
Towing a trailer
182
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 already been supplied with a factory-fitted towing device then
everything that is nece ssary for towing a trailer in technical terms, and in terms of the
law, has already been taken into account.
Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin power socket 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
16) from Škoda original accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications if
a towing device is retrofitted.
Authorised Škoda Service Partners are familiar with details relating 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 an authorised Škoda Service Partner. 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. The fact that the engi ne power output drops with increasing height due to a
lowering of air pressure and thus the abil ity to climb, means that the towed weight
must be reduced by 10% for every further increase of 1 000 metres in height above sea
level. The towed weight is the weight of the (laden) vehicle and the (laden) trailer
together. One should take this into account before driving up to higher altitudes.
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 prevent them slipping.
Tyre inflation pressure
Select the tyre inflation pressure on yo ur vehicle for that of “fully laden”, page 208.
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.
16)In some countries the adapter is supplied with the towing device.s43s.1.book Page 182 Thursday, May 13, 2010 1:21 PM

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
A1
A2
s43s.1.book Page 196 Thursday, May 13, 2010 1:21 PM

Wheels and Tyres
210
Changing wheels aroundIf significantly greater wear is present on the front tyres, we recommend changing the
front wheels around with the rear wheels as shown in the diagram fig. 171 . You will
then obtain approximately the same life for all the tyres.
It may be advantageous to swap the tyres ov er “crosswise” when certain types of wear
characteristic arise on the running surface of the tyres (but not in the case of unidirec-
tional tyres). The co-workers of the authorised Škoda Service Partners are extensively
familiar with the combination possibilites.
We recommend that you change the wheels around every 10 000 km in order to
achieve even wear on all wheels and to obtain optimal tyre life.New tyres and wheelsTyres and wheel rims are important design elements. One should therefore use the
tyres and wheel rims which have been releas ed for use by Škoda Auto. They are exactly
matched to the vehicle type and therefore contribute significantly to good road
holding and safe driving characteristics .
Only fit radial tyres of the same type on all 4 wheels, size (rolling circumference) and, if
possible, the same tread pattern on one axle.
The authorised Škoda Service Partners have access to the most current information
about which tyres we have released for use on your vehicle.
We recommend that you have any work relati ng to tyres or wheels carried out by an
authorised Škoda Service Partner . The authorised Škoda Service Partners have all of
the necessary special tools and replacement pa rts available plus the required specialist knowledge and are also in a position to pr
operly dispose of the old tyres. A large
number of authorised Škoda Service Partners also have an attractive range of tyres and
wheels available.
The tyre/wheel combinations which are appr oved for your vehicle are indicated in
your vehicle documents. Approval and licens ing may differ according to the legislation
prevailing in indi vidual countries.
Proper knowledge of the tyre data makes it ea sier for you to select the correct type of
tyre. Tyres do, for example, have the following inscription on their walls:
195 / 65 R 15 91 T
What this means is:
The following speed restrictions apply to tyres.
Fig. 171 Changing wheels around
195
Tyre wi dt h i n mm
65
Height/width ratio in %
R
Code letter for the type of tyre - R adial
15
Diameter of wheel in inches
91
Load index
T
Speed symbol
Speed symbol
Permissible maximum speed
S
180 km/h
T
190 km/h
U
200 km/h
H
210 km/h
V
240 km/h
W
270 km/h
Y
300 km/h
s43s.1.book Page 210 Thursday, May 13, 2010 1:21 PM

Technical Data239
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
DimensionsDimensions (mm)
OCTAVIA
OCTAVIA
GreenLine
OCTAVIA RS
COMBI
COMBI
GreenLine
CO M B I R S
COMBI 4x4
SCOUT
Length
4569
4569
4597
4569
4569
4599
4569
4584
Width
1769
1769
1769
1769
1769
1769
1769
1784
Width including exterior mirror
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
Height
1462
1485
a)
1449
b)
a)The value corresponds to the status with rough road package.b)The value corresponds to the status with SPORT package.
1462
1449
b)
1447
1468
1490
a)
1455
b)
1468
1455
b)
1451
1495
1520
a)
1533
Clearance
140
164a)
125
b)
140
125b)
127
140
164a)
125
b)
140
125b)
128
138
163a)
179
Wheel base
2578
2578
2578
2578
2578
2578
2578
2578
Track gauge front / rear
1541/1514
1535/1508
1528/1508
1541/1514
1535/1508
1528/1508
1541/1514
1531/1500
s43s.1.book Page 239 Thursday, May 13, 2010 1:21 PM

Index267
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
RRadiator fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Rear armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 90
Rear fog light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Rear window heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Rear window heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Rear-view mirror Exterior mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Interior mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Recharge battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Recommendation for changing gears . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Synchronisation process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Replacing fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Replacing the wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Roof aerial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Running in the car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175SSafe securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Safety information Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Safety wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Saving electrical energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Seat belt height adjuster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Seat belt warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145, 148
Belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
fastening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Height adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Safety information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
taking off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Seat heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Selector lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Selector lever lock Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Selector lever positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Selector lever-emergency unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Service Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Service Interval Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Setting temperature Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Setting the clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Shifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Side airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Stability system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 after fuel tank has run empty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Diesel engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Petrol engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Steering active driver-steering recommendation . . . . 169 Steering force assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Storage compartment
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Storage facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Sun screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Switching lights on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Switching off the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
TTaking care of your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
TCS Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125, 132
Temperature outside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Temporary spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
the first 1 500 kilometres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
The roof luggage rack system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Thickness of brake pads Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Tilting roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Top Tether . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Towing device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
towing vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Tow-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
s43s.1.book Page 267 Thursday, May 13, 2010 1:21 PM