Inspecting and Replenishing203
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
The bonnet is held in the opened position by a pressurized gas spring.
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 en gine 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 st ated 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 compartmen t - 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.
•Stop your vehicle immediately wh ile 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.
•Allow the engine to cool down.
•Keep children clear of the engine compartment.
•Never spill oil and other fluids over the hot engine. Such fluids
(e.g. the antifreeze contained in the coolant) may ignite!
•Avoid short circuits in the electrical system - particularly on the
battery.
•Never place your hand into the radiator fan as long as the
engine is still warm. The fan might suddenly start running!
•Never open the cap of the coolant expansion bottle as long as
the engine is still warm. The cooling system is pressurized!
•Cover over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir with a
large cloth when opening it as protection for your face, hands and
arms from hot steam or hot coolant.
•In cases where it be necessary to carry out inspection work
when the engine is running there is an additional risk from rotating
parts (e.g. the V-ribbed belt, alternator, radiator fan) and from the
high-voltage ignition system.
•Please also comply with the warning instructions stated below
when carrying out any essential work on the fuel system or on the
electrical system:
−Always separate the car battery from the electrical system.
− Do not smoke.
− Never carry out any work close to naked flames.
Inspecting and Replenishing
210
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.
After the engine is switched off, the radiator fan may continue running for
up to 10 minutes - 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
You can also see the location of the brake fluid reservoir in the
engine compartment from the general view of the engine
compartment ⇒page 204. The brake fluid reservoir on right-
hand steering models is positioned on the other side of the
engine compartment.
– Switch the engine off.
WARNING (continued)
•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. 158 Engine
compartment: Brake
fluid reservoir
Inspecting and Replenishing
212
The battery
Working on the battery
Particular care is required when carrying out any work on
the battery!
The battery is located in the engine compartment in the plenum
chamber below a cover.
Taking off cover
– Press the cover in direction of arrow ⇒fig. 159 .
There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and burns when carrying out
any work on the battery and on the electrical system. It is essential to
comply with the warning instructions stated below ⇒ and with the
general applicable rules of safety.
Fig. 159 Engine
compartment: plenum
chamber - battery
cover
WARNING
•The battery acid is strongly corrosive and must, therefore, be
handled with the greatest of care. Always wear protective gloves,
eye and skin protection when handling batteries. Corrosive fumes
in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivitis and
inflammation of the air passages in the lungs. Battery acid
corrodes dental enamel and creates deep wounds after contact
with the skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with
diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin
cracks). Acids coming into contact with water are diluted accom-
panied by significant development of heat.
•Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out
of the battery vent openings. Protect the eyes with safety glasses
or a shield! There is the danger of suffering blindness! If any
battery electrolyte gets into your eye, rinse out your eye immedi-
ately with clear water for several minutes. Contact a doctor without
delay.
•Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised
as soon as possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty
of water. Contact a doctor immediately if you swallow battery elec-
trolyte.
•Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
•Hydrogen is released when you charge a battery and a highly
explosive gas mixture is produced. An explosion can be caused
through sparkling over during unclamping or loosening of the
cable plug while the ignition is on.
•Bridging of the poles will crea te a short circuit (e.g. through
metal objects, cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit:
Melting of lead struts, explosion and burning of the battery, jets of
acid spurting out.
Inspecting and Replenishing213
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Caution
•You must only disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched on,
otherwise the electrical system (electronic components) of the vehicle
may be damaged. When disconnecting the battery from the electrical
system of the vehicle, first disconnect the negative terminal (-) of the
battery. Then disconnect the positive terminal (+).
•When reconnecting the battery, first connect the positive terminal (+)
and only then the negative terminal (-) of the battery. You must on no
account connect the cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.
•Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the vehicle
body otherwise damage could occur to the paintwork.
•Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the battery
housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.
For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of waste which is harmful to the envi-
ronment - contact your Škoda dealer regarding disposing of the battery.
