2010 SKODA ROOMSTER brake pads

Starting-off and Driving
90
switch on again after some time if the co olant temperature rises because of an accu-
mulation of heat in the engine or if the engine is warm and the engine compartment is
additionally heated by strong sunlight.
This is why particular care is required when carrying out any work in the engine
compartment  page 162, “Working in the engine compartment”.
Shifting (manual gearbox)Shift into reverse only when the vehicle is stationary. Depress the clutch pedal and hold
it fully depressed. Wait a moment before en gaging reverse gear in order to avoid any
shift noises.
The reversing lights will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided the ignition is
on.
WARNING
Never engage the reverse gear when driving - risk of accident!
Note

One should not lay the hand on the shift lever while driving the vehicle. The pres-
sure of the hand will be transferred to the gearshift forks in the gearbox. This can, over
a period of time, lead to early wear of the gearshift forks.

Depress the clutch pedal fully when changi ng gears, in order to avoid unnecessary
wear and damage.
HandbrakeApplying the handbrake– Pull the handbrake lever up fully.Releasing the handbrake– Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and at the same time press in the locking
button fig. 94 .
– Hold the button pressed and push the handbrake lever down fully .
The handbrake warning light
 lights up when the handbrak e is applied, provided the
ignition is on.
A warning signal sounds and the following text appears in the display* if you have inad-
vertently driven off with the handbrake applied:
Release parking brake!
The handbrake warning is activated if you drive at a speed of more than 6 km/h for
more than 3 seconds.
WARNING

Please note that the handbrake must be fully released. A handbrake which
is only partially released can result in the rear brakes overheating which will
have a negative effect on the operation of the brake system - risk of accident! In
addition this can result in premature wear of the rear brake pads.
Fig. 93 Shift pattern on models fitted
with 5-speed manual gearbox
Fig. 94 Centre console: Handbrake
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Intelligent Technology135
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Praktik
Technical Data
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 greater driving force to the other driven wheel.
This control process is also accompanied by noises.
Overheating of the brakes
The EDL switches off automatically 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. The 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 TCS 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 th e brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can in fluence the function of the EDL page 179, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.
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
be moist or even have a coating of ice on them in winter. You should dry the brakes as
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 and if you do not make much use of the braking system.
We recommend cleaning the brake discs by firm ly 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 has suddenly become longer and that the brake
pedal can be depressed further, it is possib le 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.
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Intelligent Technology
136
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 31, “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 approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run
in” before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however, compen-
sate for this slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pressure on the
brake pedal. This guideline also applie s 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 sectio n, please reduce your speed and shift
down into the next lower gear (manual gear box) or select a lower driving stage (auto-
matic gearbox). This enables you to make full use of the braking power of the vehicle
and reduces the strain on the brakes. Any ad ditional 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 off 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.
Antilock brake system (ABS)ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.General
The ABS contributes significan tly to enhancing the active safety of your vehicle.
Compared to a vehicle not fitted with the ABS brake system, you are able to retain
optimal steering ability even during a full br ake application on a slippery road surface
because the wheels do not lock up.
You must not expect, however, that the braking 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 driv ing slowly and cautiously, will be longer.
Operating principle
As soon as the vehicle speed has increased to about 20 km/hour an automatic test
procedure is conducted during which you will be able to hear a pumping noise for
about 1 second.
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!
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Driving and the Environment141
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Praktik
Technical Data
Driving and the EnvironmentThe first 1 500 kilometres and then afterwardsA new engine
The engine has to be run in during the first 1 500 kilometres.Up to 1 000 kilometres– Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the maximum speed of the gear in use, that is 3/4 of
the maximum permissi ble engine speed.
– Do not use full throttle.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres– Increase the power output of the engine gradually up to the full speed of the gear
engaged, that is up to the maxi mum permissible engine revolutions.
During the first operating hours the engine ha s higher internal friction than later until
all of the moving parts have harmonized. Th e driving style which you adopt during the
first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive part in the success of running in your
vehicle.
You should not drive at unnecessarily high engine revolutions even after the
running-in period is complete . The maximum permissible en gine speed is marked by
the beginning of the red zone on the scale of the revolutions counter. Shift up into the
next higher gear on a vehi cle fitted with manual gear box before the red zone is
reached. During acceleration (depressing the accelerator) exceptionally high engine
speeds are automatically reduced, yet the engine is not protected against too high
engine speeds which are caused by incorrectly shifting down the gears resulting in a
sudden increase of the engine speeds above the permitted maximum revolutions
which can lead to engine damage.
For a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox the converse situation also applies: Do not
drive at engine revolutions which are too low. Shift down as soon as the engine is no
longer running smoothly.
Caution
All the speed and engine revolution figures ap ply only when the engine is at its normal
operating temperature. Never rev up an engine which is cold, neither when the vehicle
is stationary nor when driving in individual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Not driving at unnecessari ly high engine revolutions and shifting to a higher gear as
early as possible are ways to minimise fuel consumption, operating noise levels as well
as protects the environment and contributes to a longer life and reliability of the
engine.New tyresNew tyres have to be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first. You should
take account of this fact for the first 500 kilometres and drive particularly carefully.New brake padsAllow for the fact that new brake pads do no t achieve their full braking efficiency until
approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run in” before they
develop their optimal friction force. You ca n, 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.
During the running-in pe riod, you should avoid excessive stresses on the brakes. This
includes, for example, violent braking, part icularly from very high speeds, and also
when crossing mountain passes.
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Inspecting and replenishing167
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Praktik
Technical Data

If any splashes of coolant get into yo ur eyes, rinse out your eyes immedi-
ately with clear water and contact a doctor as soon as possible.

You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvertently
swallowed coolant.Caution
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the
conditions prevailing to top up with coolant. Switch the engine off and obtain
professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe
engine damage.
For the sake of the environment
Do not re-use coolant if it is necessary to drain the coolant in the system. It should be
collected and disposed of in compliance with environmental protection regulations.Radiator fan
The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.The radiator fan is driven by an electric motor and controlled by a thermostat
according to the coolant temperature.
The radiator fan may continue running for up to 10 minutes after the engine has been
switched off - even if the igni tion is also off. It may also switch on suddenly after a
certain time, if
the coolant temperature has risen beca use of an accumulation of heat or

the warm engine compartment is heated up additionally by strong sunlight.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when workin g in the engine compartment that the
fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!
Brake fluidInspecting the brake fluid levelThe brake fluid reservoir is located on the left of the engine compartment. The brake
fluid reservoir on right-hand steering models is positioned on the other side of the
engine compartment.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet  in “Working in the engine compartment” on page 162.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir fig. 139 . The level must be between
the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-tear and
automatic adjustment of the brak e pads, and is perfectly normal.
There may be an indication of a leak in the brake system, however, if the fluid level
drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” marking. If the
brake fluid level is too low, this is indicated by the warning light
 lighting up in the
instrument cluster page 31. In this case stop immediately and do not drive any
further! Obtain professional assistance.
WARNING

Read and observe the warning notes page 162, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 139 Engine compartment: Brake
fluid reservoir
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