into
the next lowest gear. Do not slip the clutch
with a high-revving engine. This is
especially important when hill climbing. Cooling fan
The cooling fan is controlled via a
thermoswitch and therefore only runs if
necessary.
The cooling fan automatically switches on
when the diesel particle filter is being
cleaned 3 depending on the engine.
Pedals
Do not place any objects in the foot well
which could slip under the pedals and
inhibit the pedal travel.
To ensure the pedal travel is uninhibited,
there must be no mats in the area of the
pedals.
Battery care
When driving slowly or when the vehicle is
stationary, e.g. in slow urban traffic, stop-
and-go traffic or traffic jams, turn off all
unnecessary electrical loads where
possible (e.g. heated rear window, heated
front seats, etc.).
Declutch when starting in order to relieve
the strain on the starter and the battery.

108 Driving and operationSaving Fuel, Protecting the
Environment Trend-setting technology
Environmentally friendly and mainly
recyclable materials were used when your
vehicle was being developed and
manufactured. The production methods
used to make your vehicle are also
environmentally-compatible.
Recycling of production wastes keeps the
circulation of material closed. Reduction of
energy and water requirements also helps
to conserve natural resources.
A highly advanced design means that your
vehicle can be easily disassembled at the
end of its working life, and the individual
materials separated for subsequent re-use.
Materials such as asbestos and cadmium
are not used. The refrigerant in the air
conditioning system 3 is CFC-free.
New painting techniques employ water as
a solvent. End-of-life vehicle recovery
Information on end-of-life vehicle recovery
centres and the recycling of end-of-life
vehicles is available at www.opel.com.
Energy and environment-conscious
driving
zHigh noise levels and exhaust emissions
are often a result of driving without due
attention to saving energy and
protecting the environment.
zYou should therefore drive with energy in
mind: "more kilometres – less fuel".
Reduce the noise level and exhaust
emissions by adopting an environment-
conscious driving style. This is extremely
worthwhile and improves the quality of
life.
Fuel consumption depends to a great
extent on your own personal driving
style. The following hints are intended to
help you consume fuel at a rate that is as
close as possible to the specified levels
3186.
Check your vehicle’s fuel consumption
every time you refuel. This facilitates
early detection of any irregularities
causing increased fuel consumption. Warming up
zFull throttle and warming up at idle
speed increase wear, fuel consumption,
exhaust emission, the amount of
pollutant in the exhaust and the amount
of noise.
zDrive off immediately after starting.
Warm up the engine by running it at
moderate engine speeds.
Uniform speed
zHectic driving significantly increases fuel
consumption, the exhaust emissions, the
proportion of pollutant in the exhaust
gas and the noise level.
zDo not accelerate and brake
unnecessarily. Drive at uniform speed,
watching the road.
Avoid frequent starting off and stopping
e.g. at traffic lights, in short distance
traffic and in queues of traffic by means
of clever planning. Select roads with
good traffic flow.
Idling
zThe engine also consumes fuel when
idling.
zIf you have to wait for more than one
minute, it is worthwhile switching off the
engine. Five minutes of idling
corresponds to approximately one
kilometre of driving.

109
Driving and operation
Overrun
zThe fuel supply is automatically shut off
during overrun, e.g. when the vehicle is
being driven down long gradients or
when braking 3107.
zTo enable the overrun cut-off to come
into action and save fuel, do not
accelerate or declutch during overrun.
Correct gear selection
zHigh revs increase engine wear and fuel
consumption.
zDo not race your engine. Avoid driving at
high engine speeds.
Making use of the tachometer helps to
save fuel. Drive in a low engine speed
range for each gear as much as possible
with uniform engine speeds. Drive as
often as possible in top gear, select the
next higher gear as soon as possible,
and only change down when the engine
is no longer running perfectly smoothly.
High speed
zThe higher the speed, the higher the
consumption and the noise level. At top
speed, you consume a great deal of fuel
and produce excessive noise and
exhaust emissions. zSlightly releasing the accelerator pedal
results in distinct fuel savings with no
major loss of speed.
Drive at no more than around three
quarters of maximum speed and you will
use up to 50 % less fuel, without losing a
great deal of time.
Tyre pressure
zInadequate tyre pressure, leading to
higher road resistance, costs money in
two ways: for more fuel and increased
tyre wear.
zRegular checks (every 14 days) pay off.
Electrical loads
zThe power consumption of electrical
equipment increases fuel consumption.
zSwitch off all auxiliary electrical loads
(e.g. air conditioning3, heated rear
window) when not needed.
Roof racks
zDue to air resistance, a roof load can
increase fuel consumption by approx.
1 l/100 km.
zRemove them if they are not being used. Repair and maintenance
zImproper repairs or adjustment and
maintenance work can increase fuel
consumption. Do not carry out work on
the engine yourself.
You may out of ignorance infringe
environmental laws by not disposing of
materials properly.
Appropriate parts might not be recycled.
Contact with some of the materials
involved may pose a health hazard.
zWe recommend that repair and
maintenance be entrusted to your Opel
Partner.
Extreme driving conditions
zGoing up steep slopes, cornering, driving
on poor roads and winter driving all
increase fuel consumption.
Fuel consumption increases dramatically
in urban traffic and at winter
temperatures, especially on short trips
when the engine operating temperature
is not reached.
zFollowing the instructions given above
will minimise consumption under these
conditions.

