2007 SKODA ROOMSTER engine

Driving and the Environment156
Sensitive use of the accelerator will not only significantly reduce fuel consumption but also positively influence environmen tal pollution and wear of your vehicle.
You should avoid fully exploi ting the top speed of your vehicle wherever possible. Fuel consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicle noises increase disproportion- ally at high speeds.
The ⇒page 155, fig. 150 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle. You will cut your fuel consumption by half if you only make use three-quar- ters of the possible top speed of your vehicle.
Reducing idling
Idling also costs fuel.
It is worthwhile switching off the engine in a traffic jam or when waiting at a level crossing or at traffic lights with a length y red phase. Even after just 30 - 40 seconds you will have saved more fuel than that is needed when you start the engine up again.
If an engine is only idling it takes much longer for it to reach its normal operating temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant em issions, though, are particularly high in the warming-up phase. This is why you should drive off right after starting the engine. Do avoid high engine revolutions at this time, however.
Regular servicing
A poorly tuned engine consumes an unnecessarily high amount of
fuel.
Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a specialist garge enables you to satisfy one of the requirements for economical motoring even before you set off on your journey. Keeping your vehicle properly servic ed not only has a positive effect on the safety of your vehicle and maintaining its value, but also saves on fuel.
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fu el consumption which is 10% higher than normal.
The foreseen maintenance work should be undertaken exactly according to the Service schedule by a specialist garage.
Also check the oil level after refueling. Oil consumption is dependent to a consid- erable extent on the load and speed of the engine. Oil consumption could be as high as 0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of driving.
It is quite normal that a new engine ha s a higher oil consumption at first, and reaches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. It is therefore not possible to correctly assess the oil cons umption of a new vehicle until after you have driven about 5 000 km.
For the sake of the environment
•You can achieve additional improvements in your fuel economy by using high- lubricity oils.
•Check the ground below your car at regula r intervals to detect any leakages in good time. Please have your vehicle inspected by a specialist garge if you find any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the floor.
Avoid driving short distances
Short distances result in an above-average high fuel consumption.
– Avoid driving a distance of no more than 4 km if the engine is cold.
The engine and catalytic converter mu st first have reached their optimal operating temperature in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emis- sions.
Fig. 151 Fuel consump- tion in litres/100 km at different temperatures
NKO A05R 20 MR08.book Page 156 Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:42 AM

Driving and the Environment157
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistancePraktikTechnical Data
The cold engine vehicle consumes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel immediately after starting. Fuel co nsumption drops to 10 litres/100 km after just 1 kilometre. The engine reaches its operating temperat ure (outside temperature and engine dependent) only after about 4 to 10 kilometres and the fuel consumption then stabilizes. You should therefore avoid driving short distances whenever possible.
An important factor in this connection is also the ambient temperature. The ⇒ page 156, fig. 151 shows the different fuel consumptions for the same distance, on the one hand at +20°C and on the other hand at -10°C. Your vehicle has a higher fuel consumption in winter than in summer.
Checking tyre inflation pressures
Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel.
Always ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure at all times. The rolling resistance will be increased if the tyre filling pressure is too low. This will not only increase fuel consumpt ion but also tyre wear and the driving behaviour will worsen.
Always check the inflation pressure of the tyres when cold.
Do not drive with winter tyres all year round for this costs about 10 % more fuel. Winter tyres are also louder.
No unnecessary ballast
Transporting balla st costs fuel.
The fact that every kilogram of extra weight increases your fuel consumption means that it is worth taking a look in the luggage compartment to avoid trans- porting any unnecessary ballast.
It is par ticularly i n town tra ffi c, whe n one is accelerating quite often, that the vehicle weight will have a significant effect upon the fuel consumption. A rule of thumb here is that an increase in weight of 100 kilograms will cause an increase in fuel consumption of about 1 litre/100 kilometres.
You may frequently also leave a roof rack fitted on just out of convenience, although you no longer need it. The incr eased aerodynamic drag of your vehicle
causes it to use about 1 l more fuel than normal at a speed of 100 - 120 km/h, even when you are not carrying a load on the roof.
Saving electricity
Generating electricity costs fuel.
– Switch off electrical components as soon as you no longer need them.
When the engine is running, the alternator generates and supplies electrical power. The greater the load on the alternator as a result of having a large number of elec-trical components switched on, the more fuel will be consumed for operating the alternator.
Keeping a log of your fuel consumption
If you really wish to keep a close check on your fuel consumption, it is best to enter the figures in a logbook. This does not take much time but is a very worthwhile exer-cise. It enables you to detect any change (positive and negative) at an early stage and to take any appropriate action.
If you find that your fuel consumption is too high, you should reflect on how, where and in what conditions yo u have driven the vehicle since you last refuelled.
Environmental compatibility
Environmental protection has played a major role in the design, selection of mate- rials and manufacture of your new Škoda. Particular emphasis has been paid to a number of aspects, including:
Design measures
•joints designed to be easily detached
•simplified disassembly due to the modular structure system
•improved purity of different classes of materials
•Identification of all plastic parts in accordance with VDA Recommendation 260
NKO A05R 20 MR08.book Page 157 Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:42 AM

