Driving and the Environment187
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
tilt, steer immediat
ely downhill on your trajec tory and lightly depress the
accelerator.
If the vehicle is stationary on a hillside with a too great angle of lateral incli-
nation, avoid sudden and uncontrolled movements in the vehicle. The vehicle
can roll over and then roll down the hillside. This can lead to serious injuries.
If the vehicle is stationary on a hillside with a too great angle of lateral incli-
nation, neither you nor your occupants must exit the vehicle through the doors
facing downhill. This can lead to a shift of the overall centre of gravity. The
vehicle can tilt or roll over and then roll down the hillside. This can lead to
serious injuries. To avoid this, you and your occupants must exit the vehicle
only on the side facing uphill page 186, fig. 158.
When you exit the vehicle, make sure that the door which faces uphill does
not close by its own weight or by carelessness - risk of injury!
Observe the important guidelines page 179.
Driving over rutted roads and troughsYou will always encounter ruts when driv ing on forest roads, through wet meadows
and fields as well as on rutted stretches of terrain.
If the ruts and troughs are on firm and soft ground, you can simply follow the ruts.
Do not drive over ruts and troughs which ar e too deep. If you cannot avoid this, it is
better that you turn back.
Caution
If the ruts or troughs become too deep, the underbody of the vehicle can touch the
ground, which might cause the underbody to get damaged. Therefore, avoid driving in
deep ruts and troughs.Crossing a trenchIf possible, drive through the trench at an acute angle. Make sure when driving through
the trench that the tilt angle is not too steep.
WARNING
Never attempt to drive through a trench if its embankment is too steep. The
vehicle could slip, tilt or roll over - risk of accident!
Caution
If you drive into the trench at a right angle, the front wheels will sink into the trench.
There is also the danger that the underbod y of the vehicle touches the ground and is
damaged. For these reasons (even with four-wheel drive) it is rarely possible to get out
of the trench.Driving in sand and mudYou should therefore always drive at a cons tant speed through sand or mud whenever
possible and at the same time do not shift gears or change the driving stage.
– Switch on the Off-road mode page 170.
– Select a suitable gear or driving stage and maintain the gear or driving stage.
– Keep your vehicle in constant motion and do not stop until you have reached firm
ground.
Never drive too fast, otherwise the wheels may spin and the vehicle can get stuck. If
you feel that the tyres do no longer grip, then turn the steering wheel quickly back and
forth. This leads to an improved adhesion of the front tyres of the vehicle for a short
period of time.
Driving through sand
Do not reduce the tyre inflation pressure. If yo u nevertheless reduce the inflation
pressure, do not forget to re-establish the correct tyre inflation pressure level before
you continue driving. Driving with a reduced tyre inflation pressure increases the risk
that you lose control over your vehicle and that the vehicle rolls over.
Driving through mud
Do not change speed or direction when you drive through the mud. The tyres can lose
their grip in the mud. If the vehicle slides, you must steer in the appropriate direction
in order to regain control over the vehicle.
WARNING (continued)
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Driving and the Environment
188WARNING
Driving through mud can be dangerous. The vehicle can slide uncontrol-
lably which causes an increased risk of injury. Adopt a particularly cautious
style of driving. Pay attention to the information and warning notes.
An incorrect tyre inflation pressure may cause a major or fatal accident! An
incorrect tyre inflation pressure may result in bursting of a tyre, which causes
the vehicle to get out of control.
Observe the important guidelines page 179.
Stuck vehicleIf you can no longer drive on ...– Carefully dig out all the wheels and make sure that no other parts of the vehicle are
stuck in the sand.
– Engage the reverse gear.
– Gently depress the accelerator and try to drive backwards in your own track.
– Place scrub, footmats or a sackcloth directly in front of the tyres in order to improve
the road adherence and thus achieve an improved traction to drive out.Rocking out vehicle–Switch off the TCS page 165.
– Set the steering wheel straight.
– Drive so far back until the wheels just begin to spin.
– Quickly shift into first gear and drive forwards until the wheels begin to spin.
– Drive back and forth repeatedly until the momentum is sufficient to free the vehicle.
–Switch on the TCS.A few tips– Ensure that the Off-road mode is switched on page 170. – Avoid prolonged spinning of the wheels, otherwise the vehicle would still sink
deeper into the ground.
– Remove mud, dirt and stones from the tread of the tyre.
You need training and experience if you wish to rock out a vehicle. If you make a
mistake, the vehicle can still sink in further and you can only free it with the help of
others.
WARNING
Observe the important guidelines page 179.After driving off-roadCheck the vehicle for damage after driving off-road - especially on the underside of the
vehicle.
– Switch off the Off-road mode page 170.
– Check the tyres and the axles for damage and remove coarse dirt, stones and foreign bodies from the tyre tread.
– Clean the turn signal lights, the headlights, the number plate and the windows.
– Check the underbody of the vehicle and remove trapped objects, such as scrub or wood pieces.
– Contact your specialist gara ge if you detect any damage.
– In case of thick layers of dirt, clean the radiator grille, the engine compartment and the underbody of the vehicle.
WARNING
Combustible materials which are tra pped under the vehicle floor can be
dangerous. They can impair the driving safety and the safety of all the occu-
pants of the vehicle. After driving off-road, always check the underside of the
vehicle and remove trapped objects.
Never continue the journey if objects are trapped under the vehicle. This
can damage the fuel lines, the brake system, the seals and other parts of the
chassis.
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Driving and the Environment189
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Combustible objects such as dry leaves or twigs could ignite on hot vehicle
parts. A vehicle fire can also lead to serious injuries.
Observe the important guidelines page 179.WARNING (continued)
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Towing a trailer
190
Towing a trailerTo w i n g a t r a i l e rTechnical requirements
The towing device must satisfy certain technical requirements.Your vehicle is designed primarily for tr ansporting persons and luggage. It can,
however, also be used for towing a traile r - provided certain technical equipment is
fitted.
If your vehicle has already been supplied with a factory-fitted towing device then
everything that is nece ssary for towing a trailer in technical terms, and in terms of the
law, has already been taken into account.
Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin power socket for the electrical connection between
the vehicle and trailer. If the tr ailer which you wish to tow has a 7-pin connector, you
can use a suitable adapter
13) from Škoda original accessories.
This work must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications if
a towing device is retrofitted.
Authorised Škoda Service Partners are familiar with details relating to retrofitting a
towing device and for any necessary modifications to the cooling system.
WARNING
We recommend that you have the towing device from Škoda original accesso-
ries installed by an authorised Škoda Service Partner. He is familiar with all the
relevant details relating to retrofitting such equipment. There is a risk of an
accident if the towing device is not properly fitted!
General Maintenance
There are a number of points to pay attention to when towing a trailer.Trailer load
The permissible trailer load must on no account be exceeded.
You can negotiate appropriately steeper inclin es and descents if you do not make full
use of the permissible trailer load.
The trailer loads specified only apply for altitudes up to 1 000 metres above mean sea
level. The fact that the engi ne power output drops with increasing height due to a
lowering of air pressure and thus the abil ity to climb, means that the towed weight
must be reduced by 10% for every further increase of 1 000 metres in height above sea
level. The towed weight is the weight of the (laden) vehicle and the (laden) trailer
together. One should take this into account before driving up to higher altitudes.
The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the towing device
are merely test data for the towing device The data relating to your vehicle, which
is often less than this test data, can be found in your vehicle registration docu-
ments.
Distribution of the load
Distribute the load in the trailer in such a way that any heavy items are located as close
as possible to the axle. Secure th e items to prevent them slipping.
Tyre pressure
Correct the tyre inflation pressure on yo ur vehicle for that of “fully laden”, page 216.
The inflation pressure of the tyres fitted to the trailer adjust in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommendation.
Exterior mirrors
You have to have additional ex terior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see the traffic
behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. Both exterior mirrors should be
attached to folding arms. Adjust the mirrors so that they provide you with an adequate
field of view to the rear.
13)In some countries the adapter is supplied with the towing device.s2ug.6.book Page 190 Friday, April 9, 2010 2:24 PM
Towing a trailer191
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Headlights
Before starting off with a hitched trailer, also check the setting of the headlights. Alter
the setting as necessary with the ai
d of the headlight beam adjuster page 58.
Detachable ball head
The ball rod is detachable on vehicles which feature a factory-fitted towing device. It is
stowed together with separate fitting instru ctions in the spare wheel well in the luggage
compartment of the vehicle.
Further information on the towing device page 192.
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/hour 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 allowed 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 17, “Coolant temperature gauge”.
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 208,
“Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines page 33, “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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Towing a trailer
192
Detachable towing device*The detachable ball head of the towing device is stowed in a box for the car tool kit in
the luggage compartment.
An instruction for correct installation and remo val of the ball head of the towing device
is supplied with the ball head
Inspect the ball head to ensure that it is prop erly locked each time before setting off.
The inspection is performed by pulling the locked handwheel away from the ballhead
and turning it to the right. If the handwheel cannot be pulled out, but only turned
around a small angle (approx. 30°), the lock ing mechanism is O.K. The towing device
must not be used if the ballhead cannot be locked or in the event the handwheel can
be pulled out while in the locked positi on or turned around more than 30°.
WARNING
Do not use any aids or tools for installing or removing the ball head. This might
result in damage to the locking mechanism to the extent that the safety of the
towing device is no longer assured - risk of an accident.
Note
Do not carry out any modifications or repairs to the ball head or to any other
components on the towing device.
Contact a specialist garage if you encounter any problems using the device.
Never unlock the ball head with a trailer coupled to it.
You should take off the ball head if you drive without towing a trailer. Inspect
whether the end cover properly seals off the mounting shaft.
Remove the ball head beforehand if you wish to clean your vehicle using a steam
jet. Ensure that the end cover properly seals the mounting shaft.
It is recommended to wear gloves when installing and removing.
Fig. 159 Detachable ball head
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle193
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
General MaintenanceTaking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicleGeneralProper care retains the value of your vehicle.Regular and proper care retains the value of your vehicle. It may also be one of the
requirements for the acceptance of warranty claims relating to corrosion damage and
paint defects on the bodywork.
We recommend using a preserva tive from Škoda genuine accessories offered by your
Škoda dealer. Please follow the instructions for use on the package.
WARNING
Care products may be harmful to your health if not used according to the
instructions.
Always store care products in a safe place, out of the reach of children - risk
of poisoning!For the sake of the environment
Always select environmentally-friendly products when purchasing vehicle care
products.
Do not dispose of the packages with residues of care products in domestic waste.
Care of the exterior of vehicleWashing the vehicle
Frequent washing protects your vehicle.The best protection for your vehicle agai nst harmful environmental influences is
frequent washing and wax treatment. How of ten you should wash your vehicle
depends on a wide range of factors, such as:
Frequency of use,
The parking situation (garage, below trees etc.),
Season of the year,
Weather conditions,
Environmental influences.
The longer insect residues, bird droppings, tree sap, road and industrial dust, tar, soot
particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain adhering to the paintwork of
your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive effect can be. High temperatures,
such as those caused by intensive sun' s rays, accentuate this caustic effect.
It may therefore be necessary, in ce rtain circumstances, to wash the car once a week .
It may also be sufficient, however, to wash the car once a month followed by appro-
priate wax treatment.
It is essential to also thoroughly wash the underside of your vehicle at the end of the
winter road salting and gritting period.
WARNING
When washing your vehicle in the winter : Water and ice in the brake system can
affect the braking efficiency - risk of accident!Automatic vehicle wash systemsThe paintwork of the vehicle is sufficiently resistant that the vehicle can be washed
normally in automatic vehicle wash plants without any problem. The actual stress to
which the paintwork is subjected, however, depends greatly on the design of the
vehicle wash system, the filtering of the wa ter and the type of washing and care prod-
ucts used. If the paintwork of your vehicle appears mat after being washed or even has
scratches, point this out to the operator of the vehicle wash plant. Use a different
vehicle wash plant, if necessary.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
194
There are no particular points to note be fore washing your vehicle in an automatic
vehicle wash system other than the usua l precautionary measures (closing the
windows and the sliding/tilting roof etc.).
If you have any particular attached parts fitted to your car - such as spoiler, roof rack
system, two-way radio aerial - it is best to first of all consult the operator of the car
wash plant.
It is important to degrease the lips of the windscreen wiper rubbers after passing
through the automatic vehicle wash system.Washing vehicle by handIt is important to first soften the dirt with plenty of water and rinse it off as thoroughly
as possible before washin g your vehicle by hand.
One should then clean the vehicle using a soft washing sponge, washing glove or a
washing brush and only slight pressure. Work from the top to the bottom - beginning
with the roof. Only place slight pressure on the vehicle paintwork during cleaning Only
use a car shampoo for stubborn dirt.
Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.
Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts last. Use a second sponge for such areas.
Rinse off the vehicle well after giving it a wash and dry it off using a chamois leather.
WARNING
The ignition should always be switched off when you wash your vehicle -
risk of accident!
Protect your hands and arms from sharp-edged metal parts when you are
cleaning the underfloor, the inside of the wheel housings or the wheel trims -
risk of cuts.Caution
Do not wash your vehicle in bright sunlight - risk of paint damage.
Ensure that the jet of water is not aimed di rectly at the locking cylinders or at the
door and panel joints if you spray your vehi cle in winter down with a hose - risk of
freezing.
Do not use any insect sponges, rough kitc hen sponges or similar cleaning products
- risk of damage to the surface of paintwork.For the sake of the environment
Only wash your vehicle at wa shing bays specifically reserved for this purpose. This
ensures that no water which may be contaminated by oil flows into the sewage system.
It is not even permitted to wash your vehicl e in certain areas except at such specific
washing bays.Washing with a high-pressure cleanerWhen you wash your vehicle with a high-press ure cleaner, it is essential to comply with
the instructions for use of the cleaning equi pment. This applies in particular to the
pressure used and to the spraying distance . Maintain a sufficiently large distance to
soft materials such as rubber hoses or insulation material.
On no account use circular spray nozzles or so-called dirt cutters!
WARNING
It is particularly important that you do not clean tyres with circular spray jets.
Visible but also invisible damage to tyres may occur even at a relatively large
spraying distance and if sprayed only for a short time - risk of accident!
Caution
The water containing wax must be no hotter than 60°C, otherwise the vehicle can be
damaged.Wax treatmentGood wax treatment is an effective way of protecting the paintwork from harmful envi-
ronmental influences and minor mechanical damage.
The vehicle must be treated with a high-quali ty hard wax polish at the latest, when no
more drops form on the clean paintwork.
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