2011 SKODA OCTAVIA warning light

Heating and air conditioning system
Introduction
Description and information The heating effect is dependent upon the coolant temperature, thus full heat out-
put only occurs when the engine has reached its operating temperature.
If the cooling system is switched on, the temperature and air humidity drops in
the vehicle. The well-being of the occupants of the car is enhanced as a result of
this particularly at high outside temperatures and a high air humidity. The system
prevents the windows misting up during the cold season of the year.
It is possible to briefly activate recirculated air mode in order to enhance the cool-
ing effect - air-conditioning system ⇒ page 90
, Climatronic ⇒ page 93.
The air inlet in front of the windscreen must be free of ice, snow or leaves in order
to ensure that the heating and cooling systems operate properly.
After switching on the cooling Condensation from the evaporator of the air condi-
tioning may drip down and form a puddle below the vehicle. This is quite normal
and not an indication of a leak! WARNING
● For your own safety and that of other road users, ensure that all the win-
dows are free of ice, snow and misting. Please familiarize yourself about how
to correctly operate the heating and ventilation systems, how to demist and
defrost the windows, as well as with the cooling mode.
● You should not leave recirculated air mode on over a longer period of time,
as

“stale” air may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, divert your at-
tention and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident
increases. Switch recirculated air mode off as soon as the windows begin
misting up. Note
● The used air streams out through the air removal openings in the luggage
compartment.
● We recommend that you do not smoke in the vehicle when the recirculating air
mode is operating since the smoke which is drawn at the evaporator from the in-
terior of the vehicle forms deposits in the evaporator of the air conditioning sys- tem. This produces a permanent odour when the air conditioning system is oper-
ating which can only be eliminated through considerable effort and expense (re-
placement of compressor).
● Please refer to the information regarding the recirculated air mode for heating
⇒

  page 88 and/or for air-conditioning system ⇒ page 90 or Climatronic
⇒  page 93.
● To ensure the heating system, air conditioning system or Climatronic work per-
fectly, the air outlet vents must not be covered by any objects. 
Using the air conditioning system economically The compressor on the air conditioning system uses power from the engine when
in cooling mode which will effect the fuel consumption.
It recommended to open the windows or the doors of a vehicle for which the inte-
rior has been strongly heated through the effect of direct sunlight in order to al-
low the heated air to escape.
The cooling system should not be switched on while travelling when the window
is open.
The desired interior temperature can also be achieved without switching in the
cooling system just by switching to fresh air mode. For the sake of the environment
When you economize on fuel, you also reduce pollutant emissions. 
Operational problems If the cooling system does not operate at outside temperatures higher than +5 °C,
there is a problem in the system. The reasons for this may be:
●
The fuse on the air conditioning system has blown. Check the fuse, replace it if
necessary ⇒ page 211.
● The cooling system has switched off automatically for a short time because
the coolant temperature of the engine is too hot ⇒ page 11.
If you are not able to rectify the operational problem yourself, or if the cooling ca-
pacity decreases, switch the cooling system off. Contact a specialist garage.  85
Heating and air conditioning system Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Set-up Setting of the control dial
Button
1 Air outlet vents 3
A B C
Defrosting the windscreen and side
windows To the right up to the
stop 3
 Do not switch on Open and align with the side win-
dowFree windscreen and side windows
from mist
Desired temperature 2 or 3

