2010 SKODA OCTAVIA check engine light

Instruments and warning lights35
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
For further information on the brake system
page 170, “Brakes”.
Handbrake applied
The warning light
 also comes on if the handbrake is applied. An audible warning is
also given if you drive the vehicle for at least 3 seconds at a speed of more than 6 km/h.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Release parking brake!
WARNING

Pay attention to the following instruct ions before checking the brake fluid
level and opening the bonnet page 197, “Working in the engine compart-
ment”.

If the brake system warning light
 does not go out a few seconds after
switching on the ignition or comes on when driving, stop immediately and
check the brake fluid in the reservoir page 202. If the fluid level has dropped
below the MIN marking, do not drive any further - risk of accident! Obtain
professional assistance.
Alternator

The warning light
 comes on after the ignition has been switched on. It should go
out after the engine has started.
If the warning light does not go out after the engine has started, or comes on when
driving, drive to the nearest specialist garage. The vehicle battery will be discharged in
this case so switch off all non- essential electrical components.
Caution
If the warning light
 comes on when driving and in addition the warning light

(cooling system fault) also comes on in di splay, you must then stop the car immedi-
ately and switch the engine off - risk of engine damage!
Engine oil level

Warning light
 lights up
If the warning light  lights up, the quantity of oil in the engine is probably too low.
Check as soon as possible the oil level or top up page 199, “Replenishing engine oil”
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 left 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.
Warning light
 flashes
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 inspecte d without delay by a specialist garage.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*: Oil sensor. Workshop!
Fuel reserve

The warning light
 comes on, if the fuel level is still below 9 litres.
An audible signal sounds as an additional warning signal.
The following text will be displayed in the information display*: Please refuel! Range...km
Note
The Text in the information display* goes ou t only after refuelling and driving a short
distance.
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Heating and air conditioning system
100
Recirculated air mode
In recirculated air mode air is sucked out of the interior of the vehicle
and then fed back into the interior.Recirculated air mode prevents polluted air outside the vehicle from getting into the
vehicle, for example when driving through a tunnel or when standi ng in a traffic jam.Switching recirculated air mode on– Press the button page 98, fig. 107 the warning light lights up in the
button.Switching recirculated air mode off– Press again the button - the warning light in the button goes out.
The recirculated air mode is switched off automatically if the air distribution control
is in position
  page 98, fig. 107. You can also switch recirculated air mode on
again from this setting by repeatedly pressing button .
WARNING
You should not leave recirculated air mode on over a longer period of time, as
“stale” air may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, divert your atten-
tion and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident
increases. Switch recirculated air mode off as soon as the windows begin
misting up.Using the air conditioning system economicallyThe compressor on the air conditioning syst em uses power from the engine when in
cooling mode which will effect the fuel consumption.
It recommended to open the windows or the doors of a vehicle for which the interior
has been strongly heated through the effect of direct sunlight in order to allow the
heated air to escape.
The cooling system should not be switched on while travelling when the window is
open. The desired interior temperature can also be achieved without switching in the cooling
system just by switching to fresh air mode.
For the sake of the environment
When you economize on fuel, you
also reduce pollutant emissions.Operational malfunctionsIf the cooling system does not operate at outside temperatures higher than +5 °C,
there is a problem in the system. The reasons for this may be:
The fuse on the air conditioning system has blown. Check the fuse, replace it if
necessary page 226.

The cooling system has switched off auto matically for a short time because the
coolant temperature of the engine is too hot  page 16.
If you are not able to rectify the operational problem yourself, or if the cooling capacity
decreases, switch the cooling system off. Contact a specialist garage.
Climatronic* (automatic air conditioning)Description
The Climatronic system is a combinat ion of an automatic heating, fresh
air and cooling system which provides optimal comfort for the occu-
pants of the car.The Climatronic maintains fully automatically a convenience temperature. This is
achieved by automatically varying the temperature of the outflowing air, the blower
stages and the air distribution. The system also takes into account sunlight which elim-
inates the need to alter the settings manually. The automatic mode  page 102
ensures maximum wellbeing of the occupants at all times of the year.
Description of Climatronic system
The cooling operates only if the following conditions are met:
engine running,

A4
AC

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Starting-off and Driving109
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
poisonous gas - hazard! Carbon monoxide can cause unconsciousness and
death.

