2009 SKODA YETI maintenance

Driving and the Environment
189
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
After driving off-roadCheck the vehicle for damage after driving off-road - especially on the underside of the vehicle. – Switch off the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
– Check the tyres and the axles for damage and remove coarse dirt, stones and
foreign bodies from the tyre tread.
– Clean the turn signal lights, the headlights, the number plate and the windows. – Check the underbody of the vehicle and re
move trapped objects, such as scrub or
wood pieces.
– Contact your specialist gara
ge if you detect any damage.
– In case of thick layers of
dirt, clean the radiator grille, the engine compartment and
the underbody of the vehicle.
WARNING
•
Combustible materials which are trapped under the vehicle floor can be
dangerous. They can impair the driving
safety and the safety of all the occu-
pants of the vehicle. After driving off-
road, always check the underside of the
vehicle and remove trapped objects.•
Never continue the journey if objects
are trapped under the vehicle. This
can damage the fuel lines, the brake sy
stem, the seals and other parts of the
chassis.•
Combustible objects such as dry leaves or twigs could ignite on hot vehicle
parts. A vehicle fire can also lead to serious injuries.•
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
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Towing a trailer
190
Towing a trailerTo w i n g a t r a i l e rTechnical requirements The towing device must satisfy certain technical requirements.Your vehicle is designed primarily for tr
ansporting persons and luggage. It can,
however, also be used for towing a traile
r - provided certain technical equipment is
fitted. If your vehicle has already been supplied with a
factory-fitted
towing device then
everything that is nece
ssary for towing a trailer in technical terms, and in terms of the
law, has already been taken into account. Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin power so
cket for the electrical connection between
the vehicle and trailer. If the tr
ailer which you wish to tow has a
7-pin connector
, you
can use a suitable adapter
14) from Škoda original accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordance
with the manufacturer's specifications if
a towing device is retrofitted. Authorised Škoda Service Partners are familiar with details relating to retrofitting a towing device and for any necessary
modifications to the cooling system.
WARNING
We recommend that you have the towing device from Škoda original accesso- ries installed by an authorised Škoda Serv
ice Partner. He is familiar with all the
relevant details relating to retrofitting such equipment. There is a risk of an accident if the towing device is not properly fitted!
General Maintenance There are a number of points to pay attention to when towing a trailer.Trailer load The permissible trailer load must on no account be exceeded. You can negotiate appropriately steeper inclin
es and descents if you do not make full
use of the permissible trailer load. The trailer loads specified only apply for
altitudes
up to 1 000 metres above mean sea
level. The fact that the engi
ne power output drops with increasing height due to a
lowering of air pressure and thus the abil
ity to climb, means that the towed weight
must be reduced by 10% for every further increase of 1 000 metres in height above sea level. The towed weight is the weight of the (laden) vehicle and the (laden) trailer together. One should take this into account
before driving up to higher altitudes.
The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the towing device are merely test data for the towing device. The data relating to your vehicle, which is often less than this test data, can be found in your vehicle registration documents. Distribution of the load Distribute the load in the trailer in such a
way that any heavy items are located as close
as possible to the axle. Secure th
e items to preven
t them slipping.
Tyre pressure Correct the tyre inflation pressure on yo
ur vehicle for that of “fully laden”,
⇒page 215.
The inflation pressure of the tyres fitted to
the trailer adjust in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommendation. Exterior mirrors You have to have additional ex
terior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see the traffic
behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. Both exterior mirrors should be attached to folding arms. Adjust the mirrors so that they provide you with an adequate field of view to the rear.
14)In some countries the adapter is supplied with the towing device.sgg.6.book Page 190 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Towing a trailer
191
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Headlights Before starting off with a hitched trailer, also check the setting of the headlights. Alter the setting as necessary with the ai
d of the headlight beam adjuster
⇒page 58.
Detachable ball head The ball rod is detachable on vehicles which
feature a factory-fitted
towing device. It is
stowed together with separate fitting instru
ctions in the spare wheel well in the luggage
compartment of the vehicle. Further information on the towing device
⇒page 192.
Note
•
We recommend that you also have your
vehicle inspected between service inter-
vals if you tow a trailer frequently.•
The handbrake on the towing vehicle must be put on when coupling and decou-
pling 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 temperature gauge if the outside temperature 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 combina-tion. Driving speed Do not drive faster than 80 km/hour for safety reasons. This also applies for countries 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 cond
itions, particularly near accident black
spots. You must always reduce your speed immediat
ely 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 downhill 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 engi
ne speed when the outside temperature is
very high
⇒page 17, “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 your speed immediately. Stop and switch off the engine if the warning light
 in the instrument cluster begins flashing. Wait a few
minutes and check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle
⇒page 207,
“Inspecting the coolant level”. Please refer to the following guidelines
⇒page 34, “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 of the
engine speed. One should also not drop a gear
for this reason when towing a trailer as
long as the engine can manage th
e slope without any drop in speed.
sgg.6.book Page 191 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
193
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
General MaintenanceTaking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicleGeneralProper care retains the value of your vehicle.Regular and proper care retains
the value
of your vehicle. It may also be one of the
requirements for the acceptance of warranty
claims relating to corrosion damage and
paint defects on the bodywork. We recommend using a preserva
tive from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your
Škoda dealer. Please follow the instructions for use on the package.
