Inspecting and replenishing
167
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvertently
swallowed coolant.
Caution
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the conditions prevailing to top up with coolant. Switch the engine off
and obtain
professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage.
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 comp
liance with environmental protection
regulations.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 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 160.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir
⇒
fig. 155
. 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. A situ- ation where the brake fluid level is too low is indicated by the warning light
lighting up in the instrument cluster
⇒page 34. In this case
stop immediately and
do not drive any further! Obtain professional assistance.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 155 Engine compart- ment: Brake fluid reservoir
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Inspecting and replenishing
168
WARNING
•
Read and observe the warning notes
⇒page 160, “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! Ob
tain 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”. We recommend that you have th
e brake fluid replaced by a
specialist garage
as
part of an Inspection Service.
WARNING
•
Using old brake fluid can result in seve
re stress on the brakes because of
the formation of vapour bubbles in the brake system. This greatly impairs the braking efficiency and thus also the safety of your vehicle.•
Brake fluid is toxic! It must therefore be kept safely in closed original
containers and well aw
ay from children and unauthorized persons.
Caution
Brake fluid damages the pa
intwork of the vehicle.
For the sake of the environment
In view of the problems involved with prop
er disposal of brake fluid, the special
tools and the professional knowledge required, you should have the brake fluid replaced by a specialist garage.BatteryWorking on the batteryThe battery is located in the engine
compartment below a plastic cover*.
– Press the interlocks on the sides of the battery cover
⇒
fig. 156
and
pull the cover upwards see arrow .
– The installation of the battery cov
er takes place in the reverse order.
Removal and installation of the battery
is not recommended since it can, under
certain circumstances, lead to major
damage. Contact a specialist garage.
There is a risk of injuries, scalding, acci
dents and burns when carrying out any work
on the battery and on the electrical system. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions
⇒
stated below and with the general applicable
rules of safety.
Fig. 156 Engine compart- ment: The battery
AA
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Inspecting and replenishing
169
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING
•
The battery acid is strongly corros
ive and must, therefore, be handled
with the greatest of care. Always we
ar protective gloves, eye and skin
protection when handling batteries. Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivitis
and inflammation of the air passages
in the lungs. Battery acid corrodes
dental enamel and creates deep wounds
after contact with the skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids coming into contact with water are diluted accompanied by significant development of heat.•
Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the
battery vent openings. Prot
ect the eyes with safety glasses or a shield! There
is the danger of suffering blindness! If
any battery electrol
yte gets into your
eye, rinse out your eye immediately
with clear water for several minutes.
Contact a doctor without delay.•
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Contact a doctor immediately if you swallow battery electrolyte.•
Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
•
Hydrogen is released when you char
ge a battery and a highly explosive
gas mixture is produced. An explosion
can be caused through sparkling over
during unclamping or loosening of the cable plug while the ignition is on.•
Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal
objects, cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explosion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.•
It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry
out any activities which produce sparks. Avoid creating sparks when working with cables and electrical device
s. Strong sparking represents a risk
of injury.•
Before carrying out any work on the electrical system, switch off the
engine, the ignition as well as all electrical components and disconnect the negative cable (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off the appropriate light.
•
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns! Replace a frozen battery.•
Never use a battery which is damaged
- risk of explosion! Immediately
replace a damaged battery.
Caution
•
You must only disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched off, otherwise
the electrical system (electronic components) of the vehicle may be damaged. When disconnecting the battery from the el
ectrical system of the vehicle, first
disconnect the negative terminal (-) of th
e battery. Then disconnect the positive
terminal (+).•
When reconnecting the battery, first conne
ct the positive terminal (+) and only
then the negative terminal (-) of the batt
ery. You must on no account connect the
cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.•
Ensure that battery acid does not come
into contact with the vehicle body
otherwise damage could
occur to the paintwork.
•
Do not place the battery in direct dayl
ight in order to protect the battery
housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.
For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of waste which is harmful to the environment - contact your specialist garage regarding disposing of the battery.
Note
Please also refer to the guidelines
⇒page 171, “Disconnecting and reconnecting
the battery”, also after connecting the battery.
WARNING (continued)
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Inspecting and replenishing
170
Battery with a charge level indicator, the so-called magic eye*There is a so-called magic eye
⇒fig. 157
located on the top of the battery. The
“magic eye” changes its colour in line with the charge state and the electrolyte level of the battery. Air bubbles can influence the colour of th
e “magic eye”. For this reason carefully
knock on the “magic eye” before carrying out the check.•
Green colour - the battery is adequately charged.
