2010 SKODA OCTAVIA TOUR brake

Passive Safety
88

Keep your feet in the footwell at al l times while driving. Never place your
feet out of the window or on the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of
injury if it becomes necessary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident.
If an airbag is deployed, you may suffer fatal injuries when adopting an incor-
rect seated position!

If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury is
increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.
Examples of an incorrect seated position
An incorrect seated position can lead to severe injuries or death for the
occupants.Seat belts offer their optimum protection only if the webbing of the seat belts is prop-
erly routed. Incorrect seated positions considerably reduce the protective functions of
the seat belts and therefore increase the risk of injury due to an incorrect routing of the
seat belt. The driver is fully responsible for himself and the occupants, in particular for
the children. Do not permit an occupant to adopt an incorrect seated position when
the car is moving.
The following list contains the examples of seated positions which are dangerous for
the occupants. This list is not complete, however we would like you to get familiar with
this subject.
Therefore, while the car is moving never:
stand up in the vehicle,

stand up on the seats,

kneel onto the seats,

tilt the seat backrest fully to the back,

lean against the dash panel,

lie on the rear seats,

only sit on the front area of the seat,

sit to the side,

lean out of the window,

put the feet out of the window,

put the feet on the dash panel,

put the feet on the seat upholstery,

occupy the footwell,

have the seat belt not fastened,

occupy the luggage compartment.
WARNING

If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-
threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.

Before setting off, please adopt the correct seated position and do not
change this seated position while the car is moving. Also advise your occupants
to adopt the correct seated position and not to change this seated position
while the car is moving.
WARNING (continued)
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Seat belts91
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
How are seat belts correctly fastened?Fastening three-point seat belts
Fasten your seat belt before starting!Fig. 92 Routing of webbing over the shoulders and the lap belt– Correctly adjust the front seat and the head restraint before fastening your seat belt
 page 53.
– Slowly pull the belt webbing at the tongue of the lock over your chest and pelvis
 .
– Insert the tongue of the lock into the seat belt buckle belonging to the seat until it is heard to lock in place.
– Pull on the seat belt to check that it has also reliably engaged in the lock.
Each three-point seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel. This inertia reel offers you
complete freedom of movement if the belt is unreeled slowly. If the brakes are applied
suddenly, the inertia reel will block. It also blocks the seat belts when the car acceler-
ates, when driving uphill and when cornering.
Expectant mothers must also wear seat belts .
WARNING

The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across your neck but must
run approximately over the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the
chest. The lap part of the belt must run across the hip and must never be routed across the stomach. It must always fit snugly
fig. 92 - left. Adjust the belt
webbing as required.

The lap part of the belt should be posi tioned as low as possible at the pelvis
of an expectant mother in order to avoid exerting any pressure on the lower
abdomen fig. 92 - right.

Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat
belts which are not correctl y adjusted can themselves cause injuries even in
minor accidents.

A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is
moved forward by the kinetic energy pr oduced in an accident and is then
suddenly held firm by the belt.

Only insert the lock tongue into the lock which is the correct one for your
seat. This will affect the protection which the belt offers and increase the risk of
an injury.
Seat belt height adjusterThe seat belt height adjuster makes it possible for you to adapt the routing of the three-
point seat belt in the area of the shoulder to match your body size.
– Move the height adjuster in the desired direction up or down fig. 93 .
– Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has correctly
locked in place.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 93 Front seat: Seat belt height
adjuster
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Intelligent Technology111
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Driving TipsIntelligent TechnologyElectronic stability programme (ESP)*GeneralThe ESP aids you in maintaining control of your vehicle in situations in which the
vehicle is driving at its dynamic limits, such as entering a curve fast. The risk of skidding
is reduced and your vehicle thus offers greater driving stability depending on the
conditions of the road surface. The system operates at all speeds.
The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability programme:
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL),

