2009 SKODA SUPERB brake light

Driving and the Environment
203
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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. 194
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.
Note
Also use the information supplied by the multi-functional indicator*
⇒page 21.
Fig. 194 Fuel consumption in litres/100 km. and speed in km/h.
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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 66, “Headlamp range adjustment*
”.
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 227, “Inspecting the coolant level”. Please refer to the following guidelines
⇒page 38, “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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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
215
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WheelsSteel wheels You should also thoroughly wash the wheels and wheel trims when giving your vehicle its regular wash. This prevents an
y brake dust, dirt and road salt from
sticking to the wheel hubs. You can remove
stubborn brake abrasion adhering to
t h e w h e e l s w i t h a n i n d u s tr i a l c l e a n e r. To u c h u p a n y d a m a g e to t h e p a i n tw o r k o n th e wheels before rust is able to form. Light alloy wheels Regular care of light alloy wheels is necessary in order to retain their decorative appearance over long periods. It is partic
ularly important to remove any road salt
and brake abrasion from light alloy wheels every two weeks, otherwise the light metal will suffer. Wash thoroughly and th
en treat the wheels with a protective
product for light alloy wheels which does
not contain any acidic components. You
should provide the wheel hubs with a hard wax layer every three months. You must not use any products which cause abrasi
on when treating the wheel hubs. Any
damage to the paint layer on the whee
l hubs must be touched up immediately.
We recommend using a preservative from
Škoda genuine accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer.
WARNING
One should remember when cleaning th
e wheels that moisture, ice and road
salt may adversely affect braking ef
ficiency - risk of an accident!
Note
Severe layers of dirt on th
e wheels can also result in
wheel imbalance. This may
show itself in the form of a wheel vibration which is transmitted to the steering wheel which, in certain circumstances, ca
n cause premature wear
of the steering.
This means it is necessary to remove the dirt.
Underbody protectionThe underside of your vehicl
e is protected for life against chemical and mechanical
influences. One cannot, however, completely rule out damage to the
protective layer
when
driving so we recommend that you inspect the protective layer on the underside of your vehicle and on the chassis at certain in
tervals - this is best done at the begin-
ning and end of the winter - and to touch up any damaged areas. The authorised Škoda Service Partners have suitable
spray products
available as
well as the necessary equipment and are familiar with the instructions for use. It is therefore best to have such touch-up work or additional corrosion protection measures carried out by an authorised Škoda Service Partner.
WARNING
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converte
rs, diesel particle
filter or heat
shields. When the engine reaches its operating temperature, these substances might ignite - risk of fire!Protection of hollow spacesAll the cavities of your vehicle which are at
risk from corrosion are protected for life
by a layer of
protective wax
applied in the factory.
This wax protection does not require to be
inspected or re-treated. Please remove
any small amount of wax which flows out of
the cavities at high temperatures with
a plastic scraper and clean the spot using petroleum cleaner.
WARNING
Safety and environmental protection regulations should observed when using petroleum cleaner to re
move wax - a risk of fire!
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Inspecting and replenishing
228
system with water and as soon as possible
arrange adjustment to correct the mixing
ratio of water and coolant additive again by a specialist garage. Only use fresh coolant for topping up the system.Do not fill up over the “MAX” marking! Exce
ss coolant which is heated up is forced
out of the cooling system through the pressure relief valve in the cap of the coolant compensation bottle. Wait until the engine has cooled down for a system which has suffered a major loss of coolant before pouring in coolant. Th
is is necessary to
avoid engine damage.
WARNING
•
The cooling system is pressurized! Do not open the cap of the coolant
expansion bottle if the engine is still hot - risk of scalding!•
The coolant additive and thus all of the coolant is harmful to your health.
Avoid contact with the coolant. Coolant vapours are also harmful to the health. It is important, therefore, to always safely store any coolant additive in its original container out of the reach of children - risk of poisoning!•
If any splashes of coolant get into yo
ur eyes, rinse out your eyes immedi-
ately with clear water and contact
a doctor as soon as possible.
•
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 of the engine and contact

