2007 SKODA OCTAVIA tow

Automatic gearbox DSG137
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Selector lever-emergency unlocking (DSG)
In case of interruption of the power supply (e.g. flat vehicle battery, defec-
tive fuse) or defect of the selector lever lock, the selector lever can no
longer be shifted from the position P in the normal way and the vehicle
can no longer be moved. The selector lever must be unlocked in case of
emergency.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Open the stowage compartment in front centre console* or the front ashtray.
– Carefully pull up the front left and right cover.
– Pull up rear cover.
– Press with a narrow object (e.g. ignition key) the yellow plastic hoop -arrow- to the left.
– Simultaneously press the shiftlock butt on in the handle of the selector
lever in the position N
8).
Tow-starting and towing vehicle
Tow-starting a vehicle
It is not possible to tow-start vehi cles fitted with automatic gearbox ⇒page 239.
you can use jump-start cables connected to the battery of another vehicle for
starting your car if the vehicle battery is flat ⇒page 238.
Towing a vehicle
Please pay attention to the following information if it comes necessary to tow-in
your car ⇒page 239.
8)If the selector lever is moved again into the position P, it is once again blocked.
Fig. 148 Selector lever-
emergency unlocking
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 137 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Seat belts
158
Seat belts
Why seat belts?
It is a proven fact that seat belt s offer good protection in accidents ⇒fig. 157 . Thus
wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement in most countries.
Seat belts which have been correctly fastened and adjusted hold the occupants of
the car in the correc t seated position ⇒fig. 157 . The belts reduce the kinetic energy
(energy of motion) to a considerable extent. They also prevent uncontrolled move-
ments which, in turn, may well result in severe injuries.
The occupants of a vehicle who have fastened and correctly adjusted their seat belt,
profit to a major extent from the fact that the kinetic energy is optimally absorbed
by the belts. The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety
measures, such as the airbag system, also contribute to reducing the kinetic energy.
The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less risk of injury.
Accident statistics prove that seat belts which are fastened and properly adjusted
reduce the risk of an injury and enhance the chance of survival in a major accident
⇒ page 159. It is important that you pay attention to
safety measures, particularly when trans-
porting children in the vehicle ⇒ page 173, “What you should know about trans-
porting children!”.
WARNING
•Fasten your seat belt each time before setting off, also when driving in
town! This also applies to the people seated at the rear - risk of injury!
•Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way
of ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child ⇒page 160, “Fastening
three-point seat belts”.
•It is important for the belt webbing to be properly routed if the seat belts
are to offer the maximum protection. You can see a description of how safety
belts should be fitted pr operly on the next pages.
Note
Please comply with any differing legal requirements when using the seat belts.
Fig. 157 Driver wearing
seat belt
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 158 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Airbag system171
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•There must not be any other persons (e.g. children) or animals between
the car occupant and the deployment ar ea of the head airbag. In addition,
none of the occupants should lean their head out of the window when
driving, or extend their arms and hands out of the window.
•The sun visors must not be swivelled to the side windows into the
deployment area of the head airbags if any objects, such as ball-point pens
etc. are attached to them. This might result in injuries to the occupants if the
head airbag is deployed.
•Installing impermissible accessories in the area of the head airbags may
considerably impair the protection offered by the head airbag in the event of
it being deployed. When the deployed head airbag is inflated, parts of the
accessories fitted may in certain circumstances be thrown into the interior
of the car and cause injuries to the occupants ⇒page 229, “Accessories,
changes and replacement of parts”.
•Any work on the head airbag system including installing and removing
system components because of other re pair work (e.g. removing headliner)
must only be carried ou t by a specialist garage.
Deactivating an airbag
Deactivating airbags
If any airbags have been deactivated, switch them on again as soon
as possible so that they are able to again provide their proper protec-
tion.
There is the technical means installed within your vehicle to switch off the front,
side* or head airbag* (take out of commission).
