2009 SKODA SUPERB battery

Airbag system
175
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important
to comply with the national legal requirements.When are the airbags deployed?The airbag system is designed in such
a way that the driver and front passenger
airbag are deployed in the event of a
frontal collision
of major severity.
In the case of a
violent side crash
, the front side airbag* on the side of the car at
which the collision occurs, is deployed toge
ther with the rear side airbag and the
head airbag*. In certain accident situa
tions, the front airbags, side airbags as well as the relevant
head airbag may be
deployed together.
The airbags
are not deployed
in the case of
minor
frontal and side collisions, in the
case of rear-end collisi
ons and vehicle rollover.
Deployment factors It is not possible to state globally which
deployment conditions apply to the airbag
system in every situation as the circumstances which exist in the case of accidents vary greatly. An important role in this case
, for example, is played by factors such as
the type of object (hard, soft) against whic
h the vehicle impacts or the type of object
against which the vehicle impa
cts, the angle of impact,
the relative vehicle speed
during the accident etc. A decisive factor for the deployment of the airbags is the deceleration which occurs during a collision. The control unit analyses
the nature of the collision and activates
the relevant restraint system. If the vehi
cle deceleration which occurs and is meas-
ured during the collision remains below the prescribed reference values specified in the control unit, the airbags are not
deployed although the vehicle may well
suffer severe damage to the bodywork
as a consequence of the accident.
The airbags are not deployed if:•
ignition off,
•
a minor frontal collision,
•
a minor side collision,
•
a rear-end collision,
•
Rollover of the vehicleNote
•
A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is
perfectly normal and is not an indi
cation of a fire in the vehicle.
•
The dash panel must be replaced afte
r the front passenger airbag has been
deployed.•
In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed: − The interior lighting comes on (if the switch for the interior light is in the door contact position), − The hazard warning light is switched on, − All the doors are unlocked, − the battery in the luggage compartment* is switched off, − the fuel supply to the engine is interrupted.
WARNING (continued)
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Inspecting and replenishing
223
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING
•
Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is flowing out of
the engine compartment - risk of scaldi
ng! Wait long enough until the steam
or coolant has stopped escaping.•
For safety reasons, the bonnet must always be properly closed when
driving. One should therefore check that
the lock has in fact engaged prop-
erly after closing the bonnet.•
Stop your vehicle immediately while driv
ing if you notice that the lock is
not properly engaged and close the bonne
t properly - risk of an accident!
Caution
Ensure that the arms of the windscreen
wipers are correctly
in place against the
windscreen before opening the bonnet otherwise damage could occur to the paintwork.Working in the engine compartment Particular care is required when carrying out any work in the engine compartment!There is a risk of injuries, scalding,
accidents and fire when working in the
engine compartment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions stated below and with the general applicable
rules of safety. The engine compart-
ment of your car is a hazardous area
⇒
.
WARNING
•
Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is flowing out of
the engine compartment - risk of scaldi
ng! Wait long enough until the steam
or coolant has stopped escaping.•
Switch off the engine and pull out the ignition key.
•
Apply the handbrake firmly.
•
If your vehicle is fitted with a ma
nual gearbox, move the gearshift lever
into Neutral, or if it is fitted with
automatic gearbox, move the selector lever
into position P.•
Allow the engine to cool down.
•
Keep children clear of the engine compartment.
•
Never spill oil and other fluids over the hot engine. Such fluids (e.g. the
antifreeze contained in the coolant) may ignite!•
Avoid short circuits in the electrical system - particularly on the battery.
•
Never place your hand into the radiator fan as long as the engine is still
warm. The fan might suddenly start running!•
Never open the cap of the coolant expa
nsion bottle as long
as the engine
is still warm. The cooling system is pressurized!•
Cover over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir with a large cloth
when opening it as protection for your
face, hands and arms from hot steam
or hot coolant.•
Do not let objects, such as e.g cleani
ng cloth or tools lie in the engine
compartment.•
If you wish to work under the vehicle, you must secure the vehicle from
rolling away and support it with suitable supporting blocks: the car jack is not sufficient for this - risk of injury!•
In cases where it be necessary to carry out inspection work when the
engine is running there is an additional risk from rotating parts (e.g. the V- ribbed belt, alternator, radiator fan) and from the high-voltage ignition system. Please observe in addition the following.
− Never touch the electrical cabl
es of the ignition system.
− Absolutely avoid any jewellery, loose items of clothing or long hair from getting into the rotating parts of the engine - Hazard! Therefore remove any jewellery beforehand, tie up your hair and wear tight fitting clothing.
•
Please also comply with the warnin
g instructions stated below when
carrying out any essential work on th
e fuel system or on the electrical
system.
WARNING (continued)
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Inspecting and replenishing
224
−Always separate the car batter
y from the electrical system.
− Do not smoke. − Never carry out any work close to naked flames. − Always keep a working fire
extinguisher at hand.
Caution
When replenishing fluids in the engine, always ensure that the fluids are on no account mixed up. This may result in ma
jor operating problems and also vehicle
damage!Overview of the engine compartment The main inspection pointsFig. 202 Diesel engine 1.9 litre/77 kW
Coolant expansion bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engine oil filler opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brake fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Battery (below a cover) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Note
The location of the inspection points in
the engine compartment of petrol and
diesel engines is practically identical.Engine oilCheck engine oil level The dipstick indicates the level of oil in the engine.Checking the oil level – Ensure that the vehicle is positioned on a level surface. – Switch the engine off. – Open the bonnet
⇒
page 223.
WARNING (continued)
A1
227
A2
234
A3
225
A4
224
A5
228
A6
229
Fig. 203 Dipstick
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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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Inspecting and replenishing
230
The battery is located under a plastic cover in the engine compartment or in the left side of the luggage compartment. Battery in the engine compartment – Press the interlock on the side of the battery cover
⇒
page 229,
fig. 206
, fold the battery cover out and pull it out.
– The installation of the battery co
ver takes place in the reverse order.
Battery in the luggage compartment – You can open the compartment with the symbol

by turning the
locks e.g with a coin or using a flat screwdriver in direction of arrow ⇒
fig. 207
.
Removal and installation of the battery
is not recommended since it can, under
certain circumstances, le
ad 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.
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. Protect the eyes
with safety glasses or a shield! There
is the danger of suffering blindness!
If any battery electr
olyte 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 batter
y 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 el
ectrical 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.
Fig. 207 Luggage compart- ment: Battery behind the cover
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Inspecting and replenishing
231
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns! Replace a frozen battery.•
Never jump-start the batteries which
have a too low electrolyte level -
risk of explosion and caustic burns!•
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 compon
ents) of the vehicle may be damaged.
When disconnecting the battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, first disconnect the negative terminal (-) of
the battery. Then disconnect the positive
terminal (+).•
When reconnecting the battery, first conn
ect the positive terminal (+) and only
then the negative terminal (-) of the ba
ttery. 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 233, also after connecting the battery.
Battery with two-tone indicatorAn indicator for the electrolyte level, the so-called magic eye
⇒fig. 208
, is located
on the top of the battery. The indicator change
s its colour in line with the electrolyte
level in the battery. Air bubbles can influence the colour of the
indicator. For this reason carefully knock
on the indicator before carrying out the check.•
Black colour - electrolyte level is correct.
•
Colourless or light yellow colour - electr
olyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced. Batteries, which are more than 5 years old, must be replaced. We recommend you have the battery checked or repl
aced 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 components 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 constant
ly with a very low
charging current. Please also refer to
the notes when working on the battery
⇒ page 229, “Working on the battery”.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 208 The battery: magic eye
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Inspecting and replenishing
232
Note
•
Batteries with two-tone indicator, which are mounted as of factory, are marked
with a code which always begins with
5K0
. The exact marking can be e.g.
