Inspecting and Replenishing211
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•Never spill oil and other fluids over the hot engine. Such fluids 
(e.g. the antifreeze contained in the coolant) may ignite!
•Avoid short circuits in the electrical system - particularly on the 
battery.
•Never place your hand into the radiator fan as long as the 
engine is still warm. The fan might suddenly start running!
•Never open the cap of the coolant expansion bottle as long as 
the engine is still warm. The cooling system is pressurized!
•Cover over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir with a 
large cloth when opening it as protection for your face, hands and 
arms from hot steam or hot coolant.
•Do not let objects, such as e.g cleaning cloth or tools lie in the 
engine compartment.
•If you wish to work under the vehicle, you must secure the 
vehicle from rolling away and support it with suitable supporting 
blocks: the car jack is not sufficient for this - risk of injury!
•In cases where it be necessary to carry out inspection work 
when the engine is running there is  an additional risk from rotating 
parts (e.g. the V-ribbed belt, alternator, radiator fan) and from the 
high-voltage ignition system. Please observe in addition the 
following:
−Never touch the electrical cables of the ignition system.
− Absolutely avoid any jewellery, loose items of clothing or 
long hair from getting into the rotating parts of the engine - 
Hazard! Therefore remove any jewellery beforehand, tie up your 
hair and wear tight fitting clothing.
•Please also comply with the warning instructions stated below 
when carrying out any essential work on the fuel system or on the 
electrical system:
−Always separate the car battery from the electrical system. −
Do not smoke.
− Never carry out any work close to naked flames.
− Always keep a working fi re extinguisher at hand.
Caution
When replenishing fluids in the engine, always ensure that the fluids are 
on no account mixed up. This may result in major operating problems and 
also vehicle damage!
WARNING (continued)WARNING (continued)
NKO 20 A05.book  Page 211  Wednesday, June 21, 2006  1:42 PM 
Inspecting and Replenishing
224
Windshield washer system
The windshield washer reservoir contains the cleaning fluid for the wind-
screen or rear window and for the headlamp cleaning system*. The reser-
voir is located in the front left of the engine compartment  ⇒fig. 162 .
The  filling level  of the container is 2 litres, 5.5 litres on vehicles which also 
have a headlight washing system.
Clear water is not sufficient to intensively clean the windscreen and head-
lights. We therefore recommend using clean washing water together with 
the screen cleaner from Škoda genuine accessories (in winter additionally 
with antifreeze) which is capable of removing stubborn dirt. Follow the 
instructions for use on the packaging when using screen cleaning prod-
ucts.
You should always add antifreeze to the cleaning water in winter even if 
your vehicle is fitted with heated windscreen washer nozzles*.
It is also possible in exceptional cases to use methylated spirits when no 
screen cleaner with antifreeze is available. The concentration of methyl- ated spirits must not be more than 15 %. Please note, however, that the 
antifreeze protection at this concentration is only adequate down to -5°C.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes 
⇒page 210, “Working in the 
engine compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Caution
•On no account should you add radiator antifreeze or other additives to 
the windscreen washer fluid.
•If the vehicle is fitted with headlight cleaning system, you should only 
add cleaning products which do not attack the polycarbonate coating of 
the headlights to the windscreen washer fluid. Please contact your 
specialist garage, who will tell you which cleaning agent you can use.
Note
Do not take the filter out of the windscreen wash container when filling it 
up again with liquid otherwise dirt can get into the liquid transportation 
system and can lead to faults in operation of the windscreen wash 
system.
Fig. 162  Engine 
compartment: Wind-
shield washer fluid 
reservoir
NKO 20 A05.book  Page 224  Wednesday, June 21, 2006  1:42 PM