2009 SKODA FABIA light

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle 176Plastic partsExternal plastic parts are cleaned by normal 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 products are not suitable for plastic parts.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack the material and can damage it.WindowsOnly 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 cleaning 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 preservatives 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!
•
When removing snow or ice from the windows and mirror lenses make sure not
to damage the paintwork of the vehicle.
The headlight lensesPlease do not use any aggressive cleaning or chemical solvent products for cleaning
the front headlights - 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 headlight lenses, e.g through effect of chem-
ical products.Door and window sealsThe 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.Locking cylinderWe recommend that you use the spray from Škoda original accessories with
regreasing and anticorrosive effect for de-icing locking cylinders.
Note
When washing your vehicle, ensure that as little water as possible gets into the
locking cylinders.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle177
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WheelsSteel wheels
You should also thoroughly wash the wheels and wheel trims when giving your
vehicle its regular wash. This prevents any brake dust, dirt and road salt from
sticking to the wheel hubs. You can remove stubborn brake abrasion adhering to
t h e w h e e l s w i t h a n i n d u s tr i a l c l e a n e r. To u c h u p a n y d a m a g e to t h e p a i n tw o r k o n th e
wheels before rust is able to form.
Light alloy wheels
Regular care of light alloy wheels is necessary in order to retain their decorative
appearance over long periods. It is particularly important to remove any road salt
and brake abrasion from light alloy wheels every two weeks, otherwise the surface
will suffer. Wash thoroughly and then treat the wheels with a protective product for
light alloy wheels which does not contain any acidic components. You should
provide the wheel hubs with a hard wax layer every three months. You must not use
any products which cause abrasion when treating the wheel hubs. Any damage to
the paint layer on the wheel hubs must be touched up immediately.
We recommend using a preservative from Škoda genuine accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer.
WARNING
One should remember when cleaning the wheels that moisture, ice and road
salt may adversely affect braking efficiency - risk of an accident!
Note
Severe layers of dirt on the wheels can also result in wheel imbalance. This may
show itself in the form of a wheel vibration which is transmitted to the steering
wheel which, in certain circumstances, can cause premature wear of the steering.
This means it is necessary to remove the dirt.
Underbody protectionThe underside of your vehicle is protected for life against chemical and mechanical
influences.
One cannot, however, completely rule out damage to the protective layer when
driving so we recommend that you inspect the protective layer on the underside of
your vehicle and on the chassis at certain intervals - this is best done at the begin-
ning and end of the winter - and to touch up any damaged areas.
Specialist garages have suitable spray products available as well as the necessary
equipment and are familiar with the instructions for use. Therefore, we recommend
you have such touch-up work or additional corrosion protection measures carried
out by a specialist garage.
WARNING
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents
for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat shields. These products
might ignite when driving - risk of fire!Protection of hollow spacesAll the cavities of your vehicle which are at risk from corrosion are protected for life
by a layer of protective wax applied in the factory.
This wax protection does not require to be inspected or re-treated. Please remove
any small amount of wax which flows out of the cavities at high temperatures with
a plastic scraper and clean the spot using petroleum cleaner.
WARNING
Safety and environmental protection regulations should observed when
using petroleum cleaner to remove wax - a risk of fire!
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle 178Engine compartmentGood corrosion protection is very important, particularly in winter when one often
drives over its salt-strewn roads. One should therefore clean the entire engine
compartment before and after the salt spreading period, in order to prevent the salt
from being destructive.
Specialist garages have the cleaning agents recommended by the manufacturer
and also the required equipment.
WARNING
•
It is necessary to observe the guidelines given in the chapter before
working on the engine compartment ⇒page 185.
•
Let the engine cool down before cleaning the engine compartment.Caution
•
Engine cleaning may be only be undertaken when the ignition is off.
•
It is recommended to cover the generator before washing the engine compart-
ment.For the sake of the environment
The dirty water produced by washing the engine has washed away petrol, and resi-
dues of grease and oil and should therefore be cleaned by an oil separator. This is
why engine washing should only be undertaken in garages or at filling stations
(when these are fitted with the required equipment).Care of the interior of vehiclePlastic parts, artificial leather and clothsYou can clean plastic parts and artificial leather with a moist cloth. You should only
treat such parts with special solvent-free plastic cleaning and care products it
does prove to be adequate.Upholstery cloth and cloth trim on the doors, luggage compartment cover, head-
liner etc. are best treated with special cleaning products, using if necessary a dry
foam and a soft sponge or brush.
We recommend using a cleaning product from Škoda genuine accessories offered
by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack the material and can damage it.Fabric covers of electrically heated seatsDo not clean the seat covers moist as this may result in damage to the seat heating
system.
Clean such covers using special agents, for example dry foam.
We recommend using a cleaning product from Škoda genuine accessories offered
by your Škoda dealer.Natural leather
Natural leather requires quite particular care and attention.Leather should be treated from time to time according the following
guidelines depending on how much it is used.
Normal cleaning
– Clean soiled areas of the leather with slightly moistened cotton or
woollen cloth.
Severe soiling
– Clean severely soiled areas with a cloth dipped in a mild soapy solu-
tion (2 spoonfuls of natural soap to 1 litre of water).
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle179
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
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Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
– Ensure that the leather is not soaked through at any point and that no
water gets into the stitching of the seams.
– Dry off the leather with a soft, dry cloth.
Removing stains
– Remove fresh stains which are water-based (e.g. coffee, tea, juices,
blood etc.) with an absorbent cloth or household paper or use the
cleaner from the care set for a stain which has already dried in.
– Remove fresh stains on a fat base (e.g. butter, mayonnaise, chocolate
etc.) with an absorbent cloth or household cleaning paper or with the
cleaner from the care set if the stain has not yet penetrated into the
surface.
– Use a grease dissolver for grease stains which have dried in.
–Eliminate special stains (e.g. ball-point pens, felt pen, nail varnish,
dispersion paint, shoe cream etc.) with a special stain remover suit-
able for leather.
Leather care
– Treat the leather every six months with the leather care product avail-
able from specialist garages.
– Apply only a small amount of the care product.
– Dry the leather off with a soft clothWe recommend that you consult your Škoda Service Partner, if you have any ques-
tions regarding cleaning and care of the leather interior.
We recommend using a cleaning product from Škoda genuine accessories offered
by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
•
You must on no account treat the leather with solvents (e.g. gasoline, turpen-
tine), floor wax, shoe cream or such like.
•
Avoid leaving your vehicle for lengthy periods in bright sunlight in order to
avoid bleaching the leather. If you leave your vehicle parked in the open for lengthy
periods, protect the leather from the direct rays of the sun by covering it over.
•
Sharp-edged objects on items of clothing such as zip fasteners, rivets, sharp-
edged belts may leave permanent scratches or signs of rubbing on the surface.Note
•
Use a care cream with light blocker and impregnation effect regularly and each
time after cleaning the leather. The cream nourishes the leather, allows it to breathe
and keeps it supple and also provides moisture. It also creates surface protection.
•
Clean the leather every 2 to 3 months, remove fresh soiling each time this
occurs.
•
Remove fresh stains such as those from ball-point pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
cream etc., as quickly as possible.
•
Care also for the leather dye. Refreshen areas which have lost their colour with
a special coloured leather cream as required.
•
The leather is a natural material with specific properties. During the use of the
vehicle, minor optical changes can occur on the leather parts of the covers (e. g
wrinkles or creases as a result of the stress of the covers).
Seat belts– Keep the seat belts clean!
– Wash seat belts which have become soiled using a mild soapy solu-
tion.
– Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condition.Belt webbing which has become severely soiled may prevent the inertia reel from
reeling up the belt properly.
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Fuel181
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
FuelPetrolGrades of petrolThere are various grades of petrol. Please read the chapter Technical Data in order
to know which grade of petrol your vehicle requires. You will also find the same
information affixed to the inside of the fuel filler flap of your vehicle ⇒page 182,
fig. 178.
A distinction is made between unleaded and leaded petrol. All Škoda vehicles with
petrol engines are equipped with a catalytic converter and must therefore be only
driven with unleaded petrol. Unleaded petrol must comply with the standard
EN 228.
The individual grades of petrol are distinguished by their octane number (RON).
Please adopt the following procedure if the grade of petrol which you normally use
is not be available in exceptional circumstances:•
Engines which need unleaded premium petrol 95 RON can also be run on
unleaded regular petrol 91 RON. This does, however, result in a slight loss in
performance.
If, in an emergency, the only fuel available is one which has a lower octane number
than that required by the engine then only drive at medium engine speeds and
lower engine loadings.
You can make unlimited use of fuel which has a higher octane number than that
required by the engine. There will, however, be no advantages gained by this in
terms of engine performance and fuel consumption!
The handling, performance and life of your engine are determined to a significant
extent by the quality of the fuel. Do not use any petrol additives. Use fuel which
complies with the standard EN 228.
You can find further information on refuelling ⇒page 182.
Caution
•
Filling the tank even only once with leaded petrol will result in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.
•
Operating the engine with petrol of a lower octane number than that prescribed
can result in engine damage at high revolutions or severe engine loading.
DieselDiesel fuelYour vehicle can be operated with diesel fuel, which complies with the standard
EN 590.
Fuel additives
You must not use fuel additives, so-called “flow improvers” (petrol and similar
products) in diesel fuel.
If the quality of the diesel fuel is poor, it is then necessary to drain the fuel filter
more often than stated in the Service schedule.
You can find information on refuelling ⇒page 182, “Refuelling”.
Caution
•
Use fuel which complies with the standard EN 590. Filling the tank even only
once, which does not comply with the standard, can result in damage to the fuel
system.
•
Water which has collected in the fuel filter can result in engine problems.
•
Your vehicle is not adapted for use of biofuel (RME), therefore this fuel must not
be refuelled and driven. Using this fuel (RME) can lead to damage to the engine or
the fuel system.
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Inspecting and replenishing185
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
– Pull on the locking lever ⇒page 184, fig. 180, the bonnet is then
unlocked.
– Grip the bonnet and lift it up.
– Take the bonnet support out of its holder and set it in the opening
designed for it ⇒page 184, fig. 181.
Closing the bonnet
– Lift the bonnet slightly and unhook the bonnet support. Press the
bonnet support into the holder designed to hold it.
– Allow the bonnet to drop from a height of about 30 cm into the lock -
bonnet do not press down on it!
WARNING
•
Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is flowing out of
the engine compartment - risk of scalding! Wait long enough until the steam
or coolant has stopped escaping.
•
For safety reasons, the bonnet must always be properly closed when
driving. One should therefore check that the lock has in fact engaged prop-
erly after closing the bonnet.
•
Stop your vehicle immediately while driving if you notice that the lock is
not properly engaged and close the bonnet properly - risk of an accident!Caution
•
Before opening the bonnet, ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers are
correctly in place against the windscreen. Otherwise, there is a risk of damage to the
paintwork.
Working in the engine compartment
Particular care is required when carrying out any work in the engine
compartment!There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and fire when working in the
engine compartment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. For
this reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions stated
below and with the general applicable rules of safety. The engine compart-
ment of your car is a hazardous area ⇒.
WARNING
•
Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is flowing out of
the engine compartment - risk of scalding! Wait long enough until the steam
or coolant has stopped escaping.
•
Switch off the engine and pull out the ignition key.
•
Apply the handbrake firmly.
•
If your vehicle is fitted with a manual gearbox, move the gearshift lever
into Neutral, or if it is fitted with automatic gearbox, move the selector lever
into position P.
•
Allow the engine to cool down.
•
Keep children clear of the engine compartment.
•
Do not touch any hot engine parts - risk of burns!
•
Never spill oil and other fluids over the hot engine. Such fluids (e.g. the
antifreeze contained in the wash liquid) may ignite!
•
Avoid short circuits in the electrical system - particularly on the battery.
•
Never place your hand into the radiator fan as long as the engine is still
warm. The fan might suddenly start running!
•
Never open the cap of the coolant expansion bottle as long as the engine
is still warm. The cooling system is pressurized!
•
Cover over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir with a large cloth
when opening it as protection for your face, hands and arms from hot steam
or hot coolant.
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Inspecting and replenishing187
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Engine oilCheck engine oil level
The dipstick indicates the level of oil in the engine.Checking the oil level
– Ensure that the vehicle is positioned on a level surface.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒ in “Working in the engine compartment” on
page 185.
– Wait a few minutes and pull out the oil dipstick ⇒.
– Wipe off the dipstick with a clean cloth and insert it again fully.
– Then withdraw the dipstick again and read off the oil level.
Oil level within range
– You must not top up the oil.Oil level within range
–You may top up the oil. It is possible that the oil level may then be
within range after doing this.
Oil level within range
–You must top up the oil. It is ideal, once this is done, to keep the oil
level within range .
It is normal for the engine to consume oil. The oil consumption may be as much as
0.5 l/1 000 km depending on your style of driving and the conditions under which
you operate your vehicle. The oil consumption may be slightly higher than this
during the first 5 000 kilometres.
One should therefore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably every time
after the fuel tank is filled or after driving for long stretches.
We recommend maintaining the oil level within the range if the engine has been
operating at high loads, for example during a lengthy motorway trip during the
summer months, towing a trailer or negotiating a high mountain pass, but not
above this.
The warning light in the instrument cluster* will indicate ⇒page 30 whether the oil
level is too low. In this case, check the oil level as soon as possible. Top up with an
appropriate quantity of oil.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes ⇒page 185, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Caution
•
Always check the oil level on vehicles with engine 1.2 l/44 kW when the engine
is cold. On other vehicles when the engine is warm. Otherwise the measuring result
is incorrect und oil could be incorrectly replenished - risk of engine damage!
•
The oil level must on no account extend beyond the range . Danger of
damaging the catalytic converter.
Fig. 183 Dipstick
Aa
Ab
Aa
AcAb
Aa
Aa
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Inspecting and replenishing189
Using the system
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Technical Data
Cooling systemCoolant
The job of the coolant is to cool the engine.The cooling system does not require any maintenance under normal operating
conditions. The coolant consists of water with a concentration of coolant additive
of 40 %. This mixture not only provides antifreeze protection down to -25°C but
also protects the cooling and heating system from corrosion. It also prevents the
formation of scale and significantly increases the boiling point of the coolant.
You must therefore not reduce the concentration of antifreeze agent in the coolant
by adding water, also not during the summer months or in countries with a warm
climate. The concentration of coolant additive in the coolant must be at least
40%.
You can increase the amount of antifreeze in the coolant if a higher concentration
of antifreeze is necessary for climatic reasons but only up to 60% (antifreeze
protection down to approx. -40°C). The antifreeze protection tails off above that
concentration.
Vehicles exported to countries with a cold climate (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland)
are already factory-filled with a coolant which offers antifreeze protection down to
about -35°C. In these countries the concentration of coolant additive should be at
least 50 %.
Coolant
The cooling system is factory-filled with coolant (purple in colour), which complies
with the specification TL-VW 774 G.
We recommend that you use the antifreeze agent G12 PLUS - PLUS (purple in
colour) for topping up the system.
We recommend that you contact your Škoda Service Partner if you have any ques-
tions regarding the coolant or if you wish to fill up with a different coolant.
A specialist garage can also supply you with the correct coolant additives.
Caution
•
Other coolant additives may cause operational problems which, in partic-
ular, involves significantly reducing the anticorrosion effect.
•
Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of
coolant and, as a consequence of this, result in major engine damage.
Inspecting the coolant levelThe coolant expansion bottle is located in the engine compartment on
the right.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒ in “Working in the engine compartment” on
page 185.
– Check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle ⇒fig. 184.
The coolant level when the engine is cold must lie between the “MIN”
and “MAX” markings. The level may also rise slightly above the
“MAX” marking when the engine is warm.
Fig. 184 Engine compart-
ment: Coolant expansion
bottle
AB
AA
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