2003 SKODA FABIA check oil

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
24
The red symbols indicate danger (priority 1) while the yellow symbols indi-
cate a warning (priortity 2). Information for the driver may also appear in
addition to the symbols ⇒page 27.
Investigate the displayed faults as soon as possible. If several operational
faults exist at the same time, the symbols will appear one after the other
and are each visible for about 2 seconds.
The error messages are faded out after 10 seconds or by actuating the
rocker switch ⇒page 22, fig. 11 and are stored under the information
CAR STATUS .
There is at least one error message to be read when the term CAR
STATUS is flashing in the main menu. The display will show STATUS 1/2
(for example) if a number of error messages are present. This display indi-
cates that the first of a total of two error messages should be displayed.
Actuate the rocker switch , to call up the individual error messages.
If a fault occurs, a warning signal will also sound in addition to the symbol
and text in the display:
•Priority 1 - three warning signals
•Priority 2 - one warning signal
Operational check of the automatic gearbox
When the ignition is switched on, the Auto Check Control automatically
carries out an operational check. The following text will appear first in the
display if the selector lever is the position P or N:
P LOCKED
or N LOCKED You must depress the brake pedal first and press the Shiftlock button at
the same time in order to move the selector lever out of these positions.
The text will disappear once you select a drive position (
R, D etc.), and the
Auto Check Control function is displayed.
Any faults existing will be displayed for about 15 seconds after starting the
engine in place of the text shown above. A warning signal sounds at the
same time.
Red symbols
A red symbol signals danger.
Proceed as follows if a red symbol is displayed:
– Stop the vehicle.
– Switch the engine off.
AA
AA
Fig. 14 Information
display: Oil pressure is
low

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– Investigate the function indicated.
– Obtain professional assistance.
Meaning of the red symbols:
Three successive warning signals will sound if a red symbol appears.
If several operational faults of priority 1 exist, the symbols appear one after
the other and are each illiminated for about 2 seconds.
Yellow symbols
A yellow symbol signals a warning.
The meaning of the yellow symbols:
Faults in the brake system⇒ page 35
Coolant level too low/coolant tempera-
ture too high⇒page 31
Engine oil pressure too low⇒page 32
Fuel level low⇒page 31
Check engine oil level, engine oil sensor
faulty⇒page 32
Brake pad worn⇒page 32
Washer fluid level low⇒page 33
Light bulb defect⇒page 33
Light bulb in the brake light defect⇒page 33
Fig. 15 Information
display: Brake pad
worn

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
32
Engine oil 
The warning light  lights up red (low oil pressure)
The warning light comes on for a few seconds 2) when the ignition is
switched on.
Stop the vehicle and switch the engine off if the warning light does not
go off after the engine has started or flashes while driving. Check the oil
level and top up with oil as necessary ⇒ page 175.
3 peeps sound as an additional warning signal.
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under
the conditions prevailing to top up with oil. Switch off the engine and
obtain professional assistance from a Škoda dealer.
Do not drive any further if the warning light blinks even when the oil is at
the correct level. Do not run the engine not at idling speed either. Contact
the nearest Škoda dealer to obtain professional assistance.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
STOP! OIL PRESS. STOP MOTOR! SERVICE MANUAL
The warning light
 lights up yellow* (oil quantity too low)
If the warning light lights up yellow, the quantity of oil in the engine is too
low. Check oil level as soon as possible or top up ⇒page 175 with oil.
A peep sounds as an additional warning signal.
The warning light will go out if the bonnet is left open for more than 30
seconds. If no engine oil has been replenished, the warning light will come
on again after driving about 100 km. The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
CHECK OIL LEVEL
The warning light
 flashes yellow* (engine oil level sensor faulty)
A fault on the engine oil level sensor is indicated additionally by an audible
signal and the warning light coming on several times after the ignition has
been switched on.
In this case have the engine inspected without delay by a Škoda
dealer.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
OIL SENSOR WORKSHOP!
Thickness of the brake pads* 
If the warning light  comes on, contact a Škoda dealer immediately and
have the brake pads on all of the wheels inspected.
A peep sounds as an additional warning signal.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*: CHECK BRAKE PADS
2)The warning light  on vehicles fitted with information display does not come on
after switching the ignition on, but only if a fault exists or the engine oil level is too
low.
WARNING
The red oil pressure light  is not an oil level indicator! One
should therefore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably
after every refueling stop.

Seat belts
114
Important safety information regarding
the use of seat belts
The correct use of the seat belts considerably reduces the
risk of injury!
WARNING
•The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point
or twisted, or chafe against any sharp edges.
•No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single
seat belt together.
•The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only
achieved if you are correctly seated ⇒page 63.
•The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects
(e.g. spectacles, ball-point pens, keys etc.) as this may be a cause
of injuries.
•Bulky, loose clothing (e.g. a winter coat over a jacket) does not
allow you to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of
the seat belts.
•It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat
belts (e.g. for shortening the belts for smaller persons).
•The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is
the correct one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will
reduce its capacity to protect.
•The backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the
rear otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
•The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt
webbing may impair proper operation of the inertia reel
⇒ page 165.
WARNING (continued)
•The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked by paper or
similar objects otherwise the belt tongue will not lock in place
properly.
•Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an
accident and were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is
best done by a Škoda dealer. The anchorage points of the belts
must also be inspected. The anchorage points for the belts should
also be checked.
•In certain export countries it is possible to use seat belts which
differ in terms of their operation from the inertia reel and lap belts
which are described on the pages which follow.

Driving and the Environment151
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You should avoid fully exploiting the top speed of your vehicle wherever
possible. Fuel consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicle noises
increase disproportionally at high speeds.
The ⇒
page 150, fig. 118 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the
speed of your vehicle. You will cut your fuel consumption by half if you
only make use three-quarters of the possible top speed of your vehicle.
Reducing idling
Idling also costs fuel.
It is worthwhile switching off the engine in a traffic jam or when waiting at
a level crossing or at traffic lights with a lengthy red phase. Even after just
30 - 40 seconds you will have saved more fuel than the extra that is
needed when you start the engine up again.
If an engine is only idling it takes much longer for it to reach its normal
operating temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant emissions, though,
are particularly high in the warming-up phase. This is why you should
drive off right after starting the engine. Do avoid high engine revolutions
at this time, however.
Regular servicing
A poorly tuned engine consumes an unnecessarily high
amount of fuel.
Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a Škoda Dealer enables you to
satisfy one of the requirements for economical motoring even before you
set off on your journey. Keeping your vehicle properly serviced not only
has a positive effect on the safety of your vehicle and maintaining its
value, but also saves on fuel. A poorly tuned engine can result in a fuel consumption which is 10%
higher than normal.
The foreseen maintenance work should be undertaken exactly according
to the service plan by a Škoda dealer.
Also check the
oil level after refueling. Oil consumption is dependent to
a considerable extent on the load and speed of the engine. Oil consump-
tion could be as high as 0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of
driving.
It is quite normal that a new engine has a higher oil consumption at first,
and reaches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. It is there-
fore not possible to correctly assess the oil consumption of a new vehicle
until after you have driven about 5.000 km.
For the sake of the environment
•You can achieve additional improvements in your fuel economy by
using high-lubricity oils.
•Check the ground below your car at regular intervals to detect any
leakages in good time. Please have your vehicle inspected by a Škoda
dealer if you find any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the floor.

Inspecting and Replenishing
172
Opening the bonnet
– Unlock the bonnet ⇒page 171, fig. 123 .
– Ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers are correctly in place against the windscreen before opening the bonnet
otherwise damage could occur to the paintwork.
– Pulling on the handle ⇒page 171, fig. 124 will lock the bonnet
fully.
– Grip with the hand under the radiator grille and lift up the bonnet.
– Take the bonnet support out of its holder and set it in the opening designed for it ⇒page 171, fig. 125 .
Closing the bonnet
– Lift the bonnet slightly and unhook the bonnet support. Press the bonnet support into the holder designed to hold it.
– Allow the bonnet to drop from a height of about 30 cm into the lock - bonnet do not press down on it! Caution
•Never open the bonnet using the handle - danger of causing damage.
•Before opening the bonnet, ensure that the arms of the windscreen
wipers are correctly in place against the windscreen. Otherwise, there is
a risk of damage to the paintwork.
Working in the engine compartment
Particular care is required when carrying out any work in
the engine compartment!
There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and fire when working
in the engine compartment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and
other fluids. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the
warning instructions stated below and with the general applicable
rules of safety. The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous
area ⇒ .
WARNING
•Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is
flowing out of the engine compartment - risk of scalding! Wait long
enough until the steam or coolant has stopped escaping.
•For safety reasons, the bonnet must always be properly closed
when driving. One should therefore check that the lock has in fact
engaged properly after closing the bonnet.
WARNING (continued)
•Stop your vehicle immediately while driving if you notice that
the lock is not properly engaged and close the bonnet properly -
risk of an accident!
WARNING
•Switch off the engine and pull out the ignition key.
•Apply the handbrake firmly.
•If your vehicle is fitted with a manual gearbox, move the gear-
shift lever into Neutral, or if it is fitted with automatic gearbox,
move the selector lever into position P.

Inspecting and Replenishing175
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Inspecting the engine oil level
The dipstick indicates the level of oil in the engine.Checking the oil level
– Park the vehicle on a horizontal surface.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet⇒ in “Working in the engine compart-
ment” on page 172.
– Wait a few mi nutes and pull out the oil dipstick .
– Wipe off the dipstick wi th a clean cloth and insert it again fully
into the test opening down to its stop.
– Then withdraw the dipstick again and read off the oil level.
Oil level within range
– You must top up the oil ⇒page 176. It is sufficient, once this
is done, to keep the oil level is within range .
Oil level within range
– You may top up the oil. It is possible that the oil level may then
be within range after doing this.
Oil level within range
– You must not top up the oil.
It is normal for the engine to consume oil. The oil consumption may be as
much as 0.5 l/1 000 km depending on your style of driving and the condi-
tions under which you operate your vehicle. The oil consumption may be
slightly higher than this during the first 5 000 kilometres.
One should therefore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably
every time after the fuel tank is filled or after driving for long stretches.
Fig. 127 Oil dipstick
on the 1.4 litre/74 kW
engine.
Fig. 128 Oil dipstick
on the 1.2 litre/40 kW
engine.
AA
Aa
Ab
Ab
Ac
Ac

Inspecting and Replenishing
176
We recommend maintaining the oil level within the range if the engine
has been operating at high loads, for example during a lengthy motorway
trip during the summer months, towing a trailer or negotiating a high
mountain pass, but not above this .
The warning light in the instrument cluster* will indicate ⇒page 32
whether the oil level is too low. In this case, check the oil level as soon as
possible. Top up with an appropriate quantity of oil.
For clarity, the figure shows only part of the engine compartment with a
1.4 litre/74 kW engine ⇒page 175, fig. 127 and a 1.2 litre/40 kW engine
⇒ page 175, fig. 128.
Caution
The oil level must on no account go beyond the range . Danger of
damaging the catalytic converter.
Replenishing engine oil
– Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening
⇒page 175, fig. 128 .
– Pour in a suitable grade of oil in portions of 0.5 litres ⇒page 174, “Engine oil specifications”.
– Inspect the oil level ⇒page 175.
– Carefully screw on the cap of the filler opening and push the dipstick in fully.
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under
the conditions prevailing to top up with oil. Switch of the engine and
obtain professional assistance from a Škoda dealer.
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must on no account go beyond the range ⇒page 175. Oil
will otherwise be drawn in through the crankcase ventilation and may pass
through the exhaust system to atmosphere. The oil may combust in the
catalytic converter and damage it.
Changing oil
The engine oil must be changed at the intervals stated in the Service
Schedule or according to the service interval indicator ⇒page 15.
For the sake of the environment
•You must on no account pour oil into the ground or into the sewage
system.
•In view of the problems involved in properly disposing of old oil, the
material, equipment and the knowledge required for such work, we recom-
mend that you have the oil and oil filter change carried out by your Škoda
dealer.
Ac
Ac
AB
WARNING
Avoid dripping oil onto hot parts of the engine when topping up will
oil - a risk of fire!
WARNING
Store old oil in a safe place out of the reach of children until you
can dispose of it properly.
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