2011 SKODA OCTAVIA brake fluid

Head airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Deactivating an airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Transporting children safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
What you should know about transporting children! . 147
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Attaching a child seat using the “ISOFIX” system . . . . 152
Attaching child seat using the “Top Tether” system . . 153
Driving Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Intelligent Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Electronic stability programme (ESP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Brake booster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Antilock brake system (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Uphill Start Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Electromechanical power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Tyre pressure monitoring system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Diesel particle filter (diesel engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Driving and the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
The first 1 500 kilometres and afterwards . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Driving in an economical and environmentally
conscious manner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Environmental compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Motoring abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Avoiding damage to your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Driving through bodies of water on roads . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Technical requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
General Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Driving Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 General Maintenance
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the
vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Care of the exterior of vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Care of the interior of vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Biofuel Ethanol E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Inspecting and Replenishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Windshield washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Wheels and Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Accessories, changes and replacement of parts . 197
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Breakdown assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Breakdown assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
First-aid box and Warning triangle (Octavia) . . . . . . . . . 198
First-aid box and warning triangle (Estate car) . . . . . . . 198
Fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Tyre repair kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Towing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Fuses and light bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Electric fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Technical data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Used abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Identification details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Fuel consumption according to the ECE standards and
EU guidelines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine oil specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine 1.2 l/77 kW TSI - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Engine 1.4 l/59 kW - EU4, EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Engine 1.4 l/90 kW TSI - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine 1.6 l/75 kW - EU2, EU4, EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Engine 1.8 l/112 kW TSI - EU5, EU2 DDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine 1.8 l/118 kW TSI - EU5, EU2 DDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine 2.0 l/147 kW TSI - EU5, EU2 DDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Engine 1.6 l/77 kW TDI CR - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine 1.9 l/77 kW TDI PD - EU4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Engine 2.0 l/81 kW TDI CR - EU4, EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Engine 2.0 l/103 kW TDI CR - EU4, EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Engine 2.0 l/125 kW TDI CR - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Multi-purpose vehicles (AF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2394
Table of Contents


Low beam
⇒ page 23
 Rear fog light
⇒ page 23
 Speed regulating system
⇒ page 23
 Failure of the light bulbs
⇒ page 23
 Diesel particle filter (diesel engine)
⇒ page 23
 Airbag system
⇒ page 24
 Control system for exhaust
⇒ page 24
  Electromechanical power steering
⇒ page 24
 Engine oil pressure
⇒ page 25
 EPC fault light (petrol engine)
⇒ page 25
 Glow plug system (diesel engine)
⇒ page 25
 Coolant temperature/coolant level
⇒ page 25
 Traction control system (TCS)
⇒ page 26
 Electronic stability programme (ESP)
⇒ page 26
 Switch off traction control system (TCS)
⇒ page 26
 Selector lever lock
⇒ page 27
 Tyre pressure
⇒ page 27
 Antilock brake system (ABS)
⇒ page 27 
Bonnet
⇒ page 27
 Seat belt warning light
⇒ page 28
 Boot lid
⇒ page 28
 Open door
⇒ page 28
 Fluid level in windshield washer system
⇒ page 28
 Brake system
⇒ page 28
 Handbrake
⇒ page 29
 Generator
⇒ page 29
 Engine oil level
⇒ page 29
 Fuel reserve
⇒ page 29 WARNING
● If you do not pay attention to the warning lights coming on and the corre-
sponding descriptions and warning notes, this may result in severe body inju-
ries or major vehicle damage.
● The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area. There is a risk of
injuries, scalding, accidents and fire when working in the engine compart-
ment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. It is also essential
to observe all warnings ⇒
 page 181, Working in the engine compartment. Note
● The arrangement of the indicator lights depends on the model version. The
symbols shown in the following functional description are to be found as indicator
lights in the instrument cluster.
● Operational faults are shown in the instrument cluster as red symbols (priority
1 - danger) or yellow symbols (priority 2 - warning). 22
Instruments and warning lights

Selector lever lock
If the
green warning light  lights up, operate the brake pedal. This is necessary,
in order to be able to move the selector lever out of the position P or N.
Further information about the selector lever lock ⇒ page 111.
Tyre inflation pressure The warning light
 lights up, if there is a substantial drop in inflation pressure in
one of the tyres. Reduce the speed and check or correct as soon as possible the
inflation pressure in the tyres ⇒
 page 192.
If the warning light flashes, there is a system fault. Visit the nearest specialist ga-
rage and have the fault rectified.
Further information about the tyre pressure monitoring system ⇒ page 159. WARNING
● When the warning light  lights up, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvres. Please stop the vehicle without
delay at the nearest possible stop and inspect the tyres and their inflation
pressures.
● Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved
roads) the warning light  can be delayed or does not light up at all.Note
If the battery has been disconnected, the warning light  comes on after switch-
ing on the ignition. The warning light must go out after driving a short distance. 
Antilock brake system (ABS) The warning light
 shows the functionality of the ABS.
The warning light comes on for a few seconds after the ignition has been switch-
ed on or when starting the engine. The warning light goes out after an automatic
check sequence has been completed. A fault in the ABS
The system is not functioning properly if the ABS warning light
 does not go out
within a few seconds after switching on the ignition, does not light up at all or
lights up while driving. The vehicle will only be braked by the normal brake sys-
tem. Visit a specialist garage immediately and adjust your style of driving appropri-
ately as you will not know how great the damage is.
Further information about ABS ⇒ page 158

