2006 SKODA FABIA winter tyres

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

Driving and the Environment175
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Driving in an economical and
environmentally conscious manner
General
Your personal style of driving is a major factor.
Your fuel consumption, any pollution of the environmental and the wear-and- tear to the engine, brakes and tyres, depend essentially on three factors:
•your personal style of driving,
•the conditions under which your vehicle is operated,
•technical aspects.
You can easily improve your fuel economy by 10 - 15 percent by driving in an economical way with foresight. This sect ion is intended to provide you with a number of tips on how to protect the en vironment and at the same time save money.
The fuel consumption can naturally also be influenced by factors which are beyond the driver's control. It is, for example, normal for the fuel consumption to increase in winter and under worsened conditions such as poor road condi- tions, towing a trailer, etc.
The technical requirements for low fuel usage and economic efficiency of the vehicle have already been built into the vehicle at the works. Special attention has been given to minimising negative effects on the environment. It is neces- sary to take note of the guidelines given in this chapter in order to make best use of these characteristics and to maintain their effectiveness.
Looking ahead when driving
A vehicle's highest fuel consumption occurs it accelerates.
Avoid accelerating and braking unnecessarily. If you drive with forsight you will not need to brake so often and will also then not have to accelerate so much. Let your vehicle coast to a stop, for exam ple, if this is possible, when you see that the next set of traffic lights is at red.
Shifting gears and saving energy
Shifting up early saves on fuel.
Manual gearbox
– Drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear.
Always shift up into the next high er gear at approx. 2 000 to 2 500
revs.
Fig. 136 Fuel consump- tion in litres/100 km. and speed in km/h.
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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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Wheels and Tyres214
Ty re l i fe
The life of your tyres very much depends on the following points:
Tyre pressure
The working life of tyres will be shortened considerably if the tyres are insuffi- ciently or over-inflated and this will have an adverse effect on the handling of your vehicle.
Correctly inflated tyres are of particular importance when travelling at high speeds . It is therefore good to check the pressure at least once a month and also before setting off on a long trip. Pl ease do not forget the spare wheel when checking the tyres.
The tyre inflation pressures for summer tyres are indicated on the inside of the fuel filler flap ⇒fig. 151. The inflation pressures for winter tyres are 20 kPa (0.2 bar) higher than those for summer tyres ⇒page 217.
The tyre pressure should be at the highest pressure specified for your vehicle at all times.
Always check the inflation pressure of tyres when cold. Do not reduce the higher pressure of warm tyres. Adapt the inflation pressure of the tyres accord- ingly if your vehicle is carrying a significantly higher payload.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and br aking (squealing tyres) increase wear- and-tear on your tyres.
Balancing wheels
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. There are a wide range of influences when driving which may result in an imbalance and which makes themselves felt through vibration in the steering.
You should have the wheels rebalanced since any imbalance increases wear- and-tear on the steering, the suspension and tyres. A wheel must also be rebal- anced when a new tyre is fitted an d each time a tyre is repaired.
Wheel alignment errors
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front and rear will not only increase wear-and- tear on the tyres but will also has an ad verse effect on vehicle safety. Contact your specialist garage if yo u notice any unusual tyre wear.
WARNING
•If the inflation pressure is too low, the tyre must perform a greater rolling resistance. At higher speeds the tyre will warm up as a result of this. This can result in tread separation and even a tyre blowout.
•Immediately replace the damaged rims or tyres.
For the sake of the environment
Tyres which are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption.
Fig. 151 An opened fuel filler flap with the tyre inflation pressure table
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Wheels and Tyres216
tools and replacement parts available plus the required specialist knowledge and is also in a position to properly di spose of the old tyres. A large number of Škoda Service Partners also have an attractive range of tyres and wheels avail-able.
The tyre/wheel combinations which are ap proved for your vehicle are indicated in your vehicle documents. Approval an d licensing may differ according to the legislation prevailing in individual countries.
Proper knowledge of the tyre data makes it easier for you to select the correct type of tyre. Tyres do, for example, have the following inscription on their walls:
185 / 65 R 14 86 T
What this means is:
The following speed restrictions apply to tyres.
The date of manufacture is also stated on the tyre wall (possibly only on the inside of wheel):
DOT ... 05 06...
means, for example, that the tyre was manufactured in the th week of the year 2006.
Any spare wheel which differs from the tyres fitted to the vehicle (e.g. winter tyres or low-profile tyres) should only be used only for a short time in the event of a puncture and when adopting an appr opriately cautious style of driving. It should be replaced as quickly as possible by a normal wheel.
WARNING
•Only use those tyres or wheel rims which have been approved for your model of Škoda Auto a.s. vehicle. Failure to observe this instruction will adversely affect the road safety of your vehicle - risk of accident! Approval and licencing of your vehicl e on public roads may also become void as a result.
•You must on no account drive at a higher speed than is permissible for your tyres - risk of an accident resulting from tyre damage and loss of control over your vehicle.
•Tyres which are 6 years old or more should only be fitted in excep- tional cases and when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.
•Never fit tyres which have already been used without having adequate knowledge of their previous history. Tyres age even if they have not been used at all or only very little. A spare tyre must only be
185Tyre wi dt h i n mm
65Height/width ratio in %
RCode letter for the type of tyre - Radial
14Diameter of wheel in inches
86Load index
TSpeed symbol
Speed symbolPermissible maximum speed
Q160 km/h
R170 km/h
S180 km/h
T190 km/h
H210 km/h
V240 km/h
W270 km/h
Speed symbolPermissible maximum speed
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5

Wheels and Tyres217
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
used in exceptional cases and only th en when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.
•Do not, where possible, replace individual tyres but at least replace them on both wheels of a given axle at the same time. Always fit the tyres with the deeper tread depth to the front wheels.
For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of in conf ormity with the appropriate regulations.
Note
It is not normally possible to fit wheels from other models of cars for technical reasons. This may also apply in certain circumstances to the wheels of the same type of vehicle.
Wheel bolts
Wheels and wheel bolts are matched to each other in terms of design. Each time you fit other wheels - e.g. light allo y wheels or wheels with winter tyres - you must therefore also use the matching wheel bolts of the correct length and shape of spherical cap. This is essentia l to ensure that the wheels are tightly fitted and that the brake system operates properly.
If you retrofit wheel trims (or have this done), please also ensure that an adequate flow of air remains assured for cooling the brake system.
The Škoda Service Partners are instructed in the technical possibilities which exist regarding converting or retrofitting wheels, tyres and wheel trim.
WARNING
•In case of incorrect treatment of th e wheel bolts, the wheel can loosen when the car is moving - risk of accident!
•The wheel bolts must be clean and must turn easily. However, they must never be treated with grease or oil.
•If the wheel bolts are tightened to a too low tightening torque, the rim can lossen when the car is moving - risk of accident! A tightening torque which is too high can damage the bolts and threads and this can result in permanent deformation of the contact surfaces on the rims.
Caution
The prescribed tightening torque of the wheel bolts for steel and light alloy wheels is 120 Nm.
Winter tyres
The handling of your vehi cle will be significantly improved when driving on wintry roads if you fit winter tyres. Summer tyres do not offer the same grip on ice, snow and at temperatures below 7 °C because of their construction (width, rubber blend, tread pattern). This applie s in particular to vehicles which are equipped with low-profile tyres or high-speed tyres (code index H, V or W on wall of tyre).
Winter tyres must be mounted on all four wheels to obtain the best handling characteristics.
You must only fit those types of winter ty re which are approved for your vehicle. The permissible sizes of winter tyres are stated in your vehicle documents. Approvals may differ becaus e of national legislation.
Please remember that the tyres should be inflated to 20 kPa (0.2 bar) more than is the case for summer tyres ⇒page 214.
WARNING (continued)
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Wheels and Tyres218
Winter tyres no longer offer the same winter performance once the tyre tread has worn down to a depth of about 4 mm.
Ageing also causes winter tyres to lose most of their winter performance prop- erties - even in cases where the remaining tread depth is still clearly more than 4 mm.
Speed restrictions apply to winter tyres as well as to summer tyres ⇒ page 215, ⇒.
You can fit winter tyres of a lower speed category to your vehicle provided that you also do not drive faster than the permissible maximum speed for such tyres, even if the possible maximum speed of your vehicle is higher. The corre- sponding tyre category can damage th e tyres when exceeding the permissible maximum speed.
Please pay attention to the notes if you decide to fit winter tyres ⇒page 213.
You can also fit so-called “all-year tyres” instead of winter tyres.
Please contact your specialist garage if there are any points which are not clear who will be able to provide you with information regarding the maximum speed for your tyres.
WARNING
You must on no account drive your car at more than the permissible maximum speed for your winter tyres - risk of an accident resulting from tyre damage and loss of control over your car.
For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres on again in good time since summer tyres offer you better grip and handling on roads which are free of snow and ice as well as ar temperatures below 7 °C - the braking distance is shorter, there is less tyre noise, tyre wear is reduced and fuel consumption is reduced.
Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.
Unidirectional tyres*
The direction of rotation of the tyres is marked by arrows on the wall of the tyre . This indicates the direction of rotation of the tyre, and it is essential that the tyres are fitted on to run in this direction. Only then are the tyres able to provide the optimal properties in terms of grip, low noise, wear-and-tear and aqua- planing.
Should it be necessary to fit on a spar e wheel in exceptional cases with a tyre not dedicated to the running direction or in opposite running direction, please adopt a cautious style of driving as the tyre is no longer able to provide optimal grip and handling in such a situation. This particularly important on wet roads. Please refer to the notes ⇒page 223, “Spare wheel*”.
You should have the defective tyre replaced as soon as possible and restore the correct direction of rotation on all tyres
Snow chains
Snow chains must only be mounted on the front wheels.
When driving on wintry roads, snow chains improve not only traction, but also the braking performance.
For technical reasons, it is only permissi ble to fit snow chains with the following wheel/tyre combinations:
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Index252
L
Lashing eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Leather care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Lighting
Interior light and reading light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Storage compartment lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Lighting of the inte rior of the vehicle
front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Lights
converting/masking over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Range adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
switching on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Lights and Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Liquid in reservoir for windscreen washer system
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Lock
Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
lock
Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40, 41
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Locking and unlocking from inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Locking of the door
in an emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Low beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56, 241
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Folding hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Lashing eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Luggage rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
M
Main beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56, 60, 241
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Manual shifting of gears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Memory for the on-board computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Mobile phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120, 129
Mobiltelefon
Bluetooth™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Motoring abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Multi-functional indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
N
Navigation system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
New tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Note holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
O
Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Onboard computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Opening a single door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Opening doors
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Operating the radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Operation in winter
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
De-icing windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Outside temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Overview of the engine compartment . . . . . . . . . 199
P
Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Paint damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Parking aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Parking light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Passive Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Petrol engines
Starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Polishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Power windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
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