2005 SKODA FABIA weight

Transporting children safely 151
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assist-
anceTechnical DataFabia Praktik
•Do not place any objects within th e deployment area of the side
airbag - risk of injury!
Child seat
Classification of child seats into groups
Only child safety seats which have an official approval and
are suitable for the child, may be used.
ECE-R 44 standard applies to child safety seats. ECE-R means:
Economic Commission of Europe - Regulation.
Child safety seats which have been tested for conformity with ECE-R 44
have a non-detachable test seal (a large E within a circle and below this
the test number) attached to the seat.
Child safety seats are classified in 5 groups:
Children of more than 150 cm in height may use the seat belts fitted to the
vehicle without a seat bolster.
Use of child seats
An overview of the usefulness of child seats on each of the seats
according to the EG guidelines 77/541 and ECE 44 standard:
Universal category - seat is suitable for all approved types of child
safety seats.
The seat can be fitted with fixing eyes for the “ ISOFIX”system*.
GroupWeight
00 - 10 kg⇒ page 152
0+up to 13 kg⇒page 152
19 - 18 kg⇒page 152
215 - 25 kg⇒page 153
322 - 36 kg⇒page 154
WARNING (continued)
Child seat
according to groupFront passenger
seatRear seat outsideRear seat middle
0
0+
1
2 and 3
AUAUA+AU
AUAUA+AU
AUAUA+AU
AUAUAU
AU
A+
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Transporting children safely 153
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assist-
anceTechnical DataFabia Praktik
Child seats in Group 1 are for babies and small children up to 4 years of
age with a weight of between 9 and 18 kilograms. It is best for children in
the lower range of this group, to use a child seat which allows the child to
sit with its back to the direction of travel. It is best for children in the upper
range of the Group 0+, to use a child seat which allows the child to sit
⇒
fig. 125 in the direction of travel.
Child seats in which the child is facing with its back towards the
direction of travel should not be used on the front passenger seat
when the vehicle is fitted with a front passenger airbag ⇒ page 149,
“Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat”.
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag
(airbags) at a specialist garage or with the switch for front
passenger airbag(s)* when attaching in exceptional circumstances
a child safety seat on the front passenger seat where the child is
seated with its back facing in direction of travel (in some countries
also when the child is facing the direction of travel) ⇒page 145.
•The national legal provisions in certain countries require that
both the front and side passenger airbags be deactivated. Please
comply with any differing national legal regulations regarding the
use of child safety seats.
•If this is not done, a child seated on the front passenger seat
may suffer severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag
or airbags are deployed.
•You should have the front passenger airbag (or airbags) reacti-
vated by your Škoda dealer just as soon as you no longer use a
child safety seat on the front passenger seat.
Child safety seats in Group 2
For children up to about 7 years of age weighing between 15 and 25 kg
the optimal solution is a child safety seat in combination with the three-
point seat belt ⇒fig. 126 .
WARNING
•When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please
comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use
of child safety seats. Switch off the front passenger airbag if neces-
sary at a specialist garage or switch it off with the switch for front
passenger airbag(s)* ⇒page 145.
•The shoulder part of the seat belt must run approximately
across the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest.
It must on no account run across the neck. The lap part of the seat
belt must run across the pelvis and fits snugly; it must not run over
the belly. Tighten the belt webbing over your hip if necessary.
Fig. 126 Child seat in
Group 2 installed on
the rear seat facing the
direction of travel
sqc.1.book Seite 153 Mittwoch, 13. April 2005 1:09 13

Driving and the Environment169
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anceTechnical DataFabia Praktik
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 vehicle consumes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel
immediately after starting. Fuel consumption drops to 10 litres/100 km
after just 1 kilometre. The engine reaches its operating temperature
(outside temperature and engine dependent) only after about 4 to 10 kilo-
metres 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. 134 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
consumption means that it is worth taking a look in the luggage compart-
ment 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
Fig. 134 Fuel
consumption in
litres/100 km at
different temperatures
sqc.1.book Seite 169 Mittwoch, 13. April 2005 1:09 13

Towing a trailer
172
Towing a trailer
Towing a trailer
Technical requirements
The towing device must satisfy certain technical require-
ments.
Your vehicle is designed primarily for transporting persons and luggage. It
can, however, also be used for towing a trailer - provided certain technical
equipment is fitted.
If your vehicle has already been supplied with a factory-fitted towing
device then everything that is necessary for towing a trailer in technical
terms, and in terms of the law, has already been taken into account.
Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin power socket for the electrical connec-
tion between the vehicle and trailer. If the trailer which you wish to tow has
a 7-pin connector , you can use a suitable adapter
4) from Škoda original
accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's
specifications if a towing device is retrofitted.
Škoda dealers are familiar with details relating to retrofitting a towing
device and for any necessary modifications to the cooling system.
WARNING
We recommend that you have the towing device from Škoda orig-
inal accessories installed by a Škoda dealer. He is familiar with all
the relevant details relating to retrofitting such equipment. There is
a risk of an accident if the towing device is not properly fitted!
General Maintenance
There are a number of points to pay attention to when
towing a trailer.
Trailer load
The permissible trailer load must on no account be exceeded.
You can negotiate appropriately steeper inclines and descents if you do
not make full use of the permissible trailer load.
The trailer loads specified only apply for altitudes up to 1 000 metres
above mean sea level. The fact that the engine power output drops with
increasing height due to a lowering of air pressure and thus the ability to
climb, means that the towed weight must be reduced by 10% for every
further increase of 1 000 metres in height above sea level. The towed
weight is the weight of the (laden) vehicle and the (laden) trailer together.
One should take this into account before driving up to higher altitudes.
The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the
towing device are merely test data for the towing device The data
relating to your vehicle, which is often less than this test data, can
be found in your vehicle registration documents or in the brochure -
Technical Data.
4)In some countires the adapter is supplied with the towing device.
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Towing a trailer173
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assist-
anceTechnical DataFabia Praktik
Distribution of the load
Distribute the load in the trailer in such a way that any heavy items are
located as close as possible to the axle. Secure the items to prevent them
slipping.
Tyre pressure
Correct the tyre inflation pressure on your vehicle for that of “fully laden”,
⇒
page 209. 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 57.
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 174.
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
sqc.1.book Seite 173 Mittwoch, 13. April 2005 1:09 13

Praktik249
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assist-
anceTechnical DataFabia Praktik
Fabia Praktik
Praktik
Foldable stowage compartment
You can use this stowage compartment to store small objects up
to 0.2 kg in weight.
– Pull the lid in direction of arrow ⇒fig. 188 , the stowage
compartment opens.
WARNING
The foldable storage compartment must always be closed when
driving for safety reasons.
Lashing eyes
Eyes are located on the sides of the loading area for lashing the load to
be loaded ⇒ fig. 189.
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.
•The rear left door on vehicles fitted with Praktik equipment
cannot be opened for safety reasons (only valid for some coun-
Fig. 188 Detail of the
headliner: Foldable
stowage compartmentFig. 189 Loading area:
Lashing eyes
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