2008 SKODA ROOMSTER technical data

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WARNING
•Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary.
•The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater physical effort for braking is required when engine is switched off. Because if you do not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
Antilock brake system (ABS)*
ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.
General
The ABS contributes significan tly to enhancing the active safety of your vehicle. Compared to a car not fitted with the ABS brake system, you are able to retain optimal steering ability even during a fu ll brake application on a slippery road surface because the wheels do not lock up.
You must not expect, however, that the br aking distance will be shorter under all circumstances as a result of the ABS. Th e braking distance for example on gravel and fresh snow, when you should anyway be driving slowly and cautiously, will be longer.
Operating principle
As soon as the vehicle speed has increase d to about 20 km/hour an automatic test procedure is conducted during which you wi ll be able to hear a pumping noise for about 1 second.
The brake pressure will be reduced on a wheel which is rotating at a speed which is too low for the speed of the vehicle and tend ing to lock. This control cycle is notice- able from a pulsating movement of the brake pedal which is accompanied by noises. This is consciously intended to pr ovide the driver with the information that the wheels are tending to lock (ABS control range). You must always keep the brake pedal depressed to enable the ABS to optima lly control the brake application in this braking range. Never interrupt the application of the brakes!
WARNING
•The ABS can also not overcome the physic al limits of your vehicle. Please do not forget this, particularly when driv ing on icy or wet road surfaces. If the ABS is operating within the control ra nge, adapt your speed immediately to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered by the ABS must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
•The normal braking system is still fully functional if there is an ABS fault. Visit a specialist garage as quickly as po ssible and adjust your style of driving to take account of the ABS fault in the meantime since you will not know how great the damage is.
Note
•A warning light comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system ⇒page 27.
•Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or other assign- ment of tyres and wheels) can in fluence the function of the ABS ⇒page 193, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Brake Assist*
During a severe brake application (e.g. if a hazard exists), the Brake Assist increases the braking force and thus makes it possible to rapidly produce the pressure required in the brake system.
The majority of drivers do apply the brakes in good time in dangerous situations, but do not depress the brake pedal with suff icient pressure. Consequently, it is not possible for the car to achieve its maxi mum deceleration and the car covers a greater distance than necessary.
The Brake Assist is activated by the very quick operation of the brake pedal. In such cases, a much greater braking pressure ex ists than during a normal brake applica- tion. This makes it possible, even with a relatively low resistance of the brake pedal, to produce an adequate pressure in the brake system in the shortest possible time, which is required for maximum deceleration of the car. You must apply the brake
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•the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when driving uphill or downhill),
•the vehicle is operated in unfavourable winter conditions or on an unfirm ground,
•snow chains or emergency wheel are mounted,
•the driver has a sporty style of driving (with sharp acceleration and high speed when cornering).
Basic setting of tyre inflation pressure-control system
After changing the tyre inflation pressures or after changing one or several wheels, a basic setting of the system must be carried out as follows.
•Inflate all tyres to the specified inflation pressure ⇒page 187.
•Switch on the ignition.
•Press button   ⇒page 150, fig. 147 for more than 2 seconds. While pressing the button, the warning light  lights up. At the same time the basic values are stored, which is confirmed with an acoustic sound and then the warning light  goes out.
•If the warning light  does not go out after the basic setting, there is a fault in the system. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage.
Function description
After the basic setting of the system the “a daptation” of the tyre inflation pressures and then the tyre pressure control in the individual tyres are performed.
Warning light  lights up
If the tyre inflation pressure of at least on e wheel is insufficiently inflated in compar- ison to the stored basic value, the warning light  ⇒ lights up. Inflate all tyres to the specified inflation pressure ⇒page 187, “Tyre life” and then perform a basic setting of the system.
WARNING
•When the warning light  lights up, immediately reduce the speed and avoid sudden steering and brake mano euvres. Please stop the vehicle
without delay at the nearest possible stop and inspect the tyres and their inflation pressures.
•The driver is responsible for the correc t tyre inflation pressures. For this reason, the tyre inflation pressures must be checked regularly.
•Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved roads) the warning light  can be delayed or does not light up at all.
•The tyre inflation pressure-control system does not take away the responsability from the driver for the correct tyre inflation pressure.
Note
The tyre inflation pressure-control system:
•does not replace the regular tyre inflatio n pressure control, because the system cannot detect an even pressure loss,
•cannot warn in case of very rapid tyre inflation pressure loss, e.g. in case of sudden tyre damage. In this case carefully bring the vehicle to a standstill without sudden steering movements and without sharp braking.
WARNING (continued)
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Driving and the Environment
The first 1 500 kilometres and then afterwards
A new engine
The engine has to be run in during the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1 000 kilometres
– Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the mamimum speed of the gear in use,
that is 3/4 of the maximum permissible engine speed.
– Do not use full throttle.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres
– Increase the power output of the engine gradually up to the full
speed of the gear engaged, that is up to the maximum permissible
engine revolutions.
During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than later until all of the moving parts have harmonized. The driving style which you adopt during the first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive part in the success of running in your car.
You should not drive at unnecessarily high engine revolutions even after the running-in period is complete. The maximum permissible engine speed is marked by the beginning of the red zone on the scale of the revolutions counter. Shift up into the next higher gear on a vehicle fitted with manual gearbox before the red zone is reached. Extremely high engine revolutions are automatically governed, by the way.
For a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox the converse situation also applies: Do not drive at engine revolutions which are too low. Shift down as soon as the engine is no longer running smoothly.
Caution
All the speed and engine revolution figure s apply only when the engine is at its normal operating temperature. Never rev up an engine which is cold, neither when the vehicle is stationary nor when driving in individual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Not driving at unnecessarily high engine revolutions and shifting to a higher gear as early as possible are ways to minimise fu el consumption and operating noise levels and protects the environment.
New tyres
New tyres have to be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first. You should take account of this fact for the first 500 kilometres and drive particularly carefully.
New brake pads
Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking efficiency until approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run in” before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however, compensate for this slightly reduced braking force by increa sing the pressure on the brake pedal.
This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future date.
During the running-in period , you should avoid excessive stresses on the brakes. This includes, for example, violent braking, particularly from very high speeds, and also when crossing mountain passes.
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The fuel consumption can naturally also be influenced by factors which are beyond the driver's control. It is, for example, normal for the fuel consumption to increase in winter and under worsened conditions such as poor road conditions, towing a trailer, etc.
The technical requirements for low fuel usage and economic efficiency of the vehicle have already been built into the ve hicle at the works. Special attention has been given to minimising ne gative effects on the environment. It is necessary to take note of the guidelines given in this chapter in order to make best use of these characteristics and to maintain their effectiveness.
Looking ahead when driving
A vehicle's highest fuel consumption occurs it accelerates.
Avoid accelerating and brakin g unnecessarily. If you drive with forsight you will not need to brake so often and will also then not have to accelerate so much. Let your vehicle coast to a stop, for example, if this is possible, when you see that the next set of traffic lights is at red.
Shifting gears and saving energy
Shifting up early saves on fuel.
Manual gearbox
– Drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear.
Always shift up into the next higher gear at approx. 2 000 to 2 500 revs.
Automatic gearbox
– Depress the accelerator pedal slowly. Do not depress it beyond the
kickdown position, however.
An effective way of achieving good fuel economy is to shift up early. You will consume more fuel if you drive at unnecessa rily high revolutions in any given gear.
The ⇒fig. 149 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle in the relevant gears. Fuel consumption in 1st gear is the highest and in 5th gear is the lowest.
Note
•The optimal engine speed should be obtained when accelerating, in order to avoid a high fuel consumption and resonance of the vehicle.
•Also use the information supplied by the multi-functional indicator* ⇒ page 13.
Avoiding full throttle
Driving more slowly means saving fuel.
Fig. 149 Fuel consump- tion in litres/100 km. and speed in km/h.
Fig. 150 Fuel consump-tion in litres/100 km. and speed in km/h.
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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
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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 attent ion 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.
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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.
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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
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