2007 SKODA OCTAVIA TOUR Owner's Manual

144GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Drained coolant should not nor-mally be re-used but should be dis-
posed of by complying with environmen- tal protection regulations.
Radiator fanThe radiator fan is driven by an electric mo-
tor and controlled by a thermostatic switch
in line with the coolant temperature.
Warning
After the engine has been switched
off, the fan may continue running for
a while - even if the ignition is swit-
ched off. It may also start to run again
suddenly after a short time if
- the coolant temperature increases due to heat build-up
- when the engine is hot and the en- gine compartment is heated addi-
tionally by strong sunlight.
Special care should therefore be
taken when working in the engine
compartment.
Brake fluidThe brake fluid reservoir is located in the
left of the engine compartment.Checking fluid levelThe fluid level should always be between
the „MAX“ and „MIN“ markings on the re-
servoir.
A slight drop in the fluid level occurs when
driving as a result of wear and tear and au-
tomatic slack adjustment of the brake pads.
This is perfectly normal.
Warning
The coolant additive and the coolant
are poisonous! Do not breathe in
coolant vapours, do not swallow
coolant, avoid contact with eyes and
skin.
If coolant splashes into your eye,
rinse out immediately with clear wa-
ter and contact a doctor.
If coolant is swallowed, you should
likewise contact a doctor. The cool-
ant additive should therefore be
safely stored in the original contain-
ers out of the reach of children.
If the coolant has to be drained out
of the cooling system of the car at
any time, it should be collected,
marked and likewise stored in a safe
place.

145
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
If the fluid level drops significantly within a
short time, however, or if it drops below the
„MIN“ marking, there may be a leak in the
brake system. Insufficient brake fluid level
in the reservoir is indicated by the brake
warning light coming on, see also page 61.
In such a case, contact a Škoda Dealer
without delay and have the brake sys-
tem inspected.
Warning
Read and observe the warning notes
before working in the engine com-
partment - see page 137.
If the fluid level has dropped below
the MIN marking, do not drive any
further - risk of accident! Contact a
Škoda dealer to obtain professional
assistance.
Replacing brake fluidBrake fluid is hygroscopic and conse-
quently absorbs moisture from the sur-
rounding air over the course of time. An
excessive content of water in the brake fluid
can also in the long term be a cause of
corrosion in the brake system. In addition,
the boiling point of the brake fluid is con-
siderably reduced. For this reason, the
brake fluid must be renewed every two
years.
Warning
When the brake fluid becomes too
old, vapour bubbles may form in the
brake system when the brakes are
used hard. The efficiency of the
brakes and thus the vehicle safety is
then seriously affected.
Use only fresh brake fluid conforming with
Specification FMVSS 116 DOT 4, which is
approved by the factory. Warning
Brake fluid is poisonous!
It must therefore only be stored in the
closed original container and, in par-
ticular, out of the reach of children.
Please also note that brake fluid attacks the
paintwork of the car.
Because of the disposal problem, the special tools and specialist
knowledge required, it is best to have the brake fluid change carried out by aŠkoda Dealer.
It is recommended to have the brake fluid
change carried out as part of an Inspec-
tion Service.

146GENERAL MAINTENANCEBatteryThe battery is located in the engine com-
partment.
If the vehicle has not been driven for more
than 4 weeks, the battery will discharge be-
cause some electrical components (e.g.
control units) also use current in standstill.
In order to avoid the battery discharging dis-
connect the negative cable (-) of the bat-
tery or continuously recharge the battery.
For jump-starting car with another battery,
see the section „Do-It-Yourself“.Warning
Pay attention to the following warn-
ing instructions and safety regula-
tions when carrying out work on the
battery.
Access to battery
Pull out the catch on the side of the bat-
tery cover (see arrow) slightly. Lift the bat-
tery cover up and out - see arrow A.
Warning
Pay attention to the following warn-
ing instructions and safety regula-
tions when carrying out work on the
battery.
Removing battery
Pull the cable cover 1 up and out in di-
rection of arrow.

Disconnect the battery from the vehicle
electrical system - pay attention to the
Notes on page 148.

Press the catch (arrows B) on the side
of the holder 2 of the fuse carrier. Open the
holder and fuse carrier by raising it (arrow
C ).

Remove the screw 3 from the battery
holder and take out the fuse plate.

Push the battery forward slightly (toward
the headlamp) and then lift it up and out.

