2009 SKODA OCTAVIA warning

Towing a trailer
210
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 pr
operly 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. 203 Detachable ball head
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
211
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
General MaintenanceTaking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicleGeneralProper care retains the value of your vehicle.Regular and proper care retains
the value
of your vehicle. It may also be one of the
requirements for the acceptance of warran
ty claims relating to corrosion damage
and paint defects on the bodywork. We recommend using a preservative from
Škoda genuine accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer. Please follow the instructions for use on the package.
WARNING
•
Care products may be harmful to your health if not used according to the
instructions.•
Always store care products in a safe place, out of the reach of children -
risk of poisoning!
For the sake of the environment
•
Always select environmentally-friendly pr
oducts when purcha
sing vehicle care
products.•
Do not dispose of the packages with re
sidues of care products in domestic
waste.
Care of the exterior of vehicleWashing the vehicle Frequent washing protects your vehicle.The best protection for your vehicle agai
nst harmful environmen
tal influences is
frequent
washing and wax treatment. How of
ten you should wash your vehicle
depends on a wide range of factors, such as:•
Frequency of use,
•
The parking situation (garage, below trees etc.),
•
Season of the year,
•
Weather conditions,
•
Environmental influences.
The longer insect residues, bird droppings,
tree sap, road and industrial dust, tar,
soot particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain adhering to the paint- work of your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive effect can be. High temperatures, such as those caused by in
tensive sun's rays, accentuate this caustic
effect. It may therefore be necessary, in certain circumstances, to wash the car
once a
week
. It may also be sufficient, however, to wash the car
once a month
followed
by appropriate wax treatment. It is essential to also thoroughly wash the
underside of your vehicle
at the end of
the winter road salting and gritting period.
WARNING
When washing your vehicle in the wint
er: Water and ice in the brake system
can affect the braking efficiency - risk of accident!
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
212
Automatic vehicle wash systemsThe paintwork of the vehicle is sufficiently resistant that the vehicle can be washed normally in automatic vehicle wash plants without any problem. The actual stress to which the paintwork is subjected, however, depends greatly on the design of the vehicle wash system, the filtering of the water and the type of washing and care products used. If the paintwork of your
vehicle appears mat after being washed or
even has scratches, point this out to the operator of the vehicle wash plant. Use a different vehicle wash plant, if necessary. There are no particular points to note be
fore washing your vehicle in an automatic
vehicle wash system other than the usua
l precautionary measures (closing the
windows and the sliding/tilting roof, etc.). If you have any particular atta
ch e d p a r t s f i t te d t o y o u r c a r - s u ch a s s p o i l e r, ro o f ra ck
system, two-way radio aerial - it is best to
first of all consult the operator of the car
wash plant. It is important to degrease the lips of
the windscreen wiper rubbers after passing
through the automatic vehicle wash system.Washing vehicle by handIt is important to first soften the dirt with
plenty of water and
rinse it off as thor-
oughly as possible before wa
shing your vehi
cle by hand.
One should then clean the vehicle using a soft
washing sponge
, washing glove
or
a washing brush
and only slight pressure. Work
from the top to the bottom -
beginning with the roof. Only place slight
pressure on the vehicle paintwork during
cleaning Only use a
car shampoo
for stubborn dirt.
Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts
last. Use a second sponge for such areas.
Rinse off the vehicle well after giving it a
wash and dry it off using a chamois leather.
WARNING
•
The ignition should always be switched off when you wash your vehicle -
risk of accident!•
Protect your hands and arms from sharp-edged metal parts when you
are cleaning the underfloor, the inside
of the wheel housings or the wheel
trims - risk of cuts.
Caution
•
Do not wash your vehicle in bright
sunlight - risk of paint damage.
•
Ensure that the jet of water is not aimed directly at the locks or at the door and
panel joints if you spray your
vehicle in winter down with
a hose - risk of freezing.
•
Do not use any insect sponges, rough ki
tchen sponges or simi
lar cleaning prod-
ucts - risk of damage to the surface of paintwork.
For the sake of the environment
Only wash your vehicle at washing bays specifically reserved for this purpose. This ensures that no water which may be cont
aminated by oil flow
s into the sewage
system. It is not even permitted to wash your vehicle in certain areas except at such specific washing bays.Washing with a high-pressure cleanerWhen you wash your vehicle with a high-pre
ssure cleaner, it is
essential to comply
with the instructions for use of the cleaning equipment. This applies in particular to the
pressure
used and to the
spraying distance
. Maintain a sufficiently large
distance to soft materials such as
rubber hoses or insulation material.
On no account use
circular spray nozzles
or so-called
dirt cutters
!
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
213
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING
It is particularly important that you do not clean tyres with circular spray jets. Visible but also invisible damage to
tyres may occur even at a relatively
large spraying distance and if sprayed only for a short time - risk of accident!
Caution
The water containing wax must be no hott
er than 60°C, otherwise the vehicle can
be damaged.Wax treatmentGood wax treatment is an effective way of
protecting the paintwork from harmful
environmental influences an
d minor mechanical damage.
The vehicle must be treated with a high-qua
lity hard wax polish at the latest, when
no more drops form on the clean paintwork. A new layer of a high-quality
hard wax polish can be a
pplied to the clean bodywork
after it has dried thoroughly. Even if you use a wax preserver regularly we still recommend that you treat the paintwork of the vehicle at least twice a year with hard wax.
