2009 SKODA OCTAVIA coolant level

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
18
Engine revolutions counterThe red zone of the rev counter scale
⇒page 17, fig. 18
indicates the range in
which the engine control unit begins to li
mit the engine speed. The engine control
unit restricts the engine speed to the steady limit value. Shift into the next higher gear or select
the selector lever position D of the auto-
matic gearbox before reaching the red zone of the rev counter scale. Avoid high engine speeds during the driv
ing time and before the engine has been
warmed up to operating temperature
⇒page 201.
For the sake of the environment
Shifting up early helps you save fuel and reduce the operating noise of your vehicle.SpeedometerWarning against excessive speeds* An acoustic warning signal will sound when the vehicle speed exceeds 120 kilome- tres per hour. The acoustic warning signal
will switch off ag
ain when the vehicle
speed goes below this speed limit.
Note
This function is only valid for some countries.Coolant temperature gaugeThe coolant temperature gauge
⇒page 17, fig. 18
operates only when the igni-
tion is switched on. In order to avoid any damage to the engine
, please pay attentio
n to the following
notes regarding the temperature ranges:
Cold range If the pointer is in the left-hand area of the scale it means that the engine has not yet reached its operating temperature. Avoi
d running at high engine speeds, at full
throttle and at severe engine loads. The operating range The engine has reached its operating temperature as soon as the pointer moves into the mid-range of the scale. The pointe
r may also move further to the right at
high engine loads and high outside temper
atures. This is not critical provided the
warning symbol
 in the instrument cluster does not flash.
If the symbol
 in the instrument cluster flashes it means that either the coolant
temperature
is too high or the coolant
level
is too low. Observe the guidelines
⇒ page 36, “Coolant temperature/ Coolant quantity
”.
WARNING
Pay attention to the warning notes
⇒page 225, “Working in the engine
compartment” before opening the bonnet and inspecting the coolant level.
Caution
Additional headlights and other attached co
mponents in front of the fresh air inlet
impair the cooling efficiency of the coolant. There is then a risk of the engine over-heating at high outside temperatures and high engine loads!Fuel gaugeThe fuel gauge
⇒page 17, fig. 18
only operates when th
e ignition is switched
on. The fuel tank has a capacity of about 55°litres or 60 litres
2). The warning symbol

in the instrument cluster li
ghts up when the pointer reaches the reserve marking.
There are now about 9 litres of fuel remaining in the tank. This symbol is a reminder for you,
that you must refuel
.
A1
A3
2)Valid for Octavia Combi 4x4 and Octavia Scout.
A6
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Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
32

Turn signal lights (to the left)
⇒page 33

Turn signal lights (to the right)
⇒page 33

Fog lights*
⇒page 33

Main beam light
⇒page 33

Low beam light
⇒page 33

Rear fog light
⇒page 33

Speed regulating system*
⇒page 33

Failure of the light bulbs
⇒page 33

Diesel particle filter* (diesel engine)
⇒page 34

Airbag system
⇒page 34

Control system for exhaust
⇒page 35


Electromechanical power steering
⇒page 35

Engine oil pressure
⇒page 35

EPC fault light (petrol engine)
⇒page 36

Glow plug system (diesel engine)
⇒page 36

Coolant temperature/coolant level
⇒page 36

Traction control system (TCS)
⇒page 37

Electronic stability programme (ESP)*
⇒page 37

Selector lever lock*
⇒page 37

Tyre pressure*
⇒page 38

Antilock brake system (ABS)
⇒page 38

Bonnet
⇒page 38

Seat belt warning light
⇒page 39

Brake pad wear*
⇒page 39

Boot lid
⇒page 39

Open door
⇒page 39

Fluid level in windshield washer system*
⇒page 39

Brake system
⇒page 39

Dynamo
⇒page 40

Engine oil level
⇒page 40

Fuel reserve
⇒page 41
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Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
36
•
The red oil pressure light

is not an oil level indicator! One should
therefore check the oil level at regular
intervals, preferably after every refu-
eling stop.EPC fault light

(petrol engine)
The
 (Electronic Power Control) warning light comes on for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched on. If the warning light
 does not go out or lights up
after starting th
e engine, a fault
exists in the engine control. The engine management system selects an emergency programme which enables you to drive to the nearest specialist garage by adopting a gentle style of driving. The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Engine fault Workshop!
Glow plug system

(diesel engine)
The warning light
 lights up for a
cold
engine when switching on the ignition
(pre-heat position)
2 ⇒page 123. Start the engine after the indicator light goes out.
The glow plug indicator light will come on for about 1 second if the engine is at a normal operating temperature
or if the outside temperature is above +5°C. This
means that you can start the engine
right away
.
There is a fault in the glow plug system if the
warning light
 does not come on
at all
or lights up continuously
. Contact a specialist garage
as soon as possible to
obtain assistance. If the
warning light
 begins
to flash
while driving, a fault exists in the engine
control. The engine management system
selects an emergency programme which
enables you to drive to the nearest specialist garage by adopting a gentle style of driving.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Engine fault Workshop!
Coolant temperature/ Coolant quantity

The warning light
 comes on for a few seconds
5) w h e n t h e i g n i t i o n i s s w i tc h e d o n .
The coolant temperature is too high or the coolant level too low if the warning light  does not go out or flashes while driving.3 peeps sound as an additional warning signal.In this case stop and switch the engine off
and check the coolant level; top up the
coolant as necessary. Do not continue your journey
if for some reason it
is not possible under the
conditions prevailing to
top up with coolant.
Keep the engine switched off
and
obtain professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage. If the coolant is within the specified range, the increased temperature may be caused by an operating problem at the coolant fan. Check the fuse for the coolant fan, replace it if necessary
⇒page 259, “Fuse assignment in engine compartment”.
Do not continue driving
if the warning light does not go off although the fluid is at
the correct level and also the fuse of the fan is in proper order. Contact a specialist garage to obtain assistance. Please also refer to the additional instructions
⇒page 228, “Cooling system”.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Check coolant! Owner's manual
WARNING (continued)
5)The warning light
 on vehicles fitted with information display does not come on after
switching the ignition on, but only if the coola
nt temperature is too high or the coolant level
is too low.
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Heating and air conditioning system
119
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING
•
“Stale air” may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, reduce
attention levels and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident increases.•
Do not switch the Climatronic system off for longer than necessary.
•
Switch the Climatronic system on as soon as the windows mist up.
Defrosting windscreenDefrosting windscreen - switching on – Press the button
⇒
page 116, fig. 141
.
Defrosting windscreen - switching off – Once again press the button or the button .The temperature control is controlled automa
tically. More air flows out of the air
outlet vents
1.
Auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and ventilation)*Description and important information The auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and ventilation) heats or supplies the interior of the vehicl
e with fresh air independent of the
engine.Auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating) The auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating) f
unctions in connection with the Climatic or
Climatronic. It can be used when stationa
ry, when engine is switched off for preheating of the
vehicle as well as while driving (only during the heating phase of the engine).
The auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating)
warms up the coolant during the combus-
tion of fuel from the vehicle tank. The coolant warms up the air, which (if the blower speed is not set to zero) flows into the occupant compartment. Auxiliary ventilation The auxiliary ventilation enables fresh air to flow into the vehicle interior by switching off the engine, whereby the interior temperature is effectively decreased (e.g. with the vehicle parked in the sun).
WARNING
•
The auxiliary heating must never be operated in closed rooms - risk of
poisoning!•
The auxiliary heating must not be running during refueling - risk of fire.
•
The exhaust pipe of the auxiliary heating is located on the underside of
the vehicle. Therefore do not place the
vehicle, if you wish to operate the
auxiliary heating, in su
ch a way that the exhaust gases of the auxiliary
heating can come easily into contact
with inflammable materials (e.g. dry
grass) or easily inflammable su
bstances (e.g. fuel run out).
Note
•
If the auxiliary heating runs, the fuel
consumption comes from the vehicle tank.
Therefore the auxiliary heating should not be operated, if there is very little fuel in the tank.•
The exhaust pipe of the auxiliary heating,
which is located on the underside of
the vehicle, must not be clogged and
the exhaust flow must not be blocked.
•
If the auxiliary heating and
ventilation is runni
ng, the vehicle battery discharges.
If the auxiliary heating and ventilation
has been operated several times over a
longer period, the vehicle must be driven a few kilometers in order to recharge the vehicle battery.•
The auxiliary heating only switches the bl
ower on, if it has achieved a coolant
temperature of approx. 50 °C.•
At low outside temperatures, this can result in a formation of water vapour in
the area of the engine compartment. This is quite normal and is not an operating problem.


AUTO
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Heating and air conditioning system
120
•
After switching off the auxiliary heatin
g, the coolant pump runs for a short
period.•
The auxiliary heating and ventilation does not switch on or comes on, if the
vehicle battery indicates a low loading state.•
The auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating) does not switch on, if the following was
shown in the information display or before switching off the ignition:
Please refuel!
(Please refuel!)
.
•
The air inlet in front of the windscreen must be free of ice, snow or leaves in
order to ensure that the auxiliary heating operates properly.•
So that warm air can flow into the vehi
cle interior after switching on the auxil-
iary heating, you must maintain the te
mperature normally selected by you (we
recommend 22°C). It is recommended to
put the air flow in the position
.
•
On vehicles with DPF (diesel particle filter) the warm coolant heats up the
engine.Direct switching on/offThe auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and ve
ntilation) can be switched on or off at
any time
directly
using the button on the operating part of the Climatic
⇒ fig. 142
or on the operating part of the Climatronic.
If the auxiliary heating and ventilation is not switched off earlier, it switches off automatically after the expiration of the set operating period, in the menu
Running
time
.
Using the system So that the auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and ventilation) func- tions according to your expectations, it is necessary to carry out the basic setting before
its programming.
Basic setting – On the information display, select from the
Main menu
the menu
point
Aux. heating
.
– In the menu
Aux. heating (auxiliary heating)
⇒
fig. 143
select the
menu point
Weekday
and set the current day.
– Return to a higher level
by selecting the menu point
Back
, i. e. in the
menu
Aux. Heating (auxiliary heating)
.
– In the menu
Aux. Heating
select the menu point
Running time
and
set the desired operating period in steps of 5 minutes. The operating period can be 10 to 60 minutes.
Fig. 142 Button for direct switching on/off of the auxil-iary heating (auxiliary heating and ventilation) on the operating part of the Climatic

