2010 SKODA FABIA Owner's Manual

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
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Inspecting and replenishing
169
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Caution
You must not pour any additives into the en
gine oil - risk of engine damage! Damage,
which results from such product,
are excluded from the warranty.
For the sake of the environment

You must on no account pour oil into
the ground or into the sewage system.

In view of the problems involved in prop
erly disposing of old oil, the necessary
special tools and the knowledge required for such work, we recommend that you have the oil and oil filter change carried out
by an authorised Škoda Service Partner.
Note
After your skin has come in contact with th
e oil, you must thoroughly wash your skin.
Cooling systemCoolant The job of the coolant is to cool the engine.The cooling system does not require any maintenance under normal operating condi- tions. The coolant consists of water with a
concentration of coolant additive of 40 %.
This mixture not only provides
antifreeze protection down to -25°C but also protects
the cooling and heating system from corrosion.
It also prevents the formation of scale
and significantly increases the boiling point of the coolant. You must therefore not reduce the concentration of antifreeze agent in the coolant by adding water, also not during the summer mo
nths or in countries with a warm climate.
The concentration of coolant additive in the coolant must be at least 40%. You can increase the amount of antifreeze in the coolant if a higher concentration of antifreeze is necessary for climatic reasons
but only up to 60% (antifreeze protection
down to approx. -40°C). The antifreeze prot
ection tails off above that concentration.
Vehicles exported to countries with a cold
climate (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland) are
already factory-filled with a coolant which offers antifreeze protection down to about -35°C. In these countries the concentration of coolant additive should be at least 50%.
Coolant The cooling system is factory-
filled with coolant (purple in colour), which complies
with the specification TL-VW 774 G. We recommend that you use the coolant addi
tive G13 (purple in colour) for topping
up the system. We recommend that you contact your Škoda
Service Partner if yo
u have any questions
regarding the coolant or if you wish
to fill up with a different coolant.
A specialist garage can also supply
you with the correct coolant additives.
Coolant capacity
Caution

Other coolant additives may cause operational problems which, in particular,
involves significantly reduci
ng the anticorrosion effect.
Petrol engines
Content
1.2 ltr./44 kW - EU5
5,5
1.2 ltr./51 kW - EU5 / EU2 DDK
5,5
1.4 ltr./63 kW - EU5
5,5
1,6 ltr./77 kW - EU4 / EU2 DDK
5,5
1.4 ltr./132 kW TSI - EU5
6,6
1.2 ltr./63 kW TSI - EU5
7,7
1.2 ltr./77 kW TSI - EU5
7,7
Diesel engines
Content
1.2 ltr./55 kW TDI CR DPF - EU5
6,6
1.6 ltr./55 kW TDI CR DPF - EU5
8,4
1.6 ltr./66 kW TDI CR DPF - EU5
8,4
1.6 ltr./77 kW TDI CR DPF - EU5
8,4
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Inspecting and replenishing
170

Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of coolant
and, as a consequence of this,
result in major engine damage.
Inspecting the coolant levelThe coolant expansion bottle
is located in the engine compartment on the right.
– Switch the engine off.– Open the bonnet

in “Working in the engine compartment” on page 166.
– Check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle
fig. 142
. The coolant
level when the engine is cold must lie between the “MIN” and “MAX” mark- ings. The level may also rise slightly ab
ove the “MAX” marking when the engine is
warm.
If the coolant level in the reservoir is too lo
w, this is indicated by the warning light in
the instrument cluster
 page 29. We nevertheless recommend inspecting the
coolant level directly at the reservoir from time to time. Loss of coolant A loss of coolant is first and foremost an
indication of a leak
in the system. You should
not merely top up the coolant in the reservoir.
It is also important to have the cooling
system inspected without delay by a specialist garage. Losses can only occur through
the pressure relief in the cap of the coolant expansion
bottle which is completely free of leaks if
the coolant boils as a
result of overheating
and is forced out of the cooling system.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes
page 166, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Caution
One should contact a specialist garage as s
oon as possible if the source of overheating
itself cannot be determined and removed,
since there may be grave damage to the
engine.Replenishing the coolant– Switch the engine off. – Allow the engine to cool down.– Place a cloth over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir
fig. 142
and
unscrew the cap
carefully
by turning it to the left

.
–Top up the coolant.– Screw the cap tight until it is heard to lock. The coolant which you use for replenishing the system, must comply with one specific specification
page 169, “Coolant”. Do not use an al
ternative additive if the coolant
additive G12 PLUS - PLUS is not available in
exceptional cases. Just top up the system
with water and as soon as possible arrange
adjustment to correct
the mixing ratio of
water and coolant additive again by a specialist garage. Only use fresh coolant for topping up the system.Do not fill up over the “MAX” marking! Excess
coolant which is heated up is forced out
of the cooling system through the pressure relief valve in the cap of the coolant compensation bottle. Wait until the engine has cooled down for a
system which has suffered a major loss of
coolant before pouring in coolant. This
is necessary to avoid engine damage.
Fig. 142 Engine compartment: Coolant expansion bottle
AB
AA
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Inspecting and replenishing
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Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING

The cooling system is pressurized!
Do not open the cap of the coolant
expansion bottle if the engine is still hot - risk of scalding!
The coolant additive and thus all of the coolant is harmful to your health.
Avoid contact with the coolant. Coolant
vapours are also harmful to the health.
It is important, therefore, to always safely store any coolant additive in its orig-inal container out of the reach of children - risk of poisoning!
If any splashes of coolant get into yo
ur eyes, rinse out your eyes immedi-
ately with clear water and contact a doctor as soon as possible.
You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvertently
swallowed coolant.
Caution
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the conditions prevailing to top up with coolant. Switch the engine off
and obtain
professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage.
For the sake of the environment
Do not re-use coolant if it is necessary to
drain the coolant in the system. It should be
collected and disposed of in compliance
with environmental protection regulations.
Radiator fan The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.The radiator fan is driven by an electr
ic motor and controlled by a thermostat
according to the coolant temperature. The radiator fan may continue running for up
to 10 minutes after the engine has been
switched off - even if the igni
tion is also off. It may also
switch on suddenly after a
certain time, if
the coolant temperature has risen beca
use of an accumulation of heat or

the warm engine compartment is heated
up additionally by strong sunlight.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when working in the engine compartment that the fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!Brake fluidInspecting the brake fluid levelThe brake fluid reservoir is located on the
left of the engine compartment. The brake
fluid reservoir on right-hand steering models is positioned on the other side of the engine compartment. – Switch the engine off.– Open the bonnet

in “Working in the engine compartment” on page 166.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir
fig. 143
. The level must be between
the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-tear and automatic adjustment of the brak
e pads, and is perfectly normal.
There may be an indication of a leak in the brake system, however, if the fluid level drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” marking. If the brake fluid level is too low, this
is indicated by the warning light
 lighting up in the
instrument cluster
page 32. In this case
stop immediately and do not drive any
further! Obtain professional assistance.
Fig. 143 Engine compartment: Brake fluid reservoir
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Inspecting and replenishing
172
WARNING

Read and observe the warning notes
page 166, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
If the fluid level has dropped below the MIN marking, do not drive any
further - risk of accident! Obtain professional assistance.Replacing brake fluidBrake fluid absorbs moisture. This causes the fluid to absorb moisture from the surrounding air over a period of time. Excessive water in the brake fluid may be the cause of corrosion in the brake system. The
water content also lowers the boiling point
of the brake fluid. One may only use new brake fluid approved
by Škoda Auto. The brake fluid must
comply with one of the following standards or specifications:
VW 501 14,

FMVSS 116 DOT4,

DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4.
We recommend that you have the brake fluid replaced by an
authorised Škoda
Service Partner
as part of an Inspection Service.
WARNING

Using old brake fluid can result in severe
stress on the brakes because of the
formation of vapour bubbles in the br
ake system. This greatly impairs the
braking efficiency and thus also the safety of your vehicle.
Brake fluid is toxic! It must therefor
e be kept safely in closed original
containers and well away from children and unauthorized persons.
Caution
Brake fluid damages the paintwork of the vehicle.
For the sake of the environment
In view of the problems involved with proper
disposal of brake fluid, the special tools
and the professional knowledge required, we recommend you have the brake fluid replaced by a specialist garage.BatteryWorking on the batteryFig. 144 The battery: Pull up the cove
r (automatic gearbox) / (manual gearbox)
The battery is located in the engi
ne compartment below a plastic box.
– Unlock the interlock on the positive terminal side of the battery
fig. 144
- left.
– Pull up the cover in direction of arrow
fig. 144
- left (automatic gearbox) or
 fig. 144
- right (manual gearbox).
– The installation of the battery cover on th
e positive terminal side takes place in the
reverse order.
Removal and installation of the battery is
not recommended since it can, under certain
circumstances, lead to ma
jor damage to the battery and fuse boxes. Contact a
specialist garage. There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and burns when carrying out any work on the battery and on the electrical system. For th
is reason, it is essential to comply with
the warning instructions

stated below and with the general applicable rules of
safety.
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Inspecting and replenishing
173
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING

The battery acid is strongly corrosive
and must, therefore, be handled with
the greatest of care. Always wear prot
ective gloves, eye and skin protection
when handling batteries. Corrosive fumes
in the air irritate the air passages and
lead to conjunctivitis and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs. Battery acid corrodes dental enamel and create
s deep wounds after contact with the
skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids coming into contact with water are diluted accompanied by
significant development of heat.

Do not tilt the battery otherwise batt
ery electrolyte may flow out of the
battery vent openings. Protec
t the eyes with safety glas
ses or a shield! There is
the danger of suffering blindness! If an
y battery electrolyte
gets into your eye,
rinse out your eye immediately with cl
ear water for several minutes. Contact a
doctor without delay.
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Contact a doctor immediately if you swal
low battery electrolyte.

Keep batteries out of the reach of children.

Hydrogen is released when you charge
a battery and a highly explosive gas
mixture is produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling over during unclamping or loosening of the cabl
e plug while the ignition is on.

Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal objects,
cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explo- sion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.
It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry out
any activities which produce sparks. Avoi
d creating sparks when working with
cables and electrical devices. Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.
Before carrying out any work on the el
ectrical system, swit
ch off the engine,
the ignition as well as all electrical components and disconnect the negative cable (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off the appropriate light.
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns! Replace a frozen battery.

Never use a battery which is damaged - risk of explosion! Immediately
replace a damaged battery.
Caution

You must only disconnect the battery if th
e ignition is switched off, otherwise the
electrical system (electronic components
) of the vehicle may be damaged. When
disconnecting the battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, first disconnect the negative terminal (-) of the battery. Then
disconnect the positive terminal (+).

When reconnecting the battery, first connect the positive terminal (+) and only
then the negative terminal (-) of the batt
ery. You must on no account connect the
cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.
Ensure that battery acid does not come
into contact with the vehicle body other-
wise damage could occur to the paintwork.
Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the battery housing
from the effects of ultra-violet light.
For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of wast
e which is harmful to the environment - we
recommend that you contact your Škoda Service Partner regarding disposing of the battery.
Note

Please also refer to the guidelines
page 176, “Disconnectin
g and reconnecting
the battery”, also after connecting the battery.
WARNING (continued)
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Inspecting and replenishing
174
Battery with a two-tone indicatorAn indicator for the electrolyte level, the so-called magic eye
fig. 145
, is located on
the top of the battery. The indicator changes it
s colour in line with the electrolyte level
in the battery. Air bubbles can influence the colour of the in
dicator. For this reason carefully knock on
the indicator before carrying out the check.
Black colour - electrolyte level is correct.

Colourless or light yellow colour - electrolyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced. Batteries, which are more than 5 years old, must be replaced. We recommend you have the battery checked or replaced by a specialist garage.
Caution
If the vehicle has not been driven for more
than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will discharge
because certain electrical components consum
e electricity (e.g. control units) also in
idle state. You can prevent the discharging of
the battery by disconnecting the negative
terminal or charging the battery constantly
with a very low charging current. Please
also refer to the notes wh
en working on the battery

in “Working on the battery”
on page 172.
Note

Batteries with two-tone indicator, which
are mounted as of factory, are marked
with a code which always begins with
5K0
. The exact marking can be e.g.
5K0 915 105 D
.

