2006 SKODA FABIA brake

Passive Safety137
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•Adjust the head restraints so that the top edge of the head restraints are at the same level as the upper part of your head ⇒page 135, fig. 105.
•Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒page 141, “How are seat belts correctly fastened?”.
•If you are transporting ⇒page 155, “Transporting children safely” children in the vehicle, plea se use a suitable child restraint system.
WARNING
•The head restraints must always be adjusted to match the body size, in order to offer an optimal protection for you and your occupants.
•Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven - never put your feet out of the window or on the surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes necessary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If the head airbag* is deployed and when adopting an in correct seated position, you are exposing yourself to an increased risk of injury and in the event of an accident you may suffer fatal injuries!
•If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury is increased due to inco rrect routing of the seat belt.
Examples of an incorrect seated position
An incorrect seated position can lead to severe injuries or
death for the occupants.
Seat belts offer their optimum protection on ly if the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Incorrect seated positi ons considerably reduce the protective functions of the seat belts and therefore increase the risk of injury due to an incorrect routing of the seat belt. The driver is fully responsible for himself and his occupants, in particular for the ch ildren. Do not permit an occupant to adopt an incorrect seated position when the car is moving.
The following list contains the examples of seated positions which are dangerous for the occupants. This list is not complete, however we would like you to get interested in this subject.
Therefore, while the car is moving never:
•stand up in the vehicle,
•stand up on the seats,
•kneel onto the seats,
•tilt the backrest fully to the back,
•lean against the dash panel,
•lie on the rear seats,
•only sit on the front area of the seat,
•sit to the side,
•lean out of the window,
•put the feet out of the window,
•put the feet on the dash panel,
•put the feet on the seat upholstery,
•occupy the footwell,
•have the seat belt not fastened,
•occupy the luggage compartment.
WARNING
•If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.
•Before setting off, please adopt the correct seated position and do not change this seated position while th e car is moving. Also advise your occupants to adopt the correct seated position and not to change this seated position while the car is moving.
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 137 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Seat belts141
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
How are seat belts correctly fastened?
Fastening three-point seat belts
Fasten your seat belt before starting!
– Correctly adjust the seat and the head restraint before fastening
your seat belt ⇒page 135, “Correct seated position”.
– Slowly pull the belt webbing at th e tongue of the lock over your
chest and pelvis ⇒.
– Insert the tongue of the lock into the seat belt buckle belonging to
the seat until it is heard to lock in place.
– Pull on the belt to check that it has also reliably engaged in the lock.
Each three-point seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel. This inertia reel offers you complete freedom of movement if the belt is unreeled slowly. If the brakes are applied suddenly, the inertia reel will block. It also blocks the belts when the car accelerates, when driving downhill and when cornering.
Expectant mothers must also wear the seat belt ⇒.
WARNING
•The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across your neck but must run approximately over th e middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest. The lap part of the belt must run across the hip and must never be routed across the stomach. It must always fit snugly ⇒ fig. 109. Adjust the belt webbing as required.
•The lap part of the belt should be positioned as low as possible at the pelvis of an expectant mother in or der to avoid exerting any pressure on the lower abdomen.
•Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat belts which are not correctly adjusted can themselves cause injuries even in minor accidents.
•A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is moved forward by the kineti c energy produced in an accident and is then suddenly held firm by the belt.
Fig. 109 Routing of webbing over the shoul-ders and the lap belt
Fig. 110 Routing of belt webbing for an expectant mother
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 141 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Intelligent Technology165
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Driving Tips
Intelligent Technology
Electronic stability programme (ESP)*
General
General
The ESP aids you maintain control of your vehicle in situations in borderline driving situations such as when negotiatin g a curve too fast. The risk of skidding is reduced and your car thus offers greater driving stability depending on the conditions of the road surface. This occurs at all speeds.
The following systems are integrated in to the electronic stability programme:
•Electronic Differential Lock (EDL),
•Traction control system (TCS),
•Antilock brake system (ABS),
•Brake Assist.
Operating principle
The ESP switches on automatically wh en the engine is started and then conducts a self-test. The ESP control uni t processes data from the individual systems. It also processes additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive sensors: the rotational velocity of the vehicle about its vertical axis, the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, the braking pressure and the steering angle.
The direction which the driver wishes to take is determined based on the steering angle and the speed of the vehicle and is constantly compared with the actual behaviour of the vehicl e. If differences exist, such as the car beginning to skid, the ESP will automatically brake the appropriate wheel.
The car is stabilised again by the forces which take effect when the wheel is braked. Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front wheel of a vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the rear of the vehicle to break away) while occurs this is on the inner rear wheel of a vehicle which tends to understeer (tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle is accompanied by noises.
The ESP operates in combination with the ABS ⇒page 169, “Antilock brake system (ABS)*”. If there is a fault in the ABS system, the ESP also does not operate.
The ESP warning light ⇒page 33 lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a fault on the ESP.
Fig. 133 ESP switch
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 165 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Intelligent Technology166
Switching off
You can switch the ESP off and on again as you wish, by pressing the button ⇒ page 165, fig. 133. The ESP warning light ⇒page 33 lights up in the instru- ment cluster when the ESP is switched off.
The ESP should normally al ways 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 ESP again.
WARNING
It is also not possible for the ESP to overcome the physical limits of the vehicle. Even if a vehicle fitted with ESP you should still always adapt your style of driving to the condition of the road surface and the traffic situation. This particularly applies when driving on slippery and wet roads. 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 ESP. Differ ing 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 ESP ⇒ page 220, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Traction control system (TCS)*
The traction control system prevents the driven wheels from
spinning when accelerating.
