2005 SKODA OCTAVIA Owner's Manual

Lights and Visibility
72
Entry lighting*
The lighting is positioned on the bottom edge of the exterior mirror.
The light beam is directed towards the entry area of the front door.
The light comes on after the doors have been locked or on opening the
boot lid. The light goes out after switching on the ignition or up to 30
seconds after closing all the doors, the bonnet and the boot lid.
If a door, the bonnet or the boot lid remains open, the light goes out within
2 minutes if the ignition is switched off.
WARNING
If the entry light comes on, do not touch its cover - risk of burns!
Visibility
Rear window heater
– You can switch the rear window heater on or off by pressing
the switch
 ⇒ fig. 51 - the indicator light in the switch comes
on or goes out.
The rear window heater only operates when the engine is running.
The rear window heater switches off automatically after 10 minutes.
For the sake of the environment
You should switch off the rear window heater as soon as the rear window
is clear. The reduced current consumption will have a favourable effect on
fuel economy ⇒page 227, “Saving electricity”.
Fig. 51 Switch for rear
window heater
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Lights and Visibility73
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Note
•The position and the shape of the switch can differ depending on
equipment installed in the vehicle.
•If the on-board voltage drops, the rear window heater is switched off
automatically, in order to provide sufficient electrical energy for the engine
control.
Sun visors
You can pull the sun visor for the driver or front passenger out of the fixture
and swivel it toward the door in the direction of the arrow ⇒fig. 52 .
The vanity mirrors* in the sun visors are provided with covers. Push the
cover in direction of arrow .
WARNING
The sun visors must not be swivelled to the side windows into the
deployment area of the head airbags if any objects, such as ball-
point pens etc. are attached to them. This might result in injuries to
the occupants if the head airbag is deployed.
Fig. 52 Sun visor:
swivelling out
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Lights and Visibility
74
Sun screen*
The sun screen is located in a housing on the luggage compart-
ment cover. If required, you can remove the housing with the sun
screen from the luggage compartment cover. Unrolling
– Pull the sun screen at the loop and hang it in the brackets
⇒ fig. 53.
Rolling up
– Take the sun screen out of the brackets and hold it at the loop so that it can roll up slowly and without damage into
the housing on the luggage compartment cover.
Removing
– Unhook the fastening elements from the luggage compart- ment cover .
– Roll up the sun screen again into the housing on the luggage compartment cover.
– Press the locking button in the direction of arrow and take out the sun screen in the direction or arrow ⇒fig. 54 .
Fig. 53 Unroll the sun
screen
Fig. 54 Remove the
sun screen
AA
AB
AB
AA
AC
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Lights and Visibility75
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Windshield wiper and wash system
Windscreen wipers
You can operate the windscreen wipers and automatic
wipe/wash using the windscreen wiper lever.
The windscreen wiper lever ⇒fig. 55 has the following positions:
Finger-operated wiping
– If you wish to wipe the windscreen only briefly, push the lever
into the sprung position . If you hold the lever in the lower
position for more than 1 second, the wiper wipes faster.
Intermittent wipe
– Position the lever up into position . – Set with the switch the desired break between the indi-
vidual wiper strokes
Slow wipe
– Position the lever up into position .
Fast wipe
– Position the lever up into position .
Automatic wipe/w ash for windscreen
– Pull the lever towards the steering wheel into sprung position , the wash system sprays immediately, the windscreen
wiper starts wiping a little later. The wash system and the
windscreen wiper operate simultaneously at a speed of more
than 120 km/h.
– Release the lever. The windscreen wash system stops and the wiper continues for another 3 - 4 wiper strokes (depending
on the period of spraying of the windscreen). At a speed of
more than 120 km/h, the wiper wipes once again 5 seconds
after the last wiper stroke in order to wipe the last drops from
the windscreen.
Rain sensor*
– Move the lever into position .
– You can set the sensitivity of the sensor individually with switch .
Wiping the rear window pane*
– Push the lever away from the steering wheel into position - the widescreen wiper will operate every 6 seconds.
Fig. 55 Windscreen
wiper lever
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AA
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Lights and Visibility
76
Automatic wipe/wash for the rear window pane*
– Press the lever from the steering wheel forward into the sprung position , the wash system sprays immediately, the
windscreen wiper starts wiping a little later. As long as you
hold the lever in this position, the wiper operates as well as the
wash system.
– Letting go of the lever will cause the windscreen wash system to stop and the wiper to continue for another 2 - 3 wiper
strokes (depending on the period of spraying of the wind-
screen). The lever will stay in position after releasing it .
Switching windscreen wipers off
– Move the lever back into its home position .
After the windscreen wiper switches off for the second time or the ignition
switches off for the fifth time, the rest position of the windscreen wiper
changes - this counteracts an early fatigue of the wiper rubbers.
The windscreen wipers and the wash system only operate if the ignition is
switched on and the bonnet is closed.
If the intermittent wipe is switched on, the intervals are also controlled
depending on speed.
The rain sensor* automatically regulates the break between the individual
wiper strokes depending on the intensity of the rain.
The rear window will be wiped again if the front window wipers are on
when reverse gear is selected.
The windscreen washer nozzles are heated* when the ignition is switched
on.
Top up with wash liquid ⇒page 262. Winter position
If the windscreen wipers are in rest position, they cannot be folded out
from the windscreen. For this reason we recommend adjusting the wind-
screen wipers in winter so that they can be folded out from the windscreen
easily. You can set this rest position as follows:
•Switch on the windscreen wipers.