Driving and the Environment158
•Reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emission CO2
•Minimum fuel leakage during accidents
•Reduced noise
Choice of materials
•extensive use of recyclable material
•Air conditioning filled wi th CFC-free refrigerant
•no cadmium
•no asbestos
•Reduction in the “vaporisation” of plastics
Manufacture
•solvent-free cavity protection
•solvent-free protection of the vehicle for transportation from the production plant to the customer
•The use of solvent-free adhesives
•No CFCs used in the production process
•without use of mercury
•Use of water-soluble paints
Trade-in and recycling of old cars
Škoda Auto meets the requirements of the brand and its products regarding envi- ronment and ressource protection. All new Škoda vehicles can be utilized up to 95 % and always 4) be returned. In a lot of countries sufficient trade-in networks have been created, where you can trade-in your vehicle. After you trade-in your vehicle, you will receive a confirmation stating the recycling in accordance with environmental regulations.
Vehicles with special built-on types
Technical documents regarding changes carried out on the vehicle must be kept by the vehicle user, in or der to hand over later to the old car user. This ensures the recycling in accordance with environmental regulations.
Note
Detailed information about the trade-in and recycling of old cars is available from your Škoda Service Partner.
Motoring abroad
General
Other circumstances may exist abroad.
It is also possible, in ce rtain countries, that the Škoda Service Partner network is limited or has not been established yet. This is the reason why obtaining certain spare parts may be somewhat complicate d and specialist garage personnel may only be able to ma ke li mite d re pa irs. Škoda Auto a.s. i n the Czech Republic and rele - vant importers are happy to provide info rmation about technical aspects of the vehicle, required maintenance work and possibilities for getting repairs done.
Unleaded petrol
A vehicle fitted with a petrol engine must always be refuelled with unleaded petrol ⇒ page 154. The automobile associations can provide you with information regarding the locations of filling stations which offer unleaded petrol.
Headlights
The low beam of your headlights is set asym metrically. It illuminates the side of the road on which you are driving to a greater extent. If you drive abroad on the other side of the road, you wi ll dazzle oncoming traffic.
It is necessary in order to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic to stick a sticker over a certain part of the headlights.
Headlight stickers can be obtained as a spare part from the Skoda Service Partners.
Headlights with module are designed for driving in countries with traffic on the right or on the left. Have this done always at a Škoda Service Partner.4)subject to fulfilment of the national legal regulations
NKO A05R 20 MR08.book Page 158 Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:42 AM

Towing a trailer160
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.
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 187. 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.
NKO A05R 20 MR08.book Page 160 Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:42 AM

Towing a trailer161
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistancePraktikTechnical Data
should be attached to folding arms. Adjust the mirrors so that they provide you with an adequate field of view to the rear.
Headlights
Before starting off with a hitched trailer, also check the setting of the headlights. Alter the setting as necessary with th e aid of the headlight beam adjuster ⇒ page 46.
Detachable ball head
The ball rod is detachable on vehicles with towing device and suppliable from Škoda original accessories. It is stowed together with separate fitting instructions in the spare wheel well in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Note
•We recommend that you also have yo ur vehicle inspected between service intervals if you tow a trailer frequently.
•The handbrake on the towing vehicle must be put on when coupling and decoupling the trailer.
Driving Tips
Particular caution is required when towing a trailer.
– Do not, as far as possible, drive with your vehicle unladen and the
trailer laden.
– Do not make full use of the legal maximum speeds. This applies in
particular to downhill sections.
– Apply the brakes in good time.
– Keep a check on the coolant temper ature gauge if the outside temper-
ature is high.
Distribution of weight
The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and the trailer is laden. Maintain a particularly low speed if you cannot avoid driving with this combination.
Driving speed
Do not drive faster than 80 km/hour for safety reasons. This also applies for coun- tries in which higher speeds are allowed.
The fact that the driving stability of the vehicle + trailer combination reduces with increasing speed means that the legally allowed speed should not be used when there are unfavourable road, weather or wind conditions, particularly near accident black spots.
You must always reduce your speed immedi ately as soon as you detect even just the slightest swaying of the trailer. On no account attempt to stop the trailer from “swaying” by accelerating.
Apply the brakes in good time! If the trailer is fitted with a trailer brake, apply the brakes gently at first and then brake firmly . This will avoid brake jolts resulting from the trailer wheels locking. Shift down gears in good time before negotiating a down- hill section to allow the engine to also act as a brake.
Engine overheating
Please keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if you have to negotiate a lengthy slope in a low gear at a high engine speed when the outside temperature is very high ⇒page 10.
If the needle of the coolant temperature gauge moves into the right-hand area or even the red area of the scale, reduce yo ur speed immediately. Stop and switch off the engine if the warning light  in the instrument cluste r begins flashing. Wait a few minutes and check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle ⇒ page 179, “Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines ⇒page 24, “Coolant temperature/coolant level ”.
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.
Any increase in the cooling effect of the coolant fan through shifting down a gear and increasing the engine speed is not possible since the fan speed is independent
NKO A05R 20 MR08.book Page 161 Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:42 AM

Towing a trailer162
of the engine speed. One should also not drop a gear for this reason when towing a trailer as long as the en gine can manage the slope without any drop in speed.
NKO A05R 20 MR08.book Page 162 Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:42 AM

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle167
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistancePraktikTechnical Data
Wheels
Steel wheels
You should also thoroughly wash the wheels and wheel trims when giving your vehicle its regular wash. This prevents an y brake dust, dirt and road salt from sticking to the wheel hubs. You can remove stubborn brake abrasion adhering to t h e w h e e l s w i t h a n i n d u s tr i a l c l e a n e r. To u c h u p a n y d a m a g e to t h e p a i n tw o r k o n th e wheels before rust is able to form.
Light alloy wheels
Regular care of light alloy wheels is necessary in order to retain their decorative appearance over long periods. It is partic ularly important to remove any road salt and brake abrasion from light alloy wheels every two weeks, otherwise the surface will suffer. Wash thoroughly and then treat the wheels with a protective product for light alloy wheels which does not contain any acidic components. You should provide the wheel hubs with a hard wax la yer every three months. You must not use any products which cause abrasion when treating the wheel hubs. Any damage to the paint layer on the wheel hubs must be touched up immediately.
We recommend using a preservative from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your Škoda dealer.
WARNING
One should remember when cleaning th e wheels that moisture, ice and road salt may adversely affect braking ef ficiency - risk of an accident!
Note
Severe layers of dirt on the wheels can also result in wheel imbalance. This may show itself in the form of a wheel vibration which is transmitted to the steering wheel which, in certain circumstances, ca n cause premature wear of the steering. This means it is necessary to remove the dirt.
Underbody protection
The underside of your vehicl e is protected for life against chemical and mechanical influences.
One cannot, however, completely rule out damage to the protective layer when driving so we recommend that you inspect the protective layer on the underside of your vehicle and on the chassis at certain in tervals - this is best done at the begin- ning and end of the winter - and to touch up any damaged areas.
Škoda Service Partners have suitable spray products available as well as the neces- sary equipment and are familiar with the instructions for use. We therefore recom- mend to have repairs and additional co rrosion protection measures preferably carried out by a Škoda Service Partner.
WARNING
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converte rs, heat shields or diesel particle filter*. When the engine reaches its operating temperature, these substances might ignite - risk of fire!
Protection of hollow spaces
All the cavities of your vehicle which are at risk from corrosion are protected for life by a layer of protective wax applied in the factory.
This wax protection does not require to be inspected or re-treated. Please remove any small amount of wax which flows out of the cavities at high temperatures with a plastic scraper and clean the spot using petroleum cleaner.
WARNING
Safety and environmental protection regulations should observed when using petroleum cleaner to re move wax - a risk of fire!
NKO A05R 20 MR08.book Page 167 Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:42 AM

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle168
Engine compartment
Good corrosion protection is very important, particularly in winter when one often drives over its salt-strewn roads. One should therefore clean the entire engine compartment before and after the salt spreading period, in order to prevent the salt from being destructive.
Škoda Service Partners have the cleani ng agents recommended by the manufac- turer and also the required equipment.
WARNING
•It is necessary to observe the guidelines given in the chapter before working on the engine compartment ⇒page 174.
•Let the engine cool down before cleaning the engine compartment.
Caution
•Engine cleaning may be only be undertaken when the ignition is off.
•It is recommended to cover the generator before washing the engine compart- ment.
For the sake of the environment
The dirty water produced by washing the engine has washed away petrol, and resi- dues of grease and oil and should therefor e be cleaned by an oil separator. This is why engine washing should only be undertaken in a garage or at a fueling station (when these are fitted with the required equipment).
Care of the interior of vehicle
Plastic parts, artificial leather and cloths
You can clean plastic parts and artificial leather with a moist cloth. You should only treat such parts with special solvent-free plastic cleaning and care products it does prove to be adequate.
Upholstery cloth and cloth trim on the doors, luggage compartment cover, head- liner etc. are best treated with special cleaning products, using if necessary a dry foam and a soft sponge or brush.
We recommend using a cleaning product from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack the material and can damage it.
Fabric covers of electrically heated seats
Do not clean the seat covers moist as this may result in damage to the seat heating system.
Clean such covers using special agents, for example dry foam.
Natural leather
Natural leather requires quite particular care and attention.
Leather should be treated from time to time according the following
guidelines depending on how much it is used.
Normal cleaning
– Clean soiled areas of the leather with slightly moistened cotton or
woollen cloth.
Severe soiling
– Clean severely soiled areas with a cloth dipped in a mild soapy solu-
tion (2 spoonfuls of natural soap to 1 litre of water).
– Ensure that the leather is not soaked through at any point and that no
water gets into the stitching of the seams.
– Dry off the leather with a soft, dry cloth.
NKO A05R 20 MR08.book Page 168 Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:42 AM