2009 SKODA OCTAVIA towing

Starting-off and Driving
129
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
people who wear such clothing are not recognised by the sensors of the parking aid.
Note
•
Only the front parking aid operates if you are towing a trailer (applies only to
models which feature a factory-fitted towing device*).•
If a warning signal sounds for about 3 seconds after activating the system and
there is no obstacle close to your vehicle,
this indicates a system fault. The fault is
confirmed additionally
when the symbol flashes in the button
⇒page 128,
fig. 150
. Have the fault rectified by a specialist workshop.
•
The sensors must be kept clean and free of ice to enable the parking aid to
operate properly.•
If the parking aid is activated and the se
lector lever of the automatic gearbox is
in the position , warning signal indicates interruption (vehicle can no longer move).Cruise control system (CCS)*IntroductionThe cruise control system (CCS) maintains a constant speed, more than 30 km/h (20 mph), once it has been set, without you
having to depress the accelerator pedal.
This is only possible within the range wh
ich is permitted by the power output and
braking power of the engine. The cruise co
ntrol system makes it possible - particu-
larly on long journeys - for you
to rest your “accelerator foot”.
WARNING
•
The cruise control system must not, for safety reasons, be used in dense
traffic or on unfavourable road surfaces (such as icy roads, slippery roads or loose chippings) - risk of accident!
•
In order to prevent unintentional use of the cruise control system, always
switch off the system after use.
Note
•
Models fitted with a manual gearbox: Al
ways depress the clutch pedal if you
switch on the cruise control system when
the gearbox is in Neutral. Otherwise the
engine can rev up unintentionally.•
The cruise control system is not able to maintain a constant speed when driving
on steep downhill sections. The weight of
the vehicle increases the speed at which
it travels. One should shift down in good
time to a lower gear or slow the vehicle
down by applying the foot brake.•
It is not possible on vehicles fitted with
an automatic gearbo
x to switch on the
cruise control system if the sele
ctor lever is in the position
P, N or R.
Storing a speedThe cruise control system is operat
ed by means of the switch and
rocker button in the left lever of the multi-functional switch. – Press the switch
⇒
fig. 152
into the position
ON
.
WARNING (continued)

AP
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 152 Operating lever: Rocker button and switch of cruise control system
AA
AB
AA
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Automatic gearbox
134
result of this the vehicle can no longer be
driven. If the clutch opens automatically,
depress the brake pedal, wait a few se
conds and only then continue driving.
Selector lever positionsThe current selector lever position is in
dicated in the information display of the
instrument cluster
⇒fig. 154
. In the positions
D and
S the gear you have already
engaged will be additionally displayed on the display. P - Parklock The driven wheels are locked mechanically in this position. The Parklock must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary
⇒
.
I f y o u w i s h t o m o v e t h e s e l e c t o r l e v e r i n to
or out of this position, you must press the
Shiftlock button in the handle of the selector lever and at the same time depress the brake pedal. If the battery is used, the selector leve
r cannot be moved out of the position
P.
R - Reverse Reverse gear must only be engaged when
the vehicle is stationary and the engine
idling
⇒
.
The brake pedal must be depressed and at the same time the Shiftlock must be pressed, if you wish to obtain the selector lever positions
R, P or N.
When the ignition is switched on and the selector lever is in position
R, the reverse
lights will come on. N - Neutral The transmission is in Neutral in this position. The brake pedal must be depressed (if the lever is in its position for longer than 2 seconds) in order to move the selector lever out of the position
N into the position
D or R, with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/hour
or on a stationary vehicle. D - Drive, position for driving forward When the selector lever is in this position, the forward gears are shifted up and down automatically in line with engine load, vehicle speed and the dynamic shift programme. You must depress the brake pedal if you wish to move into position
D from
N when
the vehicle is travelling
at less than 5 km/hour or is stationary
⇒
.
In certain circumstances (e.g. when driving in mountainous regions or when towing a trailer) it may be beneficial to
select the manual shift programme
⇒page 136 for
a short time in order to adapt the gearbox ratios manually to the driving situations. S - Position for sporty style of driving Shifting up later into a higher gear make
s it possible to fully exploit the power
potential of the engine. The gearbox also then shifts down at higher engine speeds as in the position
D.
Fig. 153 Selector leverFig. 154 Information display: Selector lever posi-tions
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Automatic gearbox
138
Selector lever-emergency unlockingIn case of interruption of the power su
pply (e.g. flat vehicle battery, defec-
tive fuse) or defect of the selector lever lock, the selector lever can no longer be shifted from the position
P in the normal way and the vehicle
can no longer be moved. The selector
lever must be unlocked in case of
emergency. – Apply the handbrake firmly. – Open the storage compartment in front centre console* or the front
ashtray.
– Carefully pull up the front left and right cover. – Pull up rear cover. – Press with a narrow object (e.g. ignition key) the yellow plastic hoop
⇒
fig. 158
to the left.
– Simultaneously press the shiftlock button in the handle of the selector
lever in the position
N13).
Tow-starting and towing vehicle Tow-starting a vehicle It is not possible to tow-start vehi
cles fitted with automatic gearbox
⇒page 253.
you can use jump-start cables connected
to the battery of another vehicle for
starting your car if the vehicle battery is flat
⇒page 252.
Towing a vehicle Please pay attention to the following info
rmation if it comes necessary to tow-in
your car
⇒page 253.
13)If the selector lever is moved again into the position
P, it is once again blocked.
Fig. 158 Selector lever- emergency unlocking
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Intelligent Technology
199
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Tyre inflation pressu
re-control system*
The tyre inflation pressure-control system compares with the aid of the ABS sensors the speed and also the rolling circumference
of the individual wheels. If the rolling
circumference of a wheel is changed, the warning light
 lights up in the instru-
ment cluster
⇒page 38 and an audible signal sound
s. The rolling circumference of
the tyre can change if:•
the tyre inflation pressure is too low,
•
the structure of the tyre is damaged,
•
the vehicle is loaded on one side,
•
the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when
driving uphill or downhill),•
snow chains are mounted,
•
the temporary spare wheel is mounted,
•
one wheel per axle was changed.
Basic setting of tyre inflation pressure-control system After changing the tyre inflation pressures or after changing one or several wheels, a basic setting of the system must be carried out as follows.•
Inflate all tyres to the specified inflation pressure
⇒page 238.
•
Switch on the ignition.
•
Press button
⇒fig. 198
for more than 2 seconds. While pressing the
button, the warning light
 lights up. At the same time the memory of the system
is erased and the new calibration is star
ted, which is confirmed with an audible
signal and then the warning light
 goes out.
•
If the warning light
 does not go out after the basic setting, there is a fault in
the system. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage. Warning light
 lights up
If the tyre inflation pressure of at least on
e wheel is insufficiently inflated in compar-
ison to the stored basic value, the warning light
 ⇒
lights up.
Warning light
 flashes
If the warning light flashes, there is a system fault. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage.
WARNING
•
When the warning light
 lights up, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake mano
euvres. Please stop the vehicle
without delay at the nearest possible stop and inspect the tyres and their inflation pressures.•
The driver is responsible for the correc
t tyre inflation pressures. For this
reason, the tyre inflation pressures must be checked regularly.•
Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or
unpaved roads) the warning light
 can be delayed or does not light up at
all.•
The tyre inflation pressure-control system does not take away the
responsability from the driver for the correct tyre inflation pressure.
Note
The tyre inflation pressure-control system:•
does not replace the regular tyre inflatio
n pressure control, because the system
cannot detect an even pressure loss,
Fig. 198 Button for setting the tyre inflation pressure control value
 
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Driving and the Environment
202
Catalytic converterProper operation of the emission co
ntrol system (catal
ytic converter)
is of major significance for drivin
g your vehicle in an environmen-
tally conscious way.Please refer to the following guidelines: – For vehicles with petrol engine
only refuel with unleaded petrol
⇒
page 219, “Grades of petrol”.
– Never run the fuel tank completely empty. – Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle. – Do not pour too much oil into the engine
⇒
page 228, “Replenishing
engine oil”.
– Do not tow-start the vehicle over a
distance of more than 50 metres
⇒
page 253, “Tow-starting and towing vehicle”.
If you drive your vehi
cle in a country in which unleaded
petrol is not available, you
must have the catalytic converter replaced
later when driving the vehicle into a
country in which use of a cata
lytic converter is mandatory.
WARNING
•
In view of the high temperatures which may be produced in the catalytic
converter, one should always park a vehicle in such a way that the catalytic converter cannot come into contact with
easily flammable materials below
the vehicle - a risk of fire!•
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection
agents for the exhaust pipes, catalyti
c converters or heat shields. Such
substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Caution
•
On vehicles fitted with
a catalytic converter, never let the fuel tank run
completely empty. An irregular fuel supply can result in poor ignition or misfiring. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust sy
stem and damage the catalytic converter.
•
Filling the tank even only once with le
aded petrol will resu
lt in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.•
If you detect misfiring, a drop in performance or irregular engine running when
driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the vehicle inspected by the nearest specialist garage. The symptoms described may be caused by a fault in the ignition system. Unburnt fuel may get in
to the exhaust system and damage the
catalytic converter.
For the sake of the environment
Even if the exhaust system is operating properly, a sulphur-like exhaust odour may be produced under certain op
erating conditions of the en
gine. This depends on the
sulphur content of the fuel. It is often su
fficient to refuel with unleaded premium-
grade petrol of a different brand or at a different filling station.Driving in an economical and environmentally conscious mannerGeneral Your personal style of driving is a major factor.Your fuel consumption, any pollution of
the environmental and the wear-and-tear
to the engine, brakes and tyres, depend essentially on three factors:•
your personal style of driving,
•
the conditions under which
your vehicle is operated,
•
technical aspects.
You can easily improve your fuel economy by 10 - 15 percent by driving in an economical way with foresight. This section is intended to provide you with a
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Driving and the Environment
203
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
number of tips on how to protect the environment and at the same time save money. 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 obtained 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. 200
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.
Fig. 200 Fuel consumption in litres/100 km. and speed in km/h.
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Towing a trailer
208
Towing a trailerTo w i n g a t r a i l e rTechnical requirements The towing device must satisfy
certain technical requirements.
Your vehicle is designed primarily for tr
ansporting persons and luggage. It can,
however, also be used for towing a traile
r - provided certain te
chnical equipment is
fitted. If your vehicle has already been supplied with a
factory-fitted
towing device then
everything that is necessary
for towing a trailer in technical terms, and in terms of
the law, has already been taken into account. Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin po
wer socket for the electrical connection
between the vehicle and trailer. If th
e trailer which you wish to tow has a
7-pin
connector
, you can use a suitable adapter
18) from Škoda original accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordan
ce with the manufacturer's specifications
if a towing device is retrofitted. Authorised Škoda Service Partners are familiar with details relating to retrofitting a towing device and for any necessary
modifications to the cooling system.
WARNING
We recommend that you have the towing device from Škoda original acces- sories installed by an authorised Škoda Service Partner. He is familiar with all the relevant details relating to retrofitting such equipment. There is a risk of an accident if the towing device is not properly fitted!
General Maintenance There are a number of points to
pay attention to when towing a
trailer.Trailer load The permissible trailer load must
on no account be exceeded.
You can negotiate appropriatel
y steeper inclines and desc
ents if you do not make
full use of the perm
issible trailer load.
The trailer loads specified only apply for
altitudes
up to 1 000 metres above mean
sea level. The fact that the engine power ou
tput drops with increasing height due to
a lowering of air pressure and thus the abil
ity to climb, means that the towed weight
must be reduced by 10% for every further increase of 1 000 metres in height above sea level. The towed weight is the weight of the (laden) vehicle and the (laden) trailer together. One should take this into account before driving up to higher alti- tudes. The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the towing device are merely test data for the tow
ing device The data relating to your
vehicle, which is often less than this test data, can be found in your vehicle registration documents. Distribution of the load Distribute the load in the trailer in such a way that any heavy items are located as close as possible to the axle. Secure
the items to prevent them slipping.
Tyre inflation pressure Select the tyre inflation pressure on your vehicle for that of “fully laden”, ⇒ page 238. The inflation pressure of the tyres fitted to the trailer adjust in accord- ance with the manufacturer's recommendation. Exterior mirrors You have to have additional
exterior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see the
traffic behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. Both exterior mirrors
18)In some countries the adapter is
supplied with the towing device.
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Towing a trailer
209
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
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 th
e aid of the headlight beam adjuster
⇒ page 63. 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 210.
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 temper
ature 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, particul
arly 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 18, “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 229, “Inspecting the coolant level”. Please refer to the following guidelines
⇒page 36, “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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