•
Dark colour - the battery has to be charged
•
Colourless or yellow colour - have the battery checked by a specialist garage.
Batteries, which are more than 5 years old, must be replaced. We recommend you have the electrolyte level inspected and adjusted to the correct level or the battery replaced if necessary by
a specialist garage.
Caution
If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will discharge because certain electrical comp
onents consume electricity (e.g. control
units) also in idle state. You can prevent
the discharging of the battery by discon-
necting the negative terminal or charging
the battery constantly with a very low
charging current. Please also refer to
the notes when working on the battery
⇒ page 168, “Working on the battery”.
Inspecting the electrolyte levelThe battery is practically
maintenance-free
under normal operating conditions.
We do, however, recommend that you have
the electrolyte level inspected from
time to time by a specialist garage when outside temperatures are high or when driving on long trips. You should also have the electrolyte level
⇒page 170
checked each time the battery is charged. The electrolyte level of the battery will al
so be checked as part of the Inspection
Service.Operation in winterThe battery has to provide greater amounts of electricity during the winter. It also has only part of the initial power output at
low temperatures that it has at normal
temperatures. A discharged battery may already freez
e at temperatures just below 0°C.
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked by a specialist garage before the start of the winter and recharged if necessary.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns. Replace a frozen battery.Charging the battery A properly charged battery is essential for reliably starting the engine.– Read the warning notes
⇒
in “Working on the battery” on
page 168 and
⇒
.
– Switch the ignition and all electrical components off.
Fig. 157 Battery with a charge level indicator
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Inspecting and replenishing
172
Windshield washer systemThe windshield washer reservoir contains
the cleaning fluid for the windscreen or
rear window. The reservoir is located at the front right of the engine compartment ⇒ fig. 158
.
The
filling level
of the container is 3 litres, 5.5 li
tres on vehicles which also have a
headlight washing system. Clear water is not sufficient to intensivel
y clean the windscreen
and headlights. We
therefore recommend using clean washing wa
ter together with the screen cleaner
from Škoda genuine accessorie
s (in winter additionally with antifreeze) which is
capable of removing stubborn dirt. Follow
the instructions for use on the packaging
when using screen cleaning products. You should always add antifreeze to the
cleaning water in wi
nter even if your
vehicle is fitted with heated windscreen washer nozzles*. It is also possible in exceptional cases to use methylated spirits when no screen cleaner with antifreeze is
available. The concentration
of methylated spirits must
not be more than 15 %. Please note, howeve
r, that the antifreeze protection at this
concentration is only adequate down to -5°C.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes
⇒page 160, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Caution
•
On no account should you add radiator
antifreeze or other additives to the
windscreen washer fluid.•
If the vehicle is fitted with headlight
cleaning system, you should only add
cleaning products which do not attack th
e polycarbonate coating of the headlights
to the windscreen washer fluid. Please contact your specialist garage, who will tell you which cleaning agent you can use.
Fig. 158 Engine compart- ment: Windshield washer fluid reservoir
s2g8.b.book Page 172 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM
Breakdown assistance
184
prescribed distance from your vehicl
e 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 th
e 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 185 or the caps
⇒
page 185.
– In the case of light alloy wheels remove the wheel trim cap
⇒
page 186.
– Slacken the wheel bolts
⇒
page 186.
– Jack up the vehicle until the wheel to
be changed is clear of the ground
⇒
page 187.
– Unscrew the wheel bolts and place them on a clean surface (cloth,
paper etc.).
– Take off the wheel.– Fit on the new spare wheel* and tighten the wheel bolts slightly. –Lower the car.
– Tighten the wheel bolts firmly, al
ternately and diagonally using the
wrench* (crosswise)
⇒
page 186.
– Mount the full wheel trim/w
heel trim cap or the caps.
Note
•
All bolts must be clean
and must turn easily.
•
You must never grease or oil the wheel bolts!
•
When fitting on unidirectional tyres, ensure that the tyres rotate in the correct
direction
⇒page 173.
Subsequent stepsAfter changing the wheel, you must perform the following steps. – Stow and attach the replaced wheel in the spare wheel well. – Stow the vehicle tool kit in the space provided.–
Check
the
tyre pressure
on the spare wheel* just mounted as soon
as possible.
– Have the
tightening torque
of the wheel bolts
checked
with a torque
wrench as soon as possible. Steel and light alloy wheels must be tight-ened to a tightening torque of
120 Nm
.
