2004 SKODA SUPERB technical data

Towing a trailer191
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Tyre pressure
Select the tyre inflation pressure on your vehicle for that of “fully laden”,
⇒
page 226. 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 192.
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

Towing a trailer193
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extent that the safety of the towing device is no longer assured -
risk of an accident.
Note
•Do not carry out any modifications or repairs to the ball head or to any
other components on the towing device.
•Contact a Škoda dealer if you encounter any problems using the
device.
•Never unlock the ball head with a trailer coupled to it.
•You should take off the ball head if you drive without towing a trailer.
Inspect whether the end cover properly seals off the mounting shaft.
•Remove the ball head beforehand if you wish to clean your vehicle
using a steam jet. Ensure that the end cover properly seals the mounting
shaft.
•It is recommended to wear gloves when installing and removing.
WARNING (continued)

Care and cleaning195
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General Maintenance
Care and cleaning
General
Proper care retains the value of your vehicle.
Regular and proper care retains the value of your vehicle. It may also be
one of the requirements for the acceptance of warranty claims relating to
corrosion damage and paint defects on the bodywork.
You can obtain the necessary care products from Škoda dealers. Please
follow the instructions for use on the package.
WARNING
•Care products may be harmful to your health if not used
according to the instructions.
•Always store care products in a safe place, out of the reach of
children - risk of poisoning!
For the sake of the environment
•Always select environmentally-friendly products when purchasing
vehicle care products.
•Do not dispose of residues of care products in domestic waste.
Care of the exterior of vehicle
Washing the vehicle
Frequent washing protects your vehicle.
The best protection for your vehicle against harmful environmental influ-
ences is frequent washing and wax treatment. How often you should
wash your vehicle depends on a wide range of factors, such as:
•Frequency of use
•The parking situation (garage, below trees etc.)
•Season of the year
•Weather conditions
•Environmental influences
The longer insect residues, bird droppings, tree sap, road and industrial
dust, tar, soot particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain
adhering to the paintwork of your vehicle, the more detrimental their
destructive effect can be. High temperatures, such as those caused by
intensive sun's rays, accentuate this caustic effect.
It may therefore be necessary, in certain circumstances, to wash the car
once a week. It may also be sufficient, however, to wash the car once a
month followed by appropriate wax treatment.
It is essential to also thoroughly wash the underside of your vehicle at
the end of the winter road salting and gritting period.

Care and cleaning197
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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 !
WARNING
It is particularly important that you do not clean tyres with circular
spray jets. Damage may occur even at a relatively large spraying
distance and if sprayed only for a short time!
Caution
The water must be no hotter than 60°C, otherwise the vehicle can be
damaged.
Wax treatment
Good wax treatment is an effective way of protecting the paintwork from
harmful environmental influences and minor mechanical damage.
The vehicle must be treated with a high-quality hard wax polish at the
latest, when no more drops form on the clean paintwork.
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 197, “Wax treatment”.
We recommend using a preservative from Škoda genuine accessories
offered by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
•You must not treat mat painted parts or plastic with polishing products
or hard wax.
•Do not polish the paintwork of the vehicle in a dusty environment,
otherwise the paintwork can be scratched.

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Caution
Never remove snow or ice from the windows with warm or hot water - risk
of formation of cracks in the glass!
The headlight lenses
Please do not use any aggressive cleaning or chemical solvent products
- risk of damage to the plastic lenses Please use soap and clean warm
water.
Caution
Never wipe the headlights dry and do not use any sharp objects for
cleaning the plastic lenses, this may result in damage to the protective
paintwork and consequently in formation of cracks on the headlight
lenses, e.g through effect of chemical products.
Door and window seals
The rubber seals on the doors, boot lid, bonnet, sliding roof and windows
remain supple and last longer if you treat them from time to time with a
rubber care product (e.g. silicone spray). You also avoid premature wear
of the seals and prevent leakages in this way. It is also easier to open the
doors. Rubber seals which are well cared for also do not stick together in
cold winter weather.
Locks
We recommend that you use the spray from Škoda original accessories
with regreasing and anticorrosive effect for de-icing locks.
Note
When washing your vehicle, ensure that as little water as possible gets
into the locks.
Wheels
Steel wheels
You should also thoroughly wash the wheels and wheel trims when giving
your vehicle its regular wash. This prevents any brake dust, dirt and road
salt from sticking to the wheel hubs. You can remove stubborn brake abra-
sion adhering to the wheels with an industrial cleaner. Touch up any
damage to the paintwork on the wheels before rust is able to form.
Light alloy wheels
Regular care of light alloy wheels is necessary in order to retain their
decorative appearance over long periods. It is particularly important to
remove any road salt and brake abrasion from light alloy wheels every two
weeks, otherwise the surface will suffer. Wash thoroughly and then treat
the wheels with a protective product for light alloy wheels which does not
contain any acidic components. You should provide the wheel hubs with
a hard wax layer every three months. You must not use any products
which cause abrasion when treating the wheel hubs. Any damage to the
paint layer on the wheel hubs must be touched up immediately.
We recommend using a preservative from Škoda genuine accessories
offered by your Škoda dealer.

Care and cleaning201
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Caution
•Engine cleaning may be only be undertaken when the ignition is off.
•It is recommended to cover the generator before washing the engine
compartment.
For the sake of the environment
The dirty water produced by washing the engine has washed away petrol,
and residues of grease and oil and should therefore be cleaned by an oil
separator. This is why engine washing should only be undertaken in a
garage or at a fueling station (when these are fitted with the required
equipment).
Care of the interior of vehicle
Plastic parts, artificial leather and cloths
You can clean plastic parts and artificial leather with a moist cloth. You
should only treat such parts with special solvent-free plastic cleaning
and care products it does prove to be adequate.
Upholstery cloth and cloth trim on the doors, luggage compartment cover,
headliner etc. are best treated with special cleaning products, using if
necessary a dry foam and a soft sponge or brush.
We recommend using a cleaning product from Škoda genuine accesso-
ries offered by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack the material and can damage it.
Fabric covers of electrically heated seats
Do not clean the seat covers moist as this may result in damage to the
seat heating system.
Clean such covers using special agents, for example dry foam.
Natural leather
Natural leather requires quite particular care and attention.
Leather should be treated from time to time according the
following guidelines depending on how much it is used.
Normal cleaning
– Clean soiled areas of the leather with slightly moistened cotton or woollen cloth.
Severe soiling
– Clean severely soiled areas with a cloth dipped in a mild soapy solution (2 spoonfuls of natural soap to 1 litre of water).
– Ensure that the leather is not soaked through at any point and that no water gets into the stitching of the seams.
– Dry off the leather with a soft, dry cloth.
Removing stains
– Remove fresh stains which are water-based (e.g. coffee, tea,
juices, blood etc.) with an absorbent cloth or household paper
or use the cleaner from the care set for a stain which has
already dried in.

Care and cleaning203
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Seat belts
– Keep the seat belts clean.
– Wash seat belts which have become soiled using a mild soapy
solution.
– Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condition.
Belt webbing which has become severely soiled may prevent the inertia
reel from reeling up the belt properly.
WARNING
•The seat belts must not be removed for cleaning.
•Never clean the seat belts chemically as dry cleaning may
destroy the fabric. The seat belts must also not be allowed to come
into contact with corrosive liquids (such as acids etc.).
•Seat belts which have damage to the webbing, the connections,
the inertia reel or the lock should be replaced by a Škoda dealer.
•Inertia reel belts must be completely dried before being reeled
up.

Fuel
204
Fuel
Petrol
Grades of petrol
There are various grades of petrol. Please read the brochure “Technical
Data” in order to know which grade of petrol your vehicle requires. You will
also find the same information affixed to the inside of the fuel filler flap of
your vehicle ⇒page 206, fig. 156 .
A distinction is made between unleaded and leaded petrol. All Škoda vehi-
cles with petrol engines are equipped with a catalytic converter and must
therefore be only driven with unleaded petrol. Unleaded petrol complies
with the standard EN 228 .
The individual grades of petrol are distinguished by their octane number
(RON). Please adopt the following procedure if the grade of petrol which
you normally use is not be available in exceptional circumstances:
•Engines which need unleaded premium petrol 95 RON can also be
run on unleaded regular petrol 91 RON. This does, however, result in a
slight loss in performance.
•Engines which need unleaded premium petrol 98 RON can also be
run on unleaded regular petrol 95 RON. This does, however, result in a
slight loss in performance. You can in exceptional circumstances also
use unleaded regular petrol of 91 RON in the event that no unleaded
premium petrol of 98 RON or 95 RON is available. Refuel as soon as
possible with unleaded premium plus of 98 RON or unleaded premium
petrol of 95 RON.
If, in an emergency, the only fuel available is one which has a lower octane
number than that required by the engine then only drive at medium engine
speeds and lower engine loadings. You can make unlimited use of fuel which has a higher octane number
than that required by the engine. There will, however, be no advantages
gained by this in terms of engine performance and fuel consumption!
The handling, performance and life of your engine are determined to a
significant extent by the quality of the fuel. Do not use any petrol additives.
Use a fuel complying with the standard.
You can find further information on refuelling
⇒page 206.
Caution
•Filling the tank even only once with leaded petrol will result in the cata-
lytic converter being destroyed.
•Operating the engine with petrol of a low octane number can result in
engine damage at high revolutions or severe engine loading.
Diesel
Grade of diesel fuel
Grades of diesel fuel
Your vehicle can be driven with the following grades of diesel fuel:
•Diesel fuel with a cetane number of at least CN 49 (the cetane number
CN is a measure of the ignition performance of the diesel fuel). Diesel fuel
must comply with the standard EN 590.
•Biofuel (RME rape oil methyl ester fuel) must comply with the
standard EN 51 606 . Please refer to the following guidelines
⇒ page 205, “Biofuel”.