This is why you should have the deactiva tion of the airbags carried out by a
specialist garage.
On vehicles equipped with the switch for deactivation of the airbags, you can deac-
tivate the front and side passenger airbag by means of this switch ⇒page 172. Deactivation of airbags is envisaged only for particular instances, such as if:
•you must
in exceptional cases use a child seat on the front passenger seat
where the child has its back to the directio n of travel of the vehicle (in some coun-
tries this must be in the direction of travel due to other legal regulations applying)
⇒ page 173, “Important safety information regarding the use of child safety seats”
•you are not able to maintain the distance of at least 25 cm between middle of
steering wheel and chest, despite the driver seat being correctly adjusted,
•special attachments are required in the area of the steering wheel because of a
physical disability,
•you have installed other seats (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side airbags).
Monitoring the airbag system
The functionality of the airbag system is also monitored electronically, when one
airbag has been switched off
If the airbag was switched of f using diagnostic equipment:
•The warning light for the airbag system lights up for 4 seconds after switching
on the ignition and then flashes for 12 seconds afterwards in 2 second intervals.
Front passenger airbags switched off using the switch for front passenger
airbags* in stowage compartmen t on the front passenger side:
•The airbag warning light comes on in the instrument cluster for about 4 seconds
each time the ignition is switched on.
•Switching off airbags is indicated in the middle of the dash panel by the lighting
up of the indicator light   ⇒ page 172, fig. 173 .
Note
Your Škoda Service Partner will be able to advise you whether national legislation in
your country allows airbags in your vehi cle to be deactivated, and which ones.
WARNING (continued)
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 171 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Intelligent Technology
184
WARNING
Even with this additional function the vehicle cannot be steered automati-
cally! The driver is furthermore fully reponsible for the steering of the
vehicle!
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 conditions
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 neces-
sary to have the thickness of the 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 condi-
tions 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 possib le (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 treated wi th road salt if you have not used the
brakes for some considerable time beforeha nd. The layer of salt on the brake discs
and brake pads must first be rubb ed off when you apply the brakes.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on th e bake pads occur if the vehicle has been
parked for a long period and if you 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 corro-
sion 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 32, “Brake system ”.
WARNING
•Only apply the brakes for the purpos e of drying and cleaning the brake
discs if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any other road users
in jeopardy.
•When retrospectively mounting a front spoiler, solid wheel hubs etc. one
must ensure that the air supply to the front wheel brakes is not reduced
otherwise the braking sy stem could run too hot.
•Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking
efficiency until approximately 200 kilo metres. New brake pads must be first
“run in” before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however,
compensate for this slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pres-
sure on the brake pedal. This guidelin e also applies to any new brake pads
installed at a future date.
Caution
•Never allow the brakes to ru b by applying slight pressure if you do not wish to
brake the vehicle. This causes the brakes to overheat and can also result in a longer
braking distance and excessive wear.
•Before negotiating a steep downhill sect ion, please reduce your speed, shift
down into the next lower gear (manual ge arbox) or select a lower driving stage
(automatic gearbox). This enables you to make full use of the braking power of the
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 184 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Intelligent Technology
186
The majority of drivers do apply the brakes in good time in dangerous situations,
but do not depress the brake pedal with su fficient pressure. Consequently, it is not
possible for the car to achieve its maximum deceleration and the car covers a
greater distance than necessary.
The Brake Assist is activated by the very quick operation of the brake pedal. In such
cases, a much greater braking pressure ex ists than during a normal brake applica-
tion. This makes it possible, even with a relatively low resistance of the brake pedal,
to produce an adequate pressure in the brake system in the shortest possible time,
which is required for maximum deceleration of the car. You must apply the brake
pedal firmly and hold it in this position in order to achieve the shortest possible
braking distance.