•Switch off the ignition. The windscreen wipers remain in the position in
which they were when switching off the ignition.
You can also use the service position ⇒page 77 as a winter position.
WARNING
•Properly maintained windscreen wiper blades are essential for
clear visibility and safe driving ⇒page 77, “Replacing wiper blades
for the windscreen wipers”.
•Do not use the windscreen washer system at low temperatures,
without heating the windscreen beforehand. Otherwise the window
cleaner could freeze on the windscreen and restrict the view to the
front.
•The rain sensor only operates as a support. The driver is not
released from the responsibility to set the function of the wind-
screen wipers manually depending on the visibility conditions.
Caution
In frosty weather, please first of all check whether the windscreen wiper
blades are not frozen to the windscreen before switching them on.
Switching on windscreen wipers when the blades are frozen to the wind-
screen may result in damage both to the blades and the motor of the wind-
screen wipers!
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Lights and Visibility77
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Note
•If the slower or the faster wiper setting is switched on ⇒page 75,
fig. 55 and the vehicle speed decreases to below 4 km/h, the next lower
wiper step is switched on automatically. At a speed increase of more than
8 km/h the previous wiper setting is established again.
•If there is an obstacle on the windscreen, the wiper will try to push
away the obstacle. If the obstacle continues to block the wiper, the wiper
stops after 5 cycles, in order to avoid a damage to the wiper. Remove the
obstacle and and switch on the wiper again.
Headlight cleaning system*
The headlights are being cleaned after the windscreen has been sprayed
for the fifth time, the low beam or main beam are switched on and the
windscreen wiper lever was held in the position ⇒page 75, fig. 55 for
about 1 second.
The headlight washer nozzles are moved forward out of the bumper by the
water pressure for cleaning the headlights.
You should remove stubborn dirt (such as insect residues) from the head-
light lenses at regular intervals, for example when refuelling. Please refer
to the following guidelines ⇒page 237, “The headlight lenses”.
You should remove any snow from the fixtures of the washer nozzles and
clear ice in winter with a de-icing spray in order to ensure proper operation
of the cleaning system.
Replacing wiper blades for the windscreen wipers
One cannot fold out the wiper arms in the rest position from the
windscreen. Before replacing the wiper arms you must put them
into the service position.
Service position for changing wiper blades
– Close the bonnet.
– Switch the ignition on and then again off.
– Then press the windscreen wiper lever in the position ⇒page 75, fig. 55 within 20 seconds - the wiper arms move
into the service position.
Taking off the wiper blade
– Fold windscreen wiper arm away from the windscreen and position the wiper blade at right angles to the wiper arm ⇒.
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Fig. 56 Wiper blades
for the windscreen
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Lights and Visibility
78
– Take off the wiper blade in direction of arrow ⇒page 77, fig. 56
⇒ .
Attaching a wiper blade
– Push the new wiper blade over the wiper arm and turn the wiper blade into the vertical position.
– Check whether the wiper blade is correctly attached.
– Fold the windscreen wiper arms onto the window and switch on the ignition - the windscreen wiper arms move back into the
rest position.
Windscreen wiper blades in proper condition are essential to obtain good
visibility. Wiper blades should not be allowed to become dirtied by dust,
insect remains and preserving wax.
Juddering or smearing of the wiper blades could then be due to wax resi-
dues left on the windscreen by vehicle washing in automatic vehicle wash
systems. It is therefore important to degrease the lips of the winscreen
wiper blades after every pass through an automatic vehicle wash
system .
WARNING
•The ignition must not be switched on if the front windscreen
wiper arms are folded out. The wiper blades would move back into
their rest position and while doing so damage the paintwork of the
bonnet.
•If the windscreen wipers are handled carelessly, there is a risk
of damage to the windscreen.
•You should clean the wiper blades regularly with a windscreen
cleaner in order to avoid any smears. Clean a wiper blade with a
sponge or cloth if it is very dirty, for example from insect residues.
•Replace the windscreen wiper blades once or twice a year for
safety reasons. Windscreen wiper blades are available from Škoda
dealers.
Replacing the wiper blade on the rear window wiper
Taking off the wiper blade
– Fold windscreen wiper arm away from the windscreen and
position the wiper blade at right angles to the wiper arm
⇒fig. 57.
– Hold the window wiper arm at the top end with one hand.
– With the other hand unlock the locking button in the direc- tion of arrow and remove the wiper blade.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 57 Wiper blade for
the rear window
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Lights and Visibility79
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Attaching a wiper blade
– Position the wiper blade onto the wiper arm and lock the
locking button .
– Check whether the wiper blade is correctly attached.
The same remarks apply here as for ⇒page 77, “Replacing wiper blades
for the windscreen wipers”.
Rear-view mirror
Manual dimming interior rear-view mirror
Basic position
– Pull the lever on the bottom edge of the mirror forward.
Dimming mirror
– Pull the lever on the bottom edge of the mirror back.
Automatic dimming interior mirror*
Switching on the automatic dimming
– Press the button - the warning light lights up ⇒fig. 58.
Switching off the automatic dimming
– Press again the button - the warning light goes out .
If the automatic dimming is switched on, the mirror dims automatically
depending on the light striking the mirror from the rear. The mirror has no
lever on the bottom edge of the mirror. When the interior lights are
switched on or the reverse gear is engaged, the mirror always moves back
into the basic position.
Note
•Automatic mirror dimming operates only properly if the sun screen* for
the rear window is not in use or the light striking the rear of the interior
rear-view mirror is not affected by other objects.
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Fig. 58 Automatic
dimming interior mirror
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