Contents 4
Transporting children safely
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What you should know about transporting children!
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Attaching a child seat using the “ISOFIX” system*
Attaching child seat using the “Top Tether” system
Driving Tips
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Intelligent Technology
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Electronic stability programme (ESP)* . . . . . . . . . .
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake booster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Antilock brake system (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake Assist* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Uphill Start Assist* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Electrohydraulic power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tyre pressure monitoring system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diesel particle filter* (diesel engine) . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving and the Environment
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The first 1 500 kilometres and then afterwards . .
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving in an economical and environmentally
conscious manner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Environmental compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Motoring abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Avoiding damage to your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving through bodies of water on roads . . . . . . .
Towing a trailer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Maintenance
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the
vehicle
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Care of the exterior of vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Care of the interior of vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inspecting and replenishing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Windshield washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wheels and Tyres
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accessories, changes and replacement of partsAccessories and replacement parts . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Technical changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vehicles of category N1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Breakdown assistance
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Breakdown assistance
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
First-aid box* and Warning triangle* . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fire extinguisher* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tyre repair kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Spare wheel* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tow-starting and towing vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuses and light bulbs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Electric fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Used abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Identification details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel consumption according to the ECE standards and
EU guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.2 ltr./44 kW - EU 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.2 ltr./51 kW - EU 5/EU 2 DDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.2 ltr./63 kW TSI - EU 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.2 ltr./77 kW TSI - EU 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.4 ltr./63 kW - EU 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1,6 l/77 kW - EU 4, EU 2 DDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.4 ltr./132 kW TSI - EU 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.2 ltr./55 kW TDI CR DPF - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.6 ltr./55 kW TDI CR - EU°5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.6 ltr./66 kW TDI CR - EU°5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.6 ltr./77 kW TDI CR - EU°5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Index
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
130130132135136137137137139140140141141141142143145145146146149150150151152152155155155155159
162162162163165165167169171172176178178184184184184185185185185185186186187190192195195200
207207207207207207207208209210212214216218220222224226228230232235
s3j8.a.book Page 4 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Instruments and warning lights
29
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Glow plug system
(diesel engine)
The warning light
lights up for a
cold
engine when switching on the ignition (pre-
heat position)
page 89. Start the engine after the indicator light goes out.
The glow plug indicato
r light will come on for about 1
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
.
There is a fault in the glow plug system if the
warning light
does not come on
or
lights up continuously
; contact a specialist garage as soon as possible to obtain
assistance. If the
warning light
begins
to flash
while driving, a fault exists in the engine
control. The engine management system
selects an emergency programme which
enables you to drive to the nearest specialist garage by adopting a gentle style of driving. The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Engine fault: Workshop!
Coolant temperature/coolant quantity
The warning light
lights up until the engine reaches operating temperature
3). Avoid
running at high engine speeds, at full
throttle and at se
vere engine loads.
The warning light
comes on for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched on.
The coolant temperature is too high or the
coolant level too low if the warning light
lights up or flashes while driving. An audible signal sounds as a warning signal.In this case stop and switch the engine off
and check the coolant level; top up the
coolant as necessary
page 170, “Replenishing the coolant”.
Do not continue your journey
if for some reason it is not possible under the condi-
tions prevailing to top up with coolant.
Keep the engine switched off
and obtain
professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage.
If the coolant is within the specified range, the increased temperature may be caused by an operating problem at the coolant fan.
Check the fuse for the coolant fan, replace
it if necessary
page 199, “Fuse assignment at th
e battery (automatic gearbox)”.
If the warning light
does not go out although the coolant is at the correct level and
also the fuse of the fan is in proper order,
do not continue driving
. Contact a specialist
garage to obtain assistance. Please refer to the following guidelines
page 169, “Cooling system”.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Check coolant! Owner's manual
WARNING
If you must stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe distance from the traffic and switch off the engine and switch on the hazard warning light system
page 51, “Switch for hazard warning lights
”.
Fuel reserve
The warning light
comes on, if the fuel level is less than 7 litres.
An audible signal sounds as an additional warning signal.The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Please refuel! Range...km
Engine oil
The warning light
lights up red (low oil pressure)
The warning light comes on for a few seconds
4) when the ignition is switched on.
Stop the vehicle and switch the engine off
if the warning light does not go off after
the engine has started or flashes while driving. Check the oil level and top up with oil as necessary
page 167.
3)Not valid for vehicles with information display.
A2
4)The warning light
on vehicles fitted with information
display does not come on after switch-
ing the ignition on, but only if a fault exists or the engine oil level is too low.
s3j8.a.book Page 29 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Instruments and warning lights
303 peeps sound as an additional warning signal. Do not continue your journey
if for some reason it is
not possible under the condi-
tions prevailing to top up with oil.
Keep the engine switched off
and obtain profes-
sional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage. Do not drive any further
if the warning light flashes even if the oil is at the correct
level. Do not run the engine
not at idling speed either. Contact the nearest specialist
garage to obtain professional assistance. The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Oil Pressure: Engine off! Owner's manual!
The warning light
lights up yellow* (oil quantity too low)
If the warning light lights up yellow, the quantity of oil in the engine is probably too low. Check as soon as possible the oil level or top up
page 167 with engine oil.
A peep sounds as an additional warning signal.The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Check oil level!
The warning light will go out if the bonnet is le
ft open for more than 30 seconds. If no
engine oil has been replenished, the warning light will come on again after driving about 100 km. The warning light
flashes yellow* (engine oil level sensor faulty)
A fault on the engine oil level sensor is indicated additionally by an audible signal and the warning light coming on several times after the ignition has been switched on. In this case have the engine inspected without delay by a specialist garage.The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Oil sensor. Workshop!
WARNING
If you must stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe
distance from the traffic and switch off the engine and switch on the hazard warning light system
page 51.
The red oil pressure light
is not an oil level indicator! One should there-
fore check the oil level at regular interval
s, preferably after every refueling stop.
Pay attention to the following instructions
page 166, “Working in the
engine compartment” before checking
the coolant fluid level and opening the
bonnet.Open door
The warning light
comes on if one or several doors are opened or if the boot lid is
opened. If one of the doors opens whil
e driving, the warning light lights
up and an
audible signal sounds. The warning light comes on even when the ignition is switched off. The warning light lights up for a maximum of 5 minutes. On vehicles with information display* this wa
rning light is replaced by a vehicle symbol
page 23.Windshield washer fluid level*
The warning light
comes on when the ignition is swit
ched on if there is insufficient
fluid in the windshield washer system. Top up with liquid
page 176.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
To p u p w a s h f l u i d !
Control system for exhaust
The warning light
comes on after the ignition has been switched on.
If the warning light does not go out after starti
ng the engine or it li
ghts up when driving,
a fault exists in an exhaust relevant co
mponent. The engine management system
selects an emergency programme which enables you to drive to the nearest specialist garage by adopting a ge
ntle style of driving.
WARNING (continued)
s3j8.a.book Page 30 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Automatic gearbox
98Automatic gearboxAutomatic gearbox*Information for driving with the 6-speed automatic gearbox* Your car is equipped with a conv
entional 6-speed automatic gearbox.
The maximum speed is reached in the 5th gear. The 6th gear serves as an economic driving programme, which is intended to redu
ce the fuel consumption. Shifting up and
down through the gears is performed automa
tically. You can also, however, switch the
gearbox over into the
Tiptronic mode
. This mode makes it possible for you to also shift
gears manually
page 102.
Starting-off and Driving– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed. – Press the Shiftlock button (button in ha
ndle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the
desired position, e.g.
D page 99, and then release the
Shiftlock button.
– Wait a moment until the gearbox has shif
ted (a slight engage
ment nudge can be
felt).
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator
.
Stop– The selector lever position
N does not have to be selected when stopping just for
a short time, such as at a cross roads. It
is sufficient to hold
the vehicle stationary
using the foot brake. The engine can, however, be allowed just to idle.
Parking– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed. – Apply the handbrake firmly.– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector lever to
P and
then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be
started
when the selector lever is in position
P or N page 90.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position
P when parking on a flat surface. When
parking on a slope you should first apply
the handbrake firmly and then move the
selector lever into position
P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive pressure acting
on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move the selector lever out of position
P.
If the selector lever position
N is selected by accident while driving it is first necessary
to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of the engine to be reached before engaging a driv
e position in the selector lever.
WARNING
Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector
lever if the car is stationary and the engine is running - risk of accident!
Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
When the engine is running and the vehi
cle is stationary, it is necessary to
hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (except P and N) since the power transmission is never completely interrupted, also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle creeps.Information for driving with the automatic gearbox DSG* The abbreviation DSG mean
s Direct shift gearbox (Direct shift gearbox).
Two independent clutches are needed for the power transmission between the engine and the gearbox. These replace the torque
converter of the conv
entional automatic
gearbox. Their shifting is matched in such
a way that there are no jerks when shifting
the gear and the power transmission of the engine to the front wheels is not inter- rupted. Shifting up and down through the
gears is performed automatically. You can
also, however, switch the gearbox over into the
Tiptronic mode
. This mode makes it
possible for you to also shift gears manually
page 102.
Starting-off and Driving– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
s3j8.a.book Page 98 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
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.
s3j8.a.book Page 145 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
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.
s3j8.a.book Page 149 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Wheels and Tyres
178
Wheels and TyresWheelsGeneral information
New tyres do not offer optimal grip at first and should therefore be run in for about
500 km at a moderate speed and an appropri
ately cautious style of driving. You will
also profit from longer tyre life.
The tread depth of new tyres may differ be
cause of design features and the config-
uration of the tread (depending on the type of tyre and the manufacturer).
Drive over curbs on the side of the road
and other such obstacles slowly and,
where possible, at a right angle in order
to avoid damage to tyres and wheel trims.
Inspect your tyres from time to time
for damage (punctures, cuts, splits and
bulges). Remove foreign bodies from the tyre profile.
Damage to tyres and wheels is frequently
not visible. Unusual vi
brations or pulling
of the vehicle to one side coul
d be a sign of tyre damage.
Please reduce your speed
immediately and stop if you su
spect that a wheel is damaged.
Inspect the tyres for
signs of damage (bulges, splits, etc.). If no
visible damage is present, please drive at an
appropriately slow speed and carefully to the nearest specialist garage in order to have your vehicle inspected.
Also protect your tyres from contact with oil, grease and fuel.
Immediately replace any dust caps of
the valves which have got lost.
Mark wheels before removing them so that
their previous dire
ction of running can
be maintained when mounted them again.
Always store wheels or tyres which been removed in a cool, dry and, where
possible, dark place. Tyres which are not fixed to a wheel trim should be stored upright. Unidirectional tyres* The direction of rotation of the tyres is mark
ed by arrows on the
wall of the tyre. This
indicates the direction of rotation of the tyre, and it is essential that the tyres are fitted on to run in this direction. Only then are
the tyres able to provide the optimal proper-
ties in terms of grip, low nois
e, wear-and-tear and aquaplaning.
Further information concerning th
e use of unidirectional tyres
page 182.
WARNING
New tyres during the first 500 km do not offer optimal grip and should
therefore be run appropriately - risk of accident!
Never drive with damaged tyres - risk of accident!Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.Ty re l i feThe life of your tyres very much depends on the following points: Tyre pressure The working life of tyres will be shortened considerably if the tyres are insufficiently or over-inflated and this will have an adverse
effect on the handli
ng of your vehicle.
Correctly inflated tyres are of particular importance when travelling at
high speeds
. It
is therefore good to check the pressure at
least once a month and also before setting
off on a long trip. Please do not forget the spare wheel* when checking the tyres. The tyre inflation pressures for
summer tyres
are indicated on the inside of the fuel
filler flap
fig. 147
. The inflation pressures for
winter tyres
are 20 kPa (0.2 bar) higher
than those for summer tyres
page 182.
Fig. 147 An opened fuel filler flap with a tyre size and tyre inflation pressure table
s3j8.a.book Page 178 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM