2006 SKODA FABIA check engine

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights36
WARNING
Have the airbag system checked immediately by a specialist garage if a fault exists. Otherwise, there is a risk of the airbag not being activated in the event of an accident.
Note
Further information about switching off airbags ⇒page 152, “Deactivating an airbag”.
Diesel particle filter*  (diesel engine)
In the diesel particle filter the resulting soot particles are
collected and burnt during the combustion of diesel fuel.
Code 7GG on the vehicle data sticker ⇒fig. 16 indicates that your
vehicle is equipped with a diesel particle filter. The vehicle data sticker
⇒ page 247, fig. 182 is located on the floor of the luggage compart-
ment and is also stated in the Service schedule.
The soot particles, which result from the combustion of diesel fuel, are collected in the diesel particle filter. The diesel particle filter filters the soot particles completely from the exhaust. If th e filter is full, it is cleaned automati- cally in favourable conditions by burning the soot particle. To assist this proce- dure, we recommend not to drive regularl y over short distances. If the engine control unit detects that the operating co nditions for a cleaning (combustion of deposited soot particles) of the diesel particle fiter are not optimal, e.g. slow city driving, a warning light in the instrument cluster is illuminated .
In order to clean the diesel particle filter, the vehicle should be driven at an even speed of at least 60 km/h for 15 minutes when the traffic situation permits it. Always pay attention to the valid speed limi ts. The diesel particle filter is most effectively cleaned if the vehicle is driven in the 4th or 5th gear with an engine speed of approx. of 2 000 rpm. The soot ca n be burned in the filter due to this temperature increase.
As long as the warning light  lights up, one must take into account an increased fuel consumption and in certain circumstances a power reduction of the engine.
In addition a message can be shown in th e display of the instrument cluster, which informs you or requests necessary actions.
Have the vehicle inspected without delay by your specialist garage.
WARNING
•If you do not pay attention to the warning lights coming on and the corresponding descriptions and warning notes, this increases the risk of an accident. This may result in bo dy injuries or major vehicle damage.
•Always adjust your speed to suit weather, road, region and traffic conditions. The route indicated by th e warning light must not tempt you to disregard the national regulations for road traffic.
Fig. 16 Vehicle data sticker
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Heating and air conditioning system98
Using the air conditioning system economically
The compressor on the Climatic uses power from the engine when in cooling mode which will effect the fuel consumption.
It recommended to open the windows or the doors of a vehicle for which the interior has been strongly heated through the effect of direct sunlight in order to allow the heated air to escape.
The cooling system should not be switched on while travelling when the window is open.
The desired interior temperature can also be achieved without switching in the cooling system just by switching to fresh air mode.
For the sake of the environment
When you economize on fuel, you also reduce pollutant emissions.
Operational problems
If the cooling system does not operate at outside temperatures higher than +2 °C, there is a problem in the system. The reasons for this may be:
•The fuse of the Climatic is defective. Check the fuse, replace it if necessary ⇒ page 235.
•The cooling system has switched off automatically for a short time because the coolant temperature of the engine is too hot ⇒page 14.
If you are not able to rectify the operat ional problem yourself, or if the cooling capacity decreases, switch the cooling system off. Contact a specialist garage.
Climatronic (automatic air conditioning)*
Description
The Climatronic system is a combination of an automatic
heating, fresh air and cooling system which provides optimal
comfort for the occupants of the car.
The Climatronic maintains a constant temperature fully automatically, once it has been set. This is achieved by auto matically varying the temperature of the outflowing air, the blower stages and the air distribution. The system also takes into account sunlight which eliminates the need to alter the settings manually. The automatic mode ⇒page 100 ensures maximum wellbeing of the occu- pants at all times of the year.
Description of Climatronic system
The cooling operates only if the following conditions are met:
•engine running,
•outside temperature above +2 °C,
•the button is not pressed.
If the cooling system is switched on, the temperature and air humidity drops in the vehicle. The wellbeing of the occupants of the car is enhanced as a result of this particularly at high outside temp eratures and a high air humidity. The system prevents the windows misting up during the cold season of the year.
The heating effect is dependent upon th e coolant temperature, thus full heat output only occurs when the engine has reached its operating temperature.
It is possible to briefly activate recirculated air mode in order to enhance the cooling effect ⇒.
The air inlet in front of the windscreen must be free of ice, snow or leaves in order to ensure that the heating an d cooling systems operate properly.
ECON
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Starting-off and Driving105
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Starting the engine
General
You can only start the engine only using an original ignition
key.
•Place the gearshift lever into neutral an d put on the handbrake firmly before starting the engine.
•The clutch pedal should be fully depr essed when starting the engine which means that the starter only has to crank the engine.
•Let go of the key as soon as the engine starts otherwise there may be damage to the starter.
The engine running noises ma y louder at first be louder for a short time after starting the cold engine until oil pressure can be built up in the hydraulic valve clearance compensation. This is quite normal and is not an operating problem.
If the engine does not start ...
You can use the battery of anothe r vehicle as a jump-start aid ⇒page 229.
It is only possible to tow-start vehicl es fitted with a manual gearbox. The tow- starting distance must not be more than 50 metres ⇒page 233.
WARNING
•Never run the engine in non ventilated or enclosed areas. The exhaust gases of the engine contain besides the odorless and colourless carbon monoxide a poisonous gas - hazard! Carbon monoxide can cause unconsciousness and death.
•Never leave your vehicle unattended with the engine running.
Caution
•The starter may only be operated (ignition key position ), if the engine is not running. If the starter is immediately operated after switching off the engine, the starter or the engine can be damaged.
•Avoid high engine revolutions, full thrott le and high engine loads as long as the engine has not yet reached its norm al operating temperature - risk of damaging the engine!
•Vehicles which are fitted with an exha ust gas catalytic converter should not be tow-started over a distance of more than 50 metres.
For the sake of the environment
Never warm up the engine when the vehi cle is standing. Drive off right away. When driving the engine reaches its operating temperature more rapidly and the pollutant emissions are lower.
Petrol engines
These engines are fitted with a starter system which selects the correct fuel/air mixture for every external air temperature.
•Do not operate accelerator before and when starting engine.
•Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start right awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
•It is possible that the fuse on the electrical fuel pump is defect if the engine still does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary ⇒page 235.
•If the engine does not start, contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
It may be necessary, if the engine is very hot, to slightly depress the accelerator after the engine has started.
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Starting-off and Driving106
Diesel engines
Glow plug system
Diesel engines are equipped with a glow plug system, the preglow period being controlled automatically in line with the coolant temperature and outside temperature.
The preglow indicator light  comes on after the ignition has been switched on.
You should not switch on any major electrical components during the heating period otherwise the vehicle battery will be drained unneces- sarily.
•You should start the engine immediately after the glow plug warning light  has gone out.
•The glow plug warning light will come on for about one second if the engine is at a normal operating temperature or if the outside temperature is above +5°C. This means that you can start the engine right away.
•Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start right awayand wait for about 30 seco nds before repeating the attempt.
•It is possible that the fuse on the diesel preglow system is defect if the engine still does not start. Check th e fuse and replace it if necessary ⇒ page 235.
•Contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
Starting the engine after fuel tank has run dry
It may take longer than normal to start th e engine after refuelling if the fuel tank has run completely dry - up to one minute. This is because the fuel system must first of all be filled while the attempting to start the engine.
Switching off the engine
– The engine can be sw itched off by turning the ignition key from
position ⇒page 104, fig. 89 into position .
WARNING
•Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary - risk of accident!
•The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater physical effort for braking is required when engine is switched off. Because if you do not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
Caution
you should not switch the engine off righ t away at the end of your journey after the engine has been operated for a length y period at high loads but should be allowed it to run at idling speed for about 2 minutes. This prevents any accumu- lation of heat when the engine is switched off.
Note
•The radiator fan may continue running for a further 10 minutes or so after the engine and the ignition have been switched off. The coolant fan may, however, also switch on again after some time if the coolant temperature rises because of an accumulation of heat in th e engine or if the engine is warm and the engine compartment is additionally heated by strong sunlight.
•This is why particular care is requir ed when carrying out any work in the engine compartment ⇒page 198, “Working in the engine compartment”.
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Driving and the Environment177
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Reducing idling
Idling also costs fuel.
It is worthwhile switching off the engine in a traffic jam or when waiting at a level crossing or at traffic lights with a le ngthy red phase. Even after just 30 - 40 seconds you will have saved more fuel th an that is needed when you start the engine up again.
If an engine is only idling it takes much longer for it to reach its normal operating temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant emissions, though, are particularly high in the warming-up phase. This is why you should drive off right after starting the engine. Do avoid high engi ne revolutions at this time, however.
Regular servicing
A poorly tuned engine consum es an unnecessarily high
amount of fuel.
Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a specialist garge enables you to satisfy one of the requirements for economical motoring even before you set off on your journey. Keeping your vehicle prop erly serviced not only has a positive effect on the safety of your vehicle and maintaining its value, but also saves on fuel .
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fuel consumption which is 10% higher than normal.
The foreseen maintenance work should be undertaken exactly according to the Service schedule by a specialist garage.
Also check the oil level after refueling. Oil consumption is dependent to a considerable extent on the load and speed of the engine. Oil consumption could be as high as 0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of driving.
It is quite normal that a new engine ha s a higher oil consumption at first, and reaches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. It is therefore not possible to correctly assess the oil cons umption of a new vehicle until after you have driven about 5 000 km.
For the sake of the environment
•You can achieve addi tional improvements in your fuel economy by using high-lubricity oils.
•Check the ground below your car at regular intervals to detect any leakages in good time. Please have your vehicle inspected by a specialist garge if you find any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the floor.
Avoid driving short distances
Short distances result in an above-average high fuel
consumption.
Fig. 138 Fuel consump- tion in litres/100 km at different temperatures
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Driving and the Environment178
– 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 oper- ating temperature in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.
The cold engine vehicle consumes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel imme- diately 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 kilometres 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 ⇒ page 177, fig. 138 shows the different fuel consumptions for the same distance, on the one hand at +20°C an d on the other hand at -10°C. Your vehicle has a higher fuel consum ption 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 consumptio n but also tyre wear and the driving behaviour will worsen.
Always check the inflation pr essure 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 compartment to avoid trans- porting any unnecessary ballast.
It is particularly in town traffic, when one is accelerating quite often, that the vehicle weight will have a significant effe ct 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 convenience, although you no longer need it. The incr eased aerodynamic drag of your vehicle causes it to use about 1 l more fuel th an normal at a speed of 100 - 120 km/h, even when you are not carrying a load on the roof.
Saving electricity
Generating electricity costs fuel.
– Switch off electrical components as soon as you no longer need
them.
When the engine is running, the alternator generates and supplies electrical power. If more electrical components are switched on, more fuel is needed to operate the alternator.
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Towing a trailer182
Exterior mirrors
You have to have addi tional exterior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see the traffic behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. Both exterior 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 headlights. Alter the setting as necessary with th e aid of the headlight beam adjuster ⇒ page 59.
Detachable ball head
The ball rod is detachable on vehicles with towing device and suppliable from Škoda original accessories. It is stowed together with separate fitting instruc- tions in the spare wheel well in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Note
•We recommend that you also have yo ur 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.
•Keep the mechanism of the ball head of the towing device clean and take proper care of it with a suitable preservative.
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 lega l 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, weat her or wind conditions, particularly near accident black spots.
You must always reduce your speed imme diately 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 and then brake firmly. This will avoid brake jolts resulting from the trailer wheels locking. Shift down gears in good time before negotiating a downhill section to allow the engine to also act as a brake.
Engine overheating
Please keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if you have to negotiate a lengthy slope in a low gear at a high engine speed when the outside temper- ature is very high ⇒page 14.
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Towing a trailer183
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
If the needle of the coolant temperatur e gauge moves into the right-hand area or even the red area of the scale, reduce your speed immediately. Stop and switch off the engine if the warning light  in the instrument cluster begins flashing. Wait a few minutes and check th e level of coolant in the coolant expan- sion bottle ⇒page 204, “Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines ⇒page 30, “Coolant tempera- ture/coolant level ”.
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.
Any increase in the cooling effect of the coolant fan through shifting down a gear and increasing the engine speed is not possible since the fan speed is inde- pendent of the engine speed. One should also not drop a gear for this reason when towing a trailer as long as the engine can manage the slope without any drop in speed.
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