  Do not switch on Open and align with the side win-
dowThe fastest heating To the right up to the
stop 3
 Briefly switched on Opening
Comfortable heating Desired temperature 2 or 3
   Do not switch on Opening
Fresh air mode - ventilation To the left up to the
stop Desired position
 Do not switch on Opening
Note
● Controls A ,
B ,
C and the button
1 ⇒ fig. 93
.
● Air outlet vents 3 ⇒ fig. 91.
● We recommend that you leave the air outlet vents 4 ⇒ fig. 91 in the opened
position. 
Recirculated air mode In recirculated air mode air is sucked out of the interior of the vehi-
cle and then fed back into the interior.
Recirculated air mode prevents polluted air outside the vehicle from getting into
the vehicle, for example when driving through a tunnel or when standing in a traf-
fic jam.
Switching recirculated air mode on
– Press the button  - the warning light lights up in the button
⇒ fig. 93 .
Switching recirculated air mode off
– Press again the button  - the warning light in the button goes out.
The recirculated air mode is switched off automatically if the air distribution con-
trol C is in position
 ⇒  fig. 93. You can also switch recirculated air mode on
again from this setting by repeatedly pressing pushbutton  . WARNING
You should not leave recirculated air mode on over a longer period of time, as
“stale
” air may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, divert your atten-
tion and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident in-
creases. Switch recirculated air mode off as soon as the windows begin mist-
ing up. 
Air conditioning system (manual air conditioning
system) Description The air conditioning system is a combined cooling and heating sys-
tem. It makes it possible to optimally control the air temperature at
any season of the year.
Description of the air conditioning system
It is important for your safety and for your driving comfort that the air conditioning
system is operating properly. £88
Heating and air conditioning system

The cooling only operates if button
AC ⇒ 
fig. 94 1 is pressed, and the following
conditions are met:
● engine running,
● outside temperature above approx. +2 °C and
● blower switch switched on (positions 1 to 4).
Air at a temperature of about 5 °C may flow out of the vents under certain circum-
stances when the cooling system is operating. Lengthy and uneven distribution of
the air flow out of the vents and large differences in temperature, for example
when getting out of the vehicle, can result in chills in sensitive persons. Note
● We recommend that you have the air conditioning system cleaned by a spe-
cialist garage once every year. 
Using the system Fig. 94 The air conditioning system: Control elements
Setting temperature
–
Turn the control dial A
⇒
 fig. 94 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 
4 - recirculated
air mode ⇒

 page 90.
Control for air distribution
– You can adjust the direction of the inlet air flow ⇒
 page 86 using air distribu-
tion regulator C .
switching cooling on and off
– Press the button AC
1 ⇒
 
fig. 94 . The warning light lights up in the button.
– When you again press the switch AC , the cooling system is switched off. The
warning light in the button goes out.
Rear window heater
– Press button 
2 . Further information
⇒
 page 52, Rear window heater.
Auxiliary heating (parking heating)
– Press the button 
3 in order to directly switch on/off the auxiliary heating
(auxiliary heating and ventilation. Further information ⇒ page 94

, Auxiliary
heating (auxiliary heating and ventilation). Note
● The whole heat output will be needed to defrost the windscreen and side win-
dows. No warm air will be fed to the footwell. This can lead to restriction of the
heating comfort.
● The warning light AC lights after activation, even if not all of the conditions for
the function of the cooling system have been met. As a result, the readiness for
cooling is signalled when all conditions are satisfied ⇒

 page 88, Description of the
air conditioning system.  89
Heating and air conditioning system Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Setting air conditioning system
Recommended basic settings of the control elements of the air conditioning sys-
tem for the respective operating modes: Set-up Setting of the control dial Button
Air outlet vents 3
A B C 1 4
Defrost windscreen and side
windows - free from mist
a) Desired tempera-
ture 3 or 4
 Is activated auto-
matically b) Do not switch on Open and align with the side
windowThe fastest heating To the right up to
the stop 3
 Switched off Briefly switched on Opening
Comfortable heating Desired tempera-
ture 2 or 3
   Switched off Do not switch on Opening
The fastest cooling To the left up to
the stop briefly 4, then
2 or 3  Activated Briefly switched on Opening
Optimal cooling Desired tempera-
ture 1, 2 or 3
 Activated Do not switch on Open and align to the roof
Fresh air mode - ventilation To the left up to
the stop Desired position
 Switched off Do not switch on Opening
a)
In countries with high humidity, we recommend you do not use this setting. This can result in heavy cooling of the window glass and the following fogging from outside.
b) The warning light in the 1 button lights after activation, even if not all of the conditions for the function of the cooling system have been met. As a result, the readiness for cooling is signalled when all conditions
are satisfied ⇒ page 88
, Description of the air conditioning system. Note
● Controls A ,
B ,
C and the
1 button and
4 ⇒
 
