2007 SKODA FABIA service

Inspecting and Replenishing175
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The grade of engine oi l should be selected in accordance with
precise specifications.
The engine of your vehicle has been fact ory-filled with a high-grade oil which you can use throughout the year - except in extreme climatic regions.
You can mix various oils together with each other when refilling with oil. This does not, however, apply for models with flexible service intervals (QG1).
Engine oils are, of course, undergoing co ntinuous further development. Thus the information stated in this Owner's Manual is only correct at the time of publication.
Škoda Service Partners are informed by Škoda Auto a.s. about current changes. We recommend having this oil change un dertaken by a Škoda Service Partner.
Engine oil specifications for vehicles with fixed service intervals (QG0, QG2)
Engine oil specific ations for models with flexible service intervals (QG1)
Caution
Only the above-mentioned oils may be used on vehicles with flexible service inter- vals (QG1). We recommend always refilling with oil of the same specification since this will maintain the properties of the oil. In exceptional cases, you must top up only once engine oil complying with Specification VW 502 00 (only for petrol engines) or Specification VW 505 01 (only fo r diesel engines) to maximum 0.5 litres. You must not use other engine oi ls - risk of engine damage!
Note
•Before a long drive we recommend that you purchase and carry with you engine oil which complies with the specif ication for your vehicle. Consequently, you will always have the correct engine oil for refilling.
•We recommend using a preservative from the Škoda original accessories offered by your Škoda dealer.
•For further information - see Service shedule.
Engine oil specifications
Petrol engines
VW 501 01 VW 502 00 VW 504 00
ACEA A2 a) or A3 a)
a)Only to be used in exceptional cases if the oils specified above are not available.
Diesel enginesVW 505 01b)
VW 507 00 c)
b)Only for engines without diesel particle filter ⇒page 29.c)Only for engines with diesel particle filter ⇒page 29.
Engine oil specifications
Petrol enginesVW 504 00 alternative VW 503 00
Diesel enginesVW 507 00
alternative VW 506 01 a)
a)Only for engines without diesel particle filter ⇒page 29.
NKO A05F 20 MR08.book Page 175 Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:34 AM

Inspecting and Replenishing177
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Replenishing engine oil
– Inspect the oil level ⇒page 176.
– Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening.
– Pour in a suitable grade of oil in portions of 0.5 litres ⇒page 175,
“Engine oil specifications”.
– Inspect the oil level ⇒page 176.
– Carefully screw on the cap of the filler opening and push the dipstick
in fully.
WARNING
•Avoid dripping oil onto hot parts of the engine when topping up will oil - a risk of fire!
•Read and observe the warning notes ⇒page 173, “Working in the engine compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must on no ac count be above the range ⇒page 176. Oil will other- wise be drawn in through the crankcase ventilation and may pass through the exhaust system to atmosphere. The oil ma y combust in the catalytic converter and damage it.
Changing engine oil
The engine oil must be changed at the intervals stated in the Service schedule or according to the service interval indicator ⇒page 11.
WARNING
•Only carry out the engine oil change, if you have the required profes- sional knowledge!
•Read and observe the warning notes ⇒page 173, “Working in the engine compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
•Let the engine cool down - risk of burning from hot oil.
•Wear an eye protection - risk of caustic burns due to oil splashes.
•Oil is toxic! Store old oil in a safe place out of the reach of children and unauthorized persons until you dispose of it properly.
Caution
You must not pour any additives into th e engine oil - risk of engine damage! Damage, which results from such produc t, are excluded from the warranty.
For the sake of the environment
•You must on no account pour oil into the ground or into the sewage system.
•In view of the problems involved in properly disposing of old oil, the material, equipment and the knowledge required fo r such work, we recommend that you have the oil and oil filter change carried out by your Škoda Service Partner.
Note
After your skin has come in contact with the oil, you must thoroughly wash your skin.
Cooling system
Coolant
The job of the coolant is to cool the engine.
The cooling system does not require any maintenance under normal operating conditions. The coolant consist s of water with a concentration of coolant additive of 40 %. This mixture not only provides antifreeze protection down to -25°C but
Aa
WARNING (continued)
NKO A05F 20 MR08.book Page 177 Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:34 AM