Caution
Never apply wax to the windows.PolishingPolishing is only necessary if the paintwor
k of your vehicle ha
s become unattractive
and if it is no longer possible to
achieve a gloss with wax preservers.
You must treat the paintwork with a wax preserver if the polish you use does not contain any preserving elements
⇒page 213.
We recommend using a preservative from
Škoda genuine accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer.
Caution
•
You must not treat mat painted parts or plastic with polishing products or hard
wax.•
Do not polish the paintwork of the vehicle in a dusty environment, otherwise
the paintwork can be scratched.Chrome partsFirst clean the chrome parts with a damp clotch and then polish them with a soft, dry cloth. If it does not prove to be
adequate, use a chrome care product from
Škoda original accessories.
Caution
Do not polish the chrome parts in a du
sty environment, otherwise they can be
scratched.Paint damageSlight damage to paintwork such as scratche
s, scuffs or traces of chip damage must
be touched up immediately with
paint (Škoda painting pen)
before
any corrosion
can result. You can of course have this wo
rk carried out by authorised Škoda Service
Par tners. The authorised Škoda Service Partne
rs have a range of matching
touch-up pens
or
spray cans
available in the colour of your vehicle.
The paint number of the orig
inal paintwork of your ve
hicle is indicated on the
vehicle data sticker
⇒page 272.
Any corrosion which has already have formed must be removed thoroughly. Apply a corrosion protection primer
and then the paint to the affected point. You can of
course have this work carried out by
authorised Škoda Service Partners.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
215
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 an
y 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 part
icularly important to remove regularly any
road salt and brake abrasion from light alloy wheels, otherwise the light metal will suffer. Wash thoroughly and then treat the wheels with a protective product for light alloy wheels which does not contain an
y acidic components. We recommend to
apply a hard wax layer onto the wheel hub
s 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 th
e wheels that moisture, ice and road
salt may adversely affect braking ef
ficiency - risk of an accident!
Note
Severe layers of dirt on th
e 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, ca
n cause premature wear
of the steering.
This means it is necessary to remove the dirt.
Underbody protectionThe underside of your vehicl
e 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 in
tervals - this is best done at the begin-
ning and end of the winter - and to touch up any damaged areas. The authorised Škoda Service Partners have suitable
spray products
available as
well as the necessary equipment and are familiar with the instructions for use. It is therefore best to have such touch-up work or additional corrosion protection measures carried out by an authorised Škoda Service Partner.
WARNING
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converte
rs, diesel particle
filter or heat
shields. When the engine reaches its operating temperature, these substances might ignite - 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 re
move wax - a risk of fire!
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
216
Engine compartmentGood corrosion protection is very importan
t, particularly in winter when one often
drives over its salt-strewn roads. One should therefore clean the whole engine compartment before and after the salt spre
ading period and treat with preservative
in order to prevent the salt from being destructive. The authorised Škoda Service Partners have the cleaning agents and preservatives 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 225, “Working in the engine
compartment”.•
Let the engine cool down before
cleaning the engine compartment.
Caution
•
Engine cleaning may be only be und
ertaken 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 therefor
e be cleaned by an oil separator. This is
why engine washing should only be undertake
n in a specialist garage or at a fueling
station (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 le
ather 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.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.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
218
WARNING
•
The seat belts must not be removed for cleaning.
•
Never clean the seat belts chemically
as dry cleaning may destroy the
fabric. The seat belts must also not be allowed to come into contact with corrosive liquids (such as acids etc.).•
Seat belts which have damage to the webbing, the connections, the
inertia reel or the lock should be re
placed by an authorised Škoda Service
Par tner.•
Inertia reel belts must be complete
ly dried before being reeled up.
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Fuel
219
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
FuelPetrolGrades of petrolThere are various grades of petrol. Please read
⇒page 271, “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 222, fig. 206
.
A distinction is made between unleaded an
d leaded petrol. All Škoda vehicles with
petrol engines are equipped with a catalyti
c converter and must therefore be only
driven with
unleaded petrol
. Unleaded petrol
complies with the
standard
DINEN228
.
The individual grades of petr
ol 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 availa
ble 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 whic
h has a higher octane
number than that
required by the engine. There will, howeve
r, 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 a fuel
complying with
the standard.
You can find further information on refuelling
⇒page 222, “Refuelling”.
Caution
•
Filling the tank even only once with lead
ed petrol will result in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.•
Operating the engine with petrol of a lo
w octane number can result in engine
damage at high revolutions or severe engine loading.Biofuel Ethanol E85*Ethanol E85* Only valid for vehicles with
1.6/75°kW MultiFuel engine.
Biofuel Ethanol E85 consists of 85% bioethanol and 15% unleaded petrol complying with the standard (DIN) EN°228. Biofuel Ethanol E85 in accordance with th
e standard (DIN) EN 2
28 can be mixed in
any desired ratio with unleade
d petrol, see Owner's Manual.
Drive the vehicle for at leas
t 5 minutes without interrupti
on, if biofuel Ethanol E85
has been refuelled, so that the engine co
ntrol unit can determine the share of the
biofuel in the fuel. During this period do
not drive at top speed
of your vehicle or
high engine speeds and not at full throttle
. During this process
decrease the idling
speed.
WARNING
Pay attention to any legal requirements if you do carry a spare canister in the vehicle. We do not recommend carrying
any fuel canisters in your vehicle for
safety reasons. The canister can be da
maged in the event of an accident and
fuel may leak out.
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