2009 SKODA YETI warning

Driving and the Environment
180
Note
After driving through a body of water, we
recommend that the vehi
cle is checked by a
specialist garage.Off-road drivingImportant information
WARNING
•
Never drive too fast, particularly not around curves, and never undertake
extreme driving manoeuvres.•
Always adjust your speed and adapt your style of driving to suit road, off-
road, traffic and weather conditions.•
In case the vehicle is stationary on a hi
llside at a steep angl
e, do not exit the
vehicle when it is facing downhill. Throug
h this the overall centre of gravity can
shift in such a way that the vehicle tilts and rolls down the hillside - hazard! Always carefully exit your vehicle on the side facing uphill
⇒page 186.
•
A lack of experience and knowledge when
driving off-road can lead to crit-
ical situations an
d serious injuries.
•
Never choose a dangerous route and never take a risk which could jeop-
ardize your safety and that of your passengers. If you cannot go on or if you doubt the safety of the route, turn back and choose another way. Even a terrain, which looks harmless, can be difficult and dangerous, and may bring you and your passengers into
a critical
situation.
•
If you have not fastened your seat belt correctly or you are not wearing your
seat belt at all, or you are holding th
e steering wheel incorrectly when driving
off-road, the risk of severe or even fata
l injuries increases.
Correctly fastened
seat belts reduce serious injuries in case of sudden braking manoeuvers and accidents. As long as the vehicle is in motion, always have your seat belt and those of your passen
gers correctly fastened. Take yo
ur thumbs off the steering
wheel when driving off-road. Should resist
ance build up in front of the wheels,
the steering wheel may suddenly and unexpect
edly spin and hur t you. Hold the
steering wheel with both hands firmly on
the outer edge in the 9 o'clock and 3
o'clock position.•
If you have not fastened your seat belt correctly or you are not wearing your
seat belt at all, or you are holding th
e steering wheel incorrectly when driving
off-road, the risk of severe or
even fatal injuries increases.
•
Correctly fastened seat belts reduce serious injuries in case of sudden
braking manoeuvers and accidents. Th
erefore you and your passengers must
always fasten your seat belts correctl
y as long as the vehicle is moving.
•
Take your thumbs off the steering wh
eel when driving off-road. If the
wheels hit an obstacle, the steering wh
eel may suddenly and unexpectedly spin
and hurt you!•
Never use the cruise control system when driving off-road. The use of the
cruise control system when driving off-
road is unsuitable and can even be
dangerous.•
Do not drive over embankments, ramps or
hillsides at too high a speed. This
can lead to the wheels of the vehicle lifting off the ground so that you can no longer steer and control the vehicle.•
If the wheels lose contact with the
ground, for example when the vehicle
rebounds while driving over
corrugations, steer straight ahead. If the wheels
are turned when making the contact with
the ground again, the vehicle can roll
over.•
There should never be any person in front or behind the vehicle when rocks,
scrub, wood pieces or other objects ar
e placed under the wheels in order to
achieve traction on a sandy or slippery ground. Turning the wheels can trans-form these objects into dangerous “bullets” – hazard!Warning of a rolloverVehicles of this type
have a higher centre of gravit
y than ordinary vehicles. This
increases the risk of vehicle rollover when driving on-road and off-road. Therefore, you must always pay attention to the safety information which is stated in the Owner's Manual.
WARNING (continued)
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Driving and the Environment
181
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING
•
In the event of a vehicle rollover, an occupant of the vehicle who is not
wearing a seat belt is exposed to a clearl
y higher risk of injury compared to an
occupant who is wearing a seat belt.•
Luggage and other items, which are transp
orted on the roof of the vehicle,
additionally raise the centre of gravity and thus increase the risk of a rollover.•
Avoid driving at an
angle on a hillside
⇒page 186.
•
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Important informationOff-road driving is not suitable for everyone. Small children, expectant mothers and elderly or physically disabled persons are part
icularly at risk if the ride is rough and
help is far away. The first priority
should always be
safety
.
Never overestimate your own
capabilities and never underestimate the difficulties of
driving off-road. We cannot discuss all the possible driving situations in this manual, because there are so many types of terrains which may hide different risks and dangers. The examples listed in this manual are general rules for
safe off-road driving. It is however not
possible to predict if these rules are valid for all the situations which may occur. Before driving through unknown terrain, it is ther
efore important that you know what lies
ahead of you. This way you can estima
te any possible danger in advance.
For the sake of the environment
When driving off-road, show respect and
appreciation for the environment and its
preservation for future generations.Before driving off-road for the first timeBefore driving off-road, we recommend that
you take part in an Off-road driver
training course. This is especial
l y i m p o r t a n t i f y o u h a v e l i t t l e o r n o e x p e r i e n c e o f d r i v i n g
off-road. In a driver training
course, you learn how to use th
e vehicle in many different
off-road situations and how to handle the
vehicle safely when driving through rough
terrain. Driving off-road requires entirely different skills from the driver and a very different behaviour than driving on the road. Your pers
onal safety and that of your passengers
depend on you, your capabili
ties and your cautiousness.
Do not drive off-road where it is not suitable for your vehicle or where the demands on you are too high. Although your vehicle
can handle off-road driving, it is not
designed for travels with expedition characteristics. Before each journey off-road, make sure th
at the vehicle is appr
opriately equipped for
the planned journey
⇒page 182. The standard equipment of your vehicle may not be
sufficient for your journey. With the standa
rd tyres you can drive with your off-road
vehicle through easy terrain, such as flat forest roads, meadows and fields. Please note however, that driving the vehicle on a diffic
ult, muddy and sandy gr
ound is restricted
and that the traction of the standard tyres is
reduced when driving off-road. If you have
planned prolonged or difficult
off-road trips, we reco
mmend that you equip your
vehicle with suitable off-road tyres.
WARNING
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Rules of conduct for responsible off-road drivingObserve the valid national legal requirements when driving off-road.
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Driving and the Environment
182
Explanation of technical termsFig. 163 Embankment angle / slope angle Fig. 164 Ground clearance / ramp angleThe technical data
⇒page 245, “Angle (in degree)” refer to ideal conditions. These
values may differ depending on the load an
d composition of the soil and the environ-
ment. The driver is responsible to decide whether a vehicle can overcome a certain situation. Embankment angle (front and rear) Transition from the horizontal plane to an
upward slope or from a downward slope
back to the plane. The angle indication determines the angle at which you can drive the vehicle down the embankment, at a slow speed, without the bumper or the under-body of the vehicle touching the ground. Slope angle The difference of altitude (upward slope) which is overcome on a stretch of road of 100 m, is indicated in percentage or degrees, i.e. the gradiant at which the vehicle can climb
a hill on its own (among other things, depe
nding on the road surface and the engine
power). Ground clearance The distance between the road surface and the deepest point of the vehicle under- body. Ramp angle The angle indication determines the angle
at which you can driv
e the vehicle over a
ramp, at a slow speed, without the underbody of the vehicle touching the ramp edge.
WARNING
When exceeding the maximum value given in the table
⇒page 245, “Angle (in
degree)”, this can result in serious injuries and/or vehicle damage. All of the data was determined on flat, firm and non-slip road surfaces as well as under dry weather conditions. There are no id
eal off-road conditions. Therefore,
never completely go according to th
e maximum values, but always leave a
safety margin.Useful utensilsMany items can be very useful wh
en driving off-road, for example:
•
compass and maps,
•
torch and spare batteries,
•
mobile phone or CB radio,
•
tow bar or tow rope with sufficient tear strength,
•
electrically driven tyre pump for connect
ing to the 12-volt power outlet of the
vehicle,•
a blanket and rubber boots,
•
snow chains,
•
a timber plank which is approximately 4 cm thick and about 1 metre long can be
used as a traction aid when the vehicle is stuck or as a base for the lifting jack,•
additional tools and a folding
yardstick or a measuring tape,
•
spare wheel and tyre repair kit,
AA
AB
AC
AD
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Driving and the Environment
183
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
shovel.
Safe off-road drivingAdopt a correct seated position and always fa
sten the seat belt correctly. Make sure
that your front passenger and your passengers
seated on the rear seats always fasten
their seat belts correctly. When driving off-road, it is perhaps more useful to adopt a slightly different seated position. Depending on the terrain, an incr
eased force may be required to turn the
steering wheel because the force is transferred from the front wheels to the steering wheel. You must be seated in such a way that you have good front visibility, especially when driving uphill or dow
nhill. You must never be seat
ed in such a way that the
distance between your chest and the midd
le of the airbag cover is less than
25 cm

⇒ page 148. Under no circumstances must you drive off-ro
ad with high heels,
slippery or open
shoes. You should wear shoes which fit your fe
et well and allow you to get a feel for the
pedals.
WARNING
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Before driving off-road•
Make sure the tyres are suitable for the planned off-road journey. Before you drive
through difficult terrai
n, equip your vehicle with off-road tyres.
•
Fill up your tank. The fuel consumption of
the vehicle is much higher when driving
off-road than when driving on the road.•
Install the towing eye at the front or at the rear before driving off-road. It is not
always possible to install the towing eye if the vehicle got stuck.•
Always check the inflation pressure of a
ll the tyres and if necessary correct it.
•
Check the vehicle tool kit and suppl
ement it according to your needs.
•
Fill with engine oil up to the line , so that the engine is sufficiently supplied with
engine oil when the vehicle is in a tilted position
⇒page 205, “Check engine oil level”.
•
Top up wash fluid.
•
Stow your load as low as possible in the vehicle and attach all the items which are
loose.Off-road driving•
Never be alone when driving off-road and be prepared to encounter unexpected
situations. Travel together with at least two off-road vehicles. Equipment with which you can call for help in an em
ergency is partic
ularly useful.
•
Drive slowly through unclear terrain.
•
You must stop when encountering difficul
t passages and explore the continuation
of the route on foot. If you cannot go on or
if you doubt the safety of the route, turn
back and choose another way.•
Drive slowly over hilltops. Make sure that
the wheels of the vehicle do not lift off
the ground, as this could severely damage
the vehicle and it may become disabled.
•
Drive slowly on difficult stretches of the route. When driving on a slippery ground,
shift up into the next higher gear and make
sure that the vehicle always stays in motion.
Do not drive too fast so that you don't lose control over your vehicle.•
If your vehicle got stuck in
sand, snow or sludge, it may be more effective to reverse
the vehicle than trying to drive forwards.•
Place stones, footmats or pieces of wood
under the spinning wheels in order to
achieve traction on a sandy or slippery ground.•
Do no drive through water before reading what you must take into account
⇒ page 179.•
Keep sufficient distance from other vehicles even at low speeds. When the first
vehicle suddenly gets stuck, the following vehi
cle can still stop in time without getting
stuck itself.•
Do not plan day trips which are too far in distance.
•
Do not use the cruise control system when
driving off-road. It is only intended for
driving on the road.
WARNING
•
The intelligent engineering of your ve
hicle cannot overco
me the physical
limits of your vehicle.
AA
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Driving and the Environment
184
•
Be very alert and look ahead when
driving off-road. Excessive speed or
incorrect driving manoeuvr
es can cause damage to the vehicle and lead to
serious injuries.•
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Caution
•
Pay attention to the ground clearance of
the vehicle! The vehicle can be severely
damaged and become disabled once it touches the ground.•
Never drive off-road with an almost empty
fuel tank. The fuel supply to the engine
can be interrupted and therefore the cata
lytic converter can be severely damaged.
•
Do not leave your foot on the clutch peda
l or let the clutch slip when driving off-
road. Overwise you may unintentionally depress the clutch pedal on uneven ground leading to a loss of control over the vehi
cle. In addition, the force for connecting the
engine and the gearbox is lost. Moreover, driving while letting the clutch slip causes a fast wear of the clutch linings.
Note
The fuel consumption is higher when drivin
g off-road than when driving on conven-
tional roads, especially through difficult terr
ain. When you prepare for your journey, be
aware of an increase in fuel consumption; the nearest filling station may be far away.Shifting gears correctlyThe gear you must shift into depends on th
e terrain. Choosing the correct gear contrib-
utes to safe driving. In partic
ular if you do not have much
experience driving off-road,
it is always better, before negotiating a difficult stretch of the road, to pause and reflect on which gear to engage. Your experience will tell you which gear is the best for certain sections of the terrain. Basically:•
When the gear or the driving stage has been
properly selected, it is unnecessary to
slow down the vehicle on a downhill sectio
n using the footbrake as in most cases the
engine braking power is sufficient.
•
Depress the accelerator only as much as is necessary. A too great acceleration may
lead to the wheels spinning and thus result
s in the loss over the control of the vehicle.
Manual gearbox•
If you are driving thro
ugh difficult terrain,
on no account
use the clutch or change
the gear. When the clutch is depressed, th
e vehicle may come to
a standstill because
of the increased grip of all the tyres of the vehicle (e.g. in the mud, in deep sand or on a slope). Once the vehicle has come to a stan
dstill, it may be difficult or even impos-
sible to start off und
er these conditions.
•
When negotiating a steep downhill section
or a steep uphill section, always shift
into the 1st or 2nd gear.•
On a soft or slippery ground, you must
drive at the appropriate speed and you
must select the highest possible gear for this. Automatic gearbox•
Select the selector lever position
for normal flat stretches of terrain
⇒ page 122.•
While in the Tiptronic mode, select the se
lector lever position or if you are
driving through mud,
sand, water or hilly
sections of terrain
⇒page 124.
•
When negotiating a steep downhill sectio
n or a steep uphill section, select the
selector lever position while in the Tiptronic mode.•
On a soft or slippery ground, you must
drive at the appropriate speed and you
must select the highest possible driving stage.Driving over rough and smooth
WARNING (continued)
AD
A3
A2
A1
Fig. 165 Observe the ground clearance
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Driving and the Environment
185
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
–Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
– Drive at walking speed over rocky passages. – If it is not possible to drive around a ston
e, gently drive onto
the stone with one of
the front wheels and then drive over it slowly.
WARNING
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Caution
•
On no account drive over large objects (suc
h as pieces of rock
or tree stumps),
neither in the middle nor on one side. When driving over objects which are larger than the ground clearance, the chassis and its
components can get da
maged. Your vehicle
could break down far away from any assistance.•
Even objects that are smaller than the ex
isting ground clearance can come into
contact with the underbody of the vehicle an
d can lead to damage or failure of the
vehicle. This applies especially when there is
a hollow or soft ground in front or behind
the object or if you drive too fast over th
e object and thus the vehicle is deflected.
For the sake of the environment
Leaking engine oil and brake fluid pollute the environment and contaminate the bodies of water. The dispos
al e.g. of engine oil soaked soil can be costly.
Crossing bodies of waterParticular attention is required wh
en driving through bodies of water
⇒page 179.
Driving through snow-covered terrain– Before you drive through snow-covered te
rrain, mount snow chains on the front
wheels or on the rear wheels
⇒page 219, “Snow chains” in order to achieve the
best possible traction.
–Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
Even harmless looking sections of terrain can be dangerous. This applies in particular for sections where no ruts or other tracks are visible.
WARNING
•
Driving through snow-covered terrain poses special dangers. Never choose
a dangerous route and never take a risk which could jeopardize your safety and that of your passengers. If you cannot go on or if you doubt the safety of the route, turn back and choose another way.•
Potholes, troughs, trenches, precipices,
sheets of ice or other obstructions
are often completely or partially obscured by snow.•
The hidden dangers of snow can cause an accident, serious injuries or your
vehicle to break down under
extreme weather conditions.
Driving over steep terrainDriving uphill and downhill– Stop the vehicle before driving uphill or
downhill, exit the vehicle and explore the
situation.
– Walk a stretch and check the firmness of the soil and look for obstructions or other
hidden dangers.
– Check how the route continues beyond the slope. – Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
– Drive slowly and steadily straight uphill or downhill.– Do not stop the vehicle on a hillside or attempt to turn around. – You must prevent the engine from cutting out.Driving uphill– Check before driving over a hilltop, how it
continues on the other side. If you drive
up a steep hill, the vehicle faces the sky and you cannot see what is directly in front of the vehicle.
– Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
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Driving and the Environment
186
– Do not shift gears or release the
clutch during th
e climbing phase.
– Depress the accelerator only as much as
is necessary in order
to handle the slope.
If you can go no further on a slope– Never attempt to make a turn with the vehicle on a hillside. – If the engine cuts out, press the foot brake and restart the engine. – Engage the reverse gear and carefully
drive backwards in your own tracks.
– Press the foot brake in order to maintain a constant speed.Driving downhill–Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
– Shift into first gear or select the first driving stage, while in the Tiptronic mode, to
drive downhill on steep hillsides in order
to use the Downhill Drive Support to its
maximum.
– Press the foot brake gently, so you do not lose the control over your vehicle. – If it is feasible and safe, drive straight down (maximum gradient).– Do not release the clutch or shift into Neutral.
WARNING
•
Never attempt to drive uphill or downhill if it is too steep for your vehicle.
The vehicle could slip or roll
over - risk of accident!
•
Never attempt to make a turn on a hillside. The vehicle could tilt or roll over.
This can result in serious accidents.•
If the engine cuts out on a slope or
you can no longer go on for whatever
other reason, then stop!•
Never let the vehicle roll down the hill
side at idling speed. You can lose the
control over your vehicle.•
If the engine cuts out, press the foot brake and restart the engine. Engage the
reverse gear and carefully drive backward
s in your own tracks. Use the engine
braking power and press the foot brake in order to maintain a slow and constant speed.
•
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Driving at an angle on a hillsideFig. 166 Steer and maintain your trajectory
/ in direction to exit - facing uphill
Driving at an angle on a hillside is one of the most dangerous situations while driving off-road. It may look harmle
ss, but you must never underestimate the difficulties and
the dangers when driving at an angle on a
hillside. Basically you should avoid moving
your vehicle into a sideways
position on a hillside. Unde
r certain circumstances, the
vehicle can slide away uncontrollably or roll over. Check before driving in a tilted position, whether there is a different and safer route. If you have to drive in a tilted position, then
the ground should be as firm and even as
possible. Note that the vehicle may slide sideways or sink in and roll over when driving on slippery or soft ground. Make sure that
the inclination is not too steep when driving
over surface irregularities. Otherwise, the vehicle can roll over and then roll down the hillside. If the vehicle is at a very steep angle, the wheels on the low side must not sink deeply into the ground or into troughs and you mu
st not drive over stones, tree stumps or
other obstructions with the alternate raised wheels. If there is a risk your ve
hicle may tilt, steer immedi
ately in direction of dip
⇒fig. 166

and lightly depress the accelerator. The centre
of gravity of the vehicle should be as low
as possible. Distribute the weight of all the occupants of the vehicle evenly. Taller and heavier people should be seated on the rais
ed side of the vehicle. The luggage on the
WARNING (continued)
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Driving and the Environment
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Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
roof should be removed and secured, as the
vehicle could tilt by
a sudden shifting of
the luggage. A passenger, seated at the rear, should always
remain seated on the seat facing up the
hill during such a journey. In an extreme ca
se, the passenger on the relevant side must
exit the vehicle until you have
safely crossed the hillside.
Exiting the vehicle on a hillside If the vehicle comes to a standstill at a steep angle on a hillside and you and your passengers must exit the vehicle, then all th
e occupants should exit on the side facing
up the hill
⇒page 186, fig. 166
on the right.
WARNING
•
Never attempt to drive uphill or downhill if it is too steep for your vehicle.
The vehicle could slip, tilt or roll over - risk of accident!•
When driving at an angle on a hillside,
the vehicle can lose its grip and slide
sideways. The vehicle can tilt or roll over
and then roll down the hillside. This
can lead to serious injuries.•
Always make sure that when the vehicle
is at an angle, the wheels on the low
side do not sink deeply into the ground or into troughs and do not drive over stones, tree stumps or other obstructions
with the alternate ra
ised wheels - risk
of accident!•
Before you drive at an angle on a hillside
⇒page 186, fig. 166
, make sure
that you can steer and maintain your trajectory. If this is not possible, choose a different path. If you drive at an angle
on a hillside and there is a risk your
vehicle may tilt, steer imme
diately downhill on your trajectory and lightly
depress the accelerator.•
If the vehicle is stationary on a hillside
with a too great angle of lateral incli-
nation, avoid sudden and uncontrolled movements in the vehicle. The vehicle can roll over and then roll down the hillside. This can lead to serious injuries.•
If the vehicle is stationary on a hillside
with a too great angle of lateral incli-
nation, neither you nor your occupants must exit the vehicle through the doors facing downhill. This can lead to a shift of the overall centre of gravity. The vehicle can tilt or roll over and then roll down the hillside. This can lead to serious injuries. To avoid this, you and your occupants must exit the vehicle only on the side facing uphill
⇒page 186, fig. 166
.
•
When you exit the vehicle, make sure
that the door which faces uphill does
not close by its own weight or by carelessness - risk of injury!•
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Driving over rutted roads and troughsYou will always encounter ruts when drivin
g on forest roads, through wet meadows
and fields as well as on rutted stretches of terrain. If the ruts and troughs are on firm and soft ground, you can simply follow the ruts.Do not drive over ruts and troughs which are
too deep. If you cannot avoid this, it is
better that you turn back.
Caution
If the ruts or troughs become too deep,
the underbody of the vehicle can touch the
ground, which might cause the
underbody to get damaged. Therefore, avoid driving in
deep ruts and troughs.Crossing a trenchIf possible, drive through the trench at an acute angle. Make sure when driving through the trench that the tilt angle is not too steep.
WARNING
Never attempt to drive through a trench if its embankment is too steep. The vehicle could slip, tilt or roll over - risk of accident!
Caution
If you drive into the trench at a right angle,
the front wheels will sink into the trench.
There is also the danger that the underbod
y of the vehicle touches the ground and is
damaged. For these reasons (even with four-wheel drive) it is rarely possible to get out of the trench.
WARNING (continued)
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