Seats and Stowage79
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Note
•You have to adjust the inflation pressure of the tyres to the load of the
car - refer to tyre inflation pressure sticker on the inside of the fuel filler
flap.
•The backrest of the rear seats is a fixed element and can therefore not
be folded forward to increase the size of the luggage compartment!
Lashing eyes
Eyes are located on the sides of the loading area for lashing the goods to
be loaded ⇒fig. 62 .
You can also attach a securing net* to these eyes for lashing small objects.
The securing net* and the fixing instruction is located in the well under the
floor covering of the lugagge compartment behind the spare wheel.
WARNING
•Please note that the handling properties of your vehicle may be
affected when transporting heavy objects as a result of the
displacement of the centre of gravity. The speed and style of
driving must be adjusted accordingly.
•The items carried in the luggage compartment should be stored
in such a way that no objects are able to slip forward if there are
any sudden driving or braking manoeuvres undertaken - risk of
injury!
•Never drive with the boot lid slightly ajar or even fully opened
otherwise exhaust gases may get into the interior of the vehicle -
risk of poisoning!
•On no account exceed the permissible axle loads and the
permissible gross weight of th e vehicle - risk of accident!
WARNING
The load to be transported must be fixed in place in such a way that
it cannot move during the journey and when braking.
Fig. 62 Position of
lashing eyes in luggage
compartment
Intelligent Technology
174
Note
•A warning light comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system
⇒ page 34.
•Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or other
assignment of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ABS
⇒ page 226.
Brake Assist*
During a severe brake application (e.g. if a hazard exists), the Brake
Assist increases the braking force and thus makes it possible to rapidly
produce the pressure required in the brake system.
The majority of drivers do apply the brakes in good time in dangerous situ-
ations, but do not depress the brake pedal with sufficient pressure. Conse-
quently, it is not possible for the car to achieve its maximum deceleration
and the car covers a greater distance than necessary. The Brake Assist is activated by the very quick operation of the brake
pedal. In such cases, a much greater braking pressure exists than during
a normal brake application. This makes it possible, even with a relatively
low resistance of the brake pedal, to produce an adequate pressure in the
brake system in the shortest possible time, which is required for maximum
deceleration of the car. You must apply the brake pedal firmly and hold it
in this position in order to achieve the shortest possible braking distance.
The Brake Assist is able to help you achieve a shorter braking distance in
emergency situations by rapidly producing the pressure required in the
brake system. It fully exploits the attributes of the ABS. After you release
the brake pedal, the function of the Brake Assist is automatically switched
off and the brakes operate in the normal way.
The Brake Assist is part of the ESP system. If a fault occurs in the ESP,
the Brake Assist function is also not available. Further information on the
ESP
⇒page 169.
Power steering
Power steering assists the driver in steering the vehicle and reduces the
physical force needed for steering.
WARNING
•The ABS can also not overcome the physical limits of your
vehicle. Please do not forget this, particularly when driving on icy
or wet road surfaces. If the ABS is operating within the control
range, adapt your speed immediately to the conditions of the road
surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered by
the ABS must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise -
risk of an accident!
•The normal braking system is still fully functional if there is an
ABS fault. Visit a Skoda dealer as quickly as possible and adjust
your style of driving to take account of the ABS fault in the mean-
time since you will not know how great the damage is.
WARNING
•The Brake Assist is also not able to overcome the physical
limits of your car in terms of the braking distance required.
•Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to
the traffic situation.
•The increased safety offered by the Brake Assist must not
tempt you to take a greater safety risk than otherwise.
Driving and the Environment
182
Avoid driving short distances
Short distances result in an above-average high fuel
consumption.
– Avoid driving a distance of no more than 4 km if the engine is
cold.
The engine and catalytic converter must first have reached their optimal
operating temperature in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption
and pollutant emissions.
The cold engine of a mid-range vehicle consumes 30 - 40 litres/100 km.
of fuel immediately after starting. Fuel consumption drops to 20 litres/100
km. after just 1 kilometre. The engine reaches its operating temperature
only after about four kilometres and the fuel consumption then stabilizes.