fig. 94 .
● Air outlet vents 3 ⇒ fig. 91.
● We recommend that you leave the air outlet vents 4 ⇒ fig. 91 in the opened
position. 
Recirculated air mode In recirculated air mode air is sucked out of the interior of the vehi-
cle and then fed back into the interior.
Recirculated air mode prevents polluted air outside the vehicle from getting into
the vehicle, for example when driving through a tunnel or when standing in a traf-
fic jam. Switching recirculated air mode on
– Press the button 
4 ⇒ fig. 94
the warning light lights up in the button.
Switching recirculated air mode off
– Press again the button  - the warning light in the button goes out.
The recirculated air mode is switched off automatically if the air distribution con-
trol C is in position  ⇒

 fig. 94 . You can also switch recirculated air mode on
again from this setting by repeatedly pressing pushbutton  .
£90
Heating and air conditioning system

WARNING
You should not leave recirculated air mode on over a longer period of time, as
“stale ” air may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, divert your atten-
tion and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident in-
creases. Switch recirculated air mode off as soon as the windows begin mist-
ing up. 
Climatronic (automatic air conditioning) Description The Climatronic system is an automatic heating, fresh air and cool-
ing system which provides optimal comfort for the occupants of the
car.
The Climatronic maintains fully automatically a convenience temperature. This is
achieved by automatically varying the temperature of the outflowing air, the
blower stages and the air distribution. The system also takes into account sun-
light which eliminates the need to alter the settings manually. The automatic
mode
⇒

 page 92 ensures maximum well-being of the occupants at all times of
the year.
Description of Climatronic system
The cooling operates only if the following conditions are met:
● engine running,
● outside temperature above approx. +2 °C,
● AC switched on.
The AC compressor is switched off at a high coolant temperature in order to pro-
vide cooling at a high load of the engine.
Recommended setting for all periods of the year:
● Set the desired temperature, we recommend 22 °C.
● Press the button AUTO
⇒  fig. 95 .
● Move the air outlet vents 3 and 4 so that the air flow is directed slightly up-
wards. Note
● We recommend that you have Climatronic cleaned by a specialist garage once
every year.
● On vehicles equipped with a factory-fitted radio or radio navigation system,
the information of the Climatronic is also shown on the display. This function can
be switched off, see operating instructions of the radio or the radio navigation
system. 
Overview of the control elements The controls enable a separate setting of the temperature for the
left and right side.
Fig. 95 Climatronic: Control elements
The buttons
Defrost windscreen intensively  Air flow to the windows
 Air flow to head
 Air flow in the footwell
 Recirculated air mode
 with air quality sensor
Rear window heater  £
1 2
3
4
5
6 91
Heating and air conditioning system Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Buttons/control dial
Setting of the temperature for the left side, operation of the seat heating of
the left front seat
Automatic mode AUTOSwitching off Climatronic
OFFSetting the blower speed
Button for direct switching on/off of auxiliary heater (parking heater)
Switching on/off of the temperature setting in dual mode DUALSwitching cooling on and off
ACSetting of the temperature for the right side, operation of the seat heating of
the right front seat Note
Below the top row of buttons is located the interior temperature sensor. Do not
glue or cover over the sensor, otherwise it could have an unfavourable effect on
the Climatronic. 
Automatic mode The automatic mode is used in order to maintain a constant tem-
perature and to demist the windows in the interior of the car.
Switching automatic mode on
– Set a temperature between +18 ℃ and +26 ℃.
– Move the air outlet vents 3 and 4 ⇒  fig. 91 so that the air flow is directed
slightly upwards.
– Press the button AUTO . In the right or left top corner a warning light lights up,
depending on which unit was last selected.
If the warning light in the top right corner of the button AUTO lights up, the Clima-
tronic operates in