and obtain professional assistan
ce from a specialist garage.
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 electric motor and controlled according to the coolant temperature. The radiator fan may continue running for
up to 10 minutes after the engine has
been switched off - even if the ignition is
also off. It may al
so switch on suddenly
after a certain time, if•
the coolant temperature has risen because 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
Fig. 205 Engine compart- ment: Brake fluid reservoir
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Inspecting and replenishing
229
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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 223, “Working in the engine compartment”.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir
⇒
page 228, fig. 205
. 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 41. In this case
stop immediately and
do not drive any further! Obtain professional assistance.
WARNING
•
Read and observe the warning notes
⇒page 223 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 mu
st 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 an
authorised Škoda
Service Partner
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 th
e brake system. This greatly impairs
the braking efficiency and thus al
so the safety of your vehicle.
•
Brake fluid is toxic! It must therefor
e be kept safely in closed original
containers and well away from children and unauthorized persons.
Caution
Brake fluid damages the paintwork of the vehicle.
For the sake of the environment
In view of the problems involved with prop
er disposal of brak
e fluid, the special
tools and the professional knowledge required, you should have the brake fluid replaced by authorised Škoda Service Partners.BatteryWorking on the battery
Fig. 206 Engine compart- ment: The battery
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Wheels and Tyres
238
The date of manufacture
is a lso s tated on the tyre wal l (poss ibly o nl y on the
inside

of wheel):
DOT ... 20 09...
means, for example, that the tyre was manufactured in the 20th week of the year 2009. Any
spare wheel
which differs from the tyres fitted to the vehicle (e.g. winter tyres
or low-profile tyres) should only be used
only for a short time in the event of a
puncture and when adopting an appropriately
cautious style of driving. It should be
replaced as quickly as po
ssible by a normal wheel.
WARNING
•
Only use those tyres or wheel rims
which have been approved for your
model of Škoda Auto vehicle. Failure to observe this instruction will adversely affect the road safety of your vehicle - risk of accident! Approval and licencing of your vehicle on public roads may also become void as a result.•
You must on no account drive at a higher speed than is permissible for
y our t yre s - ris k of a n ac cid e n t re su lti ng fro m ty re d a m ag e a nd lo ss o f c ont rol over your vehicle.•
Tyres which are 6 years old or more should only be fitted in exceptional
cases and when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.•
Never fit tyres which have already been used without having adequate
knowledge of their previous history. Ty
res age even if they have not been
used at all or only very little. A spare tyre must only be used in exceptional cases and only then when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.•
Do not, where possible, replace indivi
dual tyres but at least replace them
on both wheels of a given axle at the same time. Always fit the tyres with the deeper tread depth to the front wheels.
For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed
of in conformity with the appropriate regulations.
Note
It is not normally possible to fit wheels
from other models of cars for technical
reasons. This may also apply in certain
circumstances to the wheels of the same
type of vehicle.Wheel boltsWheels and
wheel bolts
are matched to each other in
terms of design. Each time
you fit other wheels - e.g. light alloy wheels
or wheels with winter tyres - you must
therefore also use the matching wheel bolts of the correct length and shape of spherical cap. This is essent
ial to ensure that the wheels are tightly fitted and that
the brake system operates properly. If you retrofit
wheel trims
(or have this done), please also ensure that an adequate
flow of air remains assured for cooling the brake system. The authorised Škoda Service Partners are instructed in the technical possibilities which exist regarding converting or retrofitting tyres, wheels and wheel trims.
WARNING
•
In case of incorrect treatment of th
e wheel bolts, the
wheel can loosen
when the car is moving - risk of accident!•
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 wh
eel bolts for steel and light alloy wheels
is 120 Nm.
s2dk.1.book Page 238 Wednesday, April 8, 2009 12:23 PM