Note
Please also refer to the guidelines ⇒page 216, also after connecting the
battery.
Battery with a charge level indicator, the so-called
magic eye
There is a so-called magic eye ⇒fig. 160 located on the top of the battery.
This indicator changes its colour in line with the charge state and electro-
lyte level in the battery. The colour serves as an aid to your Škoda dealer
in diagnosing the condition of the battery.
Remove the cover ⇒page 212, fig. 159 and knock the magic eye care-
fully before carrying out the battery check.
•green colour - the battery is adequately charged.
•dark colour - the battery has to be charged
•colourless or yellow - the electrolyte level is too low, no indication
regarding the charge state is possible. The battery must be replenished
with distilled water.
Batteries, which are more than 5 years old, must be replaced. We recom-
mend you have the electrolyte level inspected and adjusted to the correct
level or the battery replaced if necessary by a Škoda dealer.
WARNING (continued)
•It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke
or to carry out any activities which produce sparks. Avoid creating
sparks when working with cables and electrical devices. Strong
sparking represents a risk of injury.
•You must disconnect the negative terminal (-) of the battery
when carrying out work on the electrical system. If you wish to
replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off the appropriate light.
Fig. 160 Engine
compartment: Battery
with magic eye
Inspecting and Replenishing
214
Caution
If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 4 weeks, the battery will
discharge gradually as a result from electrical components such as the
control units which were not switched off. You can prevent the discharging
of the battery by disconnecting the negative terminal or charging the
battery constantly with a very low charging current. Please also refer to
the notes when working on the battery ⇒page 212, “Working on the
battery”.
Inspecting the electrolyte level
The battery is practically maintenance-free under normal operating
conditions. We do, however, recommend that you have the electrolyte
level inspected from time to time by a Škoda dealer when outside temper-
atures are high or when driving on long trips. You should also check the
electrolyte level ⇒page 214 each time the battery is charged.
The battery acid level will also be checked as part of the Inspection
Service.
Caution
Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight for lengthy periods in order to
protect it from UV rays.
Operation in winter
The battery has to provide greater amounts of electricity during the winter.
It also has only part of the initial power output at low temperatures that it
has at normal temperatures. A discharged battery may already freeze at temperatures just below
0°C.
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked by a Škoda
dealer before the start of the winter, and recharged if necessary.
Note
If the vehicle is not going to be driven for a period of some weeks when
there is very severe frost one should remove
⇒page 215 the battery and
store it in a place which is protected from frost. This prevents the battery
from freezing up and thereby being destroyed.
Charging the battery
A properly charged battery is essential for reliably starting
the engine.
– Read the warning notes ⇒ in “Working on the battery” on
page 212 and ⇒.
– Switch the ignition and all electrical components off.
– Only for “quick-charging”: disconnect both battery cables (first of all “negative”, then “positive”) .
– Carefully attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery terminals (red = “positive”, black = “negative”).
– You can now plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket and switch on the charger.
– When charging is completed: switch the charger off and unplug the mains cable from the power socket.
Inspecting and Replenishing
216
Removing and installing the battery
– Please also refer to the notes when working on the battery ⇒page 212.
– Switched off all electrical components and remove the ignition key.
– Pull off gasket and take out the cover of the plenum chamber in the direction of the arrow ⇒fig. 161 .
– Unclamp the battery negative terminal (-).
– Unclamp the battery positive terminal (+).
– Unscrew the screw ⇒fig. 162 completely and remove the
locking plate.
– Move the battery in the direction of the arrow and pull it out in an upward direction.
– Installation takes place in the reverse order.
Please also refer to the following notes when connecting up the battery
⇒ page 216.
Note
We do not recommend that you remove and install the battery yourself
(even when you are following the instructions given in this manual) since
a battery can be heavily damaged in the process under certain circum-
stances. Please contact your Škoda dealer.
Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery
On disconnecting and reconnecting the battery the following functions are
initially deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free.
We recommend having the vehicle checked by a Škoda dealer to ensure
full functionality of all electrical systems.
