2010 SKODA FABIA light

Airbag system
126
Function of the side airbags Risk of injury to the upper part of the body is reduced by fully inflated side airbags.In the case of a
violent side crash
, the side airbag in the front seat and the head airbag
on the side on which the collision occurs are deployed
fig. 118
.
In certain accident situations, the front, side and head airbag are simultaneously deployed. If an airbag is deployed, the airbag is filled with gas. The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to be able
to offer that additional protection in the
event of an accident. A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not an indicati
on of a fire in the vehicle.
The load of the occupants is cushioned when
plunging into the fully inflated airbag and
the risk of injury to the entire upper body
(chest, stomach and pelvis) is reduced on the
side facing the door.Important safety information on the side airbag Correct use of the airbag system cons
iderably reduces the risk of injury!
WARNING

It is essential to always switch off
page 128, “Deactivating airbags” the
front passenger airbag when attachin
g a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat where the child is seated
with its back facing in direction of
travel (in some countries also when the chil
d is facing the direct
ion of travel). If
this is not done, there is a risk of the ch
ild suffering severe or even fatal injuries
if the front passenger airbag is deploy
ed. In certain countries national legal
provisions also require that the side passenger airbags be deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appro- priate national regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.
Your head should never be positioned in the deployment area of the side
airbag. You might suffer severe injuries in
the event of an accident. This applies
in particular to children who are transported without using a suitable child safety seat
page 132, “Child safety and side airbag*”.

If children adopt an incorrect seated position when travelling, they may be
exposed to an increased risk of injury in
the event of an accident. This can result
in serious injuries
page 130, “What you should know about transporting
children!”.
There must not be any further persons,
animals as well as objects posi-
tioned between the occupants and the
deployment area of the airbag. No
accessories, such as a can holder, should be attached to the doors.
Only hang light items of clothing on
the clothes hooks to the vehicle. Never
leave any heavy or sharp-ed
ged objects in the pockets
of the items of clothing.

Ensure that there are no excessive forc
es, such as violent knocks, kicks etc.,
impact on the backrests of the seats
otherwise the system may be damaged.
The side airbags would not be deployed in such a case!
Any seat or protective covers which you fit to the driver or front passenger
seats must only be of the type expressly authorised by Škoda Auto. In view of the fact that the airbag inflates out of the backrest of the seat, use of non-approved seat or protective covers would considerably impair the protective function of the side airbag.
Any damage to the original seat covers in
the area of the side airbag module
must be repaired without delay by your specialist garage.
The airbag modules in the front seats
must not display any damage, cracks
or deep scratches. It is not permissible to use force in order to open the modules.
Fig. 118 Side airbags deployed
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
128
Important safety information on the head airbag Correct use of the airbag system cons
iderably reduces the risk of injury!
WARNING

It is essential to always switch off
page 128 the front passenger airbag
when attaching a child safety seat on th
e front passenger seat where the child is
seated with its back facing in direction of travel (in some countries also when the child is facing the direction of travel). If this is not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal inju
ries if the front passenger airbag is
deployed. In certain countries national legal provisions also require that the side or head passenger airbags be deac
tivated. When transporting a child on
the front passenger seat, pl
ease comply with the appropriate national regula-
tions regarding the use of child safety seats.
There must not be any objects in the deployment area of the head airbags
which might prevent the airbag
s from inflating properly.

Only hang light items of clothing on the clothes hooks to the vehicle. Never
leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in
the pockets of the
items of clothing.
In addition, it is not permitted to use clothes hangers for hanging up items of clothing.
There must not be any other persons (e
.g. children) or animals between the
car occupant and the deployment area of the head airbag. In addition, none of the occupants should lean their head out of the window when driving, or extend their arms and hands out of the window.
The sun visors must not be swivelled to the side windows into the deploy-
ment area of the head airbags if any ob
jects, such as ball-point pens etc. are
attached to them. This might result in
injuries to the occupants if the head
airbag is deployed.
Installing impermissible accessories in the area of the head airbags may
considerably impair the protection offered
by the head airbag in the event of it
being deployed. When the deployed head
airbag is inflated, parts of the acces-
sories fitted may in certain circumstances be thrown into the interior of the car and cause injuries to the occupants
page 184.