5K0 915 105 D
.
•
Replacement batteries with two-tone in
dicator, which were obtained from
Škoda original accessories,
are marked with the code
000 915 105 Dx
, whereby
“x” stands for a variable. The exact marking can be e.g.
000 915 105 DB
.
Battery with three-tone indicatorAn indicator for the electrolyte level and
the charge state, the so-called magic eye
⇒ page 231, fig. 208
, is located on the top of the ba
ttery. The indicator changes its
colour in line with the charge state and the electrolyte level in the battery. Air bubbles can influence the colour of the
indicator. For this reason carefully knock
on the indicator before
carrying out the check.
•
Green colour - the battery is adequately charged.
•
Dark colour - the battery has to be charged
•
Colourless or yellow colour - electrolyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced. Batteries, which are more than 5 years old, must be replaced. We recommend you have the battery checked or repl
aced 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 229.
Note
•
Batteries with three-tone indicator, which are mounted as of factory, are
marked with a code which always begins with
1J0
, 7N0
or 3B0
. The exact marking
can be e.g.
1J0 915 105 AC
.
•
Replacement batteries with three-tone
indicator, which were obtained from
Škoda original accessories, are marked with the code
000 915 105 Ax
, whereby
“x” stands for a variable. The exact marking can be e.g.
000 915 105 AB
.
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 233
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 an authorised
Škoda Service Partner 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.
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Inspecting and replenishing
233
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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 229 and
⇒
.
– Switch the ignition and all
electrical components off.
– Only for “quick-charging”: Disconnect
both battery cables (first of all
“negative”, then “positive”).
– Carefully attach the terminal clam
ps of the charger to the battery
terminals (red = “positive”, black = “negative”).
– You can now plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket
and switch on the charger.
– When charging is completed: switch the charger off and unplug the
mains cable from the power socket.
– Only then should you disconnect the terminal clamps of the charger.– Reconnect the cables to the battery
(first of all “positive”, then “nega-
tive”).
It is not normally necessary
to disconnect the cables of the battery if you recharge
the battery using low ampera
ges (as for example from a
mini-charger
). Please also
refer to the instructions from the charger manufacturer. A charging current of 0.1 of the total batter
y capacity (or lower) is that which should
be used until full charging is achieved. It is, however, necessary to disconnect both
cables before charging the battery with
high amperages, so-called “
quick-charging
”.
“Quick-charging” a battery is
dangerous
⇒
in “Working on the battery” on
page 229. It requires a special charger and appropriate knowledge. We therefore re c o m m e n d t h a t y o u h a v e y o u r b a t t e r y q u i c k - c h a rg e d o n l y b y a n a u t h o ri s e d Š ko d a Service Partner.
A discharged battery may already
freeze
at temperatures just below 0°C
⇒
. We
recommend that you no longer use a ba
ttery which has thawed out because the
casing of the battery may be cracked through the formation of ice and this would allow battery electrolyte to flow out. The vent plugs of the battery shou
ld not be opened for charging.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns. Replace a frozen battery.Disconnecting and reconnecting the batteryOn disconnecting and reconnecting the battery the following functions are initially deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free. We recommend having the vehicle checked by an authorised Škoda Service Partner to ensure full functionality of all electrical systems.Replacing the batteryYou should only replace a battery with a
new battery of the same capacity, voltage
(12 V), amperage and of the same size. The authorised Škoda Service Partners have a range of suitable batteries available. We recommend that you only have an old
battery disposed of by an authorised
Škoda Service Partner since it does require special disposal.Operation
Operating measure
Electrical power window
(operational faults)
⇒page 56
Enter radio code number
see Radio Operating Instructions
Set hours
⇒page 21
Data in the multi-functional indicator* are deleted.
⇒ page 21
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