Inspecting and Replenishing219
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Inspecting the electrolyte level
The battery is practically maintenance-free under normal oper ating conditions.
We do, however, recommend that you have the electrolyte level inspected from
time to time by a Škoda Service Partner when outside temperatures are high or
when driving on long trips. You shou ld also check the electrolyte level ⇒page 219
each time the battery is charged.
The battery acid level will also be chec ked as part of the Inspection Service.
Operation in winter
The battery has to provide greater amounts of electricity during the winter. It also
has only part of the initial power output at low temperatures that it has at normal
temperatures.
A discharged battery may already freez e at temperatures just below 0°C.
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked by a Škoda dealer
before the start of the winter, and recharged if necessary.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns. Replace a frozen battery.
Charging the battery
A properly charged battery is essential for reliably starting the
engine.
–Read the warning notes ⇒ in “Working on the battery” on
page 216 and ⇒.
– Switch the ignition and all electrical components off.
– Only for “quick-charging”: Disconnect both battery cables (first of all
“negative”, then “positive”). – Carefully attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery
terminals (red = “positive”, black = “negative”).
– You can now plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket
and switch on the charger.
– When charging is completed: switch the charger off and unplug the mains cable from the power socket.
– Only then should you disconnect the terminal clamps of the charger.
– Reconnect the cables to the battery (first of all “positive”, then “nega- tive”).
It is not normally necessary to disconnect the cables of the battery if you recharge
the battery using low amperages (as for example from a mini-charger). Please also
refer to the instructions from the charger manufacturer.
A charging current of 0.1 of the total battery capacity (or lower) is that which should
be used until full charging is achieved.
It is, however, necess ary to disconnect both cables be fore charging the battery with
high amperages, so-called “ quick-charging”.
“Quick-charging” a battery is dangerous ⇒ in “Working on the battery” on
page 216. It requires a special charger an d appropriate knowledge. We therefore
recommend that you have your battery qu ick-charged only by your Škoda Service
Par tner.
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.
NKO B6 20.book Page 219 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:15 PM
Breakdown assistance237
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Start engine
It is important to connect the jump -start cables in the correct order.
Connecting positive terminals
– Attach one end to the positive terminal ⇒page 237, fig. 207 of the
discharged battery .
– Attach the other end to the positive terminal of the battery supplying the power .
Connecting negative term inal and engine block
– Attach one end to the negative terminal of the battery supplying
the power .
– Attach the other end to a solid metal part which is connected firmly to the engine block, or to the engine block itself.
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.
•Run the jump-start cables so that th ey 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 in structions if you are going to use a
tow rope:
Driver of the towing vehicle
– Do not drive off until the tow rope is taught.
Fig. 207 Jump-starting using
the battery from another
vehicle: A - flat vehicle
battery, B - battery providing
current
A1
AA
A2
AB
A3
AB
A4
NKO B6 20.book Page 237 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:15 PM
Breakdown assistance
238
– 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 238
and ⇒page 239.
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. 208 Front bumper:
Protective grille
NKO B6 20.book Page 238 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:15 PM
Breakdown assistance239
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
– Take the cover out of the front bumper ⇒fig. 208 .
– Screw in the towing eye anticlockwise down to the stop ⇒fig. 209 and
tighten up using the wheel wrench (push the wheel wrench through
eye).
– Put the cover in place after scre wing out the towing eye again and
press into place. The co ver must engage firmly.
Rear towing eye
– Press onto the bottom part of the cap in the rear bumper ⇒fig. 210
and take it out.
– Screw in the towing eye anticlockwise down to the stop ⇒fig. 211 and
tighten up using the wheel wrench (push the wheel wrench through
eye).
– Put the cover in place after screwing out the towing eye again and press into place. The cover must engage firmly.
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 236 or call on the services of the SERVICE mobile.
If your vehicle has to be towed
– Engage 2nd or 3rd gear wi th the vehicle stationary.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Switch on the ignition.
– Wait until both vehicles are movi ng then release the clutch pedal
slowly.
Fig. 209 Front bumper:
Installing the towing eye
Fig. 210 Rear bumper:
Removing cover
Fig. 211 Rear bumper:
Installing the towing eye
NKO B6 20.book Page 239 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:15 PM
Fuses and light bulbs241
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Fuses and light bulbs
Electric fuses
Replacing fuses
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 and under the
cover in the engine compartment on the left.
– Switch the ignition off and also the electrical component affected.
– Use a screwdriver to take off the fuse cover on the side of the dash panel ⇒fig. 212 or the fuse cover in the engine compartment
⇒ page 242, fig. 213 .
– Find out which fuse belongs to the relevant component ⇒page 245,
“Fuse assignment in the dash panel”, ⇒page 242, “Fuse assignment
in engine compartment - version 1” or ⇒page 244, “Fuse assignment
in engine compartment - version 2”.
– 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.
– Fit on the fuse cover again.