Replacing the battery
You should only replace a battery with a new battery of the same capacity,
voltage (12 V), amperage and of the same size. Škoda dealers have a
range of suitable batteries available.
We recommend that you only have an old battery disposed of by your
Skoda dealer since it does require special disposal.
For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain poisonous substances such as sulphuric acid and lead.
They must be disposed of in accordance with local environmental protec-
tion regulations and on no account as domestic waste.
AA
AB
AC
OperationOperating measure
Power windows⇒page 52
Enter radio code numbersee Radio Operating Instruc-
tions
Setting clock⇒page 15
Data in the multi-functional indicator are
deleted.⇒page 18
Accessories, changes and replacement of parts
226
Accessories, changes an d replacement of parts
General
Škoda vehicles have been built according to the latest discoveries in
safety engineering. Thus one should not change the condition in which the
vehicle was delivered from the manufacturer without some thought.
The following guidelines should be observed when a vehicle is to be retro-
fitted with accessories, have technical changes made to it or a part has to
be replaced at some time in the future.
•Advise should always be obtained from a Škoda dealer before buying
any accessories and before making any technical changes ⇒.
•This is particularly the case when accessories are bought in a foreign
country.
•Skoda accessories which have been released for use and original
Škoda parts can be obtained from Škoda dealers. They will install them
professionally and correctly.
•All original accessories which are listed in the catalogue such as tilting
roofs, spoilers, wheels etc. must have an official stamp of approval.
•Radios, aerials and other electrical accessories should only be
installed by an authorised workshop.
•The guidelines issued by Škoda Auto must be observed when making
technical changes.
•This is to ensure that no technical damage occurs to the vehicle, that
travelling and operating safety are maintained and that the chnages are
permissible. Škoda dealers undertake this work professionally or refer it
to an specialist company in special cases.
Any damage which is done caused by technical changes made
without consulting a Škoda Auto is excluded from the warranty.
WARNING
•We advise you, in your own interest, to only use Škoda acces-
sories and original Skoda parts which have been expressly
approved for use on your Škoda. Reliability, safety and suitabiliity
have been established for these parts.
•We cannot guarantee suitability of installation into your vehicle
of other products despite keeping a constant eye on market devel-
opments (also not in the case where there is an attestation or
permission can be produced).
Breakdown assistance237
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Starting engine
It is important to connect the jump-start cables in the correct
order.
Connecting positive terminals
– Attach one end to the positive terminal ⇒fig. 180 of the
discharged battery .
– Attach the other end to the positive terminal of the battery supplying the power .
Connecting negative terminal and engine block
– Attach one end to the negative terminal of the battery supplying the power .
– Attach the other end to a solid metal part which is connected firmly to the engine block, or to the engine block
itself. Starting engine
– Start the engine of the vehicle providing current and run the
engine at idling speed.
– Now start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
– Interrupt the attempt at starting an engine after 10 seconds if it does not start right away and wait for about 30 seconds
before repeating the attempt.
– Disconnect the cables on the engine in exactly the reverse
order they were connected up.
Fig. 180 Jump-starting
using the battery from
another vehicle: A - flat
vehicle battery, B -
battery providing
current
A1
AA
A2
AB
A3
AB
A4
WARNING
•The non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps must never
make contact with each other. Furthermore, the cable connected to
the positive terminal of the battery must not come into contact with
electrically conducting parts of the vehicle - risk of a short circuit!
•Do not affix the jump starting cables to the negative terminal of
the discharged battery. There is the risk of detonating gas seeping
out the battery being ignited by the strong spark which results
from the engine being started.
•Run the jump-start cables so that they cannot be caught by any
rotating parts in the engine compartment.
•Do not bend over the batteries - risk of caustic burns!
•The vent screws of the battery cells must be tightened firmly.
•Keep any sources of ignition (naked flame, smouldering ciga-
rettes etc.) away from the battery - risk of an explosion!