2010 SKODA OCTAVIA TOUR fuel consumption

Driving and the Environment119
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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 Environment
120
The technical requirements for low fuel usage and economic efficiency of the vehicle
have already been built into the vehicle at the works. Special attention has been given
to minimising nega tive effects on the environment. It is necessary to take note of the
guidelines given in this chapter in order to make best use of these characteristics and
to maintain their effectiveness.
The optimal engine speed should be obtained when accelerating, in order to avoid a
high fuel consumption and resonance of the vehicle.Looking ahead when driving
A vehicle's highest fuel consumption occurs it accelerates.Avoid accelerating and brakin g unnecessarily. If you drive with forsight you will not
need to brake so often and will also then not have to accelerate so much. Let your
vehicle coast to a stop, for example, if this is possible, when you see that the next set of
traffic lights is at red.Shifting gears and saving energy
Shifting up early saves on fuel.– Drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear.
– Always shift up into the next higher gear at approx. 2 000 to 2 500 revs.
An effective way of achieving good fuel economy is to shift up early. You will consume
more fuel if you drive at unnecessaril y high revolutions in any given gear. The
fig. 114 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle in the
relevant gears. Fuel consumption in 1st gear is the highest, while that in 5th or the 6th
gear is the lowest.
Note
Also use the information supplied by the multi-functional indicator* page 18.Avoiding full throttle
Driving more slowly means saving fuel.Sensitive use of the accelerator will not only significantly reduce fuel consumption but
also positively influence environmenta l pollution and wear of your vehicle.
You should avoid exploiting the top speed of your vehicle wherever possible. Fuel
consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicle noises increase disproportionally at
high speeds.
The fig. 115 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle. You
will cut your fuel consumption by half if you only make use three-quarters of the
possible top speed of your vehicle.
Fig. 114 Fuel consumption in litres/100
km. and speed in km/h.
Fig. 115 Fuel consumption in litres/100
km. and speed in km/h.
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Driving and the Environment121
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 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 Environment
122
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 inflation pressure is too low. This will not only
increase fuel consumption but also tyre we ar 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 speed 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.
Manufacture

Solvent-free cavity protection.
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Fuel
136
FuelPetrolGrades of petrolYour vehicle can only be operated with unleaded petrol, which complies with the
standard EN 228. The individual grades of petrol are distinguished by their octane
number (RON). On the inside of the fuel filler flap, you will find the information
regarding the octane number required by your engine page 137, fig. 119 - right.
Prescribed types of fuel - unleaded petrol RON 95/91
Use unleaded petrol 95 RON. You can also use unleaded RON 91. However some loss
of power is to be expected when doing so.
If, in an emergency, the only fuel availa ble is one which has a lower octane number
than that required by the engine then only drive at medium engine speeds and
minimal engine load. Driving at high engine speeds or heavy engine loads can lead to
serious engine damage! Refuel with petrol with the specified octane number as often
as possible.
Prescribed fuel - unleaded petrol min. 95 RON
Use unleaded petrol 95 RON.
If unleaded RON 95 is not available, you ca n refuel with unleaded RON 91 in an emer-
gency. After refuelling, co ntinue driving at medium engine speeds and minimum
engine load. Driving at high engine speeds or heavy engine loads can lead to serious
engine damage! Refuel with petrol with the specified octane number as often as
possible.
Fuel with a lower octane number than RON 91 must not be used even in an emer-
gency. Otherwise you can ca use serious engine damage!
You can find further information on refuelling page 137, “Refuelling”.
Prescribed types of fuel - unleaded petrol RON 98/(95)
Use unleaded petrol 98 RON. You can also use unleaded RON 95. However some loss
of power is to be expected when doing so. If unleaded RON
98 or RON 95 is not available, you ca n refuel with unleaded RON 91
in an emergency. After refuelling, conti nue driving at medium engine speeds and
minimum engine load. Driving at high engine speeds or heavy engine loads can lead
to serious engine damage! Refuel with pe trol with the specified octane number as
often as possible.
Fuel with a lower octane number than RON 91 must not be used even in an emer-
gency. Otherwise you can ca use serious engine damage!
You can find further info rmation on refuelling page 137, “Refuelling”.
Unleaded petrol with a higher octane number
You can use unleaded petrol which has a higher octa ne number than the one
prescribed without restriction.
On vehicles with prescribed unleaded petrol RON 95/91, the use of petrol with a
higher octane number than 95 does not result in a noticeable power increase or a
lower fuel consumption.
On vehicles with prescribed unleaded petrol RON 95/91, the use of petrol with a
higher octane number than 95 does not result in a noticeable power increase or a
lower fuel consumption.
Caution

