Wheels and Tyres155
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Winter tyresThe handling of your vehicle will be signif icantly improved when driving on wintry
roads if you fit winter tyres. Summer tyres do not offer the same grip on ice, snow and
at temperatures below 7 °C because of thei r construction (width, rubber blend, tread
pattern). This particularly applies to vehicles which are equipped with low-profile
tyres or high-speed tyres (code index H or V on wall of tyre).
Winter tyres must be mounted on all four wheels to obtain the best handling charac-
teristics.
You must only fit those types of winter tyre which are approved for your vehicle. The
permissible sizes of winter tyres are stated in your vehicle documents. Approvals may
differ because of na tional legislation.
Please remember that the tyres should be inflated to 20 kPa (0.2 bar) more than is the
case for summer tyres page 151.
Winter tyres no longer offer the same winter performance once the tyre tread has
worn down to a depth of about 4 mm.
Ageing also causes winter tyres to lose most of their winter performance properties -
even in cases where the remaining tread depth is still clearly more than 4 mm.
Speed restrictions apply to winter tyres as well as to summer tyres page 153,
.
You can fit winter tyres of a lower speed catego ry to your vehicle provided that you also
do not drive faster than the permissible maximum speed for such tyres, even if the
possible maximum speed of your vehicle is higher. The corresponding tyre category
can damage the tyres when exceeding the permissible maximum speed.
Please pay attention to the notes if you decide to fit winter tyres page 151.
You can also fit so-called “all-year tyres” instead of winter tyres.
Please contact your specialist garage if there are any points which are not clear who will
be able to provide you with information regarding the maximum speed for your tyres.
WARNING
You must on no account drive your car at more than the permissible maximum
speed for your winter tyres - risk of an accident resulting from tyre damage and
loss of control over your car.
For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres on again in good time since summer tyres offer you better grip
and handling on roads which are free of snow and ice as well as are temperatures
below 7 °C - the braking distance is shorter, there is less tyre noise, tyre wear is reduced
and fuel consumption is reduced.
Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.Unidirectional tyres*The direction of rotation of the tyres is marked 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.
Should it be necessary to fit on a spare wheel in exceptional cases with a tyre not dedi-
cated to the running direction or in oppo site running direction, please adopt a
cautious style of driving as the tyre is no longer able to provide optimal grip and
handling in such a situation. This particular ly important on wet roads. Please refer to
the notes page 160, “Spare wheel*”.
You should have the defective tyre replaced as soon as possible and restore the correct
direction of rotation on all tyresSnow chainsSnow chains must only be mounted on the front wheels.
When driving on wintry roads, snow chains improve not only traction, but also the
braking performance.
For technical reasons, it is only permissi ble to fit snow chains with the following
wheel/tyre combinations:
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Accessories, changing and replacing parts157
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Accessories, changing and replacing partsAccessories and replacement partsŠkoda vehicles have been built according to the latest discoveries in safety engi-
neering. Thus one should not change the co ndition in which the vehicle was delivered
from the manufacturer without some thought.
The following guidelines should be observed when a vehicle is to be retrofitted with
accessories, have technical ch anges made to it or a part has to be replaced at some
time in the future.
Advise should always be obtained from an authorised Škoda Service Partner
before buying any accessories and before making any technical changes .
This is particularly the case when acce ssories are bought in a foreign country.
Škoda Genuine Accessories and Skoda origin al parts can be bought from author-
ised Škoda Service Partners who also prof essionally undertake the assembly of parts
which were purchased there.
All Škoda original accessories which are listed in the catalogue of original accesso-
ries such as spoilers, transport systems, child seats, etc., are homologized.
Radios, aerials and other electrical accessories should only be installed by author-
ised Škoda Service Partners.
The guidelines issued by Škoda Auto mu st be observed when making technical
changes.
This is to ensure that no technical damage occurs to the vehicle, that travelling and
operating safety are maintained and that the changes are permissible. The authorised
Škoda Service Partners undertake this work pr ofessionally or refer it to a specialist
company in special cases.
Any damage which is done caused by tech nical changes made without consulting
a Skoda dealer is exclud ed from the guarantee.
WARNING
We advise you, in your own interest, to only use Škoda Genuine Accessories
and Škoda original parts which have been expressly approved for use on your Škoda. Reliability, safety and suitabilit
y have been established for these Škoda
original parts.
We cannot guarantee suitability of installation into your vehicle of other
products despite keeping a constant eye on market developments (also not in
the case where there is an attestation or permission can be produced).
Škoda cannot meet its full warranty commitments if you use parts which are
not genuine accessories, which can lead to sustained damage to the vehicle.
Technical changesInterference on the electronic components and their software can lead to operational
faults. This interference can also impair not directly affected systems because of the
networking of the electronic components. This means that the operating safety of your
vehicle can be considerably jeopardised, a greater wear of vehicle parts can occur and
finally the vehicle regist ration documents expire.
We trust that you will understand that Šk oda Auto cannot be liable for damage
resulting from unprofessional work.
We therefore recommend that you have all work carried out using Škoda original parts
at authorised Škoda Service Partners.
WARNING
Work or modifications on your vehicle, which have been carried out unprofes-
sionally, can cause operational faults - risk of accident!Vehicles of category N1A vehicle of category N1 is a vehicle which is designed and manufactured for the trans-
portation of goods where the maximum weight must not exceed 3.5 tonnes.
WARNING (continued)
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Breakdown assistance159
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Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Breakdown assistanceBreakdown assistanceFirst-aid box* and Warning triangle* (Octavia)The first-aid box* is attached by a strap to the right-hand side of the luggage compart-
ment.
The warning triangle can be attached to th e trim panel of the rear wall with rubber
straps.
If you wish to equip your ve hicle additionally with a warning triangle, please contact a
specialist garage.
Note
Pay attention to the use-by-date of the contents of the first-aid box.First-aid box* and warning triangle* (Estate car)For vehicles of the type estate car the firs t-aid box and the warning triangle are housed
in a compartment on the right si de in the luggage compartment.
If you wish to equip your ve hicle additionally with a warning triangle, please contact a
specialist garage.
Note
Pay attention to the use-by-date of the contents of the first-aid box.Fire extinguisher*The fire extinguisher is attached with st raps in a holder under the driver seat.
Please read carefully the instructions whic h are attached to the fire extinguisher. The fire extinguisher must be checked by
an authorised person or company annually
(please observe the differing legal requirements).
WARNING
If the fire extinguisher is not correctly attached, in case of sudden manoeuvres
or an accident it can be “thrown” through the interior compartment and cause
injuries.
Note
The fire extinguisher must comply with the relevant and valid legal requirements.
Pay attention to the expiration date of the fire extinguisher. If the fire extinguisher
is used after the expiration date, its proper function is no longer assured.
The fire extinguisher is only supplied in certain countries within the scope of
delivery.
Vehicle tool kitThe vehicle tool kit and the lifting jack*, on which a note sticker is affixed, are stored in
a plastic box in the spare wheel* fig. 132 or spare wheel well. There is also space
Fig. 132 Luggage compartment: storage
compartment for vehicle tool kit
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Breakdown assistance161
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The tyre repair kit is located in a textile bag. There is a velcro fastener on the underside
of the bag, with which the bag is attached to the floor covering of the luggage compart-
ment in such a way that the side of the
bag rests on the right side of the luggage
compartment and on the seat backrest.
Components of the tyre repair kitFig. 134 Components of the tyre repair kitThe tyre repair kit is made up of the following parts:
Screwdriver for removal and re-installation of valve core
Sticker with speed designation “max. 80 km/h”/“max. 50 mph”
Inflation hose with plug
Compressor
Air hose for the compressor
Tyre pressure checker
Air release valve
Stop button
Plug for 12V cigarette lighter socket
Bottle with sealant
Replacement valve core
Preparing to use the tyre repair kitBefore using the tyre repair kit, carry out the following preparatory work:
– If it is necessary to change a wheel, park the vehicle as far away as possible from
the traffic flow. The place you choose should be level.
–Have all the occupants get out. While changing a wheel, the occupants of the
vehicle should not stand on the ro ad (e.g. behind a crash barrier).
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Shift up into the 1st gear.
– If a trailer is coupled, uncouple it.
– Remove the tyre repair kit from the luggage compartment.
WARNING
If you find yourself in flowing traffic sw itch on the hazard warning lights system
and place the warning triangle on the side of the road at the prescribed distance
from your vehicle while observing all national legal provisions. In this way you
are protecting not only yourself but also other road users.Changing a wheelPreliminary workThe following steps should be carried ou t before actually changing the wheel.
– If it is necessary to change a wheel, park the vehicle as far away as possible from
the traffic flow. The place you choose should be level.
–Have all the occupants get out. While changing a wheel, the occupants of the
vehicle should not stand on the ro ad (e.g. behind a crash barrier).
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Shift up into the 1st gear.
– If a trailer is coupled, uncouple it.
A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11
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Breakdown assistance163
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Full wheel trim*Pulling off– Hook the clamp found in the vehicle tool kit into the reinforced edge of the full
wheel trim.
– Push the wheel wrench* through the clamp, support it at the tyre and pull off the wheel trim.Installing– First press the full wheel trim onto the wheel at the valve opening provided. Then press the full wheel trim into the wheel in such a way that its entire circumference
locks correctly in place.
Caution
Use the pressure of your hand, do not knock on the full wheel trim! Heavy knocks
mainly on the points where the full wheel tr im has not been inserted into the wheel,
can result in damage to the guide and ce ntering elements of the full wheel trim.
Check for yourself that a safety wheel bolt is located in the hole in the area of the
valve before fitting the full wheel trim onto a steel wheel which is attached with a safety
wheel bolt page 165.
Wheel bolts with caps*
Pulling off– Push the plastic clip sufficie ntly far onto the cap until the inner catches of the clip
are positioned at the collar of the cap and detach the cap.Installing– Push the caps fully onto the wheel bolts.
The caps are located in the well of the luggage compartment.Wheel trim caps*Pulling off– Carefully remove the wheel trim cap using the wire clamp fig. 136 .
Fig. 135 Removing the cap.
Fig. 136 Pulling off wheel trim cap on
light alloy wheels
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Breakdown assistance165
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Not positioning the lifting jack* at the specified points can result in damage
to the vehicle. The jack can also slip off if it does not have sufficient grip - risk of
injury!
It is important to support the vehicle with suitable supporting blocks if you
wish to work under the lifted vehicle - risk of injury!
Securing wheels against being stolen*
You need a special adapter for sl ackening the safety wheel bolts.– Pull off the full wheel trim/cap from the wheel hub or cap from the safety wheel
bolt.
– Insert the adapter with its toothed side fu lly into the inner toothing of the safety
wheel bolt right down in such a way that only the outer hexagon is jutting out
fig. 139 .
– Insert the wheel wrench* fully onto the adapter .
– Slacken the wheel bolt, or tighten it firmly page 164.
– Reinstall the full wheel trim/wheel cap afte r removing the adapter or place the cap
onto the safety wheel bolt.
– Have the tightening torque checked with a torque wrench as soon as possible.
Steel and light alloy wheels must be tightened to a tightening torque of 120 Nm .The safety wheel bolts on vehicles fitted wi
th them (one safety wheel bolt per wheel)
can only be loosened or tighten up by using the adapter provided.
It is meaningful to note th e code number hammered into the rear side of the adapter
or the rear side of the safety wheel bolts. You can obtain a replacement adapter from
an authorised Škoda Service Partner, if necessary, by quoting this number.
We recommend that you always carry the ad apter for the wheel bolts with you in the
vehicle. It should be stow ed in the vehicle tool kit.
Caution
Damage can occur to the adapter and safety wh eel bolt if the safety wheel bolt is tight-
ened up too much.
Note
The set of safety wheel bolts can be obta ined from an authorised Škoda Service
Par tner.Jump-startingInitial stepsYou can use the battery of another vehicle fo r jump-starting yours if the engine does
not start because the battery on your vehicle is flat. You will require jump-start cables
for this purpose.
Both batteries must have a rated voltage of 12 V. The capacity (Ah) of the battery
supplying the power must not be significantly less than the capacity of the discharged
battery in your vehicle.
Jump-start cables
Only use jump-start cables which have an adequately large cross-section and insu-
lated terminal clamps. Please pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions.
Positive cable - colour coding in the majority of cases red.
Negative cable - colour coding in the majority of cases black.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 139 Safety wheel bolt with adapter
AB
AA
AB
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Breakdown assistance167
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Tow-starting and towing vehicleGeneralPlease pay attention to the following instructions 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 when starting off.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.
– Move the gearshift lever into Neutral.
– Note that the brake servo unit and power steering only operate if the engine is running. You will require significantly grea ter physical force to depress the brake
pedal and to steer th e vehicle if the engine is not running.
– Ensure that the tow rope is always kept taught.
Tow rope or tow bar
A tow bar is safest way of towing a vehicle an d also minimizes any shocks. You can use
a tow rope only if a suitable tow bar is not available.
The tow rope must be elastic to protect the vehicle. Thus one should only use plastic
fibre rope or a rope made out of a similarly elastic material.
Only attach the tow rope to the towing eyes provided for this purpose page 167
and page 168.
Driving style
Towing another vehicle requires a certain am ount of practice. Both drivers should be
familiar with the particular points about to wing a vehicle. Unskilled drivers should not
attempt to tow in another vehicle or to be towed in.
One should be constantly vigi lant not to allow impermissibly high towing forces or
jerky loadings. There is always a risk of excessive stresses and damage resulting at the points to which you attach the tow rope or
tow bar when you attempt to tow a vehicle
which is not standing on a paved road.
Caution
If the gearbox of your vehicle no longer contains any oil because of a defect, your
vehicle must only be towed in with the driven wheels raised clear of the ground, or on
a special vehicle transporter or trailer.
Note
Please comply with any national legal provisions particularly regarding the
switched on signal systems, when towi ng in or tow-starting another vehicle.
The tow rope must not be twisted as it may in certain circumstances result in the
front towing eye being unscrewed out of your vehicle.
Front towing eye
The towing eye is stored in th e box for the vehicle tool kit.Fig. 141 Front bumper: protective grille/installing the towing eyeRemove the protective grille carefully as follows:
– Press on grille with the hand (at the end removed from the licence plate) and
release it in the direction of the arrow fig. 141 - left.
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Fuses and light bulbs169
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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. 143
or the fuse cover in the engine compartment page 170.
– Find out which fuse belongs to the relevant component page 171, “Fuse assign-
ment in the dash panel” or page 170, “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 repl acement fuses from Škoda original accessories or from a
specialist garage
8).
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. 143 Fuse cover: left side of the dash
panel
8)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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