78CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENTVentilation (fresh air operation)With the following settings, unheated fresh
air flows out of vents 3 and 4:
Switch off air conditioner by pressing
pushbutton D
Switch off recirculated air mode by press-
ing pushbutton E
Rotary switch B to desired position
Rotary control A fully to the left
Rotary control C to ........................ Open vents 3 and 4
If desired, the rotary control C can also be
turned into other positions.
General notes If the air conditioning is switched on,
air may flow out of the vents at a tempe-
rature of as low as +5 °C in certain con-
ditions. Lengthy periods sitting in the
car and irregular distribution of the air
flow from the vents (in particular in the
leg area) and large temperature differ-
ences, e.g. when getting out of the car,
may result in more sensitive persons
suffering chills.
For this reason, please follow the in-
structions presented in this chapter.
If the ambient temperature is high and
the air very humid, condensed water may
drip off the evaporator and form a pud-
dle under the vehicle. This is quite nor-
mal and does not indicate a leak.
All the controls can be set to any desired
intermediate position except rotary switch
B (in the range of positions 1 to 4) and the
pushbuttons D and E.
Using air conditioner economically In the cooling mode, the compressor of
the air conditioner draws power from the
engine and thus affects the fuel consump-
tion.
If the inside temperature is very high
after the car has been parked in the sun, it
is recommended to open doors or windows
briefly to enable the hot air to escape.
The air conditioner should not be switched
on during a journey if the windows are ope-
ned.
If the desired interior temperature can
be reached without switching on the air
conditioner, it is better to select the fresh
air mode.
If the air conditioning system has not
been switched on for a lengthy period,
odours may be produced at the evaporator
because of deposits. Switch on the air con-
ditioning system at least once a month, also
during the cold season of the year, to the
maximum blower speed in order to remove
such odours. At the same time open a win-
dow.
79
CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
Climatronic
(automatic air conditioning)*
ControlsPushbuttons
1 - Defrosting windshield
Display panels
2 - Display of blower stage
3 - Display of ambient temperature If the Climatronic is switched off at
pushbutton 11. OFF appears here in
place of the entire display.
4 - Display for defrosting windshield
5 - Display for recirculated air position
6 - Display for direction of air flow
7 - Display of selected interior tempera- ture
8 - Display AUTO (automatic mode), ECON (cooling system OFF) Pushbuttons
9 - Automatic mode
10 - Recirculated air mode
11 - Pushbutton for „Blower slower“ and for
entire system „OFF“
12 - Pushbutton for „Blower faster“ and for switching on entire system
13 - Pushbutton for „Air flow to head“ 14 - Pushbutton for „Air flow into footwell“
15 - Reducing interior temperature
16 - Increasing interior temperature
17 - Pushbutton „ECON“ (cooling system
off)
Interior temperature sensor
18 - Interior temperature sensor (18a - on vehicles with left steering, 18b -
on vehicles with right steering)
80CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENTAfter the appropriate pushbuttons have
been pressed, displays 2, 7 and 8 change
or displays 4, 5 and 6 appear, respectively.
The automatic control of the system can
be influenced with all of the Climatronic
pushbuttons.
Recommended standard setting for all
seasons of the year:
Temperature approx. 22 °C (72 °F), set
pushbutton AUTO mode, vents 3 and 4
so that the air flows to the top.
This setting ensures that a comfortable cli-
mate is achieved as rapidly as possible in
the car.
That is why this setting should only be al-
tered if you so wish for your own personal
well-being.
Arrangement of air vents - refer to page 83.
Operating the Climatronic systemAfter the ignition is switched on, the sys-
tem operates in the automatic mode. The
positions 2, 3 , 7 and 8 then appear in the
display panel.
The Climatronic maintains the selected in-
terior temperature in the car fully automati-
cally.
This is done by automatically changing the
temperature of the air flowing out of the
vents as well as the blower speed (air quan-
tity) and the air distribution.
The system also allows for strong sunlight.
It is therefore not necessary to adjust the
heating manually.
If a variation is made to the automatic mode
before switching off the ignition, the se-
lected functions remain stored perma-
nently. Only the „recirculated air mode“
function is cancelled 20 minutes after the
ignition is switched off.
Switching over from degrees Celsius to
degrees Fahrenheit and vice versa
First of all, press and hold pushbutton 17
and then operate pushbutton 9.
The appropriate unit of measure for the
temperature appears in the display.
Notes on automatic mode (AUTO)The interior temperature can be selected
as desired with pushbuttons 15 and 16. The
temperature remains stored until another
temperature is selected.
The interior temperature can be set be-
tween +18 °C (64 °F) and +29 °C (86 °F).
The system automatically controls the tem-
perature within this range.
If a temperature below 18 °C (64 °F) is se-
lected, „LO“ appears in the display. If a tem-
perature higher than 29 °C (86 °F) is se-
lected, „HI“ appears in the display.
In both of these end positions the system
operates with maximum cooling or heating
capacity, respectively. In such cases, the
temperature is not controlled.
It may be in certain operating conditions
that the system temporarily carries out func-
tions which are not necessarily expected.
For example, after starting the engine when
cold, air may be directed primarily into the
footwell for a few seconds. This is inten-
tional so that any moist air which is still in
the system does not cause the windscreen
to mist up.
If the windscreen mists up, first of all press
the pushbutton 9 and then the pushbutton
1. After the windscreen is free of mist, press
again pushbutton 9.
84CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENTGeneral notesIt is important to ensure that the sensor
between the defroster vents for the wind-
shield in the middle of the instrument panel
and the air grille (item 18 - refer to page
79) is not covered over.
The air inlet in front of the windshield
must be free of ice, snow and leaves to
enable the Climatronic to operate properly.
The heating efficiency depends on the
temperature of the coolant - full heating ca-
pacity is therefore only available once the
engine has reached its normal operating
temperature.
If the AUTO mode has not been switched
on for a lengthy period, odours may be
caused as a result of environmentally-re-
lated deposits on the evaporator.
In order to avoid such odour problems, the
cooling system should be switched on at
least once a month at the highest blower
speed - also during the cool season of the
year. At the same time, open a window for
a short time.
At high outside temperatures and high
air humidity condensation may drip from the
evaporator and form a puddle of water be-
low the vehicle. This is quite normal and
not an indication of a leak.
The blower should always be switched
on at a low setting when driving at low
speeds in order to prevent the windows
misting up. Select the ECON or AUTO
mode in this case.
If the air conditioning system has not
been switched on for a lengthy period,
odours may be produced at the evaporator
because of deposits. Switch on the air con-
ditioning system at least once a month, also
during the cold season of the year, to the
maximum blower speed in order to remove
such odours. At the same time open a win-
dow.
Economic use of the Climatronic
systemIn the cooling mode the compressor of the
Climatronic system draws power from the
engine and thus influences the fuel con-
sumption. Pay attention to the following
points in order to minimize the operating
time of the system.
If the interior of the vehicle has been
warmed up considerably by the sun’s rays
when the car is parked, it is recommended
to briefly open the windows or doors to al-
low the warm air to escape.
The Climatronic should not be switched
on when driving if the windows or the slid-
ing roof* are open.
Select the ECON mode if it is possible
to also achieve the desired interior tem-
perature without operating the cooling sys-
tem.
94SAFETYBefore setting offThe driver is always fully responsible for
his occupants and for the operating
safety of the vehicle.
For your own safety and the safety of the
people travelling with you, please pay at-
tention to the following points before set-
ting off:
Ensure that the lighting and the turn sig-
nal system are functioning properly.
Inspect the tyre inflation pressure.
Ensure that all the windows offer a good
visibility to the outside.
Safely attach the items of luggage - see
page 27.
Ensure that no objects can obstruct the
pedal.
Adjust the mirror, the front seat and the
head restraint to match your body size.
Point out to your occupants that the head
restraints must be adjusted to match their
body size.
Protect the children in suitable child
seats with correctly fastened seat belts -
see page 111.
Adopt the correct seated position. Also
inform your occupants to adopt the correct
seated position.
Fasten the seat belt correctly. Also in-
form your occupants to properly fasten the
seat belts - see page 98.
What influences the driving safety?The driving safety is primarily deter-
mined by the style of driving and the
personal behaviour of all the occupants.
The driver is fully responsible for himself
and his occupants. If your driving safety is
effected, you place yourself and the oncom-
ing traffic at risk. Please refer to the follow-
ing guidelines.
Do not get distracted from concentrat-
ing on the traffic situation, e.g. by your oc-
cupants or mobile phone calls.
Never drive when your driving ability is
impaired, e.g. through medication, alcohol,
drugs.
Keep to the traffic regulations and the
permissible speed limit.
Adjust the driving speed at all times to
the road condition as well as to the traffic
and weather conditions.
Take regular breaks on long journeys -
at the latest every two hours.
Correct seated position for the driverCorrect seated position for the driver is
important for safe and relaxed driving.
For your own safety as well as to reduce
the risk of injury in the event of an accident,
we recommend the following setting.
Adjust the steering wheel so that the dis-
tance between the steering wheel and your
chest is at least 25 cm - see illustration.
Position the driver seat in the forward/
back direction so that you are able to press
the pedals with your legs at a slight angle.Correct seated position
121
DRIVING TIPS
The full braking effect may also be delayed
when the car has been driven for some time
on heavily salted roads without using the
brakes, because the layer of salt on the
discs and pads has to be removed first.Warning
If a front spoiler, full-size wheel trims
etc., are retrofitted, it is necessary to
ensure that the flow of air to the front
brakes is not restricted - otherwise
the brakes may overheat.
Brake booster
The braking force boosts the pressure,
which you generate with the brake pedal.
The necessary pressure is only generated
when the engine is running. Warning
The brake booster only operates
when the engine is running.
Never switch off the engine before
the vehicle is stationary.
In the case that the brake booster is
not operating - e.g. because the vehi-
cle has to be towed or because there
is damage to the brake booster - the
brake pedal has to be depressed with
a significantly greater force, in order
to balance out the missing brake
boosting effect.Because if you do not stop as nor-
mal, this can cause an accident and
severe injuries.
Brake Assist*
The Brake Assist boosts the brake servo
effect during a brake application in a haz-
ardous situation and is able in this way to
assist the rapid build-up of brake pressure.
In emergency situations the majority of car
drivers do apply the brakes in time, but not
with the brake pedal force which is neces-
sary for achieving maximum deceleration.
Valuable braking distance is lost as a result!The Brake Assist is activated as soon as the
brake pedal is depressed very rapidly. A hig-
her brake servo assistance than is usual in
normal brake applications, is then available.
Consequently, it is possible to build up
within a very short time the brake pressure
which is required for achieving maximum
deceleration with only a correspondingly
slight counterforce on the brake pedal.Depress the brake pedal further for achiev-
ing the shortest possible braking distance. Do
not reduce the foot pressure on the pedal!The Brake Assist is able in this way to help
you in critical situations by building up the
brake pressure more rapidly and shorten-
ing the stopping distance. The advantages
offered by the ABS are fully exploited by the
Brake Assist. As soon as the brake pedal is
released, the Brake Assist function is swit-
ched off then automatically and the usual
service brake function is again available.
Warning
The Brake Assist is also not in a
position to overcome the physical
limits which apply to the braking dis-
tance.
This is something you should re-
member particularly when driving on
smooth or wet road surfaces.
Adapt your style of driving always
to the road condition and the traffic
situation. The increased safety which
the Brake Assist offers you must not
lead you to take any safety risk!
125
DRIVING TIPS
Technical requirements
If the car is supplied with a factory-fitted
towing bracket, all that is technically and
legally necessary for towing a trailer has
already been taken into account.
If the trailer to be towed has a 7-pin con-
nector, you can obtain an adapter cable
from Škoda Dealers.
Škoda Dealers are acquainted with the
details of retrofitting a towing bracket and
modifying the cooling system. You should
therefore have a towing bracket fitted by a
Škoda Dealer. Operating instructions
The permissible trailer weights must on
no account be exceeded.
The trailer weights stated are only ap-
plicable for altitudes up to 1000 m above
mean sea level (MSL). As the engine out-
put and thus the climbing ability drops due
to the decreasing air density, the weight of
vehicle and trailer must also be reduced by
10 % for each further 1000 m or part the-
reof.
Take this fact into account when driving at
high altitudes.
You should make full use of the maxi-
mum permissible drawbar weight indicated
on the ball head of the towing bracket, but
do not exceed it.
The load carried in the trailer should be
distributed so that any heavy objects are
placed as close as possible to the axle,
taking into account the permissible trailer
weight and drawbar load. The objects
should also be secured to prevent them
slipping.
Select the tyre pressure of the car for full
loads and also check the pressure of the
trailer tyres.
The headlight beam control of the car
should be set to match the particular load
conditions.
The handbrake of the car should be ap-
plied when hitching up and unhitching the
trailer.
Inspect the ball head to ensure that
it is properly locked each time before
setting off.
The inspection is performed by turn-
ing the closed locking lever down-
wards.
If the locking lever can only be turned
approx. 5°, the locking mechanism is
OK.
After the inspection pull the locking
lever back again to its stop.
The towing device must not be used,
if it does not wish to close or the
locking lever turns slightly in the clo-
sed position.
142GENERAL MAINTENANCECooling system
In normal operating conditions the cooling
system requires practically no mainte-
nance. The coolant consists of water and
a 40 % concentration of coolant additive.
This mixture not only offers the necessary
antifreeze protection down to -25 °C, but
also protects the cooling and heating sys-
tem from corrosion. In addition, it prevents
the formation of scale and increases the
boiling point of the coolant.
For this reason, the concentration of cool-
ant should also not be reduced during the
summer or in warm countries by topping up
with water. The coolant additive concen-
tration should be at least 40 %.
If greater antifreeze protection is required
for climatic reasons, the concentration of
coolant additive can be increased, but only
up to 60 % (antifreeze protection down to
about -40 °C). A higher concentration re-
duces the antifreeze protection and the
cooling efficiency is also impaired.
Cars for export countries with a cold climate
(e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland) are factory-
filled for antifreeze protection down to about
-35 °C.
CoolantThe cooling system is factory-filled with the
coolant TL 774-F (G12 PLUS), lilac in col-
our.
We recommend using the same fluid for
topping up the system - G 12 PLUS (lilac
in colour).
In the event that it is necessary to top up
the system with a different coolant or if there
are any unclear aspects, please contact
your Škoda Dealer.
The correct coolant is available from your
Škoda Dealer.
Other coolant additives may consider-
ably impair the corrosion protection pro-
vided.
Any corrosion damage arising from the
use of another additive may result in a
loss of coolant and consequently in
major engine damage.
The fluid level should always be between
the „MAX“ and „MIN“ markings. If the level
has dropped below the „MIN“ marking, the
power steering should be inspected by a
Škoda Dealer. It is not sufficient simply to
top up the hydraulic fluid.
Note
When the engine is not running (e.g. when
the car is being towed or the ribbed belt is
broken) the power steering does not oper-
ate. The car can still be fully steered how-
ever, although greater physical effort is re-
quired for steering.