Driving and the Environment
174
Catalytic converterProper operation of the emission cont
rol system (catalytic converter) is
of major significance for driving your vehicle in an environmentally conscious way.Please refer to the following guidelines: – For vehicles with petrol engine only refuel with unleaded petrol
⇒page 200,
“Grades of petrol”.
– Never run the fuel tank completely empty.– Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle. – Do not pour too much oil into the engine
⇒page 206, “Replenishing engine oil”.
– Do not tow-start the vehicle over a distance of more than 50 metres
⇒page 230,
“Tow-starting and towing vehicle”.
If you drive your vehicle in a country in
which unleaded petrol is not available, you
must have the catalytic converter replaced la
ter when driving the ve
hicle into a country
in which use of a catalyti
c converter is mandatory.
WARNING
•
In view of the high temperatures which may be produced in the catalytic
converter, one should always park a vehicle in such a way that the catalytic converter cannot come into contact with easily flammable materials below the vehicle - a risk of fire!•
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents
for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat shields. Such substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Caution
•
On vehicles fitted with a catalytic converte
r, never let the fuel tank run completely
empty. An irregular fuel supply can result in poor ignition or misfiring. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system an
d damage the cata
lytic converter.
•
Filling the tank even only once with lead
ed petrol will result in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.•
If you detect misfir
ing, a drop in performance or
irregular engine running when
driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the vehicle inspected by the nearest specialist garage. The symptoms described ma
y be caused by a fault in the ignition
system. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter.
For the sake of the environment
Even if the exhaust system is operating pr
operly, a sulphur-like exhaust odour may be
produced under certain oper
ating conditions of the en
gine. This de
pends on the
sulphur content of the fuel. It is often sufficient to refuel with unleaded premium-grade petrol of a different brand or at a different filling station.Driving in an economical and environmentally conscious mannerGeneral Your personal style of driving is a major factor.Your fuel consumption, any pollution of
the environmental and the wear-and-tear to
the engine, brakes and tyres, depend essentially on three factors:•
your personal style of driving,
•
the conditions under which
your vehicle is operated,
•
technical aspects.
You can easily improve your fuel economy by
10 - 15 percent by driving in an econom-
ical way with foresight. This section is intended to provide you with a number of tips on how to protect the environment and at the same time save money. The fuel consumption can naturally also be
influenced by factors which are beyond the
driver's control. It is, for example, normal
for the fuel consumption to increase in
winter and under worsened cond
itions such as poor road conditions, towing a trailer,
etc.
sgg.6.book Page 174 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
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
sgg.6.book Page 183 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
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
Towing a trailer
192
Detachable towing device*The detachable ball head of the towing device is stowed in a box for the car tool kit in the luggage compartment. An instruction for correct installation and remo
val of the ball head of the towing device
is supplied with the ball head. Inspect the ball head to ensure that it is prop
erly locked each time before setting off.
The inspection is performed by turning th
e closed locking lever downwards. If the
locking lever can only be turned around a small angle (approx. 5°), the locking mecha- nism is O.K. After the inspection pull the locking lever back again to its stop. The towing device must not be used, if it does not wish to
close or if it can be turned freely in the
closed position.
WARNING
Do not use any aids or tools for installing or removing the ball head. This might result in damage to the locking mechanism to the extent that the safety of the towing device is no longer assured - risk of an accident.
Note
•
Do not carry out any modifications or re
pairs to the ball head or to any other
components on the towing device.•
Contact a specialist garage if you en
counter any problems
using the device.
•
Never unlock the ball head with a trailer coupled to it.
•
You should take off the ball head if yo
u drive without towing a trailer. Inspect
whether the end cover properly seals off the mounting shaft.•
Remove the ball head beforehand if you
wish to clean your vehicle using a steam
jet. Ensure that the end cover properly seals the mounting shaft.•
It is recommended to wear gloves when installing and removing.
Fig. 167 Detachable ball head
sgg.6.book Page 192 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
Inspecting and replenishing
206
Oil level within range –You
must
top up the oil
⇒page 206. It is sufficient, once this is done, to keep the
oil level within range .
It is normal for the engine to consume oil.
The oil consumption may be as much as 0.5
l/1 000 km depending on your style of driving and the conditions under which you operate your vehicle. The oil
consumption may be slightly hi
gher than this during the
first 5 000 kilometres. One should therefore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably every time after the fuel tank is filled or after driving for long stretches. We recommend maintaining the oil level within the range -
but not above this
, if
the engine has been operating at high load
s, for example during a lengthy motorway
trip during the summer months, towing a tr
ailer or negotiating
a high mountain pass.
The warning light in the instrument cluster* will indicate
⇒page 33, “Engine oil pres-
sure
” whether the oil level is too low. In this case, check the oil level as soon as
possible. Top up with an appropriate quantity of oil.
Caution
•
The oil level must on no account extend
beyond the range . Danger of damaging
the catalytic converter.•
Do not continue your journey
if for some reason it is not possible under the
conditions prevailing to top up with oil.
Switch the engine off
and obtain professional
assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage.
Note
Engine oil specifications
⇒page 243, “Technical Data”.
Replenishing engine oil– Inspecting the engine oil level
⇒page 205.
– Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening. – Pour in a suitable grade of oil in portions of 0.5 litres
⇒page 246, “Engine oil spec-
ifications”.
– Inspect the oil level
⇒page 205.
– Carefully screw on the cap of the filler opening and push the dipstick in fully.
WARNING
•
Avoid dripping oil onto hot parts of the engine when topping up will oil - a
risk of fire!•
Read and observe the warning notes
⇒page 204, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must on no acco
unt extend beyond the range
⇒page 205. Oil will
otherwise be drawn in through the crankc
ase ventilation and may pass through the
exhaust system to atmosphere. The oil ma
y combust in the cata
lytic converter and
damage it.Changing engine oilThe engine oil must be changed at the intervals stated in the Service schedule or according to the service interval indicator
⇒page 18, “Service Interval Display”.
WARNING
•
Only carry out the engine oil change, if you have the required professional
knowledge!•
Read and observe the warning notes
⇒page 204, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.•
First of all, let the engine cool down, we
ar an eye protection and gloves - risk
of caustic burns due to hot oil.
Caution
You must not pour any
additives into the engine oil - risk of engine damage! Damage,
which results from such product, are excluded from the warranty.
ACAB
AAAA
AA
sgg.6.book Page 206 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
Breakdown assistance
224
The vehicle tool kit and the lifting jack*, on which a sign is affixed, are stowed in a box in the luggage compartment
⇒page 223, fig. 182
; there is also space here for the
detachable ball head of the towing devi
ce*. The box is secured with a strap.
The vehicle tool kit contains the following
parts (depending on equipment fitted):
•
Wire clamps for removing the full wheel trims,
•
Wheel wrench*,
•
To w i n g e y e ,
•
Adapter for the wheel bolts lock*,
•
Replacement bulb set*
15),
•
To r x s c r e w d r i v e r.
Before placing the lifting jack back in its storage area, screw in the arm of the lifting jack fully.
WARNING
•
The factory-supplied lifting jack is only intended for your model of vehicle.
On no account attempt to lift a heavier vehicle or other loads - risk of injury!•
Ensure that the vehicle tool kit is safely attached in the luggage compart-
ment.
Note
Ensure that the box is always secured with the strap.Tyre repair kitThe tyre repair kit is intended for the repair
of minor tyre defects. The tyre repair kit
contains a compressor, inflation bottle,
operating instructions and accessories.
The repair with the tyre repair kit is
not at all intended to replace
a permanent repair
on the tyre, this repair only serves to reach the next specialist garage. The repair can be undertaken on the vehicle immediately.
Please read the attached instructions care-
fully before the repair.
The tyre repair kit is located in
a box in the luggage compartment
⇒page 223,
fig. 182
.
Spare wheel*The spare wheel is stowed in the luggage compartment in the area below the variable loading floor* and is secured with a special screw
⇒fig. 183
.
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 215) to ensure
that the spare wheel is always ready to use. Temporary spare wheel A yellow warning label is displayed on the rim of the temporary spare wheel. Please observe the following notes when driving with a temporary spare wheel:•
The warning label must not be covered after installing the wheel.
•
Do not drive faster than 80 km/h with this spare wheel and pay particular attention
while driving. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.•
The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the maximum inflation
pressure of the standard tyres.•
Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not intended
for continuous use.
15)Depending on the vehicle equipment.
Fig. 183 Luggage compartment: Spare wheel
sgg.6.book Page 224 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
Breakdown assistance
230
WARNING
•
The non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps must never make contact
with each other. Furthermore, the cable connected to the positive terminal of the battery must not come into contact with electrically conducting parts of the vehicle - risk of a short circuit!•
Do not affix the jump starting cables to the negative terminal of the
discharged battery. There is
the risk of detonating gas seeping out the battery
being ignited by the strong spark which
results from the engine being started.
•
Run the jump-start cables so that they cannot be caught by any rotating
parts in the engine compartment.•
Do not bend over the batteries - risk of caustic burns!
•
The vent screws of the battery
cells must be tightened firmly.
•
Keep any sources of ignition (naked
flame, smouldering
cigarettes etc.)
away from the battery - risk of an explosion!•
Never jump-start the batteries which have a too low electrolyte level - risk
of explosion and caustic burns!Tow-starting and towing vehicleGeneralPlease pay attention to the following instru
ctions 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 gently wh
en starting off or depress the accelerator
particularly gently if yo
ur vehicle is fitted wi
th an automatic gearbox.
Driver of the towed vehicle– Switch the ignition on so that the steer
ing 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 power 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 shou
ld only use plastic
fibre rope or a rope made out
of a similarly elastic material.
Only attach the tow rope to the
towing eyes
provided for this purpose
⇒page 231
and
⇒page 231.
Driving style Towing another vehicle requires a certain am
ount of practice. Both drivers should be
familiar with the particular points about to
wing a vehicle. Unskilled drivers should not
attempt to tow in another vehicle or to be towed in. One should be constantly vigilant not to
allow impermissibly high
towing forces or
jerky loadings. There is always a risk of excessive stresses and damage resulting at the points to which you attach the tow rope or
tow bar when you attempt to tow a vehicle
which is not standing on a paved road.
Caution
If the gearbox of your vehicle no longer
contains any oil because of a defect, your
vehicle must only be towed in with the driven wheels raised clear of the ground, or on a special vehicle transporter or trailer.
Note
•
Please comply with any national legal provisions particularly regarding the
switched on signal systems, when towi
ng in or tow-starting another vehicle.
•
The tow rope must not be twisted as it may in certain circumstances result in the
front towing eye being unscrewed out of your vehicle.
sgg.6.book Page 230 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM