
Breakdown assistance226
into the wheel, can result in damage to the guide and centering elements of the full wheel trim.
•First check for yourself that the theft-deterrent wheel bolt is located ⇒ page 228, “Securing wheels against being stolen*” in the hole in the area of the valve before fitting the full wheel trim onto a steel wheel which is attached with a theft-deterrent wheel bolt.
Wheel trim caps*
Pulling off
– Carefully ⇒fig. 157 lever off the wheel trim cap using the removal
hook .
Wheel bolts with caps*
The caps are designed to protect the wheel bolts.
Pulling off
–Insert the plastic clip (in the car tool kit) sufficiently far onto the
cap until the inner catches of the clip are positioned at the collar of
the cap.
– Pull the cap off with the plastic clip ⇒fig. 158.
Installing
– Insert the caps onto the bolts.
Fig. 157 Pulling off the wheel trim cap
Fig. 158 Changing a wheel: Pull off cap from the wheel bolt
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 226 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Breakdown assistance227
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Slackening and tightening wheel bolts
Slacken the wheel bolts before jacking up the vehicle.
Slackening wheel bolts
– Insert the wheel wrench fully onto the wheel bolt 5).
– Grasp the end of the wrench and turn the bolt about one turn to
the left ⇒fig. 159.
Tightening wheel bolts
– Insert the wheel wrench fully onto the wheel bolt 5).
– Grasp the end of the wrench and turn the bolt to the right until it is
tight.
WARNING
Slacken the wheel bolts only a little (about one turn) as long as the vehicle has not yet been jacked up - risk of an accident!.
Note
•apply pressure carefully with your foot to the end of the wheel wrench if it proves difficult to slacken the wheel bolts. Hold tight on the vehicle when doing this and ensure that you have a steady position.
Raise vehicle
You have to raise the vehicle with a lifting jack in order to be
able to take off the wheel.
– Position the lifting jack by select ing the jacking point - lower sill -
which is closest to the wheel to be removed ⇒fig. 160.5)Use the appropriate adapter for slackening and tightening the safety wheel bolts ⇒ page 228.
Fig. 159 Changing a wheel: Slackening wheel bolts
Fig. 160 Changing a wheel: Points for posi-tioning car jack
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 227 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Breakdown assistance228
– Position the lifting jack below the jacking point and move it up until
its claw is positioned directly below the vertical web of the lower
sill.
– Align the lifting jack so that its claw grasps the web of the lower sill
and the moving base plate of the jack is resting flat against
firm ground.
– Turn the lifting jack up further unt il the wheel is just clear of the
ground.
Ground below the lifting jack which is soft and slippery can cause the vehicle to slip off the jack. It is therefor e always necessary to place the lifting jack on a solid surface or use a wide and stable base. Use a non-slip base (e.g. a rubber foot mat) if the surface is smooth, such as cobbled stones, a tiled floor, etc.
WARNING
•Always raise the vehicle with the doors closed - risk of injury.
•Take suitable measures to prevent the base of the lifting jack from slipping off - risk of injury!
•Place the lifting jack only on a solid and even surface.
•Not positioning the lifting jack at the specified points can result in damage to the vehicle. The jack can also slip off if it does not have suffi- cient grip - risk of injury!
•Never start the engine if the vehicl e is lifted - risk of accident.
•Never lie under the vehicle if the vehicle is only lifted with the vehicle lifting jack.
•It is important to support the vehicle with suitable supporting blocks if you wish to work under the lifted vehicle - risk of injury!
Securing wheels against being stolen*
You need a special adapter for slackening the safety wheel
bolts.
– Pull off the full wheel trim/cap from the wheel hub or cap from the
safety wheel bolt.
– Insert the adapter with its toothed side fully into the inner
toothing of the safety wheel bolt right down in such a way that
only the outer hexagon is jutting out ⇒fig. 161.
– Insert the wheel wrench fully onto the adapter .
– Slacken the wheel bolt, or tighten it firmly ⇒page 227.
– Reinstall the full wheel trim/wheel cap after removing the adapter
or place the cap onto the safety wheel bolt.
AAAB
Fig. 161 Safety wheel bolt with adapter
AB
AA
AB
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 228 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Breakdown assistance229
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
– Have the tightening torque checked with a torque wrench as
soon as possible. Steel and light alloy wheels must be tightened to
a tightening torque of 120 Nm.
The safety wheel bolts on vehicles fitted with them (one safety wheel bolt per wheel) can only be loosened or tighte n up by using the adapter provided.
It is meaningful to note the code num ber hammered into the rear side of the adapter or the rear side of the safety wheel bolts. You can obtain a replacement adapter from a Škoda Service Partner, if necessary, by quoting this number.
We recommend that you always carry th e adapter for the wheel bolts with you in the vehicle. It should be stowed in the vehicle tool kit.
Caution
•Damage can occur to the adapter and sa fety wheel bolt if the safety wheel bolt is tightened up too much.
•On steel wheels, the theft-deterrent whee l bolt must always be installed in the hole, which is close to the valve. Otherwise the full wheel trim cannot be mounted and the full wheel trim can be damaged during the assembly.
Note
The set of safety wheel bolts can be obtained from a Škoda Service Partner.
Jump-starting
Initial steps
You can use the battery of another vehicle for jump-starting yours if the engine does not start because the battery on yo ur vehicle is flat. You will require jump- start cables for this purpose.
Both batteries must have a rated voltage of 12 V. The capacity (Ah) of the battery supplying the power must not be si gnificantly less than the capacity of the discharged battery in your vehicle.
