Operation Manual

Self-help, vehicle care 20 1
Windscreen wiper blades
Wax, such as that used in car wa shes, c an
cause streaks to form on the windscreen
when the wiper is used .
Sm earing w ip er b la des ca n be clea ne d w ith
a soft cloth and Vauxhall Windscreen
Wash Solvent, and replaced if necessa ry –
see page 195. Do not use abrasive
cleaners.
Locks
The locks are lubrica ted with a high-grade
lock cylind er grease at the factory.
Vauxhall Lock Cylinder Grease prevents
the locks from freezing up.
Only use de-icing agents in emergencies,
as they have a degreasing effect and will
impair the function of the locks. After using
a de-icing agent, have the locks regreased
by a workshop .
Eng ine compar tment
Areas of the engine compartment that are
painted in the same colour as the vehicle
must be looked after like any other painted
surface.
It is adv isable to wash the e ngine
compartment before and after winter and
preserve it with wax. Cover alternator and
fluid reservoirs with plastic sheets before
washing the engine.
When washing the engine with a steam-jet
cleaner, do not direct the steam-jet at
components of the Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS), the air conditioning system or the
belt drive and its components.
Protective wax that has been ap plied is
also removed during the engine wash. For
this reason, have the engine, brake system
components in the engine compartment,
axle com ponents with steering, body parts
and cavities thoroughly preserved with
protective wax after the wash.
An engine w ash ca n be performed in the
spring in order to remove dirt that has
adhered to the engine compartment,
whic h may also have a high salt content.
Check protectiv e w ax la yer and ma ke good
if necessary.
Underbody
Your vehicle has a factory-applied PVC
undercoating in the wheel arches
(including the longitudinal mem bers) which
provides permanent protection and needs
no special maintenance. The surfaces of
the vehicle underbody not covered by PVC
are provided with a durable p rote ctive wax
coating in critical areas.
On vehicles which are washed frequently
in automa tic car washes with underbody
washing facility, the protective wax
coating may be impaired by d irt-dissolv ing
additives. Check the underbody after
washing and ha ve it waxed if necessary.
Before the start of the cold weather season,
check the PVC coating and protective wax
coating and, if necessary, have them
restored to perfect condition.
Caution – commercially available bitumen /
rubber materials can damage the PVC
coating. We recom mend that you ha ve
underbody work carried out by a
workshop, who knows the prescribed
ma terials and has ex perience in the use
thereof.
The underbody should be washed
following the end of the cold weather
season to remove any dirt adhering to the
underbody since this may also contain salt.
Check protective wax coating and, if
necessary, have it restored to perfect
condition.