2011 SKODA FABIA engine overheat

Button for display mode:
–
Set hours/minutes
– Activating/deactivating the second speed in mph or km/h
– Service interval - Display of the remaining number of days, kilometres or
miles to the next Inspection Service/Reset 1)
Button for:
– Reset trip counter for distance driven
– Resetting Service Interval Display
– Set hours/minutes
– Activate/deactivate display mode
Fuel gauge ⇒ page 11 
Engine revolutions counter The red zone of the rev counter scale
1 ⇒ fig. 2
indicates the range in which the
engine control unit begins to limit the engine speed. The engine control unit re-
stricts the engine speed to a steady limit value.
Shift into the next higher gear or select the selector lever position D of the auto-
matic gearbox before reaching the red zone of the rev counter scale.
Avoid high engine speeds during the driving time and before the engine has been
warmed up to operating temperature ⇒ page 135.For the sake of the environment
Shifting to a higher gear in good time helps to reduce the fuel consumption, mini-
mises operating noise levels, protects the environment and contributes to a lon-
ger life and reliability of the engine. 
Speedometer Warning against excessive speeds
An acoustic warning signal will sound when the vehicle speed exceeds 120 kilo-
metres per hour. The acoustic warning signal will switch off again when the vehi-
cle speed goes below this speed limit.

5 6
7 Coolant temperature gauge
The coolant temperature gauge
4 ⇒ fig. 2
operates only when the ignition is
switched on.
Please pay attention to the following guidelines regarding temperature ranges in
order to avoid damage to the engine:
Cold range
If the pointer is in the left-hand area of the scale it means that the engine has not
yet reached its operating temperature. Avoid running at high engine speeds, at
full throttle and at severe engine loads.
The operating range
The engine has reached its operating temperature as soon as the pointer moves
into the mid-range of the scale. The pointer may also move further to the right at
high engine loads and high outside temperatures. This is not critical provided the
warning symbol  in the instrument cluster does not flash.
If the symbol  in the instrument cluster flashes it means that either the coolant
temperature
is too high or the coolant level is too low. Please refer to the follow-
ing guidelines ⇒ page 23, Coolant temperature/ Coolant quantity  . WARNING
Pay attention to the warning notes ⇒ page 153, Working in the engine com-
partment before opening the bonnet and inspecting the coolant level. CAUTION
Additional headlights and other attached components in front of the fresh air inlet
impair the cooling efficiency of the coolant. There is then a risk of the engine
overheating at high outside temperatures and high engine loads! 
Fuel gauge The fuel gauge
7 ⇒
 fig. 2
only operates when the ignition is switched on. £1)
Valid for countries where the values are indicated in British measuring units. 11
Instruments and warning lights Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

■
Phone ⇒  page 98
■ Vehicle status
⇒ page 18
■ Settings ⇒ page 19
The menu point Audio is only then displayed when the factory-fitted car radio is
switched on.
The menu point Navigation is only then displayed when the factory-fitted radio
navigation system is switched on. Note
● If warning messages are shown in the information display ⇒ page 18, these
messages can be confirmed with the button B on the windshield wiper lever in
order to call up the main menu.
● If you do not activate the information display at that moment, the menu shifts
to one level higher every 10 seconds.
● The operation of the factory-fitted car stereo or radio navigation system is de-
scribed in separate operating instructions to be found in the on-board literature. 
Door, luggage compartment door and bonnet ajar warning The door, luggage compartment and bonnet ajar warning lights up if at least one
door, the luggage compartment or bonnet are not closed. The symbol indicates
which door is still open or whether the luggage compartment door or bonnet is
not closed
.
The symbol goes out as soon as the doors, luggage compartment door and bonnet
are completely closed.
A warning signal sounds if the car is driven at a speed of more than 6km/hour and
if the engine or the luggage compartment door is open. 
Auto Check Control
Car state The Auto Check Control carries out a check of certain functions and vehicle com-
ponents. The check is performed constantly when the ignition is switched on,
both when the vehicle is stationary, as well as when driving. Some operational faults, urgent repairs, service work or other information appear
in the display of the instrument cluster. The displays are shown with a red or yel-
low light symbol depending on the priority of the message.
The red symbols indicate danger (priority 1) while the yellow symbols indicate a
warning (priortity 2). Information for the driver may also appear in addition to the
symbols ⇒
 page 20.
There is at least one error message when the term Vehicle status is displayed in
the menu. After selecting this menu the first of the error messages is displayed.
Several error messages are shown on the display under the message e.g. 1/3
. This
indicates that the first of a total of three error messages is displayed. The respec-
tive messages are displayed one after the other in an interval of 5 seconds. Check
as soon as possible the displayed error messages.
As long as the operational faults are not rectified, the symbols are always indica-
ted again. After the first display, the symbols are indicated without information for
the driver.
If a fault occurs, a warning signal will also sound in addition to the symbol and
text in the display:
● Priority 1 - three warning signals
● Priority 2 - one warning signal 
Red symbols A red symbol signals danger.
– Bring the vehicle to a stop.
– Switch the engine off.
– Investigate the function indicated.
– Obtain professional assistance.
Meaning of the red symbols:  Engine oil pressure too low ⇒ page 23
 Overheated clutches of the automatic
gearbox DSG
⇒ page 91
Three successive warning signals will sound if a red symbol appears.
18
Instruments and warning lights