Inspecting and Replenishing178
also protects the cooling and heating system from corrosion. It also prevents the formation of scale and significantly increases the boiling point of the coolant.
You must therefore not reduce the concentration of antifreeze agent in the coolant by adding water, also not during the su mmer months or in countries with a warm climate. The concentration of coolant additive in the coolant must be at least 40%.
You can increase the amount of antifreeze in the coolant if a higher concentration of antifreeze is necessary for climatic reasons but only up to 60% (antifreeze protection down to approx. -40°C). The an tifreeze protection tails off above that concentration.
Vehicles exported to countries with a co ld climate (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland) are already factory-filled with a coolant wh ich offers antifreeze protection down to about -35°C. In these countries the concentr ation of coolant additive should be at least 50 %.
Coolant
The cooling system is filled at the works with coolant (purple in colour), which complies with the specification TL-VW 774 F.
We recommend that you use the antifreeze agent - G12 PLUS (purple in colour).
We recommend that you contact your Škod a Service Partner if you have any ques- tions regarding the coolant or if you wish to fill up with a different coolant.
Your Škoda Service Partner can also suppl y you with the correct coolant additives.
Caution
•Other coolant additives may cause operational problems which, in partic- ular, involves significantly reducing the anticorrosion effect.
•Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of coolant and, as a consequence of th is, result in major engine damage.
Inspecting the coolant level
The coolant expansion bottle is located in the engine compartment on
the right.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒ in “Working in the engine compartment” on
page 173.
– Check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle ⇒fig. 149.
The coolant level when the engine is cold must lie between the “MIN”
and “MAX” markings. The level may also rise slightly above the
“MAX” marking when the engine is warm.
If the coolant level in the reservoir is too low, this is indicated by the warning light in the instrument cluster  ⇒page 24. We nevertheless recommend inspecting the coolant level directly at the reservoir from time to time.
Loss of coolant
A loss of coolant is first and foremost an indication of a leak in the system. You should not merely top up the coolant in the reservoir. It is also important to have the cooling system inspected without delay by a specialist garage.
Fig. 149 Engine compartment: Coolant expansion bottle
ABAA
NKO A05F 20 MR08.book Page 178 Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:34 AM

Inspecting and Replenishing181
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
One may only use new genuine brake fluid from Škoda Auto a.s. The specification for the brake fluid is “FMVSS 116 DOT 4”.
We recommend that you have the brake fluid replaced by a Škoda Service Partner as part of an Inspection Service.
WARNING
•Using old brake fluid can result in seve re stress on the brakes because of the formation of vapour bubbles in th e brake system. This greatly impairs the braking efficiency and thus al so the safety of your vehicle.
•Brake fluid is toxic! It must therefore be kept safely in closed original containers and well away from children and unauthorized persons.
Caution
Brake fluid damages the paintwork of the vehicle.
For the sake of the environment
In view of the problems involved with prop er disposal of brake fluid, the special tools and the professional knowledge required, we recommend you have the brake fluid replaced by a Škoda Service Partner.
Battery
Working on the battery
The battery is located in the engi ne compartment below a plastic box.
– Unlock the interlock on the positive terminal side of the battery
⇒ fig. 151.
– Open the cover in direction of arrow.
– The installation of the battery cover on the positive terminal side takes
place in the reverse order.
Removal and installation of the battery is not recommended since it can, under certain circumstances, lead to major damage to the battery and fuse boxes. Contact a specialist garage.
There is a risk of injuries, scalding, acci dents and burns when carrying out any work on the battery and on the electrical system. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions ⇒ stated below and with the general applicable rules of safety.
Fig. 151 The battery: Open up the cover
NKO A05F 20 MR08.book Page 181 Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:34 AM

Inspecting and Replenishing182
WARNING
•The battery acid is strongly corrosive and must, therefore, be handled with the greatest of care. Always we ar protective gloves, eye and skin protection when handling batteries. Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivitis and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs. Battery acid corrodes dental enamel and creates deep wounds after contact with the skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids coming into contact with water are diluted accompanied by significant development of heat.
•Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the battery vent openings. Prot ect the eyes with safety glasses or a shield! There is the danger of suffering blindness! If any battery electrolyte gets into your eye, rinse out your eye immediately wi th clear water for several minutes. Contact a doctor without delay.
•Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Contact a doctor immediately if you swallow battery electrolyte.
•Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
•Hydrogen is released when you charge a battery and a highly explosive gas mixture is produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling over during unclamping or loosening of the cable plug while the ignition is on.
•Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal objects, cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explosion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.
•It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry out any activities which produce sparks. Avoid creating sparks when working with cables and elec trical devices. Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.
•Before carrying out any work on the electrical system, switch off the engine, the ignition as well as all electrical components and disconnect the negative cable (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off the appropriate light.
•Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns! Replace a frozen battery.
•Never use a battery which is damaged - risk of explosion! Immediately replace a damaged battery.
Caution
•You must only disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched off, otherwise the electrical system (electronic compon ents) of the vehicle may be damaged. When disconnecting the battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, first disconnect the negative terminal (-) of th e battery. Then disconnect the positive terminal (+).
•When reconnecting the battery, first conne ct the positive terminal (+) and only then the negative terminal (-) of the batt ery. You must on no account connect the cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.
•Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the vehicle body otherwise damage could occur to the paintwork.
•Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the battery housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.
For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of wa ste which is harmful to the environment - we recommend that you contact your Škod a Service Partner regarding disposing of the battery.
Note
•Please also refer to the guidelines ⇒page 184, “Disconnecting and recon- necting the battery”, also after connecting the battery.
WARNING (continued)
NKO A05F 20 MR08.book Page 182 Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:34 AM

Inspecting and Replenishing183
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Battery with a charge level indicator, the so-called magic eye*
There is a so-called magic eye ⇒fig. 152 located on the top of the battery. The “magic eye” changes its colour in line with the charge state of and electrolyte level in the battery.
Air bubbles can influence the colour of th e “magic eye”. For this reason carefully knock on the “magic eye” before carrying out the check.
•Green colour - the battery is adequately charged.
•Dark colour - the battery has to be charged.
•Colourless or yellow colour - we recommend you have the battery checked by a Škoda Service Partner.
Batteries, which are more than 5 years ol d, must be replaced. We recommend you have the electrolyte level inspected and adjusted to the correct level or the battery replaced if necessary by a Škoda Service Partner.
Caution
If the vehicle has not been driven for mo re than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will discharge because certain el ectrical components consume electricity (e.g. control units) also in idle state. You can prevent the discharging of the battery by discon- necting the negative terminal or charging the battery constantly with a very low charging current. Please also refer to the notes when working on the battery ⇒ page 181, “Working on the battery”.
Inspecting the electrolyte level
The battery is practically maintenance-free under normal operating conditions. We do, however, recommend that you have the electrolyte level inspected from time to time by a Škoda Service Partner when outside temperatures are high or when driving on long trips. You should also check the electrolyte level ⇒page 183 each time the battery is charged.
The battery acid level will also be chec ked as part of the Inspection Service.
Operation in winter
The battery has to provide greater amounts of electricity during the winter. It also has only part of the initial power output at low temperatures that it has at normal temperatures.
A discharged battery may already freez e at temperatures just below 0°C.
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked by a Škoda Service Partner before the start of the winter, and recharged if necessary.
Charging the battery
A properly charged battery is esse ntial for reliably starting the
engine.
– Read the warning notes ⇒ in “Working on the battery” on
page 181 and ⇒.
– Switch the ignition and a ll electrical components off.
– Only for “quick-charging”: Disconnect both battery cables (first of all
“negative”, then “positive”).
– Carefully attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery
terminals (red = “positive”, black = “negative”).
– You can now plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket
and switch on the charger.
Fig. 152 Battery with a charge level indicator
NKO A05F 20 MR08.book Page 183 Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:34 AM