Fig. 143 Information display: Aux. heating
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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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Inspecting and replenishing
228
Replenishing engine oil– Inspecting the engine oil level
⇒
page 227.
– Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening. – Pour in a suitable grade of oil in portions of 0.5 litres
⇒
page 274,
“Engine oil specifications”.
– Inspect the oil level
⇒
page 227.
– Carefully screw on the cap of the
filler opening and push the dipstick
in fully.
WARNING
•
Avoid dripping oil onto hot parts of the engine when topping up will oil -
a risk of fire!•
Read and observe the warning notes
⇒page 225, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must on no account extend beyond the range
⇒page 227. Oil will
otherwise be drawn in through the crankc
ase ventilation and may pass through the
exhaust system to atmosphere. The oil ma
y combust in the cata
lytic converter and
damage it.Changing engine oilThe engine oil must be changed at the intervals stated in the Service schedule or according to the service interval indicator
⇒page 20, “Service Interval Display”.
WARNING
•
Only carry out the engine oil change, if you have the required profes-
sional knowledge!
•
Read and observe the warning notes
⇒page 225, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.•
Let the engine cool down - risk of burning from hot oil.
•
Wear an eye protection - risk of caustic burns due to oil splashes.
•
Oil is toxic! Store old oil in a safe place out of the reach of children and
unauthorized persons until you dispose of it properly.
Caution
You must not pour any additives into th
e engine oil - risk of engine damage!
Damage, which results from such produc
t, are excluded from the warranty.
For the sake of the environment
•
You must on no account pour oil into
the ground or into the sewage system.
•
In view of the problems involved in prop
erly disposing of old oil, the necessary
special tools and the knowledge required for such work, we recommend that you have the oil and oil filter change carried out by an authorised Škoda Service Partner.
Note
After your skin has come in contact with the oil, you must thoroughly wash your skin.Cooling systemCoolant The job of the coolant is to cool the engine.The cooling system does not require an
y maintenance under normal operating
conditions. The coolant consis
ts of water with a concentration of coolant additive
of 40 %. This mixture not only provides
antifreeze protection down to -25°C but
AA
WARNING (continued)
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Inspecting and replenishing
229
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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 concentr
ation of antifreeze agent in the coolant
by adding water, also not during the summ
er 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 an
tifreeze protection tails off above that
concentration. Vehicles exported to countries with a co
ld climate (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland)
are already factory-filled with a coolant wh
ich offers antifreeze protection down to
about -35°C. In these countries the concentr
ation of coolant additive should be at
least 50 %. Coolant The cooling system is factory-filled with co
olant (purple in colour), which complies
with the specification TL-VW 774 G. We recommend that you use the same c
oolant additive - G12 PLUS-PLUS (purple
in colour) for toppi
ng up the system.
Please contact an authorised Škoda Service Partner if you have any questions regarding the coolant or if you wish to fill up with a different coolant. An authorised Škoda Service Partner can al
so supply you with the correct coolant
additives.
Caution
•
Other coolant additives may cause operational problems which, in partic-
ular, involves significantly redu
cing the anticorrosion effect.
•
Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of
coolant and, as a consequence of th
is, result in major engine damage.
Inspecting the coolant levelThe coolant expansion bottle is loca
ted in the engine compartment on
the right. – Switch the engine off. – Open the bonnet
⇒
page 224.
– Check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle
⇒
fig. 212
.
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.
If the coolant level in the reservoir is too low, this is indicated by the warning light in the instrument cluster
⇒page 36, “Coolant temperat
ure/ Coolant quantity
”.
We nevertheless recommend in
specting the coolant level directly at the reservoir
from time to time. Loss of coolant A loss of coolant is first and foremost an
indication of a leak
in the system. You
should not merely top up the coolant in the
reservoir. It is also important to have
the cooling system inspected without delay by a specialist garage.
Fig. 212 Engine compart- ment: Coolant expansion bottle
Ab
Aa
Aa
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