General
The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, accel- erate and climb a steep hill when the co nditions of the road surface are unfa- vourable.
Operating principle
The TCS switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts a self-test. The system monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. If the wheels are spinning, the force transmitted to the road surface is automatically adap ted by reducing the engine speed. This occurs at all speeds.
The TCS operates in combination with the ABS ⇒page 169, “Antilock brake system (ABS)*”. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system.
Fig. 134 TCS switch
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 166 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Intelligent Technology167
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
The TCS warning light ⇒page 33 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 166, fig. 134. The TCS warning light ⇒page 33 lights up in the instru- ment cluster when the TCS is switched off.
The TCS should normally al ways 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 re duction 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 220, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)*
The electronic differential lock prevents an individual wheel
from slipping.
Models fitted with ESP are equipped with electronic differential lock (EDL).
General
The EDL makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, accel- erate and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfa- vourable.
Operating principle
The EDL is activated automatically, that is without any action on the part of the driver. It monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. Should only one drive wheel begin spinning on a slippery surface there will be an appreciable di fference in the speed of the driven wheels. The EDL function brakes the slipping wheel and the differential transmits a greater driving force to the other driven wheel. This control process is also accompa- nied by noises.
Overheating of the brakes
The EDL switches off automati cally if unusually severe stresses exist in order to avoid excessive heat generation in the disc brake on the wheel which is being braked. The vehicle can continue to be driven and has the same characteristics as a vehicle not fitted with EDL.
The EDL switches on again automatically as soon as the brake has cooled down.
WARNING
•Depress the accelerator carefully when accelerating on uniformly slippery road surfaces, such as ic e and snow. The driven wheels might still spin despite the EDL and affect the stability of the vehicle - risk of an accident!
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 167 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Intelligent Technology168
•You should always adapt your style of driving to the condition of road surface and to the traffic situation even when your vehicle is fitted with EDL. The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note
•If the ABS or TCS or ESP warning light comes on, this may also indicate a fault in the EDL. Please have the car inspecte d as soon as possible by a specialist garage.
•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 EDL ⇒ page 220, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
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 condi- tions 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 th e 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 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 tr eated with road salt if you have not used the brakes for some considerable ti me 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 yo u 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 34, “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.
WARNING (continued)
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 168 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Intelligent Technology169
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•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 approximat ely 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 pressure on the brake pe dal. 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 and shift down into the next lower gear (ma nual 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 st rain 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 gene rated when the engine is running.
WARNING
•Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary.
•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.
Antilock brake system (ABS)*
ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.
General
The ABS contributes significantly to enhanc ing the active safety of your vehicle. Compared to a car not fitted with the AB S brake system, you are able to retain optimal steering ability even during a full brake application on a slippery road surface because the wheels do not lock up.
You must not expect, however, that the braking distance will be shorter under all circumstances as a result of the ABS. The braking distance for example on gravel and fresh snow, when you should anyway be driving slowly and cautiously, will be longer.
Operating principle
As soon as the vehicle speed has incr eased to about 20 km/hour an automatic test procedure is conducted during which you will be able to hear a pumping noise for about 1 second.
The brake pressure will be reduced on a wheel which is rotating at a speed which is too low for the speed of the ve hicle and tending to lock. This control cycle is noticeable from a pulsating movement of the brake pedal which is accompanied by noises. This is consciously intended to provide the driver with the information that the wheels are tending to lock (ABS control range). You must always keep the brake pedal depressed to enable the ABS to optimally
WARNING (continued)WARNING (continued)
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 169 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Intelligent Technology170
control the brake application in this braking range. Never interrupt the applica- tion of the brakes!
WARNING
•The ABS can also not overcome the physical limits of your vehicle. Please do not forget this, particularly when driving on icy or wet road surfaces. If the ABS is operating wi thin the control range, adapt your speed immediately to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered by the ABS must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
•The normal braking system is still fu lly functional if there is an ABS fault. Visit a specialist garage as quickly as possible and adjust your style of driving to take account of the ABS fault in the meantime since you will not know how great the damage is.
Note
•A warning light comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system ⇒page 34.
•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 ABS ⇒ page 220, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Brake Assist*
During a severe brake application (e.g. if a hazard exists), the Brake Assist increases the braking force and thus makes it possible to rapidly produce the pressure required in the brake system.
The majority of drivers do apply the br akes in good time in dangerous situa- tions, but do not depress the brake pedal with sufficient pressure. Conse-
quently, it is not possible for the car to achieve its maximum deceleration and the car covers a greater distance than necessary.
The Brake Assist is activated by the very quick operation of the brake pedal. In such cases, a much greater braking pressu re exists than during a normal brake application. This makes it possible, even with a relatively low resistance of the brake pedal, to produce an adequate pressure in the brake system in the shortest possible time, which is required for maximum deceleration of the car. You must apply the brake peda l firmly and hold it in this position in order to achieve the shortest possible braking distance.
The Brake Assist is able to help you ac hieve a shorter braking distance in emer- gency situations by rapidly producing the pressure required in the brake system. It fully exploits the attributes of the ABS. After you release the brake pedal, the function of the Brake Assist is automatically switched off and the brakes operate in the normal way.
The Brake Assist is part of the ESP system. If a fault occurs in the ESP, the Brake Assist function is also not available. Further information on the ESP ⇒ page 165.
WARNING
•The Brake Assist is also not able to overcome the physical limits of your car in terms of the braking distance required.
•Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to the traffic situation.
•The increased safety offered by the Brake Assist must not tempt you to take a greater safety risk than otherwise.
Electrohydraulic power steering
The power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force.
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 170 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM