2008 SKODA SUPERB light

Intelligent Technology
186
Diesel particle filter* (diesel engine)
In the diesel particle filter the resulting soot particles are collected
and burnt during the combustion of diesel fuel.
Code 7GG on the vehicle data sticker ⇒fig. 178 indicates that your
vehicle is equipped with a diesel particle filter. The vehicle data sticker is
located on the floor of the luggage compartment and is also stated in the
Service schedule.
The diesel particle filter filters the soot particles completely from the exhaust. The
soot is collected in the diesel particle filter and burnt regularly. To assist this proce-
dure, we recommend not to drive regularly over short distances.
If the diesel particle filter is clogged or there is a fault, it is indicated by the warning
light
.
WARNING
•The diesel particle filter achieves very high temperatures. Therefore do
not park at points where the hot filter comes into direct contact with dry
grass or other combustible materials - risk of fire!
•Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection
agents for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters, diesel particle filter or
heat shields. When the engine reaches its operating temperature, these
substances might ignite - risk of fire.
Note
When using diesel fuel with high sulphur content the life of the diesel particle filter
is clearly reduced. A specialist garage wi ll be able to tell you which countries use
only diesel fuel with high sulphur content.
Fig. 178 Vehicle data sticker
WARNING (continued)
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Driving and the Environment187
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Driving and the Environment
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 permissib le 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 fuel 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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Driving and the Environment189
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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 fu el 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.
The optimal engine speed should be obtain ed when accelerating, in order to avoid
a high fuel consumption an d resonance of the vehicle.
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. 179 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle in
the relevant gears. Fuel consumption in 1st gear is the highest, while that in 5th or
the 6th gear is the lowest.
Only depress the accelerator pedal slowly if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic
gearbox in order to automatically select an economic driving programme. You will
achieve good fuel economy by shifting up early and shifting down late.
Note
Also use the information supplied by the multi-functional indicator* ⇒page 14.
Fig. 179 Fuel consumption
in litres/100 km. and speed in
km/h.
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Driving and the Environment
190
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. 180 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 fu el 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. 180 Fuel consumption
in litres/100 km. and speed in
km/h.
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Driving and the Environment
192
Keeping a log of your fuel consumption
If you really wish to ke ep 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 sh ould reflect on how, where
and in what conditions you have driven the vehicle since you last refuelled.
Environmental compatibility
Environmental protection has played a majo r 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,
•reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emission CO2,
•minimum fuel leakage during accidents,
•reduced noise.
Choice of materials
•extensive use of recyclable material,
•air conditioning filled wi th CFC-free refrigerant,
•no cadmium,
•no asbestos,
•reduction in the “vaporisation” of plastics.
Manufacture
•solvent-free cavity protection,
•solvent-free protection of the vehicle for transportation from the production
plant to the customer,
•the use of solvent-free adhesives,
•no CFCs used in the production process,
•without use of mercury,
•use of water-soluble paints.
Motoring abroad
General
Other circumstances may exist abroad.
It is also possible, in ce rtain countries, that the Škod a Service Partner network is
limited or has not been established yet. This is the reason why obtaining certain
spare parts may be somewhat complicate d and specialist garage personnel may
only be able to ma ke li mite d re pa irs. Škoda Auto a.s. i n the Czech Republic and rele -
vant importers are happy to provide info rmation about technical aspects of the
vehicle, required maintenance work and possibilities for getting repairs done.
Unleaded petrol
A vehicle fitted with a petrol engine must always be refuelled with unleaded petrol
⇒ page 188. The automobile associations can provide you with information
regarding the locations of filling stations which offer unleaded petrol.
Headlight
The low beam of your headlights is set asym metrically. It illuminates the side of the
road on which you are driving to a greater extent. If you drive abroad on the other
side of the road, you wi ll dazzle oncoming traffic.
In order to prevent the dazzling of oncoming traffic, it is necessary that an adjust-
ment of the headlights is carried out by your Škoda Service Partner.
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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
Automatic light
(Automat. Lights) in main menu of the Information Display* ⇒page 19.
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.
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Towing a trailer195
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 59, “Headlamp range adjustment* ”.
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 196.
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 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 11, “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 214, “Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines ⇒page 31, “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
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Towing a trailer
196
of the engine speed. One should also not drop a gear for this reason when towing
a trailer as long as the en gine can manage the slope without any drop in speed.
Detachable towing device*
The detachable ball head of the towing device is stowed in a box for the car tool kit
in the spare wheel well in the luggage compartment.
An instruction for correct installation an d removal of the ball head of the towing
device is supplied with the ball head
Inspect the ball head to ensure that it is properly locked each time before setting off.
The inspection is performed by turning the closed locking lever downwards. If the
locking lever can only be turned around a small angle (approx. 5°), the locking
mechanism is O.K. After the inspection pull the locking lever back again to its stop.
The towing device must not be used, if it does not wish to close or the locking lever
turns slightly in the closed position.
WARNING
Do not use any aids or tools for installing or removing the ball head. This
might result in damage to the locking mechanism to the extent that the
safety of the towing device is no longer assured - risk of an accident.
Note
•Do not carry out any modifications or repairs to the ball head or to any other
components on the towing device.
•Contact a specialist garage if you en counter any problems using the device.
•Never unlock the ball head with a trailer coupled to it.
•You should take off the ball head if you drive without towing a trailer. Inspect
whether the end cover properly seals off the mounting shaft.
•Remove the ball head beforehand if yo u wish to clean your vehicle using a
steam jet. Ensure that the end cover properly seals the mounting shaft.
•It is recommended to wear gloves when installing and removing.
Fig. 182 Detachable ball
head
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