towing VAUXHALL ASTRA J 2015 Owner's Manual

144Lighting
Light switch in position AUTO:
switching on front fog lights will switch headlights on automatically.
Rear fog lights
Operated with the r button.
Light switch in position AUTO:
switching on rear fog light will switch
headlights on automatically.
Light switch in position 8: rear fog
light can only be switched on with
front fog lights.
The vehicle rear fog light is
deactivated when towing.
Parking lights
When the vehicle is parked, the
parking lights on one side can be
activated:
1. Switch off ignition.
2. Move turn signal lever all the way up (right parking lights) or down
(left parking lights).
Confirmed by a signal and the
corresponding turn signal control
indicator.
Reversing lights
The reversing light comes on when
the ignition is on and reverse gear is
selected.
Misted light covers The inside of the light housing may
mist up briefly in poor, wet and cold weather conditions, in heavy rain or
after washing. The mist disappears
quickly by itself; to help switch on the
headlights.

166Driving and operating
Cleaning takes place quickest at high
engine speeds and loads.
The control indicator % extinguishes
as soon as the self-cleaning
operation is complete.
Catalytic converter
The catalytic converter reduces the
amount of harmful substances in the
exhaust gases.Caution
Fuel grades other than those listed on pages 3 209, 3 291 could
damage the catalytic converter or
electronic components.
Unburnt petrol will overheat and
damage the catalytic converter.
Therefore avoid excessive use of the starter, running the fuel tank
dry and starting the engine by
pushing or towing.
In the event of misfiring, uneven
engine running, a reduction in engine performance or other unusual
problems, have the cause of the fault
rectified by a workshop as soon as
possible. In an emergency, driving
can be continued for a short period,
keeping vehicle speed and engine
speed low.Automatic transmission
The automatic transmission permits
automatic gearshifting (automatic
mode) or manual gearshifting
(manual mode).
Transmission display
The mode or selected gear is shown
in the transmission display.

Driving and operating187
Hill and trailer considerations
System performance on hills and
when towing a trailer depends on your
vehicle speed, vehicle load, traffic
conditions and the road gradient. It
may not detect a vehicle in your path
while driving on hills. On steep hills,
you may have to use the accelerator
pedal to maintain your vehicle speed. When going downhill, especially
when towing a trailer, you may have
to brake to maintain or reduce your
speed.
Note that applying the brake
deactivates the system. It is not
recommended to use adaptive cruise
control on steep hills especially when towing a trailer.
Radar unit
The radar unit is mounted behind the
radiator grille below the brand
emblem.
9 Warning
The radar unit was aligned
carefully during manufacture.
Therefore, after a frontal accident, do not use the system. The front
bumper may appear to be intact,
however the sensor behind can be
out of position and react
incorrectly. After an accident,
consult a workshop to verify and
correct the adaptive cruise control
sensor position.
Settings
Settings can be changed in the Auto
collision preparation menu in the
vehicle personalisation, 3 131.
Fault If the adaptive cruise control does not
work due to temporary conditions
(e.g. blockage by ice) or if there is a
permanent system error, then a
message is displayed in the Driver
Information Centre.

Driving and operating201
Basic notes on parking assist
systems9 Warning
Under certain circumstances,
various reflective surfaces on
objects or clothing as well as
external noise sources may cause the system to fail to detect
obstacles.
Special attention must be paid to
low obstacles which can damage
the lower part of the bumper.
Caution
Performance of the system can be reduced when sensors are
covered, e.g. by ice or snow.
Performance of the parking assist
system can be reduced due to
heavy loading.
Special conditions apply if there
are taller vehicles in the vicinity
(e.g. off-road vehicles, mini vans,
vans). Object identification and
correct distance indication in the
upper part of these vehicles
cannot be guaranteed.
Objects with a very small reflection
cross-section, e.g. objects of
narrow size or soft materials, may
not be detected by the system.
Parking assist systems do not
detect objects outside the
detection range.
Notice
The parking assist system can be
activated and deactivated by
changing the settings in the
Info-Display. If a trailer coupling is
attached, it must be selected in the
menu.
Vehicle personalisation 3 131.
Notice
The parking assist system
automatically detects factory-fitted
towing equipment. It is deactivated
when the connector is plugged in.
It is possible that the sensor detects
a non-existing object (echo
disturbance) caused by external acoustical or mechanic
disturbances.
Advanced parking assist system
may not respond to changes in the
parking space after initiating a
parallel parking manoeuvre.
Notice
If engaging a forward gear and
exceeding a certain speed, the rear
parking assist will be deactivated
when the rear carrier system is
extended.
If engaging reverse at first, the
parking assist will detect the rear
carrier system and provide a buzzing
sound. Press r or D button
briefly to deactivate the parking assist.
Notice
After use the advanced parking
assist requires a calibration. For
optimal parking guidance, a driving
distance of at least 22 miles,
including a number of bends, is
required.

