2007 SKODA OCTAVIA TOUR Owner's Manual

128GENERAL MAINTENANCE
FuelPetrol enginesUnleaded petrol conforming to DIN EN
228 RON 95
Notes

Use only high-quality fuel.

Unleaded petrol RON 95 can be
used although engine output in this case is
slightly reduced.

Fuels with a higher octane number than
specified can be used without restrictions.
This does not offer any advantages in re-
spect of engine output and fuel con-
sumption, however!
Cars with a catalytic converter must only be driven with unleaded fuel.
Using fuels which contain lead results in a
lead deposit forming in the catalytic con-
verter.
Even refuelling only once with lea-
ded petrol destroys the effect of the
catalytic converter.
Even if the fuel tank is then again filled with
unleaded fuel, the original efficiency of the
catalytic converter is no longer achieved.
The operation, power output and dura-
bility of the engine are affected to a ma-
jor extent by the quality of the fuel. Do
not mix any additives into the fuel. Use
only fuel which complies with official
standards.
Diesel enginesDiesel fuel complying with DIN EN 590.
Cetane number not less than 49.
Driving in winter
Winter-grade diesel fuel
In winter a different grade of diesel fuel is
available at filling stations than during the
summer months. If „summer-grade diesel
fuel“ is used, operational problems may
occur at temperatures below 0 °C because
the diesel becomes too viscous as a result
of paraffin separation. „Winter-grade die-
sel fuel“, in contrast, is still fully operational
down to -20 °C.
In countries with different climatic condi-
tions, it is quite common to find diesel fu-
els which have a different temperature
characteristic. Škoda Dealers, and filling
stations in the particular country, will pro-
vide you with further information regarding
the diesel fuels which are available in that
country.

129
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Care of carRegular, professional care is a way of re-
taining the value of your car.
In addition, it may also be one of the re-
quirements for a warranty claim in the event
of possible corrosion damage and paint
defects on the body.
The care products required are available
as Original Accessories from Škoda. Al-
ways follow the instructions for use stated
on the packaging.Warning

If misused, car care products can
be harmful to health.

Car care products should always
be stored in a safe place where they
are out of the reach of children.
When buying car care products, al-
ways select products which have
been designed to minimize pollution of the environment. Do not dispose of carcare products in domestic refuse.
Fuel filter preheater
The car is equipped with a fuel filter pre-
heater. This ensures proper operation of the
fuel system down to about -25 °C when
using winter-grade diesel fuel which is re-
sistant to temperatures down to -15 °C.
Should the engine no longer start at tempe-
ratures below -25 °C, it is sufficient to park
the car for a certain time in a heated area.
Fuel additives (flow improvers) and simi-
lar products must not be added to the
diesel fuel.
Use only fuel, which complies with offi-
cial standards. Even refueling only once
with fuel which does not comply with of-
ficial standards can lead to damage in
the fuel system.

130GENERAL MAINTENANCEWashing the carThe best protection for your car against
harmful environmental influences is fre-
quent washing and polishing.
How often your car requires to be treated
depends among other factors on how fre-
quently you use the car, where you park it
(garage, in the open, below trees etc.), the
time of year, the weather conditions and
other environmental influences.
The longer bird droppings, insect residues,
tree resin, road and industrial dust, tar
stains, soot particles, road salt and other
aggressive deposits remain on the paint-
work of your car, the more extreme will be
their destructive effect. High temperatures
caused by strong sun’s rays, intensify the
caustic effect. It may therefore be neces-
sary to wash the car once a week, but once
a month may also be sufficient with appro-
priate waxing.
It is essential to also thoroughly wash the
underside of the car after the end of the
winter period.Automatic car washes
The paintwork of your car is sufficiently re-
sistant to enable the car to be washed nor-
mally in automatic car washing plants with-
out any problems. The effect on the paint-
work, though, also depends greatly on the
design of the car wash, the filtering of the
washing water, the type of wash and care
products used etc. If the paintwork appears
mat after a car wash or even has scratches,
you should contact the operator of the plant.
If necessary, change the car wash you use.
Notes


Before washing your car in an automatic
car wash, there are no special precautions
necessary other than the usual measures
(closing windows and sliding roof, folding
down roof aerial etc.).
Warning
Do not tighten roof aerial in the lower
position

It is best to contact the operator of the
car wash if your car has any particular spe-
cial fittings - e.g. spoiler, roof rack, mobile
phone aerial etc.


After washing your car in an automatic car
wash with wax preservative, wipe the lips of
the windscreen wiper blades clean and also
clean the windscreen (also the rear window
on models fitted with rear window wiper).
Washing your car by hand
As a protection for the environment,
your car should only be washed at
washbays provided for this purpose.
Local regulations may in fact forbidwashing cars in certain areas outside ofsuch facilities.
First of all soften the dirt with plenty of wa-
ter and rinse off as well as possible.
Then, clean the car with a soft sponge,
washing glove or brush starting on the roof
and working down, applying only slight
pressure. Use a car wash shampoo only
for particularly stubborn dirt.
Thoroughly wash out the sponge or glove
at short intervals.
Clean wheels and door sills etc. last. Use
a second sponge if possible for such ar-
eas.
After washing the car, rinse it thoroughly
with water and finally chamois dry.

131
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Notes

The car should not be standing in bright
sunshine when it is washed.

If a hose is used to spray down the car,
do not aim the jet of water directly at the
door locks and body panel gaps - otherwise
they may freeze up in winter.Washing the car with high-pressure
cleaners
It is essential to follow the instructions
for using high-pressure cleaners - particu-
larly as regards the pressure and spraying
distance.

Do not use round spray nozzles or so-
called „dirt shifters“!

The temperature of the water should not
be more than 60 °C.
WarningTyres must never be cleaned with
round jet nozzles. Damage may occur
even if only sprayed for a short time
or from a relatively large distance.WaxingGood wax treatment protects the paintwork
of your car from the environmental influ-
ences listed on the previous page under
„Washing the car“ and also from slight me-
chanical damage. The vehicle must be treated with a high-
quality hard wax polish at the latest, when
no more drops form on the clean paintwork.
Do not apply a new film of wax protection
until the body surface is dry. Even if a wax
preserver is used regularly, it is recom-
mended to protect the paintwork at least
twice a year with hard wax.
Warning
Never treat the windscreen or win-
dows with wax.
PolishingPolishing is only necessary if the paintwork
has become unattractive and it is no longer
possible to achieve a gloss with a wax pre-
server. If the polish used does not contain
any preserving elements, the paintwork
should then be treated with wax preserver.
Note
Mat painted parts and plastic parts must
not be treated with polish or hard wax.
We recommend using the products from
the Škoda range.
Do not polish the paintwork of the vehicle
in a dusty environment, otherwise the
paintwork can be scratched.
Paint damageMinor paint damage such as scratches,
rubs or stone chips, should be treated im-
mediately with paint (Škoda touch-up pen
or spray can) before rust can form.
This repair work can also of course be car-
ried out by a Škoda Dealer. The colour
code is stated on the car data sticker, see
page 181.WindowsUse only a plastic scraper to remove snow
and ice from windows and mirrors. The
scraper should not be moved back and for-
ward, but only pushed in one direction in
order to avoid scratches caused by dirt.
Residues of rubber, oil, grease, wax or sili-
cone sealant can be removed with a wind-
screen cleaner or special silicone remover.
The windows should also be cleaned at
regular intervals from the inside.
Do not use the same chamois leather for
drying the windows and for the paintwork
because residues of wax preservers will
cause smears on the surface of the win-
dows.
Never remove snow or ice from the win-
dows with warm or hot water - risk of
formation of cracks in the glass!