147
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Wear eye protection. Pro-
tect your eyes, skin and
clothing from sprays from
particles which contain
acid or lead.
Battery acid is extremely
caustic. Wear protective
gloves and eye protec-
tion. Do not tilt the bat-
tery otherwise acid may flow out of
the vent openings. If acid splashes
into your eyes, rinse them immedi-
ately for a few minutes with clear
water and then contact a doctor with-
out delay. If acid splashes onto your
skin or clothing, neutralise it imme-
diately with soap suds and wash off
with plenty of water. If you swallow
acid, contact a doctor without delay. A highly explosive hydro-
gen is produced when bat-
teries are charged, which
in combination with air pro-
duces an explosive gas mixture.
No fire, sparks, naked flames
or smoking. Avoid sparks
when handling cables and
electrical equipment. Avoid
short circuits. Risk of injury from high-
powered sparks.

It is essential to disconnect the
negative cable at the battery before
performing any work on the electri-
cal system. When changing bulbs, it
is sufficient only to switch off the
light.


Installation is carried out in the reverse
order. When re-connecting the battery, re-
fer to the Notes on page 148.
It is not recommended to remove and in-
stall the battery (even if the instructions
in the Owner’s Manual are followed) be-
cause severe damage to the battery and
fuse box may result in certain circum-
stances. Contact your Škoda Dealership
for this work. Keep acid and battery away
from children.

148GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Used batteries are harmful to
the environment and should
therefore be disposed of by
contacting your Škoda Dea-
ler.

When disconnecting the battery
from the electrical system, first of all
disconnect the negative cable (-) and
then the positive cable (+).
The battery must not be disconnec-
ted when the ignition is switched on
and the engine is running otherwise
the electrical system (electronic
components) will be damaged.

When re-connecting the battery,
first of all connect the positive cable
(+) and then the negative cable (-).
The connection cables must on no
account be mixed up - risk of fire in
the wiring!

Never use a battery which is dam-
aged - risk of explosion! Immediately
replace a damaged battery.

Never charge a frozen or thawed
battery - risk of explosion and caus-
tic burns. Replace a frozen battery.
Do not expose the battery to direct sun-
light to protect the housing from ultra-
violet rays.
Ensure that the battery acid does not
come into contact with the paintwork
otherwise the paintwork might be dam-
aged.
Checking electrolyte levelIn normal operating conditions the battery
requires practically no maintenance. It is
nevertheless recommended to inspect the
electrolyte level from time to time. It should
always be between the „MIN“ and „MAX“
markings on the front and back of the bat-
tery. If the electrolyte level has dropped
below the „MIN“ marking, top up the rel-
evant battery cells to the „MAX“ marking
with distilled water .
It is recommended to have the electrolyte
level and density inspected and corrected
by a Škoda Dealer.
Battery with charge state indicator
(magic eye)*The magic eye is located on the top of the
battery. This „magic eye“ alters its colour
depending on the charge state and elec-
trolyte level of the battery. The colour indi-
cated serves as a diagnostic aid for Škoda
Dealerships.
Knock gently on the magic eye before
checking the battery.

149
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Driving in winterThe battery is exposed to particular stresses
in winter. In addition, at low temperatures, it
is only capable of providing part of the start-
ing power which it has at normal tempera-
tures.A discharged battery may already freeze
at a few degrees below zero.
We therefore recommend having the bat-
tery inspected and, if necessary, charged
before the start of the winter. This is best
done by a Škoda Dealer.Charging batterySwitch off the ignition and all electrical com-
ponents before charging the battery.
It is not normally necessary to disconnect
the cables from the electrical system when
charging with low amperages (e.g. with a
mini charger). Always follow the instructions
of the charger manufacturer in this case.
Recharge the battery by using a charg-
ing current of 1/10 of the battery rated
capacity in A (or less) until the battery is
fully charged.
A battery charger with a constant charg-
ing voltage of 14.4 V can also be used
for recharging; the recharging duration
is max. 30 hours, according to battery
discharge. Both connection cables should be taken
off
, however, for quick-charging (only in
exceptional cases), in other words charg-
ing with high amperages.
Pay attention to the following points:

The vent plugs of the battery should
not be opened for charging.

Never charge a frozen or thawed bat-
tery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns! Replace a frozen battery.

The power cable of the charger should
not be plugged in until after the terminal
clamps of the charger have been properly
connected to the battery terminals:
red terminal
= positive (+)
black terminal
= negative (-).

After charging, install battery and re-con-
nect correctly - first of all positive (+), then
negative cable (-).
If the indication in the window is green, the
battery is properly charged. If, on the other
hand, the indication is dark, the battery re-
quires to be charged.
If the magic eye is colourless or yellow, this
indicates insufficient electrolyte level.
Please have the battery checked by a
Škoda dealer.
The battery must be topped up with distilled
water. If the battery is 5 years or older, we
recommend replacing it. Have the electro-
lyte level inspected and adjusted to the
correct level by a Škoda dealer.

150GENERAL MAINTENANCEAfter connecting the battery- restore operation of the convenience sys-tem - see page 16
- set the time - see page 50
- if the radio is protected by a code, set the code - see operating instructions of
car radio
The data of the multifunction display are
erased - see page 50.Replacing batteryIf the battery has to be replaced, the new
battery should have the same capacity, volt-
age (12 volts), amperage, design and have
a plug seal. Škoda Dealers have available
a range of suitable batteries.
Because of the disposal problem in- volved with old batteries, it is best
to have the battery replaced by a Škoda Dealer. Batteries contain substancessuch as sulphuric acid and lead andmust on no account be disposed of in
domestic refuse.
Spark plugsThe spark plugs are replaced as part of the
Škoda Inspection Service.

Should it be necessary to replace the
spark plugs between the Inspection Service
intervals, proceed as follows:Spark plugs and ignition system are matched
to the engine and thus contribute to an ex-
haust with low emission levels.Only the spark plugs selected for the par-
ticular engine should be used in order to
avoid operational problems, engine dam-
age and any infringement of legal require-
ments in respect of emission levels or ra-
dio interference from the spark plugs. Par-
ticularly important aspects are the number
of electrodes, the thermal value and radio
interference suppression.

Spark plugs may also be subject to tech-
nical modifications at short notice. It is
therefore recommended to purchase them
only from Škoda Dealers as they are always
informed of the up-to-date situation.
Ribbed belt
The ribbed belt is one of the components
of the car which is subjected to the most
stress. It is therefore necessary to place
particularly high quality requirements in res-
pect of the belts.

When replacing a ribbed belt, it is not
sufficient to use any ribbed belt of whatever
size. For safety reasons, use only the
ribbed belts selected for your car.

Ribbed belts may also be subject to
technical modifications at short notice. It is
therefore recommended to purchase them
only from Škoda Dealers and to also have
the belts changed there as they are always
informed of the up-to-date situation.

151
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Windscreen washer system
The windscreen washer reservoir is located
in the right of the engine compartment. It
holds about 3 litres, or about 5.5 litres in
the case of models with a headlight washer
system.
If the vehicle is equipped with headlight
washer system, it is necessary to only
use certain fluids which do not corrode
any polycarbonate connections.
Filling reservoirWhen topping up windscreen washer
fluid, do not remove the sieve from the
reservoir. Impurities might otherwise
affect proper operation of the wind-
screen washer system.
We recommend always adding a wind-
screen cleaner with wax-dissolving proper-
ties to the water (in winter with antifreeze
protection) as clear water is not generally
sufficient to quickly and intensively clean
the windscreen and the headlight lenses.
Refer to the mixing instructions on the wind-
screen cleaner pack.
Note
Should windscreen cleaner with antifreeze
protection not be available in exceptional
cases, it is also possible to add methylated
spirits (the concentration of methylated
spirits must not be higher than 15 %). Note
in this case, however, that the antifreeze
protection of this concentration is only down
to -5 °C at the most.
Even if your vehicle has heated windscreen
washer* nozzles, in winter you should al-
ways add antifreeze protection to the wa-
ter.
On no account use radiator antifreeze pro-
tection or other additives!
Windscreen wiper bladesThe windscreen wiper blades at the front
and rear must be in proper condition if they
are to ensure clear visibility. Wiper blades
must not be dirtied by dust, insect residues
and wax preservative.
To avoid smears, the windscreen wiper
blades should be cleaned regularly with a
windscreen cleaner. If they are very dirty,
e.g. insect residues, the wiper blades can
also be cleaned with a sponge or cloth.
If the wiper blades rub or „smear“, this may
be caused by wax residues on the wind-
screen as a result of washing the car in an
automatic car wash. For this reason, each
time after washing the car in a car wash
with wax treatment, remove the wax from
the lips of the wiper rubbers and from the
windshield and rear window.
In frosty conditions, check that the wiper
blades are not frozen to the glass before
switching the wipers on for the first time.
For safety reasons, the windscreen wiper
blades should be replaced twice a year.
Windscreen wiper blades are available
from Škoda Dealers.