Never leave your vehicle unattended with the engine running.Caution

The starter may only be operated (ignitio
n key position ), if the engine is not
running. If the starter is immedi ately operated after switching off the engine, the starter
or the engine can be damaged.

Avoid high engine revolutions, full throttle and high engine loads as long as the
engine has not yet reached its normal oper ating temperature - risk of damaging the
engine!

Vehicles which are fitted with an exhaust gas catalytic converter should not be tow-
started over a distance of more than 50 metres.For the sake of the environment
Never warm up the engine when the vehicle is standing. Drive off right away. Through
this the engine reaches its operating temperature more rapidly and the pollutant emis-
sions are lower.Petrol enginesThese engines are fitted with a starter system which selects the correct fuel-air mixture
for every external air temperature.
Do not operate accelerator before and when starting engine.

Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start right
awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.

It is possible that the fuse on the electric al fuel pump is defect if the engine still
does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary page 226.

Contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
It may be necessary, if the engine is very hot, to slightly depress the accelerator after
the engine has started.
Diesel enginesGlow plug system
Diesel engines are equipped with a glow plug system, the preglow period being
controlled automatically in line with the coolant temperature and outside tempera-
ture.
The preglow indicator light
 comes on after the ignition has been switched on.
You should not switch on any major electrical components during the heating
period otherwise the vehicle battery will be drained unnecessarily.

You should start the engine immediately after the glow plug warning light
 has
gone out.

The glow plug warning light will come on for about one 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.

Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start right
awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.

It is possible that the fuse on the diesel preglow system is defect if the engine still
does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary page 226.

Contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
Starting the engine after the fuel tank has run dry
It may take longer than normal to start the engine after refuelling if the fuel tank has
run completely dry - up to one minute. This is because the fuel system must first of all
be filled while the attempting to start the engine.
Switching off the engine– The engine can be switched off by turnin g the ignition key from position into
 page 107, fig. 111.
WARNING

Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary - risk of accident!
WARNING (continued)
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Intelligent Technology173
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data

one wheel per axle was changed.
Basic setting of the system
After changing the tyre inflation pressures, after changing one or several wheels, the
position of a wheel on the vehicle (e.g. exch anging the wheels between the axles) or
when the warning light lights up while drivin g, a basic setting of the system must be
carried out as follows.

Inflate all tyres to the specified inflation pressure page 208.

Switch on the ignition.

Press button  page 172, fig. 151 for more than 2 seconds. While pressing
the button, the warning light
 lights up. At the same time the memory of the system
is erased and the new calibration is started, which is confirmed with an audible signal
and then the warning light
 goes out.

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.
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.
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.

In order to ensure a proper functioning of the tyre inflation pressure-control
system, it is necessary to carry out the ba sic setting again every 10 000 km or 1x a
year.
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. 152 , indicates that your
vehicle is equipped with a diesel particle fi lter. The vehicle data sticker 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.
 
Fig. 152 Vehicle data sticker
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Driving and the Environment
178
Reducing idling
Idling also costs fuel.It is worthwhile switching off the engine in a traffic jam or when waiting at a level
crossing or at traffic lights with a lengthy red phase. Even after just 30 - 40 seconds you
will have saved more fuel th an that is needed when you start the engine up again.
If an engine is only idling it takes much longer for it to reach its normal operating
temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant emis sions, though, are particularly high in
the warming-up phase. This is why you should drive off right after starting the engine.
Do avoid high engine revolu tions at this time, however.Regular servicing
A poorly tuned engine consumes an unnecessarily high amount of fuel.Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a specialist garge enables you to satisfy one
of the requirements for economical motoring even before you set off on your journey.
Keeping your vehicle properly serviced not on ly has a positive effect on the safety of
your vehicle and maintaining its value, but also saves on fuel.
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fu el consumption which is 10% higher than
normal.
The foreseen maintenance work should be undertaken exactly according to the
Service schedule by a specialist garage.
Also check the oil level after refueling. Oil consumption is dependent to a consider-
able extent on the load and speed of the en gine. Oil consumption could be as high as
0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of driving.
It is quite normal that a new engine has a higher oil consumption at first, and reaches
its lowest level only after a certain running in time. It is therefore not possible to
correctly assess the oil consumption of a new vehicle until after you have driven about
5 000 km.
For the sake of the environment

You can achieve additional improvements in your fuel economy by using high-
lubricity oils.

Check the ground below your vehicle at regular intervals to detect any leakages in
good time. Please have your vehicle inspec ted by a specialist garge if you find any
stains caused by oil or other fluids on the floor.
Avoid driving short distances
Short distances result in an above-average high fuel consumption.– Avoid driving a distance of no more than 4 km if the engine is cold.
The engine and catalytic converter mu st first have reached their optimal operating
temperature in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.
The cold engine vehicle cons umes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel immediately
after starting. Fuel co nsumption drops to 10 litres/100 km after just 1 kilometre. The
engine reaches its operating temperat ure (outside temperature and engine
dependent) only after about 4 to 10 kilometres and the fuel consumption then stabi-
lizes. You should therefore avoid driving short distances whenever possible.
An important factor in this connection is also the ambient temperature. The
 fig. 155 shows the different fuel consumptions for the same distance, on the one
hand at +20°C and on the other hand at -10°C. Your vehicle has a higher fuel
consumption in winter than in summer.
Fig. 155 Fuel consumption in litres/100
km at different temperatures
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Towing a trailer183
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Headlights
Before starting off with a hitched trailer, also check the setting of the headlights. Alter
the setting as necessary with the ai
d of the headlight beam adjuster page 56.
Detachable ball head
The ball rod is detachable on vehicles which feature a factory-fitted towing device. It is
stowed together with separate fitting instru ctions in the spare wheel well in the luggage
compartment of the vehicle.
Further information on the towing device page 184.
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.
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/hour for safety reasons. This also applies for countries
in which higher speeds are allowed. The fact that the driving stability of the vehicle + trailer combination reduces with
increasing speed means that the legally allowed speed should not be used when there
are unfavourable road, weather or wind cond
itions, particularly near accident black
spots.
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, “Coolant temperature gauge”.
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 201,
“Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines  page 31, “Coolant temperature/coolant
level ”.
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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Inspecting and replenishing
196
Inspecting and replenishingEngine compartmentBonnet remote releaseBonnet remote release– Pull the unlocking lever below the dash panel on the driver's side fig. 160 .
The bonnet jumps out of its lock as a result of the spring force. A locking lever appears
at the same time in the radiator grille.Opening and closing the bonnet.Fig. 161 Radiator grille: Locking lever / se curing the bonnet with the bonnet support
Opening the bonnet– Unlock the bonnet fig. 160 .
– Ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers are correctly in place against the windscreen before opening the bonnet otherwise damage could occur to the
paintwork.
– Pulling on the locking leve r in direction of arrow fig. 161 will unlock the
bonnet.
– Grip with the hand under the radiator grille and lift up the bonnet.
– Take the bonnet support out of its holder and set it in the opening designed for
it.Closing the bonnet– Lift the bonnet slightly and unhook the bonnet support. Press the bonnet support into the holder designed to hold it.
– Allow the bonnet to drop from a height of about 20 cm into the lock - bonnet do
not press down on it !
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.

For safety reasons, the bonnet must always be properly closed when
driving. One should therefore check that the lock has in fact engaged properly
after closing the bonnet.

Stop your vehicle immediately while driving if you notice that the lock is not
properly engaged and close the bonnet properly - risk of an accident!Caution
Never open the bonnet using the locking lever - danger of causing damage.
Fig. 160 Bonnet release lever
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Inspecting and replenishing199
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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 - but not above this, if
the engine has been operating at high load s, for example during a lengthy motorway
trip during the summer months, towing a tr ailer or negotiating a high mountain pass.
The warning light in the instrument cluster* will indicate page 30, “Engine oil pres-
sure ” 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.
Caution

The oil level must on no ac count 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.Note
Engine oil specifications page 237, “Technical Data”.Replenishing engine oil– Inspecting the engine oil level page 198.
– Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening.
– Pour in a suitable grade of oil in portions of 0.5 litres page 240, “Engine oil spec-
ifications”.
– Inspect the oil level page 198.
– 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 197, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.For the sake of the environment
The oil level must on no account extend beyond the range page 198. Oil will
otherwise be drawn in through the crankc ase ventilation and may pass through the
exhaust system to atmosphere. The oil ma y combust in the catalytic converter 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, “Service Interval Display”.
WARNING

Only carry out the engine oil change, if you have the required professional
knowledge!

Read and observe the warning notes page 197, “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.Caution
You must not pour any additives into the engine 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.
AAAA
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