132GENERAL MAINTENANCEDo not affix any stickers from the inside
over the heating circuit to avoid damaging
the heating circuit of the rear window
heater .
Models fitted with all-wheel drive:
The adhesive sticker for identifying 4x4 mo-
dels on the rear window must only be re-
moved by a Škoda Dealer using a special
technology otherwise the rear window
heater might be damaged.Door, window , bonnet/tailgate sealsThe rubber seals remain supple and last
longer if they are treated from time to time
with a light film of a rubber care product.
They also will not then freeze up in winter!Plastic parts and synthetic leatherExterior plastic parts are cleaned by wash-
ing in a normal way and interior parts by
using a damp cloth. Should this not be ad-
equate, plastic parts and synthetic leather
must only be treated with special solvent-
free plastic cleaning and care products.
We recommend using a cleaning product
from Škoda original accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer.
Note
Solvent-free cleaners attack the material
and can damage it.
Upholstery cloth and cloth trimUpholstery cloth and cloth trim on the doors,
rear shelf, luggage compartment cover, head-
lining etc. are treated with special cleaning
products or with dry foam and a soft brush.Cleaning seat beltsKeep belts clean! If the belt webbing is
very dirty, this may prevent the inertia reel
belt from retracting properly.
Wash dirty belt webbing only with a mild
soap solution without taking the seat belts
out of the car.
Note
Dry inertia reel belts completely before re-
tracting.
Warning
Do not have the belts dry-cleaned be-
cause dry-cleaning products damage
the webbing material. Ensure that the
belts do not come into contact with
corrosive fluids.
Chrome partsFirst clean the chrome parts with a damp
cloth and then polish them with a soft, dry
cloth.
If it does not prove to be adequate, use a
chrome care product from Škoda original
accessories.
NoteDo not polish the chrome parts in a dusty en-
vironment, otherwise they can be scratched.Natural leatherLeather should be treated from time to time
in accordance with the instructions below,
depending on the amount of use. It is im-
portant to ensure that the leather must
not be treated on any account with sol-
vents, floor wax, shoe cream, stain re-
mover or similar products.
For normal cleaning of leather-trim steer-
ing wheels, leather seat covers etc., slightly
moisten a cotton or woollen cloth with wa-
ter and clean the soiled surfaces of the
leather. Severe soiling can be cleaned with
a mild soap solution (2 soup-spoonfuls of
neutral soap to 1 litre of water). It is very
important to ensure that the leather is not
moistened through at any point and that
no water is able to trickle through the stitch-
ing. Wipe the leather dry finally with a soft,
dry cloth.

133
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
WheelsSteel wheels
The wheels and the wheel covers should
also be thoroughly washed during the regu-
lar washing of the car. This prevents brake
abrasion, dirt and road salt forming depos-
its. Stubborn brake abrasion which adheres
to the wheels can be removed with an in-
dustrial dust remover. Damage to the
paintwork should be touched up before any
rust can form.
Light alloy wheels*
Regular care is required in order to retain
the decorative appearance of light alloy
wheels over a long period. It is particularly
necessary to thoroughly wash off road salt
and brake abrasion at least every two
weeks otherwise the light alloy finish will
suffer damage. After washing the wheels,
treat them with an acid-free cleaning prod-
uct for light alloy wheels. It is also neces-
sary to thoroughly rub hard wax into the
wheels about every three months. Do not
use paint polish or other abrasive products.
Damage to the paintwork of light-alloy
wheels should be touched up straightaway.Note
If the wheels are very dirty, this can re-
sult in imbalance. This causes vibra-
tions which are transmitted to the steer-
ing column and in addition results in pre-
mature wear.
Warning
Please note, when cleaning the wheels,
that moisture can affect the braking ac-
tion.HeadlightsPlease do not use any aggressive clean-
ing or chemical solvent products - risk of
damage to the plastic lenses.
Please use soap and clean warm water.
Do not clean the headlights dry or use any
sharp objects for cleaning the plastic
lenses. Otherwise, this can cause damage
to the protective paintwork and conse-
quently lead to formation of cracks on the
headlight lenses, e.g. through effect of
chemical products.
In addition, it is recommended to treat leat-
her which is subject to normal wear-and-
tear every six months with the leather care
product available from a Škoda Dealer. This
product should be applied very sparingly.
Leave for a short time and then wipe dry
with a soft cloth.
„Alcantara“ upholstery*Do not use any cleaning products for
leather for cleaning „Alcantara“ cloth.
Removing dust and dirt
Use a slightly moistened soft washing cloth
to wipe off the „Alcantara“ upholstery or
treat it with a suitable shampoo.
Removing stains
Moisten a soft cloth with water or diluted
alcohol and dab the stain working from the
edge into the middle.Seat covers for electric seat heater *Please
do not clean the seat covers wet.
The seat heater might otherwise be dam-
aged.
Please use special cleaning products, dry
foam, or similar for cleaning the seat cov-
ers.

