2006 SKODA FABIA service

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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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle188
Chrome parts
First clean the chrome parts with a damp clotch and then polish them with a soft, dry cloth. If it does not prove to be adequate, use a chrome care product from Škoda original accessories.
Caution
Do not polish the chrome parts in a du sty environment, otherwise they can be scratched.
Paint damage
Slight damage to paintwork such as scratches, scuffs or traces of chip damage must be treated immediately before any corrosion can result. You can of course have this work carried out by a Škoda Service Partner.
Škoda Service Partners ha ve a range of matching touch-up pens or spray cans available in the colour of your vehicle.
The paint number of the orig inal paintwork of your vehicle is indicated on the vehicle data sticker ⇒page 247.
Any corrosion which has already have formed must be removed thoroughly. Apply a corrosion protection primer and then the paint to the affected point. You can of course have this work carried out by a Škoda Service Partner.
Plastic parts
External plastic parts are cleaned by norm al washing. Plastic parts and synthetic leather can also be treated with special solvent-free plastic cleaning agents
if a damp cloth is not sufficient. Paint care products are not suitable for plastic parts.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack th e material and can damage it.
Windows
Only use a plastic ice scraper for removing snow and ice from the windows and mirrors. You should not move the ice scraper forward and backward but in one direction on the window which you are cl eaning in order to avoid any damage to the surface of the glass.
You can best remove residues of rubber, oil, grease, wax or silicone by using a special window cleaner or a special silicone remover.
You should also clean the windows regularly from the inside.
Do not use window leathers which you have used to polish the vehicle body to dry off the windows. Residues of preservatives in the window leather can dirty the window and reduce visibility.
Do not affix any stickers over the inside of the rear window to avoid damage to the heating elements of the rear window heater.
We recommend using a preservative fr om Škoda genuine accessories offered by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
•Never remove snow or ice from the glass parts with warm or hot water - risk of formation of cracks in the glass!
•When removing snow or ice from the windows and mirror lenses make sure not to damage the paintwork of the vehicle.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle190
Underbody protection
The underside of your vehicle is protected for life against chemical and mechanical influences.
One cannot, however, complete ly rule out damage to the protective layer when driving so we recommend that you inspect the protective layer on the underside of your ve hicle and on the chassis at certain intervals - this is best done at the beginning and end of the winter - and to touch up any damaged areas.
Škoda Service Partne rs have suitable spray products available as well as the necessary equipment and are familiar with the instructions for use. We there- fore recommend to have repairs and addi tional corrosion protection measures preferably carried out by a Škoda Service Partner.
WARNING
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat shields. Such substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Protection of hollow spaces
All the cavities of your vehicle which are at risk from corrosion are protected for life by a layer of protective wax applied in the factory.
This wax protection does not require to be inspected or re-treated. Please remove any small amount of wax which flow s out of the cavities at high temper- atures with a plastic scraper and cl ean the spot using petroleum cleaner.
WARNING
Safety and environmental protection regulations should observed when using petroleum cleaner to remove wax - a risk of fire!
Engine compartment
Good corrosion protection is very import ant, particularly in winter when one often drives over its salt-strewn roads. One should therefore clean the entire engine compartment before and after the salt spreading period, in order to prevent the salt from being destructive.
Škoda Service Partners have the cleani ng agents recommended by the manu- facturer and also the required equipment.
WARNING
•It is necessary to observe the guid elines given in the chapter before working on the engine compartment ⇒page 198.
•Let the engine cool down before cleaning the engine compartment.
Caution
•Engine cleaning may be only be undertaken when the ignition is off.
•It is recommended to cover the generator before washing the engine compartment.
For the sake of the environment
The dirty water produced by washing the engine has washed away petrol, and residues of grease and oil and should therefore be cleaned by an oil separator. This is why engine washing should only be undertaken in a garage or at a fueling station (when these are fitted with the required equipment).
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle191
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Care of the interior of vehicle
Plastic parts, artificial leather and cloths
You can clean plastic parts and artificial leather with a moist cloth. You should only treat such parts with special solvent-free plastic cleaning and care products it does prove to be adequate.
Upholstery cloth and cloth trim on th e doors, luggage compartment cover, headliner etc. are best treated with spec ial cleaning products, using if necessary a dry foam and a soft sponge or brush.
We recommend using a cleaning prod uct from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack the material and can damage it.
Fabric covers of elec trically heated seats
Do not clean the seat covers moist as this may result in damage to the seat heating system.
Clean such covers using special agents, for example dry foam.
Natural leather
Natural leather requires quite particular care and attention.
Leather should be treated from time to time according the following
guidelines depending on how much it is used.
Normal cleaning
– Clean soiled areas of the leather with slightly moistened cotton or
woollen cloth.
Severe soiling
– Clean severely soiled areas with a cloth dipped in a mild soapy
solution (2 spoonfuls of natura l soap to 1 litre of water).
– Ensure that the leather is not soak ed through at any point and that
no water gets into the stitching of the seams.
– Dry off the leather with a soft, dry cloth.
Removing stains
– Remove fresh stains which are water-based (e.g. coffee, tea,
juices, blood etc.) with an absorbent cloth or household paper or
use the cleaner from the care set for a stain which has already dried
in.
– Remove fresh stains on a fat base (e.g. butter, mayonnaise, choc-
olate etc.) with an absorbent cloth or household cleaning paper or
with the cleaner from the care set if the stain has not yet penetrated
into the surface.
– Use a grease dissolver for grease stains which have dried in.
–Eliminate special stains (e.g. ball-point pens, felt pen, nail varnish,
dispersion paint, shoe cream etc.) with a special stain remover
suitable for leather.
Leather care
– Treat the leather every six months with the leather care product
available from Škoda Service Partners.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle192
– Apply only a small amount of the care product.
– Dry the leather off with a soft cloth
We recommend that you consult your Šk oda Service Partner, if you have any questions regarding cleaning and care of the leather interior.
Caution
•You must on no account treat the le ather with solvents (e.g. gasoline, turpentine), floor wax, shoe cream or such like.
•Avoid leaving your vehicle for lengthy pe riods in bright sunlight in order to avoid bleaching the leather. If you leav e your vehicle parked in the open for lengthy periods, protect the leather from the direct rays of the sun by covering it over.
•Sharp-edged objects on items of clothi ng such as zip fasteners, rivets, sharp-edged belts may leave permanent scratches or signs of rubbing on the surface.
Note
•Use a care cream with light blocker and impregnation effect regularly and each time after cleaning the leather. Th e cream nourishes the leather, allows it to breathe and keeps it supple and also provides moisture. It also creates surface protection.
•Clean the leather every 2 to 3 months, remove fresh soiling each time this occurs.
•Remove fresh stains such as those from ball-point pens, ink, lipstick, shoe cream etc., as quickly as possible.
•Care also for the leather dye. Refreshe n areas which have lost their colour with a special coloured leather cream as required.
Seat belts
– Keep the seat belts clean!
– Wash seat belts which have become soiled using a mild soapy
solution.
– Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condi-
tion.
Belt webbing which has become severely soiled may prevent the inertia reel from reeling up the belt properly.
WARNING
•The seat belts must not be removed for cleaning.
•Never clean the seat belts chemically as dry cleaning may destroy the fabric. The seat belts must also not be allowed to come into contact with corrosive liquids (such as acids etc.).
•We recommend that seat belts which have damage to the webbing, the connections, the inertia reel or the lock should be replaced by a Škoda Service Partner.
•Inertia reel belts must be completely dried before being reeled up.
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Fuel194
If the quality of the diesel fuel is poor, it is then necessary to drain the fuel filter more often than stated in the Service schedule.
You can find information on refuelling ⇒page 195, “Refuelling”.
Caution
•Use a fuel which complies with the standard EN 590. Filling the tank even only once, which does not comply with th is standard, can result in damage to the fuel system.
•Water which has collected in the fuel fi lter can result in engine problems.
Operation in winter
Winter-grade diesel fuel
A different grade of diesel fuel is available at filling stations in winter than during the summer. Using “summer-grade diesel fuel” at temperatures below 0°C can result in operational problems because the diesel becomes viscous as a result of paraffin separation.
It is therefore the case that EN 590 prescribes diesel fuel class for certain periods of the year which can also be purchase d at the corresponding time during the year. “Winter-grade diesel fuel” will still operate properly even at a temperature of -20°C.
It is often the case in countries with diff erent climatic conditions that diesel fuels available have a different temperature characteristic. Škoda Service Partners and filling stations in the country concer ned will be able to provide you with information regarding the diesel fuels available.
Prewarming fuel
The vehicle is fitted with a fuel filter prewarming system. This secures operation of a vehicle using diesel fuel down to an environmental temperature of -25°C.
Caution
It is not permitted to add the various fuel additives on the market, including petrol, to diesel fuel in order to improve its flow properties.
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Inspecting and Replenishing200
Coolant expansion bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil filler opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Battery (below a cover) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Note
The location of the inspection points in the engine compartment of petrol and diesel engines is practically identical.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The grade of engine oil should be selected in accordance with
precise specifications.
The engine of your vehicle has been fact ory-filled with a high-grade oil which you can use throughout the year - except in extreme climatic regions.
You can mix various oils together with ea ch other when refilling with oil. This does not, however, apply for models with flexible service intervals (QG1).
Engine oils are, of course, undergoing continuous further development. Thus the information stated in this Owner's Manual is only correct at the time of publication.
Škoda Service Partners are informed by Škoda Auto a.s. about current changes. We recommend having this oil change undertaken by a Škoda Service Partner.
Engine oil specifications for vehicles with fixed service intervals (QG0, QG2)
Engine oil specifications for models with flexible service intervals (QG1)
Caution
Only the above-mentioned oils may be used on vehicles with flexible service intervals (QG1). We recommend always re filling with oil of the same specifica- tion since this will maintain the properti es of the oil. In exceptional cases, you must top up only once engine oil complying with Specification VW 502 00 (only for petrol engines) or Specification VW 505 01 (only for diesel engines) to maximum 0.5 litres. You must not use other engine oils - risk of engine damage!
A1204A2211
A3202
A4201
A5206
A6207
Engine oil specifications
Petrol engines
VW 501 01 VW 502 00 VW 504 00
ACEA A2 a) or A3 a)
a)Only to be used in exceptional cases if the oils specified above are not available.
Diesel enginesVW 505 01b)
VW 507 00 c)
b)Only for engines without diesel particle filter ⇒page 36.c)Only for engines with diesel particle filter ⇒page 36.
Engine oil specifications
Petrol enginesVW 504 00 alternative VW 503 00
Diesel enginesVW 507 00
alternative VW 506 01 a)
a)Only for engines without diesel particle filter ⇒page 36.
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Inspecting and Replenishing201
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
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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