2010 SKODA FABIA light

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
156
There are no particular points to note be
fore washing your vehicle in an automatic
vehicle wash system other than the usua
l precautionary measures (closing the
windows, unscrewing the aerial, etc.). If you have any particular atta
ched parts fitted to your car
- such as spoiler, roof rack
system, two-way radio aerial - it is best to first of all consult the operator of the car wash plant. It is important to degrease
the lips of the windscreen
wiper rubbers after passing
through the automatic
vehicle wash system.
Washing vehicle by handIt is important to first soften the dirt with
plenty of water and rinse it off as thoroughly
as possible before washin
g your vehicle by hand.
One should then clean the vehicle using a soft
washing sponge
, washing glove
or a
washing brush
and only slight pressure. Work from
the top to the bottom - beginning
with the roof. Only place slight pressure on
the vehicle paintwork during cleaning Only
use a
car shampoo
for stubborn dirt.
Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts last. Use a second sponge for such areas.Rinse off the vehicle well after giving it a wash and dry it off using a chamois leather.
WARNING

The ignition should always be switched off when you wash your vehicle -
risk of accident!
Protect your hands and arms from sharp-edged metal parts when you are
cleaning the underfloor, the inside of
the wheel housings or
the wheel trims -
risk of cuts.
Caution

Do not wash your vehicle in bright
sunlight - risk of paint damage.

Ensure that the jet of water is not aimed di
rectly at the locking cylinders or at the
door and panel joints if you spray your vehi
cle in winter down with a hose - risk of
freezing.

Do not use any insect sponges, rough kitc
hen sponges or similar cleaning products
- risk of damage to the surface of paintwork.
For the sake of the environment
Only wash your vehicle at wa
shing bays specifically reserved for this purpose. This
ensures that no water which may be contaminated by oil flows into the sewage system. It is not even permitted to wash your vehicl
e in certain areas except at such specific
washing bays.Washing with a high-pressure cleanerWhen you wash your vehicle with a high-press
ure cleaner, it is essential to comply with
the instructions for use of the cleaning equi
pment. This applies in particular to the
pressure
used and to the
spraying distance
. Maintain a sufficiently large distance to
soft materials such as rubber hoses or insulation material. On no account use
circular spray nozzles
or so-called dirt cutters
.
WARNING
It is particularly important that you do not clean tyres with circular spray jets. Damage may occur even at a relatively la
rge spraying distance and if sprayed
only for a short time.
Caution
The water containing wax must be no hotter
than 60°C, otherwise the vehicle can be
damaged.Wax treatmentGood wax treatment is an effective way of
protecting the paintwork from harmful envi-
ronmental influences and
minor mechanical damage.
The vehicle must be treated with a high-quali
ty hard wax polish at the latest, when no
more drops form on the clean paintwork.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
157
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 156, “Wax treatment”.
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 treated immediately
before
any corrosion can result. You ca
n of course have this work
carried out by a specialist garage. 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 207.
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 a specialist garage.
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.Do not use window leathers which you have us
ed to polish the vehicle body to dry off
the windows. Residues of preservatives in the window leather can dirty the window and reduce visibility.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
158
Do not affix any stickers over the inside of
the rear window to avoid damage to the
heating elements of the rear window heater
.
We recommend using a preserva
tive from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your
Škoda dealer.
Caution

Never remove snow or ice from the glass pa
rts with warm or hot water - risk of
formation of cracks in the glass!
When removing snow or ice from the windows and mirror lenses make sure not to
damage the paintwork of the vehicle.The headlight lensesPlease do not use any aggressi
ve cleaning or chemical so
lvent products for cleaning
the front headlights - risk of
damage to the
plastic lenses.
Please use
soap and clean
warm water.
Caution
Never
wipe the headlights dry and do not use any sharp objects for cleaning the plastic
lenses, this may result in damage to the
protective paintwork and consequently in
formation of cracks on the headlight lenses, e.g through effect of chemical products.Door and window sealsThe rubber seals on the doors, boot lid,
bonnet and windows remain supple and last
longer if you treat them from time to time with a rubber care product (e.g. with a spray with silicone-free oil). You also avoid premature wear of the seals and prevent leakages in this way. It is also easier to open the doors. Rubber seals which are well cared for also do not stick together in cold winter weather.Locking cylinderWe recommend that you use the spray from Škoda original accessories with regreasing and anticorrosive effect for de-icing locking cylinders.
Note
When washing your vehicle, ensure that as
little water as possible gets into the locking
cylinders.WheelsSteel wheels You should also thoroughly wash the wheels
and wheel trims when giving your vehicle
its regular wash. This prevents any brake dust, dirt and road salt from sticking to the wheel hubs. You can remove stubborn brake
abrasion adhering to the wheels with an
industrial cleaner. Touch up
any damage to the paintwork on the wheels before rust is
able to form. Light alloy wheels Regular care of light alloy wh
eels is necessary in order to retain their decorative
appearance over long periods. It is particul
arly important to remove any road salt and
brake abrasion from light alloy wheels every two weeks, otherwise the surface will suffer. Wash thoroughly and then treat the wheels with a protective product for light alloy wheels which does not
contain any acidic componen
ts. You should provide the
wheel hubs with a hard wax layer every thre
e months. You must not use any products
which cause abrasion when treating the wheel hubs. Any damage to the paint layer on the wheel hubs must be touched up immediately. We recommend using a preservative from Šk
oda genuine accessories offered by your
Škoda dealer.
WARNING
One should remember when cleaning th
e wheels that moisture, ice and road
salt may adversely affect braking ef
ficiency - risk of an accident!
Note
Severe layers of dirt on the wheels can also
result in wheel imbalance. This may show
itself in the form of a wheel vibration which
is transmitted to the steering wheel which,
in certain circumstances, can
cause premature wear of the
steering. This means it is
necessary to remove the dirt.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
160
Upholstery cloth and cloth trim on the d
oors, luggage compartment cover, headliner
etc. are best treated with special cleaning products, using if necessary a
dry foam
and
a soft sponge or brush. We recommend using a cleaning product from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack th
e material and can damage it.
Fabric covers of elec
trically heated seats
Do
not clean
the seat covers moist as this may re
sult in damage to the seat heating
system. Clean such covers using specia
l agents, for example dry foam.
We recommend using a cleaning product from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your Škoda dealer.Natural leather Natural leather requires quite particular care and attention.Leather should be treated from time to time according the following guidelines depending on how much it is used.Normal cleaning– Clean soiled areas of the leather with
slightly moistened co
tton or woollen cloth.
Severe soiling– Clean severely soiled areas with a cloth
dipped in a mild soap
y solution (2 spoon-
fuls of natural soap to 1 litre of water).
– Ensure that the leather is not soaked through at any point and that no water gets
into the stitching of the seams.
– Dry off the leather with a soft, dry cloth.
Removing stains– Remove fresh stains which are
water-based
(e.g. coffee, tea, juices, blood etc.)
with an absorbent cloth or household pape
r or use the cleaner from the care set
for a stain which has already dried in.
– Remove fresh stains on a
fat base
(e.g. butter, mayonnaise, chocolate etc.) with an
absorbent cloth or household
cleaning paper or with the
cleaner from the care set
if the stain has not yet pe
netrated into the surface.
– Use a grease dissolver for
grease stains which have dried in
.
–Eliminate
special stains
(e.g. ball-point pens, felt pe
n, nail varnish, dispersion
paint, shoe cream etc.) with a special stain remover suitable for leather.
Leather care– Treat the leather every six months with
the leather care product available from
specialist garages.
– Apply only a small amount of the care product.– Dry the leather off with a soft cloth We recommend that you consult your Škoda Se
rvice Partner, if you have any questions
regarding cleaning and care of the leather interior. We recommend using a cleaning product fr
om Škoda genuine accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer.
Caution

You must on no account treat the leather wi
th solvents (e.g. gasoline, turpentine),
floor wax, shoe cream or such like.
Avoid leaving your vehicle for lengthy period
s in bright sunlight in order to avoid
bleaching the leather. If you
leave your vehicle parked in the open for lengthy periods,
protect the leather from the direct ra
ys of the sun by covering it over.

Sharp-edged objects on items of clothing su
ch as zip fasteners, rivets, sharp-edged
belts may leave permanent scratches or signs of rubbing on the surface.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
161
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Note

Use a care cream with light blocker and impregnation effect regularly and each
time after cleaning th
e leather. The cream nourishes the
leather, allows it to breathe
and keeps it supple and also provides moisture. It also creates surface protection.
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
the 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.).
Seat belts which have damage to the
webbing, the connections, the inertia
reel or the lock should be re
placed by a specialist garage.

Inertia reel belts
must be completely dried before being reeled up.
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Fuel
162
FuelPetrolGrades of petrolYour vehicle can only be operated with
unleaded petrol
, which complies with the
standard
EN 228
. The individual grades of petrol
are distinguished by their octane
number (RON). On the inside of the fuel
filler flap, you will find the information
regarding the RON required by your engine
page 163.
Prescribed fuel - unleaded petrol 95/91 RON Use unleaded petrol
95 RON. You can also use unleaded petrol
91 RON, but this leads
to a slight loss in performance. If, in case of necessity, the vehicle must
be refuelled with petrol of a lower octane
number than the one prescribed, you must co
ntinue driving at me
dium engine speeds
and low engine load. Driving at high engine speeds or a high engine load can severely damage the engine! Refuel as soon as possib
le with petrol of the prescribed octane
number. Prescribed fuel - unleaded petrol min. 95 RON Use unleaded petrol
95 RON.
In case of necessity, you can refuel with petrol
91 RON
if petrol
95 RON
is not avail-
able. You must continue driving at medium
engine speeds and minimum engine load.
Driving at high engine speeds or a high engine load can severely damage the engine! Refuel as soon as possib
le with petrol of the prescribed octane number.
Even in case of necessity, you must not
use petrol of a lower octane number than
91,
otherwise the engine can be severely damaged! You can find further information on refuelling
page 163, “Refuelling”.
Unleaded petrol with higher octane number You can make unlimited use of unleaded pe
trol which has a higher octane number
than the one prescribed.
On vehicles with prescribed unleaded petrol
95/91 RON
, the use of petrol with a
higher octane number than
95 does not result in a noticeable power increase or a
lower fuel consumption. On vehicles with prescribed unleaded petrol
min. 95 RON
, the use of petrol with a
higher octane number than
95 does not result in a power increase or a lower fuel
consumption.
Caution

All Škoda vehicles with petrol engines are equipped with a catalytic converter and
must be only driven with unleaded petrol. Fi
lling the tank even only once with leaded
petrol will result in the cata
lytic converter being destroyed!

Only use unleaded petrol which
complies with the standard
EN 228
.

If you use petrol with a lower octane num
ber than the one prescribed, the engine
can be severely damaged!
Note
The handling, performance and life of your
engine are determined to a significant
extent by the quality of the fuel. Do not use any petrol additives.DieselDiesel fuelYour vehicle can only be operated with
diesel fuel
, which complies with the standard
EN 590
(standard
DIN 51628
in Germany, standard
ÖNORM C 1590
in Austria).
Fuel additives You must not use fuel additives, so-called “flow improvers” (petrol and similar prod- ucts) in diesel fuel. You can find information on refuelling
page 163, “Refuelling”.
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Inspecting and replenishing
165
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Inspecting and replenishingEngine compartmentBonnet remote releaseBonnet remote release– Pull the unlocking lever on the left below the dash panel
fig. 138
.
The bonnet jumps out of its lock as a result of the spring force.Opening and closing the bonnet.Fig. 139 Radiator grille: Locking lever / se
curing the bonnet with the bonnet support
Opening the bonnet– Unlock the bonnet
fig. 138
.
– Ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers are correctly in place against the
windscreen
before opening
the bonnet otherwise damage could occur to the
paintwork.
– Pull on the locking lever
fig. 139
- left, the bonnet is then unlocked.
– Grip the bonnet and lift it up.– Take the bonnet support out of its holder and set it in the opening designed for it
 fig. 139
- right.
Closing the bonnet– Lift the bonnet slightly and unhook the bonnet support. Press the bonnet support
into the holder designed to hold it.
– Allow the bonnet to drop from a height
of about 30 cm into the lock - bonnet
do
not press down on it
!
WARNING

Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is flowing out of the
engine compartment - risk of scalding!
Wait long enough until the steam or
coolant has stopped escaping.
For safety reasons, the bonnet must always be properly closed when
driving. One should therefore check that
the lock has in fact engaged properly
after closing the bonnet.
Stop your vehicle immediately while driving if you notice that the lock is not
properly engaged and close the bonnet
properly - risk of an accident!
Caution

Before opening the bonnet, ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers are
correctly in place against the windscreen. Othe
rwise, there is a risk of damage to the
paintwork.
Fig. 138 Bonnet release lever
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Inspecting and replenishing
168
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 if the engine has been operating at high loads, for example duri
ng a lengthy motorway trip during the
summer months, towing a trailer or
negotiating a high mountain pass,
but not above
this
.
The warning light in the instrument cluster* will indicate
page 29 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.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes
page 166, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Caution

Always check the oil level on vehicles with engine 1.2 ltr./44 kW when the engine is
cold, on other vehicles when the engine is warm. Otherwise the measuring result is incorrect und oil could be incorrectly
replenished - risk of engine damage!

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.Replenishing engine oil– Inspect the oil level
page 167.
– Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening.
– Wipe off the oil from the sealing surface of the cover and on the counterpart using
a clean cloth.
– Pour in a suitable grade of oi
l in portions of 0.5 litres
page 210.
– Inspect the oil level
page 167.
– 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 166, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must on no account be above the range
page 167. Oil will otherwise
be drawn in through the cr
ankcase ventilation and may
pass through the exhaust
system to atmosphere. The oil may combust
in the catalytic conv
erter 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 17.
WARNING

Only carry out the engine oil change, if you have the required professional
knowledge!
Read and observe the warning notes
page 166, “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.
AaAa
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