2007 SKODA FABIA tow bar

Seats and Stowage64
The luggage compartment cover can also be put into the lower position on the supporting elements ⇒fig. 59.
The luggage compartment cover in the lowe r position is foreseen for storage of small objects of up to 6 kg. in weight.
The luggage compartment cover can also be stowed behind the rear seats ⇒ fig. 60.
WARNING
No objects should be placed on the luggage compartment cover, the vehicle occupants could be endangered if th ere is sudden braking or the vehicle collides with something.
Caution
Please ensure that the heating elements of the rear window heater are not damaged as a result of objects placed in this area.
Note
When opening the boot lid, lift the lugga ge compartment cover - risk that objects placed in this area can slip forward!
The roof rack*
Description
Pay attention to the following points if yo u wish to transport luggage or other items on the roof of your vehicle:
•A special roof luggage rack system was developed for the vehicle, that is why you should only use a roof luggage rack which has been released for use by Škoda Auto a.s.
•The base carrier is the basis for a comple te roof luggage rack system. Separate additional holders are required for safety reasons for transporting luggage, bikes, surfboards, skis and boats.
•The basic version of the roof luggage rack system and further components are obtainable as accessories from Škoda Service Partners.
Caution
•If you use other roof rack systems or if th e roof bars are not properly fitted, then any damage which may result to your ca r is not covered by the warranty agree- ments. It is therefore essential to pay atte ntion to the fitting instructions supplied with the roof luggage rack system.
•On models fitted with a power sliding/tilting roof, ensure that the opened sliding/tilting roof does not strike any items of luggage transported on the roof.
•Ensure that the opened boot lid do es not collide with the roof load.
For the sake of the environment
The increased aerodynamic drag results in a higher fuel consumption. One should therefore take off the roof bar system after use.
Attachment points
Fig. 61 Attachment points for base roof carrier
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Seats and Stowage65
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Fitting
– Insert the attachment points of th e roof rack into the mounts of the
body so that the pins of the attachment points grasp into the holes of
the body.
Note
•Pay attention to the information regarding assembly and disassembly in the attached instructions.
•If you have any questions, plea se contact a specialist garage.
Roof load
Distribute weight evenly over the roof luggage rack system. The maximum permis- sible roof load (including roof rack system) of 75 kg and the maximum permissible total weight of the vehicle should not be exceeded.
You cannot make full use of the permissible roof load if you use a roof luggage rack system with a lower load carrying capacity. The load transported on the roof luggage rack system must not exceed the we ight limit which is stated in the fitting instructions.
WARNING
•The items which you transport on the roof bar system must be reliably attached - risk of accident!
•You must on no account exceed the permissible roof load, the permis- sible axle loads and the permissible gros s weight of your vehicle - risk of accident!
•Please note that the handling prop erties of your vehicle change when you transport heavy or bulky items on the roof bar system as a result of the displacement of the centre of gravity and the increased wind attack area - risk of accident! You must absolutely adapt your style of driving and the speed of the vehicle to the specific circumstances.
Front cup holder
You can place two cups or beve rage cans into the recesses ⇒fig. 62.
WARNING
•Do not place any hot beverages into the cup holder. If the vehicle moves, the hot beverages may spill - risk of scalding!
•Do not use any cups or beakers which are made of brittle material (e.g. glass, porcelain). You might be injured by them in the event of an accident.
Caution
Do not open the beverages in the cup holder while driving. There is a risk of spilling e.g. when braking and therefore the electrical components or the seat upholstery can be damaged.
Fig. 62 Front centre console: Cup holder
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Towing a trailer158
Towing a trailer
To w i n g a t r a i l e r
Technical requirements
The towing device must satisfy certain technical requirements.
Your vehicle is designed primarily for transporting persons and luggage. It can, however, also be used for towing a traile r - provided certain technical equipment is fitted.
If your vehicle has been eq uipped with a towing device from Škoda Original Acces- sories, then the towing device satisfies all technical and legal requirements.
Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin po wer socket for the electrical connection between the vehicle and trailer. If th e trailer which you wish to tow has a 7-pin connector , you can use a suitable adapter 5) from Škoda original accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordan ce with the manufacturer's specifications if a towing device is retrofitted.
Škoda Service Partners are familiar with de tails relating to retrofitting a towing device and for any necessary modi fications to the cooling system.
WARNING
We recommend that you have the towing device from Škoda original acces- sories installed by a Škoda Service Partner. He is familiar with all the relevant details relating to retrofitting such equi pment. 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 appr opriately steeper inclines and descents if you do not make full use of the perm issible 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 ou tput drops with increasing height due to a lowering of air pressure and thus the abil ity 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 alti- tudes.
The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the towing device are merely test data for the tow ing device The data relating to your vehicle, which is often less than this test data, can be found in your vehicle registration documents or in the brochure - Technical Data .
Distribution of the load
Distribute the load in the trailer in such a way that any heavy items are located as close as possible to the axle. Secure the items to prevent them slipping.
Tyre pressure
Correct the tyre inflation pressure on yo ur vehicle for that of “fully laden”, ⇒ page 186. The inflation pressure of the tyres fitted to the trailer adjust in accord- ance with the manufacturer's recommendation.
Exterior mirrors
You have to have additional exterior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see the traffic behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. Both exterior mirrors 5)In some countries the adapter is supplied with the towing device.
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Breakdown assistance201
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Starting engine
– Start the engine of the vehicle providing current and run the engine at
idling speed.
– Now start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
– Interrupt the attempt at starting an engine after 10 seconds if it does
not start right away and wait for about 30 seconds before repeating
the attempt.
– Disconnect the cables on the engine in exactly the reverse order they
were connected up.
WARNING
•The non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps must never make contact with each other. Furthermore, the cable connected to the positive terminal of the battery must not come into contact with electrically conducting parts of the vehicle - risk of a short circuit!
•Do not affix the jump starting cables to the negative terminal of the discharged battery. There is the risk of detonating gas seeping out the battery being ignited by the strong spark which results from the engine being started.
•Do not affix the cable end to part s of the fuel and brake system.
•Run the jump-start cables so that they cannot be caught by any rotating parts in the engine compartment.
•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 in structions 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 particular ly 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 require 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 202, “Front towing eye” and ⇒page 203, “Rear towing eye”.
A4
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Breakdown assistance202
Driving style
Towing another vehicle requires a certain 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 attach the tow ro pe or tow bar when you attempt to tow a vehicle which is not standing on a paved road.
Caution
If the gearbox of your 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.
Note
•Please comply with any legal requirements particularly regarding the switched on signal systems, when towing 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 th e 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. 166.
– Screw in the towing eye by hand to the left up to the stop ⇒fig. 167.
– 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. 166 Front bumper: Protective grille
Fig. 167 Front bumper: Installing the towing eye
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Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Rear towing eye
The rear towing eye is located below the rear bumper on the right ⇒fig. 168.
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 200 or call on the services of the SERVICE mobile.
If your vehicle has to be towed:
– Engage 2nd or 3rd gear with the vehicle stationary.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Switch on the ignition.
– Wait until both vehicles are moving 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 accide nt when tow-starting a vehicle, when for example the towed vehicle 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. Unburn t 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 201.
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 201.
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.
•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 runni ng; the gearbox would not be adequately lubricated at higher speeds and over longer towing distance.
Caution
If the vehicle is towed in by a recovery vehi cle, it should only be towed in with the front wheels raised. If the vehicle is raised at rear, the automatic gearbox is damaged!
Fig. 168 Rear towing eye
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