The Brake Assist is able to help you achieve a shorter braking distance in emergency
situations by rapidly producing the pressure required in the brake system. It fully
exploits the attributes of the ABS. After you release the brake pedal, the function of
the Brake Assist is automatically switched off and the brakes operate in the normal
way.
The Brake Assist is part of the ESP system. If a fault occurs in the ESP, the Brake Assist
function is also not available. Further information on the ESP ⇒page 181.
WARNING
•The Brake Assist is also not able to overcome the physical limits of your
car in terms of the braking distance required.
•Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to the traffic
situation.
•The increased safety offered by the Brake Assist must not tempt you to
take a greater safety risk than otherwise.
Uphill-Start off-Assist*
The uphill-start off-assist makes it much easier to start off on steep hills. The system
assists a start off by holding the brake pr essure produced by the brake pedal actu-
ation for approx. 2 seconds after releasing the brake pedal. The driver can therefore
move his foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and start off on the slope, without having to actuate the hand
brake. The brake pressure drops gradually
the more you operate the accelerator pedal. If the vehicle does not start off within
2 seconds, it starts to roll back.
The uphill-start off-assist is active in the ev ent of a 5% slope, if the vehicle door is
closed. It is alwa ys active on slopes when in forward or reverse start off. When
driving downhill, it is inactive.
Electromechanical power steering
The power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force.
With the electromechanical power steering, the steering assist is automatically
adapted to the speed and to the steering angle.
It is still possible to fully steer the vehicle if the power steering fails or if the engine
is not running (vehicle being towed in). The only difference is that greater physical
effort is required.
If there is a fault in the power steering, a red or yellow warning light
 lights up in
the instrument cluster ⇒page 27.
WARNING
Contact your specialist garage if the power steering is defective.
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 186 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Intelligent Technology187
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Tyre inflation pressure-control system*
The tyre inflation pressure-control system compares with the aid of the ABS sensors
the speed and also the rolling circumference of the individual wheels. If the rolling
circumference of a wheel is changed, the warning light
 lights up in the dash
panel insert ⇒page 30. The rolling circumference of the tyre can change if:
•the tyre inflation pressure is too low,
•the structure of the tyre is damaged,
•the vehicle is loaded on one side,
•the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when
driving uphill or downhill),
•snow chains are mounted,
•the temporary spare wheel is mounted,
•one wheel per axle was changed.
Basic setting of tyre inflation pressure-control system
After changing the tyre inflation pressures or after changing one or several wheels,
a basic setting of the system must be carried out as follows.
•Inflate all tyres to the specified inflation pressure ⇒page 223.
•Switch on the ignition.
•Press button   ⇒ fig. 186 for more than 2 second s. While pressing the
button, the warning light  lights up. At the same time the basic values are stored,
which is confirmed with an acoustic sound and then the warning light  goes out.
•If the warning light  does not go out after the basic setting, there is a fault in
the system. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage.
Warning light
 lights up
If the tyre inflation pressure of at least on e wheel is insufficiently inflated in compar-
ison to the stored basic value, the warning light
 ⇒ lights up.
Warning light
 flashes
If the warning light flashes, there is a system fault. Have the vehicle inspected by
your nearest specialist garage.
WARNING
•When the warning light  lights up, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake mano euvres. Please stop the vehicle
without delay at the nearest possible stop and inspect the tyres and their
inflation pressures.
•The driver is responsible for the correc t tyre inflation pressures. For this
reason, the tyre inflation pressures must be checked regularly.
•Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or
unpaved roads) the warning light  can be delayed or does not light up at
all.
•The tyre inflation pressure-control system does not take away the
responsability from the driver for the correct tyre inflation pressure.
Note
The tyre inflation pressure-control system:
•does not replace the regular tyre inflatio n pressure control, because the system
cannot detect an even pressure loss,
•cannot warn in case of very rapid tyre inflation pressure loss, e.g. in case of
sudden tyre damage. In this case carefully bring the vehicle to a standstill without
sudden steering movements and without sharp braking.
Fig. 186 Button for
setting the tyre inflation
pressure control value
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 187 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Driving and the Environment189
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Driving and the Environment
The first 1 500 kilometres and then afterwards
A new engine
The engine has to be run in during the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1 000 kilometres
– Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the mamimum speed of the gear in use,
that is 3/4 of the maximum permissible engine speed.
– Do not use full throttle.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres
– Increase the power output of the engine gradually up to the full
speed of the gear engaged, that is up to the maximum permissible
engine revolutions.
During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than later
until all of the moving parts have harmonized. The driving style which you adopt
during the first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive part in the success of
running in your car.
You should not drive at unnecessarily high engine revolutions even after the
running-in period is complete. The maximum permissib le engine speed is marked
by the beginning of the red zone on the scale of the revolutions counter. Shift up
into the next higher gear on a vehicle fitted with manual gearbox before the red
zone is reached. Extremely high engine revolutions are automatically governed, by
the way.
For a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox the converse situation also applies: Do
not drive at engine revolutions which are too low. Shift down as soon as the engine
is no longer running smoothly.
Caution
All the speed and engine revolution figure s apply only when the engine is at its
normal operating temperature. Never rev up an engine which is cold, neither when
the vehicle is stationary nor when driving in individual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Not driving at unnecessarily high engine revolutions and shifting to a higher gear as
early as possible are ways to minimise fuel consumption and operating noise levels
and protects the environment.
New tyres
New tyres have to be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first. You should
take account of this fact for the first 500 kilometres and drive particularly carefully.
New brake pads
Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking efficiency
until approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run in” before
they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however, compensate for this
slightly reduced braking force by increa sing the pressure on the brake pedal.
This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future date.
During the running-in period , you should avoid excessive stresses on the brakes.
This includes, for example, violent braking, particularly from very high speeds, and
also when crossing mountain passes.
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 189 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Driving and the Environment
190
Catalytic converter
Proper operation of the emission co ntrol system (catalytic converter)
is of major significance for drivin g your vehicle in an environmen-
tally conscious way.
Please refer to the following guidelines:
– For vehicles with petrol engine only refuel with unleaded petrol
⇒ page 206, “Grades of petrol”.
– Never run the fuel tank completely empty.
– Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle.
– Do not pour too much oil into the engine ⇒page 213, “Replenishing
engine oil”.
– Do not tow-start the vehicle over a distance of more than 50 metres
⇒ page 242, “Tow-starting a vehicle”.
If you drive your vehi cle in a country in which unleade d petrol is not available, you
must have the catalytic converter replaced later when driving the vehicle into a
country in which use of a cata lytic converter is mandatory.
WARNING
•In view of the high temperatures which may be produced in the catalytic
converter, one should always park a vehicle in such a way that the catalytic
converter cannot come into contact with easily flammable materials below
the vehicle - a risk of fire!
•Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection
agents for the exhaust pipes, catalyti c converters or heat shields. Such
substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Caution
•Vehicles fitted with catalytic converter should neve r be allowed to let the fuel
tank to run completely empty. An irregular fuel supply can result in poor ignition or misfiring. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic
converter.
•Filling the tank even only once with le
aded petrol will result in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.
•If you detect misfiring, a drop in perf ormance or irregular engine running when
driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the vehicle inspected by the
nearest specialist garage. The symptoms described may be caused by a fault in the
ignition system. Unburnt fuel may get in to the exhaust system and damage the
catalytic converter.
For the sake of the environment
Even if the exhaust system is operating properly, a sulphur-like exhaust odour may
be produced under certain operating condit ions of the engine. This depends on the
sulphur content of the fuel. It is often su fficient to refuel with unleaded premium-
grade petrol of a different brand or at a different filling station.
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 section is intended to provide you with a
number of tips on how to protect the en vironment and at the same time save
money.
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 190 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM