2009 SKODA FABIA brake light

Towing a trailer171
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Technical 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 the aid of the headlight beam adjuster
⇒page 53.
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 your 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.
•
Keep the mechanism of the ball head of the towing device clean and take
proper care of it with a suitable preservative.
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/h for safety reasons. This also applies for countries
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 immediately 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 16.
If the needle of the coolant temperature gauge moves into the right-hand area or
even the red area of the scale, reduce your speed immediately. Stop and switch off
the engine if the warning light
 in the instrument cluster begins flashing. Wait a
few minutes and check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle
⇒page 189, “Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines ⇒page 29, “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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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle177
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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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Inspecting and replenishing185
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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 replenishing191
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Technical Data
For the sake of the environment
Do not re-use coolant if it is necessary to drain the coolant in the system. It should
be collected and disposed of in compliance with environmental protection
regulations.Radiator fan
The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.The radiator fan is driven by an electric motor and controlled by a thermostat
according to the coolant temperature.
The radiator fan may continue running for up to 10 minutes after the engine has
been switched off - even if the ignition is also off. It may also switch on suddenly
after a certain time, if•
the coolant temperature has risen because of an accumulation of heat or
•
the warm engine compartment is heated up additionally by strong sunlight.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when working in the engine compartment that
the fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!
Brake fluidInspecting the brake fluid levelThe brake fluid reservoir is located on the left of the engine compartment.
The brake fluid reservoir on right-hand steering models is positioned on
the other side of the engine compartment.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒ in “Working in the engine compartment” on
page 185.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir ⇒fig. 185. The level must
be between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-tear
and automatic adjustment of the brake pads, and is perfectly normal.
There may be an indication of a leak in the brake system, however, if the fluid level
drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” marking. A situ-
ation where the brake fluid level is too low is indicated by the warning light

lighting up in the instrument cluster ⇒page 33. In this case stop immediately and
do not drive any further! Obtain professional assistance.
Fig. 185 Engine compart-
ment: Brake fluid reservoir
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Wheels and Tyres201
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Technical Data The date of manufacture is also stated on the tyre wall (possibly only on the inside
of wheel).
DOT ... 22 09...
means, for example, that the tyre was manufactured in the 22nd week of the year
2009.
If the spare wheel* differs from the tyres fitted to the vehicle (e.g. winter tyres or
low-profile tyres), the spare wheel* should only be used for a short time in the
event of a puncture and when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.
It should be replaced as quickly as possible by a normal wheel.
WARNING
•
Only use those tyres or wheel rims which have been approved for your
model of Škoda Auto vehicle. Failure to observe this instruction will
adversely affect the road safety of your vehicle - risk of accident! Approval
and licencing of your vehicle on public roads may also become void as a
result.
•
You must on no account drive at a higher speed than is permissible for
your tyres - risk of an accident resulting from tyre damage and loss of control
over your vehicle.
•
Tyres which are 6 years old or more should only be fitted in exceptional
cases and when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.
•
Never fit tyres which have already been used without having adequate
knowledge of their previous history. Tyres age even if they have not been
used at all or only very little. A spare tyre must only be used in exceptional
cases and only then when adopting an appropriately cautious style of
driving.
•
Do not, where possible, replace individual tyres but at least replace them
on both wheels of a given axle at the same time. Always fit the tyres with the
deeper tread depth to the front wheels.For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of in conformity with the appropriate regulations.
Note
It is not normally possible to fit wheels from other models of cars for technical
reasons. This may also apply in certain circumstances to the wheels of the same
type of vehicle.Wheel boltsWheels and wheel bolts are matched to each other in terms of design. Each time
you fit other wheels - e.g. light alloy wheels or wheels with winter tyres - you must
therefore also use the matching wheel bolts of the correct length and shape of
spherical cap. This is essential to ensure that the wheels are tightly fitted and that
the brake system operates properly.
If you retrofit wheel trims (or have this done), please also ensure that an adequate
flow of air remains assured for cooling the brake system.
The specialist garages are informed about the technical possibilities which exist
regarding converting or retrofitting wheels, tyres and wheel trims.
WARNING
•
In case of incorrect treatment of the wheel bolts, the wheel can loosen
when the car is moving - risk of accident!
•
The wheel bolts must be clean and must turn easily. However, they must
never be treated with grease or oil.
•
If the wheel bolts are tightened to a too low tightening torque, the rim
can lossen when the car is moving - risk of accident! A tightening torque
which is too high can damage the bolts and threads and this can result in
permanent deformation of the contact surfaces on the rims.Caution
The prescribed tightening torque of the wheel bolts for steel and light alloy wheels
is 120 Nm.
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Breakdown assistance207
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Technical Data Unidirectional tyres*
If you have such tyres on your vehicle, please refer to the notes below:
•
The spare wheel provided with a car fitted with unidirectional tyres has different
dimensions. The wheel is provided with a warning sticker.
•
The warning label must not be covered after installing the wheel.
•
Do not drive faster than 80 km/h with this spare wheel and pay particular atten-
tion while driving. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast
cornering.
•
The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation pressure
of the standard tyres.
•
Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not
intended for continuous use.
Changing a wheelPreliminary workThe following steps should be carried out before actually changing the
wheel.
– If it is necessary to change a wheel, park the vehicle as far away as
possible from the traffic flow. The place you choose should be level.
– Have all the occupants get out. While changing a wheel, the occu-
pants of the vehicle should not stand on the road (e.g. behind a crash
barrier).
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
–Engage 1st gear or if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox,
position the selector lever into position P.
– If a trailer is coupled, uncouple it.
– Take the vehicle tool kit and the spare wheel* ⇒page 206 out of the
luggage compartment.
WARNING
•
If you find yourself in flowing traffic switch on the hazard warning lights
system and place the warning triangle on the side of the road at the
prescribed distance from your vehicle while observing all national legal
provisions. In this way you are protecting not only yourself but also other
road users.
•
Never start the engine with the vehicle sitting on the raised jack - danger
of suffering injury.Caution
If you have to change a wheel on a slope first block the opposite wheel with a stone
or similar object in order to secure the vehicle from unexpectedly rolling away.
Note
Comply with the national legal regulations.Changing a wheelAlways change a wheel on a level surface as far as possible.
– Take off the full wheel trim* ⇒page 208 or the caps ⇒page 209.
– Slacken the wheel bolts ⇒page 209.
– Jack up the vehicle until the wheel to be changed is clear of the ground
⇒page 210.
– Unscrew the wheel bolts and place them on a clean surface (cloth,
paper etc.).
– Take off the wheel.
– Fit on the spare wheel* and tighten the wheel bolts slightly.
– Lower the car.
s3f4.1.book Page 207 Thursday, June 18, 2009 11:07 AM

Breakdown assistance213
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Safety
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Technical Data
Tow-starting and towing vehicleGeneralPlease pay attention to the following instructions if you are going to use a
tow rope:
Driver of the towing vehicle
– Do not drive off until the tow rope is taught.
– Release the clutch particularly gently when starting off.
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 windscreen 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 significantly 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.
Attach the tow rope or the tow bar only to the towing eyes provided for this
purpose ⇒page 213, “Front towing eye” and ⇒page 214, “Rear towing eye”.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 rope 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. 201 Front bumper:
Protective grille
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Fuses and light bulbs217
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Technical Data
Note
We recommend that you have these fuses replaced by a specialist garage.Fuse assignment in the dash panelCertain electrical components are only standard on certain vehicle model versions
or only suppliable as optional equipment for certain models.
Fig. 205 Schematic repre-
sentation of the fuse box for
vehicles with left-hand
steering.Fig. 206 Schematic repre-
sentation of the fuse box for
vehicles with right-hand
steering.
No.
Power consumer
Amperes
1
Not assigned
2
Not assigned
3
Instrument cluster, headlight range adjustment
5
4
ABS control unit
5
5
Petrol engine: Brake light switch, cruise control system
5
6
Not assigned
7
Engine control unit 1.2 ltr.
15
8
Injection valves - 1.4 ltr.; 1.6 ltr.
10
9
Operating controls for the heating, control unit for air condi-
tioning system, parking aid, control unit for cornering lights
5
10
Not assigned
11
Electrically adjustable rear mirror, power windows
7,5
12
Reversing light
7,5
13
Engine control unit (for vehicles with automatic gearbox)
10
14
Motor for cornering lights
10
15
Navigation PDA
5
16
Electrohydraulic power steering, engine control unit - petrol
engine
5
17
Left parking light, licence plate light
5
18
Right parking light
5
19
Radio, central control unit
5
20
Engine control unit 1.4 ltr.; 1.9 ltr. - diesel engine
5
21
Brake lights
10
22
Operating controls for the heating, control unit for air condi-
tioning system, parking aid, mobile phone, instrument clus-
ter, steering angle sender, ESP, vehicle voltage control unit
7,5
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