automatically. You can also, however, switch the gearbox over into the
Tiptronic
mode. This mode makes it possible for you to also shift gears manually
⇒ page 95.
Starting-off and Driving
– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in handle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the desired position, e.g. in D, and then release the Shiftlock
button.
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator ⇒  .
Stop
– The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping just
for a short time, such as at a cross roads. It is absolutely sufficient to hold the
stopped vehicle stationary by depressing the foot brake. The engine can, how-
ever, be allowed just to idle.
Parking
– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector lever to P
and then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be started when the selector lever is in position P or N . If the
selector lever is not in the P or N positions when locking the steering, switching
the ignition on or off or when leaving the engine on, the following message will
appear in the Information display Move selector lever to position P/N! or, in the
instrument cluster display:  P/N. At temperatures below -10 °C the engine can
only be started in the selector lever position P.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position P when parking on a flat surface.
When parking on a slope you should first apply the handbrake firmly and then
move the selector lever into position P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive
pressure acting on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move
the selector lever out of position P. If the selector lever is not in the P positin
when the driver's door is open and the ignition is switched off, or if it is not in the
P position when the ignition is switched off and the driver's door is opened, the
following message will appear in the Information display: Move selector lever to
position P! or, in the instrument cluster display:  P. The message disappears af-
ter a few seconds by switching on the ignition or by moving the selector lever into
the position P . If the selector lever position
N is selected by accident while driving it is first nec-
essary to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of
the engine to be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever. WARNING
● Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector
lever if the car is stationary and the engine is running - risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
● If you are stopping at a hill (downhill section), never try to hold the car sta-
tionary with the gear engaged by means of the “accelerator
”, this means by
letting the clutch slip. This can lead to overheating of the clutch. If there is a
risk of overheating of the clutch due to overload, the clutch is opened auto-
matically and the vehicle rolls backward - risk of accident!
● If you must stop at a slope, depress and hold the brake pedal, so that you
can prevent the vehicle from rolling back. CAUTION
● The double clutch on the automatic gearbox DSG is equipped with an overload
protection. If you make use of the uphill function on a vehicle which is stationary
or driving slowly uphill, it will result in an increase of thermal stress of the clutch-
es.
● In the event that they overheat, the warning light  and a warning text ap-
pears in the information display ⇒ page 18. In such a case bring the vehicle to a
stop, switch off the engine and wait until the warning light and the warning go
out - risk of gearbox damage! You can continue the trip as soon as the warning
light and the warning go out. 92
Automatic gearbox

Electronic Differential Lock (EDL and XDL)
The electronic differential lock prevents an individual wheel from
slipping.
Models fitted with ESP are equipped with electronic differential lock (EDL).
General
The EDL makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, acceler-
ate and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfavoura-
ble.
Operating principle
The EDL is activated automatically, that is without any action on the part of the
driver. It monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sen-
sors. Should only
one drive wheel begin spinning on a slippery surface there will
be an appreciable difference in the speed of the driven wheels. The EDL function
brakes the slipping wheel and the differential transmits a greater driving force to
the other driven wheel. This control process is also accompanied by noises.
Overheating of the brakes
The EDL switches off automatically if unusually severe stresses exist in order to
avoid excessive heat generation in the disc brake on the wheel which is being
braked. The vehicle can continue to be driven and has the same characteristics as
a vehicle not fitted with EDL.
The EDL switches on again automatically as soon as the brake has cooled down.
XDL function (Fabia RS and Fabia Combi RS only)
The XDL function is an extension to the electronic differential lock. The XDL func-
tion does not respond to traction, but to the relief of the inner front wheel during
fast cornering. An active brake intervention on the brake of the inner wheel pre-
vents it from spinning. Thus, the traction is improved and the vehicle continues to
follow the desired track. WARNING
● Depress the accelerator carefully when accelerating on uniformly slippery
road surfaces, such as ice and snow. The driven wheels might still spin despite
the EDL and affect the stability of the vehicle - risk of an accident!
● You should always adapt your style of driving to the condition of road sur-
face and to the traffic situation even when your vehicle is fitted with EDL. The
increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than other-
wise - risk of an accident! Note
● If the ABS or ASR or, where applicable, ESP indicator light lights up, the EDl
may have a fault. Have the vehicle inspected by your specialist garage as soon as
you can.
● 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 EDL ⇒
 page 169
,
Accessories, changes and replacement of parts. 
Traction control system (TCS) The traction control system prevents the driven wheels from spin-
ning when accelerating.
Fig. 118 TCS switch
General
The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, acceler-
ate and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfavoura-
ble. £ 129
Intelligent Technology Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Faults in the brake surface
If you notice that the braking distance has suddenly become longer and that the
brake pedal can be depressed further, it is possible that a brake circuit of the dual-
circuit brake system has failed. Drive, in such cases, to the nearest specialist ga-
rage without delay in order to have the problem rectified. Drive at a reduced
speed while on your way to the dealer and adapt your style of driving to the high-
er brake pedal pressure required.
Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system. The
level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically
⇒ page 26, Brake system .WARNING
● Only apply the brakes for the purpose of drying and cleaning the brake
discs if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any other road users in
jeopardy.
● When retrospectively mounting a front spoiler, solid wheel hubs etc. one
must ensure that the air supply to the front wheel brakes is not reduced oth-
erwise the braking system could run too hot.
● Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking ef-
ficiency until approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first
“run in ”
before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however,
compensate for this slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pressure
on the brake pedal. This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed
at a future date. CAUTION
● Never allow the brakes to rub by applying slight pressure if you do not wish to
brake the vehicle. This causes the brakes to overheat and can also result in a lon-
ger braking distance and excessive wear.
● Before negotiating a steep downhill section, please reduce your speed, shift
down into the next lower gear (manual gearbox) or select a lower driving stage
(automatic gearbox). This enables you to make full use of the braking power of
the vehicle and reduces the strain on the brakes. Any additional braking should be
done intermittently, not continuously. Note
The brake light flashes automatically in case of an emergency braking at speeds
greater than 60 km/h or with the intervention of the ABS, which lasts longer than
1.5 seconds. After the speed was reduced below 10 km/h or the vehicle was stop-
ped, the brake light stops flashing and the hazard warning light system switches
on. The hazard warning light system is switched off automatically after accelerat-
ing or driving off again. 
Brake booster The brake booster boosts the pressure which you generate with the brake pedal.
The necessary pressure is only generated when the engine is running.
WARNING
● Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary.
● The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater
physical effort for braking is required when engine is switched off. Because if
you do not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
● While stopping or braking with a vehicle with a petrol engine and manual
transmission in the low rev range, press down on the clutch pedal. If you fail
to do so, the result may be an impairment of the function of the power brake.
You will apply a greater force to the brake pedal which you are usde to - dan-
ger of accident! 
Antilock brake system (ABS) ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.
General
The ABS contributes significantly to enhancing the active safety of your vehicle.
Compared to a car not fitted with the ABS brake system, you are able to retain op-
timal steering ability even during a full brake application on a slippery road surface
because the wheels do not lock up.
You must not expect, however, that the braking distance will be shorter under all
circumstances as a result of the ABS. The braking distance for example on gravel
and fresh snow, when you should anyway be driving slowly and cautiously, will be
longer. £ 131
Intelligent Technology Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

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

Closing fuel filler cap
–
Screw on the cap by turning it to the right until it is heard to lock.
– Hold the fuel filler cap on the fuel filler tube with one hand and lock it by turn-
ing the vehicle key to the right and withdraw the key.
– Press the fuel tank flap closed.
The correct grade of fuel for your vehicle as well as the tyre size and inflation
pressures are stated on a sticker affixed to the inside of the fuel filler flap. Further
information on fuel ⇒  
page 150.WARNING
Pay attention to any legal requirements if you do carry a spare canister in the
vehicle. We do not recommend carrying any fuel canisters in your vehicle for
safety reasons. The canister can be damaged in the event of an accident and
fuel may leak out. CAUTION
● Remove any fuel which has spilled onto the paintwork of your vehicle immedi-
ately - risk of paint damage!
● On vehicles fitted with a catalytic converter, never let the fuel tank run com-
pletely empty. An irregular supply of fuel to the engine can result in misfiring and
unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system, which may result in overheating
and damage to the catalytic converter.
● Make sure that the valve is not pressed into the filler tube when inserting the
pump nozzle into the filler tube. Otherwise you are unintentionally filling up the
volume, which in case of heat can cause an expansion of the fuel. This can lead to
an overflow of fuel or damage to parts of the fuel reservoir.
● The fuel tank is full just as soon as the pump nozzle switches off for the first
time, provided the nozzle has been operated properly. Do not continue refuelling -
otherwise the expansion volume is filled up. Note
The fuel tank has a capacity of about 45 litres, containing a reserve of 7 litres.152
Fuel

CAUTION
Switch off the air compressor after running 8 minutes at the latest - danger of
overheating! Allow the air compressor to cool a few moments before switching it
on again. 
Check after driving for 10 minutes Check the tyre inflation pressure after driving 10 minutes.
If the tyre inflation pressure is 1.3 bar or less:
–
Do not drive the vehicle! You cannot properly seal with tyre with the break-
down kit.
– Contact a Škoda dealer to obtain professional assistance.
If the tyre inflation pressure is 1.3 bar or more:
– Adjust the tyre inflation pressure to the correct value (see inside of fuel filler
cap).
– Continue driving carefully to the nearest specialist garage at a maximum
speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). 
Jump-starting Initial steps You can use the battery of another vehicle for jump-starting yours if the engine
does not start because the battery on your vehicle is flat. You will require jump-
start cables for this purpose.
Both batteries must have a rated voltage of 12 V. The capacity
(Ah) of the battery
supplying the power must not be significantly less than the capacity of the dis-
charged battery in your vehicle.
Jump-start cables
Only use jump-start cables which have an adequately large cross-section and in-
sulated terminal clamps. Please pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions.
Positive cable - colour coding in the majority of cases red.
Negative cable - colour coding in the majority of cases black. WARNING
● A discharged battery may already freeze at temperatures just below 0°C.
In case of frozen battery carry out no jump-starting - risk of explosion! Also af-
ter thawing of the battery there is a risk of caustic burns due to leaking acid.
Replace the frozen battery.
● Please pay attention to the warning instructions relating to working in the
engine compartment ⇒ page 153. Note
● There must not be any contact between the two vehicles otherwise current
may flow as soon as the negative terminals are connected.
● The discharged battery must be properly connected to the system of the vehi-
cle.
● Switch off the car phone. Heed the advice concerning the use of mobile
phones in such a situation.
● We recommend you buy jump-start cables from a car battery specialist. 
Start engine Fig. 147 Jump-starting using the battery
from another vehicle: A - flat vehicle bat-
tery, B - battery providing current
It is important to connect the jump-start cables in the correct order.
Connecting positive terminals
– Attach one end 1 to the positive terminal
⇒ fig. 147 of the discharged battery
A .
– Attach the other end 2 to the positive terminal of the battery supplying the
power B .
£178
Breakdown assistance