towing VAUXHALL ASTRA J 2016.25 Owner's Manual

124LightingRear fog light
Operated by pressing r.
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 a trailer or a
plug is connected with the socket, e.
g. when a bicycle carrier is used.
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.

138Driving and operatingDriving and
operatingDriving hints ............................... 139
Control of the vehicle ...............139
Steering ................................... 139
Starting and operating ...............139
New vehicle running-in ............139
Ignition switch positions ...........139
Power button ........................... 140
Retained power off ..................141
Starting the engine ..................142
Overrun cut-off ........................ 144
Stop-start system ....................144
Parking .................................... 147
Engine exhaust .......................... 148
Diesel particle filter ..................148
Catalytic converter ...................149
Automatic transmission ..............150
Transmission display ...............150
Selector lever .......................... 150
Manual mode ........................... 151
Electronic driving programmes 152
Fault ........................................ 152
Interruption of power supply ....152
Manual transmission ..................153Manual transmission automa‐
ted .............................................. 154
Transmission display ...............154
Selector lever .......................... 154
Manual mode ........................... 155
Electronic driving programmes 156
Fault ........................................ 156
Brakes ........................................ 156
Antilock brake system .............156
Parking brake .......................... 157
Brake assist ............................. 159
Hill start assist ......................... 159
Ride control systems .................159
Traction Control system ..........159
Electronic Stability Control ......160
Sport mode .............................. 162
Driver assistance systems .........162
Cruise control .......................... 162
Speed limiter ........................... 164
Forward collision alert .............166
Following distance indication ...168
Active emergency braking .......169
Parking assist .......................... 170
Side blind spot alert .................178
Rear view camera ...................179
Traffic sign assistant ................181
Lane keep assist .....................185
Fuel ............................................ 187
Fuel for petrol engines .............187Fuel for diesel engines ............187
Refuelling ................................ 188
Fuel consumption - CO 2-
Emissions .............................. 189
Trailer hitch ................................ 190
General information .................190
Driving characteristics and towing tips .............................. 190
Trailer towing ........................... 190
Towing equipment ...................191
Trailer stability assist ...............193

Driving and operating149needs between seven and
12 minutes. Autostop is not available
and fuel consumption may be higher
during this period. The emission of
smells and smoke during this process
is normal.
Under certain driving conditions, e.g.
short distances, the system cannot
clean itself automatically.
If cleaning of the filter is required and if previous driving conditions did not
enable automatic cleaning, it will be
indicated by % and a warning
message in the Driver Information
Centre.
% with a warning message
illuminates when diesel particle filter
is full. Start cleaning process as soon
as possible.
% with a warning message flashes
when diesel particle filter has reached the maximum filling level. Start
cleaning process immediately to
avoid damage to the engine.Cleaning process
To activate cleaning process,
continue driving, keep engine speed
above 2000 revolutions per minute.
Shift down if necessary. Diesel
particle filter cleaning is then started.
If cleaning is not possible for any
reasons, a warning message appears in the Driver Information Centre. Seek
the assistance of a workshop.Caution
If the cleaning process is
interrupted, there is a risk of
provoking severe engine damage.
Cleaning takes place quickest at high engine speeds and loads.
A message appears 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 3 187, 3 247 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.

Driving and operating181Display settings
Brightness and contrast can be set by
tapping the touch screen display
when rear view camera is active.
Deactivation The camera is switched off when a
certain forward speed is exceeded or
if reverse gear is not engaged for
approx. 15 seconds. Rear view
camera can be manually deactivated
in the vehicle personalisation menu in the Colour-Info-Display. Select the
relevant setting in Settings, I Vehicle .
Deactivation of guiding lines and
warning symbols7'' Colour-Info-Display: Activation or
deactivation of the visual guiding lines and the warning symbols can be
changed by touch buttons in the lower
zone of the display.
8'' Colour-Info-Display: Activation or
deactivation of the visual guiding lines and the warning symbols can be
changed in the Settings menu in the
Info-Display. Select the relevant
setting in Settings, I Vehicle .
Info-Display 3 102.
Vehicle personalisation 3 106.
Fault
Fault 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 vehicle is towing a trailer.
● The vehicle had a rear end accident.
● There are extreme temperature changes.
Traffic sign assistant Functionality
Traffic sign assistant detects
designated traffic signs via a front
camera and displays them in the
Driver Information Centre.
If the vehicle is equipped with an
embedded navigation system, traffic
signs fom data maps may be included additionally.

182Driving and operating
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:
● city regions (country specific)
● motorways
● A-roads
● play streetsAdd on signs ● additional hints to traffic signs
● restriction of trailer towing
● tractor constraints
● wet warning
● ice warning
● time constraints
● distance constraints
● direction arrows
Speed limit signs and no passing
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.
Indication of multiple signs on the
display is possible.
An exclamation mark in a frame
indicates that there is an additional
sign detected which cannot be clearly
identified by the system.
The system operates without loss of
performance up to a speed of
125 mph depending on the lighting
conditions. At night the system is
active up to a speed of 100 mph.
Display indication Information about the currently valid
traffic signs is available on the
designated traffic sign assistant page
in the Driver Information Centre.
Additionally, the currently valid speed limit is displayed permanently in the
lower line of the Driver Information
Centre. In case a speed limit with
addon is available, a + symbol is
displayed in this area.

Driving and operating1879Warning
Always keep your attention on the
road and maintain proper vehicle
position within the lane, otherwise
vehicle damage, injury or death
could occur.
Lane keep assist does not
continuously steer the vehicle.
The system may not keep the
vehicle in the lane or give an alert,
even if a lane marking is detected.
Lane keep assist may not provide
enough steering to avoid a lane
departure.
The system may not detect hands-
off driving due to external
influences (road condition and
surface, weather etc). The driver
has full responsibility to control the vehicle and is always required to
keep the hands on the steering
wheel while driving.
Using the system while towing a
trailer or on slippery roads could
cause loss of control of the vehicle
and a crash. Switch the system off.
Fuel
Fuel for petrol engines Only use unleaded fuel that complies
with European standard EN 228 or
E DIN 51626-1 or equivalent.
The engine is capable of running with fuel that contains up to 10% ethanol(e.g. named E10).
Use fuel with the recommended
octane rating 3 247.Caution
Do not use fuel or fuel additives
that contain metallic compounds
such as manganese-based
additives. This may cause engine
damage.
Caution
Use of fuel that does not comply to EN 228 or E DIN 51626-1 or
equivalent can lead to deposits or
engine damage.
Caution
Use of fuel with too low an octane
rating could lead to uncontrolled combustion and engine damage.
Fuel for diesel engines
Only use diesel fuel that complies
with EN 590.
In countries outside the European
Union use Euro-Diesel fuel with a
sulphur concentration below 50 ppm.
Caution
Use of fuel that does not comply to EN 590 or similar can lead to
engine powerloss, increased wear
or engine damage.
Do not use marine diesel oils, heating
oils, Aquazole and similar diesel-
water emulsions. Diesel fuels must
not be diluted with fuels for petrol
engines.

190Driving 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 four
times five watt bulbs, the function only detects lamp outage when only a
single five 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 when
not in use.Driving characteristics and
towing tips
Before attaching a trailer, lubricatethe 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
and caravan trailers with a permitted
gross vehicle weight of more than
1300 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 3 253.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 operating191The permissible gross train weight
must not be exceeded. This weight is
specified on the identification plate
3 242.
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
40 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 rear
lashing eye, wrap around twice and
tighten the strap to secure the bag.
Fitting the coupling ball bar
Disengage and fold down the socket. Remove the sealing plug from the
opening for the coupling ball bar and
stow it.

Driving and operating193Attach breakaway stopping cable to
eye.
Check that the coupling ball bar is
correctly installed
● Green marking on rotary knob must point towards green
marking on coupling ball bar.
● There must be no gap between the rotary handle and the
coupling ball bar.
● The coupling ball bar must be firmly engaged in the opening.
● The coupling ball bar must be locked and the key removed.9Warning
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.
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 is a function of
the Electronic Stability Control 3 160.

194Vehicle careVehicle careGeneral Information...................194
Accessories and vehicle modifications .......................... 194
Vehicle storage ........................195
End-of-life vehicle recovery .....195
Vehicle checks ........................... 196
Performing work ......................196
Bonnet ..................................... 196
Engine oil ................................. 197
Engine coolant ......................... 198
Washer fluid ............................ 199
Brakes ..................................... 199
Brake fluid ............................... 199
Vehicle battery ......................... 200
Diesel fuel system bleeding .....201
Wiper blade replacement ........202
Bulb replacement .......................202
Halogen headlights ..................202
Fog lights ................................. 204
Tail lights ................................. 205
Side turn signal lights ..............208
Number plate light ...................209
Interior lights ............................ 210
Instrument panel illumination ...210Electrical system ........................210
Fuses ....................................... 210
Engine compartment fuse box . 211
Instrument panel fuse box .......213
Load compartment fuse box ....215
Vehicle tools .............................. 217
Tools ........................................ 217
Wheels and tyres .......................217
Winter tyres ............................. 217
Tyre designations ....................218
Tyre pressure .......................... 218
Tyre pressure monitoring system .................................... 219
Tread depth ............................. 223
Changing tyre and wheel size . 224 Wheel covers ........................... 224
Tyre chains .............................. 224
Tyre repair kit .......................... 224
Wheel changing .......................227
Spare wheel ............................ 230
Jump starting ............................. 232
Towing ....................................... 234
Towing the vehicle ...................234
Towing another vehicle ...........235
Appearance care .......................236
Exterior care ............................ 236
Interior care ............................. 237General Information
Accessories and vehiclemodifications
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.