2009 SKODA OCTAVIA TOUR traction control

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
28
WARNING
•
If you do not pay attention to the wa
rning lights coming on and the corre-
sponding descriptions and warning notes, this may result in severe body injuries or major vehicle damage.•
The engine compartment of your car is
a hazardous area. There is a risk
of injuries, scalding, accidents and
fire when working in the engine
compartment, e.g. inspecting and replenis
hing oil and other fluids. It is also
essential to obse
rve all warnings
⇒page 160.
Note
•
Arrangement of the indicator lights depends on the model and model version.
The symbols shown in the following function
al description are to be found as indi-
cator lights in the instrument cluster.•
Operational faults are shown in the inst
rument cluster as red symbols (priority
1 - danger) or yellow symbols (priority 2 - warning).Turn signal system

Either the left
 or right
 indicator light flashes depending on the position of the
turn signal lever. The indicator light flashes at twice its normal rate if a turn signal light fails. This does not apply when towing a trailer. Switching off the hazard warning light system is switched on will cause all of the turn signal lights as well as both indicator lights to flash. Further information about the turn signal system
⇒page 52.
Turn signal system for vehicles towing a trailer

*
The warning light
 flashes together with the other turn signal lights only if the
vehicle is towing a trailer. The indicator light does not flash if a turn si
gnal light on the trailer or on the vehicle
is not operating.

Airbag system*
⇒ page 30

Coolant temperature/coolant level
⇒page 30

Brake pad wear*
⇒page 31

Fuel reserve
⇒page 31

Engine oil
⇒page 31

Open door*
⇒page 32

Fluid level in windshield washer system*
⇒page 31

Antilock brake system (ABS)*
⇒page 32

Traction control system (TCS)*
⇒page 33

Electronic stability programme (ESP)*
⇒page 33

Dynamo
⇒page 34

Brake system
⇒page 34

Seat belt warning light*
⇒page 34
WARNING (continued)
s2g8.b.book Page 28 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
33
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
A fault in the entire brake system If the ABS warning light
 comes on together with the brake system warning light
 (handbrake must be released), there is
a fault not only in the ABS but also in
another part of the brake system
⇒
.
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)* The EDL is a part of the ABS. A fault in th
e EDL is indicated by the ABS warning light
 in the instrument cluster. Have the vehicle inspected immediately by your nearest specialist garage. Models fitted with ESP are equipped with
electronic differential lock (EDL).
If a significant fault occurs in the ABS system, a warning signal sounds additionally (3 peeps). Further information on the EDL
⇒page 132.
WARNING
•
If the brake system warning light
 comes on together with the ABS
warning light
 stop the vehicle immediatel
y and check the brake fluid
level in the reservoir
⇒page 167, “Brake fluid”. If the fluid level has dropped
below the MIN marking, do not drive any further - risk of accident! Obtain professional assistance.•
Pay attention to the following instru
ctions before checking the brake
fluid level and opening the bonnet
⇒page 160, “Working in the engine
compartment”.•
If the brake fluid is at
the correct level, the ABS control function has
failed. The rear wheels may then block ve
ry rapidly when braking. In certain
circumstances, this can result in the rear end of the car breaking away - risk of skidding! Drive carefully to the ne
arest specialist garage and have the
fault rectified.Traction control system (TCS) *

The warning light
 comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
The warning light flashes when a cont
rol cycle is activated while driving.
The warning light will come on and remains
on if the TCS is switched off or if there
is a fault in the system. The fact that the TCS system operates together with the ABS means that the TCS warning light will also come on if the ABS system is not operating properly. If the warning light
 comes on immediately after starting the engine, the TCS
system can be switched off for technical
reasons. In this case, the TCS system can
be switched on again by swit
ching the ignition on and off. If the warning light goes
out, the TCS system is fully functional again. Further information about the TCS
⇒page 133, “Traction control system (TCS)”.
Electronic stability programme (ESP)*

The warning light
 comes on for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched on.
Components of the ESP system also include the Traction Control System (TCS), the Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) and the Antilock Brake System (ABS). The warning light flashes when a control cycle is activated while driving.The warning light will come on and remains on
if the ESP is switched off or if there
is a fault in the system. The fact that the ESP system operates together with the ABS and the EDL means that the ESP warning light will also come on if
the ABS system is not operating properly.
If the warning light
 comes on immediately after starting the engine, the ESP
system can be switched off for technical
reasons. In this case, the ESP system can
be switched on again by swit
ching the ignition on and off. If the warning light goes
out, the ESP system is fully functional again. Further information on the ESP
⇒page 131, “Electronic
stability programme
(ESP)*”.
Note
If the battery has been disconnected
and reconnected, the warning light
 comes
on after switching on the ignition. The warn
ing light must go out after driving a short
distance.
s2g8.b.book Page 33 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Intelligent Technology
131
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Driving TipsIntelligent TechnologyElectronic stability programme (ESP)*GeneralGeneral The ESP aids you maintain control of your vehicle in situations in borderline driving situations such as when negotiating a curve too fast. The risk of skidding is reduced and your vehicle thus offers greater driving stability depending on the conditions of the road surface. This occurs at all speeds. The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability programme:•
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL),
•
Traction control system (TCS),
•
Antilock brake system (ABS),
•
Brake Assist.
Operating principle The ESP switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts a self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the individual systems. It also processes additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive sensors: the rotational velocity of the vehi
cle about its vertical axis, the lateral accel-
eration of the vehicle, the brakin
g pressure and the steering angle.
The direction which the driver wishes to ta
ke is determined based on the steering
angle and the speed of the vehicle and is constantly compared with the actual behaviour of the vehicle. If differences exis
t, such as the vehicle beginning to skid,
the ESP will automatically brake the appropriate wheel. The car is stabilised again by the forces which take effect when the wheel is braked. Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front wheel of a vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the rear of the vehicle to break away) while occurs this is on the inner re
ar wheel of a vehicle which tends to under-
steer (tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle is accompanied by noises. The ESP operates in combination with the ABS
⇒page 135, “Antilock brake system
(ABS)*”. If there is a fault in the ABS system, the ESP also does not operate. The ESP warning light
⇒page 33 lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a
fault on the ESP. Switching off You can switch the ESP off and on again
as you wish, by pressing the button
⇒ fig. 139
. The ESP warning light
⇒page 33 lights up in the instrument cluster
when the ESP is switched off. The ESP should normally always be switched
on. It may be good practice in certain
exceptional cases, such as when you wish
to have wheel slip, to switch off the
system. Examples:
Fig. 139 ESP switch
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Intelligent Technology
133
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Traction control system (TCS) The traction control system prevents
the driven wheels from spinning
when accelerating.General The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, accelerate and climb a steep hill when the conditio
ns of the road surface are unfavourable.
Operating principle The TCS switches on automatically when th
e engine is started and then conducts a
self-test. The system monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. If the wheels are spinning, the force transmitted to the road surface is automatically adapted by redu
cing the engine speed. Th
is occurs at all speeds.
The TCS operates in combination with the ABS
⇒page 135, “Antilock brake system
(ABS)*”. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system. The TCS warning light
⇒page 33 lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a
fault on the TCS. Switching off You can switch the TCS off and on again
as you wish by pressing the button
⇒ fig. 140
. The TCS warning light
⇒page 33 lights up in the instrument cluster
when the TCS is switched off.
The TCS should normally always be switched on. It may be good practice in certain exceptional cases, such as when you wish
to have wheel slip, to switch off the
system. Examples:•
when driving with snow chains
•
when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface
•
when it is necessary to rock a vehicle when it has become stuck.
then you should switch on the TCS again.
WARNING
You should always adjust your style of driving to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note
•
All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-
free operation of the TCS. Differing rolling circumferences of the tyres can lead to an undesirable reduction in the engine output.•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on
the brakes, on chassis or another combi-
nation of tyres and wheels) can in
fluence the function of the TCS
⇒page 179,
“Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.BrakesWhat has a negative effect on braking efficiency?Wear-and-tear Wear-and-tear to the brake pads is greatly dependent on the operating conditions of the vehicle and your style of driving. Particularly if you drive a great deal in towns and over short distances or if you adopt a sporty style of driving, it may be neces- sary to have the thickness of the brake
pads inspected at a specialist garage
between the service inspections.
Fig. 140 TCS switch
s2g8.b.book Page 133 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Wheels and Tyres
177
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Winter tyresThe handling of your vehicle will be significantly 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 partic
ularly applies 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 173, fig. 159
.
Winter tyres no longer
offer the same winter performance once the
tyre tread
has
worn down to a depth of about 4 mm. Ageing
also causes winter tyres to lose most 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 175,
⇒
.
You can fit winter tyres of a lower speed ca
tegory to your vehicle provided that you
also do not drive faster than the permis
sible maximum speed fo
r 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 permissi
ble maximum speed.
Please pay attention to the notes if
you decide to fit winter tyres
⇒page 173.
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 ti
me 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.Snow chainsSnow chains must only be mounted on the front wheels. When driving on wintry roads, snow chains
improve not only traction, but also the
braking performance. For technical reasons, it is only permissi
ble to fit snow chains with the following
wheel/tyre combinations: Only use
fine-link snow chains
. They must not project more than 15 mm -
including the chain lock. Remove the
full wheel trims
if you wish to fit snow
chains to the wheels.
Wheel size
Depth (D)
Ty re s i z e
6J x 14
38 mm
175/80
6J x 15
38 mm
195/65
5.5J x 16
36 mm
205/55
s2g8.b.book Page 177 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Index
219
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Height adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Safety information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109taking off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Seat heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Service Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Service Interval Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Setting temperature
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Setting the clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Shifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Side airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Stability system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131Starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
after fuel tank has run empty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Diesel engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95Petrol engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Storage compartment
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Storage facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Switching lights on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Switching off the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
TTaking care of your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147TCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Temperature
outside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
the first 1 500 kilometres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137The roof luggage rack system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Thickness of brake pads
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Tilting roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Towing device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146towing vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Tow-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Traction Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133Traction control system (TCS)
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
General Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Transporting children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123Tread depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Turn signal lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Two-way radio systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102Tyre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Tyres
Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
UUnderbody protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
VVanity mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55WWarning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Warning symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Washing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
with a high-pressure cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Washing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147Washing vehicle by hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Wax treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Wheel
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Wheel trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173, 185 Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
de-icing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Windscreen washer nozzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
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