Inspecting and Replenishing184
– When charging is completed: switch the charger off and unplug the
mains cable from the power socket.
– Only then should you disconnect the terminal clamps of the charger.
– Reconnect the cables to the battery (first of all “positive”, then “nega-
tive”).
It is not normally necessary to disconnect the cables of the battery if you recharge the battery using low amperages (as for example from a mini-charger). Please also refer to the instructions from the charger manufacturer.
A charging current of 0.1 of the total battery capacity (or lower) is that which should be used until full charging is achieved.
It is, however, necessary to disconnect both cables before charging the battery with high amperages, so-called “ quick-charging”.
“Quick-charging” a battery is dangerous ⇒ in “Working on the battery” on page 181. It requires a special charger an d appropriate knowledge. We therefore recommend that you have your battery qu ick-charged only by your Škoda Service Par tner.
A discharged battery may already freeze at temperatures just below 0°C ⇒. We recommend that you no longer use a ba ttery which has thawed out because the casing of the battery may be cracked thro ugh the formation of ice and this would allow battery electrolyte to flow out.
The vent plugs of the battery should not be opened for charging.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns! Replace a frozen battery.
Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery
On disconnecting and reconnecting the battery the following functions are initially deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free.
We recommend having the vehicle checked by a Škoda Service Partner to ensure full functionality of all electrical systems.
Replacing the battery
You should only replace a battery with a new battery of the same capacity, voltage (12 V), amperage and of the same size. Škoda Service Partners have a range of suit-able batteries available.
We recommend that you only have an ol d battery disposed of by your Škoda Service Partner since it does require special disposal.
For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain poisonous substances such as sulphuric acid and lead. They must be disposed of in accordance with loca l environmental protection regulations and on no account as domestic waste.
OperationOperating measure
Electrical power window (operational faults)⇒ page 42
Enter radio code numbersee Radio Operating Instruc- tions
Set hours⇒ page 13
Data in the multi-functional indicator* are deleted.⇒ page 13
NKO A05F 20 MR08.book Page 184 Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:34 AM

Wheels and Tyres188
Changing wheels around
If significantly greater wear is present on the front tyres, we recommend changing the front wheels around with the rear wheels. You will then obtain approximately the same life for all the tyres.
It may be advantageous to swap the tyre s over “crosswise” when certain types of wear characteristic ar ise on the running surface of the tyres (but not in the case of unidirectional tyres). Škoda Service Pa rtners 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 therefore use the tyres and wheel rims which have been re leased for use by Škoda Auto. They are exactly matched to the vehicle type and th erefore contribute significantly to good road holding and safe driving characteristics ⇒.
Only fit radial tyres of the same type on all 4 wheels, size (rolling circumference) and, if possible, the same tread pattern on one axle.
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 rela ting 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 Part- ners also have an attractive range of tyres and wheels available.
The tyre/wheel combinations which are appr oved for your vehicle are indicated in your vehicle documents. Approval and lice nsing may differ according to the legis- lation 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 07...
means, for example, that the tyre was manufactured in the 40th week of the year 2007.
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 appropriately cautious style of driving. It should be replaced as quickly as possible by a normal wheel.
185Ty re w i d t h i n m m
65Height/width ratio in %
RCode letter for the type of tyre - R adial
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
NKO A05F 20 MR08.book Page 188 Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:34 AM