Jump-start cables
Only use jump-start cables which have an adequately large cross-section and insulated terminal clamps. Please pay attention to the manufacturer's instruc- tions.
Positive cable - colour coding in the majority of cases red.
Negative cable - colour coding in the majority of cases black.
WARNING
•A discharged battery may already freeze at temperatures just below 0°C. In case of frozen battery carry out no jump-starting - risk of explo- sion! Also after thawing of the battery there is a risk of caustic burns due to leaking acid. Replac e the frozen battery.
•Please pay attention to the warning instructions relating to working in the engine compartment ⇒page 198.
Note
•There must not be any contact between the two vehicles otherwise current may flow as soon as the negative terminals are connected.
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 229 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Breakdown assistance231
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•Do not bend over the batteries - risk of caustic burns!
•The vent screws of the battery cells must be tightened firmly.
•Keep any sources of ignition (naked flame, smouldering cigarettes etc.) away from the battery - risk of an explosion!
Tow-starting and towing vehicle
General
Please pay attention to the following instructions if you are going to
use a tow rope:
Driver of the towing vehicle
– Do not drive off until the tow rope is taught.
– Release the clutch particularly gently when starting off.
Driver of the towed vehicle
– Switch the ignition on so that th e steering wheel is not blocked and
you can also operate the turn signal lights, the headlight flasher,
the windscreen wipers and windscreen washer system.
– Take the vehicle out of gear or move the selector lever into position
N if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
– Note that the brake servo unit and power steering only operate if
the engine is running. You will requ ire significantly greater physical
force to depress the brake pedal and to steer the vehicle if the
engine is not running.
– Ensure that the tow rope is always kept taught.
Tow rope or tow bar
A tow bar is safest way of towing a vehicle and also minimizes any shocks. You can use a tow rope only if a suitable tow bar is not available.
The tow rope must be elastic to protect the vehicle. Thus one should only use plastic fibre rope or a rope made out of a similarly elastic material.
Attach the tow rope or the tow bar only to the towing eyes provided for this purpose ⇒page 232, “Front towing eye” and ⇒page 233, “Rear towing eye”.
Driving style
Towing another vehicle requires a cert ain amount of practice. Both drivers should be familiar with the particular points about towing a vehicle. Unskilled drivers should not attempt to tow in another vehicle or to be towed in.
One should be constantly vigilant not to allow impermissibly high towing forces or jerky loadings. There is always a risk of excessive stresses and damage resulting at the points to which you a ttach the tow rope or tow bar when you attempt to tow a vehicle which is not standing on a paved road.
Caution
If the gearbox of yo ur vehicle no longer contains any oil because of a defect, your vehicle must only be towed in with the driven wheels raised clear of the ground, or on a special vehicle transporter or trailer.
WARNING (continued)
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 231 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Breakdown assistance232
Note
•Please comply with any legal requirements particularly regarding the switched on signal systems, when towi ng in or tow-starting another vehicle.
•The tow rope must not be twisted as it may in certain circumstances result in the front towing eye being unscrewed out of your vehicle.
Front towing eye
The towing eye is stored in the box for the vehicle tool kit.
Installing the towing eye
– Grasp the protective grille at the point marked with the arrow and
take it out ⇒fig. 163.
– Screw in the towing eye by hand to the left up to the stop
⇒ fig. 164.
– Tighten up the towing eye using the wheel wrench (push the wheel
wrench through eye).
Removal of the towing eye
– Unscrew the towing eye.
– Put the protective grille in place on the side opposite the marking.
– Press into place the protective grille onto the side facing the
marking.
– The protective grille must engage firmly.
Fig. 163 Front bumper: Protective grille
Fig. 164 Front bumper: Installing the towing eye
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 232 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Breakdown assistance233
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Rear towing eye
The rear towing eye is located below the rear bumper on the right ⇒fig. 165.
Tow-starting a vehicle
If the engine does not start, we generally do not recommend to tow-
start your vehicle. One should attempt to start the engine using jump
start cables ⇒page 229 or call on the services of the SERVICE mobile.
If your vehicle has to be towed:
– Engage 2nd or 3rd gear wi th the vehicle stationary.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Switch on the ignition.
– Wait until both vehicles are movi ng then release the clutch pedal
slowly.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully when the engine fires and take the
vehicle out of gear.
WARNING
There is high risk of having an accident when tow-starting a vehicle, when for example the towed vehicl e runs into the towing vehicle.
Caution
Vehicles which are fitted with a catalytic converter should not be tow-started over a distance of more than 50 metres . Unburnt fuel may get into the catalytic converter and damage it.
Towing in a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox
Please refer to the notes ⇒page 231.
The car can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope or with the front or rear wheels raised. The maximum towing speed is 50 km/h.
Towing of a vehicle with an automatic gearbox
Please refer to the notes ⇒page 231.
The car can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope. Refer at the same time to the following guidelines:
•Move selector lever into N.
Fig. 165 Rear towing eye
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 233 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM

Breakdown assistance234
•The maximum towing speed is 50 km/h.
•The maximum permissible towing distance is 50 km. The gear oil pump does not operate when the engine is not running; the gearbox would not be adequately lubricated at higher spee ds and over longer towing distance.
Caution
If the vehicle is towed in by a recovery vehicle, it should only be towed in with the front wheels raised. If the vehicle is raised at rear, the automatic gearbox is damaged!
Note
The vehicle must be transported on a special vehicle or trailer if it is not possible to tow in the vehicle in the way described or if the towing distance is greater than 50 km.
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 234 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM