A few notes about the Vauxhall Zafira B/Astra H (2005 on):
Engine Oil
For this particularly series of Zafira/Astra, 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.
Some of the engines in this series of Zafira/Astra have quite small sumps – the 1.4 16V for example has a 3.5L capacity. With the normal service intervals of up to 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 regularly 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
Vauxhall use one of two specifications for brake fluid for this series of Zafira/Astra and again you need to identify which product is suitable for the vehicle you are servicing.
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 Zafira/Astra. 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 vaporise 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
Vauxhall use one of two specifications for power steering for this series of Zafira/Astra and again you need to identify which product is suitable for the vehicle you are servicing.
Coolant
Xstream G30 is the recommended product for the Zafira B/Astra H series, as it is for all Vauxhall vehicles from 2001 on.
Transmission
For this particular series of Zafira/Astra, 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 consult the handbook to ensure that you get the right product for the vehicle you are servicing.
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