110 Driving and operationFuels, refuellingFuel consumption
Fuel consumption is determined under
specific driving conditions 3186.
Special equipment increases the weight of
the vehicle. As a result, they can increase
fuel consumption and reduce the specified
maximum speed.
There is increased friction between engine
and transmission parts during the first
1000 kilometres. This increases fuel
consumption. Fuel for petrol engines
Only use unleaded fuel that complies with
DIN EN 228.
Fuels with ethanol content greater than 5 %
may only be used if the vehicle has been
specifically developed and approved for
these fuels.
Use fuel with the recommended octane
rating (value in bold 3184). Use of fuel
with too low an octane rating can reduce
engine power and torque and slightly
increases fuel consumption. Fuel for diesel engines
Only use diesel fuel that complies with
DIN EN 590. The fuel must have low
sulphur content (max. 50 ppm).
Do not use marine diesel oils, heating oils
or entirely or partially plant-based diesel
fuels, such as rape seed oil or bio diesel,
Aquazole and similar diesel-water
emulsions. Diesel fuels must not be diluted
with fuels for petrol engines.
The flow and filterability of diesel fuel are
temperature-dependent. When
temperatures are low, refuel with diesel fuel
with guaranteed winter properties.
Fuel for natural gas operation
Use natural gas with a methane content of
approx. 78-99 %. L-gas (low) has approx.
78-87 % and H-gas (high) has approx.
87-99 %. Biogas with the same methane
content can also be used if it has been
chemically prepared and desulphurised.
Liquid gas or LPG must not be used. Caution
Use of fuel with too low an octane rating
could lead to uncontrolled combustion
and engine damage.

111
Driving and operation
Picture no: 15829t.tif
Fuel filler cap
Only a Opel Genuine fuel filler cap provides
full functionality. Diesel-engined vehicles
have special fuel filler caps.
Refuelling Fuel filler neck at right rear side of vehicle.
Picture no: 11628s.tif
With the central locking system3, the tank
flap is unlocked together with the doors3
324.
Open the tank flap. To prevent damage,
the right-hand sliding door cannot be fully
opened if the tank flap is open.
Unlock the fuel filler cap with the ignition
key 3, unscrew and suspend from tank
flap.
The fuel tank has a limiting system which
prevents overfilling of the tank.
6
9 Warning
Before refuelling, switch off engine and
any external heaters with combustion
chambers 3 (identified by sticker on
tank flap). Switch off any mobile
phones.
Follow the operating and safety
instructions of the filling station when
refueling.
9 Warning
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 rectified immediately
by a workshop.

112 Driving and operationCorrect filling depends to a large extent on
proper operation of the fuel dispensing
pump:
1. Fully insert the pump nozzle and switch it
on.
2. After the automatic cut-off, the nominal
capacity of the fuel tank can be
obtained by topping up with two doses
of fuel. Make sure the nozzle is fully
inserted.
To close, place fuel filler cap in position and
turn, overcoming the resistance until the
ratchet on the cap engages audibly. Lock
the fuel filler cap with the ignition key 3.
Close fuel tank cover. Refuelling, natural gas 3
The fuel tank filler neck for natural gas and
petrol is located on the right rear side of the
vehicle.
Picture no: 12292t.tif
Remove the cap from the natural gas filler
neck.
The tank action must be fully completed,
e.g. bleeding the filler neck.
After refuelling, refit the cap. Caution
Wipe off any overflowing fuel
immediately.
9 Warning
Care must be taken when handling
natural gas!
Before refuelling, be sure to switch off
the engine and any auxiliary heater with
combustion chamber.
Natural gas is flammable and explosive.
Therefore, avoid naked flames and
sparks when handling or in the vicinity of
natural gas. Do not smoke! This also
applies where natural gas can only be
detected by its characteristic smell.
If there is a smell of natural gas in the
vehicle, have cause established
immediately by a workshop that is
authorised to maintain natural gas
vehicles and have the problem
remedied.
9 Warning
When refuelling vehicles with natural
gas, be sure to follow the operational
and safety regulations of the filling
station.
The gas tank must only be replenished
at filling stations that refuel with
temperature compensation with a
maximum output pressure of 250 bar.