All Škoda vehicles with petrol engines are equipped with a catalytic converter and
must be only driven with unleaded petrol. Fi lling the tank even only once with leaded
petrol will result in the cata lytic converter being destroyed!

Only use unleaded petrol which complies with the standard EN 228.

Operating the engine with petrol of a lo wer octane number than that prescribed
can result in serious engine damage.
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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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Wheels and Tyres
152
The tyre inflation pressures for tyres of the tyre size 205/50 R17, which are intended to
be used with snow chains, is identical to the pressures for tyres of the tyre size
225/45 R17, see page 151, fig. 129 .
The tyre pressure should be at the highest pressure specified for your vehicle at all
times.
The tyre inflation pressure of the emergency spare wheel R 18 is 420 kPa (4.2 bar).
Always check the inflation pressure of tyres when cold. Do not reduce the higher pres-
sure of warm tyres. Adapt the inflation pressure of the tyres accordingly if your vehicle
is carrying a significantly higher payload.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and brak ing (squealing tyres) increase wear-and-
tear on your tyres.
Balancing wheels
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. There are a wide range of influences when
driving which may result in an imbalance and which makes themselves felt through
vibration in the steering.
You should have the wheels rebalanced si nce any imbalance increases wear-and-tear
on the steering, the suspension and tyres. A wheel must also be rebalanced when a
new tyre is fitted and each time a tyre is repaired.
Wheel alignment errors
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front and re ar will not only increase wear-and-tear on
the tyres but will also has an adverse effect on vehicle safety. Contact your specialist
garage if you notice any unusual tyre wear.
WARNING

If the inflation pressure is too low, the tyre must perform a greater flexing
work. At higher speeds the tyre will warm up as a result of this. This can result
in tread separation and even a tyre blowout.

Immediately replace the damaged rims or tyres.

Tyres which are 6 years old or more should only be fitted in exceptional
cases and when adopting an approp riately cautious style of driving.
For the sake of the environment
Tyres which are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption.Wear indicatorsThe base of the tread of the original tyres has wear indicators 1.6 mm high, installed at
right angles to the direction of travel. These wear indicators are located at 6 - 8 points
depending on the make and are evenly spaced around the circumference of the tyre
 fig. 130 . Markings on the walls of the tyres through the letters “TWI”, triangular
symbols or other symbols identify th e position of the wear indicators.
A re m a i n i n g t re a d o f j u s t 1 .6 m m , m e a s u re d i n t h e g ro o v e s o f t he tre a d n e x t t o th e w e a r
indicators, means that your tyres have reached their legally permissible minimum
tread depth.
WARNING

You must have your tyres replaced with new ones at the latest when the
wear indicators have been worn down . The legally permissible minimum tread
depth should be observed.

Worn tyres do not provide the necessary adhesion to the road surface at
high speeds on wet roads. One could experience “aquaplaning” (uncontrolled
movements of the vehicle - “swimming” on a wet road surface).
Fig. 130 Tyre tread with wear indicators
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Wheels and Tyres155
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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:
s2bs.2.book Page 155 Monday, September 27, 2010 9:53 AM