Driving and operating203
by approx. 3 metres. The height of thezone is approx. between 0.5 metres
and 2 metres off the ground.
The system is deactivated if the
vehicle is towing a trailer.
Side blind spot alert is designed to ignore stationary objects such as
guardrails, posts, curbs, walls and
beams. Parked vehicles or oncoming
vehicles are not detected.
Fault Occasional missed alerts can occurunder normal circumstances.
Side blind spot alert does not operate when the left or right corners of the
rear bumper are covered with mud,
dirt, snow, ice or slush. Cleaning
instructions 3 279.
In the event of a fault in the system or if the system does not work due to
temporary conditions, a message is
displayed in the Driver Information
Centre. Seek the assistance of a
workshop in case of a permanent fault.Rear view camera
The rear view camera assists the
driver when reversing by displaying a
view of the area behind the vehicle.
The view of the camera is displayed
in the Colour-Info-Display.9 Warning
The rear view camera does not
replace driver vision. Note that
objects that are outside the
camera's field of view and the
advanced parking assist sensors,
e.g. below the bumper or
underneath the vehicle, are not
displayed.
Do not reverse the vehicle by only looking at the Info-Display and
check the surrounding area
behind and around the vehicle
before reversing.
Activation
Rear view camera is automatically
activated when reverse gear is
engaged.
Functionality
The camera is mounted in the tailgate handle and has a viewing angle of
130°.

Driving and operating205
FaultFault messages are displayed with a
9 on the top line of the Info-Display.
The rear view camera may not
operate properly when:
■ the surrounding is dark,
■ the sun or the beam of headlights is
shining directly into the camera
lens,
■ ice, snow, mud, or anything else covers the camera lens. Clean the
lens, rinse it with water, and wipe it
with a soft cloth,
■ the tailgate is not closed correctly,
■ the vehicle had a rear end accident,
■ there are extreme temperature changes.
Traffic sign assistant
Functionality
The traffic sign assistant system
detects designated traffic signs via a
front camera and displays them in the Driver Information Centre.
Traffic signs, which will be detected,
are:
Limit and no passing signs ■ speed limit
■ no passing
■ end of speed limit
■ end of no passingRoad signs
Beginning and end of:
■ motorways
■ A-roads
■ play streetsAdd on signs ■ additional hints to traffic signs
■ restriction of trailer towing
■ wet warning
■ ice warning
■ direction arrows
Speed limit signs are displayed in the
Driver Information Centre until the
next speed limit sign or end of speed
limit is detected or up to a defined sign timeout.
Combinations of more signs in the
display are possible.

216Driving and operatingTrailer hitch
General information
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.
The bulb outage detection function for
trailer brake light cannot detect a
partial bulb outage, e.g. in case of 4 x 5 Watt bulbs, the function only detects
lamp outage when only a single
5 Watt lamp remains or none remain.
Fitting of towing equipment could
cover the opening of the towing eye.
If this is the case use the coupling ball
bar for towing. Always keep the
coupling ball bar in the vehicle.Driving characteristics and
towing tips
Before attaching a trailer, lubricate
the coupling ball. However, do not do so if a stabiliser, which acts on thecoupling ball, is being used to reduce
snaking movements.
For trailers with low driving stability
and caravan trailers with a permitted
gross vehicle weight of more than
1300 kg (Sports tourer: 1200 kg) the
use of a stabiliser is strongly
recommended when driving above
50 mph.
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 3 308.Trailer towing
Trailer loads
The permissible trailer loads are
vehicle 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.
The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In general, they are valid for gradients
up to max. 12 %.
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).

Driving and operating217
The permissible gross train weight
must not be exceeded. This weight is
specified on the identification plate
3 286.
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 (75 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.Rear axle load
When the trailer is coupled and the
towing vehicle fully loaded, the
permissible rear axle load (see
identification plate or vehicle
documents) may be exceeded by
60 kg , the gross vehicle weight rating
may be exceeded by 60 kg. If the
permissible rear axle load is
exceeded, a maximum speed of
60 mph applies.
Towing equipmentCaution
When operating without a trailer,
remove the coupling ball bar.
Stowage of coupling ball bar
The bag with the coupling ball bar is
stowed in the rear stowage
compartment on the floor.
Place the strap through the lashing
eye, wrap around twice and tighten
the strap to secure the bag.

220Driving and operating
■The coupling ball bar must be firmly
engaged in the opening.
■ The coupling ball bar must be locked and the key removed.9 Warning
Towing a trailer is permitted only
when a coupling ball bar is fitted correctly. If the coupling ball bardoes not engage correctly, seekthe assistance of a workshop.
Dismounting the coupling ball
bar
Open the protective flap and turn the
key to position c to unlock the
coupling ball bar.
Pull out rotary handle and turn
clockwise as far as it will go. Pull out coupling ball bar downwards.
Insert sealing plug in opening. Fold away socket.
All versions except 3-door hatchback:
Attach the rear side of the cover into
the recess of the bumper and fold the
front side upward.
Press fastenings outward.
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 3 174.

Vehicle care221Vehicle careGeneral Information...................221
Vehicle checks ........................... 222
Bulb replacement .......................229
Electrical system ........................249
Vehicle tools .............................. 255
Wheels and tyres .......................257
Jump starting ............................. 275
Towing ....................................... 277
Appearance care .......................279General 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.