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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Starting-off and Driving
124
Starting the engineGeneral You can only start the engine only using an original ignition key.•
Place the gearshift lever into neutral (or place the selector lever to the position
P or N in the case of an automatic gearbox)
and put on the handbrake firmly before
starting the engine.•
The clutch pedal should be fully depressed when starting the engine which
means that the starter only has to crank the engine.•
Let go of the key as soon as the engine starts otherwise there may be damage
to the starter. The engine running noises ma
y louder at first be louder for a short time after
starting the cold engine until oil pressure
can be built up in the hydraulic valve
clearance compensation. This is quite no
rmal and is not an operating problem.
If the engine does not start ... You can use the battery of anothe
r vehicle as a jump-start aid
⇒page 252.
It is only possible to tow-start vehicles
fitted with a manual gearbox. The tow-
starting distance must not be more than 50 metres
⇒page 256.
WARNING
•
Never run the engine in non ventilat
ed or enclosed areas. The exhaust
gases of the engine contain besides the odorless and colourless carbon monoxide a poisonous gas - hazard!
Carbon monoxide can cause uncon-
sciousness and death.•
Never leave your vehicle unattended with the engine running.Caution
•
The starter may only be operated (ignition key position ), if the engine is not
running. If the starter is i
mmediately operated
after switching off the engine, the
starter or the engine can be damaged.
•
Avoid high engine revolutions, full throttle and high engine loads as long as the
engine has not yet reached its normal oper
ating temperature - risk of damaging the
engine!•
Vehicles which are fitted with an exhaus
t gas catalytic conver
ter should not be
tow-started over a distance of more than 50 metres.
For the sake of the environment
Never warm up the engine when the vehi
cle is standing. Drive off right away.
Through this the engine reaches its operating temperature more rapidly and the pollutant emissions are lower.Petrol enginesThese engines are fitted with a starter system which selects the correct fuel/air mixture for every external air temperature.•
Do not operate accelerator befo
re and when starting engine.
•
Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start
right awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.•
It is possible that the fuse on the electrical fuel pump is defect if the engine still
does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary
⇒page 258.
•
Contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
It may be necessary, if the engine is
very hot
, to slightly depress the accelerator
after the engine has started.Diesel enginesGlow plug system Diesel engines are equipped with a glow plug system, the preglow period being controlled automatically in line with the coolant temperature and outside temper-ature. The preglow indicator light
comes on after the igniti
on has been switched on.
A3
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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
204
Note
Also use the information supplied by the multi-functional indicator*
⇒page 21.
Avoiding full throttle Driving more slowly means saving fuel.Sensitive use of the accelera
tor will not only significantly reduce fuel consumption
but also positively influence environmen
tal pollution and wear of your vehicle.
You should avoid fully exploi
ting the top speed of your vehicle wherever possible.
Fuel consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicle noises increase disproportion- ally at high speeds. The
⇒fig. 201
shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle.
You will cut your fuel consumption by half
if you only make use three-quarters of
the possible top speed of your vehicle.Reducing idling Idling also costs fuel.It is worthwhile switching off the engine in
a traffic jam or when waiting at a level
crossing or at traffic lights with a length
y red phase. Even after just 30 - 40 seconds
you will have saved more fuel than that
is needed when you start the engine up
again. If an engine is only idling it takes much
longer for it to reach its normal operating
temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant emissions, though, are particularly high in the warming-up phase. This is why you
should drive off right after starting the
engine. Do avoid high engine re
volutions at this time, however.
Regular servicing A poorly tuned engine consumes an unnecessarily high amount of fuel.Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a specialist garge enables you to satisfy one
of the requirements for economical moto
ring even before you set off on your
journey. Keeping your vehicle properly servic
ed not only has a positive effect on the
safety of your vehicle and maintaining its value, but also saves on
fuel
.
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fu
el consumption which is 10% higher than
normal. The foreseen maintenance work should be undertaken exactly according to the Service schedule by a specialist garage. Also check the
oil level
after refueling.
Oil consumption
is dependent to a consid-
erable extent on the load and speed of
the engine. Oil consum
ption could be as
high as 0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of driving. It is quite normal that a new engine ha
s a higher oil consumption at first, and
reaches its lowest level only
after a certain running in
time. It is therefore not
possible to correctly assess the oil cons
umption of a new vehicle until after you
have driven about 5 000 km.
For the sake of the environment
•
You can achieve additional improvements
in your fuel economy by using high-
lubricity oils.•
Check the ground below your vehicle at re
gular intervals to detect any leakages
in good time. Please have yo
ur vehicle inspected by a specialist garge if you find any
stains caused by oil or
other fluids on the floor.
Fig. 201 Fuel consumption in litres/100 km. and speed in km/h.
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Fuel
220
Caution
•
Even inadvertently filling the fuel tank
with another biofuel such as Ethanol°E85
can result in damage to the fuel system.•
If you park the car for a lengthy period,
fill with petrol complying with (DIN)
EN°228, because Ethanol E85 can contain lo
w quantities of impurities, which can
lead to corrosion.
For the sake of the environment
If you use Ethanol E85, the CO
2 emission of your vehicl
e is lowered up to 5%.
Note
•
When operating with Ethanol E85, the
fuel consumption increases by approx
33%, as a lower quantity of energy is contained in the bioethanol than in unleaded petrol.•
Biofuel Ethanol E85 contains only a low
quantity of additives in contrast to
unleaded petrol. Therefore we recommend to
fill up the tank with unleaded petrol
complying with EN 228 every 15 000 km (e.g. before the oil change) and run it empty, so that the engine remains clean. Make sure not to use the whole content of the tank
⇒page 222, “Refuelling”.
•
The interval of 15 000 km applies for the oil change.
Operation in winterIf you use biofuel Ethanol E85 at very low
temperatures, it is necessary to preheat
the engine before an engine start. The power socket for the engine preheating
is located in the front bumper next to
the fog light
⇒fig. 204
.
If an engine preheating is
not possible at outside temperatures lower than -10 °C,
the share of unleaded petrol complying with
EN 228 must be as high as possible.
Thus the cold start property of the engine is clearly improved. If there is biofuel Ethanol E
85 in the tank and the engine is not preheated, it can lead
at temperatures below -15°C to very poor or no starting of the engine.
For the sake of the environment
The use of engine preheating at temperatures below -10°C has a positive effect on the fuel consumption and thus on the environment.The outside temperature
Duration of engine preheating
lower than -10 °C
we recommend up to 1 hour
lower than -15 °C
at least 1 hour
lower than -25 °C
at least 2 hour
Fig. 204 MultiFuel - power socket
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Inspecting and replenishing
231
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Radiator fan The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.The radiator fan is driven by an electr
ic motor and controlled according to the
coolant temperature. The radiator fan may continue running fo
r 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 beca
use of an accumulation of heat or
•
the warm engine compartment is heated
up additionally by
strong sunlight.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when work
ing in the engine compartment that
the fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!Brake fluidInspecting the brake fluid level
The 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
⇒
page 224.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir
⇒
fig. 213
. 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 br
ake 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. If the brake fluid level is too low, this is indicated by the warning light
⇒page 40, “Brake
system
” lighting up in the instru
ment cluster. In this case
stop immediately and
do not drive any further! Obtain professional assistance.
WARNING
•
Read and observe the warning notes
⇒page 225, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.•
If the fluid level has dropped below
the MIN marking, do not drive any
further - risk of accident! Obtain professional assistance.Replacing brake fluidBrake fluid absorbs moisture. This causes the fluid to absorb moisture from the surrounding air over a period of time. Excessive water in the brake fluid may be the cause of corrosion in the brake system. Th
e water content also lowers the boiling
point of the brake fluid.
This is why brake fluid must be replaced every two
years. One may only use new genuine brake fluid
from Škoda Auto. The specification for
the brake fluid is “FMVSS 116 DOT 4”.
Fig. 213 Engine compart- ment: Brake fluid reservoir
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Wheels and Tyres
242
•
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.Winter tyresThe handling of your vehicle will be signi
ficantly improved when driving on wintry
roads if you fit winter tyres. Summer tyres do not offer the same grip on ice, snow and at temperatures below 7 °C because of
their construction (width, rubber blend,
tread pattern). This particularly applie
s to vehicles which
are equipped with
low-
profile tyres
or high-speed tyres
(code index H or V on wall of tyre).
Winter tyres must be mounted on all four
wheels to obtain the
best handling char-
acteristics. You must only fit those types of winter tyre
which are approved for your vehicle. The
permissible
sizes of winter tyres
are stated in your vehicle documents. Approvals
may differ because of
national legislation.
Please remember that the tyres should be in
flated to 20 kPa (0.2 bar) more than is
the case for summer tyres
⇒page 238.
Winter tyres no longer offer the
same winter performance once the
tyre tread
has
worn down to a depth of about 4 mm. Ageing
a l s o c a u s e s w i n t e r t y re s t o l o s e m o s t
of their winter performance properties
- even in cases where the remaining tread depth is still clearly more than 4 mm. Speed restrictions
apply to winter tyres as
well as to summer tyres
⇒page 240,
⇒
.
You can fit winter tyres of a lower speed ca
tegory to your vehicle provided that you
also do not drive faster than the permissible maximum speed for such tyres, even if the possible maximum speed of your ve
hicle is higher. The
corresponding tyre
category can damage the tyres when ex
ceeding the permissible maximum speed.
Please pay attention to the notes if
you decide to fit winter tyres
⇒page 238.
You can also fit so-called “all-year tyres” instead of winter tyres.Please contact your specialist garage if there are any points which are not clear who will be able to provide you with information regarding the maximum speed for your tyres.
WARNING
You must on no account drive your car at more than the permissible maximum speed for your winter tyres -
risk of an accident resulting from
tyre damage and loss of control over your car.
For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres on again in good time since summer tyres offer you better grip and handling on roads which are free of snow and ice as well as ar tempera- tures below 7 °C - the braking distance is shorter, there is less tyre noise, tyre wear is reduced and fuel consumption is reduced.
Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.Unidirectional tyres*The direction of rotation of the tyres is marked by
arrows on the wall of the tyre
.
This indicates the direction of
rotation of the tyre, and it is essential that the tyres
are fitted on to run in this direction. On
ly then are the tyres able to provide the
optimal properties in terms of grip, lo
w noise, wear-and-tear and aquaplaning.
Should it be necessary to fit on a spare
wheel in exceptional cases with a tyre not
dedicated to the running direction or in o
pposite running direct
ion, please adopt a
WARNING (continued)
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