Engine Compartment; Underbody - Vauxhall Astra Owner's Manual

Engine compartment

Engine compartment surfaces p ainted the
same colour as the v ehicle can be treated
the same as other pa inted surfaces. It is a
good idea to have the engine c om part-
ment washed and wax ed before and after
winter. Cover the alternator and brake fluid
reserv oir with plastic before c arry ing out an
engine wash.
When washing the engine with a steam-jet
cleaner, do not d irect the steam jet at
components of the a ntilock brake sy stem,
the a utoma tic air conditioning system or
the b elt drive and its components.
Protective wax tha t has been applied is
also remov ed d uring the engine wash. For
this reason, have the engine, brake system
components in the engine com partment,
axle components with steering, body parts
and ca vities thoroughly p reserved with
protective wax after the wash. We
recom mend that y ou consult a Vauxhall
Authorised Repairer.
An engine w ash ca n be p erformed in the
spring in order to remov e dirt that has
adhered to the engine comp artment,
whic h may also have a high salt content.
Check protectiv e w ax la yer and ma ke good
if necessary.
Do not use high-pressure jet clea ners on
wheels and tyres.

Underbody

Your vehicle has a factory-app lied PVC
undercoating in the wheel arches
(including the longitudinal mem bers) which
prov ides permanent protec tion and needs
no special maintenance. The surfaces of
the vehicle underbody not covered by PVC
are provided with a durable p rotective wax
coating.
On vehicles which are washed frequently in
autom atic car washes with underbody
washing facility, the protective wax
coating may b e impaired by d irt-dissolv ing
additives, so check the underbody after
washing and ha ve it waxed if necessary .
Before the start of the cold weather season,
check the PVC c oa ting a nd protective wax
coating and, if necessary , have them
restored to perfect condition.
C aution - c om mercially available
bitumen /rubber ma terials can d amage the
PVC coating. We rec om mend that you
have underbody work carried out by a
Vauxhall Authorised Repairer. The
Vauxhall Authorised Repairer knows the
prescribed materials and has experience in
the use thereof.
The underbody should be washed
following the end of the cold weather
season to remov e any dirt adhering to the
underbody since this may also contain salt.
C heck p rotective wax c oa ting and , if
nec essary , have it restored to perfec t
condition.
Convertible folding top
The functioning, appearance and life of
the folding top sun roof d epend to a large
extent on correc t operation and ca re.
C oa t all seals, such as on the roof and the
windscreen fra me, with silicone oil from
time to time. A consta nt close conta ct
between the fine rubb er lips and the
sealing faces ensures a tight fit and low
closing forces.
Do not open the folding top if it is wet, dirty
or iced-up.
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