You should therefore avoid driving short distances whenever possible.
An important factor in this connection is also the ambient temperature.
The ⇒fig. 149 shows the different fuel consumptions for the same distance, on the one hand at +20°C and on the other hand at -10°C. Your
vehicle has a higher fuel consumption in winter than in summer.
Checking tyre inflation pressures
Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel.
Always ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure at all
times. The rolling resistance will be increased if the tyre filling pressure is
too low. This will not only increase fuel consumption but also tyre wear
and the driving behaviour will worsen.
Always check the inflation pressure of the tyres when
cold.
Do not drive with winter tyres all year round for this costs about 10 %
more fuel. Winter tyres are also louder.
No unnecessary ballast
Transporting ballast costs fuel.
The fact that every kilogram of extra weight increases your fuel consump-
tion means that it is worth taking a look in the luggage compartment to
avoid transporting any unnecessary ballast.
It is particularly in town trafffic, when one is accelerating quite often, that
the vehicle weight will have a significant effect upon the fuel consumption.
A rule of thumb here is that an increase in weight of 100 kilograms will
cause an increase in fuel consumption of about 1 litre/100 kilometres.
You may frequently also leave a roof rack fitted on just out of conven-
ience, although you no longer need it. The increased aerodynamic drag of
your vehicle causes it to use about 1 litre more fuel than normal at a speed
of 100 - 120 km/h, even when you are not carrying a load on the roof.
Fig. 149 Fuel
consumption in
litres/100 km at
different temperatures
Towing a trailer185
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Tyre inflation pressure
Select the tyre inflation pressure on your vehicle for that of “fully laden”,
⇒
page 220. 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 58.
Detachable ball head
The ball rod is detachable on vehicles which feature a factory-fitted towing
device. 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 186.
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
Care and cleaning191
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
For the sake of the environment
Only wash your vehicle at washing bays specifically reserved for this
purpose. This ensures that no water which may be contaminated by oil
flows into the sewage system. It is not even permitted to wash your vehicle
in certain areas except at such specific washing bays.
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
When you wash your vehicle with a high-pressure cleaner, it is essential
to comply with the instructions for use of the cleaning equipment. This
applies in particular to the pressure used and to the spraying distance .
Maintain a sufficiently large distance to soft materials such as rubber
hoses or insulation material.
On no account use circular spray nozzles or so-called dirt cutters .
The water containing wax must be no hotter than 60°C.
Caution
It is particularly important that you do not clean tyres with circular spray
jets. Damage to tyres may occur even at a relatively large spraying
distance and if sprayed only for a short time.
Wax treatment
Good wax treatment is an effective way of protecting the paintwork from
harmful environmental influences and minor mechanical damage.
A new layer of a high-quality hard wax polish can be applied to the clean
bodywork after it has dried thoroughly. Even if you use a wax preserver regularly we still recommend that you treat the paintwork of the vehicle at
least twice a year with hard wax.
Caution
Never apply wax to the windows.
Polishing
Polishing is only necessary if the paintwork of your vehicle has become
unattractive and if it is no longer possible to achieve a gloss with wax
preservers.
You must treat the paintwork with a wax preserver if the polish you use
does not contain any preserving elements
⇒page 191, “Wax treatment”.
We recommend using a preservative from the range of accessories
offered by your Skoda dealer.
Caution
You must not treat mat painted parts or plastic with polishing products or
hard wax.
Trim strips
Use pH neutral care products to remove stains and coatings on trim
strips - in other words not chrome care products. Škoda Dealers have
available a range of environmentally compatible cleaning products which
have been tested and approved for your car.
Fuel
200
Prewarming fuel
The vehicle is fitted with a fuel filter prewarming system. This secures
operation of a vehicle using diesel fuel down to an environmental temper-
ature of -25°C.
Biofuel
We recommend refuelling with diesel fuel at temperatures below -10°C.
Caution
It is not permitted to add the various fuel additives on the market, including
petrol, to diesel fuel in order to improve its flow properties.
Refuelling
Refuelling procedure
Opening the fuel filler cap
– Unlock the fuel filler flap with the switch in the driver door
⇒page 42.
– Open the fuel filler flap fully.
– Unscrew the cap by turning it to the left.
– Place the cap onto the top of the fuel filler flap ⇒fig. 151.
Closing fuel filler cap
– Screw on the cap by turning it to the right until it is heard to lock.
– Press the fuel tank flap closed.
The correct grade of fuel for your vehicle as well as the tyre size and infla-
tion pressures are stated on a sticker affixed to the inside of the fuel filler
flap. Further information on fuel ⇒page 198.
The fuel tank has a capacity of about 62 litres.
Caution
•Remove any fuel which has spilled onto the paintwork of your vehicle
immediately. This particularly applies to biodiesel - risk of paint damage!Fig. 151 Filler flap with
cap unscrewed
WARNING
Pay attention to any legal requirements if you do carry a spare
canister in the vehicle. We do not recommend carrying any fuel
canisters in your vehicle for safety reasons. The canister can be
damaged in the event of an accident and fuel may leak out.
Wheels and Tyres
220
Tyre life
The life of your tyres very much depends on the following points: Tyre inflation pressure
The working life of tyres will be shortened considerably if the tyres are
insufficiently or over-inflated and this will have an adverse effect on the
handling of your vehicle.
Check the inflation pressure of the tyres at least once a month. The tyre
inflation pressures for
summer tyres are indicated on the inside of the
fuel filler flap ⇒fig. 164 . The inflation pressures for winter tyres are 0.2
bar higher than those for summer tyres ⇒page 224.
Correctly inflated tyres are of particular importance when travelling at high
speeds. It is therefore good to check the pressure at least once a month
and also before setting off on a long trip. Please do not forget the spare
wheel when checking the tyres.
The tyre pressure should be at the highest pressure specified for your
vehicle at all times.
On cars with full wheel trim, valve extensions are fitted in place of dust
caps ⇒fig. 165 . It is not necessary to unscrew the valve extensions in
order to check and alter the inflation pressure of the tyre.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and braking (squealing tyres) increase
wear-and-tear on your tyres.
Balancing wheels
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. There are a wide range of influ-
ences when driving which may result in an imbalance and which makes
themselves felt through vibration in the steering.
You should have the wheels rebalanced since any imbalance increases
wear-and-tear on the steering, the suspension and tyres. A wheel must
also be rebalanced when a new tyre is fitted and each time a tyre is
repaired.
Fig. 164 An opened
fuel filler flap with the
tyre inflation pressure
table
Fig. 165 Wheel with
full trim and extended
valve
Wheels and Tyres221
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Wheel alignment errors
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front and rear will not only increase wear-
and-tear on the tyres but will also has an adverse effect on vehicle safety.
Contact your Škoda dealer if you notice any unusual tyre wear.
For the sake of
the environment
Tyres which are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption.
Wear indicators
The base of the tread of the original tyres has wear indicators 1.6 mm
high, installed at right angles to the direction of travel. These wear indica-
tors are located at 6 to 8 points depending on the make and are evenly
spaced around the circumference of the tyre ⇒fig. 166 . Markings on the
walls of the tyres through the letters “TWI” or triangular symbols identify
the position of the wear indicators.
A remaining tread of just 1.6 mm, measured in the grooves of the tread
next to the wear indicators, means that your tyres have reached their
legally permissible minimum tread depth.
WARNING
If the inflation pressure is too low, the tyre must perform a greater
flexing work. At higher speeds the tyre will warm up as a result of
this. This can result in tread separation and even a tyre blowout.
Fig. 166 Tyre tread
with wear indicators
WARNING
•You must have your tyres replaced with new ones at the latest
when the wear indicators have been worn down. The legally
permissible minimum tread de pth should be observed.
•Worn tyres do not provide the necessary adhesion to the road
surface at high speeds on wet roads. One could experience “aqua-
planing” (uncontrolled movements of the vehicle - “swimming” on
a wet road surface).