, Antilock brake system (ABS).
A fault in the entire brake system
If the ABS warning light  comes on together with the brake system warning
light  (handbrake must be released), there is a fault not only in the ABS but also
in another part of the brake system ⇒  .
WARNING
● If the brake system warning light  comes on together with the ABS
warning light  stop the vehicle immediately and check the brake fluid level
in the reservoir ⇒ page 186, Brake fluid

. If the fluid level has dropped below
the MIN marking, do not drive any further - risk of accident! Contact a Škoda
dealer to obtain professional assistance.
● Pay attention to the following instructions ⇒
 page 181, Working in the en-
gine compartment before checking the brake fluid level and opening the bon-
net.
● If the brake fluid is at the correct level, the ABS control function has failed.
The rear wheels may then block very rapidly when braking. In certain circum-
stances, this can result in the rear end of the car breaking away - risk of skid-
ding! Drive carefully to the nearest specialist garage and have the fault recti-
fied. 
Bonnet  The warning light
 comes on if the bonnet is unlocked. If the engine bonnet un-
locks while driving , the warning light lights up and an audible signal sounds.
The warning light comes on even when the ignition is switched off. The warning
light lights up for a maximum of 5 minutes.
In vehicles with an information display, this warning light is replaced by a vehicle
symbol ⇒ page 18  27
Instruments and warning lights Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Seat belt warning light
The warning light
 comes on after the ignition is switched on as a reminder for
the driver to fasten the seat belt. The warning light only goes out if the driver has
fastened his seat belt.
If the seat belt has not been fastened by the driver, a permanent warning signal
sounds at vehicle speeds greater than 20 km/h and simultaneously the warning
light  flashes.
If the seat belt is not fastened by the driver during the next 90 seconds, the warn-
ing signal is deactivated and the warning light  lights up permanently.
For further information on the seat belts ⇒ page 135, Seat belts. 
Boot lid The warning light
 comes on when the ignition is switched on if the luggage
compartment door is open. If the boot lid opens while driving , the warning light
lights up and an audible signal sounds.
An audible signal sounds as an additional warning signal.
The warning light comes on even when the ignition is switched off. The warning
light lights up for a maximum of 5 minutes.
In vehicles with an information display, this warning light is replaced by a vehicle
symbol ⇒
 page 18 
Open door The warning light
 comes on, if one or several doors are opened. If one of the
doors opens while driving, the warning light lights  up and an audible signal
sounds.
The warning light comes on even when the ignition is switched off. The warning
light lights up for a maximum of 5 minutes.
In vehicles with an information display, this warning light is replaced by a vehicle
symbol ⇒ page 18 Windshield washer fluid level
 The warning light
 comes on when the ignition is switched on if there is insuffi-
cient fluid in the windshield washer system. Top up with liquid ⇒ page 190

.
The following text will be displayed in the information display: Top up wash fluid! (Top up washer fluid) 
Brake system  The warning light
 lights up when the brake fluid level is too low or there is a
fault in the ABS.
if the warning light flashes  and an audible signal sounds three times, stop and
check the brake fluid level ⇒  .
The following text will be displayed in the information display: Brake fluid: Owner's manual Car documentation!
If there is a fault in the ABS which also influences the function of the brake sys-
tem (e.g. distribution of brake pressure), the ABS warning light  comes on and at
the same time the brake system warning light starts flashing . Be aware that
not only the ABS but also another part of th brake system is defective ⇒  .
An audible signal sounds three times as an additional warning signal.
One should get used to high pedal forces, long braking distances and long free
play of the brake pedal when driving to the next specialist garage.
For further information on the brake system ⇒ page 157,

Brakes. WARNING
● Pay attention to the following instructions ⇒
 page 181, Working in the en-
gine compartment before checking the brake fluid level and opening the bon-
net.
● If the brake system warning light  does not go out a few seconds after
switching on the ignition or comes on when driving, stop immediately and
check the brake fluid in the reservoir ⇒

 page 186. If the fluid level has drop-
ped below the MIN marking, do not drive any further - risk of accident! Contact
a Škoda dealer to obtain professional assistance. 28
Instruments and warning lights

Brakes
What has a negative effect on braking efficiency?
Wear-and-tear
Wear-and-tear to the brake pads is greatly dependent on the operating conditions
of the vehicle and your style of driving. Particularly if you drive a great deal in
towns and over short distances or if you adopt a sporty style of driving, it may be
necessary to have the thickness of the brake pads inspected at a specialist garage
between the service inspections.
Wet roads or road salt
There may be a certain delay before the brakes take full effect under certain con-
ditions such as when driving through water, during heavy rain showers or after
the vehicle has been washed in an automatic vehicle wash, since the brake discs
and brake pads may be moist or even have a coating of ice on them in winter. You
should dry the brakes as soon as possible by applying and releasing the brakes
several times.
There also may be a certain delay before the full braking efficiency is available
when driving on roads which have been treated with road salt if you have not
used the brakes for some considerable time beforehand. The layer of salt on the
brake discs and brake pads must first be rubbed off when you apply the brakes.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on the bake pads occur if the vehicle has
been parked for a long period and if you do not make much use of the braking sys-
tem.
We recommend cleaning the brake discs by firmly applying the brakes at a fairly
high speed if you do not make much use of the braking system or if surface corro-
sion is present ⇒  .
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 28, 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.  157
Intelligent Technology Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Working in the engine compartment
Particular care is required when carrying out any work in the en-
gine compartment!
There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and fire when working in the en-
gine compartment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. For this
reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions stated below and
with the general applicable rules of safety. The engine compartment of your car
is a hazardous area ⇒
  .
WARNING
● Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is flowing out of
the engine compartment - risk of scalding! Wait long enough until the steam
or coolant has stopped escaping.
● Switch off the engine and pull out the ignition key.
● Apply the handbrake firmly.
● If your vehicle is fitted with a manual gearbox, move the gearshift lever in-
to Neutral, or if it is fitted with automatic gearbox, move the selector lever in-
to position

P.
● Allow the engine to cool down.
● Keep children clear of the engine compartment.
● Do not touch any hot engine parts - risk of burns!
● Never spill oil and other fluids over the hot engine. Such fluids (e.g. the an-
tifreeze contained in the coolant) may ignite!
● Avoid short circuits in the electrical system - particularly on the battery.
● Never place your hand into the radiator fan as long as the engine is still
warm. The fan might suddenly start running!
● Never open the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir so long as the en-
gine is still warm. The cooling system is pressurized!
● Cover over the cap of the reservoir with a large cloth when opening it as
protection for your face, hands and arms from hot steam or hot coolant.
● Do not let objects, such as e.g cleaning cloth or tools lie in the engine com-
partment. WARNING (Continued)
● If you wish to work under the vehicle, you must secure the vehicle from
rolling away and support it with suitable supporting blocks: the car jack is not
sufficient for this - risk of injury!
● In cases where it be necessary to carry out inspection work when the en-
gine is running there is an additional risk from rotating parts (e.g. the V-ribbed
belt, alternator, radiator fan) and from the high-voltage ignition system.
Please observe in addition the following:
–Never touch the electrical cables of the ignition system.
– Absolutely avoid any jewellery, loose items of clothing or long hair from
getting into the rotating parts of the engine - Hazard! Therefore remove
any jewellery beforehand, tie up your hair and wear tight fitting clothing.
● Please also comply with the warning instructions stated below when car-
rying out any essential work on the fuel system or on the electrical system.
–Always separate the car battery from the electrical system.
– Do not smoke.
– Never carry out any work close to naked flames.
– Always keep a working fire extinguisher at hand. CAUTION
When replenishing fluids in the engine, always ensure that the fluids are on no ac-
count mixed up. This may result in major operating problems and also vehicle
damage!  181
Inspecting and Replenishing Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Overview of the engine compartment
The main inspection points.
Fig. 150 Petrol engine 1.8 ltr./118 kW TSI
Coolant expansion bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Engine oil filler opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Brake fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Battery (below a cover) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187Note
The location of the inspection points in the engine compartment of petrol and die-
sel engines is practically identical. 
1 2
3
4
5
6 Engine oil
Check engine oil level The dipstick indicates the level of oil in the engine.
Fig. 151 Dipstick
Checking the oil level
– Ensure that the vehicle is positioned on a level surface and the engine has
reached its operating temperature.
– Switch the engine off.
– Open the bonnet ⇒  in Working in the engine compartment on page 181.
– Wait a few minutes until the engine oil flows back into the oil sump. Take out
the dipstick.
– Wipe off the dipstick with a clean cloth and insert it again fully.
– Then withdraw the dipstick again and read off the oil level.
Oil level within range A –
You must not top up the oil.
Oil level within range B –
You may top up the oil. It is possible that the oil level may then be within
range A after doing this.
Oil level within range C –
You must top up the oil ⇒  page 183. It is sufficient, once this is done, to keep
the oil level within range B .
£182
Inspecting and Replenishing

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