41
CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
Information for drivingStarting engineThe engine can only be started if the selector
lever is in position „N“ or „P“ - see page 44.Selecting a forward gear
Always first of all depress the brake pe-
dal before selecting a forward gear when
the vehicle is stationary and the engine
is running.
Do not depress the accelerator when
moving the selector lever if the car is sta-
tionary.
If you inadvertently move the gearshift
lever into position „N“ when driving, you
first of all have to release the accelera-
tor and wait until the engine is running
at idle speed before again engaging a
forward gear. Warning
When the engine is idling and the car
is stationary (e.g. at traffic lights or
when stopped in congested traffic)
it is always necessary to depress the
brake pedal in order to hold the ve-
hicle no matter the selector lever po-
sition, because the power transmis-
sion is not fully interrupted even
when the engine is idling and the car
may creep forward.
If a forward gear is engaged when the
vehicle is stationary, on no account
inadvertently operate the throttle
(e.g. by hand from the engine com-
partment) otherwise the car will im-
mediately move forward - this may
also happen even if the handbrake is
properly applied.
Move selector lever into position „P“
and apply the handbrake before car-
rying out any work on the running
engine.
Driving off
Select a gear (
R, D , 3 , 2 , 1 ). Wait until the
gearbox has shifted into gear and the
power is transmitted to the driven wheels
(can be felt from a slight engagement jolt)
before then pressing the accelerator.
Coming to a stop
You do not have to move the selector lever
to position „N“ if stopped only for a short
time, e.g. at traffic lights. It is sufficient to
hold the car with the brake. The engine
must only be running at idling speed, how-
ever.
Parking
On the flat it is sufficient to engage the Park
lock. If parked on a downhill stretch, first of
all apply the handbrake fully and then en-
gage the Park lock. Doing this ensures that
there is no excessive stress acting on the
Park lock mechanism and the Park lock can
be more easily released.
Warning
When the car is parked, the selector
lever should always be moved into
position „P“ for only this position
prevents the car moving off by itself.
43
CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
Adjustable steering columnThe steering column can be adjusted for
angle and length.
First of all, properly adjust the driver’s seat.
Swivel lever below steering column down
as far as the stop.
Adjust the angle and length of the steer-
ing wheel to suit your body proportions.
Push the lever back up again - toward
the steering column.
Warning
The steering column must not be ad-
justed when driving.
For safety reasons, the lever must al-
ways be pressed firmly up again so
that the steering wheel cannot move
while the vehicle is in motion.
Ignition lockPetrol engines1 - Ignition off, engine off
2 - Ignition on
3 - Starting engineDiesel engines1 - Fuel supply cut off, engine off
2 - Preglow (ignition off)
Do not switch on any large current consum-
ers when heating the glow plugs to prevent
draining the battery unnecessarily.
3 - Starting engine
Emergency programIf a fault develops in the gearbox electron-
ics, emergency programs are activated de-
pending on the type of fault.
The gearbox does continue to shift au-
tomatically but more severe shift jolts can
be felt in this case. You should drive the
car to the nearest Škoda Dealer.
The gearbox no longer shifts automati-
cally.
In this case, the gearbox can still be shifted
manually but only 3rd gear is available in the
selector lever positions „D“ , „3“ and „2“.
1st gear and Reverse gear are available as
usual when the selector lever is moved into
positions „1“ and „R“.
However, the torque converter has to per-
form more work, particularly because 2nd
gear is no longer available. In such cases,
it is possible that the gear oil may become
too warm.
It is therefore necessary to drive the car
immediately to a Škoda Dealer.
44CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENTFor all models:Position 1
To lock the steering wheel , withdraw key
and turn wheel until you hear the locking
pin engage.
Warning
Do not withdraw key from lock until
vehicle is stationary! The steering
lock might otherwise unintentionally
engaged.
Note
If you forget to switch off the side lights or
a turn signal light, an audible signal will
sound after you switch off the ignition or
withdraw the key and then open the driv-
er’s door.
Position 2
If the key is difficult to turn in the lock or
cannot be turned to this position at all, move
the steering wheel back and forward slightly
to release the locking pin. Warning
If the vehicle is allowed to roll, the
ignition key must be in position 2 in
the lock - ignition on. This position
is also indicated by the warning
lights coming on. Failure to turn the
ignition key into this position can
result in the steering locking uninten-
tionally.
Do not withdraw the ignition key un-
til after the vehicle has come to a stop
and has been properly secured to
prevent it moving by applying the
handbrake or engaging a gear.
Position 3
The starter is operated when the key is
turned into this position. The ignition key
must be turned back each time into posi-
tion „1“ before again attempting to start the
engine. The starter repeat lockout in the ig-
nition lock prevents the starter again being
operated when engine is already running.
When the key is in this position, the main/
low beam headlights and other major elec-
trical components which are on, are then
switched off.
