
Transporting children safely
176
Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat
Child safety seats should always be attached to the rear
seats.
We recommend, for safety reasons, that you always mount a child
restraint systems on the rear seats whenever possible. If you still decide,
however, to use a child safety seat on the front passenger seat then you
must pay attention to the following warnings in connection with the use of
the airbag system on the front passenger seat.
WARNING
•Warning - particular hazard! Never use a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat in which the child is seated with its back
facing the direction of travel. This child safety seat is positioned in
the deployment area of the front passenger airbag. The airbag may
cause the child severe, or even fatal injuries, in the event of it being
deployed.
•This is also clearly stated on the sticker which is located on the
centre column of the body on the front passenger side ⇒page 176,
fig. 155 . The sticker is visible upon opening the front passenger
door. The next warning sticker is located on the windscreen near
the front passenger seat.
•It is essential to always switch off ⇒page 171, “Deactivating an
airbag” the front passenger airbag when attaching 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). If this is not done, there is a
risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front
passenger airbag is deployed. In certain countries national legal
provisions also require that the side or head passenger airbags be
deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat,
please comply with the appropriat e national regulations regarding
the use of child safety seats.
•If the front passenger airbag has been switched off by a
specialist garage using the vehicle system tester, the side and head
passenger airbag* remains switched on. In certain countries
national legal provisions require that besides the front passenger
airbag also the side or head passenger airbags are deactivated.
Please comply with any differ ing national legal regulations
regarding the use of child safety seats.
•If a child safety seat in which the child faces in the direction of
travel is used on the front passenger seat, the front passenger seat
must be moved back fully. For vehicles with height adjustable front
passenger seat, the seat must be put in the highest position.
•You should have the front passenger airbag (or airbags) reacti-
vated just as soon as you no longer use a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat.
Fig. 155 Sticker on the
centre column of the
body on the front
passenger side.
WARNING (continued)
NKO B5 20.book Page 176 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM

Transporting children safely
178
•Do not place any objects within the deployment area of the side
airbag - risk of injury!
Child seat
Classification of child seats into groups
Only child safety seats which have an official approval and
are suitable for the child, may be used.
ECE-R 44 standard applies to child safety seats. ECE-R means:
Economic Commission of Europe - Regulation.
Child safety seats which have been tested for conformity with ECE-R 44
have a non-detachable test seal (a large E within a circle and below this
the test number) attached to the seat.
Child safety seats are classified in 5 groups:
Children of more than 150 cm in height may use the seat belts fitted to the
vehicle without a seat bolster.
Use of child safety seats
An overview of the usefulness of child seats on each of the seats
according to the EG guidelines 77/541 and ECE 44 standard:
Universal category - seat is suitable for all approved types of child
safety seats.
The seat can be fitted with fixing eyes for the “ ISOFIX*”system.
GroupWeight
00 - 10 kg⇒page 179
0+up to 13 kg⇒page 179
19 - 18 kg⇒page 179
215 - 25 kg⇒page 180
322 - 36 kg⇒page 181
WARNING (continued)
Child seat
according to
groupFront passenger seatRear seat
on the sideRear seat middle
0
0+
1
2 and 3
AUAUA+AU
AUAUA+AU
AUAUA+AU
AUAUAU
AU
A+
NKO B5 20.book Page 178 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM

Transporting children safely 181
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•Please comply with any differin g national legal regulations
regarding the use of child safety seats.
Child safety seats in Group 3
For children of about 7 years of age weighing between 22 and 36 kg and
of a height of less than 150 cm, the optimal solution is a child safety seat
(seat bolster) in combination with the three-point seat belt ⇒fig. 161 .
Children of more than 150 cm in height may use the seat belts fitted to the
vehicle without a seat bolster.
WARNING
•When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please
comply with the appropriate nation al regulations regarding the use of child safety seats. Switch off the front passenger airbag if
necessary at a specialist garage or switch it off with the switch for
front passenger airbag*
⇒page 172.
•The shoulder part of the seat belt must run approximately
across the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest.
It must on no account run across the neck. The lap part of the seat
belt must run across the pelvis and fits snugly; it must not run over
the belly. Tighten the belt webbing over your hip if necessary.
•Please comply with any differ ing national legal regulations
regarding the use of child safety seats.
Attaching child safety seat
Child seat protection
You can block the three-point seat belt in order to attach a
child safety seat.
You can permanently block the three-point seat belt in order to
attach a child safety seat. Blocking the belt in this way ensures
that the child seat is held firmly in position in the car.
Activating child seat protection
– Attach the child safety seat with the three-point seat belt as stated in the instructions of the manufacturer of the child seat.
– Now, pull the shoulder part of the belt out fully.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 161 Child seat in
Group 3 installed on
the rear seat facing the
direction of travel
WARNING (continued)
NKO B5 20.book Page 181 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM

Towing a trailer
200
Towing a trailer
Towing a trailer
Technical requirements
The towing device must satisfy certain technical require-
ments.
Your vehicle is designed primarily for transporting persons and luggage. It
can, however, also be used for towing a trailer - provided certain technical
equipment is fitted.
If your vehicle has already been supplied with a factory-fitted towing
device then everything that is necessary for towing a trailer in technical
terms, and in terms of the law, has already been taken into account.
Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin power socket for the electrical connec-
tion between the vehicle and trailer. If the trailer which you wish to tow has
a 7-pin connector , you can use a suitable adapter
3) from Škoda original
accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's
specifications if a towing device is retrofitted.
Škoda Service Partners are familiar with details relating to retrofitting a
towing device and for any necessary modifications to the cooling system.
WARNING
We recommend that you have the towing device from Škoda orig-
inal accessories installed by a Škoda Service Partner. He is familiar
with all the relevant details relating to retrofitting such equipment.
There is a risk of an accident if the towing device is not properly
fitted!
General Maintenance
There are a number of points to pay attention to when
towing a trailer.
Trailer load
The permissible trailer load must on no account be exceeded.
You can negotiate appropriately steeper inclines and descents if you do
not make full use of the permissible trailer load.
The trailer loads specified only apply for altitudes up to 1.000 metres
above mean sea level. The fact that the engine power output drops with
increasing height due to a lowering of air pressure and thus the ability to
climb, means that the towed weight must be reduced by 10% for every
further increase of 1 000 metres in height above sea level. The towed
weight is the weight of the (laden) vehicle and the (laden) trailer together.
One should take this into account before driving up to higher altitudes.
The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the
towing device are merely test data for the towing device The data
relating to your vehicle, which is often less than this test data, can
3)In some countries the adapter is supplied with the towing device.
NKO B5 20.book Page 200 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM

Inspecting and Replenishing219
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
– Allow the bonnet to drop from a height of about 30 cm into the
lock - bonnet do not press down on it!
The bonnet is held in the opened position by a pressurized gas spring.
WARNING
•Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is
flowing out of the engine compartmen t - risk of scalding! Wait long
enough until the steam or coolant has stopped escaping.
•For safety reasons, the bonnet must always be properly closed
when driving. One should therefore check that the lock has in fact
engaged properly after closing the bonnet.
•Stop your vehicle immediately while driving if you notice that
the lock is not properly engaged and close the bonnet properly -
risk of an accident!
Caution
•Never open the bonnet using the handle - danger of causing damage.
•Before opening the bonnet, ensure that the arms of the windscreen
wipers are correctly in place against the windscreen. Otherwise, there is
a risk of damage to the paintwork.
Working in the en gine compartment
Particular care is required when carrying out any work in
the engine compartment!
There is a risk of injuries, scalding , accidents and fire when working
in the engine compartment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and
other fluids. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions stated below and with the general applicable
rules of safety. The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous
area
⇒ .
WARNING
•Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is
flowing out of the engine compartment - risk of scalding! Wait long
enough until the steam or coolant has stopped escaping.
•Switch off the engine and pull out the ignition key.
•Apply the handbrake firmly.
•If your vehicle is fitted with a manual gearbox, move the gear-
shift lever into Neutral, or if it is fitted with automatic gearbox, move
the selector lever into position P.
•Allow the engine to cool down.
•Keep children clear of the engine compartment.
•Do not touch any hot engine parts - risk of burns!
•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.
NKO B5 20.book Page 219 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM

Wheels and Tyres
238
Changing wheels around
If significantly greater wear is present on the front tyres, we recommend
changing the front wheels around with the rear wheels as shown in the
diagram ⇒fig. 186 . You will then obtain approximately the same life for all
the tyres.
It may be advantageous to swap the tyres over “crosswise” when certain
types of wear characteristic arise on the running surface of the tyres (but
not in the case of unidirectional tyres). Škoda Service Partners can
provide you with details.
We recommend that you change the wheels around every 10 000 km in
order to achieve even wear on all wheels and to obtain optimal tyre life.
New tyres and wheels
Tyres and wheel rims are important design elements. One should there-
fore use the tyres and wheel rims which have been released for use by Škoda Auto. They are exactly matched to the vehicle type and therefore
contribute significantly to good road holding and safe driving characteris-
tics
⇒ .
Only fit radial tyres of the same type on all 4 wheels, size (rolling circum-
ference) and, if possible, the same tread pattern on one axle.
The Škoda Service Partners have access to the most current information
about which tyres we have released for use on your vehicle.
We recommend that you have any work relating to tyres or wheels carried
out by your Škoda Service Partner . Your dealer has all of the necessary
special tools and replacement parts available plus the required specialist
knowledge and is also in a position to properly dispose of the old tyres. A
large number of Škoda Service Partners also have an attractive range of
tyres and wheels available.
The tyre/wheel combinations which are approved for your vehicle are indi-
cated in your vehicle documents. Approval and 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:
205 / 60 R 15 91 V
What this means is:
Fig. 186 Changing
wheels around
205Ty r e w i dt h i n m m
60Height/width ratio in %
RCode letter for the type of tyre - Radial
15Diameter of wheel in inches
91Load index
VSpeed symbol
NKO B5 20.book Page 238 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM

Index
276
Safety information
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Saving electrical energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Seat belt height adjuster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Seat belt warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
fastening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Height adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Safety information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
taking off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Seat heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Selector lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Selector lever positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Service Interval Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Service intervals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Service key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Setting temperature Air conditioning system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Setting the clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Shifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Side airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Ski bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Stability programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Diesel engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Petrol engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Steering booster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Storage compartment Centre console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Drawer compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Spectacles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Storage drawer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Storage facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Stowage compartment Armrest with stowage compartment . . . 106
Door panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Umbrella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Stowage compartment below steering wheel . . . 104
Sun screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Sun visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Switching lights on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Switching the engine off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Switching the engine off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
T
Taking care of your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 TCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Temperature outside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
the first 1 500 kilometres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
The roof luggage rack system . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Thickness of brake pads Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Through-loading bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Tilting roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Towing device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Towing eye front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
towing vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Tow-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Traction control system (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 General Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Transporting children safely . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Tread depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Turn signal lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Turn signal system for vehicles towing a trailer Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
NKO B5 20.book Page 276 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM