towing VAUXHALL ASTRA J 2014 User Guide

Vehicle care221Vehicle careGeneral Information...................221
Vehicle checks ........................... 222
Bulb replacement .......................229
Electrical system ........................249
Vehicle tools .............................. 255
Wheels and tyres .......................257
Jump starting ............................. 274
Towing ....................................... 275
Appearance care .......................277General 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.
■ 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 orreverse gear or set selector lever to P . Prevent the vehicle from rolling.
■ Do not apply the parking brake.

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When assembling press the blind into
the rubber grommets to reach full
retention force.
Vehicle tools
Tools
Vehicles with tyre repair kit
Some tools and the towing eye are
located together with the tyre repair
kit in a tool box in the load
compartment below the floor cover.3-door and 5-door hatchbackSports Tourer and 4-door saloon
On version with rear carrier system
3 64 , the tyre repair kit, a screwdriver
and the towing eye are located in the
drawer under the front passenger
seat 3 62.

256Vehicle care
Vehicles with spare wheelVariant 1a: 3-door and 5-door
hatchback with rigid wheel wrench
The jack, the tools and a strap for
securing a damaged wheel are in the
tool box below the spare wheel in the load compartment. The wheel wrenchand the towing eye are in the tool bag
located in the spare wheel well near
the tool box. Spare wheel 3 269.
Variant 1b: 3-door and 5-door
hatchback with foldable wheel
wrench
Same content as variant 1a, but with
a foldable wheel wrench instead of
the rigid wheel wrench located in the
tool bag.
Variant 2: Sports Tourer
The jack, the tools and the towing eye
are in the tool box below the spare
wheel in the load compartment. The
wheel wrench and an extension bolt
for securing a damaged wheel (only
vehicles with temporary spare wheel)
are in the tool bag located in the spare wheel well near the tool box. Spare
wheel 3 269.

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Variant 3: 4-door saloon
The jack and the tools are in the tool
box below the spare wheel in the load
compartment. The wheel wrench, the towing eye and an extension bolt for
securing a damaged wheel (only
vehicles with temporary spare wheel)
are in the tool bag located in the spare wheel well near the tool box. Spare
wheel 3 269.
Wheels and tyres
Tyre condition, wheel condition
Drive over edges slowly and at right
angles if possible. Driving over sharp
edges can cause tyre and wheel
damage. Do not trap tyres on the kerb when parking.
Regularly check the wheels for
damage. Seek the assistance of a
workshop in the event of damage or
unusual wear.
Winter tyres Winter tyres improve driving safety attemperatures below 7 °C and shouldtherefore be fitted on all wheels.
In accordance with country-specific
regulations, affix the speed sticker in
the driver's field of view.
VXR Version: Tyres of size 235/45
R18 are only permitted as winter
tyres.Tyre designations
E.g. 215/60 R 16 95 H215=Tyre width, mm60=Cross-section ratio (tyre
height to tyre width), %R=Belt type: RadialRF=Type: RunFlat16=Wheel diameter, inches95=Load index e.g. 95 is
equivalent to 690 kgH=Speed code letter
Speed code letter:
Q=up to 100 mphS=up to 112 mphT=up to 118 mphH=up to 130 mphV=up to 150 mphW=up to 168 mph
Tyre pressure
Check the pressure of cold tyres at
least every 14 days and before any
long journey. Do not forget the spare
wheel. This also applies to vehicles
with tyre pressure monitoring system.
Unscrew the valve cap.

270Vehicle care
The spare wheel has always a steel
rim.Caution
The use of a spare wheel that is smaller than the other wheels or in combination with winter tyres
could affect driveability. Have the defective tyre replaced as soon as
possible.
The spare wheel is located in the load
compartment beneath the floor
covering. It is secured with a wing nut.
To remove:
1. Open the floor cover.
2. Only 3-door hatchback: remove rear storage by pressing both
buttons. Fold down cover and
extract storage upwards.
3. The spare wheel is secured with a
wing nut. Untwist nut, remove
conus (only 3-door hatchback) to
take out the spare wheel.
Under the spare wheel there is the box with vehicle tools.
4. When, after a wheel change, no wheel is placed in the spare wheel
well, secure the tool box by
turning right back the wing nut and close floor cover.
Stowing a damaged full size wheel in the load compartment,3-door and 5-door hatchback
The spare wheel well is not designed for other tyre sizes than the spare
wheel. A damaged full size wheel
must be stowed in the load
compartment and secured with a
strap. Vehicle tools 3 255. To secure
the wheel:
1. Position the wheel outside up close to one sidewall of the load
compartment.

Vehicle care271
2. Place the loop end of the strapthrough the front lashing eye on
the appropriate side.
3. Place the hook end of the strap through the loop and pull it until
the strap is fastened securely to
the lashing eye.4. Insert the strap through the spokes of the wheel as shown in
the illustration.
5. Mount the hook to the rear lashing
eye.
6. Tighten the strap and secure it using the buckle.
9 Danger
Always drive with folded up and
engaged rear seat backrests when stowing a damaged full size wheel
in the load compartment.
Stowing a damaged full size
wheel in the spare wheel well,
Sports Tourer and 4-door
saloonVehicles equipped with a full size
spare wheel:
A damaged full size wheel must be
stowed outside up in the spare wheel
well secured with the wing nut.
The floor cover can be placed on the
projecting wheel.

272Vehicle care
Vehicles equipped with a temporary
spare wheel:
Secure a damaged full size wheel
outside up with the wing nut in the
spare wheel well after exchanging the thread bolt by an extension bolt,
placed in the tool bag 3 255. To
replace the bolt:
1. Install the hexagon key of the wheel wrench ensuring that it
locates securely on the bolt.
2. Turn the wheel wrench anticlockwise to loosen the bolt.
Remove the bolt.
3. Take the extension bolt from the tool bag 3 255 and screw it in
hand-tight using the hexagon key
of the wheel wrench.
4. Store the tool box and the damaged wheel outside up in the
spare wheel well and secure it by
turning the wing nut clockwise on
the bolt.
The floor cover can be placed on the
projecting wheel.
Replace the extension bolt with the
short bolt before placing the
temporary spare wheel in the well after renewing or repairing the
defective wheel.
Stowing the spare wheel back in the well after replacing the
damaged wheel
1. Open the floor cover, untwist and remove wing nut.
Only 3-door hatchback: open floor
cover, remove rear storage,
untwist and remove wing nut and
conus.
2. Only Sports tourer and 4-door saloon with temporary spare
wheel: replace the extension bolt
with the short bolt by using the
hexagon key of the wheel wrench.
3. Place the tools in the tool box or the tool bag 3 255.
4. Place spare wheel outside up in the wheel well and secure by
turning the wing nut right back.

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Only 3-door hatchback: position
the excentric conus in the recess
of the spare wheel before turning
the wing nut right back.
5. Close floor cover and insert rear storage (only 3-door hatchback).
9 Warning
Storing a jack, a wheel or other
equipment in the load
compartment could cause injury if they are not fixed properly. During a sudden stop or a collision, loose
equipment could strike someone.
Store jack and tools always in the
respective storage compartments
and secure them by fixing.
Damaged wheel placed in the load
compartment must always be
secured by the strap.
Temporary spare wheel
Caution
The use of a spare wheel that is smaller than the other wheels or in combination with winter tyres
could affect driveability. Have the defective tyre replaced as soon as
possible.
Only mount one temporary spare
wheel. Do not drive faster than
50 mph. Take curves slowly. Do not
use for a long period of time.
If your vehicle gets a flat tyre on the
rear while towing another vehicle,
mount the temporary spare wheel in
the front and the full tyre in the rear.
Tyre chains 3 262.
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 or
repaired as soon as possible.
■ Drive particularly carefully on wet and snow-covered road surfaces.

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Lead connection order:1. Connect the red lead to the positive terminal of the booster
vehicle battery.
2. Connect the other end of the red lead to the positive terminal of the
discharged vehicle battery.
3. Connect the black lead to the negative terminal of the boostervehicle battery.
4. Connect the other end of the black
lead to a vehicle grounding point,
such as the engine block or an
engine mounting bolt. Connect as far away from the discharged
vehicle battery as possible,
however at least 60 cm.
Route the leads so that they cannot
catch on rotating parts in the engine
compartment.
To start the engine: 1. Start the engine of the vehicle providing the jump.2. After 5 minutes, start the otherengine. Start attempts should be
made for no longer than
15 seconds at an interval of
1 minute.
3. Allow both engines to idle for approx. 3 minutes with the leads
connected.
4. Switch on electrical consumers (e.g. headlights, heated rear
window) of the vehicle receiving
the jump start.
5. Reverse above sequence exactly when removing leads.Towing
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 3 255.

276Vehicle care
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.
Seek the assistance of a workshop. After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
Insert cap at the top and engage
downwards.
Towing 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 3 255.