Any work on the head airbag system
including installing and removing
system components because
of other repair work (e.g. removing headliner)
must only be carried out by a specialist garage.
Deactivating airbagsDeactivating airbags If any airbags have been deactivated, switch them on again as soon as possible so that they are able to ag
ain provide their proper protection.
There is the technical means installed within your vehicle to switch off the front, side* or head* airbag (take out of commission). This is why you should have the deactivation
of the airbags carried out by a specialist
garage. On vehicles equipped with the switch for deactivation of the airbags, you can deacti- vate the front passenger airbag
by means of this switch
page 129.
Deactivation of the airbag is envisaged only for particular instances, such as if:
in exceptional circumstances
, it is necessary to use a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat, where the child is seated with
its back facing in
direction of travel
 page 130, “Important safety information re
garding the use of child safety seats”;

you are not able to maintain the distance of at least 25 cm between middle of
steering wheel and chest, despite the
driver seat being correctly adjusted;

special attachments are required in the area of the steering wheel because of a
physical disability;
you have installed other seats (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side airbags).
Monitoring the airbag system The functionality of the airbag system is al
so monitored electronically when one airbag
has been switched off. If the airbag was switched off using diagnostic equipment:
The airbag indicator light lights up for 3 seconds each time the ignition is switched
on and then flashes after that for about 12 seconds. If the airbag was switched off using the airbag switch* on the side of the dash panel:
the airbag indicator light in the instrume
nt cluster comes on for about 3 seconds
each time the igniti
on is switched on;
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Airbag system
129
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data

switching off the airbag is indicated by the
lighting up of the indicator light in the
display

 
  in the middle of the dash panel
fig. 121
- right.
Note
A specialist garage will provide you with in
formation on whether na
tional legislation in
your country allows airbags in your vehi
cle to be deactivated, and which ones.
Switch for the front passenger airbag*Fig. 121 Switch for the front passenger airbag
/ indicator light for a switched off front seat
passenger airbagOnly the front passenger airbag is deactivated with the switch.Deactivating an airbag– Switch off the ignition. – Turn the slot of the airbag switch using the ignition key in the direction of the arrow
to the position
OFF
fig. 121
- left.
– Check whether the airbag indicator light in the display

 
  in
the middle of the dash panel lights up when the ignition is switched on
fig. 121

- right.
Switching on an airbag– Switch off the ignition. – Turn the slot of the airbag switch using the ignition key in the opposite direction of
the arrow to the position
ON
fig. 121
- left.
– Check whether the airbag indicator light in the display

 
  in
the middle of the dash panel does not light up when the ignition is switched on  fig. 121
- right.
The airbag should only be switched
off under exceptional circumstances
page 128.
Indicator light in display

 
  (airbag switched off)
The airbag indicator light is located in the middle of the dash panel
fig. 121
- right.
If the airbag is
switched on
, the airbag indicator light comes on for a few seconds after
switching on the ignition. In cases where the front passenger airbag is
switched off
the airbag in
dicator light
comes on for a few seconds after switching on the ignition, goes out for about a second and then comes on again. There is a system fault present in the airbag switch off

if the indicator light
flashes.
WARNING

The driver is responsible for whethe
r the airbags are switched on or
switched off.
Only switch off the airbag when the ignition is switched off! Otherwise a
fault can occur in the system for the airbag deactivation.
If the warning light
  (airbag switched off) flashes:
 Front passenger airbag is not deployed in the event of an accident!  It is also important to have the system inspected without delay by a specialist garage.
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Intelligent Technology
137
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Driving TipsIntelligent TechnologyElectronic stability programme (ESP)*GeneralGeneral The ESP aids you in maintaining control of
your vehicle in situations in which the
vehicle is driving at its dynamic limits, such as
entering a curve fast. The risk of skidding
is reduced and your vehicle thus offers greater driving stability depending on the conditions of the road surface. The system operates at all speeds. The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability programme:
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL);

