Driving and the Environment119
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Catalytic converterProper operation of the emission cont rol system (catalytic converter) is
of major significance for driving your vehicle in an environmentally
conscious way.Please refer to the following guidelines:
– For vehicles with petrol engine only refuel with unleaded petrol page 136,
“Grades of petrol”.
– Never run the fuel tank completely empty.
– Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle.
– Do not pour too much engine oil into the engine page 142, “Replenishing
engine oil”.
– Do not tow-start the vehicle over a distance of more than 50 metres page 167,
“Tow-starting and towing vehicle”.
If you drive your vehicle in a country in which unleaded petrol is not available, you
must have the catalytic converter replaced la ter when driving the vehicle into a country
in which use of a catalyti c converter is mandatory.
WARNING
In view of the high temperatures which may be produced in the catalytic
converter, one should always park a vehicle in such a way that the catalytic
converter cannot come into contact with easily flammable materials below the
vehicle - a risk of fire!
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents
for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat shields. Such substances
might ignite when driving - risk of fire!Caution
Vehicles fitted with catalytic converter shou ld never be allowed to let the fuel tank
to run completely empty. An irregular fuel supply can result in poor ignition or
misfiring. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic
converter.
Filling the tank even only once with lead ed petrol will result in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.
If you detect misfir ing, a drop in performance or irregular engine running when
driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the vehicle inspected by the nearest
specialist garage. The symptoms described ma y be caused by a fault in the ignition
system. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic
converter.For the sake of the environment
Even if the exhaust system is operating pr operly, a sulphur-like exhaust odour may be
produced under certain oper ating conditions of the engine. This depends on the
sulphur content of the fuel. It is often sufficient to refuel with unleaded premium-grade
petrol of a different brand or at a different filling station.Driving in an economical and environmentally
conscious mannerGeneral
Your personal style of driving is a major factor.Your fuel consumption, any pollution of the environmental and the wear-and-tear to
the engine, brakes and tyres, depe nd essentially on three factors:
your personal style of driving,
the conditions under which your vehicle is operated,
technical aspects.
You can easily improve your fuel economy by 10 - 15 percent by driving in an econom-
ical way with foresight. This section is intended to provide you with a number of tips on
how to protect the environment and at the same time save money.
The fuel consumption can naturally also be influenced by factors which are beyond the
driver's control. It is, for example, normal for the fuel consumption to increase in
winter and under worsened cond itions such as poor road conditions, towing a trailer,
etc.
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Driving and the Environment121
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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 refuelling. 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. 116 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. 116 Fuel consumption in litres/100
km at different temperatures
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Driving and the Environment123
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Solvent-free protection of the vehicle for transportation from the production plant
to the customer.
The use of solvent-free adhesives.
No CFCs used in the production process.
Without use of mercury.
Use of water-soluble paints.
Trade-in and recycling of old cars
Škoda Auto meets the requirements of the brand and its products regarding environ-
ment and resource protection. All new Škoda vehicles can be utilized up to 95 % and
always
5) be returned. In a lot of countries su fficient trade-in networks have been
created, where you can trade-in your vehicle. After you trade-in your vehicle, you will
receive a confirmation stating the recycling in accordance with environmental regula-
tions.
Vehicles with special built-on types
Technical documents regarding changes carried out on the vehicle must be kept by the
vehicle user, in order to hand over later to the old car user. This ensures the recycling
in accordance with en vironmental regulations.Note
Detailed information about the trade-in and recycling of old cars is available from a
Škoda Service Partner.Motoring abroadGeneral
Other circumstances may exist abroad.It is possible, in certain countries, that th e Škoda Service Partner network is limited or
has not been established yet. This is the reason why obtaining certain spare parts may
be somewhat complicated and specialist garage personnel may only be able to make
limited repairs. Škoda Auto in the Czech Re public and relevant importers are happy to provide information about technical aspect
s of the vehicle, required maintenance
work and possibilities for getting repairs done.
Unleaded petrolA vehicle fitted with a petrol engine must always be refuelled with unleaded petrol
page 119. The automobile associations can provide you with information regarding
the locations of filling stations which offer unleaded petrol.HeadlightThe low beam of your headligh ts is set asymmetrically. It illuminates the side of the
road on which you are driving to a greater ex tent. If you drive abroad on the other side
of the road, you will da zzle oncoming traffic.
In order to prevent the dazzling of oncoming tr affic, it is necessary that an adjustment
of the headlights is carried out by your auth orised Škoda Service Partner.Avoiding damage to your vehicleWhen driving on poor roads and lanes or when driving over kerbstones, steep ramps
etc., you must pay particular attention to ensuring that any low-slung parts of the
vehicle, such as spoiler and exhaust, do not touch the ground and get damaged.
This particularly applies to models with a lowered suspension (sport suspension) and
also when your vehicle is fully laden.
5)Subject to fulfilment of the national legal requirements.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle133
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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 or heat shields. When the engine
reaches its operating temperature, these su bstances 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 Škoda and al
so the required equipment.
WARNING
It is necessary to observe the guidelines given in the chapter before working
on the engine compartment page 140, “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 fuelling 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.
Upholstery cloth and cloth trim on the do ors, luggage compartment cover, headliner
etc. are best treated with special cl eaning products, using if necessary a dry foam and
a soft sponge or brush.
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140
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.
Move the gear lever into the Neutral position.
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.
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 replenishing141
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Technical Data
Overview of the engine compartment
The main inspection points.Fig. 122 1.6 ltr./75 kW petrol engine
Coolant expansion bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil filler opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Battery (below a cover) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Note
The location of the inspection points in th e engine compartment of petrol and diesel
engines is practically identical.
Engine oilCheck 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 140.
– 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.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 142. It is sufficient, once this is done, to keep the
oil level within range .
A1
143
A2
150
A3
142
A4
141
A5
145
A6
146
Fig. 123 Dipstick
AAAB
AA
ACAB
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Inspecting and replenishing
142
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 5000 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 25, “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 account 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 179, “Technical Data”.Replenishing engine oil– Inspecting the engine oil level page 141.
– Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening.
– Pour in a suitable grade of oil in portions of 0.5 litres page 180, “Engine oil spec-
ifications”.
– Inspect the oil level page 141.
– 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 140, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.For the sake of the environment
The oil level must on no acco unt extend beyond the range page 141. 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 140, “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
AA
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Inspecting and replenishing143
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In view of the problems involved in prop erly disposing of old oil, the necessary
special tools and the knowledge required for such work, we recommend that you have
the oil and oil filter change carried out by an authorised Škoda Service Partner.Note
After your skin has come in contact with th e oil, you must thoroughly wash your skin.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 protection 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 mo nths 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 pr otection 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 offers 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 factor y-filled with coolant (purple in colour), which complies
with the specification TL-VW 774 G.
We recommend that you use the same coolant additive - G12 PLUS-PLUS (purple in
colour) for topping up the system. Please contact an authorised Škoda Serv
ice Partner if you have any questions
regarding the coolant or if you wish to fill up with a different coolant.
An authorised Škoda Service Partner can also supply you with the correct coolant addi-
tives.
Coolant quantity
Caution
Other coolant additives may cause operational problems which, in particular,
involves significantly reduci ng the anticorrosion effect.
Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of coolant
and, as a consequenc e 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.Petrol engines
Content
1.4 ltr./59 kW - EU4
7.1
1.6 ltr./75 kW - EU4, EU2
7.4
Diesel engine
Content
2.0 ltr./81 kW TDI CR - EU4
8.4
Fig. 124 Engine compartment: Coolant
expansion bottle
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