The starter may only be operated (ignition
key position 3), if the engine is not run-
ning. If the starter is immediately operated
after switching off the engine, the starter
or the engine can be damaged.
Starting engineGeneral notesWarning
Never run the engine in non-venti-
lated or enclosed areas, the exhaust
gases of the engine contain besides
the odourless and colourless carbon
monoxide a poisonous gas - hazard!
Carbon monoxide can cause uncon-
sciousness and death.
Never leave your vehicle unattended
with the engine running.
Before starting, move gear lever into
Neutral (selector lever of automatic gear-
box into position „P“ or „N“ ) and apply
handbrake firmly.
On models with a manual gearbox, de-
press the clutch pedal when operating
starter so that the starter only has to crank
the engine.
As soon as engine starts, release igni-
tion key immediately - otherwise the starter
may suffer damage.
After starting a cold engine, it may sound
noisy for a moment or two because the oil
pressure has to build up in the hydraulic
tappets first.
Do not warm engine up by running it with vehicle stationary. Drive off
straight away.
45
CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
Avoid high revs and running the engine
at full load until the engine has reached its
normal operating temperature.
Do not allow the engine to idle for a
lengthy period. If the engine is running
when the car is stationary, there is not al-
ways an adequate flow of air through the
radiator. In certain circumstances, this can
result in the engine overheating and also
in engine damage.
On vehicles with a catalytic converter
the engine must not be started by tow-
ing the vehicle more than 50 m. Other-
wise, unburnt fuel can pass into the
catalytic converter and cause damage.
Before trying to start engine by tow-
ing, use the battery from another vehi-
cle for jump-starting if possible - see
page 177.
Petrol enginesThese engines are equipped with a petrol
injection system that automatically supplies
the correct fuel/air mixture at all ambient
temperatures.
The information for starting these engines
therefore applies irrespective of the outside
temperature and is the same whether the
engine is cold or at normal operating
temperature :
Do not operate throttle before and
when starting the engine.
If the engine does not start immediately,
do not operate the starter for more than 10
seconds and wait about 30 seconds before
repeating the attempt to start the engine.
If the engine is very hot, it may be nec-
essary to depress the throttle slightly after
the engine starts.
If the engine still does not start, the fuse
for the electric fuel pump may have blown -
see page 167.
Contact your Škoda Dealer in this case.
Diesel enginesGlow plug system
After switching on the Drive position (igni-
tion on), the glow warning light comes on.
Start the engine immediately after the warn-
ing light goes out.
Starting a cold engine
Ambient temperature above +5 °C:
The engine can be started immediately
without preglow. Do not operate throttle
when starting engine.
Ambient temperature below +5 °C:
Turn the key in ignition lock to position
„2“ (see page 43) - the glow warning light
comes on. It goes out after the ignition tem-
perature is reached (see page 57).
While the glow plugs are working, do not
switch on any other major electrical
components as this would place an un-
necessary load on the battery.
When the warning lamp goes out, start
the engine immediately.
48CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
InstrumentsThe positioning of the instruments depends
on the particular model and engine versi-
on.
1 - Rev counter .................................. 48
2 - Coolant temperature gauge .. ....... 48
3 - Fuel gauge .................................... 49
4 - Speedometer, trip counter, Service interval display ................ 49
5 - Digital clock .................................. 50
Multi-function display* .................. 50
6 - Information display* ...................... 53
1 - Rev counterThe needle of the rev counter must not mo-
ve into the red zone of the scale on any
account.
Changing up in good time helps to
save fuel and keeps the noise down.
Change down to the next lower gear be-
fore the engine no longer runs smoothly.
Avoid high engine revs during the running-
in period - see page 117.
2 - Coolant temperature
gaugeThe gauge starts to work when ignition is
switched on, but it takes some time before
the needle reaches its final position.
Cold range
The needle is in the bottom range of the scale.
Avoid high revs and high engine loads.
Normal range
When the car is driven normally, the needle
should settle in the middle range of the scale.
The needle may also move further to the
right if the engine is driven at high loads
and at high ambient temperatures, but the
warning lamp for the coolant temperature
must not flash.
If the warning lamp flashes, refer to the in-
formation on page 58.
49
CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
3 - Fuel gaugeThe gauge starts to work when the ignition
is switched on.
The fuel tank holds about 55 litres
(4x4* - 63 ltr.).
If the warning lamp comes on, there are still
about 7 litres of fuel in the fuel tank.4 - SpeedometerDuring the running-in period, refer to the
instructions on page 117.
The speedometer range depends on the
engine power output.
Odometer
The upper counter registers the total di-
stance driven, and the bottom counter the
short trips (trip counter).
The figure after the point in the lower coun-
ter indicates 100 m or 1/10 mile.
The trip counter can be zeroed by pressing
the knob (below the speedometer).
