2006 SKODA FABIA tow

Automatic gearbox114
When the ignition is switched on and the selector lever is in position R, the reverse lights will come on.
N - Neutral
The transmission is in Neutral in this position.
The brake pedal must be depressed (if the lever is in its position for longer than 2 seconds) in order to move the se lector lever out of the position N into the position D, with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/hour or on a stationary vehicle.
The brake pedal must be depressed (if the lever is in its position for longer than 2 seconds) in order to move the se lector lever out of the position N into the position R, with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/hour or on a stationary vehicle.
D - Drive, position for driving forward
When the selector lever is in this position, the forward gears are shifted up and down automatically in line with engi ne load, vehicle speed and the dynamic shift programme.
You must depress the brake pedal ⇒ if you wish to move the selector lever into position D from N when the vehicle is travelling at less than 5 km/hour or is stationary.
In certain circumstances (e.g. when driving in mountainous regions or when towing a trailer) it may be beneficial to select the manual shift programme ⇒ page 116 for a short time in order to adapt the gearbox ratios manually to the driving situations.
S - Position for sporty style of driving
Shifting up later into a higher gear make s it possible to fully exploit the power potential of the engine. The gearbox also then shifts down at higher engine speeds as in the position D.
The gearbox does not shift into the 6th gear in the position S, because the maximum speed is achieved with the 5th gear.
The Shiftlock on the selector lever grip must be pressed when moving the selector lever out of the position D into the position S.
WARNING
•Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an accident!
•When the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary, it is neces- sary to hold the car with the brak e pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (except P and N) since the power transmission is never completely interrupted, also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle "creeps".
•You must on no account unintentionally operate the throttle (e.g. by hand from the engine compartment) if a drive position is engaged when the car is stationary. The vehicle wo uld otherwise immediately start off - also when the handbrake is firmly applied - risk of an accident!
•You must move the selector lever into position P and firmly apply the handbrake first before you or any other person opens the bonnet and starts working on the engine when it is running - risk of accident! It is also essential to observe all warnings ⇒page 198, “Working in the engine compartment”.
Selector lever lock
Automatic selector lever lock 
With the ignition on, the selector lever is locked when it is in the positions P and N . You must first of all depress the brake pedal in order to move the selector lever out of this position. The warning light  ⇒page 33 lights up in the instru- ment cluster as a reminder for the driver when the selector lever is in position P and N:
A time delay element ensures that the selector lever is not blocked when rapidly switching over the position N (e.g. from R to D). This does, for example, allow
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Automatic gearbox117
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
It is possible to continue to move the selector lever into all the positions. In the positions D and S the gearbox remains engaged in the 3rd gear. It is also possible to continue to engage reverse gear in the position R.
The manual shift programme (Tiptronic) is switched off in the emergency mode.
If the gearbox has switched over to emergency mode, drive to the nearest specialist garage in order to have the fault rectified.
Tow-starting and towing vehicle
Tow-starting a vehicle
It is not possible to tow-start or push-start vehicles fitted with automatic gearbox.
you can use jump-start cables connected to the battery of another vehicle for starting your car if the vehicle battery is flat ⇒page 229.
Towing a vehicle
Please pay attention to the following in formation if it comes necessary to tow- in your car ⇒page 231.
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Seat belts138
Seat belts
Why seat belts?
It is a proven fact that seat belts offer good protection in accidents ⇒fig. 106. Thus wearing a seat belt is a le gal requirement in most countries.
Seat belts which have been correctly fa stened and adjusted hold the occupants of the car in the correct seated position ⇒fig. 106. The belts reduce the kinetic energy (energy of motion) to a considerable extent. They also prevent uncon- trolled movements which, in turn, may well result in severe injuries.
The occupants of a vehicle who have fast ened and correctly adjusted their seat belt, profit to a major extent from the fa ct that the kinetic energy is optimally absorbed by the belts. The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety measures, such as the airb ag system, also contribute to reducing the kinetic energy. The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less risk of injury.
Accident statistics prove that seat belts which are fastened and properly adjusted reduce the risk of an injury and enhance the chance of survival in a major accident ⇒page 139.
It is important that you pay attention to safety measures, particularly when transporting children in the vehicle ⇒page 155, “Transporting children safely”.
WARNING
•Fasten your seat belt each time before setting off, also when driving in town! This also applies to the people seated at the rear - risk of injury!
•Expectant women must also always we ar a seat belt. This is the only way of ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child ⇒page 141, “Fastening three-point seat belts”.
•It is important for the belt webbing to be properly routed if the seat belts are to offer the maximum protec tion. You can see a description of how safety belts should be fitted properly on the next pages.
Note
Please comply with any differing legal requirements when using the seat belts.
Fig. 106 Driv er wearing seat belt
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Transporting children safely160
The optimal solution for babies of up to about 9 months old weighing up to 10 kg or babies up to about 18 months old weighing up to 13 kg is a child safety seat which is fastened in the opposite direction of travel ⇒fig. 126.
Child seats in which the child is facing with its back towards the direction of travel should not be used on the front passenger seat when the vehicle is fitted with a front passenger airbag ⇒page 156, “Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat”.
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch of f the front passenger airbag (airbags) at a specialist garage or with the switch for front passenger airbag(s)* when attaching in exceptional circumstances a child safety seat on the front passenger seat where the child is seated with its back facing in direction of travel (in some countries also when the child is facing the direction of travel) ⇒page 153.
•In certain countries national legal provisions require that besides the front passenger airbag also the side or head passenger airbags are deac- tivated. Please comply with any differing national legal regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.
•If this is not done, a child seated on the front passenger seat may suffer severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag or airbags are deployed.
•You should have the front passenger airbag (or airbags) reactivated just as soon as you no longer use a child safety seat on the front passenger seat.
Child safety seats in Group 1
Child seats in Group 1 are for babies and small children up to 4 years of age with a weight of between 9 and 18 kilograms. It is best for children in the lower range of this group, to use a child seat which a llows the child to sit with its back to the direction of travel. It is best for children in the upper range of the Group 0+, to use a child seat which allows the child to sit ⇒fig. 127 in the direction of travel.
Child seats in which the child is facing with its back towards the direction of travel should not be used on the front passenger seat when the vehicle is fitted with a front passenger airbag ⇒page 156, “Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat”.
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch of f the front passenger airbag (airbags) at a specialist garage or with the sw itch for front passenger airbag(s)* when attaching in exceptional circumstances a child safety seat on the front passenger seat where the child is seated with its back facing in
Fig. 127 Child seat with padded table in Group 1 installed on rear seat bench facing the direc-tion of travel
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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)
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Intelligent Technology171
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
The steering characteristics can be changed by a specialist garage.
You will place great stresses on the power steering system if the steering is turne d to full lock when the v ehi cl e i s s ta ti onar y. Turning the stee ri ng to full lock in such a situation will be accompanied by noises.
It is still possible to fully steer the vehi cle if the power steering fails or if the engine is not running (veh icle being towed in). The only difference is that greater physical effort is required.
It is possible that the hydraulic pump of the power steering will not run due to the low vehicle network voltage if the batte ry has gone flat and the engine must started with the help off jump leads. This condition will be indicated by lighting up of the warning light.
The power steering operates again if the battery is charged to a specific range when engine is running. It also operates again, if the engine can be started with its own battery.
Caution
Do not leave the steering at full lock for more than 15 seconds when the engine is running - risk of dama ging the power steering!
Note
Have the steering inspected as soon as possible by a specialist garage if there is a leak or fault in the system.
Tyre inflation pressure-control system*
The tyre inflation pressure-control system compares with the aid of the ABS sensors the speed and also the rolling ci rcumference of the individual wheels. If the inflation pressure and therefore the rolling circumference of a wheel has changed significantly, the warning light  lights up in the dash panel ⇒ page 33. The tyre inflation pressure-control system functions late or too sensitively if:
•the structure of the tyre is damaged,
•the vehicle is loaded to one side or with a load on the roof,
•the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when driving uphill or downhill),
•the vehicle is operated in unfavourable winter conditions or on an unfirm ground,
•snow chains or emergency wheel are mounted,
•the driver has a sporty style of driving (with sharp acceleration and high speed when cornering).
Fig. 135 Button for setting the tyre inflation pressure control value
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Driving and the Environment173
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Driving and the Environment
The first 1 500 kilometres and then
afterwards
A new engine
The engine has to be run in du ring the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1 000 kilometres
– Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the mamimum speed of the gear in
use, that is 3/4 of the maximum permissible engine speed.
– Do not use full throttle.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres
– Increase the power output of the engine gradually up to the full
speed of the gear engaged, that is up to the maximum permissible
engine revolutions.
During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than later until all of the moving parts have ha rmonized. The driving style which you adopt during the first approx.1 500 kilo metres plays a decisive part in the success of running in your car.
You should not driv e at unnecessarily high engine revolutions even after the running-in period is complete. The maximum permissible engine speed is marked by the beginning of the red zone on the scale of the revolutions counter.
Shift up into the next higher gear on a vehicle fitted with manual gearbox before the red zone is reached. Extremely high engine revolutions are automatically governed, by the way.
For a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbo x the converse situation also applies: Do not drive at engine revolutions which are too low. Shift down as soon as the engine is no longer running smoothly.
Caution
All the speed and engine revolution figure s apply only when the engine is at its normal operating temperature. Never rev up an engine which is cold, neither when the vehicle is stationary nor when driving in individual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Not driving at unnecessarily high engine revolutions and shifting to a higher gear as early as possible are ways to minimise fuel consumption and operating noise levels and protects the environment.
New tyres
New tyres have to be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first. You should take account of this fact for the first 500 kilometres and drive particularly carefully.
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Driving and the Environment174
New brake pads
Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking efficiency until approximately 200 ki lometres. 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 pedal.
This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future date.
During the running-in peri od, you should avoid excessive stresses on the brakes. This includes, for example, violen t braking, particularly from very high speeds, and also when cr ossing mountain passes.
Catalytic converter
Proper operation of the emission control system (catalytic
converter) is of major significan ce 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 193, “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 202, “Replen-
ishing engine oil”.
– Do not tow-start the vehicle over a distance of more than 50
metres ⇒page 233, “Tow-starting a vehicle”.
If you drive your vehicle in a country in which unleaded petrol is not available, you must have the catalyti c 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 cata- lytic 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-protection agents for the exhaust pipes, catalyti c converters or heat shields. Such substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Caution
•Vehicles fitted with catalytic converte r should never be allowed to let the fuel tank to run completely empty. An ir regular 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 lead ed petrol will result in the catalytic converter being destroyed.
•If you detect misfiring, a drop in pe rformance or irregular engine running when driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the vehicle inspected by the nearest specialist garage. The sy mptoms described may be caused by a fault in the ignition system. Unburnt fu el may get into the exhaust system and damage the cata lytic converter.
For the sake of the environment
Even if the exhaust system is operating properly, a sulphur-like exhaust odour may be produced under certain operat ing conditions of the engine. This depends on the sulphur content of the fuel. It is often sufficient to refuel with unleaded premium-grade petrol of a diff erent brand or at a different filling station.
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