WARNING
•
Care products may be harmful to your health if not used according to the
instructions.•
Always store care products in a safe place, out of the reach of children - risk
of poisoning!
For the sake of the environment
•
Always select environmentally-friendly
products when purchasing vehicle care
products.•
Do not dispose of the packages with residues of care products in domestic waste.
Care of the exterior of vehicleWashing the vehicle Frequent washing protects your vehicle.The best protection for your vehicle agai
nst harmful environmental influences is
frequent
washing and wax treatment. How of
ten you should wash your vehicle
depends on a wide range of factors, such as:
•
Frequency of use,
•
The parking situation (garage, below trees etc.),
•
Season of the year,
•
Weather conditions,
•
Environmental influences.
The longer insect residues, bird droppings, tree sap, road and industrial dust, tar, soot particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain adhering to the paintwork of your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive effect can be. High temperatures, such as those caused by intensive sun'
s rays, accentuate this caustic effect.
It may therefore be necessary, in ce
rtain circumstances, to wash the car
once a week
.
It may also be sufficient, however, to wash the car
once a month
followed by appro-
priate wax treatment. It is essential to also thoroughly wash the
underside of your vehicle
at the end of the
winter road salting and gritting period.
WARNING
When washing your vehicle in the winter
: Water and ice in the brake system can
affect the braking efficiency - risk of accident!Automatic vehicle wash systemsThe paintwork of the vehicle is sufficiently resistant that the vehicle can be washed normally in automatic vehicle wash plants
without any problem. The actual stress to
which the paintwork is subjected, however, depends greatly on the design of the vehicle wash system, the filtering of the wa
ter and the type of washing and care prod-
ucts used. If the paintwork of
your vehicle appear
s mat after being washed or even has
scratches, point this out to the operator of the vehicle wash plant. Use a different vehicle wash plant, if necessary.
sgg.6.book Page 193 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
195
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
A new layer of a high-quality
hard wax polish can be applied to the clean bodywork
after it has dried thoroughly. Even if you use a wax preserver regularly we still recom- mend that you treat the paintwork of the ve
hicle at least twice a year with hard wax.
Caution
Never apply wax to the windows.PolishingPolishing is only necessary if the paintwor
k of your vehicle has become unattractive
and if it is no longer possible to
achieve a gloss with wax preservers.
You must treat the paintwork with a wax pr
eserver if the polish you use does not
contain any preserving elements
⇒page 194.
We recommend using a preserva
tive from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your
Škoda dealer.
Caution
•
You must not treat mat painted parts or plas
tic with polishing products or hard wax.
•
Do not polish the paintwork of the vehicl
e in a dusty environment, otherwise the
paintwork can be scratched.Chrome partsFirst clean the chrome parts with a damp clot
ch and then polish them with a soft, dry
cloth. If it does not prove
to be adequate, use a chrome
care product from Škoda orig-
inal accessories.
Caution
Do not polish the chrome parts in a du
sty environment, otherwise they can be
scratched.
Paint damageSlight damage to paintwork such as scratches, scuffs or traces of chip damage must be touched up immediately with paint (Škoda painting pen)
before
any corrosion can
result. You can of course have this work ca
rried out by authorised Škoda Service Part-
ners. Specialist garages have a range of matching
touch-up pens
or spray cans
available in
the colour of your vehicle. The paint number of the original paintwork of
your vehicle is indi
cated on the vehicle
data sticker
⇒page 243.
Any corrosion which has already have formed must be removed thoroughly. Apply a corrosion protection primer
and then the paint to the affected point. You can of
course have this work carried out
by authorised Škoda Service Partners.
Plastic partsExternal plastic parts are cleaned by norm
al washing. Plastic parts and synthetic
leather can also be treated with
special solvent-free plastic cleaning agents
if a
damp cloth is not sufficient. Paint care pr
oducts are not suitable for plastic parts.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack th
e material and can damage it.
WindowsOnly use a plastic ice scra
per for removing snow and ice from the windows and
mirrors. You should not move the ice scraper forward and backward but in one direc- tion on the window which you
are cleaning in order to avoid any damage to the surface
of the glass. You can best remove residues of rubber, oil,
grease, wax or silicone by using a special
window cleaner or a special silicone remover. You should also clean the windows regularly from the inside.
sgg.6.book Page 195 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
197
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Underbody protectionThe underside of your vehicle is protected for life against chemical and mechanical influences. One cannot, however, complete
ly 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 intervals - this is best done at the beginning
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 converters, di
esel 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 pr
otection regulations should observed when using
petroleum cleaner to remove wax - a risk of fire!
