Clutch Pedal 3; Driving Hints - Opel Combo Owner's Manual

106 Driving and operation

Driving 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.
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 steering 3).
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.
3
/ in
4
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,
3 189. 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.