134GENERAL MAINTENANCECleaning engine compartmentWarning
Before carrying out any work in the
engine compartment, it is essential
to read the Notes on page 137.
Good corrosion protection is very important,
particularly in winter when road salts are fre-
quently used. For this reason, the entire en-
gine compartment and the plenum chamber
should be thoroughly cleaned before and af-
ter the winter months and then treated with a
wax preserver so that the road salt cannot
produce any harmful effects.
The ignition must be switched off before
washing the engine.
It is recommended to cover over the al-
ternator before washing the engine com-
partment.
As petrol, grease and oil residues are washed off when cleaning the
engine, the dirty water has to be cleaned in an oil separator. For this reason, anengine wash should only be carried outin a workshop or at a service station (if
these are appropriately equipped).
Škoda Dealers have available the factory-
recommended cleaning and wax treatment
products and are equipped with the nec-
essary facilities.Underbody sealantThe underside of your car is durably protec-
ted against chemical and mechanical influ-
ences.
As it is not possible, however, to totally rule
out the likelihood of the underbody sealant
being damaged from driving, it is recom-
mended to have the protective layer on the
underside of the car touched up at certain
intervals. This is best done before the start
of the winter and in the spring.
Škoda Dealers have available the suitable
sealant products and the equipment nec-
essary and are acquainted with the instruc-
tions for use. For this reason, it is best to
have any touch-up work or additional cor-
rosion protection measures carried out by
your Škoda Dealer.
No underbody sealant should be applied to
the heat shields of the catalytic converter
and to the exhaust pipes because of the
high temperatures in the area of the cata-
lytic converter (risk of fire). It is also not
permitted to remove the heat shields.
Cavity protectionAll the cavities of the vehicle which are at
risk from corrosion are durably protected
before the car leaves the factory.
The cavity protection does not require to
be inspected or touched up. If any wax flo-
ws out of the cavities at high outside tem-
peratures, this can be removed with a plas-
tic scraper. Any stains can be removed with
white spirits.
Pay attention to the relevant safetyand environmental protection regu-
lations if white spirits is used to remove
wax and stains.

135
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
BonnetTo unlock the bonnet, pull lever below the
instrument panel on the driver’s side.
The bonnet jumps out of its lock as a result
of the spring pressure.
Note
Before opening the bonnet, ensure that the
windscreen wiper arms are not folded for-
ward otherwise the paintwork may be dam-
aged. Warning
For safety reasons, the bonnet must
always be properly closed when ve-
hicle is moving. Always check there-
fore after closing the bonnet that the
lock is engaged.
Should you notice that the bonnet lock is
not properly engaged when driving, stop the
car immediately and close the bonnet.
To open
bonnet, grasp it at the bottom of
the radiator grille, raise slightly, push the
hook in direction of arrow and raise bon-
net.
Take bonnet prop out of its catch and in-
sert it into the opening provided - see illus-
tration (on right).
To close, raise bonnet slightly and release
bonnet prop. Press prop into the fixture at
the front-end panel. Allow bonnet to drop
into the lock from a height of about 20 - 30
cm - do not press on bonnet to close it!