2008 SKODA OCTAVIA check oil

The brief instruction
16
– Pulling on the handle ⇒page 15, fig. 15 will unlock the bonnet fully.
– Take the bonnet support out of its holder and set it in the opening designed for it ⇒fig. 16 .
Further information ⇒page 224, “Opening and closing the bonnet.”.
Inspecting the engine oil level
Engine oil must not be refilled.
Engine oil can be refilled. Engine oil
must be refilled.
Further information ⇒page 227, “Check engine oil level”.
Fig. 16 Securing the bonnet
with the bonnet support
Fig. 17 Dipstick
AA
AB
AC
20A5Facelift.book Page 16 Saturday, September 6, 2008 2:13 PM

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights29
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
messages are displayed one after the other in an interval of 5 seconds. Check as
soon as possible the displayed error messages.
As long as the operational faults are not rectified, the symbols are always indicated
again. After the first display, the symbols are indicated without information for the
driver.
If a fault occurs, a warning signal will also sound in addition to the symbol and text
in the display:
•Priority 1 - three warning signals
•Priority 2 - one warning signal
Red symbols
A red symbol signals danger.
– Stop the vehicle.
– Switch the engine off.
– Investigate the function indicated.
– Obtain professional assistance.
Meaning of the red symbols:
Three
successive warning signals will sound if a red symbol appears.
Yellow symbols
Check the relevant function as soon as possible.
The meaning of the yellow symbols:
One warning signal will sound if a yellow symbol appears.
If several operational faults of priority 2 exist, the symbols appear one after the
other and are each illumi nated for about 5 seconds.
Fig. 33 Information display:
Oil pressure is low
Engine oil pressure too low ⇒page 36
Check engine oil level,
engine oil sensor faulty⇒page 41
Brake pad worn⇒page 39
Fig. 34 Information display:
Brake pad worn
20A5Facelift.book Page 29 Saturday, September 6, 2008 2:13 PM

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
36
WARNING
Contact your specialist garage if the power steering is defective.
Note
•If the yellow warning light  goes out after starting the engine again and a short
drive, it is not necessary to visit a specialist garage.
•If the battery has been disconnected an d reconnected, the yellow warning light  comes on after switching on the ignition. The warning light must go out after
driving a short distance.
Engine oil pressure 
The warning light  comes on for a few seconds 4) when the ignition is switched
on.
Stop the vehicle and sw itch the engine off if the warning light does not go off
after the engine has started or flashes while driving. Check the oil level and top up
with oil as necessary ⇒page 228, “Replenishing engine oil”.
An audible signal sounds three times as an additional warning signal.
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the
conditions prevailing to top up with oil. Keep the engine switched off and obtain
professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe
engine damage.
Do not drive any further if the warning light flashes even if the oil is at the correct
level. Do not run the engine not at idling speed either. Contact the nearest specialist
garage to obtain professional assistance.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Oil Pressure Engine off! Owner's manual
WARNING
•If you must stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe
distance from the traffic and switch off the engine and switch on the hazard
warning light system.
•The red oil pressure light  is not an oil level indicator! One should
therefore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably after every refu-
eling stop.
EPC fault light  (petrol engine)
The  (Electronic Power Control) warning light comes on for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched on.
If the warning light
 does not go out or lights up after starting the engine, a fault
exists in the engine control. The engine management system selects an emergency
programme which enables you to drive to the nearest specialist garage by adopting
a gentle style of driving.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Engine fault Workshop! (Engine fault workshop!)
Glow plug system  (diesel engine)
The warning light  lights up for a cold engine when switching on the ignition
(pre-heat position) 2 ⇒ page 125. Start the engine after the indicator light goes out.
The glow plug indicato r light will come on for about 1 second if the engine is at a
normal operating temperature or if the outside temperature is above +5°C. This
means that you can start the engine right away.
There is a fault in the glow plug system if the warning light
 does not come on
at all or lights up continuously . Contact a specialist garage as soon as possible to
obtain assistance.
If the warning light
 begins to flash while driving, a fault exists in the engine
control. The engine management system selects an emergency programme which 4)The warning light  on vehicles fitted with information display does not come on after
switching the ignition on, but only if a fault exists or the engine oil level is too low.
20A5Facelift.book Page 36 Saturday, September 6, 2008 2:13 PM

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights41
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
dropped below the MIN marking, do not
drive any further - risk of accident!
Contact a Škoda dealer to obtain professional assistance.
Alternator 
The warning light  comes on after the ignition has been switched on. It should go
out after the engine has started.
If the warning light does not go out after the engine has started, or comes on when
driving, drive to the nearest specialist garage. The vehicle battery will be discharged
in this case so switch off all non-essential electrical components.
Caution
If the warning light  comes on when driving and in addition the warning light 
(cooling system fault) also comes on in di splay, you must then stop the car imme-
diately and switch the engine off - risk of engine damage!
Engine oil level 
Warning light  lights up
If the warning light
 lights up, the quantity of oil in the engine is probably too low.
Check as soon as possible the oil level or top up ⇒page 228, “Replenishing engine
oil” with engine oil.
A peep sounds as an addi tional warning signal.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*: Check oil level!
The warning light will go out if the bonnet is left open for more than 30 seconds. If
no engine oil has been replenished, the warning light will come on again after
driving about 100 km. Warning light
 flashes
A fault on the engine oil level sensor is in dicated additionally by an audible signal
and the warning light coming on several ti mes after the ignition has been switched
on.
In this case have the engine inspecte d without delay by a specialist garage.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*: Oil sensor Workshop!
Fuel reserve 
The warning light  comes on, if the fuel level is still below 9 litres.
An audible signal sounds as an additional warning signal.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*: Please refuel! Range...km
Note
The Text in the information display* goes out only after refuelling and driving a
short distance.
WARNING (continued)
20A5Facelift.book Page 41 Saturday, September 6, 2008 2:13 PM

Seats and Stowage
82
To enlarge the luggage compartment, the rear seats can be folded
forwards, if necessary remove the rear seats. The rear seats can be folded
forward individually on vehicles with divided rear seats*.
Folding the rear seats forwards
– Before folding the rear seats forwar d adjust the front seats in such a
way that they are not damaged when folding forward the rear seats.
– Pull up the rear seats in the direction of arrow and fold forwards in direction of arrow ⇒page 81, fig. 82 .
– Press the unlocking knob and fold the rear seat backrest forwards ⇒fig. 83 .
If the front seats are too far back, we recommend that you have the rear head
restraints removed before the seat backrests are folded forward. Store the removed
head restraints in such a way that they cannot be damaged or soiled. Please refer to
the guidelines ⇒page 85.
Folding the seats back into position
Folding the seats back into position
– Install the head restraint in the slightly lifted rear seat backrest.
– Place the rear lateral seat belt behind the edge of the side trim
panel ⇒fig. 84 .
– Then push the seat backrest back into the upright position until the securing knob clicks into place - check by pulling on the rear seat
backrest.
– Make sure that the red pin is covered ⇒fig. 83 .
– Fold the rear seat back into its original position.
WARNING
•The belts and the belt locks must be in their original position after folding
back the rear seats and seat backrests - they must be ready to use.
•The seat backrests must be securely interlocked in position so that no
objects in the luggage compartment can slide into the passenger compart-
ment if there is sudden braking - risk of injury!
Fig. 83 Unlock the seat back-
rest
A1
A2
AA
Fig. 84 Lock the backrest
AC
AB
20A5Facelift.book Page 82 Saturday, September 6, 2008 2:13 PM

Starting-off and Driving
126
Starting the engine
General
You can only start the engine only using an original ignition key.
•Place the gearshift lever into neutral (or place the selector lever to the position
P or N in the case of an automatic gearbox) and put on the handbrake firmly before
starting the engine.
•The clutch pedal should be fully depressed when starting the engine which
means that the starter only has to crank the engine.
•Let go of the key as soon as the engine starts otherwise there may be damage
to the starter.
The engine running noises may louder at first be louder for a short time after
starting the cold engine until oil pressure can be built up in the hydraulic valve
clearance compensation. This is quite no rmal and is not an operating problem.
If the engine does not start ...
You can use the battery of anothe r vehicle as a jump-start aid ⇒page 252.
It is only possible to tow-start vehicles fitted with a manual gearbox. The tow-
starting distance must not be more than 50 metres ⇒page 256.
WARNING
•Never run the engine in non ventilat ed or enclosed areas. The exhaust
gases of the engine contain besides the odorless and colourless carbon
monoxide a poisonous gas - hazard! Carbon monoxide can cause uncon-
sciousness and death.
•Never leave your vehicle unattended with the engine running.
Caution
•The starter may only be operated (ignition key position ), if the engine is not
running. If the starter is immediately operated after switching off the engine, the
starter or the engine can be damaged.
•Avoid high engine revolutions, full throttle and high engine loads as long as the
engine has not yet reached its normal oper ating temperature - risk of damaging the
engine!
•Vehicles which are fitted with an exhaust gas catalytic conver ter should not be
tow-started over a distance of more than 50 metres.
For the sake of the environment
Never warm up the engine when the vehicle is standing. Drive off right away.
Through this the engine reaches its operating temperature more rapidly and the
pollutant emissions are lower.
Petrol engines
These engines are fitted with a starter system which selects the correct fuel/air
mixture for every external air temperature.
•Do not operate accelerator befo re and when starting engine.
•Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start
right awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
•It is possible that the fuse on the electrical fuel pump is defect if the engine still
does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary ⇒page 257.
•Contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
It may be necessary, if the engine is very hot, to slightly depress the accelerator
after the engine has started.
Diesel engines
Glow plug system
Diesel engines are equipped with a glow plug system, the preglow period being
controlled automatically in line with the coolant temperature and outside temper-
ature.
The preglow indicator light
 comes on after the igniti on has been switched on.
A3
20A5Facelift.book Page 126 Saturday, September 6, 2008 2:13 PM

Seat belts
170
•No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single seat belt
together.
•The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if
you are correctly seated ⇒page 164, “Correct seated position”.
•The belt webbing must no t run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. spec-
tacles, ball-point pens, keys etc.) as this may be a cause of injuries.
•Bulky, loose clothing (e.g. a winter coat over a jacket) does not allow you
to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of the seat belts.
•It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e.g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons).
•The lock tongue should only be insert ed into the lock which is the correct
one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to
protect and the risk of injury increases.
•The backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
•The belt webbing must always be ke pt clean. Soiled belt webbing may
impair proper operation of the inertia reel ⇒page 217, “Seat belts”.
•The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked by paper or similar
objects otherwise the belt tongue will not lock in place properly.
•Inspect the seat belts regu larly to ensure they are in good condition. If
you find seat belts which have damage to the seat belt webbing, seat belt
connections, to the inertia reels or to the lock, the relevant safety belt must
be replaced by a specialist garage.
•The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not make
an attempt to repair the seat belts yourself.
•Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident
and were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is best done by a
specialist garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected.
The anchorage points for the be lts should also be checked.
•In certain countries it is possible to use seat belts which differ in terms of
their operation from the seat belts wh ich are described on the pages which
follow.
How are seat belts correctly fastened?
Fastening three-point seat belts
Fasten your seat belt before starting!
– Correctly adjust the front seat and the head restraint before fastening your seat belt ⇒page 80.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 173 Routing of webbing
over the shoulders and the
lap belt
Fig. 174 Routing of belt
webbing for an expectant
mother
20A5Facelift.book Page 170 Saturday, September 6, 2008 2:13 PM

Driving and the Environment
204
Avoiding full throttle
Driving more slowly means saving fuel.
Sensitive use of the accelera tor 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 ⇒fig. 202 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-quarters 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 moto ring 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 fuel 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.
Fig. 202 Fuel consumption
in litres/100 km. and speed in
km/h.
20A5Facelift.book Page 204 Saturday, September 6, 2008 2:13 PM