
Driving and the Environment207
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
The adaptation of the headlight with Xenon lights* (applies only to vehicles which 
are designed for driving right and left) is performed in the menu 
Setup (settings) 
Lights & Vision (Lights & Vision)  in the main menu of the information display* 
⇒ page 26.
Note
You can obtain further information regarding masking over or converting the head-
lights from your Škoda Service Partner.
Avoiding damage to your vehicle
When driving on poor roads and lanes or when driving over kerbstones, steep 
ramps etc., you must pay particular attention to ensuring that any low-slung parts 
of the vehicle, such as spoiler and ex haust, do not touch the ground and get 
damaged.
This particularly applies to models with  a lowered suspension (sport suspension) 
and also when your vehicle is fully laden.
20A5Facelift.book  Page 207  Saturday, September 6, 2008  2:13 PM 

Towing a trailer209
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical 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 64.
Detachable ball head
The ball rod is detachable on vehicles which feature a factory-fitted towing device. 
It is stowed together with separate fitting instructions in the spare wheel well in the 
luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Further information on the towing device  ⇒page 210.
Note
•We recommend that you also have your 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 temperature 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 18, “Coolant temperature gauge”.
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 229, “Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines  ⇒page 37, “Coolant temperature/ Coolant 
quantity  ”.
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 
20A5Facelift.book  Page 209  Saturday, September 6, 2008  2:13 PM 

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
214
Plastic parts
External plastic parts are cleaned by norm al washing. Plastic parts and synthetic 
leather can also be treated with  special solvent-free plastic cleaning agents  if a 
damp cloth is not sufficient. Paint care pr oducts are not suitable for plastic parts.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack the material and can damage it.
Windows
Only use a plastic ice scraper for removing snow and ice from the windows and 
mirrors. You should not move the ice scraper forward and backward but in one 
direction on the window which you are clea ning in order to avoid any damage to 
the surface of the glass.
You can best remove residues of rubber,  oil, grease, wax or silicone by using a 
special window cleaner or a special silicone remover.
You should also clean the windows regularly from the inside.
Do not use window leathers  which you have used to polish the vehicle body to dry 
off the windows. Residues of preservati ves in the window leather can dirty the 
window and reduce visibility.
Do not affix any stickers over the inside of the rear window to avoid damage to the 
heating elements of the rear window heater .
We recommend using a preservative from  Škoda genuine accessories offered by 
your Škoda dealer.
Caution
Never remove snow or ice from the glass  parts with warm or hot water - risk of 
formation of cracks in the glass!
The headlight lenses
Please do not use any aggres sive cleaning or chemical solvent pr oducts - risk of 
damage to the plastic lenses  Please use soap and clean warm water.
Caution
Never wipe the headlights dry and do not  use any sharp objects for cleaning the 
plastic lenses, this may result in damage  to the protective paintwork and conse-
quently in formation of cracks on the head light lenses, e.g through effect of chem-
ical products.
Door and window seals
The rubber seals on the doors, boot lid, bonnet and windows remain supple and 
last longer if you treat them from time to  time with a rubber care product (e.g. with 
a spray with silicone-free oil). You also avoid premature wear of the seals and 
prevent leakages in this way. It is also easier to open the doors. Rubber seals which 
are well cared for also do not stick together in cold winter weather.
Locks
We recommend that you use the spray from Škoda original accessories with 
regreasing and anticorrosive  effect for de-icing locks.
Note
When washing your vehicle, ensure that as  little water as possible gets into the 
locks.
20A5Facelift.book  Page 214  Saturday, September 6, 2008  2:13 PM 

Inspecting and replenishing235
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
A discharged battery may already 
freeze at temperatures just below 0°C  ⇒. We 
recommend that you no longer use a ba ttery which has thawed out because the 
casing of the battery may be cracked through the formation of ice and this would 
allow battery electrolyte to flow out.
The vent plugs of the battery should not be opened for charging.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic 
burns. Replace a frozen battery.
Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery
On disconnecting and reconnecting the batte ry the following functions are initially 
deactivated or are no longer  able to operate fault-free.
We recommend having the ve hicle checked by a Škoda Service Partner to ensure 
full functionality of all electrical systems.
Replacing the battery
You should only replace a battery with a  new battery of the same capacity, voltage 
(12 V), amperage and of the same size. Škoda Service Partners have a range of suit-
able batteries  available.
We recommend that you only have an old ba ttery disposed of by your Škoda dealer 
since it does require special disposal.
For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain pois onous substances such as sulphur ic acid and lead. They must 
be disposed of in accordance with loca l environmental protection regulations and 
on no account as domestic waste.
Windshield washer system
The windshield washer reservoir contains  the cleaning fluid for the windscreen or 
rear window and for the headlamp cleaning  system*. The reservoir is located at the 
front right of the engine compartment  ⇒fig. 217 .
The  filling level  of the container is 3 litres, 5.5 li tres on vehicles which also have a 
headlight washing system.
Clear water is not sufficient to intensivel y clean the windscreen and headlights. We 
therefore recommend using clean washing water together with the screen cleaner 
from Škoda genuine accessorie s (in winter additionally with antifreeze) which is 
capable of removing stubborn dirt. Follow  the instructions for use on the packaging 
when using screen cleaning products.
You should always add antifreeze to the  cleaning water in winter even if your 
vehicle is fitted with heated  windscreen washer nozzles*.
It is also possible in exceptional cases to use methylated spirits when no screen 
cleaner with antifreeze is available. The concentration of methylated spirits must 
OperationOperating measure
Electrical power window (operational faults)⇒ page 55
Enter radio code numbersee Radio Operating Instructions
Set hours⇒page 21
Data in the multi-functional indicator* are 
deleted⇒page 21
Fig. 217  Engine compart-
ment: Windshield washer 
fluid reservoir
20A5Facelift.book  Page 235  Saturday, September 6, 2008  2:13 PM 

Inspecting and replenishing
236
not be more than 15 %. Please note, howeve r, that the antifreeze protection at this 
concentration is only adequate down to -5°C.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes  ⇒page 225, “Working in the engine 
compartment” before working  in the engine compartment.
Caution
•On no account should you add radiator  antifreeze or other additives to the 
windscreen washer fluid.
•If the vehicle is fitted with headligh t cleaning system, you should only add 
cleaning products which do not attack th e polycarbonate coating of the headlights 
to the windscreen washer fluid. Please contact your Škoda Service Partner, who will 
tell you which cleaning agent you can use.
20A5Facelift.book  Page 236  Saturday, September 6, 2008  2:13 PM 

Breakdown assistance
254
– Release the clutch particularly gent ly when starting off or depress the 
accelerator particularly gently if yo ur vehicle is fitted with an auto-
matic gearbox.
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 wi ndscreen 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 si gnificantly 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.
Only attach the tow rope to the  towing eyes provided for this purpose  ⇒page 254 
and  ⇒page 255.
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 ro pe 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.
Fig. 231  Front bumper: 
Protective grille
20A5Facelift.book  Page 254  Saturday, September 6, 2008  2:13 PM 

Fuses and light bulbs261
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
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.
No.Power consumerAmperes
1Diagnostic socket, Engine control unit, Electrical fuel 
pump10
2Control unit for ABS, ESP5
3Airbag5
4Heating, Air conditioning system, Reversing lights5
5Control unit for headlamp beam adjustment5
6Instrument cluster, Control unit for automatic gearbox, 
Control unit for electromec hanical power steering, 
Parking aid; Haldex clutch5
7Not assigned
8Not assigned
9Not assigned
10Not assigned
11Not assigned
Fig. 239  Schematic repre-
sentation of the fuse carrier 
in the dash panel
12Central locking control unit10
13Diagnostic socket, Light switch, Brake light10
14Control unit for automatic gearbox, Selector lever lock5
15Central control unit - interior lights5
16Climatronic10
17Not assigned
18Not assigned
19Control unit for trailer detection5
20Left side cornering lights10
21Right side cornering lights10
22Air blower for Climatronic40
23Front power window30
24Cigarette lighter25
25Rear window heater
Rear window heater, Auxiliar y heating (auxiliary heating 
and ventilation)25
30
26Power socket in the luggage compartment20
27Fuel pump relay, Injection valves (diesel engine)15
28Not assigned
29Engine control unit, Cran kcase ventilation heater10
30Control unit for automatic gearbox20
31Vacuum pump20
32Rear power window30
33Electric sliding/tilting roof25
34Control unit for convenience functions20
35Anti-theft alarm system5
No.Power consumerAmperes
20A5Facelift.book  Page 261  Saturday, September 6, 2008  2:13 PM 

Fuses and light bulbs
262
Electrically adjustable seats are protected by  automatic circuit breakers, which 
switch on again automatically after a few seconds after the overload has been 
eliminated.
Bulbs
Changing bulbs
The relevant lamp must always be switch ed off before a light bulb is replaced.
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 wh ich 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 ca
lling on other professional assistance.
Please note that the engine compartment is a hazardous area  ⇒page 225, 
“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 
23) are available at specialist garages.
The set of light bulbs can be stowed  in the locable box in the spare wheel.
Fitted with a xenon headlight
Change of light bulbs on Xenon lights (low beam lights, parking lights and main 
beam lights) should  be undertaken by a specialist garage.
Overview of bulbs
36Headlight cleaning system20
37Front seat heating30
38Heated rear seats30
39Not assigned
40Air blower for heating and air conditioning40
41Rear window wiper15
42Not assigned
43To w i n g  d e v i c e15
44To w i n g  d e v i c e20
45To w i n g  d e v i c e15
46Heated windscreen washer nozzles5
47Relay for auxiliary heating5
48Not assigned
49Light switch5
No.Power consumerAmperes
23)Replacement light bulbs are, on the other hand,  part of the basic equipping of the vehicle in
some countries.
Front headlightHalogen headlightXenon headlight
Low beam H7D1S
Main beam lightH1
Parking lightsW5W/W5W BL
Daylight driving lights*PY21W SLL/LEDa)
a)Octavia RS
Tu r n  s i g n a l sPY21W
Fog lightsH8/HB4a)
20A5Facelift.book  Page 262  Saturday, September 6, 2008  2:13 PM