2008 SKODA FABIA tow bar

Seats and Stowage74
Attachment points
Fitting
– Insert the attachment points of the roof rack into the mounts of the
body so that the pins of the attachment points grasp into the holes of
the body.
Note
•Pay attention to the information regarding assembly and disassembly in the attached instructions.
•If you have any questions, please contact a specialist garage.
Roof load
Distribute weight evenly over the roof luggage rack system. The maximum permis-sible roof load (including roof rack system) of 75 kg and the maximum permissible total weight of the vehicle should not be exceeded.
You cannot make full use of the permissible roof load if you use a roof luggage rack system with a lower load carrying capacity. The load transported on the roof luggage rack system must not exceed the weight limit which is stated in the fitting instructions.
WARNING
•The items which you transport on the roof bar system must be reliably attached - risk of accident!
•You must on no account exceed the permissible roof load, the permis-sible axle loads and the permissible gross weight of your vehicle - risk of accident!
•Please note that the handling properties of your vehicle change when you transport heavy or bulky items on the roof bar system as a result of the displacement of the centre of gravity and the increased wind attack area - risk of accident! You must absolutely adapt your style of driving and the speed of the vehicle to the specific circumstances.
Front cup holder
You can place two cups or beverage cans into the recesses ⇒fig. 86.
WARNING
•Do not place any hot beverages into the cup holder. If the vehicle moves, the hot beverages may spill - risk of scalding!
Fig. 85 Attachment points for base roof carrier
Fig. 86 Front centre console: Cup holder
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Towing a trailer166
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 trailer - provided certain technical equipment is fitted.
If your vehicle has been equipped 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 power socket for the electrical connection between the vehicle and trailer. If the trailer which you wish to tow has a 7-pin connector, you can use a suitable adapter 6) from Škoda original accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications if a towing device is retrofitted.
Škoda Service Partners are familiar with details relating to retrofitting a towing device and for any necessary modifications 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 equipment. 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 appropriately steeper inclines and descents if you do not make full use of the permissible 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 output drops with increasing height due to a lowering of air pressure and thus the ability to climb, means that the trailer load 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 towing device The data relating to your vehicle, which is often less than this test data, can be found in your vehicle registration documents or in the brochure - Technical Data.
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 your vehicle for that of “fully laden”, ⇒page 194. 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 6)In some countries the adapter is supplied with the towing device.
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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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Breakdown assistance210
Driving style
Towing another vehicle requires a certain amount of practice. Both drivers should be familiar with the particular points about towing a vehicle. Unskilled drivers should not attempt to tow in another vehicle or to be towed in.
One should be constantly vigilant not to allow impermissibly high towing forces or jerky loadings. There is always a risk of excessive stresses and damage resulting at the points to which you attach the tow rope or tow bar when you attempt to tow a vehicle which is not standing on a paved road.
Caution
If the gearbox of your vehicle no longer contains any oil because of a defect, your vehicle must only be towed in with the driven wheels raised clear of the ground, or on a special vehicle transporter or trailer.
Note
•Please comply with any legal requirements particularly regarding the switched on signal systems, when towing in or tow-starting another vehicle.
•The tow rope must not be twisted as it may in certain circumstances result in the front towing eye being unscrewed out of your vehicle.
Front towing eye
The towing eye is stored in the box for the vehicle tool kit.
Installing the towing eye
– Grasp the protective grille at the point marked with the arrow and take
it out ⇒fig. 189.
– Screw in the towing eye by hand to the left up to the stop ⇒fig. 190.
– Tighten up the towing eye using the wheel wrench (push the wheel
wrench through eye).
Removal of the towing eye
– Unscrew the towing eye.
– Put the protective grille in place on the side opposite the marking.
– Press into place the protective grille onto the side facing the marking.
– The protective grille must engage firmly.
Fig. 189 Front bumper: Protective grille
Fig. 190 Front bumper: Installing the towing eye
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Breakdown assistance211
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Rear towing eye
The rear towing eye is located below the rear bumper on the right ⇒fig. 191.
Tow-starting a vehicle
If the engine does not start, we generally do not recommend to tow-start
your vehicle. One should attempt to start the engine using jump start
cables ⇒page 208 or call on the services of the SERVICE mobile.
If your vehicle has to be towed:
– Engage 2nd or 3rd gear with the vehicle stationary.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Switch on the ignition.
– Wait until both vehicles are moving then release the clutch pedal
slowly.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully when the engine fires and take the
vehicle out of gear.
WARNING
There is high risk of having an accident when tow-starting a vehicle, when for example the towed vehicle runs into the towing vehicle.
Caution
Vehicles which are fitted with a catalytic converter should not be tow-started over a distance of more than 50 metres. Unburnt fuel may get into the catalytic converter and damage it.
Towing in a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox
Please refer to the notes ⇒page 209.
The car can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope or with the front or rear wheels raised. The maximum towing speed is 50 km/h.
Towing of a vehicle with an automatic gearbox
Please refer to the notes ⇒page 209.
The car can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope. Refer at the same time to the following guidelines:
•Move selector lever into N.
•The maximum towing speed is 50 km/h.
•The maximum permissible towing distance is 50 km. The gear oil pump does not operate when the engine is not running; the gearbox would not be adequately lubricated at higher speeds and over longer towing distance.
Caution
If the vehicle is towed in by a recovery vehicle, it should only be towed in with the front wheels raised. If the vehicle is raised at rear, the automatic gearbox is damaged!
Fig. 191 Rear towing eye
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