– Have the defective tyre repaired as soon as possible.
WARNING
It is necessary to observe the guidelines given on
⇒page 175, “New tyres
and wheels” if the vehicle is subseq
uently fitted with tyres which are
different to those it was fitted with at the works.
WARNING (continued)
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Breakdown assistance
188
– Reinstall the full wheel trim/wheel cap after removing the adapter or
place the cap onto the safety wheel bolt.
– Have the
tightening torque
checked
w i t h a t o rq u e w re n c h a s s o o n a s
possible. Steel and light alloy wheels must be tightened to a tightening torque of
120 Nm
.
The safety wheel bolts on vehicles fitted with them (one safety wheel bolt per wheel) can only be loosened or tigh
ten up by using the adapter provided.
It is meaningful to note the code numbe
r hammered into the rear side of the
adapter or the rear side of the safety wheel bolts. You can obtain a replacement adapter from a specialist garage, if
necessary, by quoting this number.
We recommend that you always carry the
adapter for the wheel bolts with you in
the vehicle. It should be st
owed in the vehicle tool kit.
Caution
Damage can occur to the adapter and safety
wheel bolt if the safety wheel bolt is
tightened up too much.
Note
The set of safety wheel bolts can be
obtained from a specialist garage.
Jump-startingInitial stepsYou can use the battery of another vehicl
e for jump-starting yours if the engine
does not start because the battery on your
vehicle is flat. You will require jump-start
cables for this purpose. Both batteries must have a rated voltage of 12 V. The
capacity
(Ah) of the battery
supplying the power must not be significa
ntly less than the capacity of the
discharged battery in your vehicle.
Jump-start cables Only use jump-start cables which have an
adequately large cross-section and insu-
lated terminal clamps. Please pay attent
ion to the manufacturer's instructions.
Positive cable -
colour coding in the
majority of cases red.
Negative cable -
colour coding in the majority of cases black.
WARNING
•
A discharged battery may already freeze
at temperatures just below 0°C.
In case of frozen battery carry out no jump-starting - risk of explosion!•
Please pay attention to the warning instructions relating to working in
the engine compartment
⇒page 160.
Note
•
There must not be any contact between the two vehicles otherwise current may
flow as soon as the negative terminals are connected.•
The discharged battery must be proper
ly connected to the system of the
vehicle.•
Switch off any mobile phone, pay attent
ion to the instructions for use of the
mobile phone in such a situation.•
We recommend purchasing jump-start cabl
es from Škoda Service Partners as a
Škoda original accessory or from retailers who sell branded batteries.
s2g8.b.book Page 188 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM
Breakdown assistance
189
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Start engineIt is important to connect the jump
-start cables in the correct order.
Connecting positive terminals – Attach one end to the positive terminal
⇒
fig. 172
of the
discharged battery .
– Attach the other end to the positive terminal of the battery
supplying the power .
Connecting negative term
inal and engine block
– Attach one end to the negative
terminal of the battery supplying
the power .
– Attach the other end to a solid metal part which is connected
firmly to the engine block, or
to the engine block itself.
Starting engine – Start the engine of the vehicle providing current and run the engine at
idling speed.
– Now start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
– Interrupt the attempt at starting an engine after 10 seconds if it does
not start right away and wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
– Disconnect the cables on the engine in exactly the
reverse order
they
were connected up.
WARNING
•
The non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps must never make contact
with each other. Furthermore, the cable connected to the positive terminal of the battery must not come into contact with electrically conducting parts of the vehicle - risk of a short circuit!•
Do not affix the jump starting cables to the negative terminal of the
discharged battery. There is the risk
of detonating gas seeping out the
battery being ignited by the strong
spark which results from the engine
being started.•
Run the jump-start cables so that th
ey cannot be caught
by any rotating
parts in the engine compartment.•
Do not bend over the batteries - risk of caustic burns!
•
The vent screws of the battery cells must be tightened firmly.
•
Keep any sources of ignition (naked
flame, smouldering cigarettes etc.)
away from the battery - risk of an explosion!Tow-starting and towing vehicleGeneralPlease pay attention to the following in
structions if you are going to use a
tow rope: Driver of the towing vehicle – Do not drive off until the tow rope is taught.
Fig. 172 Jump-starting using the battery from another vehicle: A - flat vehicle battery, B - battery providing current
A1AAA2AB
A3
AB
A4
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