2010 SKODA FABIA check engine light

Instruments and warning lights
33
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING

Pay attention to the following instruct
ions before checking the brake fluid
level and opening the bonnet
page 166, “Working in the engine compart-
ment”.
If the brake system warning light
 does not go out a few seconds after
switching on the ignition or comes on when driving, stop immediately and check the brake fluid in the reservoir
page 171, “Brake fluid”. If the fluid level
has dropped below the MIN marking, do no
t drive any further - risk of accident!
Obtain professional assistance.Cruise control system*

The warning light
 lights up, when operating the speed regulating system.
Airbag system

Monitoring the airbag system The warning light
 comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
There is a fault in the system if the warning
light does not go out or comes on or flashes
while driving

. This also applies if the warning
light does not come on after the
ignition is switched on. The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Airbag fault!
The functionality of the airbag system is also monitored electronically when one airbag has been switched off. The following situation applies if the fr
ont, side and head airbags or belt
tensioner have been switched off
using the vehicle system tester:

The warning light
 lights up for 3 seconds after switching on the ignition and then
flashes for 12 seconds afterwards in 2 second intervals. The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Airbag/belt tensioner deactivated!
If the passenger front airbag has been
switched off using the switch (for
switching off airbags)* in the end face of
the dash panel on the front passenger
side:
The warning light
 comes on for 4 seconds after the ignition has been switched
on.
switching off the airbag is indicated in the middle of the dash panel by the lighting
up of the yellow indicator light in display

 
  page 129.
WARNING
Have the airbag system checked immediat
ely by a specialist
garage if a fault
exists. Otherwise, there is a
risk of the airbag not bein
g activated in the event of
an accident.
Note
Further information about switching off airbags
page 128, “Deactivating airbags”.
Diesel particle filter*

(diesel engine)
If the warning light

comes on, this means that soot
has accumulated in the diesel
particle filter because of the frequent short distances. In order to clean the diesel particle filter, the vehicle should be driven at an even speed of at least 60 km/h at engine speeds of 1
800 - 2 500 rpm for at least 15 minutes or until
the warning light goes out with the 4th or
5th gear engaged (automatic gearbox: posi-
tion S) when the traffic situation permits it. This increases the exhaust temperature and the soot deposited in the diesel particle filter is burnt. Always pay attention to the valid speed limits

.
The warning light

goes out after the successful cleaning of the diesel particle filter.
If the filter is not properly
cleaned, the warning light

does not go out and the
warning light
 begins to flash. In the in
formation display* appears
Diesel-particle
filter! Owner's manual
. Afterwards the engine control unit shifts the engine into the
emergency mode, which only has a reduced po
wer output. After switching the ignition
off and on again the warning light
 comes on.
Have the vehicle inspected without
delay by your specialist garage.
s3j8.a.book Page 33 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

Heating and air conditioning system
86Using the air conditioning system economicallyThe compressor on the Climatic uses powe
r from the engine when in cooling mode
which will effect the fuel consumption. It recommended to open the windows or the
doors of a vehicle for which the interior
has been strongly heated through the effect
of direct sunlight in order to allow the
heated air to escape. The cooling system should not be switched
on while travelling when the window is
open. The desired interior temperature can also be achieved without switching in the cooling system just by switching to fresh air mode.
For the sake of the environment
When you economize on fuel, you also reduce pollutant emissions.Operational malfunctionsIf the cooling system does not operate at outside temperatures higher than +5 °C, there is a problem in the system. The reasons for this may be:
The fuse of the Climatic is defective. Check the fuse, replace it if necessary
 page 195.
The cooling system has switched off automatically for a short time because the
coolant temperature of the engine is too hot
page 16.
If you are not able to rectify the operational
problem yourself, or if the cooling capacity
decreases, switch the cooling system off. Contact a specialist garage. If there is a fault at the Climatronic, all symbols on the display flash after switching on the ignition for 15 seconds. Contact a specialist garage.
Climatronic* (automatic air conditioning)Description The Climatronic system is a combinat
ion of an automatic heating, fresh
air and cooling system which provides optimal comfort for the occu- pants of the car.The Climatronic maintains a constant temperat
ure fully automatically, once it has been
set. This is achieved by automatically varying the temperature of the outflowing air, the blower stages and the air distribution. The system also takes into account sunlight which eliminates the need to
alter the settings manually. The
automatic mode

 page 88 ensures maximum wellbeing of the
occupants at all times of the year.
Description of Climatronic system The cooling operates only if the following conditions are met:
engine running,

outside temperature above approx. +2°C,

switched on.
If the cooling system is switched on, th
e temperature and air humidity drops in the
vehicle. The wellbeing of the occupants of the car is enhanced as a result of this partic-ularly at high outside temperatures and a high air humidity. The system prevents the windows misting up during the cold season of the year. The heating effect is dependent upon the coolant temperature, thus full heat output only occurs when the engine has reached its operating temperature. It is possible to briefly activate recirculat
ed air mode in order to enhance the cooling
effect

.
The air inlet in front of the windscreen must be free of ice, snow or leaves in order to ensure that the heating and cooling systems operate properly. The AC compressor is switched off at a high
coolant temperature in order to provide
cooling at a high load of the engine. After switching on the cooling
Condensation
from the evaporator of the air condi-
tioning may drip down and form a puddle be
low the vehicle. This is quite normal and
not an indication of a leak!
AC
s3j8.a.book Page 86 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

Starting-off and Driving
91
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data

Avoid high engine revolutions, full throttle and high engine loads as long as the
engine has not yet reached its normal oper
ating temperature - risk of damaging the
engine!
Vehicles which are fitted with an exhaust gas catalytic converter should not be tow-
started over a distance of more than 50 metres.
For the sake of the environment
Never warm up the engine when the vehicle is standing. Drive off right away. When driving the engine reaches its operating te
mperature more rapidly and the pollutant
emissions are lower.Petrol enginesThese engines are fitted with a starter system which selects the correct fuel-air mixture for every external air temperature.
Do not operate accelerator before and when starting engine.

Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10
seconds if the engine does not start right
awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
It is possible that the fuse on the electric
al fuel pump is defect if the engine still
does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary
page 195.

If the engine does not start, contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain profes-
sional assistance. It may be necessary, if the engine is
very hot
, to slightly depress the accelerator after
the engine has started.Diesel enginesGlow plug system Diesel engines are equipped with a glow
plug system, the preglow period being
controlled automatically in line with the coolant temperature and outside tempera- ture. The preglow indicator light
 comes on after the ignition has been switched on.
You should not switch on any major electrical components during the heating period otherwise the vehicle battery will be drained unnecessarily.

You should start the engine immediately after the glow plug warning light
 has
gone out.
The glow plug warning light will come on for about one second if the engine is at a
normal operating temperature or if the outside temperature is above +5°C. This means that you can start the engine
right away
.

Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start right
awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
It is possible that the fuse
on the diesel preglow system is defect if the engine still
does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary
page 195.

Contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
Starting the engine after fuel tank has run dry It may take longer than normal to start the
engine after refuelling if the fuel tank has
run completely dry - up to one minute. This is
because the fuel system must first of all
be filled while the attempting to start the engine.Switching off the engine– The engine can be switched off by turnin
g the ignition key from position into
 page 89, fig. 94
.
WARNING

Never switch off the engine before the ve
hicle is stationary - risk of accident!

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.
Caution
you should not switch the engine off right away at the end of your journey after the engine has been operated for a lengthy period
at high loads but should be allowed it
to run at idling speed for about 2 minutes.
This prevents any accumulation of heat
when the engine is switched off.
A1
s3j8.a.book Page 91 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

Intelligent Technology
143
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data

If the warning light
 does not go out after the basic setting, there is a fault in the
system. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage. Functional description After the basic setting of the system the “adaptation” of the tyre inflation pressures and then the tyre pressure control in the individual tyres are performed. Warning light
 lights up
If the tyre inflation pressure of at least one wheel is insufficiently inflated in comparison to the stored basic value, the warning light
 
lights up. Inflate all tyres to the
specified inflation pressure
page 178, “Tyre life” and then perform a basic setting of
the system. Warning light
 flashes
If the warning light flashes, there is a system fault. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage.
WARNING

When the warning light
 lights up, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvr
es. Please stop the vehicle without
delay at the nearest possible stop and in
spect the tyres and their inflation pres-
sures.
The driver is responsible
for the correct tyre inflation pressures. For this
reason, the tyre inflation pressu
res must be checked regularly.

Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved
roads) the warning light
 can be delayed or does not light up at all.

The tyre pressure monitoring system does not take away the responsibility
from the driver for the correct tyre inflation pressure.
Note
The tyre pressure monitoring system:
does not replace the regular tyre inflatio
n pressure control, because the system
cannot detect an even pressure loss;

cannot warn in case of very rapid tyre inflation pressure loss, e.g. in case of sudden
tyre damage. In this case ca
refully bring the vehicle to a standstill without sudden
steering movements and without sharp braking.Diesel particle filter* (diesel engine)In the diesel particle filter the resu
lting soot particles are collected and
burnt during the combustion of diesel fuel.Code
7GG
, 7MB
or 7MG
on the vehicle data sticker, see
fig. 132
, indicates that your
vehicle is equipped with a diesel particle fi
lter. The vehicle data st
icker is located on
the floor of the luggage compartment and is
also stated in the Service schedule.
The diesel particle filter filters the soot particles completely from the exhaust. The soot is collected in the diesel particle filter and
burnt regularly. To assist this procedure, we
recommend not to drive regu
larly over short distances.
If the diesel particle filter is clogged or there is a fault, it is indicated by the warning light 
page 33, “Diesel particle filter*
 (diesel engine)”.
WARNING

The diesel particle filter
achieves very high temp
eratures. Therefore do not
park at points where the hot filter comes into direct contact with dry grass or other combustible materials - risk of fire!
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents
for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters,
heat shields or diesel particle filter. Fig. 132 Vehicle data sticker
s3j8.a.book Page 143 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

Driving and the Environment
148
Reducing idling Idling also costs fuel.It is worthwhile switching off the engine in
a traffic jam or when waiting at a level
crossing or at traffic lights with a lengthy red phase. Even after just 30 - 40 seconds you will have saved more fuel th
an that is needed when you start the engine up again.
If an engine is only idling it takes much
longer for it to reach its normal operating
temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant emis
sions, though, are particularly high in
the warming-up phase. This is why you should drive off right after starting the engine. Do avoid high engine revolu
tions at this time, however.
Regular servicing A poorly tuned engine consumes an unnecessarily high amount of fuel.Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a specialist garge enables you to satisfy
one

of the requirements for economical motoring even before you set off on your journey. Keeping your vehicle properly serviced not on
ly has a positive effect on the safety of
your vehicle and maintaining its value, but also saves on
fuel
.
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fu
el consumption which
is 10% higher than
normal. The foreseen maintenance work should be
undertaken exactly according to the
Service schedule by a specialist garage. Also check the
oil level
after refueling.
Oil consumption
is dependent to a consider-
able extent on the load and speed of the en
gine. Oil consumption co
uld be as high as
0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of driving. It is quite normal that a new engine has a
higher oil consumption
at first, and reaches
its lowest level only after a certain running in time. It is therefore not possible to correctly assess the oil consumption of a new
vehicle until after yo
u have driven about
5 000 km.
For the sake of the environment

You can achieve additional
improvements in your fuel economy by using high-
lubricity oils.

Check the ground below your vehicle at regular intervals to detect any leakages in
good time. Please have your vehicle inspec
ted by a specialist garge if you find any
stains caused by oil or other fluids on the floor.Avoid driving short distances Short distances result in an above-average high fuel consumption.– Avoid driving a distance of no more
than 4 km if th
e engine is cold.
The engine and catalytic converter mu
st first have reached their optimal
operating
temperature
in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.
The cold engine vehicle cons
umes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel immediately
after starting. Fuel co
nsumption drops to 10 litres/100
km after just 1 kilometre. The
engine reaches its operating temperat
ure (outside temperature and engine
dependent) only after about
4 to 10
kilometres and the fuel consumption then stabi-
lizes. You should therefore avoid driving short distances whenever possible. An important factor in this connection is also the
ambient temperature
. The
 fig. 135
shows the different fuel consumptions for the same distance, on the one
hand at +20°C and on the other hand at
-10°C. Your vehicle has a higher fuel
consumption in winter than in summer.
Fig. 135 Fuel consumption in litres/100 km at different temperatures
s3j8.a.book Page 148 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

Towing a trailer
152
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 been eq
uipped with a towing device
from Škoda Original Accesso-
ries, then the towing device satisfies all technical and legal requirements. 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
12) from Škoda original accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordance
with the manufacturer's specifications if
a towing device is retrofitted. Specialist garages are familiar with details re
lating 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 a specialist garage. 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. On petrol engines without forced indu
ction, the engine power output drops with
increasing height due to a lowering of air pr
essure and thus the ability to climb, this
means that the trailer load must be reduced by 10% for every further increase of 1 000 metres in height above sea le
vel. The towed weight is the weight of the (laden) vehicle
and the (laden) trailer together. One should ta
ke this into account before driving up to
higher altitudes. Petrol engines with forced induction use an air pressure correction method, so that their power output does
not depend on the he
ight above sea level.
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 docu- ments. 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 178.
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. Headlights Before starting off with a hitched trailer, al
so check the setting of the headlights. Alter
the setting as necessary with the aid of the headlight beam adjuster
page 51.
12)In some countries the adapter is supplied with the towing device.s3j8.a.book Page 152 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

Towing a trailer
153
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Detachable ball head The ball rod is detachable on
vehicles with towing devi
ce and suppliable from Škoda
original accessories. It is stowed together with separate fitting instructions in the spare wheel well in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
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.
Keep the mechanism of the ball head of
the towing device clean and take proper
care of it with a suitable preservative.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/h for safety
reasons. This also a
pplies for countries in
which higher speeds are allowed. The fact that the driving stability of the
vehicle + trailer comb
ination reduces with
increasing speed means that the legally allo
wed speed should not be used when there
are unfavourable road, weather or wind cond
itions as well as on downhill sections.
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 16.
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 170,
“Inspecting the coolant level”. Please refer to the following guidelines
page 29, “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.
s3j8.a.book Page 153 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

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
s3j8.a.book Page 165 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM