2011 SKODA FABIA tow

Driving Tips
–
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
combination.
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 allowed speed should not be used when
there are unfavourable road, weather or wind conditions, particularly near acci-
dent black spots.
You must always reduce your speed immediately 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 engine speed when the outside temperature
is very high ⇒ page 11.
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 157, Inspecting the coolant level. Please refer to the following guidelines
⇒ page 23
, 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 independ-
ent 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 the slope without any drop in
speed.  143
Towing a trailer Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Engine coolant expansion reservoir
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Engine oil filler opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Brake fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Battery (below a cover) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159Note
The location of the inspection points in the engine compartment of petrol and die-
sel engines is practically identical. 
Engine oil Check engine oil level The dipstick indicates the level of oil in the engine.
Fig. 129 Dipstick
Checking the oil level
– Ensure that the vehicle is positioned on a level surface and the engine has
reached its operating temperature ⇒  .
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒  in Working in the engine compartment on page 154.
– Wait a few minutes until the engine oil flows back into the oil sump. Take out
the dipstick.
– Wipe off the dipstick with a clean cloth and insert it again fully.
– Then withdraw the dipstick again and read off the oil level.
1 2
3
4
5
6 Oil level within range
a –
You must not top up the oil.
Oil level within range b –
You may top up the oil. It is possible that the oil level may then be within
range a after doing this.
Oil level within range c –
You must top up the oil ⇒ page 156. It is sufficient, once this is done, to keep
the oil level is within range b .
It is normal for the engine to consume oil. The oil consumption may be as much as
0.5 l/1 000 km depending on your style of driving and the conditions under which
you operate your vehicle. The oil consumption may be slightly higher than this
during the first 5 000 kilometres.
One should therefore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably every time
after the fuel tank is filled or after driving for long stretches.
We recommend maintaining the oil level within the range a if the engine has
been operating at high loads, for example during a lengthy motorway trip during
the summer months, towing a trailer or negotiating a high mountain pass, but not
above this .
The warning light in the instrument cluster will indicate whether the oil level is
too low ⇒ page 23, Engine oil  . In this case, check the oil level as soon as
possible. Top up with an appropriate quantity of oil. CAUTION
● Always check the oil level on vehicles with engine 1.2 l/44 kW when the engine
is cold. Otherwise the measuring result is incorrect und oil could be incorrectly re-
plenished - risk of engine damage!
● The oil level must on no account extend beyond the range A . Danger of dam-
aging the catalytic converter.
● Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the
conditions prevailing to top up with oil. Switch the engine off and obtain profes-
sional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe en-
gine damage. Note
Engine oil specifications ⇒  page 195.  155
Inspecting and Replenishing Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Accessories, changes and replacement of parts
General ŠKODA vehicles have been built according to the latest discoveries in safety engi-
neering. Thus one should not change the condition in which the vehicle was deliv-
ered from the manufacturer without some thought.
If you want to retrofit the vehicle with accessories, if a vehicle part is to be re-
placed with a new one, or when technical changes are to be made, the following
instructions must be observed:
●
Advise should always be obtained from an authorised ŠKODA Service Partner
before buying any accessories or parts and before making any technical changes
⇒  .
● The guidelines and instructions issued by ŠKODA must be observed when
making technical changes.
Adhering to the prescribed procedures will prevent any kind of damage to the ve-
hicle, and its travelling and operating safety will be maintained. The vehicle also
complies with German road transport regulations (StVZO). More information is
available from an authorised ŠKODA
Service Partner who can also perform the
necessary work properly.
Interference on the electronic components and their software can lead to opera-
tional faults. This interference can also impair systems that are not directly affec-
ted because the electronic components are networked. In other words, the vehi-
cle's road-worthiness may be put at risk and increased wear on parts may arise.
Any damage caused by technical changes made without consent by ŠKODA is ex-
cluded from the warranty – see the warranty certificate. WARNING
● Work or modifications on your vehicle, which have been carried out unpro-
fessionally, can cause operational faults - risk of accident!
● We advise you, in your own interest, to only use ŠKODA Original Accesso-
ries and ŠKODA Original Parts which have been expressly approved for use on
your vehicle. Reliability, safety and suitability have been established for
ŠKODA Original Accessories and ŠKODA Original Parts.
● Although we constantly monitor the market, we are not able to assess or
warrant the parts even though in some instances such parts may have a type
approval or may have been approved by a nationally recognised testing labo-
ratory. Note
● ŠKODA Original Accessories and ŠKODA
Original Parts can be bought from au-
thorised ŠKODA Service Partners who also professionally undertake the assembly
of parts which were purchased there.
● We recommend having all work undertaken by an authorised ŠKODA Service
Partner.
● All ŠKODA Original Accessories and Original Parts from the Original Accessories
catalogue, such as a towing device, child seats, etc. are authorised.
● We recommend that you also buy car stereos, aerials or other electrical acces-
sories from an authorised ŠKODA Service Partner, who should also carry out the
installation.  169
Accessories, changes and replacement of parts Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

The vehicle tool kit and the lifting jack with sticker are housed in a plastic box in
the spare wheel
⇒ fig. 138 or in the compartment for the spare wheel. There is al-
so space here for the removable ball for the trailer towing device.
The vehicle tool kit contains the following parts (depending on equipment fitted):
● Wheel wrench,
● Wire clamps for removing the full wheel trims,
● Towing eye,
● Adapter for the wheel bolts lock,
● Extraction pliers for wheel bolt caps,
● Replacement lamp,
● Screwdriver.
Before placing the lifting jack back in its storage area, screw in the arm of the lift-
ing jack fully. WARNING
● The factory-supplied lifting jack is only intended for your model of vehicle.
On no account attempt to lift a heavier vehicle or other loads - risk of injury!
● Ensure that the vehicle tool kit is safely attached in the luggage compart-
ment. 
Spare wheel The spare wheel is stowed in the spare wheel well in the luggage
compartment below the floor covering.
Fig. 139 Luggage compartment: Spare
wheelThe spare wheel lies in a well under the floor covering of the luggage compart-
ment and is fixed in place along with a vehicle tool kit box using a special screw
⇒ fig. 139
.
One should check the inflation pressure in the spare wheel (at best when general-
ly checking the tyre air pressures - see sign on the fuel filler flap ⇒ page 151) to
ensure that the spare wheel is always ready to use.
Unidirectional tyres
If you have such tyres on your vehicle, please refer to the notes below:
● The spare wheel provided with a car fitted with unidirectional tyres has differ-
ent dimensions. The wheel is provided with a warning sticker.
● 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 at-
tention 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.
● Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not in-
tended for continuous use. 
Changing a wheel Preliminary work The following steps should be carried out 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 tyre, the occupants of the
vehicle should not stand on the road (instead they should remain behind a
crash barrier, for example).
– 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 and the spare wheel ⇒ page 170 out of the luggage
compartment. £ 171
Breakdown assistance Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

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 prescri-
bed distance from your vehicle. Comply with the national legal regulations. In
this way you are protecting not only yourself but also other road users.
● Never start the engine with the vehicle sitting on the raised jack - danger
of suffering injury. CAUTION
If you have to change a wheel on a slope first 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 wheel Always change a wheel on a level surface as far as possible.
–
Take off the full wheel trim ⇒ page 173 or the caps ⇒ page 173 .
– Slacken the wheel bolts ⇒ page 173.
– Jack up the vehicle until the wheel to be changed is clear of the ground
⇒ page 174.
– Unscrew the wheel bolts and place them on a clean surface (cloth, paper etc.).
– Take off the wheel.
– Fit on the spare wheel and tighten the wheel bolts slightly.
– Lower the car.
– Tighten the wheel bolts firmly, alternately and diagonally using the wrench
(crosswise) ⇒ page 173.
– Mount the full wheel trim/wheel trim cap or the caps. Note
● All bolts must be clean and must turn easily.
● You must never grease or oil the wheel bolts!
● When fitting on unidirectional tyres, ensure that the tyres rotate in the correct
direction ⇒ page 164 . 
Subsequent steps After changing the wheel, you must perform the following steps.
–
Stow the vehicle tool kit in the space provided.
– Stow the replaced wheel in the luggage compartment.
– Check the tyre pressure on the spare wheel just mounted as soon as possible.
– Have the tightening torque of the wheel bolts checked with a torque wrench
as soon as possible. Steel and light alloy wheels must be tightened to a tight-
ening torque of 120 Nm

.
– Change the damaged wheel or consult a specialist garage about possibilities
for getting repairs done. WARNING
It is necessary to observe the guidelines given on ⇒ page 166,
New tyres and
wheels if the vehicle is subsequently fitted with tyres which are different to
those it was fitted with at the works. Note
● If you find, when changing the wheel, that the wheel bolts are corroded and
difficult to turn, the bolts must be replaced before checking the tightening torque.
● Drive cautiously and only at a moderate speed to a workshop where the tight-
ening torque can be checked. 172
Breakdown assistance

WARNING (Continued)
● Secure the base plate of the lifting jack with suitable means to prevent
possible moving. A soft and slippery ground under the base plate may move
the lifting jack, causing the vehicle to fall down. It is therefore always neces-
sary to place the lifting jack on a solid surface or use a wide and stable base.
Use a non-slip base (e.g. a rubber foot mat) if the surface is smooth, such as
cobbled stones, a tiled floor, etc.
● Attach the lifting jack only at the attachment points provided for this pur-
pose. 
Securing wheels against being stolen You need a special adapter for loosening the safety wheel bolts.
Fig. 145 Illustration image: Safety wheel
bolt with adapter
– Pull off the full wheel trim/cap from the wheel hub or cap from the safety
wheel bolt.
– Insert the adapter B with its toothed side into the inner toothing of the head
of the safety wheel bolt A ⇒
 fig. 145 .
– Insert the wheel wrench fully onto the adapter B .
– Slacken the wheel bolt, or tighten it firmly ⇒ page 173.
– Reinstall the full wheel trim/wheel cap after removing the adapter or place the
cap onto the safety wheel bolt.
– Have the tightening torque
checked with a torque wrench as soon as possi-
ble. Steel and light alloy wheels must be tightened to a tightening torque of
120 Nm

. The safety wheel bolts on vehicles fitted with them (one safety wheel bolt per
wheel) can only be loosened or tighten up by using the adapter provided.
It is meaningful to note the code number hammered into the rear side of the
adapter or the rear side of the safety wheel bolts. You can obtain a replacement
adapter from an authorised ŠKODA Service Partner, if necessary, by quoting this
number.
We recommend that you always carry the adapter for the wheel bolts with you in
the vehicle. It should be stowed in the vehicle tool kit.
CAUTION
● Damage can occur to the adapter and safety wheel bolt if the safety wheel
bolt is tightened up too much.
● On steel wheels, the theft-deterrent wheel bolt must always be installed in
the hole, which is close to the valve. Otherwise the full wheel trim cannot be
mounted and the full wheel trim can be damaged during the assembly. Note
The set of safety wheel bolts can be obtained from a specialist garage. 
Tyre repair kit General information The tyre repair kit is located in a box under the carpet in the luggage compart-
ment.
Use the tyre repair kit to reliably repair tyre damage caused by foreign bodies or a
puncture with diameters up to 4 mm. Do not remove foreign bodies, e.g. screws or
nails, from the tyre!
The repair can be undertaken on the vehicle immediately.
The repair with the tyre repair kit is
not at all intended to replace a permanent
repair on the tyre, this repair only serves to reach the next specialist garage.
Do not use the tyre repair kit:
● to repair wheel damage,
● in outside temperatures of less than -20 °C (-4 °F),
● with tears or punctures greater than 4 mm in size,
● to repair damage to the tyre wall, £ 175
Breakdown assistance Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Connecting negative terminal and engine block
–
Attach one end 3 to the negative terminal of the battery supplying the power
B .
– Attach the other end 4 to a solid metal part which is connected firmly to the
engine block, or to the engine block itself ⇒  .
Starting engine
– Start the engine of the vehicle providing current and run the engine at idling
speed.
– Now start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
– Interrupt the attempt at starting an engine after 10 seconds if it does not start
right away and wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
– Disconnect the cables in exactly the reverse order they were connected. WARNING
● The non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps must never make contact
with each other. In addition, the jump-start cable connected to the positive
terminal of the battery must not come into contact with electrically conduct-
ing parts of the vehicle - risk of short circuit!
● Do not affix the jump starting cables to the negative terminal of the dis-
charged battery. There is the risk of detonating gas seeping out the battery
being ignited by the strong spark which results from the engine being started.
● Do not affix the cable end 4 to parts of the fuel and brake system.
● Run the jump-start cables so that they cannot be caught by any rotating
parts in the engine compartment.
● Do not bend over the batteries - risk of caustic burns!
● The vent screws of the battery cells must be tightened firmly.
● Keep any sources of ignition (naked flame, smouldering cigarettes etc.)
away from the battery - risk of an explosion!
● Never jump-start the batteries which have a too low electrolyte level - risk
of explosion and caustic burns! Jump-starting on vehicles with the “START-STOP” system
Fig. 148 Jump-starting on vehicles with
the START-STOP system
One vehicles with the “START STOP” system, the negative cable of the charger
must never be connected directly to the negative pole of the vehicle battery, but
only to the engine earth ⇒ fig. 148. 
The vehicle General Vehicles with manual transmission can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope
or with the front or rear wheels raised.
Vehicles with automatic transmission can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow
rope or with the front wheels raised. If the vehicle is raised at rear, the automatic gearbox is damaged!
A tow bar is safest way of towing a vehicle and also minimizes any shocks. You
can use a tow rope only if a suitable tow bar is not available.
Refer to the following guidelines when towing:
Driver of the towing vehicle
– Release the clutch particularly gently when starting off or depress the acceler-
ator particularly gently if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
– On vehicles with manual transmission, only push down on the accelerator ped-
al once the rope is taught.
The maximum towing speed is 50 km/h. £ 179
Breakdown assistance Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Driver of the towed vehicle
–
Switch the ignition on so that the steering wheel is not blocked and you can
also operate the turn signal lights, the headlight flasher, the windscreen wip-
ers and windscreen washer system.
– Take the vehicle out of gear or move the selector lever into position N if your
vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
Note that the brake servo unit and power steering only operate if the engine is
running. You will require significantly greater physical force to depress the brake
pedal and to steer the vehicle if the engine is not running.
Ensure that the tow rope is always kept taught. CAUTION
● Do not tow start the engine - danger of damaging the engine. On vehicles with
a catalytic converter, unburnt fuel may get into the catalytic converter where it
may ignite. This in turn may damage or destroy the catalytic converter. You can
use the battery of another vehicle as a jump-start aid ⇒ page 178, Jump-starting.
● If the gearbox of your vehicle no longer contains any oil because of a defect,
your vehicle must only be towed in with the driven wheels raised clear of the
ground, or on a special vehicle transporter or trailer.
● The vehicle must be transported on a special vehicle or trailer if it is not possi-
ble to tow in the vehicle in the way described or if the towing distance is greater
than 50 km.
● To protect both vehicles when tow-starting or towing, the tow rope should be
elastic. Thus one should only use plastic fibre rope or a rope made out of a similar-
ly elastic material.
● One should be constantly vigilant not to allow impermissibly high towing
forces or jerky loadings. There is always a risk of excessive stresses and damage
resulting at the points to which you attach the tow rope or tow bar when you at-
tempt to tow a vehicle which is not standing on a paved road.
● Attach the tow rope or the tow bar only to the towing eyes
provided for this
purpose ⇒ page 180,

Front towing eye and ⇒ page 181, Rear towing eye.Note
● We recommend a tow rope from the range of ŠKODA Original Accessories that
you can purchase from an authorised
ŠKODA Service Partner.
● Towing another vehicle requires a certain amount of practice. Both drivers
should be familiar with the particular points about towing a vehicle. Unskilled driv-
ers should not attempt to tow in another vehicle or to be towed in. ●
When towing, respect the national legal provisions, especially those which re-
late to the identification of the towing vehicle and the vehicle being towed.
● The tow rope must not be twisted as it may in certain circumstances result in
the front towing eye being unscrewed out of your vehicle. 
Front towing eye The towing eye is stored in the box of the vehicle tool kit.
Fig. 149 Front bumper: Cover/installing the towing eye
–
Press on the left half of the cover at the point of the arrow ⇒ 
fig. 149 - left.
– Pull the cover out of the front bumper.
– Screw in the towing eye by hand to the left up to the stop ⇒ fig. 149 - right. For
tightening, we recommend that you use for example the wheel wrench, the
lashing eye of another vehicle or a similar object which you can push through
the eye.
– In order to reinstall the cover after screwing out the towing eye, insert it in the
mounts and then press on the right side of the cover. The cover must engage
firmly. CAUTION
The towing eye must always be screwed in fully and firmly tightened, otherwise
the towing eye can tear when towing. 180
Breakdown assistance