Replacement batteries with two-tone indi
cator, which were obtained from Škoda
original accessories, are marked with the code
000 915 105 Dx
, whereby “x” stands for
a variable. The exact marking can be e.g.
000 915 105 DB
.
Battery with a three-tone indicatorAn indicator for the electrolyte level and
the charge state, the so-called magic eye
 fig. 145
, is located on the top of the battery.
The indicator changes its colour in line
with the charge state of and the electrolyte level in the battery. Air bubbles can influence the colour of the in
dicator. For this reason carefully knock on
the indicator before carrying out the check.
Green colour - the battery
is adequately charged.

Dark colour - the battery has to be charged

Colourless or yellow colour - electrolyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced. Batteries, which are more than 5 years old, must be replaced. We recommend you have the battery checked or replaced by a specialist garage.
Caution
If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will discharge because certain electrical comp
onents consume electricity (e
.g. control units) also in
idle state. You can prevent the discharging of
the battery by disco
nnecting the negative
terminal or charging the battery constantly
with a very low charging current. Please
also refer to the notes when working on the battery

in “Working on the battery”
on page 172.
Fig. 145 The battery: Show
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Inspecting and replenishing
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Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Note

Batteries with three-tone indicator, which are mounted as of factory, are marked
with a code which always begins with
1J0
, 7N0
or 3B0
. The exact marking can be e.g.
1J0 915 105 AC
.

Replacement batteries with three-tone indi
cator, which were obtained from Škoda
original accessories, are marked with the code
000 915 105 Ax
, whereby “x” stands for
a variable. The exact marking can be e.g.
000 915 105 AB
.
Inspecting the electrolyte levelThe battery is practically
maintenance-free
under normal operating conditions. We
do, however, recommend that you have the electrolyte level inspected from time to time by a specialist garage when outside
temperatures are high or when driving on
long trips. You should also have the electrolyte level
page 175 checked each time
the battery is charged. The electrolyte level of the battery will al
so be checked as part of the Inspection
Service.Operation in winterThe battery has to provide greater amounts of
electricity during the winter. It also has
only part of the initial power output at low temperatures that it has at normal temper-atures. A discharged battery may already freez
e at temperatures just below 0°C.
We therefore recommend that you have the
battery checked by a specialist garage
before the start of the winter, and recharged if necessary.Charging the battery A properly charged battery is essentia
l for reliably starting the engine.
– Read the warning notes

in “Working on the battery” on page 172 and

.
– Switch the ignition and all electrical components off.
– Only for “quick-charging”: Disconnect both
battery cables (first
of all “negative”,
then “positive”).
– Carefully attach the terminal
clamps of the charger to the battery terminals (red =
“positive”, black = “negative”).
– You can now plug the mains cable of the
charger into the power socket and switch
on the charger.
– When charging is completed: switch th
e charger off and unplug the mains cable
from the power socket.
– Only then should you disconnect th
e terminal clamps of the charger.
– Reconnect the cables to the battery (first of all “positive”, then “negative”). It is not normally necessary to
disconnect the cables of th
e battery if you recharge the
battery using low amperages (as for example from a
mini-charger
). Please also refer
to the instructions from the charger manufacturer. A charging current of 0.1 of the total battery
capacity (or lower) is that which should be
used until full charging is achieved. It is, however, necessary to disconnect both
cables before charging the battery with
high amperages, so-called “
quick-charging
”.
“Quick-charging” a battery is
dangerous

in “Working on the battery” on
page 172. It requires a special charger an
d appropriate knowledge. We therefore
recommend that you have your battery quick-
charged only by your specialist garage.
A discharged battery may already
freeze
at temperatures just below 0°C

. We
recommend that you no longer use a battery
which has thawed out because the casing
of the battery may be cracked through the formation of ice and this would allow battery electrolyte to flow out. The vent plugs of the battery should not be opened for charging.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns! Replace a frozen battery.
s3j8.a.book Page 175 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM