Fuel195
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Refuelling
Opening the fuel filler cap
– Open the fuel filler flap with the hand ⇒fig. 139.
– Unlock the fuel filler cap on the fuel filler tube to the left using the
vehicle key.
– Unscrew the fuel filler cap anti-clockwise and place the fuel filler
cap from above on the fuel filler flap ⇒fig. 140.
Closing fuel filler cap
– Screw on the cap by turning it to the right until it is heard to lock.
– Lock the fuel filler cap on the fuel filler tube to the right using the
vehicle key.
– Press the fuel tank flap closed.
The correct grades of fuel for your vehicl e are stated on a sticker affixed to the inside of the fuel filler flap. Further information on fuel ⇒page 193.
The fuel tank has a capa city of about 55 litres.
WARNING
Pay attention to any legal requirements if you do carry a spare canister in the vehicle. We do not recommend ca rrying any fuel canisters in your vehicle for safety reasons. The canister can be damaged in the event of an accident and fuel may leak out.
Caution
•Remove any fuel which has spilled onto the paintwork of your vehicle immediately - risk of paint damage!
•Vehicles fitted with cata lytic converter should never be allowed to let the fuel tank to run completely empty. An irregular supply of fuel to the engine can result in misfiring and unburnt fuel ma y get into the exhaust system, which may result in overheating and dama ge to the catalytic converter.
Fig. 139 Right rear side of the vehicle: Fuel filler flap
Fig. 140 Filler flap with cap unscrewed
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Inspecting and Replenishing
Engine compartment
Bonnet remote release
Bonnet remote release
– Pull the unlocking lever on the left below the dash panel
⇒ fig. 141.
The bonnet jumps out of its lock as a result of the spring force.
Opening and closing the bonnet.
Fig. 141 Bonnet release lever
Fig. 142 Radiator grille: Fuse
Fig. 143 Securing the bonnet with the bonnet support
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•Never spill oil and other fluids over the hot engine. Such fluids (e.g. the antifreeze contained in the coolant) may ignite!
•Avoid short circuits in the electrical system - particularly on the battery.
•Never place your hand into the radiator fan as long as the engine is still warm. The fan might suddenly start running!
•Never open the cap of the coolant expansion bottle as long as the engine is still warm. The co oling system is pressurized!
•Cover over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir with a large cloth when opening it as protection for your face, hands and arms from hot steam or hot coolant.
•Do not let objects, such as e.g cleaning cloth or tools lie in the engine compartment.
•If you wish to work under the vehicle, you must secure the vehicle from rolling away and support it with suitable supporting blocks: the car jack is not sufficient for this - risk of injury!
•In cases where it be necessary to carry out inspection work when the engine is running there is an additional risk from rotating parts (e.g. the V-ribbed belt, alternator, radiator fan) and from the high-voltage igni- tion system. Please observe in addition the following:
− Never touch the electrical cables of the ignition system.
− Absolutely avoid any jewellery, loose items of clothing or long hair from getting into the rotating part s of the engine - Hazard! Therefore remove any jewellery beforehand, tie up your hair and wear tight fitting clothing.
•Please also comply with the warnin g instructions stated below when carrying out any essential work on th e fuel system or on the electrical system:
− Always separate the car battery from the electrical system.
− Do not smoke.
− Never carry out any work close to naked flames.
− Always keep a working fire extinguisher at hand.
Caution
When replenishing fluids in the engine, always ensure that the fluids are on no account mixed up. This may result in ma jor operating problems and also vehicle damage!
Overview of the engine compartment
The main inspection points.
Fig. 144 Diesel engine 1.9 litre/77 kW
WARNING (continued)WARNING (continued)
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Note
•Before a long drive we recommend that you purchase and carry with you engine oil which complies with the specif ication for your vehicle. Consequently, you will always have the correct engine oil for refilling.
•We recommend using a preservative fr om the Škoda original accessories offered by your Škoda dealer.
•For further information - see Service shedule.
Check engine oil level
The dipstick indicates the level of oil in the engine.
Checking the oil level
– Park the vehicle on a horizontal surface.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒ in “Working in the engine compartment”
on page 198.
– Wait a few minutes and pull out the oil dipstick ⇒.
– Wipe off the dipstick with a clean cloth and insert it again fully.
– Then withdraw the dipstick again and read off the oil level.
Oil level within range
– You must not top up the oil.
Oil level within range
– You may top up the oil. It is possible that the oil level may then be
within range after doing this.
Oil level within range
– You must top up the oil. It is sufficient, once this is done, to keep
the oil level is within range .
It is normal for the engine to consume oil. The oil consumption may be as much as 0.5 l/1 000 km depending on your style of driving and the conditions under which you operate your vehicle. The oi l consumption may be slightly higher than this during the first 5 000 kilometres.
One should therefore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably every time after the fuel tank is filled or after driving for long stretches.
We recommend maintaining the oil level within the range if the engine has been operating at high loads, for ex ample during a lengthy motorway trip during the summer months, towing a tr ailer or negotiating a high mountain pass, but not above this.
Fig. 145 Dipstick
Aa
Ab
Aa
Ac
Ab
Ab
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•Oil is toxic! Store old oil in a safe place out of the reach of children and unauthorized persons until you dispose of it properly.
Caution
You must not pour any additives into th e engine oil - risk of engine damage! Damage, which results from such product, are excluded from the warranty.
For the sake of the environment
•You must on no account pour oil into the ground or into the sewage system.
•In view of the problems involved in properly disposing of old oil, the mate- rial, equipment and the knowledge required for such work, we recommend that you have the oil and oil filter change ca rried out by your Škoda Service Partner.
Note
After your skin has come in contact with the oil, you must thoroughly wash your skin.
Cooling system
Coolant
The job of the coolant is to cool the engine.
The cooling system does not require an y maintenance under normal operating conditions. The coolan t consists of water with a concentration of coolant addi- tive of 40 %. This mixture not only provid es antifreeze protection down to -25°C but also protects the cooling and heat ing system from corrosion. It also
prevents the formation of scale and significantly increases the boiling point of the coolant.
You must therefore not reduce the concentration of antifreeze agent in the coolant by adding water, also not duri ng the summer months or in countries with a warm climate. The concentration of coolant additive in the coolant must be at least 40%.
You can increase the amount of antifreeze in the coolant if a higher concentra- tion of antifreeze is necessary for clim atic reasons but only up to 60% (anti- freeze protection down to approx. -40° C). The antifreeze protection tails off above that concentration.
Vehicles exported to co untries with a cold climate (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland) are already factory-filled with a coolant which offers antifreeze protec-tion down to about -35°C. In these countries the concentration of coolant addi- tive should be at least 50 %.
Coolant
The cooling system is filled at the works with coolant (purple in colour), which complies with the specification TL-VW 774 F.
We recommend that you use the antifreeze agent - G12 PLUS (purple in colour).
We recommend that you contact your Šk oda Service Partner if you have any questions regarding the coolant or if you wish to fill up with a different coolant.
Your Škoda Service Partner can also supp ly you with the correct coolant addi- tives.
Caution
•Other coolant additives may cause operational problems which, in particular, involves significantly reducing the anticorrosion effect.
•Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of coolant and, as a consequence of th is, result in major engine damage.
WARNING (continued)
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The coolant which you use for replenishing the system, must comply with one specific specification ⇒page 203, “Coolant”. Do not use an alternative additive if the coolant additive G12 PLUS is not available in exceptional cases. Just top up the system with water and as soon as possible arrange adjustment to correct the mixing ratio of water and coolant a dditive again by a specialist garage.
Only use fresh coolant for topping up the system.
Do not fill up over the “MAX” marking! Excess coolant which is heated up is forced out of the cooling system through the pressure relief valve in the cap of the coolant compensation bottle.
Wait until the engine has cooled down for a system which has suffered a major loss of coolant before pouring in cool ant. This is necessary to avoid engine damage.
WARNING
•The cooling system is pressurized! Do not open the cap of the coolant expansion bottle if the engine is still hot - risk of scalding!
•The coolant additive and thus all of the coolant is harmful to your health. Avoid contact with the coolan t. Coolant vapours are also harmful to the health. It is important, therefore, to always safely store any coolant additive in its original container out of the reach of children - risk of poisoning!
•If any splashes of coolant get into your eyes, rinse out your eyes immediately with clear water and cont act a doctor as soon as possible.
•You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvert- ently swallowed coolant.
Caution
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the conditions prevailing to top up with coolant. Switch the engine off and obtain professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage.
For the sake of the environment
Do not re-use coolant if it is necessary to drain the coolant in the system. It should be collected and disposed of in compliance with environmental protec- tion regulations.
Radiator fan
The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.
The radiator fan is driven by an electr ic motor and controlled by a thermostat according to the coolant temperature.
The radiator fan may continue running fo r up to 10 minutes after the engine has been switched off - even if the ignition is also off. It may also switch on suddenly after a certain time, if:
•the coolant temperature has risen beca use of an accumulation of heat or
•the warm engine compartment is heated up additionally by strong sunlight.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when working in the engine compartment that the fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!
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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 prop er disposal of brake fluid, the special tools and the professional knowledge required, we recommend you have the brake fluid replaced by a Škoda Service Partner.
Battery
Working on the battery
The battery is located in the engine compartment below a plastic box.
– Unlock the interlock on the positi ve terminal side of the battery
⇒ fig. 148.
– Open the cover in direction of arrow.
– The installation of the battery co ver on the positive terminal side
takes place in the reverse order.
Removal and installation of the battery is not recommended since it can, under certain circumstances, lead to major da mage to the battery and fuse boxes. Contact a specialist garage.
Fig. 148 The battery: Open up the cover
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Note
•Please also refer to the guidelines ⇒page 210, “Disconnecting and recon- necting the battery”, also after connecting the battery.
Battery with a charge level in dicator, the so-called magic
eye*
There is a so-called magic eye ⇒fig. 149 located on the top of the battery. The “magic eye” changes its colour in line with the charge state of and electrolyte level in the battery.
Air bubbles can influence the colour of the “magic eye”. For this reason carefully knock on the “magic eye” before carrying out the check.
•Green colour - the battery is adequately charged.
•Dark colour - the battery has to be charged
•Colourless or yellow colour - we recommend you have the battery checked by a Škoda Service Partner.
Batteries, which are more than 5 years old, must be replaced. We recommend you have the electrolyte level inspected and adjusted to the correct level or the battery replaced if necessary by a Škoda Service Partner.
Caution
If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will discharge because certain electrical components consume electricity (e.g. control units) also in idle state. You can prevent the discharging of the battery by disconnecting the negative terminal or charging the battery constantly with a very low charging current. Please also refer to the notes when working on the battery ⇒page 207, “Working on the battery”.
Inspecting the electrolyte level
The battery is practically maintenance-free under normal operating condi- tions. We do, however, recommend th at you have the electrolyte level inspected from time to time by a Škod a Service Partner when outside tempera- tures are high or when driving on long trips. You should also check the electro- lyte level ⇒page 210 each time the battery is charged.
The battery acid level will also be chec ked as part of the Inspection Service.
Operation in winter
The battery has to provide greater amounts of electricity during the winter. It also has only part of the initial power ou tput at low temperatures that it has at normal temperatures.
A discharged battery may already freez e at temperatures just below 0°C.
Fig. 149 Battery with a charge level indicator
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