Inside Line: Comma

Engine Oil

a. For this particularly series of Corsa, Vauxhall list only one or two specifications for engine oil which should be covered by Comma Long Life 5W30 and Comma Syner-Z 5W30. For the 2006-2010 models the usual recommendation is Comma Long Life 5W30 however, there might be some cross over at the tail end. From 2011 onwards, Vauxhall list dexos 2 which is now GM global oil specification introduced for gasoline and diesel vehicles and is covered by Comma Syner-Z 5W30.

b. Some of the engines in this series of Corsa have quite small sumps – the 1.2 16V for example has a 3.5L. With the normal service intervals of around 18.500 miles, oil top up between services can be critical. Supplying the customer with a top up pack and reminding them that they should be checking the engine oil regular (see handbook for guidance) might also be prudent here particularly if you have noticed that the oil needed topping up when it was brought in. A quick check before you change might be a good way of reinforcing the importance of top up to the customer. Combined with longer service intervals and the increased use of sensitive components like turbochargers, a smaller sump size makes checking your oil more critical than ever before.

Brake Fluid

a. Vauxhall use one of two specifications for brake fluid for this series of Corsa and again you can rely on Comma’s online application guide available at www.commaoil.com to identify which product is suitable for the vehicle you are servicing.

b. Most people don’t think of brake fluid as a service item however, as with many manufacturer’s, Vauxhall specify a change interval of 24 months for this series of Corsa. Brake fluid degrades over time by absorbing water from the atmosphere, which lowers its boiling point. Boiling point is a critical factor in brake fluid performance because of the amount of heat generated during braking. If the boiling point of the fluid is too low then continuous or hard braking may cause the brake fluid to vapourise which in turn can result in a loss of hydraulic pressure within the system. The message here is that brake fluid is a safety critical item so check and change when specified – don’t assume that it will just be OK.

Power Steering Fluid

The Corsa D is fitted with a purely electrical power steering system so no power steering fluid is required.
Coolant
Xstream G30 is the recommended product for the Corsa D series, as it is for all Vauxhall vehicles from 2001 on.

Transmission

For this particular series of Corsa, Vauxhall use a range of transmissions that includes manual, conventional automatic and semi-automatic and various specifications. As well as the different fluid requirements, change intervals and capacities will vary depending on the type of transmission so we would advise you to either consult the handbook.