Traction control system (TCS),

active driver-steering recommendation (DSR),

Antilock brake system (ABS),

Brake Assist,

Uphill-Start off-Assist.
The ESP system cannot be switched off, only the TCS system can be switched off by
pressing the button fig. 111 , the warning light
 lights up. Operating principle
The ESP switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts a
self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the individual systems. It also proc-
esses additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive sensors: the
rotational velocity of the vehicle about its ve
rtical axis, the lateral acceleration of the
vehicle, the braking pressure and the steering angle.
The direction which the driver wishes to take is determined based on the steering
angle and the speed of the vehicle and is co nstantly compared with the actual behav-
iour of the vehicle. If differences exist, such as the vehi cle beginning to skid, the ESP will
automatically brake the appropriate wheel.
The car is stabilised again by the forces wh ich take effect when the wheel is braked.
Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front wheel of a
vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the rear of the vehicle to break away)
while occurs this is on the inner rear wh eel of a vehicle which tends to understeer
(tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle is accompanied by
noises.
During an intervention of the system, the warning light
 flashes quickly in the instru-
ment cluster page 26.
The ESP operates in combination with the ABS page 115, “Antilock brake system
(ABS)”. If there is a fault in the ABS system, the ESP also does not operate.
The ESP warning light lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a fault on the
ESP
  page 26.WARNING
It is also not possible for the ESP to overcome the physical limits of the vehicle.
Even if a vehicle fitted with ESP you should still always adapt your style of
driving to the condition of the road surfac e and the traffic situation. This partic-
ularly applies when driving on slippery and wet roads. The increased safety
Fig. 111 ESP switch
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Intelligent Technology
112
offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an acci-
dent!
Note

All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free
operation of the ESP. Differing rolling circum ferences of the tyres can lead to an unde-
sirable reduction in the engine output.

Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on th e brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ESP page 157, “Accesso-
ries, changing and replacing parts”.
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)*
The electronic differential lock prev ents an individual wheel from slip-
ping.Models fitted with ESP ar e equipped with electronic differential lock (EDL).
General
The EDL makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, accelerate
and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfavourable.
Operating principle
The EDL is activated automaticall y, that is without any action on the part of the driver.
It monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. Should
only one drive wheel begin spinning on a slippery surface there will be an appreciable
difference in the speed of the driven wheels. The EDL function brakes the slipping
wheel and the differential transmits a greate r driving force to the other driven wheel.
This control process is also accompanied by noises.
Overheating of the brakes
The EDL switches off automatica lly if unusually severe stresses exist in order to avoid
excessive heat generation in the disc brake on the wheel which is being braked. The
vehicle can continue to be driven and has the same characteristics as a vehicle not
fitted with EDL. The EDL switches on again automatically
as soon as the brake has cooled down.
WARNING

Carefully depress the accelerator when accelerating on uniformly slippery
road surfaces, such as ice and snow. Th e driven wheels might still spin despite
the EDL and affect the stability of the vehicle - risk of an accident!

You should always adapt your style of driving to the condition of road
surface and to the traffic situation even when your vehicle is fitted with EDL.
The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than
otherwise - risk of an accident!Note

If the ABS or ESP warning light comes on, this may also indicate a fault in the EDL.
Please have the vehicle inspected as soon as possible by a specialist garage.

Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the EDL page 157, “Accesso-
ries, changing and replacing parts”.
Traction control system (TCS)
The traction control system prevents the driven wheels from spinning
when accelerating.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 112 TCS switch
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Intelligent Technology113
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
General
The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at
all possible, to start off, accelerate and
climb a steep hill when th e conditions of the road surface are unfavourable.
Operating principle
The TCS switches on automatically when th e engine is started and then conducts a
self-test. The system monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS
sensors. If the wheels are spinning, the force transmitted to the road surface is auto-
matically adapted by reducing the engine speed. The system operates at all speeds.
The TCS operates in combination with the ABS page 115, “Antilock brake system
(ABS)”. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system.
The TCS warning light lights up in the instru ment cluster when there is a fault on the
TCS
  page 26.
During an intervention of the system, the TCS warning light
 flashes in the instru-
ment cluster page 26.
Switching off
You can switch the TCS off and on again as you wish by pressing the button
 page 112, fig. 112 . The TCS warning light lights up in the instrument cluster when
the TCS is switched off
  page 26.
The TCS should normally always be switched on. It may be good practice in certain
exceptional cases, such as when you wish to have wheel slip, to switch off the system.
Examples:

when driving with snow chains

when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface

when it is necessary to rock a vehicle when it has become stuck.
then you should switch on the TCS again.
WARNING
You should always adjust your style of driving to the conditions of the road
surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered must not tempt
you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note

All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free
operation of the TCS. Differing rolling circumferences of the tyres can lead to an unde-
sirable reduction in the engine output.

Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the TCS page 157, “Accesso-
ries, changing and replacing parts”.
Active driver-steering recommendation (DSR)*Vehicles with ESP are equipped with active driver-steering recommendation (DSR).
This function indicates to the driver in crit ical situations a steering recommendation in
order to stabilise the vehicle. The active driver-steering recommendation is activated,
for example, on the right and left vehicle si de when braking sharply on different road
surfaces.
WARNING
Even with this function the vehicle cann ot steer itself! The driver is furthermore
responsible for the steering of the vehicle!BrakesWhat has a negative effect on braking efficiency?Wear-and-tear
Wear-and-tear to the brake pa ds is greatly dependent on the operating conditions of
the vehicle and your style of driving. Particularly if you drive a great deal in towns and
over short distances or if you adopt a sporty style of driving, it may be necessary to
have the thickness of the brake pads insp ected at a specialist garage between the
service inspections.
Wet roads or road salt
There may be a certain delay before the brakes take full effect un der certain conditions
such as when driving through water, during heavy rain showers or after the vehicle has
been washed in an automatic vehicle wash , since the brake discs and brake pads may
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Intelligent Technology
114
be moist or even have a coatin g of ice on them in winter. Yo u s h o u l d d r y t h e b r a k e s a s
soon as possible by applying and releasing the brakes several times.
There also may be a certain delay before the full braking efficiency is available when
driving on roads which have been treated with road salt if you have not used the brakes
for some considerable time beforehand. The layer of salt on the brake discs and brake
pads must first be rubbed off when you apply the brakes.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on th e bake pads occur if the vehicle has been
parked for a long period an d if you do not make much use of the braking system.
We recommend cleaning the brak e discs by firmly applying the brakes at a fairly high
speed if you do not make much use of the braking system or if surface corrosion is
present .
Faults in the brake surface
If you notice that the braking distance ha s suddenly become longer and that the brake
pedal can be depressed further, it is possible that a brake circuit of the dual-circuit
brake system has failed. Drive, in such cases, to the nearest specialist garage without
delay in order to have the problem rectified. Drive at a reduced speed while on your
way to the dealer and adapt your style of driving to the higher brake pedal pressure
required.
Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system. The level
of the brake fluid is monitored electronically page 28, “Brake system ”.
WARNING

Only apply the brakes for the purpose of drying and cleaning the brake discs
if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any other road users in jeop-
ardy.

When retrospectively mounting a front spoiler, solid wheel hubs etc. one
must ensure that the air supply to the front wheel brakes is not reduced other-
wise the braking system could run too hot.

Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking effi-
ciency until after the first 200 kilometres . New brake pads must be first “run in”
before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however, compensate for this slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pressure on the brake
pedal. This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future
date.
Caution

Never allow the brakes to rub by applying sl
ight pressure if you do not wish to brake
the vehicle. This causes the br akes to overheat and can also result in a longer braking
distance and excessive wear.

Before negotiating a steep downhill section, reduce your speed, shift down into the
next lower gear. This enables you to make full use of the braking power of the vehicle
and reduces the strain on the brakes. Any additional braking should be done intermit-
tently, not continuously.Note
The brake light flashes automatically in case of an emergency braking at speeds greater
than 60 km/h or with the intervention of th e ABS, which lasts longer than 1.5 seconds.
After the speed was reduced below 10 km/h or the vehicle was stopped, the brake light
stops flashing and the hazard warning light system switches on. The hazard warning
light system is switched of f automatically after accelerating or driving off again.Brake boosterThe brake booster boosts the pressure whic h you generate with the brake pedal. The
necessary pressure is only genera ted when the engine is running.
WARNING

Never switch off the engine befo re the vehicle is stationary.

The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater phys-
ical effort for braking is required when en gine is switched off. Because if you do
not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.WARNING (continued)
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Intelligent Technology115
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Antilock brake system (ABS)ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.General
The ABS contributes significantly to enhanc ing the active safety of your vehicle.
Compared to a vehicle not fitted with ABS, you are able to retain optimal steering
ability even during a full brake applicatio n on a slippery road surface because the
wheels do not lock up.
You must not expect, however, that the br aking distance will be shorter under all
circumstances as a result of the ABS. The braking distance for example on gravel and
fresh snow, when you should anyway be driving slowly and cautiously, will be longer.
Operating principle
The brake pressure will be reduced on a wheel which is rotating at a speed which is too
low for the speed of the vehicle and tending to lock. This control cycle is noticeable
from a pulsating movement of the brake pedal which is accompanied by noises.
This is consciously intended to provide the driver with the information that the wheels
are tending to lock (ABS control range) . You must always keep the brake pedal
depressed to enable the ABS to optimally control the brake application in this braking
range. Never interrupt the application of the brakes!
WARNING

The ABS can also not overcome the physical limits of your vehicle. Please do
not forget this, particularly when driving on icy or wet road surfaces. If the ABS
is operating within the control range, adapt your speed immediately to the
conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety
offered by the ABS must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise -
risk of an accident!

The normal braking system is still fully functional if there is an ABS fault.
Visit a specialist garage as quickly as poss ible and adjust your style of driving to
take account of the ABS fault in the meantime since you will not know the extent
of the fault and in how far the braking efficiency is affected.Note

A warning light comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system
  page 27.

Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can in fluence the function of the ABS page 157, “Accesso-
ries, changing and replacing parts”.
Brake Assist*During a severe brake application (e.g. if a hazard exists), the Brake Assist increases the
braking force and thus makes it possible to rapidly produce the pressure required in
the brake system.
The majority of drivers do a pply the brakes in good time in dangerous situations, but
do not depress the brake pedal with sufficient pressure. Consequently, it is not possible
for the vehicle to achieve its maximum deceleration and the vehicle covers a greater
distance than necessary.
The Brake Assist is activated by the very qu ick operation of the brake pedal. In such
cases, a much greater braking pressure exists than during a normal brake application.
This makes it possible, even with a relatively low resistance of the brake pedal, to
produce an adequate pressure in the brake system in the shortest possible time, which
is required for maximum deceleration of the car. You must apply the brake pedal firmly
and hold it in this position in order to ac hieve the shortest possible braking distance.
The Brake Assist is able to help you achi eve a shorter braking distance in emergency
situations by rapidly producing the pressure required in the brake system. It fully
exploits the attributes of the ABS. After you release the brake pedal, the function of the
Brake Assist is automatically switched off and the brakes operate in the normal way.
The Brake Assist is part of the ESP system. If a fault occurs in the ESP, the Brake Assist
function is also not available. Further information on the ESP page 111.
WARNING

The Brake Assist is also not able to overcome the physical limits of your
vehicle in terms of the braking distance required.

Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to the traffic situ-
ation.

The increased safety offered by the Brake Assist must not tempt you to take
a greater safety risk than otherwise.
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Electromechanical power steeringThe power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with le ss physical force.
With the electromechanical power steering , the steering assist is automatically
adapted to the speed and to the steering angle.
It is still possible to fully steer the vehicle if the power steering fails or if the engine is
not running (vehicle being towed in). The only difference is that greater physical effort
is required.
If there is a fault in the power steering, the warning light
 or  lights up in the instru-
ment cluster page 24.
WARNING
Contact your specialist garage if the power steering is defective.Tyre inflation pressure-control system*The tyre inflation pressure-control system compares with the aid of the ABS sensors
the speed and also the rolling circumference of the individual wheels. If the rolling
circumference of a wheel is changed, the warning light
 lights up in the instrument
cluster page 27 and an audible signal sounds. The rolling circumference of the tyre
can change if:

the tyre inflation pressure is too low,

the structure of the tyre is damaged,

the vehicle is loaded on one side,

the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when driving
uphill or downhill),

snow chains are mounted,

the temporary spare wheel is mounted,

one wheel per axle was changed.
Basic setting of tyre inflation pressure-control system
After changing the tyre inflation pressures, after changing one or several wheels, the
position of a wheel on the vehicle (e.g. ex changing the wheels between the axles) or
when the warning light lights up while drivin g, a basic setting of the system must be
carried out as follows.

Inflate all tyres to the specified inflation pressure page 151.

Switch on the ignition.

Press button fig. 113 for more than 2 seconds. While pressing the button,
the warning light
 lights up. At the same time the memory of the system is erased
and the new calibration is started, which is confirmed with an audible signal and then
the warning light  goes out.

If the warning light
 does not go out after the basic setting, there is a fault in the
system. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage.
Warning light
 lights up
I f t h e t y re i n f l a t i o n p re s s u re o f a t l e a s t o n e wheel is insufficiently inflated in comparison
to the stored basic va lue, the warning light
  lights up.
Warning light
 flashes
If the warning light flashes, there is a system fault. Have the vehicle inspected by your
nearest specialist garage.
WARNING

When the warning light
 lights up, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvr es. Please stop the vehicle without
delay at the nearest possible stop and in spect the tyres and their inflation pres-
sures.
Fig. 113 Button for setting the tyre
inflation pressure control value
 
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