2010 SKODA ROOMSTER overheating

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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Automatic gearbox95
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Praktik
Technical Data
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in ha
ndle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the desired position, e.g. in D, and then release the Shiftlock
button.
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator .
Stop– The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping just for
a short time, such as at a cross roads. It is absolutely sufficient to hold the stopped
vehicle stationary by depressing the foot brake. The engine can, however, be
allowed just to idle.Parking– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector lever to P and
then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be started when the selector lever is in position P or N  page 88.
At temperatures below -10 °C the engine can only be started in the selector lever posi-
tion P.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position P when parking on a flat surface. When
parking on a slope you should first apply the handbrake firmly and then move the
selector lever into position P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive pressure acting
on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move the selector lever out
of position P .
If the selector lever position N is selected by accident while driving it is first necessary
to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of the engine to
be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever.
WARNING

Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector
lever if the car is stationary and the engine is running - risk of accident!

Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!

If you are stopping at a hill (downhill section), never try to hold the car
stationary with the gear engaged by mean s of the “accelerator”, this means by
letting the clutch slip. This can lead to ov erheating of the clutch. If there is a risk
of overheating of the clutch due to overlo ad, the clutch is opened automatically
and the vehicle rolls backward - risk of accident!

If yo u m us t s to p a t a sl ope , d e pre s s a nd ho ld t he b ra ke pe d a l , s o t ha t y ou c a n
prevent the vehicle from rolling back.Caution

The double clutch on the automatic gear box DSG is equipped with an overload
protection. If you make use of the uphill func tion on a vehicle which is stationary or
driving slowly uphill, it will result in an increase of thermal stress of the clutches.

In the event that they overheat, the warning light
 and a warning text page 23
appear in the information display*. In such a case bring the vehicle to a stop, switch off
the engine and wait until the warning light and the warning go out - risk of gearbox
damage! You can continue the trip as soon as the warning light and the warning go
out.
Selector lever positionsFig. 97 Selector lever / information display: Se lector lever positionsThe selector lever position you have engaged is shown in the information display of
the instrument cluster with the corresponding gear symbol highlighted fig. 97 on
WARNING (continued)
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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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Towing a trailer149
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Praktik
Technical Data
Detachable ball head
The ball rod is detachable on vehicles with towing devi
ce and suppliable from Škoda
original accessories. It is stowed together with separate fitting instructions in the spare
wheel well in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Note

We recommend that you also have your vehicle inspected between service inter-
vals if you tow a trailer frequently.

The handbrake on the towing vehicle must be put on when coupling and decou-
pling the trailer.
Driving Tips
Particular caution is required when towing a trailer.– Do not, as far as possible, drive with your vehicle unladen and the trailer laden.
– Do not make full use of the legal maximum speeds. This applies in particular to downhill sections.
– Apply the brakes in good time.
– Keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if the outside temperature is high.
Distribution of weight
The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and the trailer is
laden. Maintain a particularly low speed if you cannot avoid driving with this combina-
tion.
Driving speed
Do not drive faster than 80 km/h for safety reasons. This also applies for countries in
which higher speeds are allowed.
The fact that the driving stability of the vehicle + trailer combination reduces with
increasing speed means that the legally allo wed speed should not be used when there
are unfavourable road, weather or wind cond itions, particularly near accident black
spots. You must always reduce your speed immediat
ely as soon as you detect even just the
slightest swaying of the trailer. On no account attempt to stop the trailer from
“swaying” by accelerating.
Apply the brakes in good time! If the trailer is fitted with a trailer brake, apply the
brakes gently at first and then brake firmly. This will avoid brake jolts resulting from the
trailer wheels locking. Shift down gears in good time before negotiating a downhill
section to allow the engine to also act as a brake.
Engine overheating
Please keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if you have to negotiate a
lengthy slope in a low gear at a high engi ne speed when the outside temperature is
very high  page 16.
If the needle of the coolant temperature gauge moves into the right-hand area or even
the red area of the scale, reduce your speed immediately. Stop and switch off the
engine if the warning light
 in the instrument cluster begins flashing. Wait a few
minutes and check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle page 166,
“Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines  page 28, “Coolant temperature/ Coolant
quantity  ”.
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.
Any increase in the cooling effect of the coolant fan through shifting down a gear and
increasing the engine speed is not possible since the fan speed is independent of the
engine speed. One should also not drop a gear for this reason when towing a trailer as
long as the engine can manage th e slope without any drop in speed.
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Fuel
160
The correct grades of fuel for your vehicle are stated on a sticker affixed to the inside of
the fuel filler flap. Further information on fuel  page 158.
WARNING
Pay attention to any legal requirements if you do carry a spare canister in the
vehicle. We do not recommend carrying any fuel canisters in your vehicle for
safety reasons. The canister can be damaged in the event of an accident and fuel
may leak out.
Caution

Remove any fuel which has spilled onto th e paintwork of your vehicle immediately
- risk of paint damage!

On vehicles fitted with a catalytic converte r, never let the fuel tank run completely
empty. An irregular supply of fuel to the engine can result in misfiring and unburnt fuel
may get into the exhaust system, which may result in overheating and damage to the
catalytic converter.

Make sure that the valve is not pressed into the filler tube when inserting the pump
nozzle into the filler tube. Otherwise you are unintentiona lly filling up the volume,
which in case of heat can cause an expansion of the fuel. This can lead to an overflow
of fuel or damage to parts of the fuel reservoir.

The fuel tank is full just as soon as th e pump nozzle switches off for the first time,
provided the nozzle has been operated prop erly. Do not continue refuelling - other-
wise the expansion volume is filled up.Note
The fuel tank has a capacity of about 55 litres, containing a reserve of 7litres.s16g.4.book Page 160 Wednesda y, February 10, 2010 3:53 PM

Inspecting and replenishing
166
Inspecting the coolant levelThe coolant expansion bottle is located in the engine compartment on the right.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet  in “Working in the engine compartment” on page 162.
– Check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle fig. 138 . The coolant
level when the engine is cold must lie between the “MIN” and “MAX” mark-
ings. The level may also rise slightly above the “MAX” marking when the engine is
warm.
If the coolant level in the reservoir is too lo w, this is indicated by the warning light in
the instrument cluster
  page 28. We nevertheless recommend inspecting the
coolant level directly at the reservoir from time to time.
Loss of coolant
A loss of coolant is first and foremost an indication of a leak in the system. You should
not merely top up the coolant in the reservoir. It is also important to have the cooling
system inspected without delay by a specialist garage.
Losses can only occur through the pressure relief in the cap of the coolant expansion
bottle which is completely free of leaks if the coolant boils as a result of overheating
and is forced out of the cooling system.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes page 162, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Caution
One should contact a specialist garage as s oon as possible if the source of overheating
itself cannot be determined and removed, since there may be grave damage to the
engine.Replenishing the coolant– Switch the engine off.
– Allow the engine to cool down.
– Place a cloth over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir fig. 138 and
unscrew the cap carefully by turning it to the left .
–Top up the coolant.
– Screw the cap tight until it is heard to lock.
The coolant which you use for replenishing the system, must comply with one specific
specification page 165, “Coolant”. Do not use an al ternative additive if the coolant
additive G12 PLUS - PLUS is not available in exceptional cases. Just top up the system
with water and as soon as possible arrange adjustment to correct the mixing ratio of
water and coolant additive again by a specialist garage.
Only use fresh coolant for topping up the system.
Do not fill up over the “MAX” marking! Excess coolant which is heated up is forced out
of the cooling system through the pressure relief valve in the cap of the coolant
compensation bottle.
Wait until the engine has cooled down for a system which has suffered a major loss of
coolant before pouring in coolant. This is necessary to avoid engine damage.
WARNING

The cooling system is pressurized! Do not open the cap of the coolant
expansion bottle if the engine is still hot - risk of scalding!

The coolant additive and thus all of the coolant is harmful to your health.
Avoid contact with the coolant. Coolant vapours are also harmful to the health.
It is important, therefore, to always safely store any coolant additive in its orig-
inal container out of the reach of children - risk of poisoning!
Fig. 138 Engine compartment: Coolant
expansion bottle
AB
AA
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