For your own safety, do not attempt to
zero the counter when driving.Service interval display
If the due date of an inspection is reached,
the following text appears in the trip coun-
ter display* or in the information display*
(see page 53)
1):
„Service km 1500“ or
„Service in 1500 km“.
The km figure is reduced in steps of 100 km
prior to the service inspection.
1)On certain models the service message „serv-
ice OIL“ or „service INSP“ appears in the serv-
ice interval display.
If the due date for inspection is reached,
the flashing readout „service“ or „service
now“ appears in the display.
The service message disappears about 20
seconds after starting the engine. You can
also switch to the trip counter display by
pressing the reset knob (for more than 0.5
seconds).
It is recommended to have repair and
service work carried out only in a Škoda
Dealership.
The Škoda Dealership which carried out the
service resets the service interval display
after completion of the work.
It is also possible to reset the service inter-
val display with the reset knob of the trip
counter as follows:
Switch off the ignition and press the re-
set knob of the trip counter below the
speedometer and hold.
Switch on the ignition and release the
reset knob. The message „service“ or
„service now“ appears in the display.
1)
Turn the knob for setting the clock to the
right until the message is reset.
50CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENTNote
Do not reset the readout between ser-
vice intervals, otherwise an incorrect rea-
dout will be displayed.
The information is retained even if the
vehicle battery is disconnected.
If the instrument cluster is replaced du-
ring repairs, it is necessary to reset the
service interval display. This should be
done by a Škoda Dealership.
It is not recommended to reset the serv-
ice interval display yourself otherwise
this may result in incorrect settings and
thus in possible faults in the vehicle.
After resetting the service interval dis-
play on models fitted with LongLife Serv-
ice*, the service messages are displayed
in the same way as on models not fitted
with LongLife Service.
For this reason we recommend having
the service interval display reset in a
Škoda Dealership. The service interval
display is correctly reset by the Škoda
Dealership using a diagnostic tester.
Fault display
If there is a fault in the instrument cluster,
„dEF“ appears continuously in the display
panel of the trip counter. The fault should
be rectified as soon as possible by a Škoda
Dealer.
5 - Digital clockA knob is provided at the bottom right of
the rev counter for setting the time.
The hours can be set by turning the knob
to the left.
The minutes can be set by turning the
knob to the right.
Warning
Always withdraw the key from the
ignition lock when leaving the car -
even if only for a short time.
For safety reasons, do not attempt
to set the time when driving. When
setting the time, the button should
only be turned and not pressed oth-
erwise the clock may be damaged.
5 - Multi-function display*The information appears in the rev coun-
ter display or in the information display -
see page 53 - depending on the vehicle
equipment.
The multifunctional display shows in
addition to the time a range of further
information:
Outside temperature
Range
Current fuel consumption level
Average fuel consumption
Counter for the distance driven
Average speed
Driving time
Time of day
53
CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
Momentary consumption
l/100 km
The readout indicates the actual consump-
tion in ltr./100 km.
The fuel consumption is calculated in two-
second intervals. If the vehicle is not moving,
the fuel consumption is displayed in l/h.
Average fuel
consumption
∅ l/100 km
What is indicated is the average consump-
tion not the actual consumption at the time
of reading the display.
The average fuel consumption is indicated
after switching on the ignition or erasing the
memory being used, after a distance of
about 300 metres. Up to this point dashes
are displayed instead of a figure.
Single trip memory 1 - what is displayed
is the average fuel consumption of the par-
ticular individual trip.
Total trip memory 2 - what is displayed is
the average fuel consumption which has
been achieved during all individual trips -
see also „Total trip memory“.
Note
The quantity of fuel consumed is not indi-
cated. Distance
km
The remarks made under „Driving time“
also apply in the same way to „Distance
driven“. The maximum distance displayed
is 9999 km.
Average speed
∅
km/h
The remarks made under „Average fuel
consumption“ also apply here in the same
way.
Time no symbol
The time is also displayed even if the igniti-
on is switched off. The clock is set with the
rotary knob - see „Digital clock“, page 50.
Driving time
1 - the driving time which has elapsed since
ignition was switched on or since memory
was deleted - refer to single trip memory,
page 52.
2 - the total driving time of all individual trips
- refer to total trip memory, page 52.
The maximum time displayed in both switch
positions is 99 hours and 59 minutes. If this
figure is exceeded, the display starts again
at zero.
6 - Information display*When the ignition is switched on and the
vehicle is driven, certain functions and the
vehicle status are constantly checked.
Operational faults or repairs which must be
dealt with immediately, or further informa-
tion, is signalled by means of a red and
yellow illuminated symbol in the dash pa-
nel insert in line with the priority. If the sym-
bol lights up, an audible signal also sounds.
In addition, the information and warning
texts appear in the display - see page 56.
Texts or instructions for driver , depend-
ing on the version, can be displayed in one
of the language versions:
English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portugue-
se, German, Czech.
The appropriate language version can be
selected in a Škoda Dealership.