“HIGH” mode. The “HIGH” mode is the standard setting of the
Climatronic.
When pressing again the button AUTO , the Climatronic changes into the “LOW”
mode and the warning light in the top left corner lights up. The Climatronic uses
only in this mode the lower blower speed. However taking into account the noise
level, this is more comfortable, yet be aware that the effectiveness of the air con-
ditioning system is reduced particularly if the vehicle is fully occupied.
By pressing again the button AUTO , you change into the “HIGH” mode.
7 8
9
10
11
12
13
14 The automatic mode is switched off by pressing the button for the air distribution
or increasing or decreasing the blower speed. The temperature is nevertheless
regulated.

switching cooling on and off switching cooling on and off
–
Press the button AC ⇒
 
fig. 95 . The warning light lights up in the button.
– When you again press the switch AC , the cooling system is switched off. The
warning light in the button goes out. Only the function of the ventilation re-
mains active when no lower temperature than the outside temperature can be
reached. 
Setting temperature You can separate the interior temperature for the left and right side separately.
–
You can set the temperature for both sides after switching on the ignition
with the control dial 7
⇒  fig. 95 .
– If you wish to set the temperature for the right side, turn the control dial 14 .
The warning light in the button DUAL lights up, this indicates that differing
temperatures for the left and right side can be set.
If the warning light in the button DUAL lights up, the temperature for both sides
cannot be set with the control dial 7 . You can reinitiate this function by pressing
the button DUAL . The warning light in the button which indicates the possibility to
set differing temperatures for the left and right side, goes out.
You can set the interior temperature between +18 °C and +26 ℃. The interior tem-
perature is regulated automatically within this range. If you chose a temperature
lower than +18 °C, a blue symbol lights up at the start of the numerical scale. If you
chose a temperature higher than +26 °C, a red symbol lights up at the end of the
numerical scale. In both limit positions the Climatronic operates at maximum cool-
ing or heating capacity, respectively. The temperature is not controlled in this
case.
Lengthy and uneven distribution of the air flow out of the vents (in particular at
the leg area) and large differences in temperature, for example when getting out
of the vehicle, can result in chills in sensitive persons. 92
Heating and air conditioning system

Recirculated air mode
In recirculated air mode air is sucked out of the interior of the vehi-
cle and then fed back into the interior. When the automatic air dis-
tribution control is switched on, an air quality sensor measures the
concentration of pollutants in the drawn in air.
Recirculated air mode prevents polluted air outside the vehicle from getting into
the vehicle, for example when driving through a tunnel or when standing in a traf-
fic jam. If a considerable increase in concentration of pollutants is recognized by
the air quality sensor, when the automatic air distribution control is switched on,
the air distribution control will temporarily be switched off. If the concentration of
pollutants decreases to the normal level, the air distribution control is automati-
cally switched off so that fresh air can be guided into the vehicle interior.
Switching recirculated air mode on
– Press the button repeatedly  until the warning light on the left side of the
button lights up.
Switch on automatic air distribution control
– Press the button repeatedly  until the warning light on the right side of the
button lights up.
Switch off automatic air distribution control temporarily
– If the air quality sensor does not switch on the air distribution control auto-
matically when there is a nauseating smell, you can switch it on yourself by
pressing the button  . The warning light lights up in the button on the left
side.
Switching recirculated air mode off
– Press the button AUTO or press the button
 repetitively, until the warning
lights in the button go out. WARNING
You should not leave recirculated air mode on over a longer period of time, as
“stale ” air may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, divert your atten-
tion and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident in-
creases. Switch recirculated air mode off as soon as the windows begin mist-
ing up. Note
● If the windscreen mists up, press the button 
1 ⇒
 
fig. 95 . After the wind-
screen has been demisted, press the button AUTO .
● The automatic air distribution control operates only if the outside temperature
is higher than approx. 2 °C. 
Controlling blower There are a total of seven blower stages available.
The Climatronic system controls the blower stages automatically in line with the
interior temperature. You can also, however, adapt the blower stages manually to
suit your particular needs.
–
Press again the button  on the left side (reduce blower speed) or on the
right side (increase blower speed).
If you switch off the blower, the Climatronic is switched off.
The set blower speed is displayed above the button  when the respective num-
ber of warning lights come on. WARNING
● “Stale air
” may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, reduce atten-
tion levels and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an acci-
dent increases.
● Do not switch the Climatronic system off for longer than necessary.
● Switch the Climatronic system on as soon as the windows mist up. 
Defrosting windscreen Defrosting windscreen - switching on
– Press the button 
⇒  fig. 95 .
Defrosting windscreen - switching off
– Once again press the button  or the button
AUTO .
The temperature control is controlled automatically. More air flows out of the air
outlet vents 1.  93
Heating and air conditioning system Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Direct switching on/off
Fig. 96 Button for direct switching on/
off of the auxiliary heating (auxiliary
heating and ventilation) on the operat-
ing part of the air conditioning system
The auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and ventilation) can be switched on or off
directly with the  button on the air conditioning system, Climatronic- or heating
⇒  fig. 96 .
If the auxiliary heating and ventilation is not switched off earlier, it switches off
automatically after the expiration of the set operating period, in the menu Run-
ning time. 
Using the system So that the auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and ventilation)
functions according to your expectations, it is necessary to carry
out the basic setting before its programming.
Basic setting
– On the information display, select in the Main menu the menu point Aux. heat-
ing.
– In the menu Aux. heating select the menu point Day of the wk. and set to-
day's date.
– By selecting the menu point Back, you will reach one level higher in the menu
Aux. Heating.
– In the menu Aux.
heating select the menu point Running time and set the de-
sired operating time in steps of 5 minutes. The running time can be 10 to 60
minutes.
– By selecting the menu point Back, you will reach in the menu Aux. heating.
– In the menu Aux.
heating select the menu point Mode. –
In the menu Mode select the desired mode Heating or Ventilation . 
Programming For the programming of the auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and ventilation) in
the menu Aux. heating there are three pre-set times:
● Starting time 1
● Starting time 2
● Starting time 3
In each pre-set time, the day and the time (hour and minute) can be set for
switching on the auxiliary heating and/or ventilation.
An empty position can be found between Sunday and Monday when selecting the
day. If this empty position is selected, the activation is performed without taking
into account the day.
If you leave the pre-set menu by selecting the menu Back or do not make changes
on the display for longer than 10 seconds, the set values are stored, but the pre-
set time is not active.
Both other pre-set times can be programmed and stored in the same way.
Only one programmed pre-set time can be active.
The last programmed pre-set time remains active.
After the auxiliary heating activates at the set time, it is necessary to pre-set a
time again.
Changing the active pre-set time is carried out after selecting the menu point Ac-
tivate in the menu Aux.

heating by selecting a pre-set time.
The prerequisite for the correct switching on of the auxiliary heating (auxiliary
heating and ventilation) according to the programmed pre-set time is the correct
setting of the current time and the weekday ⇒ page 95.
If the system is running, a warning light in the button for direct switching on/off
of the auxiliary heating  lights up.
The running system deactivates after expiration of the operating period or is de-
activated earlier by pressing the button for direct switching on/off of the auxiliary
heating 
⇒
 page 95.
A random pre-set time can be deactivated by selecting the menu point Deactivate
in the menu Activate. £ 95
Heating and air conditioning system Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data