2010 SKODA FABIA tow

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
149
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Checking tyre inflation pressures Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel.Always ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure at all times. The rolling resistance will be increased if the tyre filling pressure is too low. This will not only increase fuel consumption but also tyre we
ar and the driving behaviour will worsen.
Always check the inflation pr
essure of the tyres when
cold
.
Do not drive with
winter tyres
all year round for this costs about 10 % more fuel.
Winter tyres are also louder.No unnecessary ballast Transporting ballast costs fuel.The fact that every kilogram of extra
weight
increases your fuel consumption means
that it is worth taking a look in the luggage compartment to avoid transporting any unnecessary ballast. It is particularly in town traffic, when one
is accelerating quite often, that the vehicle
weight will have a significant effect upon
the fuel consumption. A rule of thumb here
is that an increase in weight of 100 kilograms will cause an increase in fuel consump- tion of about 1 litre/100 kilometres. You may frequently also leave a
roof rack fitted
on just out of convenience, although
you no longer need it. The increased aerodyna
mic drag of your vehi
cle causes it to use
about 1 l more fuel than normal at a speed of 100 - 120 km/h, even when you are not carrying a load on the roof.Saving electricity Generating electricity costs fuel.– Switch off electrical components as
soon as you no longer need them.
When the engine is running, th
e alternator generates and supp
lies electrical power. If
more electrical components of the electrical system are switched on, more fuel is needed to operate the alternator.
Keeping a log of your fuel consumptionIf you really wish to keep a close check on your
fuel consumption
, it is best to enter
the figures in a logbook. This does not take much time but is a very worthwhile exer-cise. It enables you to detect any change (p
ositive and negative) at an early stage and
to take any appropriate action. If you find that your fuel
consumption is too high, you should reflect on how, where
and in what conditions you have driven
the vehicle since you last refuelled.
Environmental compatibilityEnvironmental protection has played a major role in the design, selection of materials and manufacture of your new Škoda. Particular emphasis has been paid to a number of aspects, including: Design measures
Joints designed to
be easily detached.

Simplified disassembly due to the modular structure system.

Improved purity of differ
ent classes of materials.

Identification of all plastic parts in
accordance with VDA Recommendation°260.

Reduced fuel consumption
and exhaust emission CO
2.

Minimum fuel leakage during accidents.

Reduced noise.
Choice of materials
Extensive use of re
cyclable material.

Air conditioning filled with CFC-free refrigerant.

No cadmium.

No asbestos.

Reduction in the “vaporisation” of plastics.
Manufacture
Solvent-free cavity protection.
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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.
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Towing a trailer
154
s3j8.a.book Page 154 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
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Breakdown assistance
186
The vehicle tool kit and the lifting jack* are
housed in a plastic box in the spare wheel*
 page 185, fig. 150
or in the space for the spare wheel. There is also space here for
the removable ball for the trailer towing device. The vehicle tool kit contains the following
parts (depending on equipment fitted):

wheel wrench*;

wire clamps for removing the full wheel trims;

towing eye;

Adapter for the safety wheel bolts*;

Extraction pliers for wheel bolt caps;

Replacement bulb set;

Screwdriver*.
Before placing the lifting jack back in its storage area, screw in the arm of the lifting jack fully.
WARNING

The factory-supplied lifting jack is only intended for your model of vehicle.
On no account attempt to lift a heavier vehicle or other loads - risk of injury!
Ensure that the vehicle tool kit is safely attached in the luggage
compartment.Tyre repair kitThe tyre repair kit is intended for the repair
of minor tyre defects. The tyre repair kit
contains a compressor, inflation bottle,
operating instructions and accessories.
The repair with the tyre repair kit is
not at all intended to replace
a permanent repair
on the tyre; this repair only serves to re
ach a workshop. The repair can be undertaken
on the vehicle immediately.
Please read the attached in
structions carefully before
the repair. The ty re re pa ir kit i s s towed in a n ins er ted foa m pie ce unde r the lugga ge com pa r tment cover or in the right part
of the luggage compartment.
Spare wheel*The spare wheel is stowed in th
e spare wheel well in the luggage
compartment below the floor covering.The spare wheel lies in a well under the floor covering of the luggage compartment and is fixed in place along with a vehicle tool kit box using a special screw
fig. 151
.
One should check the inflation pressure in
the spare wheel (at best when generally
checking the tyre air pressures - see sign on the fuel filler flap
page 163) to ensure
that the spare wheel is always ready to use. Unidirectional tyres* If you have such tyres on your vehi
cle, please refer to the notes below:

The spare wheel provided with a car fitted with unidirectional tyres has different
dimensions. The wheel is provided with a warning sticker.
The warning label must not be covered after installing the wheel.

Do not drive faster than 80 km/h with this spare wheel and pay particular attention
while driving. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation pressure of
the standard tyres.
Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not intended
for continuous use.
Fig. 151 Luggage compartment: Spare wheel
s3j8.a.book Page 186 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM