Wheels and Tyres
200
Tyre life
The life of your tyres very much depends on the following points:
Tyre 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. 146. The inflation pressures for winter tyres are
20 kPa (0.2 bar) higher than those for summer tyres ⇒page 204.
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. Always check the inflation pressure of tyres when cold. Do not reduce the
higher pressure of warm tyres. Adapt the inflation pressure of the tyres
accordingly if your vehicle is carrying a significantly higher payload.
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.
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.
WARNING
•If the inflation pressu
re 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.
•Immediately replace the damaged rims or tyres.
For the sake of the environment
Tyres which are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption.
Fig. 146 An opened
fuel filler flap with the
tyre inflation pressure
table
Breakdown assistance
212
Spare wheel*
The spare wheel is stowed in the spare wheel well in the
luggage compartment below the floor covering.
The spare wheel lies in a well under the luggage compartment floor and is
fixed in place along with the vehicle tool kit box using special screws
⇒ fig. 152 .
One should check the inflation pressure in the spare wheel (at best when
generally checking the tyre air pressures - see sign on the fuel filler flap
⇒ page 180) to ensure that the spare wheel is always ready to use.
Unidirectional tyres*
If you have such tyres on your vehicle, please refer to the notes below:
•The spare wheel provided with a car fitted with unidirectional tyres has
different dimensions. The wheel is provided with a warning sticker.
•After fitting on the wheel, the warning sticker must not be concealed
(e.g. by the wheel trim).
•Do not drive with this spare wheel at more than 80 km/h - risk of acci-
dent. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
•The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation
pressure of the standard tyres.
•Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest service station as it is
not intended for continuous use.
Note
Some vehicles are only fitted with spray to make tyre repairs
⇒ page 211.
Changing a wheel
Preliminary work
The following steps should be carried out before actually
changing the wheel.
– If it is necessary to change a wheel, park the vehicle as far
away as possible from the traffic flow. The place you choose
should be level.
– Have all the occupants get out. While changing a wheel, the
occupants of the vehicle should not stand on the road (it is
better behind a crash barrier).
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Engage 1st gear or if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic
gearbox, position the selector lever into position P .
Fig. 152 Luggage
compartment: Spare
wheel
Breakdown assistance
214
– Stow and attach the replaced wheel in the spare wheel well.
– Stow the vehicle tool kit in the space provided.
–Check the tyre pressure on the spare wheel just mounted as
soon as possible.
– Have the tightening torque of the wheel bolts checked with
a torque wrench as soon as possible. The tightening torque for
steel and light alloy wheels must be 120 Nm.
– Have the defective tyre repaired as soon as possible.
WARNING
It is necessary to observe the guidelines given on ⇒page 202,
“New tyres and wheels” if the vehicle is subsequently fitted with
tyres which are different to those it was fitted with at the works.
Note
•If you find, when changing the wheel, that the wheel bolts are corroded
and difficult to turn, the bolts must be replaced before checking the tight-
ening torque.
•Drive cautiously and only at a moderate speed to a workshop where
the tightening torque can be checked.
Full wheel trim*
Removing
– Hook the clamp found in the vehicle tool kit into the reinforced edge of the full wheel trim.
– Push the wheel key through the clamp, support the wheel key on the tyre and pull off the wheel trim ⇒fig. 153 .
Installing
– First press the full wheel trim onto the wheel at the valve opening provided. Then press the full wheel trim into the
wheel in such a way that its entire circumference locks
correctly in place.
Fig. 153 Removing the
full wheel trim
General237
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Technical Data
General
Identification data
Vehicle data sticker
The vehicle data sticker ⇒fig. 179 is located on the floor of the luggage
compartment and is also stated in the Service Schedule.
The vehicle data sticker contains the following data:
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
Vehicle type
Gearbox code, paint number, interior equipment number, engine
output, engine code
Partial description of the vehicle Vehicle identification number (VIN)
The vehicle identification number - VIN (vehicle body number) is stamped
into the engine compartment on the right hand shock absorber dome. This
number is also located on a sign on the lower left hand edge below the
windscreen.
Engine number
The engine number is stamped into the engine block.
Type plate (production plate)
The type plate is located in the engine compartment at the front on the left
hand shock absorber dome.
Homologation sign
The homologation sign is located on the lock carrier. Vehicles for certain
countries do not have an homologation sign.
Stickers on inside of fuel filler flap
The stickers are affixed to the inside of the fuel filler flap. The sticker
contains the following data:
•The prescribed types of fuel
•Tyre size
•Tyre pressure
Note
•You will find the technical data of your vehicle in the separate brochure
"Technical Data".
Fig. 179 Vehicle data
sticker
A1
A2
A3
A4
Index
244
U
Underbody protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Unidirectional tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
V
Vanity mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Vehicle condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Vehicle data sticker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Vehicle identification data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Vehicle immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
W
Warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Warning symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Washing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 with high-pressure cleaner . . . . . . . . . . 171
Washing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Washing vehicle by hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Wax treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Wheel Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Slackening and tightening . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Wheel rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Wheel trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 De-icing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Window lifter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Windows De-icing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Windscreen washer nozzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Windscreen Wiper and Washer System . . . 197 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Windscreen wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . 197 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Wiper blades Replacing windscreen wiper blades . . . . 63
X
Xenon headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227