2010 SKODA OCTAVIA ignition

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle189
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Underbody protectionThe underside of your vehicle is protected for life against chemical and mechanical
influences.
One cannot, however, completely rule out damage to the protective layer when
driving so we recommend that you inspect the protective layer on the underside of
your vehicle and on the chassis at certain intervals - this is best done at the beginning
and end of the winter - and to touch up any damaged areas.
The authorised Škoda Service Partners have suitable spray products available as well
as the necessary equipment and are familiar with the instructions for use. It is therefore
best to have such touch-up work or additional corrosion protection measures carried
out by an authorised Škoda Service Partner.
WARNING
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents for
the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters, di esel particle filter or heat shields.
When the engine reaches its operating temperature, these substances might
ignite - risk of fire!Protection of hollow spacesAll the cavities of your vehicle which are at risk from corrosion are protected for life by
a layer of protective wax applied in the factory.
This wax protection does not require to be inspected or re-treated. Please remove any
small amount of wax which flows out of the cavities at high temperatures with a plastic
scraper and clean the spot using petroleum cleaner.
WARNING
Safety and environmental pr otection regulations should observed when using
petroleum cleaner to remove wax - a risk of fire!
Engine compartmentGood corrosion protection is very importan t, particularly in winter when one often
drives over its salt-strewn roads. One should therefore clean the whole engine
compartment before and after the salt spreading period and treat with preservative in
order to prevent the salt from being destructive.
The authorised Škoda Service Partners have the cleaning agents and preservatives
recommended by the manufacturer and also the required equipment.
WARNING

It is necessary to observ e the guidelines given in the chapter before working
on the engine compartment page 197, “Working in the engine compart-
ment”.

Let the engine cool down before cleaning the engine compartment.Caution

Engine cleaning may be only be un dertaken when the ignition is off.

It is recommended to cover the generator before washing the engine compart-
ment.For the sake of the environment
The dirty water produced by washing the engine has washed away petrol, and residues
of grease and oil and should therefore be cleaned by an oil separator. This is why
engine washing should only be undertaken in a specialist garage or at a fueling station
(when these are fitted with the required equipment).Care of the interior of vehiclePlastic parts, artificial leather and clothsYou can clean plastic parts and artificial leather with a moist cloth. You should only
treat such parts with special solvent-free plastic cleaning and care products it does
prove to be adequate.
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Fuel
194Note
An extension cable used for connecting to the electrical network is located in the
luggage compartment.DieselDiesel fuelYour vehicle can only be operated with diesel fuel, which complies with the standard
EN 590 (standard DIN 51628 in Germany, standard ÖNORM C 1590 in Austria).
Fuel additives
You must not use fuel additives, so-called “flow improvers” (petrol and similar prod-
ucts) in diesel fuel.
You can find information on refuelling page 195, “Refuelling”.
Caution

Therefore, your vehicle can only be operated with diesel fuel which complies with
the standard EN 590 (standard DIN 51628 in Germany, standard ÖNORM C 1590 in
Austria). Filling the tank even only once wi th diesel fuel which does not comply with
the standard, can result in damage to the engine parts, the lubrication system, the fuel
and exhaust system.

If by mistake you have refuelled with a different fuel other than the diesel fuel
which complies to the above mentioned standards (e.g. petrol), do not start the engine
or switch on the ignition! This can result in severe engine damage! Contact a specialist
garage and have the fuel sy stem of the engine cleaned.

Water which has collected in the fuel fi lter can result in engine problems.

Your vehicle is not adapted for use of biofuel (RME), therefore this fuel must not be
refuelled and driven. The use of biofuel (RME) can lead to damage to the engine or the
fuel system.
Operation in winterWinter-grade diesel fuel
A different grade of diesel fuel is available at filling stations in winter than during the
summer. Using “summer-grade diesel fuel” at temperatures below 0°C can result in
operational problems because the diesel beco mes viscous as a result of paraffin sepa-
ration.
It is therefore the case that the standard EN 590 (standard DIN 51628 in Germany,
standard ÖNORM C 1590 in Austria) is the diesel fu el class prescribed for certain
periods of the year which can also be purc hased at the corresponding time during the
year. “Winter-grade diesel fuel” will still operate properly even at a temperature of -
20°C.
It is often the case in countri es with different climatic conditions that diesel fuels avail-
able have a different temperature characteristic. The authorised Škoda Service Part-
ners and filling stations in the country conc erned will be able to provide you with infor-
mation regarding the diesel fuels available.
Prewarming fuel
The vehicle is fitted with a fuel filter prewarming system. This secures operation of a
vehicle using diesel fuel down to an environmental temperature of -25°C.
Caution
It is not permitted to add the various fuel additives on the market, including petrol, to
diesel fuel in order to improve its flow properties.
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Inspecting and replenishing197
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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.

Never spill oil and other fluids over the hot engine. Such fluids (e.g. the anti-
freeze contained in the coolant) 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 su ddenly 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 lifting 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 stated below when
carrying out any essential work on the fu el system or on the 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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Inspecting and replenishing
202WARNING

The cooling system is pressurized! Do not open the cap of the coolant
expansion bottle if the engine is still hot - risk of scalding!

The coolant additive and thus all of the coolant is harmful to your health.
Avoid contact with the coolant. Coolant vapours are also harmful to the health.
It is important, therefore, to always safely store any coolant additive in its orig-
inal container out of the reach of children - risk of poisoning!

If any splashes of coolant get into yo ur eyes, rinse out your eyes immedi-
ately with clear water and contact a doctor as soon as possible.

You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvertently
swallowed coolant.Caution
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the
conditions prevailing to top up with coolant. Switch the engine off and obtain
professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe
engine damage.
For the sake of the environment
Do not re-use coolant if it is necessary to drain the coolant in the system. It should be
collected and disposed of in compliance with environmental protection regulations.Radiator fan
The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.The radiator fan is driven by an electric motor and controlled according to the coolant
temperature.
The radiator fan may continue running for up to 10 minutes after the engine has been
switched off - even if the ignition is also off. It may also switch on suddenly after a
certain time, if
the coolant temperature has risen beca use of an accumulation of heat or

the warm engine compartment is heated up additionally by strong sunlight.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when working in the engine compartment that the
fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!Brake fluidInspecting the brake fluid levelThe brake fluid reservoir is located on the left of the engine compartment. The brake
fluid reservoir on right-hand steering models is positioned on the other side of the
engine compartment.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet page 196.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir fig. 165 . The level must be between
the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-tear and
automatic adjustment of the brak e pads, and is perfectly normal.
There may be an indication of a leak in th e brake system, however, if the fluid level
drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” marking. If the
brake fluid level is too low, this is indicated by the warning light page 34, “Brake
system ” lighting up in the instru ment cluster. In this case stop immediately and do
not drive any further! Obtain professional assistance.
Fig. 165 Engine compartment: Brake
fluid reservoir
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Inspecting and replenishing
204
lead to conjunctivitis and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs. Battery
acid corrodes dental enam el and creates deep wounds after contact with the
skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted acids causes
skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids coming into contact
with water are diluted accompanied by significant development of heat.
Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the
battery vent openings. Protect the eyes with safety glas ses or a shield! There is
the danger of suffering blindness! If an y battery electrolyte gets into your eye,
rinse out your eye immediately with cl ear water for several minutes. Contact a
doctor without delay.

Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Contact a doctor
immediately if you swal low battery electrolyte.

Keep batteries out of the reach of children.

Hydrogen is released when you charge a battery and a highly explosive gas
mixture is produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling over during
unclamping or loosening of the cable plug while the ignition is on.

Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal objects,
cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explo-
sion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.

It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry out
any activities which produce sparks. Avoid creating sparks when working with
cables and electrical devices. Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.

Before carrying out any work on the el ectrical system, switch off the engine,
the ignition as well as all electrical components and disconnect the negative
cable (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off
the appropriate light.

Never charge a frozen or thawed batt ery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns! Replace a frozen battery.

Never jump-start the batteries which have a too low electrolyte level - risk
of explosion and caustic burns!

Never use a battery which is damaged - risk of explosion! Immediately
replace a damaged battery.
Caution

You must only disconnect the battery if th e ignition is switched off, otherwise the
electrical system (electronic components ) of the vehicle may be damaged. When
disconnecting the battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, first disconnect the
negative terminal (-) of the battery. Then disconnect the positive terminal (+).

When reconnecting the battery, first connect the positive terminal (+) and only
then the negative terminal (-) of the ba ttery. You must on no account connect the
cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.

Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the vehicle body other-
wise damage could occur to the paintwork.

Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the battery housing
from the effects of ultra-violet light.For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of wa ste which is harmful to the environment -
contact your specialist garage regarding disposing of the battery.
Note
Please also refer to the guidelines page 206, also after connecting the battery.Battery with a two-tone indicator
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 167 The battery: Show
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Inspecting and replenishing
206
Operation in winterThe battery has to provide greater amounts of electricity during the winter. It also has
only part of the initial power output at low temperatures that it has at normal temper-
atures.
A discharged battery may already freez e at temperatures just below 0°C.
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked by a Škoda Service
Partner before the start of the winter and recharged if necessary.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns.
Replace a frozen battery.Charging the battery
A properly charged battery is essentia l for reliably starting the engine.– Read the warning notes  in “Working on the battery” on page 203 and .
– Switch the ignition and all electrical components off.
– Only for “quick-charging”: Disconnect both battery cables (first of all “negative”,
then “positive”).
– Carefully attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery terminals (red =
“positive”, black = “negative”).
– You can now plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket and switch on the charger.
– When charging is completed: switch the charger off and unplug the mains cable from the power socket.
– Only then should you disconnect the terminal clamps of the charger.
– Reconnect the cables to the battery (first of all “positive”, then “negative”).
It is not normally necessary to disconnect th e cables of the battery if you recharge the
battery using low amperages (as for example from a mini-charger). Please also refer
to the instructions from the charger manufacturer. A charging current of 0.1 of the total battery
capacity (or lower) is that which should be
used until full charging is achieved.
It is, however, necessary to disconnect both cables before charging the battery with
high amperages, so-called “ quick-charging”.
“Quick-charging” a battery is dangerous  in “Working on the battery” on
page 203. It requires a special charger an d appropriate knowledge. We therefore
recommend that you have your battery quick-charged only by your Škoda Service
Par tner.
A discharged battery may already freeze at temperatures just below 0°C . We
recommend that you no longer use a battery which has thawed out because the casing
of the battery may be cracked through the formation of ice and this would allow
battery electrolyte to flow out.
The vent plugs of the battery should not be opened for charging.
WARNING

Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns. Replace a frozen battery.

Never charge a battery which has a too lo w electrolyte level - risk of explo-
sion and caustic burns.
Disconnecting and reconnecting the batteryOn disconnecting and reconnecting the battery the following functions are initially
deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free.Operation
Operating measure
Electrical power window (operational faults)
 page 48
Enter radio code number
see Radio Operating Instructions
Set hours
page 18
Data in the multi-functional indicator* are
deleted.
page 19
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Breakdown assistance
222
Start engineIt is important to connect the jump -start cables in the correct order.Connecting positive terminals– Attach one end to the positive terminal fig. 181 of the discharged battery
.
– Attach the other end to the positive term inal of the battery supplying the power
.Connecting negative terminal and engine block– Attach one end to the negative termin al of the battery supplying the power .
– Attach the other end to a solid metal part which is connected firmly to the
engine block, or to the engine block itself.Starting the engine– Start the engine of the vehicle providing current and run the engine at idling speed.
– Now start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
– Interrupt the attempt at starting an engine after 10 seconds if it does not start right
away and wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
– Disconnect the cables on the engine in exactly the reverse order they were
connected up.
WARNING

The non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps must never make contact
with each other. Furthermore, the cable connected to the positive terminal of
the battery must not come into contact with electrically conducting parts of the
vehicle - risk of a short circuit!

Do not affix the jump starting cables to the negative terminal of the
discharged battery. There is the risk of detonating gas seeping out the battery
being ignited by the strong spark which results from the engine being started.

Run the jump-start cables so that they cannot be caught by any rotating
parts in the engine compartment.

Do not bend over the batteries - risk of caustic burns!

The vent screws of the battery cells must be tightened firmly.

Keep any sources of ignition (naked flame, smouldering cigarettes etc.)
away from the battery - risk of an explosion!

Never jump-start the batteries which ha ve a too low electrolyte level - risk
of explosion and caustic burns!
Tow-starting and towing vehicleGeneralPlease pay attention to the following instru ctions if you are going to use a tow rope:Driver of the towing vehicle– Do not drive off until the tow rope is taught.
– Release the clutch particularly gently wh en starting off or depress the accelerator
particularly gently if yo ur vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.Driver of the towed vehicle– Switch the ignition on so that the steeri ng wheel is not blocked and you can also
operate the turn signal lights, the headlight flasher, the windscreen wipers and
windscreen washer system.
Fig. 181 Jump-starting using the
battery from another vehicle: A - flat
vehicle battery, B - battery providing
current
A1
AA
A2
AB
A3
AB
A4
s43s.1.book Page 222 Thursday, May 13, 2010 1:21 PM

Fuses and light bulbs
226
Fuses and light bulbsElectric fusesReplacing fuses
Defect fuses must be replaced.Individual electrical circuits are protected by fuses. The fuses are located on the left
side of the dash panel behind the safety cover and under the cover in the engine
compartment on the left.
– Switch the ignition off and also the electrical component affected.
– Use a screwdriver to take off the fuse cover on the side of the dash panel fig. 185
or the fuse cover in the engine compartment page 227.
– Find out which fuse belongs to the relevant component page 228, “Fuse assign-
ment in the dash panel” or page 227, “Fuse assignment in engine compart-
ment”.
– Take the plastic clip out of it s fixture in the fuse cover, insert it onto the respective
fuse and pull out this fuse.
– Defect fuses can be detected by their melted metal strips. Replace the defect fuse by a new fuse of the same ampere number.
– Fit on the fuse cover again. We recommend that you always have the
small box of replacement fuses in your
vehicle. You can obtain replacement fuses from the range of Škoda original parts or
from a specialist garage
20).
Colour coding of fuses
Caution

Never attempt to “repair” fuses and also do not replace them with a fuse of a higher
amperage - risk of fire! This may also caus e damage at another part of the electrical
system.

Have the electrical system checked as quickly as possible by a specialist garage if a
newly inserted fuse blows again after a short time.
Fig. 185 Fuse cover: left side of the dash
panel
20)The small box with replacement fuses is part of the basic equipping of the vehicle in some coun-
tries.
Colour
Maximum amperage
light brown
5
brown
7,5
red
10
blue
15
yellow
20
white
25
green
30
orange
40
red
50
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