Inspecting and Replenishing188
Radiator fan
The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.
The radiator fan is driven by an electric motor and controlled by a thermostat according to the coolant temperature.
The radiator fan may continue running for up to 10 minutes after the engine has been switched off - even if the ignition is also off. It may also switch on suddenly after a certain time, if
•the coolant temperature has risen because of an accumulation of heat or
•the warm engine compartment is heated up additionally by strong sunlight.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when working in the engine compartment that the fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!
Brake fluid
Inspecting the brake fluid level
The brake fluid reservoir is located on the left of the engine compartment.
The brake fluid reservoir on right-hand steering models is positioned on
the other side of the engine compartment.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒ in “Working in the engine compartment” on
page 181.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir ⇒fig. 173. The level must
be between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-tear and automatic adjustment of the brake pads, and is perfectly normal.
There may be an indication of a leak in the brake system, however, if the fluid level drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” marking. A situ-ation where the brake fluid level is too low is indicated by the warning light lighting up in the instrument cluster ⇒page 28. In this case stop immediately and do not drive any further! Obtain professional assistance.
WARNING
•Read and observe the warning notes ⇒page 181, “Working in the engine compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
•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 fluid
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. This causes the fluid to absorb moisture from the surrounding air over a period of time. Excessive water in the brake fluid may be the cause of corrosion in the brake system. The water content also lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid. This is why brake fluid must be replaced every two years.
Fig. 173 Engine compart-ment: Brake fluid reservoir
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Inspecting and Replenishing190
WARNING
•The battery acid is strongly corrosive and must, therefore, be handled with the greatest of care. Always wear protective gloves, eye and skin protection when handling batteries. Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivitis and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs. Battery acid corrodes dental enamel and creates deep wounds after contact with the skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids coming into contact with water are diluted accompanied by significant development of heat.
•Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the battery vent openings. Protect the eyes with safety glasses or a shield! There is the danger of suffering blindness! If any battery electrolyte gets into your eye, rinse out your eye immediately with clear water for several minutes. Contact a doctor without delay.
•Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Contact a doctor immediately if you swallow battery electrolyte.
•Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
•Hydrogen is released when you charge a battery and a highly explosive gas mixture is produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling over during unclamping or loosening of the cable plug while the ignition is on.
•Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal objects, cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explosion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.
•It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry out any activities which produce sparks. Avoid creating sparks when working with cables and electrical devices. Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.
•Before carrying out any work on the electrical system, switch off the engine, the ignition as well as all electrical components and disconnect the negative cable (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off the appropriate light.
•Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns! Replace a frozen battery.
•Never use a battery which is damaged - risk of explosion! Immediately replace a damaged battery.
Caution
•You must only disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched off, otherwise the electrical system (electronic components) of the vehicle may be damaged. When disconnecting the battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, first disconnect the negative terminal (-) of the battery. Then disconnect the positive terminal (+).
•When reconnecting the battery, first connect the positive terminal (+) and only then the negative terminal (-) of the battery. You must on no account connect the cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.
•Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the vehicle body otherwise damage could occur to the paintwork.
•Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the battery housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.
For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of waste which is harmful to the environment - we recommend that you contact your Škoda Service Partner regarding disposing of the battery.
Note
•Please also refer to the guidelines ⇒page 192, “Disconnecting and recon-necting the battery”, also after connecting the battery.
WARNING (continued)
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Breakdown assistance203
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•The spare wheel provided with a car fitted with unidirectional tyres has different dimensions. The wheel is provided with a warning sticker.
•After fitting on the wheel, the warning sticker must not be concealed (e.g. by the wheel trim).
•Do not drive with this spare wheel at more than 80 km/h - risk of accident. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
•The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation pressure of the standard tyres.
•Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not intended for continuous use.
Changing a wheel
Preliminary work
The following steps should be carried out before actually changing the
wheel.
– If it is necessary to change a wheel, park the vehicle as far away as
possible from the traffic flow. The place you choose should be level.
– Have all the occupants get out. While changing a wheel, the occu-
pants of the vehicle should not stand on the road (e.g. behind a crash
barrier).
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
–Engage 1st gear or if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox,
position the selector lever into position P.
– If a trailer is coupled, uncouple it.
– Take the vehicle tool kit and the spare wheel ⇒page 202 out of the
luggage compartment.
WARNING
•If you find yourself in flowing traffic switch on the hazard warning lights system and place the warning triangle on the side of the road at the prescribed distance from your vehicle while observing all national legal provisions. In this way you are protecting not only yourself but also other road users.
•Never start the engine with the vehicle sitting on the raised jack - danger of suffering injury!
Caution
If you have to change a wheel on a slope first block the opposite wheel with a stone or similar object in order to secure the vehicle from unexpectedly rolling away.
Note
Comply with the national legal regulations.
Changing a wheel
Always change a wheel on a level surface as far as possible.
– Take off the full wheel trim* ⇒page 204 or the caps ⇒page 205.
– In the case of light alloy wheels remove the wheel trim cap
⇒page 205.
– Slacken the wheel bolts ⇒page 206.
– Jack up the vehicle until the wheel to be changed is clear of the ground
⇒page 206.
– Unscrew the wheel bolts and place them on a clean surface (cloth,
paper etc.).
– Take off the wheel.
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Breakdown assistance209
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 parts 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 instructions 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 particularly gently when starting off.
Driver of the towed vehicle
– Switch the ignition on so that the 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 210, “Front towing eye” and ⇒page 211, “Rear towing eye”.
A4
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Fuses and light bulbs213
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Fuses and light bulbs
Electric fuses
Replacing fuses in the dash panel
Defect fuses must be replaced.
Individual electrical circuits are protected by fuses. The fuses are located
on the left side of the dash panel behind the safety cover.
– Switch the ignition off and also the electrical component affected.
– Carefully swivel the cover in the direction of arrow and pull it out
⇒fig. 192.
– Find out which fuse belongs to the component which is not operating
⇒page 214, “Fuse assignment in the dash panel”.
– Take the plastic clip out of its fixture in the fuse cover, insert it onto the
respective fuse and pull out this fuse.
– Defect fuses can be detected by their melted metal strips. Replace the
defect fuse by a new fuse of the same ampere number.
– Insert the fuse cover into the dash panel in such a way that the guide
lugs are guided into the openings of the dash panel and then lock
them by pressing.
We recommend that you carry the box of replacement fuses with you which was delivered in your vehicle. You can obtain replacement fuses 8) from a Škoda Service Par tner.
Colour coding of fuses
Caution
•Never attempt to “repair” fuses and also do not replace them with a fuse of a higher amperage - risk of fire! This may also cause damage at another part of the electrical system.
•Have the electrical system checked as quickly as possible by a specialist garage if a newly inserted fuse blows again after a short time.
Fig. 192 Bottom side of the dash panel: fuse cover
8)Replacement fuses are, on the other hand, part of the basic equipping of the vehicle in somecountries.
ColourMaximum amperage
light brown5
brown7,5
red10
blue15
yellow20
white25
green30
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Fuses and light bulbs214
Note
We recommend that you have these fuses replaced by a specialist garage.
Fuse assignment in the dash panel
Certain electrical components are only standard on certain vehicle model versions or only suppliable as optional equipment for certain models.
Fig. 193 Schematic repre-sentation of the fuse box for vehicles with left-hand steering.
Fig. 194 Schematic repre-sentation of the fuse box for vehicles with right-hand steering.
No.Power consumerAmperes
1Not assigned
2Not assigned
3Instrument cluster, headlight range adjustment5
4ABS control unit5
5Petrol engine: Brake light switch, cruise control system5
6Not assigned
7Engine control unit 1.2 ltr.15
8Injection valves - 1.4 ltr.; 1.6 ltr.10
9Operating controls for the heating, control unit for air condi-tioning system, parking aid, control unit for cornering lights5
10Not assigned
11Electrically adjustable rear mirror, power windows7,5
12Reversing light7,5
13Engine control unit (for vehicles with automatic gearbox)10
14Motor for cornering lights10
15Navigation PDA5
16Electrohydraulic power steering, engine control unit - petrol engine5
17Left parking light, licence plate light5
18Right parking light5
19Radio, central control unit5
20Engine control unit 1.4 ltr.; 1.6 ltr. - diesel engine5
21Brake lights10
22Operating controls for the heating, control unit for air condi-tioning system, parking aid, mobile phone, instrument clus-ter, steering angle sender, ESP, vehicle voltage control unit7,5
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Fuses and light bulbs215
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
23Lighting interior, storage compartment and luggage com-partment7,5
24Tailgate lock10
25Seat heaters20
26Heatable windscreen washing nozzles, windscreen cleaning system15
27Not assigned
28Petrol engine: AKF valve, petrol engine: Control flap10
29Injection - 1.2 ltr. engine10
30Fuel pump - petrol engine15
31Lambda probe10
32Diesel engine: Switch for brake light and clutch pedal, cruise control system, fuel pump relay and glow plug system relay5
33Engine control unit - diesel engine30
34Engine control unit 1.4 ltr.; 1.6 ltr.30
Fuel pump - diesel engine15
35Lighting of the instrument cluster and the switch5
36Main beam15/5a)
37Rear fog light7,5
38Fog lights10
39Blower30
40Rear window wiper10
41Not assigned
42Rear window heater25
43Horn20
44Front window wiper20
No.Power consumerAmperes
45Central control unit for convenience system15
46Not assigned
47Cigarette lighter, power socket in the luggage compartment b)15
48ABS15
49Turn signals15
50Radio, Telephone preinstallation, Multi-functional module10
51Electrical power window (at the front and rear on the left)25
52Electrical power window (at the front and rear on the right)25
53Electric sliding/tilting roof25
54Anti-theft alarm system15
55Not assigned
56Headlight cleaning system25
57Left low beam, headlight range adjustment15
58Low beam on the right15
a)Depending on headlight type - replace defect fuse by a new fuse of the same ampere number.b)If the engine is switched off already one electrical component which is connected can dis-charge the battery.
No.Power consumerAmperes
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Fuses and light bulbs217
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Bulbs
Replacing bulbs
The relevant lamp must always be switched off before a light bulb is replaced.
Do not take hold of the glass bulb with naked fingers (even the smallest amount of dirt reduces the working life of the light bulb). Use a clean cloth, serviette or some-thing similar.
Defect light bulbs should only be replaced with light bulbs of the same type. The designation is located on the light socket or the glass bulb.
Changing certain bulbs is not something which you can do yourself, but requires to be done by a specialist. Other parts of the vehicle must be removed in order to change the light bulbs. This applies, in particular, to bulbs which can only be reached from the engine compartment.
We therefore recommend that you have any bulbs changed by a Škoda Service Partner or, in exceptional cases, by calling on other professional assistance.
Please note that the engine compartment is a hazardous area ⇒page 181, “Working in the engine compartment”.
We recommend that you carry the set of light bulbs with you which was delivered in your vehicle. Replacement light bulbs 9) are available at a Škoda Service Partner.
The set of light bulbs can be stowed in the locable box in the spare wheel.
Overview of bulbs
No.Power consumerAmperes
1Dynamo175
2Interior80
3Electrical auxiliary heating system60
4ABS or TCS or ESP40
5Electrohydraulic power steering50
6Glow plugs50
7ABS or TCS or ESP25
8The radiator fan30
9The air conditioning system5
10The radiator fan40
11Central control unit5
12Automatic gearboxelectrical auxiliary heating system530
9)Replacement light bulbs are, on the other hand, part of the basic equipping of the vehicle insome countries.
Front headlightReflectorModule
Low beam and main beamH4H7
Parking lightsW5W
Tu r n s i g n a l sPY21W
Fog lightsHB4
Fog lights with turning lightH8
Rear light unitBulb
Reversing lightP21W
Tu r n s i g n a l sPY21W
Brake lightsP21W
Rear fog lightP21W
Parking lights2 x W5W
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