2010 SKODA FABIA length

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
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

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.
s3j8.a.book Page 160 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

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
Aa
s3j8.a.book Page 168 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

Wheels and Tyres
181
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
The
date of manufacture
is also stated on the tyre wall
(possibly only on the inside of
wheel).
DOT ... 13 10...
means, for example, that the tyre was ma
nufactured in the 13th week of the year 2010.
If the
spare wheel*
differs from the tyres fitted to the vehicle (e.g. winter tyres or low-
profile tyres), the spare wheel* should only be used for a short time in the event of a puncture and when adopting an appropriately
cautious style of driving. It should be
replaced as quickly as po
ssible by a normal wheel.
WARNING

Only use those tyres or wheel rims which have been approved for your
model of Škoda Auto vehicle. Failure to observe this instruction will adversely affect the road safety of your vehicle - risk of accident! Approval and licencing of your vehicle on public roads may also become void as a result.
You must on no account drive at a high
er speed than is permissible for your
tyres - risk of an accident resulting from tyre damage and loss of control over your vehicle.
Tyres which are 6 years old or more should only be fitted in exceptional
cases and when adopting an approp
riately cautious style of driving.

Never fit tyres which have already b
een used without having adequate
knowledge of their previous history. Tyre
s age even if they have not been used
at all or only very little. A spare tyre must only be used in exceptional cases and only then when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.
Do not, where possible, replace individu
al tyres but at least replace them on
both wheels of a given axle at the same time. Always fit the tyres with the deeper tread depth to the front wheels.
For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed
of in conformity with
the appropriate regulations.
Note
It is not normally possible to fit wheels from
other models of cars for technical reasons.
This may also apply in certain circumstances to the wheels of the same type of vehicle.Wheel boltsWheels and
wheel bolts
are matched to each other in terms of design. Each time you
fit other wheels - e.g. light alloy wheels or wheels with winter tyres - you must therefore also use the matching wheel bolts of the corr
ect length and shape of spherical cap. This
is essential to ensure that the wheels are tightly fitted and that the brake system oper- ates properly. If you retrofit
wheel trims
(or have this done), please
also ensure that an adequate
flow of air remains assured for cooling the brake system. The specialist garages are informed about the technical possibilities which exist regarding converting or retrofitting wheels, tyres and wheel trims.
WARNING

In case of incorrect treatment of the
wheel bolts, the wheel
can loosen when
the car is moving - risk of accident!
The wheel bolts must be clean and must
turn easily. However, they must
never be treated with grease or oil.
If the wheel bolts are tightened to a too low tightening torque, the rim can
lossen when the car is moving - risk of accident! A tightening torque which is too high can damage the bolts and threads and this can result in permanent deformation of the contac
t surfaces on the rims.
Caution
The prescribed tightening torque of the wh
eel bolts for steel and light alloy wheels is
120 Nm.
H
210 km/h
V
240 km/h
W
270 km/h
Speed symbol
Permissible maximum speed
s3j8.a.book Page 181 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM

Technical Data
209
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
DimensionsDimensions (mm)
FA B I A
FA B I A S CO U T
FA B I A R S
COMBI
COMBI GreenLine
COMBI SCOUT
CO M B I R S
Length
4000
4032
4029
4247
4247
4275
4276
Width
1642
1658
1642
1642
1642
1658
1642
Width including exterior mirror
1886
1886
1886
1886
1886
1886
1886
Height
1498/1513
a)/1484
b)
a)The value corresponds to the status with rough road package.b)The value corresponds to the status with sport chassis.
1498/1513
a)/1484
b)
1492
1498/1513
a)/1484
b)
1484
1498/1513
a)/1484
b)
1494
Clearance
134/149
a)/119
b)
134
129
135/149
a)/119
b)
119
135
129
Wheel base
2465
2465
2464
2465
2465
2465
2464
Track gauge front / rear
1433/1426
1433/1426
1423/1415
1433/1426
1417/1410
1433/1426
1423/1415
s3j8.a.book Page 209 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM