2011 SKODA FABIA change wheel

Driving Tips
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Intelligent Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Electronic stability programme (ESP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Brake booster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Antilock brake system (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Uphill Start Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Electrohydraulic power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Tyre pressure monitoring system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Diesel particle filter (diesel engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Driving and the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
The first 1 500 kilometres and afterwards . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Driving in an economical and environmentally
conscious manner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Environmental compatibility
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Motoring abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Avoiding damage to your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Driving through bodies of water on roads . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
General Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the
vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Care of the exterior of vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Care of the interior of vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Inspecting and Replenishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Windshield washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Wheels and Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Accessories, changes and replacement of parts . 169
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Breakdown assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Breakdown assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
First-aid box and warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Tyre repair kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
The vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Fuses and light bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Electric fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Used abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Identification details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Fuel consumption according to the ECE standards and
EU guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Dimensions

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Engine oil specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Engine 1.2 l/44 kW - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Engine 1.2 l/51 kW - EU5/EU2 DDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Engine 1.2 l/63 kW TSI - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Engine 1.2 l/77 kW TSI - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Engine 1.4 l/63 kW - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Engine 1.6 l/77 kW - EU4, EU2 DDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Engine 1.4 l/132 kW TSI - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Engine 1.2 l/55 kW TDI CR DPF - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Engine 1.6 l/55 kW TDI CR - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Engine 1.6 l/66 kW TDI CR - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Engine 1.6 l/77 kW TDI CR - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2084
Table of Contents

Air outlet vents
The information provided is valid for all vehicles.
Fig. 77 Air outlet vents
Open the air outlet vents 3 and 4
–
Turn the vertical thumbwheel (air outlet vents 3) or the horizontal wheel (air
outlet vents 4) to the position .
Close air outlet vents 3 and 4
– Turn the vertical thumbwheel (air outlet vents 3) or the horizontal wheel (air
outlet vents 4) to the position 0.
Change air flow of air outlet vents 3 and 4
– In order to change the strength of the air flow, swivel the horizontal lamellas
with the aid of the moveable adjuster.
– In order to change the lateral direction of the air flow, turn the vertical lamel-
las with the aid of the moveable adjuster.
You can set the air supply to the individual vents with the air distribution control C ⇒ fig. 78. Air outlet vents
3 and 4 can also be opened or closed individually.
Warmed, unwarmed or cooled air will flow out of the air outlet vents according to
the setting of the regulator of the heating or the air conditioning system and the
atmospheric conditions. Heating
Using the system The heating system delivers air into the interior of the vehicle and
warms it as required.
Fig. 78 Heating: Control elements
Setting temperature
– Turn the control dial A ⇒
 fig. 78 to the right in order to increase the tempera-
ture.
– Turn the control dial A to the left in order to increase the temperature.
Controlling blower
– Turn the blower switch B into one of the positions, 1 to 4, in order to switch
the blower on.
– Turn the blower switch B into position 0 in order to switch the blower off.
– If you wish to shut off the fresh air supply, use the button 1 - recirculated air
mode ⇒ page 75.
Control for air distribution
– You can adjust the direction of the inlet air flow ⇒ page 74
using air distribu-
tion regulator C .
Rear window heater
– Press button 2 . Further information
⇒ page 47, Rear window heater.
All controls apart from the control dial B can be set to any desired intermediate
position. £74
Heating and air conditioning system

WARNING (Continued)
● You must on no account unintentionally operate the throttle (e.g. by hand
from the engine compartment) if a drive position is engaged when the car is
stationary. The vehicle would otherwise immediately start off - also when the
handbrake is firmly applied - risk of an accident!
● You must move the selector lever into position P and firmly apply the
handbrake first before you or any other person opens the bonnet and starts
working on the engine when it is running - risk of accident! It is also essential
to observe all warnings ⇒ page 153, Working in the engine compartment. 
Selector lever lock Automatic selector lever lock

With the ignition on, the selector lever is locked when it is in the positions P and
N. You must first of all depress the brake pedal in order to move the selector lever
out of this position. The warning light  ⇒ page 25 lights up in the instrument
cluster as a reminder for the driver when the selector lever is in the positions P
and
N.
A time delay element ensures that the selector lever is not blocked when rapidly
switching over the position N (e.g. from R to D). This does, for example, allow one
to seesaw out a stuck vehicle. The selector lever lock will click into place if the lev-
er is in the N position for more than 2 seconds without the brake pedal being
pressed.
The selector lever lock is only active if the vehicle is stationary or moving at speed
of less than 5 km/hour. The lock is switched off automatically into position N
when the car is travelling at a higher speed.
Shiftlock button
The Shiftlock button in the handle of selector lever prevents certain selector lever
positions being engaged inadvertently. The selector lever lock is cancelled when
you press the Shiftlock button.
Keylock 1)
- Ignition key withdrawal lock
You can only withdraw the ignition key after switching off the ignition if the selec-
tor lever is in position P. If the ignition key is withdrawn, the selector lever is
blocked in position P. Kickdown function The kickdown function provides you with maximum acceleration
power.
Fully depressing the accelerator pedal allows the kickdown function to be activa-
ted in the desired driving program. This function has precedence over the driving
programme and serves for maximum acceleration of the vehicle when exploiting
the maximum power potential of the engine without taking into account the cur-
rent selector lever position ( D, S or Tiptronic ). The gearbox shifts down to one or
several gears in line with the driving state and the vehicle accelerates. The gear-
box does not shift up into the highest gear until the engine has reached its maxi-
mum revolutions for this gear range. WARNING
Please note that using the kickdown function can result in the driven wheels
spinning on a smooth or slippery road surface - risk of skidding! 
Dynamic shift programme The automatic gearbox of your vehicle is controlled electronically. Shifting up and
down through the gears is performed automatically on the basis of pre-defined
driving programmes.
Adopting a moderate style of driving
will cause the gearbox to select the most
economical driving programme. Shifting up into a higher gear as soon as possible
and shifting down as late as possible will have a favourable effect on your fuel
consumption.
Adopting a sporty style of driving with rapid movements of the accelerator pedal
combined with sharp acceleration and frequent changes in speed, exploiting the
top speed of the car or depressing the accelerator pedal (kickdown function), will
cause the gearbox to switch over to this style of driving and shift down earlier
with frequent changes in gears in comparison to the moderate style of driving.
Selecting the most appropriate driving programme for the particular style of driv-
ing is a continuous process. Irrespective of this it is, however, possible to switch or
shift down into a dynamic shift programme by depressing the accelerator rapidly.
The gearbox shifts down into a lower gear matching the speed of the car and this £1)
Only valid for some countries. 94
Automatic gearbox

Mobile phones and two-way radio systems
The installation of a mobile phone and two-way radio system in a vehicle should
be carried out by a specialist garage.
ŠKOSA permits the operation of mobile phones and two-way radio systems with a
professionally installed external aerial and a maximum transmission power of up
to 10 watts.
It is essential that you inform a specialist garage about the possibilites to assem-
ble and operate mobile phones and two-way radio sets which have a power out-
put of more than 10 W. The garage will inform you which technical possibilities ex-
ist for retrofitting mobile phones.
When using a mobile phone inside the vehicle, which is not inserted into the
phone adapter, and thus has no connection to the external aerial, the electromag-
netic radiation can exceed the current limit value. If a suitable adapter is available
for your mobile phone, use your mobile phone exclusively in the adapter so that
the radiation in the vehicle drops to a minimum. This also improves the quality of
the connection.
Operation of mobile phones or two-way radio systems may interfere with func-
tioning of the electronic systems of your vehicle.
The reasons for this may be:
●
no external aerial,
● external aerial incorrectly installed,
● transmission power greater than 10 watts. WARNING
● If a mobile phone or a two-way radio system is operated in the vehicle
without using an external aerial or an external aerial which has been incor-
rectly installed, this can increase the strength of the electromagnetic field in
the interior of the vehicle.
● Please concentrate fully at all times on your driving!
● You must not install two-way radio systems, mobile phones or mounts on
the covers of the airbags or within the immediate deployment range of air-
bags. This might result in injuries to the occupants in the event of an accident.
● Never leave a mobile phone on a seat, on the dash panel or in another
area, from which it can be thrown during a sudden braking manoeuvre, an ac-
cident or a collision. In this case, the occupants of the vehicle might be injured. Note
Observe the country-specific regulations for the use of mobile phones in vehicles. 
Universal telephone preinstallation GSM II Introduction The universal telephone preinstallation GSM II is a built-in “hands-free system”, it
provides a voice operated convenience mode via the multifunction steering wheel or the radio navigation system.
All communication between a telephone and the hands-free system of your vehi-
cle can only be established with the help of the Bluetooth ®
technology. The
adapter serves only for charging the telephone and for transmitting the signal to
the external aerial of the vehicle.
To ensure an optimum signal transmission, always leave the telephone with the
adapter in the telephone mount.
Furthermore the volume can be changed individually during the call at any time
with the button for setting the radio or radio navigation system or with the but-
tons on the multifunction steering wheel. WARNING
Pay attention primarily to the traffic situation! As the driver you are fully re-
sponsible for road safety. Use the telephone system only to such an extent
that you are in full control of your vehicle at any time. Note
● Please refer to the following guidelines ⇒ page 98, Mobile phones and two-
way radio systems.
● Should you have any questions, please contact an authorised ŠKODA Service
Partner. 
Phone Phonebook A phone phonebook is part of the mobile phone preinstallation with voice control.
In the phone phonebook there are 2,500 free memory locations available. Each
contact can contain up to 4 telephone numbers. This phone phonebook can be
used in line with the mobile telephone.
£98
Communication

Dial number
In the menu point
Dial number, you can write any telephone number. Select in se-
quence the desired digits with the aid of the handwheel and confirm it by pressing
the handwheel. You can choose the numbers 0 - 9, symbols , , # and the func-
tions Cancel, Call, Delete .
Call register
In the menu point Call register, you can select the following menu points:
■ Missed calls
■ Dialled numbers
■ Received calls
Voice mailbox
In the menu Voice mailbox , it is possible to set the number of the voice mailbox 1)
and then dial the number.
Bluetooth
In the menu Bluetooth you can select the following menu points:
■ User - the overview of the stored users
■ New user - Search for new telephones which are in the reception range
■ Visibility - Switching on the visibility of the telephone unit for other devices
■ Media player
■ Active device
■ Paired devices
■ Search
■ Phone name - the possibility to change the name of the telephone unit (pre-
set SKODA UHV) Settings
In the menu
Settings you can select the following menu points:
■ Phone book
■ Update 1)
■ List
■ Surname
■ First name
■ Ring tone
Back
Return in the basic menu of the telephone. 
Voice control Dialogue The period, in which the telephone system is ready to receive voice commands
and carry out the voice commands, is called DIALOGUE. The system gives audible
feedback and guides you if necessary through the relevant functions.
Optimum understanding of the voice commands depends on the following
factors:
●
Speak at a normal volume, without intonation and excessive voice pauses.
● Avoid insufficient articulation.
● Close the doors, windows and sliding roof, in order to reduce or stop disturbing
exterior noise.
● It is recommended to speak louder at higher speeds, so that the tone of your
voice is louder than the increased surrounding noise.
● During the dialogue avoid additional noise in the vehicle, e.g. simultaneously
talking occupants.
● Do not speak, if the system makes an announcement.
● The microphone for voice control is inserted in the moulded headliner and di-
rected to the driver and front passenger. Therefore the driver and the front pas-
senger can operate the equipment. £1)
On vehicles fitted with the radio navigation system Amundsen+, this function can be accessed via
the menu of the radio navigation system; see the operating instructions for the Amundsen+. 102
Communication

The speed of the vehicle is, nevertheless, the most important factor. Doubling the
speed of the vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy
four times.
The common opinion that it is possible to support your body in a minor accident
with your hands, is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces
acting on the body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed within the range from 30 km/hour to 50 km/hour,
the forces which are produced on your body in the event of an accident can easily
exceed 10.000 N (Newton). This equals a weight of one tonne (1 000 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the vehicle not wearing a seat belt
are thrown forward and strike in an uncontrolled way parts of the interior of the
vehicle, such as steering wheel, dash panel, windshield
⇒ fig. 98 - left. The occu-
pants of a vehicle who have not fastened their seat belts may even be thrown out
of the vehicle. This can result in fatal injuries.
It is also important that rear seat occupants fasten their seat belts as they will
otherwise be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontrolled manner in the event
of an accident A rear seat passenger who has not fastened the seat belt is a dan-
ger not only to himself but also for those seated at the front ⇒ fig. 98 - right. 
Important safety information regarding the use of
seat belts The correct use of the seat belts considerably reduces the risk of
injury!
WARNING
● The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twisted,
or chafe against any sharp edges.
● It is important that the belt webbing is properly routed if the seat belts are
to offer their maximum protection ⇒ page 111, How are seat belts correctly
fastened? .
● No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single seat belt to-
gether.
● The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if you
are correctly seated ⇒ page 106, Correct seated position
. WARNING (Continued)
● The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. specta-
cles, ball-point pens, keys etc.) as this may be a cause of injuries.
● Many layers of clothing and loose clothing (e. g. a winter coat over a jacket)
do not allow you to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of the
seat belts.
● It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e. g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons).
● The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is the correct
one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to pro-
tect and the risk of injury increases.
● The seat backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
● The three-point seat belt for the rear middle seat can only fulfil its func-
tion reliably when the backrests are correctly locked into position ⇒ page 55.
● The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may im-
pair proper operation of the inertia reel ⇒ page 149

, Seat belts.
● The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked by paper or similar objects
otherwise the belt tongue will not lock in place properly.
● Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condition. If you
find seat belts which have damage to the belt, the seat belt connections, to
the inertia reel or to the lock, the relevant seat belt must be replaced by a
specialist garage.
● The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not make
an attempt to repair the seat belts yourself.
● Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident
and were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is best done by a spe-
cialist garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected. The
anchorage points for the belts should also be checked.
● In certain countries it is possible to use seat belts which differ in terms of
their operation from the seat belts which are described on the pages which
follow. Note
The vehicles of the category N1 are not equipped with the middle seat belt on the
rear seats. The vehicle is only approved for four persons. 110
Seat belts

WARNING (Continued)
● The steering wheel and the surface of the airbag module in the dash panel
on the passenger side must not be stuck onto, covered or modified in any oth-
er way. These parts should only be cleaned with a dry cloth or a cloth mois-
tened with water. No objects such as cup holders, mobile phone mounts, etc.
may be attached to the covers of the airbag modules or be located within the
immediate area.
● No modifications of any kind may be made to parts of the airbag system.
Any work on the airbag system including installing and removing system com-
ponents because of other repair work (e.g. removing the steering wheel) must
only be carried out by a specialist garage.
● Never carry out changes on the front bumper or on the body.
● Never place any objects on the surface of the dash panel on the front pas-
senger side. 
Side airbags Description of side airbags The side airbag increases protection of the passenger concerned in
the case of a side impact.
Fig. 105 Driver seat: Installation posi-
tion of airbag
The side airbags are housed in the upholstery of the seat backrests of the front
seats and are marked with the lettering “AIRBAG
” ⇒ fig. 105 on the middle part. The side airbag system in combination with the three-point seat belts, offers addi-
tional protection for the upper area of the body (chest, stomach and pelvis) of the
occupants of the vehicle in the event of severe side collisions
⇒  in Important
safety information on the side airbag on page 117

.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the seat belts is to
also hold the driver and front passenger in a correct seated position in the event
of a side collision so as to enable the side airbags to offer the maximum protec-
tion.
You should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is re-
quired by law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection ⇒ page 109,
Why seat belts?. 
Function of the side airbags Risk of injury to the upper part of the body is reduced by fully infla-
ted side airbags.
Fig. 106 Inflated side airbag
When the side airbags are deployed, the head airbag and the belt tensioner are
also automatically deployed on the relevant side .
In certain accident situations, the front, side and head airbag are simultaneously
deployed.
If an airbag is deployed, the airbag is filled with gas. The airbags inflate in frac-
tions of a second and at a high speed in order to be able to offer that additional
protection in the event of an accident ⇒ fig. 106
.
A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly
normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle. £116
Airbag system

Driving Tips
Intelligent Technology Electronic stability programme (ESP)
General General
The ESP aids you in maintaining control of your vehicle in situations in which the
vehicle is driving at its dynamic limits, such as entering a curve fast. The risk of
skidding is reduced and your car thus offers greater driving stability depending on
the conditions of the road surface. The system operates at all speeds.
The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability programme:
●
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL),
● Traction control system (TCS),
● Antilock brake system (ABS),
● Brake Assist,
● Uphill Start Assist.
Operating principle
The ESP switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts
a self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the individual systems. It al-
so processes additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive
sensors: the rotational velocity of the vehicle about its vertical axis, the lateral ac-
celeration of the vehicle, the braking pressure and the steering angle.
The direction which the driver wishes to take is determined based on the steering
angle and the speed of the vehicle and is constantly compared with the actual be-
haviour of the vehicle. If differences exist, such as the car beginning to skid, the
ESP will automatically brake the appropriate wheel.
The car is stabilised again by the forces which take effect when the wheel is
braked. Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front
wheel of a vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the rear of the vehicle
to break away) while occurs this is on the inner rear wheel of a vehicle which
tends to understeer (tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle
is accompanied by noises. During an intervention of the system, the warning light
 flashes quickly in the
instrument cluster.
The ESP system cannot be switched off, only the TCS system can be switched off
by pressing the button ⇒ fig. 118 . The warning light 
⇒ page 24 lights up if the
TCS system is switched off.
The warning light  lights up permanently if there is a fault in the ESP system.
The fact that the ESP system operates together with the ABS means that the ESP
warning light will also come on if the ABS system is not operating properly.
If the warning light  comes on immediately after starting the engine, the ESP
system can be switched off for technical reasons. In this case, the ESP system can
be switched on again by switching the ignition on and off. If the warning light
goes out, the ESP system is fully functional again. WARNING
It is also not possible for the ESP to overcome the physical limits of the vehi-
cle. Even if a vehicle fitted with ESP you should still always adapt your style of
driving to the condition of the road surface and the traffic situation. This par-
ticularly applies when driving on slippery and wet roads. The increased safety
offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an
accident! Note
● All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve prob-
lem-free operation of the ESP. Differing rolling circumferences of the tyres can
lead to an undesirable reduction in the engine output.
● Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combi-
nation of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ESP ⇒ page 169,
Accessories, changes and replacement of parts

.128
Intelligent Technology