Engine compartmentGood corrosion protection is very importan
t, particularly in winter when one often
drives over its salt-strewn roads. One should therefore clean the whole engine compartment before and after the salt spread
ing period and treat with preservative in
order to prevent the salt from being destructive. The authorised Škoda Service Partners have the cleaning agents and preservatives recommended by the manufacturer and also the required equipment.
WARNING
•
It is necessary to observ
e the guidelines given in the chapter before working
on the engine compartment
⇒page 204, “Working in the engine compart-
ment”.•
Let the engine cool down before cleaning the engine compartment.Caution
•
Engine cleaning may be only be un
dertaken when the ignition is off.
•
It is recommended to cover the generator before washing the engine compart-
ment.
For the sake of the environment
The dirty water produced by washing the engine has washed away petrol, and residues of grease and oil and should therefore be
cleaned by an oil separator. This is why
engine washing should only be undertaken in
a specialist garage or at a fueling station
(when these are fitted with the required equipment).Care of the interior of vehiclePlastic parts, artificial leather and clothsYou can clean plastic parts and artificial le
ather with a moist cloth. You should only
treat such parts with special
solvent-free plastic cleaning and care products
it does
prove to be adequate.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
199
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
Clean the leather every 2 to 3 months, remove fresh soiling each time this occurs.
•
Remove fresh stains such as those from
ball-point pens, ink, lipstick, shoe cream
etc., as quickly as possible.•
Care also for the leather dye. Refreshen ar
eas which have lost their colour with a
special coloured leather cream as required.•
The leather is a natural material with specific properties. During the use of the
vehicle, minor optical changes can occur on th
e leather parts of the covers (e. g. wrin-
kles or creases as a result
of the stress of the covers).
Seat belts– Keep the seat belts clean! – Wash seat belts which have become
soiled using a mild soapy solution.
– Inspect the seat belts regularly to
ensure they are in good condition.
Belt webbing which has become severely so
iled may prevent the inertia reel from
reeling up the belt properly.
WARNING
•
The seat belts must not be removed for cleaning.
•
Never clean the seat belts chemically as
dry cleaning may destroy the fabric.
The seat belts must also not be allowed to come into contact with corrosive liquids (such as acids etc.).•
We recommend that seat belts which have damage to the webbing, the
connections, the inertia reel or the lock should be replaced by an authorised Škoda Service Partner.•
Inertia reel belts
must be completely dried before being reeled up.
sgg.6.book Page 199 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Fuel
201
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
It is therefore the case that EN 590 prescribes diesel fuel class for certain periods of the year which can also be purchased at the co
rresponding time during the year. “Winter-
grade diesel fuel” will still operate properly even at a temperature of -20°C. It is often the case in countries with different climatic conditions that diesel fuels avail- able have a different temperature characte
ristic. The authorised Škoda Service Part-
ners and filling stations in the country concer
ned will be able to provide you with infor-
mation regarding the diesel fuels available. Prewarming fuel The vehicle is fitted with a fuel filter prewarming system. This secures operation of a vehicle using diesel fuel down to an environmental temperature of -25°C.
Caution
It is not permitted to add the various fuel
additives on the market, including petrol, to
diesel fuel in order to im
prove its flow properties.
RefuellingFig. 168 Right rear side of the vehicle: Fuel fi
ller flap / fuel filler
flap with cap unscrewed
The filler flap is automatically unlocke
d or locked* with the central locking.
Opening the fuel filler cap– Press in the middle of the left area of
the fuel filler flap in direction of arrow
⇒ fig. 168
.
– The fuel filler cap on the fuel filler tube
must be unlocked to the left using the
vehicle key (only valid for vehicles which
do not have automatic unlocking of the
fuel filler flap).
– Unscrew the fuel filler ca
p anti-clockwise and place the fuel filler cap from above
on the fuel filler flap
⇒fig. 168
on the right.
Closing fuel filler cap– Screw on the cap by turning it to the right until it is heard to lock. – The fuel filler cap on the fuel filler tube
must be locked to the right using the vehicle
key (only valid for vehicles which do not
have automatic locking of the fuel filler
flap).
– Close the fuel filler flap until it locks. The correct grade of fuel for your vehicle as well as the tyre size and inflation pressures are stated on a sticker affixed to the inside of the fuel filler flap. Further information on fuel
⇒page 200.
The fuel tank has a capacity of about 60 litres.
WARNING
Pay attention to any legal requirements if
you do carry a spare canister in the
vehicle. We do not recommend carrying any fuel canisters in your vehicle for safety reasons. The canister can be damaged
in the event of an accident and fuel
may leak out.
Caution
•
Before refuelling it is necessary to switch off the auxiliary heating system (auxiliary
heating and ventilation) *.•
Remove any fuel which has spilled onto th
e paintwork of your vehicle immediately
- risk of paint damage!•
On vehicles fitted with a ca
talytic converter, never let the fuel tank run completely
empty. An irregular supply of fuel to the engine can result in misfiring and unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system, which may result in overheating and damage to the catalytic converter.
A1
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