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There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and burns when carrying out any work on
the battery and on the electrical system. For
this reason, it is essential to comply with
the warning instructions stated below and with the general applicable rules of
safety.
WARNING
The battery acid is strongly corrosive and must, therefore, be handled with
the greatest of care. Always wear prot ective gloves, eye and skin protection
when handling batteries. Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and
lead to conjunctivitis and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs. Battery
acid corrodes dental enamel and create s deep wounds after contact with the
skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted acids causes
skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids coming into contact
with water are diluted accompanied by significant development of heat.
Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the
battery vent openings. Protect the eyes with safety glas ses or a shield! There is
the danger of suffering blindness! If an y battery electrolyte gets into your eye,
rinse out your eye immediately with cl ear water for several minutes. Contact a
doctor without delay.
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Contact a doctor
immediately if you swal low battery electrolyte.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
Hydrogen is released when you charge a battery and a highly explosive gas
mixture is produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling over during
unclamping or loosening of the cabl e plug while the ignition is on.
Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal objects,
cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explo-
sion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.
It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry out
any activities which produce sparks. Avoi d creating sparks when working with
cables and electrical devices. Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.
Before carrying out any work on the el ectrical system, switch off the engine,
the ignition as well as all electrical components and disconnect the negative cable (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off
the appropriate light.
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns! Replace a frozen battery.
Never jump-start the batteries which ha ve a too low electrolyte level - risk
of explosion and caustic burns.
Never use a battery which is damaged - risk of explosion! Immediately
replace a damaged battery.Caution
You must only disconnect the battery if th e ignition is switched off, otherwise the
electrical system (electronic components ) of the vehicle may be damaged. When
disconnecting the battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, first disconnect the
negative terminal (-) of the battery. Then disconnect the positive terminal (+).
When reconnecting the battery, first connect the positive terminal (+) and only
then the negative terminal (-) of the battery. You must on no account connect the
cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.
Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the vehicle body other-
wise damage could occur to the paintwork.
Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the battery housing
from the effects of ultra-violet light.For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of wa ste which is harmful to the environment -
contact your specialist garage regarding disposing of the battery.
Note
Please also refer to the guidelines page 226, also after connecting the battery.
WARNING (continued)
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Replacement batteries with three-tone indi cator, which were obtained from Škoda
original accessories, are marked with the code 000 915 105 Ax, whereby “x” stands for
a variable. The exact marking can be e.g. 000 915 105 AB.
Inspecting the electrolyte levelThe battery is practically maintenance-free under normal operating conditions. We
do, however, recommend that you have the electrolyte level inspected from time to
time by a specialist garage when outside temperatures are high or when driving on
long trips. You should also have the electrolyte level page 225 checked each time
the battery is charged.
The electrolyte level of the battery will al so be checked as part of the Inspection
Service.Operation in winterThe battery has to provide greater amounts of electricity during the winter. It also has
only part of the initial power output at low temperatures that it has at normal temper-
atures.
A discharged battery may already freez e at temperatures just below 0°C.
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked by an authorised Škoda
Service Partner before the start of the winter and recharged if necessary.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns.
Replace a frozen battery.Charging the battery
A properly charged battery is essentia l for reliably starting the engine.– Read the warning notes in “Working on the battery” on page 222 and .
– Switch the ignition and all electrical components off. – Only for “quick-charging”: Disconnect both
battery cables (first of all “negative”,
then “positive”).
– Carefully attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery terminals (red =
“positive”, black = “negative”).
– You can now plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket and switch
on the charger.
– When charging is completed: switch th e charger off and unplug the mains cable
from the power socket.
– Only then should you disconnect th e terminal clamps of the charger.
– Reconnect the cables to the battery (first of all “positive”, then “negative”).
It is not normally necessary to disconnect the cables of the battery if you recharge the
battery using low amperages (as for example from a mini-charger). Please also refer
to the instructions from the charger manufacturer.
A charging current of 0.1 of the total battery capacity (or lower) is that which should be
used until full charging is achieved.
It is, however, necessary to disconnect both cables before charging the battery with
high amperages, so-called “ quick-charging”.
“Quick-charging” a battery is dangerous in “Working on the battery” on
page 222. It requires a special charger an d appropriate knowledge. We therefore
recommend that you have your battery quic k-charged only by an authorised Škoda
Service Partner.
A discharged battery may already freeze at temperatures just below 0°C . We
recommend that you no longer use a battery which has thawed out because the casing
of the battery may be cracked through the formation of ice and this would allow
battery electrolyte to flow out.
The vent plugs of the battery should not be opened for charging.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns.
Replace a frozen battery.
Never charge a battery which has a too lo w electrolyte level - risk of explo-
sion and caustic burns.
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Caution
On no account should you add radiator an tifreeze or other additives to the wind-
screen washer fluid.
If the vehicle is fitted with a headligh t cleaning system, you should only add
cleaning products which do no t attack the polycarbonate coating of the headlights to
the windscreen washer fluid. Please contact an authorised Škoda Service Partner, who
will tell you which clea ning agent you can use.
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Wheels and Tyres229
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The tyre inflation pressure for tyres of the tyre size 205/50 R17, which are intended to
be used with snow chains, is identical to the tyre inflation pressure for tyres of the tyre
size 225/45 R17, see
page 228, fig. 189 .
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. 190 . 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 remaining tread of just 1.6 mm, measured in the grooves of the tread next to the wear
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. 190 Tyre tread with wear indicators
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Wheels and Tyres231
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The date of manufacture
is also stated on the tyre wall (possibly only on the inside of
wheel).
DOT ... 20 09...
means, for example, that the tyre was ma nufactured in the 20th week of the year 2009.
Any spare wheel which differs from the tyres fitted to the vehicle (e.g. winter tyres or
low-profile tyres) should only be used for a short time in the event of a puncture and
when adopting an appropriately cautious styl e of driving. It should be replaced as
quickly as possible by a normal wheel.
WARNING
Only use those tyres or wheel rims which have been approved for your
model of Škoda Auto vehicle. Failure to observe this instruction will adversely
affect the road safety of your vehicle - risk of accident! Approval and licencing
of your vehicle on public roads may also become void as a result.
You must on no account drive at a high er speed than is permissible for your
tyres - risk of an accident resulting from tyre damage and loss of control over
your vehicle.
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.
Never fit tyres which have already been used without having adequate
knowledge of their previous history. Tyre s age even if they have not been used
at all or only very little. A spare tyre must only be used in exceptional cases and
only then when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.
Do not, where possible, replace individu al tyres but at least replace them on
both wheels of a given axle at the same time. Always fit the tyres with the
deeper tread depth to the front wheels.For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of in conf ormity with the appropriate regulations.
Note
It is not normally possible to fit wheels from other models of cars for technical reasons.
This may also apply in certain circumstances to the wheels of the same type of
vehicle.Wheel boltsWheels and wheel bolts are matched to each other in terms of design. Each time you
fit other wheels - e.g. light alloy wheels or wheels with winter tyres - you must therefore
also use the matching wheel bolts of the corr ect length and shape of spherical cap. This
is essential to ensure that the wheels are tightly fitted and that the brake system oper-
ates properly.
If you retrofit wheel trims (or have this done), please also ensure that an adequate
flow of air remains assured for cooling the brake system.
The authorised Škoda Service Partners are instructed in the technical possibilities
which exist regarding converting or retrofitting tyres, wheels and wheel trims.
WARNING
In case of incorrect treatment of the wheel bolts, the wheel can loosen when
the car is moving - risk of accident!
The wheel bolts must be clean and must turn easily. However, they must
never be treated with grease or oil.
If the wheel bolts are tightened to a too low tightening torque, the rim can
lossen when the car is moving - risk of accident! A tightening torque which is
too high can damage the bolts and threads and this can result in permanent
deformation of the contac t surfaces on the rims.Caution
The prescribed tightening torque of the wh eel bolts for steel and light alloy wheels is
120 Nm.
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Only use
fine-link snow chains . They must not project more than 9 mm - including
the chain lock.
Remove the full wheel trims if you wish to fit snow chains to the wheels.
Take note of the various national legal provisions regarding the maximum permissible
speed of the vehicle fitted with snow chains and the limit of the maximum speed which
is recommended by the manufacturer of the snow chains.
WARNING
Please pay attention to the information in the supplied fitting instructions of
the snow chain manufacturer.
Caution
You must take the chains off as soon as you drive on roads which are free of snow. They
adversely affect the handling of your ve hicle, damage the tyres and are rapidly
destroyed.
Note
We recommend that you use snow chains from the Škoda genuine accessories.
Wheel size
Depth (D)
Ty re s i z e
7J x 16
a)
a)Not valid for vehicles with 3.6 ltr./191 kW FSI engine.
45 mm
205/55
6J x 16
a)
50 mm
205/55
6J x 17
45 mm
205/50
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Breakdown assistanceBreakdown assistanceFirst-aid box*Fig. 192 Compartment for stowing first-aid box / compartment for stowing first-aid box
(Combi)First-aid box
The compartment for stowing the first-aid box is located in the right of the luggage
compartment fig. 192.
Note
Pay attention to the use-by-date of the contents of the first-aid box.
Warning triangle*The warning triangle can be a ttached to the trim panel of the rear wall with rubber
straps fig. 193 .Fire extinguisher*The fire extinguisher is attached with st raps in a holder under the driver seat.
Please read carefully the instructions whic h are attached to the fire extinguisher.
The fire extinguisher must be checked by an authorised person or company annually
(please observe the differing legal requirements).
WARNING
If the fire extinguisher is not correctly attached, in case of sudden manoeuvres
or an accident it can be “thrown” through the interior compartment and cause
injuries.
Note
The fire extinguisher must comply with the relevant and valid legal requirements.
Fig. 193 Placing of the warning triangle
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The spare wheel lies in a well under the floor covering of the luggage compartment and
is fixed in place using special screws
page 236, fig. 195 .
Before removing the spare wheel, you must take out the box with the vehicle tool kit
box page 236, fig. 194.
One should check the inflation pressure in the spare wheel (at best when generally
checking the tyre air pressures - see sign on the fuel filler flap page 228) to ensure
that the spare wheel is always ready to use.
Temporary spare wheel
A warning label displayed on the rim of the temporary spare wheel indicates that your
vehicle is equippe d with a temporary spare wheel.
Please observe the following notes when driving with a temporary spare wheel:
The warning label must not be covered after installing the wheel.
Do not drive faster than 80 km/h with this spare wheel and pay particular attention
while driving. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation pressure of
the standard tyres. The temporary spare wheel R 18 must have an inflation pressure of
420 kPa (4.2 bar)!
Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not intended
for continuous use.
No other summer or winter tyres must be mounted on the rim of the spare wheel
R 18.
Changing a wheelPreliminary workThe following steps should be carried ou t before actually changing the wheel.
– If it is necessary to change a wheel, park the vehicle as far away as possible from
the traffic flow. The place you choose should be level.
–Have all the occupants get out. While changing a wheel, the occupants of the
vehicle should not stand on the road (e.g. behind a crash barrier).
– Apply the handbrake firmly. –Engage
1st gear or if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox, position the
selector lever into position P .
– If a trailer is coupled, uncouple it.
–Take the vehicle tool kit page 236 and the spare wheel* page 236 out of the
luggage compartment.
WARNING
If you find yourself in flowing traffic switch on the hazard warning lights
system and place the warning triangle on the side of the road at the prescribed
distance from your vehicle while observin g all national legal provisions. In this
way you are protecting not only yourself but also other road users.
Never start the engine with the vehicle si tting on the raised jack - danger of
suffering injury.Caution
If you have to change a wheel on a slope fi rst block the opposite wheel with a stone or
similar object in order to secure the vehicle from unexpectedly rolling away.
Note
Comply with the national legal regulations.Changing a wheelAlways change a wheel on a level surface as far as possible.
– Take off the full wheel trim* page 238 or the wheel trim cap page 239 or the
caps page 239.
– In the case of light alloy wheels remove the wheel trim cap page 239.
– First of all slacken the safety wheel bolt * and afterwards the other wheel bolts page 239.
– Jack up the vehicle until the wheel to be changed is clear of the ground
page 240.
– Unscrew the wheel bolts and place them on a clean surface (cloth, paper etc.).
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