Breakdown assistance
245
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Spare wheel*The spare wheel lies in a well under the floor covering of the luggage compartment and is fixed in place using special screws
⇒fig. 216
.
Before removing the spare wheel, you must take out the box with the vehicle tool kit box
⇒page 244, fig. 215
.
One should check the inflation pressure in the spare wheel (at best when generally checking the tyre air pressures - see sign on the fuel filler flap
⇒page 235) to
ensure that the spare wheel is always ready to use. Temporary spare wheel A warning label displayed on the rim of the temporary spare wheel indicates that your vehicle is equipped with a temporary spare wheel. Please observe the following notes when driving with a temporary spare wheel:•
After fitting on the wheel, the warning stic
ker must not be concealed (e.g. by the
wheel trim).•
Do not drive with this spare wheel at more than 80 km/h - risk of accident. Avoid
accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.•
The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation pressure
of the standard tyres. The temporary spare wheel R 18 must have an inflation pres-sure of 420 kPa (4.2 bar)!
•
Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not
intended for continuous use.•
No other summer or winter tyres must
be mounted on the rim of the spare
wheel R 18.Changing a wheelPreliminary workThe following steps should be carried out before actually changing the wheel. – If it is necessary to change a wheel, park the vehicle as far away as
possible from the traffic flow. The place you choose should be
level
.
–Have
all the occupants get out.
While changing a wheel, the occu-
pants of the vehicle should not stan
d on the road (e.g. behind a crash
barrier).
– Apply the
handbrake
firmly.
–Engage
1st gear
or if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox,
position the
selector lever into position P
.
– If a trailer is coupled, uncouple it. – Take the
vehicle tool kit
⇒
page 244 and the
spare wheel

⇒
page 245 out of the luggage compartment.WARNING
•
If you find yourself in flowing traffic switch on the hazard warning lights
system and place the warning triangle
on the side of the road at the
prescribed distance from
your vehicle while obse
rving all national legal
provisions. In this way you are protecting not only yourself but also other road users.
Fig. 216 Luggage compart- ment: Spare wheel
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Breakdown assistance
252
Jump-starting on vehicles with jump-starting pointFor vehicles with the 3.6 ltr./191 kW FS
I engines, the positive terminal of
the battery supplying the power can only be connected to the jump-starting point in the engine compartment of the vehicle which must be started by means of a jump-starting cable
⇒
fig. 223
!
– Open the protective cap of the ju
mp-starting point in direction of
arrow.
– Connect the positive terminal of
the battery supplying the power with
the jump-starting point.
– Attach the negative terminal of the battery supplying the power to a
solid metal part which is connected fi
rmly to the engine block or to the
engine block itself.
–Start the engine
⇒
page 251.
– After the engine start, close the
protective cap of the jump-starting
point.
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. – Release the clutch particularly gent
ly when starting off or depress the
accelerator particularly gently if yo
ur vehicle is fitted with an auto-
matic gearbox.
Driver of the towed vehicle – Switch the ignition on so that th
e steering wheel is not blocked and
you can also operate the turn signal
lights, the headlight flasher, the
windscreen wipers and windscreen washer system.
– Take the vehicle out of gear or move the selector lever into position
N
if your vehicle is fitted
with an automatic gearbox.
– Note that the brake servo unit and po
wer steering only operate if the
engine is running. You will require
significantly greater physical force
to depress the brake pedal and to steer the vehicle if the engine is not running.
– Ensure that the tow rope is always kept taught.Tow rope or tow bar A tow
bar
is safest way of towing a vehicle and also minimizes any shocks. You can
use a tow
rope
only if a suitable tow bar is not available.
The tow rope must be elastic to protect
the vehicle. Thus one should only use
plastic fibre rope or a rope made
out of a similarly elastic material.
Fig. 223 Detail of the engine compartment: Jump-starting point
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