2003 SKODA FABIA coolant temperature

Starting-off and Driving97
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assist-
anceTechnical DataFabia Praktik
•The clutch pedal should be fully depressed when starting the engine
which means that the starter only has to crank the engine.
•Let go of the key as soon as the engine starts otherwise there may be
damage to the starter.
The engine running noises may louder at first be louder for a short time
after starting the cold engine until oil pressure can be built up in the
hydraulic valve clearance compensation. This is quite normal and is not
an operating problem.
If the engine does not start ...
You can use the battery of another vehicle as a jump-start aid
⇒ page 203.
It is only possible to tow-start vehicles fitted with a manual gearbox. The
tow-starting distance must not be more than 50 metres ⇒page 207.
Caution
•Avoid high engine revolutions, full throttle and high engine loads as
long as the engine has not yet reached its normal operating temperature
- risk of damaging the engine!
•Vehicles which are fitted with an exhaust gas catalytic converter
should not be tow-started over a distance of more than 50 metres.
For the sake of the environment
Never warm up the engine when the vehicle is standing. Drive off right
away. This enables you to avoid unnecessary pollutant emissions.
Petrol engines
These engines are fitted with a starter system which selects the correct
fuel/air mixture for every external air temperature.
•Do not operate the accelerator before and when starting engine if the
engine is cold or at normal operating temperature.
•Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not
start right awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the
attempt.
•It is possible that the fuse on the electrical fuel pump is defect if the
engine still does not start ⇒page 209.
Contact the nearest Škoda dealer to obtain professional assistance.
•It may be necessary, if the engine is very hot, to slightly depress the
accelerator after the engine has started.
Diesel engines
Glow plug system
Diesel engines are equipped with a glow plug system, the preglow period
being controlled automatically in line with the coolant temperature and
outside temperature.
The preglow indicator light
 comes on after the ignition has been
switched on.
You should not switch on any major electrical components during
the heating period otherwise the vehicle battery will be drained
unnecessarily.
•You should start the engine immediately after the glow plug warning
light  has gone out.
WARNING
There is the danger of poisoning if the engine is left running in an
enclosed space!

Starting-off and Driving
98
•The glow plug warning light will come on for about one second if the
engine is at a normal operating temperature or if the outside temperature
is above +5°C. This means that you can start the engine right away.
•Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not
start right awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the
attempt.
•It is possible that the fuse on the diesel preglow system is defect if the
engine still does not start ⇒page 209.
Contact the nearest Škoda dealer to obtain professional assistance.
Starting the engine after the fuel tank has run dry
It may take longer than normal to start the engine after refuelling if the fuel
tank has run completely dry - up to one minute. This is because the fuel
system must first of all be filled while the attempting to start the engine.
Switching the engine off
– The engine can be switched off by turning the ignition key from position ⇒page 95, fig. 83 into position .
Caution
you should not switch the engine off right away at the end of your journey
after the engine has been operated for a lengthy period at high loads but
should be allowed it to run at idling speed for about 2 minutes. This
prevents any accumulation of heat when the engine is switched off.
Note
•The radiator fan may continue running for a further 10 minutes or so
after the engine and the ignition have been switched off. The coolant fan
may, however, also switch on again after some time if the coolant temper- ature rises because of an accumulation of heat in the engine or if the
engine is warm and the engine compartment is additionally heated by
strong sunlight.
•This is why particular care is required when carrying out any work in
the engine compartment ⇒ page 172, “Working in the engine
compartment”.
Shifting gear ( on a manual gearbox)
Shift into reverse only when the car is stationary. Depress the clutch pedal
and hold it fully depressed. Wait a moment before engaging reverse gear
in order to avoid any shift noises.
The reversing lights will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided
the ignition is on.
A1
Fig. 84 The shift
pattern 5-speed or 6-
speed manual gearbox

Towing a trailer
156
Tyre inflation pressure
Select the tyre inflation pressure on your vehicle for that of “fully laden”,
⇒ page 187. The inflation pressure of the tyres fitted to the trailer adjust
in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendation.
Exterior mirrors
You have to have additional exterior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see
the traffic behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. Both exte-
rior mirrors should be attached to folding arms. Adjust the mirrors so that
they provide you with an adequate field of view to the rear.
Headlights
Before starting off with a hitched trailer, also check the setting of the head-
lights. Alter the setting as necessary with the aid of the headlight beam
adjuster ⇒page 53.
Detachable ball head
On a car which features a factory-fitted towing device, the ball rod is
detachable. It is stowed together with separate fitting instructions in the
spare wheel well in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Further information on the towing device ⇒page 157.
Note
•We recommend that you also have your vehicle inspected between
service intervals if you tow a trailer frequently.
•The handbrake on the towing vehicle must be put on when coupling
and decoupling the trailer.
Driving Tips
Particular caution is required when towing a trailer.
– Do not, as far as possible, drive with your vehicle unladen and the trailer laden.
– Do not make full use of the legal maximum speeds. This applies in particular to downhill sections.
– Apply the brakes in good time.
– Keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if the outside temperature is high.
Distribution of weight
The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and
the trailer is laden. Maintain a particularly low speed if you cannot avoid
driving with this combination.
Driving speed
Do not drive faster than 80 km/hour for safety reasons. This also applies
for countries in which higher speeds are allowed.
The fact that the driving stability of the vehicle + trailer combination
reduces with increasing speed means that the legally allowed speed
should not be used when there are unfavourable road, weather or wind
conditions, particularly near accident black spots.
You must always reduce your speed immediately as soon as you detect
even just the slightest swaying of the trailer. On no account attempt to
stop the trailer from “swaying” by accelerating.
Apply the brakes in good time! If the trailer is fitted with a trailer brake,
apply the brakes gently at first then brake firmly. This will avoid brake jolts
resulting from the trailer wheels locking. Shift down gears in good time

Towing a trailer157
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assist-
anceTechnical DataFabia Praktik
before negotiating a downhill section to allow the engine to also act as a
brake.
Engine overheating
Please keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if you have to
negotiate a lengthy downhill stretch in a low gear at a high engine speed
when the outside temperature is very high
⇒page 13. If the needle of the
coolant temperature gauge moves into the right-hand area or even the red
area of the scale, reduce your speed immediately. Stop and switch off the
engine if the warning light
 in the instrument cluster begins flashing.
Wait a few minutes and check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion
bottle ⇒page 177.
Please refer to the notes ⇒page 31.
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.
Any increase in the cooling effect of the coolant fan through shifting down
a gear and increasing the engine speed is not possible since the fan
speed is independent of the engine speed. One should also not drop a
gear for this reason when towing a trailer as long as the engine can
manage the slope without any drop in speed.
Detachable towing device*
The detachable ball head of the towing device is stowed in the spare
wheel well in the luggage compartment.
An instruction for correct installation and removal of the ball head of the
towing device is supplied with the ball head
Note
•Do not carry out any modifications or repairs to the ball head or to any
other components on the towing device.
WARNING
Do not use any aids or tools for installing or removing the ball
head. This might result in damage to the locking mechanism to the
extent that the safety of the towing device is no longer assured -
risk of an accident.
Fig. 120 Detachable
ball head

Inspecting and Replenishing179
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assist-
anceTechnical DataFabia Praktik
For the sake of the environment
Do not re-use coolant if it is necessary to drain the coolant in the system.
It should be collected and disposed of in compliance with environmental
protection regulations.
The radiator fan
The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.
The radiator fan is driven by an electric motor and controlled by a thermo-
stat according to the coolant temperature.
The radiator fan may continue running for up to 10 minutes after the
engine has been switched off - even if the ignition is also off. It may also
switch on suddenly after a certain time, if:
•the coolant temperature has risen because of an accumulation of heat
or
•the warm engine compartment is heated up additionally by strong
sunlight.
Brake fluid
Inspecting the brake fluid level
The brake fluid reservoir is located on the left of the engine
compartment. The brake fluid reservoir on right-hand steering
WARNING
•The cooling system is pressurized! Do not open the cap of the
coolant expansion bottle if the engine is still hot - risk of scalding!
•The coolant additive and thus all of the coolant is harmful to
your health. Avoid contact with the coolant. Coolant vapours are
also harmful to the health. It is important, therefore, to always
safely store any coolant additive in its original container out of the
reach of children - risk of poisoning.
•If any splashes of coolant get into your eyes, rinse out your
eyes immediately with clear water and contact a doctor as soon as
possible.
•You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have
inadvertently swallowed coolant.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when working in the engine compart-
ment that the fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!
Fig. 130 Engine
compartment: Brake
fluid reservoir

Index227
Index
A
Abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Adjusting seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Adjusting the steering wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Antilock Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Antilock brake system (ABS) Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Anti-theft alarm system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Auto Check Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Automatic vehicle wash systems . . . . . . . . . 160
B
Belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Brake
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Brake booster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Brake pads Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Buttons on the driver's door Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
C
Car jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196, 201
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Changing oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Changing wheels around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Charging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Child safety locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Child safety seats
ISOFIX system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Child seat on the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . 131
Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Convenience operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Coolant temperature gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Coolant temperature/coolant level Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Counter for distance driven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Cruise control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
D
Deactivating an airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Defrosting windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 92
De-icing windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Detachable towing device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175