Traction control system (TCS);

Antilock brake system (ABS);

Brake Assist;

Uphill Start Assist.
Operating principle The ESP switches on automati
cally when the engine is started and then conducts a
self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the individual systems. It also proc- esses additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive sensors: the rotational velocity of the vehicle about its ve
rtical axis, the lateral acceleration of the
vehicle, the braking pressure and the steering angle. The direction which the driver wishes to take is determined based on the steering angle and the speed of the vehicle and is co
nstantly compared wi
th the actual behav-
iour of the vehicle. If differences exist, such
as the vehicle beginning to skid, the ESP will
automatically brake the appropriate wheel. The car is stabilised again by the forces wh
ich take effect when the wheel is braked.
Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front wheel of a vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency fo
r the rear of the vehicle to break away)
while occurs this is on the inner rear wh
eel of a vehicle whic
h tends to understeer
(tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle is accompanied by noises. If the ESP helps to stabilise the vehicle (f
or example when applying and releasing a
braking force to an individual wheel), then the indicator light
 flashes.
The ESP system cannot be switched off, only
the TCS system can be switched off by
pressing the button
page 138, fig. 130
. The warning light
 page 31 lights up if
the TCS system is switched off. The warning light
 lights up permanently if there is a fault in the ESP system.
The fact that the ESP system operates together with the ABS means that the ESP warning light will also come on if the ABS system is not operating properly. If the warning light
 comes on immediately after starting the engine, the ESP system
can be switched off for technical reasons. In
this case, the ESP system can be switched
on again by switching the igni
tion on and off. If the warning light goes out, the ESP
system is fully functional again.
WARNING
It is also not possible for the ESP to overcome the physical limits of the vehicle. Even if a vehicle fitted with ESP you should still always adapt your style of driving to the condition of the road surfac
e and the traffic situation. This partic-
ularly applies when driving on slippery
and wet roads. The increased safety
offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an acci- dent!
Note

All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free
operation of the ESP. Differing rolling circum
ferences of the tyres can lead to an unde-
sirable reduction in the engine output.
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Intelligent Technology
138

Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on th
e brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ESP
page 184, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.Traction control system (TCS)* The traction control system prevents the driven wheels from spinning when accelerating.General The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, accelerate and climb a steep hill when the conditions
of the road surface are unfavourable.
Operating principle The TCS switches on automatically when th
e engine is started and then conducts a
self-test. The system monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. If the wheels are spinning, the force transmitted to the road surface is auto- matically adapted by reducing the engine speed. The system operates at all speeds. The TCS operates in combination with the ABS
page 140, “Antilock brake system
(ABS)”. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system. The TCS warning light lights up in the instru
ment cluster when there is a fault on the
TCS
 page 31.
Switching off You can switch the TCS off and on agai
n as you wish by pressing the button
fig. 130
.
The TCS warning light lights up in the instrument cluster when the TCS is switched off  page 31.
The TCS should normally always
be switched on. It may be good practice in certain
exceptional cases, such as when you wish to
have wheel slip, to switch off the system.
Examples:
when driving with snow chains;

when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface;

when it is necessary to rock a vehicle when it has become stuck.
then you should switch on the TCS again.
WARNING
You should always adjust your style of driving to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note

All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free
operation of the TCS. Differing rolling circum
ferences of the tyres can lead to an unde-
sirable reduction in the engine output.
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the TCS
page 184, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)* The electronic differential lock prev
ents an individual wheel from slip-
ping.Models fitted with ESP are equipped with
electronic differential lock (EDL).
Fig. 130 TCS switch
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Intelligent Technology
139
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
General The EDL makes it much easier, and sometimes
at all possible, to start off, accelerate
and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfavourable. Operating principle The EDL is activated automaticall
y, that is without any action on the part of the driver.
It monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. Should only
one
drive wheel begin spinning on a slippery surface there will be an appreciable
difference in the speed of the driven wheels. The EDL function brakes the slipping wheel and the differential transmits a greate
r driving force to the other driven wheel.
This control process is also accompanied by noises. Overheating of the brakes The EDL switches off automatically if unusually severe stresses exist in order to avoid excessive heat generation in the disc brake on the wheel which is being braked. The vehicle can continue to be driven and has
the same characteristics as a vehicle not
fitted with EDL. The EDL switches on again automatically as soon as the brake has cooled down.
WARNING

Carefully depress the accelerator when accelerating on uniformly slippery
road surfaces, such as ice and snow. The driven wheels might still spin despite the EDL and affect the stability of
the vehicle - risk of an accident!

You should always adapt your style of driving to the condition of road
surface and to the traffic situation even
when your vehicle is fitted with EDL.
The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note

If the ABS or TCS or ESP warning light comes on, this may also indicate a fault in the
EDL. Please have the vehicle inspected as
soon as possible by a specialist garage.

Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on th
e brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can in
fluence the function of the EDL
page 184, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.
BrakesWhat has a negative effect on braking efficiency?Wear-and-tear Wear-and-tear to the brake pa
ds is greatly dependent on
the operating conditions of
the vehicle and your style of driving. Particularly if you drive a great deal in towns and over short distances or if you adopt a sporty
style of driving, it may be necessary to
have the thickness of the brake pads insp
ected at a specialist garage between the
service inspections. Wet roads or road salt There may be a certain delay before the brakes
take full effect un
der certain conditions
such as when driving through water, during
heavy rain showers or
after the vehicle has
been washed in an automatic vehicle wash
, since the brake discs and brake pads may
be moist or even have a coating of ice on them in winter. You should dry the brakes as soon as possible by applying and
releasing the brakes several times.
There also may be a certain delay before the
full braking efficiency is available when
driving on roads which have been treated with
road salt if you have not used the brakes
for some considerable time beforehand. The
layer of salt on the brake discs and brake
pads must first be rubbed off when you apply the brakes. Corrosion Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on th
e bake pads occur if
the vehicle has been
parked for a long period and if you do
not make much use of the braking system.
We recommend cleaning the brake discs by firm
ly applying the brakes at a fairly high
speed if you do not make much use of the braking system or if surface corrosion is present

.
Faults in the brake surface If you notice that the braking distance has
suddenly become longer and that the brake
pedal can be depressed further, it is possib
le that a brake circuit of the dual-circuit
brake system has failed. Drive, in such cases, to the nearest specialist garage without delay in order to have the problem rectified. Drive at a reduced speed while on your way to the dealer and adapt your style of
driving to the higher brake pedal pressure
required.
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Intelligent Technology
140
Low brake fluid level An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system. The level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically
page 32, “Brake system
”.
WARNING

Only apply the brakes for the purpose of
drying and cleaning the brake discs
if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any other road users in jeop-ardy.
When retrospectively mounting a front spoiler, solid wheel hubs etc. one
must ensure that the air supply to the
front wheel brakes is not reduced other-
wise the braking system could run too hot.
Allow for the fact that new brake pads
do not achieve their full braking effi-
ciency until approximately
200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run
in” before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however, compen- sate for this slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pressure on the brake pedal. This guideline also applie
s to any new brake pads installed at a
future date.
Caution

Never allow the brakes to rub by applying sl
ight pressure if you do not wish to brake
the vehicle. This causes the br
akes to overheat and can also result in a longer braking
distance and excessive wear.
Before negotiating a steep downhill sectio
n, please reduce your speed and shift
down into the next lower gear (manual gear
box) or select a lower driving stage (auto-
matic gearbox). This enables
you to make full use of the braking power of the vehicle
and reduces the strain on the brakes. Any ad
ditional braking should be done intermit-
tently, not continuously.
Note
The brake light flashes automatically in case
of an emergency braking at speeds greater
than 60 km/h or with the intervention of th
e ABS, which lasts longer than 1.5 seconds.
After the speed was reduced below 10 km/h or the vehicle was stopped, the brake light stops flashing and the hazard warning light system switches on. The hazard warning light system is switched off automatically
after accelerating
or driving off again.
Brake boosterThe brake booster boosts the pressure whic
h you generate with the brake pedal. The
necessary pressure is only genera
ted when the engine is running.
WARNING

Never switch off the engine befo
re the vehicle is stationary.

The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater phys-
ical effort for braking is required when en
gine is switched off.
Because if you do
not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.Antilock brake system (ABS)ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.General The ABS contributes significan
tly to enhancing the active
safety of your vehicle.
Compared to a vehicle not fitted with the ABS brake system, you are able to retain optimal steering ability even during a full br
ake application on a slippery road surface
because the wheels do not lock up. You must not expect, however, that the braking distance will be shorter under all circumstances as a result of the ABS. The
braking distance for example on gravel and
fresh snow, when you should anyway be driv
ing slowly and cautiously, will be longer.
Operating principle As soon as the vehicle speed has increased to about 20 km/hour an automatic test procedure is conducted during which you wi
ll be able to hear a pumping noise for
about 1 second. The brake pressure will be reduced on a wheel which is rotating at a speed which is too low for the speed of the vehicle and tending
to lock. This control
cycle is noticeable
from a
pulsating movement of the brake pedal
which is accomp
anied by noises.
This is consciously intended to provide the driver with the information that the wheels are tending to lock (ABS control range). You must always keep the brake pedal depressed to enable the ABS to optimally control the brake application in this braking range. Never interrupt the application of the brakes!
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Intelligent Technology
141
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING

The ABS can also not overcome the physical
limits of your vehicle. Please do
not forget this, particularly when driving on icy or wet road surfaces. If the ABS is operating within the control range,
adapt your speed immediately to the
conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered by the ABS must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
The normal braking system is
still fully functional if there is an ABS fault.
Visit a specialist garage immediately and
adjust your style of driving according
to the damage to the ABS as you will no
t know how great the damage is and the
limitation it is placing on the braking efficiency.
Note

A warning light comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system
 page 32.

Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on th
e brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can in
fluence the function of the ABS
page 184, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.Brake Assist*During a severe brake application (e.g. if a hazard exists), the Brake Assist increases the braking force and thus makes it possible to
rapidly produce the pressure required in
the brake system. The majority of drivers do apply the brakes
in good time in dangerous situations, but
do not depress the brake pedal with sufficient pressure. Consequently, it is not possible for the vehicle to achieve its maximum deceleration and the vehicle covers a greater distance than necessary. The Brake Assist is activated by the very quick operation of the brake pedal. In such cases, a much greater braking pressure exists
than during a normal
brake application.
This makes it possible, even with a relative
ly low resistance of the brake pedal, to
produce an adequate pressure in the brake system in the shortest possible time, which is required for maximum deceleration of th
e vehicle. You must apply the brake pedal
firmly and hold it in this position in order to achieve the shortest possible braking distance.
The Brake Assist is able to help you achi
eve a shorter braking distance in emergency
situations by rapidly producing the pressure required in the brake system. It fully exploits the attributes of the ABS. After you release the brake pedal, the function of the Brake Assist is automatically switched off
and the brakes operate in the normal way.
The Brake Assist is part of the ESP system. If
a fault occurs in the ESP, the Brake Assist
function is also not available.
Further information on the ESP
page 137.
WARNING

The Brake Assist is also not able to overcome the physical limits of your
vehicle in terms of the braking distance required.
Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to the traffic situ-
ation.
The increased safety offered by the Brake Assist must not tempt you to take
a greater safety risk than otherwise.Uphill Start Assist*The uphill start assist makes it easier to start off on steep hills. The system assists a start off by holding the brake pressure produced
by the brake pedal actuation for approx. 2
seconds after releasing the brake pedal. The driver can therefore move his foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and
start off on the slope, without having to
actuate the handbrake. The brake pressure drops gradually the more you operate the accelerator pedal. If the vehicle does not start
off within 2 seconds, it starts to roll back.
The uphill start assist is active as of a 3% slope, if the driver door is closed. It is always active on slopes when in forward or reverse start off. When driving downhill, it is inactive.Electrohydraulic power steeringThe power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force. The steering characteristics can be changed by a specialist garage.
s3j8.a.book Page 141 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM