2005 SKODA OCTAVIA brake pads

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
36
In this case stop and switch the engine off and check the coolant level;
top up the coolant as necessary.
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under
the conditions prevailing to top up with coolant. Keep the engine
switched off and obtain professional assistance from a specialist garage,
otherwise it could lead to severe engine damages.
If the coolant is within the specified range, the increased temperature may
be caused by an operating problem at the coolant fan. Check the fuse for
the coolant fan, replace it if necessary ⇒page 290, “Fuse assignment in
engine compartment - version 1” or ⇒page 291, “Fuse assignment in
engine compartment - version 2”.
Do not continue driving if the warning light does not go off although the
fluid is at the correct level and also the fuse of the fan is in proper order.
Contact a specialist garage to obtain assistance.
Please also refer to the additional instructions ⇒page 253, “Cooling
system”.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
STOP Check coolant! Owner's manual (STOP! Check coolant!
Owner's manual)
WARNING
•If you must stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at
a safe distance from the traffic and switch off the engine and switch
on the hazard warning light system ⇒page 68.
•Take care when opening the coolant expansion bottle. If the
engine is hot, the cooling system is pressurized - risk of scalding!
It is best to allow the engine to cool down before removing the cap.
•Do not touch the coolant fan The coolant fan may switch on
automatically even if the ignition is off.
Thickness of the brake pads* 
The warning light  comes on for a few seconds 3) when the ignition is
switched on.
If the warning light
 comes on, contact a specialist garage immediately
and have the brake pads on all of the wheels inspected.
A peep sounds as an additional warning signal.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*: Check brake pads!
Windshield washer fluid level* 
The warning light  comes on when the ignition is switched on if there is
insufficient fluid in the windshield washer system. Top up with liquid
⇒ page 262.
A peep sounds as an additional warning signal.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*: Top up wash fluid!
Fuel reserve 
The warning light  comes on, if the fuel level is still below 8 litres.
A peep sounds as an additional warning signal.
3)The warning light  on vehicles fitted with information display does not come on
after switching the ignition on, but only if a fault exists.
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Starting-off and Driving143
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•Depress the clutch pedal fully when changing gears, in order to avoid
unnecessary wear and damage.
Handbrake
Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up fully.
Releasing the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and at the same time
press in the locking button ⇒fig. 131 .
– Hold the button pressed and push the handbrake lever down fully ⇒ .
The handbrake warning light  lights up when the handbrake is applied,
provided the ignition is on.
A warning signal sounds and the following text appears in the display* if
you have inadvertently driven off with the handbrake applied:
"Handbrake on"
The handbrake warning is activated if you drive at a speed of more than 6
km/h for more than 3 seconds.
WARNING
•Please note that the handbrake must be fully released. A hand-
brake which is only partially released can result in the rear brakes
overheating which will have a nega tive effect on the operation of
the brake system - risk of accident! In addition this can result in
premature wear of the rear brake pads.
•Never leave children unattended in the vehicle. The children
might, for example, release the handbrake or take the vehicle out of
gear. The vehicle might then move off - risk of accident!
Caution
After the car has come to a stop, always first of all apply the handbrake
firmly before then additionally engaging the first gear (manual gearbox) or
moving the selector lever into position P (automatic gearbox).
Fig. 131 Centre
console: Handbrake
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Intelligent Technology
216
The TCS warning light ⇒page 39 lights up in the instrument cluster when
there is a fault on the TCS.
Switching off
You can switch the TCS off and on again as you wish by pressing the
button ⇒page 215, fig. 181 . The TCS warning light ⇒page 39 lights up in
the instrument cluster when the TCS is switched off.
The TCS should normally always be switched on. It may be good practice
in certain exceptional cases, such as when you wish to have wheel slip,
to switch off the system.
Examples:
•when driving with snow chains
•when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface
•when it is necessary to rock a car free when it has become stuck
then you should switch on the TCS again.
WARNING
You should always adjust your style of driving to the conditions of
the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety
offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise -
risk of an accident!
Note
•All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve
problem-free operation of the TCS. Differing rolling circumferences of the
tyres can lead to an undesirable reduction in the engine output.
•Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or other
assignment of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the TCS
⇒ page 270, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Driver-steering recommendation*
The driver-steering recommendation is an additional function of the elec-
tronic stability programme (ESP). This function indicates to the driver in
critical situations by means of slight steering wheel impulses the direction
evaluated by the system, in which the vehicle must be steered, so that it
stabilizes. The driver-steering recommendation is active when braking
sharply on different road surfaces and on the right and left vehicle side.
WARNING
Even with this additional function the vehicle cannot be steered
automatically! The driver is furthermore fully reponsible for the
steering of the vehicle!
Brakes
What has a negative effect on braking efficiency?
Wear-and-tear
Wear-and-tear to the brake pads is greatly dependent on the operating
conditions of the vehicle and your style of driving. Particularly if you drive
a great deal in towns and over short distances or if you adopt a sporty style
of driving, it may be necessary to have the thickness of the brake pads
inspected at a specialist garage between the service inspections.
Wet roads or road salt
There may be a certain delay before the brakes take full effect under
certain conditions such as when driving through water, during heavy rain
showers or after the vehicle has been washed in an automatic vehicle
wash, since the brake discs and brake pads may be moist or even have a
coating of ice on them in winter. You should dry the brakes as soon as
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Intelligent Technology217
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
possible (by applying and releasing the brakes several times, if the road
conditions and the traffic situation allows it).
There also may be a certain delay before the full braking efficiency is
available when driving on roads which have been treated with road salt if
you have not used the brakes for some considerable time beforehand.
The layer of salt on the brake discs and brake pads must first be rubbed
off when you apply the brakes.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on the bake pads occur if the vehicle
has been parked for a long period and if you do not make much use of the
braking system.
We recommend cleaning the brake discs by firmly applying the brakes at
a fairly high speed if you do not make much use of the braking system or
if surface corrosion is present
⇒.
Faults in the brake surface
If you notice that the braking distance has suddenly become longer and
that the brake pedal can be depressed further, it is possible that a brake
circuit of the dual-circuit brake system has failed. Drive, in such cases, to
the nearest specialist garage without delay in order to have the problem
rectified. Drive at a reduced speed while on your way to the dealer and
adapt your style of driving to the higher brake pedal pressure required.
Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake
system. The level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically ⇒page 40,
“Brake system ”.
WARNING
•Only apply the brakes for the purpose of drying and cleaning the
brake discs if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any
other road users in jeopardy.
•When retrospectively mounting a front spoiler, solid wheel hubs
etc. one must ensure that the air supply to the front wheel brakes
is not reduced otherwise the braking system could run too hot.
•Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full
braking efficiency until approximately 200 kilometres. New brake
pads must be first “run in” before they develop their optimal fric-
tion force. You can, however, compensate for this slightly reduced
braking force by increasing the pressure on the brake pedal. This
guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future
date.
Caution
•Never allow the brakes to rub by applying slight pressure if you do not
wish to brake the vehicle. This causes the brakes to overheat and can also
result in a longer braking distance and excessive wear.
•Before negotiating a steep downhill section, please reduce your
speed, shift down into the next lower gear (manual gearbox) or select a
lower driving stage (automatic gearbox). This enables you to make full use
of the braking power of the vehicle and reduces the strain on the brakes.
Any additional braking should be done intermittently, not continuously.
Brake booster
The brake booster boosts the pressure which you generate with the brake
pedal. The necessary pressure is only generated when the engine is
running.
WARNING (continued)
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Driving and the Environment
222
New brake pads
Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking effi-
ciency until approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first
“run in” before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however,
compensate for this slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pres-
sure on the brake pedal.
This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future
date.
During the running-in period, you should avoid excessive stresses on the
brakes. This includes, for example, violent braking, particularly from very
high speeds, and also when crossing mountain passes.
Catalytic converter
Proper operation of the emission control system (catalytic
converter) is of major significance for driving your vehicle
in an environmentally conscious way.
Please refer to the following guidelines:
– For vehicles with petrol engine only refuel with unleaded petrol
⇒page 242, “Grades of petrol”.
– Never run the fuel tank completely empty.
– Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle.
– Do not pour too much oil into the engine ⇒page 252, “Replen-
ishing engine oil”. – Do not tow-start the vehicle over a distance of more than 50
metres ⇒page 286, “Tow-starting a vehicle”.
If you drive your vehicle in a country in which unleaded petrol is not avail-
able, you must have the catalytic converter replaced later when driving the
vehicle into a country in which use of a catalytic converter is mandatory.
WARNING
•In view of the high temperatures which may be produced in the
catalytic converter, one should always park a vehicle in such a way
that the catalytic converter cannot come into contact with easily
flammable materials below the vehicle - a risk of fire!
•Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protec-
tion agents for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat
shields. Such substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Caution
•Vehicles fitted with catalytic converter should never be allowed to let
the fuel tank to run completely empty. An irregular fuel supply can result
in poor ignition or misfiring. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system
and damage the catalytic converter.
•Filling the tank even only once with leaded petrol will result in the cata-
lytic converter being destroyed.
•If you detect misfiring, a drop in performance or irregular engine
running when driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the
vehicle inspected by the nearest specialist garage. The symptoms
described may be caused by a fault in the ignition system. Unburnt fuel
may get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter.
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Inspecting and Replenishing257
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-
tear and automatic adjustment of the brake pads, and is perfectly normal.
There may be an indication of a leak in the brake system, however, if the
fluid level drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the
“MIN” marking. A situation where the brake fluid level is too low is indi-
cated by the warning light
 lighting up in the instrument cluster
⇒ page 40. In this case stop the car immediately and do not drive any
further! Contact a Škoda Dealer to obtain professional assistance.
WARNING
•Read and observe the warning notes ⇒page 248, “Working in
the engine compartment” before working in the engine compart-
ment.
•If the fluid level has dropped below the “MIN” marking, do not
drive any further - risk of accident! Contact a Škoda dealer to obtain
professional assistance.
Replacing brake fluid
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. This causes the fluid to absorb moisture
from the surrounding air over a period of time. Excessive water in the
brake fluid may be the cause of corrosion in the brake system. The water
content also lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid. This is why brake
fluid must be replaced every two years.
One may only use new genuine brake fluid from Škoda Auto. The specifi-
cation for the brake fluid is “FMVSS 116 DOT 4”.
We recommend that you have the brake fluid replaced by a Škoda dealer
as part of an Inspection Service.
WARNING
•Using old brake fluid can result in severe stress on the brakes
because of the formation of vapour bubbles in the brake system.
This greatly impairs the braking efficiency and thus also the safety
of your vehicle.
•Brake fluid is toxic! It must therefore be kept safely in closed
original containers and well away from children and unauthorized
persons.
Caution
Brake fluid damages the paintwork of the vehicle.
For the sake of the environment
In view of the problems involved with proper disposal of brake fluid, the
special tools and the professional knowledge required, you should have
the brake fluid replaced by a Škoda dealer.
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Index305
Index
A
Abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Adjusting seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 179 electrically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Adjusting the steering wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 deactivate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Head airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
An overview Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Antilock Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Antilock brake system (ABS) Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Anti-theft alarm system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Auto Check Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Auto Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Automatic driving lamp control . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Emergency programme . . . . . . . . . 154, 161
Kickdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Selector lever-emergency unlocking . . . 154
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Automatic gearbox DSG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Kickdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Selector lever-emergency unlocking . . . 162
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Automatic seat adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Automatic vehicle wash systems . . . . . . . . . 234
Avoiding damage to your vehicle . . . . . . . . . 228
B
Before setting off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Biofuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Bluetooth™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Boot lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Brake Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Brake booster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Brake pads
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Bulbs Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Buttons for central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Buttons on the driver's door Power windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
C
Car jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274, 280
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Changing the engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Changing wheels around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Charging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
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Index
310
The air conditioning system . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Air outlet vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Defrosting windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Recirculated air mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
The armrest at the rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
The automatic wiper/washer system . . . . . . 75
The battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40, 258 changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Inspecting the electrolyte level . . . . . . . 260
Operation in winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
The CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
The electronic immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . 32, 45
The outside temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The radiator fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
The roof luggage rack system . . . . . . . . . . 102
Thickness of brake pads Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Tilting roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 automatic gearbox DSG . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Towing a vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Towing device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Towing protection monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Tow-starting a vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tow-starting and towing vehicle Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . 155, 162
Traction Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Traction control system (TCS)
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 General Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Transporting children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Tread depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Turn signal lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Turn signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Two-way radio systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Type plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
U
Underbody protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Uphill-Start off-Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
V
Vanity mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Vehicle condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Vehicle data sticker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Vehicle immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Ventilation Auxiliary ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
W
Warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Warning symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Washing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
with high-pressure cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Washing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Washing vehicle by hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Wax treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Wheel Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Wheel rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Wheel trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 De-icing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Window lifter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Windows De-icing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Windscreen washer nozzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Windscreen Wiper and Washer System . . . 262 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Windscreen wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . 262 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
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