Wheels and Tyres
Wheels
General information ●
New tyres do not offer optimal grip at first. They should therefore be run in for
about 500 km at a moderate speed and an appropriately cautious style of driving.
You will also profit from longer tyre life.
● The tread depth of new tyres may differ because of design features and the
configuration of the tread (depending on the type of tyre and the manufacturer).
● Drive over curbs on the side of the road and other such obstacles slowly and,
where possible, at a right angle in order to avoid damage to tyres and wheel trims.
● We recommend you Inspect your tyres and rims from time to time for damage
(punctures, cuts, splits and bulges). Remove foreign bodies from the tyre profile.
● Damage to tyres is frequently not visible. Unusual vibrations or pulling of the
vehicle to one side could be a sign of tyre damage. Please reduce your speed im-
mediately and stop if you suspect that a wheel is damaged. Inspect the tyres for
signs of damage (bulges, splits, etc.) If no visible damage is present, please drive
at an appropriately slow speed and carefully to the nearest specialist garage in or-
der to have your vehicle inspected.
● Also protect your tyres from contact with oil, grease and fuel.
● Immediately replace any dust caps of the valves which have got lost.
● Mark wheels before removing them so that their previous direction of running
can be maintained when mounted them again.
● Always store wheels or tyres which been removed in a cool, dry and, where
possible, dark place. Tyres which are not fixed to a wheel trim should be stored
upright.
Unidirectional tyres
The direction of rotation of the tyres is marked by arrows on the wall of the tyre.
This indicates the direction of rotation of the tyre, and it is essential that the tyres
are fitted on to run in this direction. Only then are the tyres able to provide the
optimal properties in terms of grip, low noise, wear-and-tear and aquaplaning.
Further information concerning the use of unidirectional tyres ⇒
page 196. WARNING
● New tyres during the first approximately 500 km do not offer optimal grip
and should therefore be run appropriately - risk of accident!
● Never drive with damaged tyres - risk of accident! Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.
Tyre life Fig. 157 An opened fuel filler flap with a
tyre size and tyre inflation pressure ta-
ble
The life of your tyres very much depends on the following points:
Tyre pressure
The working life of tyres will be shortened considerably if the tyres are insuffi-
ciently or over-inflated and this will have an adverse effect on the handling of
your vehicle.
Correctly inflated tyres are of particular importance when travelling at high
speeds . It is therefore good to check the tyre pressure, including that of the spare
wheel, at least once a month and also before setting off on a long trip.
The tyre inflation pressures for summer tyres are indicated on the inside of the
fuel filler flap ⇒ fig. 157. The inflation pressures for winter tyres are 20
kPa
(0.2 bar) higher than those for summer tyres ⇒ page 195. £192
Wheels and Tyres
The tyre inflation pressure for tyres of the tyre size 205/50 R17, which are inten-
ded to be used with snow chains, is identical to the tyre inflation pressure for
tyres of the tyre size 225/45
R17, see ⇒ fig. 157.
The tyre pressure should be at the highest pressure specified for your vehicle at
all times.
The tyre inflation pressure of the emergency spare wheel R 18 is 420 kPa
(4.2 bar).
Always check the inflation pressure of tyres when cold. Do not reduce the higher
pressure of warm tyres. Adapt the inflation pressure of the tyres accordingly if
your vehicle is carrying a significantly higher payload.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and braking (squealing tyres) increase wear-
and-tear on your tyres.
Balancing wheels
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. There are a wide range of influences
when driving which may result in an imbalance and which makes themselves felt
through vibration in the steering.
You should have the wheels rebalanced since any imbalance increases wear-and-
tear on the steering, the suspension and tyres. A wheel must also be rebalanced
when a new tyre is fitted and each time a tyre is repaired.
Wheel alignment errors
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front and rear will not only increase wear-and-
tear on the tyres but will also has an adverse effect on vehicle safety. Contact
your specialist garage if you notice any unusual tyre wear. WARNING
● If the inflation pressure is too low, the tyre must perform a higher rolling
resistance. At higher speeds the tyre will warm up as a result of this. This can
result in tread separation and even a tyre blowout.
● Immediately replace the damaged rims or tyres.
● Tyres which are 6 years old or more should only be fitted in exceptional ca-
ses and when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving. For the sake of the environment
Tyres which are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption. Wear indicators
Fig. 158 Tyre tread with wear indicators
The base of the tread of the original tyres has wear indicators 1.6 mm high, instal-
led at right angles to the direction of travel. These wear indicators are located at 6
- 8 points depending on the make and are evenly spaced around the circumfer-
ence of the tyre ⇒ fig. 158 . Markings on the walls of the tyres through the letters
“TWI”, triangular symbols or other symbols identify the position of the wear indi-
cators.
A remaining tread of just 1.6 mm, measured in the grooves of the tread next to the
wear indicators, means that your tyres have reached their legally permissible mini-
mum tread depth. WARNING
● You must have your tyres replaced with new ones at the latest when the
wear indicators have been worn down. The legally permissible minimum tread
depth should be observed.
