2010 SKODA FABIA brake

Driving and the Environment
145
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Driving and the EnvironmentThe first 1 500 kilometres and then afterwardsA new engine The engine has to be run in du
ring the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1 000 kilometres– Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the maximum speed of the gear in use, that is 3/4 of
the maximum permissi
ble engine speed.
– Do not use full throttle.– Avoid high engine revolutions.– Do not tow a trailer.From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres– Increase the power output of the engine
gradually
up to the full speed of the gear
engaged, that is up to the maxi
mum permissible engine revolutions.
During the first operating hours the engine ha
s higher internal friction than later until
all of the moving parts have harmonized. Th
e driving style which you adopt during the
first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive
part in the success of running in your
vehicle. You should not drive at unnecessarily
high engine revolutions
even after the
running-in period is complete
. The maximum permissible en
gine speed is marked by
the beginning of the red zone on the scale of the revolutions counter. Shift up into the next higher gear on a vehi
cle fitted with manual gear
box before the red zone is
reached. During acceleration
(depressing the accelerator)
exceptionally
high engine
speeds are automatically reduced, yet the engine is not protected against too high engine speeds which are caused by incorrectly shifting down the gears resulting in a sudden increase of the engine speeds above the permitted maximum revolutions which can lead to engine damage. For a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox the
converse situation also applies: Do not
drive at engine revolutions which are
too low
. Shift down as soon as the engine is no
longer running smoothly.
Caution
All the speed and engine revolution figures ap
ply only when the engine is at its normal
operating temperature. Never rev up an engine which is cold, neither when the vehicle is stationary nor when driving in individual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Not driving at unnecessari
ly high engine revolutions and
shifting to a higher gear as
early as possible are ways to minimise fuel consumption, operating noise levels as well as protects the environment and contributes
to a longer life and reliability of the
engine.New tyresNew tyres have to be “run in” since they do
not offer optimal grip at first. You should
take account of this fact for the first 500
kilometres and drive pa
rticularly carefully.
New brake padsAllow for the fact that new brake pads do no
t achieve their full braking efficiency until
approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run in” before they develop their optimal friction force. You ca
n, however, compensate for this slightly
reduced braking force by increasing the pressure on the brake pedal. This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future date.During the running-in pe
riod, you should avoi
d excessive stre
sses on the brakes. This
includes, for example, violent braking, part
icularly from very high speeds, and also
when crossing mountain passes.
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Driving and the Environment
146
Catalytic converterProper operation of the emission cont
rol system (catalytic converter) is
of major significance for driving your vehicle in an environmentally conscious way.Please refer to the following guidelines: – For vehicles with petrol engine only refuel with unleaded petrol
page 162,
“Grades of petrol”.
– Never run the fuel tank completely empty.– Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle.– Do not pour too much oil into the engine
page 168, “Replenishing engine oil”.
– Do not tow-start the vehicle over a distance of more than 50 metres
page 193,
“Tow-starting a vehicle”.
If you drive your vehicle in a country in
which unleaded petrol is not available, you
must have the catalytic converter replaced la
ter when driving the ve
hicle into a country
in which use of a catalyti
c converter is mandatory.
WARNING

In view of the high temperatures which may be produced in the catalytic
converter, one should always park a vehicle in such a way that the catalytic converter cannot come into contact with easily flammable materials below the vehicle - a risk of fire!
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents
for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat shields. Such substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Caution

On vehicles fitted with a catalytic converte
r, never let the fuel tank run completely
empty. An irregular fuel supply can result in poor ignition or misfiring. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system an
d damage the cata
lytic converter.

Filling the tank even only once with le
aded petrol will resu
lt in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.

If you detect misfir
ing, a drop in performance or
irregular engine running when
driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the vehicle inspected by the nearest specialist garage. The symptoms described ma
y be caused by a fault in the ignition
system. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter.
For the sake of the environment
Even if the exhaust system is operating pr
operly, a sulphur-like exhaust odour may be
produced under certain oper
ating conditions of the en
gine. This de
pends on the
sulphur content of the fuel. It is often sufficient to refuel with unleaded premium-grade petrol of a different brand or at a different filling station.Driving in an economical and environmentally conscious mannerGeneral Your personal style of driving is a major factor.Your fuel consumption, any pollution of
the environmental and the wear-and-tear to
the engine, brakes and tyres, depend essentially on three factors:
your personal style of driving;

the conditions under which
your vehicle is operated;

technical aspects.
You can easily improve your fuel economy by
10 - 15 percent by driving in an econom-
ical way with foresight. This section is intended to provide you with a number of tips on how to protect the environment and at the same time save money. The fuel consumption can naturally also be
influenced by factors which are beyond the
driver's control. It is, for example, normal
for the fuel consumption to increase in
winter and under worsened cond
itions such as poor road conditions, towing a trailer,
etc. The technical requirements for low fuel usage and economic efficiency of the vehicle have already been built into the vehicle at the works. Special attention has been given to minimising negative
effects on the environment. It is
necessary to take note of the
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Driving and the Environment
147
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
guidelines given in this chapter in order to
make best use of these characteristics and
to maintain their effectiveness.Looking ahead when driving A vehicle's highest fuel consumption occurs it accelerates.Avoid accelerating and braking unnecessarily.
If you drive with forsight you will not
need to brake so often and will also then
not have to accelerate so much. Let your
vehicle coast to a stop, for example, if this is possible, when you see that the next set of traffic lights is at red.Shifting gears and saving energy Shifting up early saves on fuel.Manual gearbox– Drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear. – Shift up into the next higher gear at approx. 2 000 to 2 500 revs.Automatic gearbox– Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly
. Do not depress it beyond the kickdown
position, however.
An effective way of achieving good
fuel economy is to shift up
early
. You will consume
more fuel if you drive at unnecessaril
y high revolutions in any given gear.
The
fig. 133
shows the ratio of fuel consumption
to the speed of your vehicle in the
relevant gear. Fuel consumption in 1st gear
is the highest. The consumption is the
lowest in the highest gear. You will achieve good fuel economy by shif
ting up early and shifting down late.
Note
Also use the information supplied by the multi-functional indicator*
page 19.
Avoiding full throttle Driving more slowly
means saving fuel.
Sensitive use of the accelerator will not only significantly reduce fuel consumption but also positively influence environmenta
l pollution and wear of your vehicle.
You should avoid exploiting the top speed
of your vehicle wherever possible. Fuel
consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicl
e noises increase disproportionally at
high speeds. The
fig. 134
shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle. You
will cut your fuel consumption by half if
you only make use three-quarters of the
possible top speed of your vehicle.
Fig. 133 Fuel consumption
Fig. 134 Fuel consumption in litres/100 km. and speed in km/h.
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Driving and the Environment
151
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Driving through bodies of water on roadsIn order to avoid damage to the vehicle,
for example when driving through flooded
roads, observe the following:
Determine the depth of the water when driv
ing through bodies of water. The water
can reach at the maximum the web on
the lower sill of the vehicle
fig. 136
.

Drive no more than at walking speed. At a higher speed, a water wave can form in
front of the vehicle which can
cause water to penetrate into the air induction system of
the engine or into other parts of the vehicle.
Never let the vehicle stand in the water, never drive backwards and do not switch
off the engine.
WARNING

Driving through water, mud, sludge etc. can reduce the braking power and
extend the braking distance - risk of accident!
Avoid sudden and severe braking manoeuvres immediately after driving
through bodies of water.
After driving through bodies of water, the brakes must be cleaned and dried
as soon as possible by intermittent braking. 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 jeopardy.
Caution

When driving through bodies of water, pa
rts of the vehicle such as the engine,
gearbox, catalytic converter, chassis
or electrics can be severely damaged.

Oncoming vehicles can gene
rate water waves which ca
n exceed the permissible
water level for your vehicle.
Potholes, mud or rocks can be
hidden under the water making it difficult or impos-
sible to drive through the body of water.
Do not drive through salt water. The salt
can lead to corrosion. Immediately rinse
all the parts of the vehicle, which came into
contact with the salt water, with fresh
water.
Note
After driving through a body of water, we
recommend that the vehicle is checked by a
specialist garage.
Fig. 136 Crossing bodies of water
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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.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
155
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
General MaintenanceTaking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicleGeneralProper care retains the value of your vehicle.Regular and proper care retains
the value
of your vehicle. It may also be one of the
requirements for the acceptance of warranty
claims relating to corrosion damage and
paint defects on the bodywork. We recommend using a preserva
tive from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your
Škoda dealer. Please follow the instructions for use on the package.
WARNING

Care products may be harmful to your health if not used according to the
instructions.
Always store care products in a safe place, out of the reach of children - risk
of poisoning!
For the sake of the environment

Always select environmentally-friendly
products when purchasing vehicle care
products.
Do not dispose of residues of ca
re products in domestic waste.
Care of the exterior of vehicleWashing the vehicle Frequent washing protects your vehicle.The best protection for your vehicle agai
nst harmful environmental influences is
frequent
washing and wax treatment. How of
ten you should wash your vehicle
depends on a wide range of factors, such as:

Frequency of use;

The parking situation (garage, below trees etc.);

Season of the year;

Weather conditions;

Environmental influences.
The longer insect residues, bird droppings, tree sap, road and industrial dust, tar, soot particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain adhering to the paintwork of your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive effect can be. High temperatures, such as those caused by intensive sun'
s rays, accentuate their caustic effect.
It may therefore be necessary, in ce
rtain circumstances, to wash the car
once a week
.
It may also be sufficient, however, to wash the car
once a month
followed by appro-
priate wax treatment. It is essential to also thoroughly wash the
underside of your vehicle
at the end of the
winter road salting and gritting period.
WARNING
When washing your vehicle in the winter
: Water and ice in the brake system can
affect the braking efficiency - risk of accident!Automatic vehicle wash systemsThe paintwork of the vehicle is sufficiently resistant that the vehicle can be washed normally in automatic vehicle wash plants
without any problem. The actual stress to
which the paintwork is subjected, however,
depends primarily on the design of the
vehicle wash system, the filtering of the wa
ter and the type of washing and care prod-
ucts used. If the paintwork of
your vehicle appear
s mat after being washed or even has
scratches, point this out to the operator of the vehicle wash plant. Use a different vehicle wash plant, if necessary.
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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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Inspecting and replenishing
166
Working in the engine compartment Particular care is required when carrying out any work in the engine compartment!There is a risk of injuries, scalding, acci
dents and fire when working in the engine
compartment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions stated below and with the general applicable rules of safe
ty. The engine compartment of your car
is a hazardous area

.
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.
Switch off the engine and pull out the ignition key.

Apply the handbrake firmly.

If your vehicle is fitted with a manual
gearbox, move the gearshift lever into
Neutral, or if it is fitted with automatic gearbox, move the selector lever into position P.
Allow the engine to cool down.

Keep children clear of the engine compartment.

Do not touch any hot engine parts - risk of burns!

Never spill oil and other fluids over the hot engine. Such fluids (e.g. the anti-
freeze contained in the wash liquid) may ignite!
Avoid short circuits in the electrical system - particularly on the battery.

Never place your hand into the radiator fan as long as the engine is still
warm. The fan might suddenly start running!
Never open the cap of the coolant expans
ion bottle as long as the engine is
still warm. The cooling
system is pressurized!

Cover over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir with a large cloth
when opening it as protection for your
face, hands and arms from hot steam or
hot coolant.

Do not let objects, such as e.g cleaning cloth or tools lie in the engine
compartment.
If you wish to work under the vehicl
e, you must secure the vehicle from
rolling away and support it with suitable supporting blocks: the car jack is not sufficient for this - risk of injury!
In cases where it be necessary to carry out inspection work when the engine
is running there is an additional risk fr
om rotating parts (e.g. the V-ribbed belt,
alternator, radiator fan) and from the high-voltage ignition system. Please observe in addition the following:
 Never touch the electrical cabl
es of the ignition system.
 Absolutely avoid any jewellery, loose it
ems of clothing or long hair from
getting into the rotating parts of the
engine - Hazard! Therefore remove any
jewellery beforehand, tie up your hair and wear tight fitting clothing.

Please also comply with the warnin
g instructions st
ated below when
carrying out any essential work on the fu
el system or on th
e electrical system:
 Always separate the car battery from the electrical system.  Do not smoke.  Never carry out any work close to naked flames.  Always keep a working fire
extinguisher at hand.
Caution
When replenishing fluids in the engine, always
ensure that the fluids are on no account
mixed up. This may result in major oper
ating problems and also vehicle damage!
WARNING (continued)
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