We recommend that you carry the box of replacement fuses with you which was
delivered in your vehicle. You can obtain replacement fuses 16) from a Škoda
Service Partner.
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. 212 Fuse cover: left side
of the dash panel
16)Replacement fuses are, on the other hand, part of the basic equipping of the vehicle in some
countries.
ColourMaximum amperage
light brown5
brown7,5
red10
blue15
yellow20
white25
green30
orange40
red50
NKO B6 20.book Page 241 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:15 PM
Fuses and light bulbs
242
Fuse cover in engine compartment
The fuse box in the engine comp artment exists in two different
versions. You can determine which vers ion your vehicle is fitted with
after removing the fuse cover at the location of the fuses.
For particular model versions, the battery must be removed before
removing the fuse cover ⇒page 216.
Removing fuse cover
– Move the circlips ⇒fig. 213 as far as the stop, the symbol
appears behind the circlip and remove the cover.
Installing fuse cover
– Position the fuse cover on the fuse box and push the circlips as far as the stop - the symbol
is visible behind the circlip.
Caution
•When unlocking and locking the fuse cover, it must be pressed on the sides to
the box, otherwise damage can occur to the locking mechanism.
•Carefully position the fuse cover in the engine compartment. If the cover was
not correctly positioned, water can get into the fuses and this results in a damage
to the vehicle!
Fuse assignment in engine compartment - version 1
Certain electrical components are only standard on certain vehicle model versions
or only suppliable as optional equipment for certain models.
Fig. 213 Fuse cover in engine
compartment
AA
AA
No.Power consumerAmperes
F1Front right main headlight, right rear light unit30
F2Valves for ABS20
F3Not assigned
F4Not assigned
F5Horn15
F6Power supply for terminal 15 (ignition on)40
F7Not assigned
F8Not assigned
F9Valves10
F10Not assigned
F11Lambda probe10
Fig. 214 Schematic repre-
sentation of fuse box in
engine compartment -
version 1
NKO B6 20.book Page 242 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:15 PM
Fuses and light bulbs243
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
F12Lambda probe10
F13Control unit for automatic gearbox15
F14Not assigned
F15Water pump10
F16Not assigned
F17Instrument cluster, windshield wiper lever and turn sig-
nal light lever5
F18Audio amplifier (sound system)30
F19Radio15
F20Phone5
F21Not assigned
F22Not assigned
F23Engine control unit10
F24Control unit for CAN databus5
F25Not assigned
F26Not assigned
F27Va lve for fuel d osi ng15
F28Engine control unit15
F29Main relay5
F30Control unit for auxiliary heating20
F31Front window wiper30
F32Not assigned
F33Not assigned
F34Not assigned
F35Not assigned
No.Power consumerAmperes
F36Not assigned
F37Not assigned
F38Radiator fan, valves10
F39Not assigned
F40Not assigned
F41Not assigned
F42Not assigned
F43Ignition30
F44Not assigned
F45Not assigned
F46Not assigned
F47Front left main headlight, left rear light unit30
F48Pump for ABS40
F49Not assigned
F50Not assigned
F51Not assigned
F52Power supply relay - terminal a)40
F53Accessory equipment50
F54Not assigned
a)In order not to drain the battery unnecessarily when starting the engine, the electrical com-
ponents of this terminal are automatically switched off.
No.Power consumerAmperes
NKO B6 20.book Page 243 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:15 PM
Fuses and light bulbs
244
Fuse assignment in engine compartment - version 2
Certain electrical components are only st andard on certain vehicle model versions
or only suppliable as optional equipment for certain models.
No.Power consumerAmperes
F1Not assigned
F2Control unit for automatic gearbox DQ20030
F3Measuring circuit5
F4Valves for ABS30/20
F5Control unit for automatic gearbox DQ25015
F6Instrument cluster, windshield wiper lever and turn sig-
nal light lever5
F7Power supply for terminal 15 (ignition on)40
F8Radio15
F9Phone5
F10Engine control unit, Main relay5/10
Fig. 215 Schematic repre-
sentation of fuse box in
engine compartment -
version 2
F11Control unit for auxiliary heating20
F12Control unit for CAN databus5
F13Engine control unit15/30
F14Ignition20
F15Lambda probe - Petrol
Glow plug system relay and fuel pump - Diesel10
5
F16Front right main headlight, right rear light unit30
F17Horn15
F18Audio amplifier (sound system)30
F19Front window wiper30
F20Valve for fuel dosing
water pump20
10
F21Lambda probe10/15
F22Not assigned
F23Main relay
Valves
High pressure pump5
10
15
F24Fa n10
F25Pump for ABS30/40
F26Left main headlight30
F27Control unit for glow plug system50
F28Not assigned
F29Accessory equipment50
F30Power supply relay - terminal X a)50
a)In order not to drain the battery unnecessarily when starting the engine, the electrical com-
ponents of this terminal are automatically switched off.
No.Power consumerAmperes
NKO B6 20.book Page 244 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:15 PM