● Worn tyres do not provide the necessary adhesion to the road surface at
high speeds on wet roads. One could experience “
aquaplaning” (uncontrolled
movements of the vehicle - “swimming” on a wet road surface). 193
Wheels and Tyres Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
You can fit winter tyres of a lower speed category to your vehicle provided that
you also do not drive faster than the permissible maximum speed for such tyres,
even if the possible maximum speed of your vehicle is higher. The corresponding
tyre category can damage the tyres when exceeding the permissible maximum
speed.
Please pay attention to the notes if you decide to fit winter tyres
⇒
page 192.
You can also fit so-called “all-year tyres” instead of winter tyres.
Please contact your specialist garage if there are any points which are not clear
who will be able to provide you with information regarding the maximum speed
for your tyres. WARNING
You must on no account drive your car at more than the permissible maximum
speed for your winter tyres - risk of an accident resulting from tyre damage
and loss of control over your car. For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres on again in good time since summer tyres offer you better
grip and handling on roads which are free of snow and ice as well as ar tempera-
tures below 7 °C - the braking distance is shorter, there is less tyre noise, tyre
wear is reduced and fuel consumption is reduced. Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.
Unidirectional tyres The direction of rotation of the tyres is marked by arrows on the wall of the tyre
.
This indicates the direction of rotation of the tyre, and it is essential that the tyres
are fitted on to run in this direction. Only then are the tyres able to provide the
optimal properties in terms of grip, low noise, wear-and-tear and aquaplaning.
Should it be necessary to fit on a spare wheel in exceptional cases with a tyre not
dedicated to the running direction or in opposite running direction, please adopt a
cautious style of driving as the tyre is no longer able to provide optimal grip and
handling in such a situation. This particularly important on wet roads. Pay atten-
tion to the following points ⇒
page 199, Spare wheel.
You should have the defective tyre replaced as soon as possible and restore the
correct direction of rotation on all tyres Snow chains Snow chains must only be mounted on the front wheels.
When driving on wintry roads, snow chains improve not only traction, but also the
braking performance.
For technical reasons, it is only permissible to fit snow chains with the following
wheel/tyre combinations. Wheel size Depth (D) Tyre size
6J x 15
a) 47 mm 195/65
6.5J x 15
a) 50 mm 195/65
6J x 16
a) 50 mm 205/55
6J x 17
b) 45 mm 205/50
a)
Only fit snow chains with links and locks not larger than 15 mm.
b) Only fit snow chains with links and locks not larger than 9 mm.
Remove the full wheel trims before installing the snow chains.
Observe the different national legal regulations relating to the use of snow chains
and the maximum vehicle speed with snow chains. WARNING
Please pay attention to the information in the supplied fitting instructions of
the snow chain manufacturer. CAUTION
You must take the chains off as soon as you drive on roads which are free of
snow. They adversely affect the handling of your vehicle, damage the tyres and
are rapidly destroyed. Note
We recommend that you use snow chains from ŠKODA Original Accessories. 196
Wheels and Tyres
Before removing the spare wheel, you must take out the box with the vehicle tool
kit box ⇒ fig. 162 .
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 192) to
ensure that the spare wheel is always ready to use.
Temporary spare wheel
A warning label displayed on the rim of the temporary spare wheel indicates that
your vehicle is equipped with a temporary spare wheel.
Please observe the following notes when driving with a temporary spare wheel:
● 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. The temporary spare wheel R 18 must have an inflation
pressure of 420
kPa (4.2 bar)!
● Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not in-
tended for continuous use.
● No other summer or winter tyres must be mounted on the rim of the spare
wheel R 18.
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).
– 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 ⇒ page 199
and the spare wheel ⇒ page 199 out of
the luggage compartment. 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 201
or the caps ⇒ page 201.
– In the case of light alloy wheels remove the wheel trim cap ⇒
page 202.
– First of all slacken the safety wheel bolt and afterwards the other wheel bolts
⇒ page 202.
– Jack up the vehicle until the wheel to be changed is clear of the ground
⇒ page 203.
– 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 wheel
wrench (crosswise) and lastly the wheel safety bolt ⇒
page 202.
– Mount the full wheel trim/wheel trim cap or the caps. £200
Breakdown assistance
–
On vehicles fitted with a manual gearbox, move the gearshift lever into Neu-
tral.
– Start the engine and run it in idle.
– Plug the connector 9 into 12 Volt socket ⇒
page 76.
– Switch on the air compressor with the ON and OFF switch 8 .
– Allow the air compressor to run until reaching a pressure of 2.0 - 2.5 bar. Maxi-
mum run time of 8 minutes ⇒ !
– Switch off the air compressor with the ON and OFF switch.
– If you cannot reach an air pressure of 2.0 – 2.5 bar, unscrew the tyre inflation
hose 5 from the tyre valve.
– Drive the vehicle approx. 10 metres forwards or backwards to allow the sealing
agent to distribute in the tyre.
– Screw the tyre inflation hose of the air compressor 5 firmly back onto the
tyre valve and repeat the inflation procedure.
– If you cannot reach the required tyre inflation pressure here either, this means
the tyre has sustained too much damage. You cannot seal with tyre with the
breakdown kit ⇒ .
– Switch off the air compressor with the ON and OFF switch.
– Remove the tyre inflation hose 5 from the tyre valve.
After reaching a tyre inflation pressure of 2.0 – 2.5 bar, drive at a maximum speed
of 80 km/h (50
mph).
Check the tyre inflation pressure after driving 10 minutes ⇒ page 206, Check after
driving for 10 minutes. WARNING
● During inflation, the tyre inflation hose and air compressor may get hot-
risk of injury!
● Do not place hot tyre inflation hoses or hot air compressors on flammable
materials - risk of fire!
● If you cannot inflate the tyre to at least 2.0 bar, this means the damage
sustained was too serious. The sealing agent cannot be used to seal the tyre.
Do not drive the vehicle. Get professional assistance. 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. £206
Breakdown assistance
Jump-starting in vehicles with the “START-STOP” system
Fig. 172 Jump-starting on vehicles with
the START-STOP system
On 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. 172.
Towing 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!
Vehicles with four-wheel drive can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope or
with the front wheels raised.
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.
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.
When using a tow rope, always 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 206, 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 209
, Front towing eye and ⇒ page 210, Rear towing eye. £208
Breakdown assistance
Removing fuse cover
–
Move the circlips A ⇒
fig. 177 as far as the stop, the symbol appears behind
the circlip and remove the cover.
Installing fuse cover
– Position the fuse cover on the fuse box and push the circlips A as far as the
stop - the symbol is visible behind the circlip. CAUTION
● When unlocking and locking the fuse cover, it must be pressed on the sides to
the box, otherwise damage can occur to the locking mechanism.
● Carefully position the fuse cover in the engine compartment. If the cover was
not correctly positioned, water can get into the fuses and this results in a damage
to the vehicle!
Fuse assignment in engine compartment Fig. 178 Schematic representation of
fuse carrier in engine compartment
Certain electrical components are only standard on certain vehicle model versions
or only available as optional equipment for certain models. No. Power consumer
F1 Not assigned
F2 Control unit for automatic gearbox DQ 200
F3 Measuring circuit
F4 Valves for ABS
F5 Control unit for automatic gearbox
F6 Instrument cluster, windshield wiper lever and turn signal light lever
F7 Power supply terminal 15, Starter No. Power consumer
F8 Radio
F9 Not assigned
F10 Engine control unit, Main relay
F11 Control unit for auxiliary heating
F12 Control unit for CAN databus
F13 Engine control unit
F14 Ignition
F15 Lambda probe
glow plug system relay
F16 Central control unit, right main headlight, right rear light unit
F17 Horn
F18 Amplifier for digital sound processor
F19 Front window wiper
F20 Water pump
valve for fuel dosing
F21 Lambda probe
F22 Clutch pedal switch, brake pedal switch
F23 Secondary air pump
Air mass meter
Fuel high pressure pump
F24 Activated charcoal filter, exhaust gas recirculation valve
F25 Pump for ABS
F26 Central control unit, left main headlight, left rear light unit
F27 Secondary air pump
Glow plug system
F28 Not assigned
F29 Power supply terminal 30
F30 Terminal X
a) a)
In order not to drain the battery unnecessarily when starting the engine, the electrical components
of this terminal are automatically switched off. 212
Fuses and light bulbs
Fuse assignment in the dash panel
Fig. 179 Schematic representation of
the fuse carrier in the dash panel
Certain electrical components are only standard on certain vehicle model versions
or only available as optional equipment for certain models. No. Power consumer
1 Diagnostic socket, Engine control unit, Electrical fuel pump
2 Control unit for ABS, ESP
3 Airbag
4 Heating, Air conditioning system, Reversing lights
5 Control unit for headlamp beam adjustment
6 Instrument cluster, control unit for automatic gearbox, control unit for
electromechanical power steering, parking aid, Haldex coupling 7 Not assigned
8 Not assigned
9 Not assigned
10 Not assigned
11 Not assigned
12 Central locking control unit
13 Diagnostic socket, Light switch
14 Control unit for automatic gearbox, Selector lever lock
15 Central control unit - interior lights
16 Climatronic
17 Not assigned
18 Rear window wiper
19 Control unit for trailer detection No. Power consumer
20 Not assigned
21 Cornering lights for the left and right side
22 Air blower for Climatronic
23 Front power window
24 Cigarette lighter
25 Rear window heater
Rear window heater, Auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and ventila-
tion)
26 Power socket in the luggage compartment
27 Fuel pump relay, Injection valves (diesel engine)
28 Radio
29 Engine control unit, Crankcase ventilation heater
30 Control unit for automatic gearbox
31 Vacuum pump
32 Rear power window
33 Electric sliding/tilting roof
34 Control unit for convenience functions
35 Anti-theft alarm system
36 Headlight cleaning system
37 Front seat heating
38 Heated rear seats
39 Instrument cluster, windshield wiper lever and turn signal light lever
40 Air blower for heating and air conditioning
41 Not assigned
42 Not assigned
43 Towing device
44 Towing device
45 Towing device
46 Seat heaters
47 Relay for auxiliary heating
48 Phone
49 Light switch
£ 213
Fuses and light bulbs Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data