Driving and the Environment131
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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 an d pollutant emissions, 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 consum ption 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 regu lar intervals to detect any leakages in
good time. Please have your vehicle inspected 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. 138 shows the different fuel consumptions for the same distance, on the one
hand at +20°C and on the ot her hand at -10°C. Your vehicle has a higher fuel
consumption in winter than in summer.
Fig. 138 Fuel consumption in
litres/100 km at different
temperatures
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Driving and the Environment
132
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 t oo low. This will not
only increase fuel consumption but also tyre wear 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 lu ggage 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 kilogr ams 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 vehicle causes it to use
about 10% more fuel than normal at a sp eed 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, the alternator generates and supplies electrical power.
The greater the load on the alternator as a result of having a large number of electrical components switched on, the more fuel
will be consumed for operating 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 recyclable material;
Air conditioning filled wi th CFC-free refrigerant;
No cadmium;
No asbestos;
Reduction in the “vaporisation” of plastics.
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Towing a trailer135
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 48.
Detachable ball head
The ball rod is detachable on vehicles which feature a factory-fitted towing device. It is
stowed together with separate fitting instructions in the spare wheel well in the
luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Further information on the towing device page 136.
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.
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 153,
“Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines page 28, “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
148
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 30 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 drivin g if you notice that the lock is not
properly engaged and close the bonnet properly - risk of an accident!
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.
On vehicles fitted with a manual gea rbox, move the gearshift lever into
Neutral.
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 suddenly 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.WARNING (continued)
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Inspecting and replenishing
150
Engine oil specifications for vehicles with fixed service intervals (QG2)
If the oils specified above are not available, oils according to ACEA A2 or ACEA A3 can
be used once for refilling.
If the oils specified above are not available, oils according to ACEA B3 or ACEA B4 can
be used once for refilling.
Caution
Only the above-mentioned oils may be used on vehicles with flexible service intervals
(QG1). We recommend always refilling with oil of the same specification since this will
maintain the properties of the oil. In exce ptional cases, you must top up only once
engine oil complying with Specification VW 502 00 (only for petrol engines) or Specifi-
cation VW 505 01 (only for diesel engines) to maximum 0.5 litres. You must not use
other engine oils - risk of engine damage!
Note
Before a long drive we recommend that you purchase and carry with you engine
oil which complies with the specification for your vehicle. Consequently, you will
always have the correct engine oil for refilling.
We recommend using a preservative from the Škoda original accessories offered
by your Škoda dealer.
For further information - see Service shedule.
Check engine oil level
The dipstick indicates the le vel of oil in the engine.Checking the oil level– Ensure that the vehicle is po sitioned on a level surface.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet in “Working in the engine compartment” on page 148.
– Wait a few minutes and pull out the oil dipstick .
– Wipe off the dipstick with a clea n cloth and insert it again fully.
– Then withdraw the dipstick again and read off the oil level.Oil level within range –You must not top up the oil.
a)Oil capacity with oil filter change. Inspect oil leve l when filling; do not fill up too much. The oil
level must be between the markings page 150, fig. 146 .Diesel engines
Specification
Content
a)
1.9 ltr./74 kW TDI PD - EU4
VW 506 01, VW 508 00
4,3
Petrol engines
Specification
Content
a)
a)Oil capacity with oil filter change. Inspect oil leve l when filling; do not fill up too much. The oil
level must be between the markings fig. 146 .1.4 ltr./55 kW - EU4
VW 501 01, VW 502 00
3,2
1.6 ltr./75 kW - EU4/EU2 DDK
VW 501 01, VW 502 00
4,5
1.8 ltr./110 kW - EU4/EU3D
VW 502 00
4,5
Diesel engines
Specification
Content
a)
1.9 ltr./74 kW TDI PD - EU4
VW 506 01
4,3
Fig. 146 Dipstick
A1
Aa
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Inspecting and replenishing151
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Oil level within range –You may top up the oil. It is possible that the oil level may then be within range
after doing this.Oil level within range –You must top up the oil page 151. It is sufficient, once this is done, to keep the
oil level within range .
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 during 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 wi ll indicate whether the oil level is too low
page 29. In this case, check the oil level as soon as possible. Top up with an appro-
priate 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.
Replenishing engine oil– Inspecting the engine oil level page 150.
– Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening page 150, fig. 146 .
– Pour in a suitable grade of oil in portions of 0.5 litres page 149. – Inspect the oil level
page 150.
– 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 148, “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 150. 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 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 18.
WARNING
Only carry out the engine oil change, if you have the required professional
knowledge!
Read and observe the warning notes page 148, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Let the engine cool down - risk of burning from hot oil.
Wear an eye protection - risk of caustic burns due to oil splashes.
Oil is toxic! Store old oil in a safe place out of the reach of children and unau-
thorized persons until you dispose of it properly.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.
Ab
Aa
AcAb
AaAa
A2
Aa
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Inspecting and replenishing
152For the sake of the environment
You must on no account pour oil into the ground or into the sewage system.
In view of the problems involved in prop erly disposing of old oil, the material,
equipment and the knowledge required for such work, we recommend that you have
the oil and oil filter change carried out by a specialist garage.Note
After your skin has come in contact with th e oil, you must thoroughly wash your skin.Power steeringThe reservoir for hydraulic oil of power steering is located in the front right of the
engine compartment page 149, fig. 145 .
Check hydraulic oil
The hydraulic system of the power steering is filled with the hydraulic oil designated in
the catalogue as G 002 000.
Perform the inspection of the hydraulic oil level when the engine is cold and not
running.
The hydraulic oil level must be be tween the “MIN” and “MAX” markings fig. 147 . If
the level drops below the marking “MIN”, it is necessary that the power steering is
checked by a specialist garage. It is not su fficient to solely refill with hydraulic oil.
Note
If the engine is not running (when towing) or if the V-ribbed belt is torn, the power
steering does not operate. The vehicle is fully steerable however. There is however
increased force required to turn the steering wheel.Cooling systemCoolant
The job of the coolant is to cool the engine.The cooling system does not require any maintenance under normal operating condi-
tions. The coolant consists of water with a concentration of coolant additive of 40 %.
This mixture not only provides antifreeze prot ection down to -25°C but also protects
the cooling and heating system from corrosion. It also prevents the formation of scale
and significantly increases the boiling point of the coolant.
You must therefore not reduce the concentration of antifreeze agent in the coolant by
adding water, also not during the summer mont hs or in countries with a warm climate.
The concentration of coolant additive in the coolant must be at least 40%.
You can increase the amount of antifreeze in the coolant if a higher concentration of
antifreeze is necessary for climatic reasons but only up to 60% (antifreeze protection
down to approx. -40°C). The antifreeze protection tails off above that concentration.
Vehicles exported to countries with a cold climate (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland) are
already factory-filled with a coolant which of fers antifreeze protection down to about
-35°C. In these countries the concentration of coolant additive should be at least 50%.
Coolant
The cooling system is factory- filled with coolant (purple in colour), which complies
with the specification TL-VW 774 G.
We recommend that you use the same coolan t additive - G13 (purple in colour) - for
topping up the system.
Please contact a specialist garage if you have any questions regarding the coolant or if
you wish to fill up with a different coolant.
A specialist garage can also supply yo u with the correct coolant additives.
Fig. 147 Hydraulic oil dipstick
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Inspecting and replenishing153
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Caution
Other coolant additives may cause operational problems which, in partic-
ular, involves significantly reducing the anticorrosion effect.
Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of coolant
and, as a consequence of this, result in major engine damage.
Inspecting the coolant levelThe coolant expansion bottle is located in the engine compartment on the right.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet in “Working in the engine compartment” on page 148.
– Check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle fig. 148 . When the
engine is cold, the coolant level must lie between the and markings. When
the engine is warm, the level may also lie slightly above the hatched part.
If the coolant level in the reservoir is too lo w, this is indicated by the warning light in
the instrument cluster
page 28. We nevertheless recommend inspecting the
coolant level directly at the reservoir from time to time.
Loss of coolant
A loss of coolant is first and foremost an indication of a leak in the system. You should
not merely top up the coolant in the reservoir. It is also important to have the cooling
system inspected without delay by a specialist garage. Losses can only occur through the pressure
relief in the cap of the coolant expansion
bottle which is completely free of leaks if the coolant boils as a result of overheating
and is forced out of the cooling system.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes page 148, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Caution
One should contact a specialist garage as s oon as possible if the source of overheating
itself cannot be determined and removed, since there may be grave damage to the
engine.Replenishing the coolant– Switch the engine off.
– Allow the engine to cool down.
– Place a cloth over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir fig. 148 and
unscrew the cap carefully by turning it to the left .
–Top up the coolant.
– Screw the cap tight until it is heard to lock.
The coolant which you use for replenishing th e system, must comply with one specific
specification page 152, “Coolant”. Do not use an al ternative additive if the coolant
additive G13 is not available in exceptional cases. Just top up the system with water
and as soon as possible arrange adjustment to correct the mixing ratio of water and
coolant additive again by a specialist garage.
Only use fresh coolant for topping up the system.
Do not top up the fluid above the hatched pa rt! Excess coolant which is heated up is
forced out of the cooling system through th e pressure relief valve in the cap of the
coolant compensation bottle.
Wait until the engine has cooled down for a system which has suffered a major loss of
coolant before pouring in coolant. This is necessary to avoid engine damage.
Fig. 148 Engine compartment:
Coolant expansion bottleAa
Ab
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