2011 SKODA OCTAVIA engine coolant

Inspecting the coolant level
Fig. 152 Engine compartment: Coolant
expansion bottle
The coolant expansion bottle is located in the engine compartment on the right.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒ page 180 .
– Check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle ⇒ fig. 152 . The cool-
ant level when the engine is cold must lie between the b (MIN) and
a (MAX)
markings. The level may also rise slightly above the a (MAX) marking when
the engine is warm.
If the coolant level in the reservoir is too low, this is indicated by the warning light
in the instrument cluster ⇒ page 25, Coolant temperature/ Coolant quantity 
. We
still recommend inspecting the coolant level directly at the reservoir from time to
time.
Loss of coolant
A loss of coolant is first and foremost an indication of a leak in the system. You
should not merely top up the coolant in the reservoir. It is also important to have
the cooling system inspected without delay by a specialist garage.
Losses can only occur through the pressure relief in the cap of the coolant expan-
sion bottle which is completely free of leaks if the coolant boils as a result of over-
heating and is forced out of the cooling system. WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes ⇒ page 181, Working in the engine com-
partment
before working in the engine compartment. CAUTION
One should contact a specialist garage as soon as possible if the source of over-
heating itself cannot be determined and removed, since there may be grave dam-
age to the engine. 
Replenishing the coolant –
Switch the engine off.
– Allow the engine to cool down.
– Place a cloth over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir ⇒
 fig. 152 and un-
screw the cap carefully by turning it to the left ⇒  .
– Top up the coolant.
– Screw the cap tight until it is heard to lock.
The coolant which you use for replenishing the system, must comply with one
specific specification ⇒ page 184

. Do not use an alternative additive if the speci-
fied coolant additive is not available in exceptional cases. Just top up the system
with water and as soon as possible arrange adjustment to correct the mixing ratio
of water and coolant additive again by a specialist garage.
Only use fresh coolant for topping up the system.
Do not fill the coolant above the mark a (max.)
⇒ fig. 152 ! Excess coolant heats up
and then is forced out of the cooling system through the pressure relief valve in
the cap.
Wait until the engine has cooled down for a system which has suffered a major
loss of coolant before pouring in coolant. This is necessary to avoid engine dam-
age. WARNING
● The cooling system is pressurized! Do not open the cap of the coolant ex-
pansion bottle if the engine is still hot - risk of scalding!
● The coolant additive and thus all of the coolant is harmful to your health.
Avoid contact with the coolant. Coolant vapours are also harmful to the
health. It is important, therefore, to always safely store any coolant additive in
its original container out of the reach of children - risk of poisoning! £ 185
Inspecting and Replenishing Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

WARNING (Continued)
● If any splashes of coolant get into your eyes, rinse out your eyes immedi-
ately with clear water and contact a doctor as soon as possible.
● You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvertently
swallowed coolant. CAUTION
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the condi-
tions prevailing to top up with coolant. Switch the engine off and obtain profes-
sional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe en-
gine damage. For the sake of the environment
Do not re-use coolant if it is necessary to drain the coolant in the system. It should
be collected and disposed of in compliance with environmental protection regula-
tions. 
Radiator fan The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.
The radiator fan is driven by an electric motor and controlled according to the
coolant temperature.
The radiator fan may continue running for up to 10 minutes after the engine has
been switched off - even if the ignition is also off. It may also switch on suddenly
after a certain time, if
● the coolant temperature has risen because of an accumulation of heat or
● the warm engine compartment is heated up additionally by strong sunlight. WARNING
You must therefore be aware when working in the engine compartment that
the fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury! Brake fluid
Inspecting the brake fluid level Fig. 153 Engine compartment: Brake flu-
id reservoir
The brake fluid reservoir is located on the left of the engine compartment. The
brake fluid reservoir on right-hand steering models is positioned on the other side
of the engine compartment.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒ page 180 .
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir ⇒
 fig. 153 . The level must be be-
tween the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-tear
and automatic adjustment of the brake pads, and is perfectly normal.
There may be an indication of a leak in the brake system, however, if the fluid lev-
el drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” marking. If
the brake fluid level is too low, this is indicated by the warning light lighting up in
the instrument cluster ⇒ page 28, Brake system . In this case stop immediately
and do not drive any further! Obtain professional assistance. WARNING
● Read and observe the warning notes ⇒
 page 181, Working in the engine
compartment before working in the engine compartment.
● If the fluid level has dropped below the MIN marking, do not drive any fur-
ther - risk of accident! Contact a Škoda dealer to obtain professional assis-
tance. 186
Inspecting and Replenishing

Convenience operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Converting/masking over headlights
. . . . . . . . . . 166
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 replenishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Coolant level Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Coolant quantity Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Coolant temperature/coolant level Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Coolant temperature gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Cornering lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Correct seated position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Counter for distance driven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Cruise control Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Cruise control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Cup holder front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
D Dash panel insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Daylight driving lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
De-icing the windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Deactivating an airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Deactivating an airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Defrosting rear window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Diesel engines Starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Diesel particle filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Direction indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Distance driven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Door Child safety lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Driving economically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
E EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Electrically adjustable exterior mirror . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Electric sliding/tilting roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Electronic Differential Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Electronic immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Electronic stability programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Electronic stability programme (ESP) Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Emergency wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Engine starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
switching off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Engine compartment Safety information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Engine electronics Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
replenishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Engine oil level Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Engine revolutions counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Environmental compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162, 165
ESP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Exhaust gas Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Exhaust gas inspection Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Exterior mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Exterior mirror heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
F
First-aid box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Fixing net Estate car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Octavia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Indicator light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Fog lights with the function CORNER . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Foldable luggage compartment cover . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Front airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Front armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Diesel fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Saving energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Fuel reserve Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Full wheel trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
G
Gearbox mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
General view Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Glass roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Glow plug system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
GSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116, 122 240
Index