2011 SKODA OCTAVIA seat adjustment

Using the system
Cockpit Overview This overview will help you to quickly familiarise yourself with the
displays and the control elements.
Power windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Electric exterior mirror adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Air outlet vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Lever for the multi-functional switch:
– Turn signal light, headlight and parking light, headlight flasher . .50
– Speed regulating system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Steering wheel:
– with horn
– with driver airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
– with controls for radio, radio navigation system and phone . . . . . .114
Instrument cluster: Instruments and indicator lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Lever for the multi-functional switch:
– Multi-functional indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
– Windshield wiper and wash system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Control dial for heating on the driver's seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Air outlet vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Switch for hazard warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Storage compartment on the dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Depending on equipment fitted:
– Radio
– Radio navigation system
Control dial for heating on the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
66
Storage compartment on the front passenger side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Switch for the front passenger airbag (in front passenger storage
compartment) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Front passenger airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Fuse box (on side of dash panel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
1 2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17 Light switch
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Control dial for the instrument lighting and control dial for the
headlight beam range regulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48, 49
Release lever engine compartment lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Storage compartment on the driver's side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Lever for adjusting the steering wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Depending on equipment fitted:
– Operating controls for the heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
– Operating controls for the air conditioning system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
– Operating controls for Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
TCS switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Front and rear parking aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Depending on equipment fitted:
– Gearshift lever (manual gearbox) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
– Selector lever (automatic gearbox) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Tyre pressure monitoring system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Depending on equipment fitted:
– Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
– Storage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Indicator light for a switched off front seat passenger airbag . . . . . . .146 Note
● Vehicles with a factory-fitted radio or radio navigation system are supplied
with separate instructions for operating such equipment.
● The arrangement of the controls and switches and the location of some items
on right-hand drive models may differ from that shown in ⇒
 fig. 1. The symbols on
the controls and switches are the same as for left-hand drive models.  18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30 9
Cockpit Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Headlamp range adjustment 
Once the low beam is switched on you can then adapt the range of
the headlights to the load of the vehicle. Fig. 28 Dash panel: Lights and Visibility
– Turn the control dial ⇒  fig. 28 until you have adjusted the low beam so that
oncoming traffic is not dazzled.
Settings
The positions correspond approximately to the following vehicle loads: Front seats occupied, luggage compartment empty.
All seats occupied, luggage compartment empty.
All seats occupied, luggage compartment laden.
Driver seat occupied, luggage compartment laden. CAUTION
Headlamp range adjustment should always be adjusted in a way that:
● it does not dazzle other road users, especially oncoming traffic,
● and the range is sufficient for safe driving. Note
Headlights fitted with Xenon bulbs adapt automatically to the load and driving
state of the vehicle (e.g. accelerating, braking) when the ignition is switched on
and when driving. Vehicles which are equipped with Xenon bulbs do not have a
manual headlight range adjustment control. 
- 1
2
3 Switch for hazard warning lights
 Fig. 29 Dash panel: Switch for hazard
warning lights
– Press switch  ⇒  fig. 29 to switch the hazard warning light system on or off.
All the turn signal lights on the vehicle flash at the same time when the hazard
warning light system is switched on. The indicator light for the turn signals and
the indicator light in the switch also flash at the same time. You can also switch
on the hazard warning light system if the ignition is switched off.
The hazard warning light system is switched on automatically if an airbag is de-
ployed in the event of an accident.
Please comply with any legal requirements when using the hazard warning light
system. Note
Switch on the hazard warning light system if, for example:
● you encounter traffic congestion;
● your vehicle breaks down or an emergency situation occurs.  49
Lights and Visibility Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Heating of the external mirror
–
Turn the rotary knob to position  ⇒  fig. 41.
The exterior mirror heater only operates when the engine is running and up to an
outside temperature of +20 °C.
Adjusting left and right exterior mirrors simultaneously
– Turn the rotary knob to position . The movement of the mirror surface is iden-
tical to the movement of the rotary knob.
The adjustment of both mirrors simultaneously or each individual mirror is possi-
ble in the Information display ⇒

 page 19 in the menu point Mirror adjust. (Mirror
adjust.).
Adjusting the right-hand exterior mirror
– Turn the rotary knob to position . The movement of the mirror surface is iden-
tical to the movement of the rotary knob.
Switching off operating control
– Turn the rotary knob to position .
Folding in both exterior mirrors
– Turn the rotary knob to position .
Fold in the exterior mirrors using the remote control key
– If all the windows are closed, press the unlock button 3 on the radio remote
control ⇒ fig. 18 for approx. 2 seconds.
Tilting surface of front passenger exterior mirror
On vehicles fitted with a memory for the driver seat, the surface of the mirror tilts
down slightly when the rear gear is engaged and the rotary knob is in the posi-
tion  ⇒  fig. 41 . This provides an aid in seeing the kerb of the pavement when park-
ing the car.
The mirror returns into its initial position, after the rotary knob is moved out of the
position  and put into another position or if the speed is more than 15 km/h.
Memory for exterior mirrors
On vehicles fitted with a memory for the driver seat, the relevant setting of the
exterior mirror is also stored automatically when the seat position is stored
⇒  page 61. WARNING
● Convex (curved outward) or a spherical exterior mirrors increase the vision
field. They do, however, make objects appear smaller in the mirror. These mir-
rors are only of limited use, therefore, for estimating distances to the follow-
ing vehicles.
● Use whenever possible the interior rear mirror, for estimating the distan-
ces to the following vehicles. Note
● If the exterior mirrors are folded in using the remote control of the vehicle key,
these are folded back into the driving position after opening the door or switching
on the ignition.
● If the exterior mirrors are folded in using the rotary knob ⇒
 fig. 41, they can on-
ly be folded back into the driving position using the rotary knob.
● If the exterior mirrors were folded in using the remote control of the vehicle
key and if the rotary knob was in the fold-in position before switching on the igni-
tion, the mirrors remain in the fold-in position the next time the ignition is switch-
ed on. Folding back into the driving position is performed by actuating the rotary
knob in a different position from the fold-in position.
● Do not touch the surfaces of the exterior mirrors if the exterior mirror heater is
switched on.
● You can set the exterior mirrors by hand, if the power setting function fails at
any time, by pressing on the edge of the mirror surface.
● Contact your specialist garage if a fault exists with the power setting of the
exterior mirrors. 
Automatic dimming exterior mirror on the driver's side The exterior mirror on the driver's side is dimmed together with the interior mirror.
If the automatic dimming is switched on, the mirror dims automatically depending
on the light striking the mirror from the rear.
After the reverse gear is engaged, the mirror always moves back into the normal
(not dimmed) position. £58
Lights and Visibility

Seats and Stowage
Front seats
Basic information The front seats have a wide range of different settings and can thus be matched
to the physical characteristics of the driver and front passenger.
Correct adjustment of the seats is particularly important for:
● safely and quickly reaching the controls,
● a relaxed, fatigue-free body position,
● achieving the maximum protection offered by the seat belts and the airbag
system. WARNING
● Never transport more occupants than the maximum seating in the vehicle.
● Each occupant must correctly fasten the seat belt belonging to the seat.
Children must be fastened ⇒
 page 147, Transporting children safely with a
suitable restraint system.
● The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted to match
the body size of the seat occupant as well as the seat belts must always be
correctly fastened in order to provide an optimal protection for you and your
occupants.
● Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven - never
place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the surfaces
of the seats. This is particularly important for the front seat passenger. You
will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes necessary to apply the
brake or in the event of an accident. If an airbag is deployed, you may suffer
fatal injuries when adopting an incorrect seated position!
● It is important for the driver and front passenger to maintain a distance of
at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel. Not maintaining this
minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to proper-
ly protect you - hazard! The front seats and the head restraints must always
also be correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occupant. WARNING (Continued)
● Ensure that there are no objects in the footwell as any objects may get be-
hind the pedals during a driving or braking manoeuvre. You would then no
longer be able to operate the clutch, to brake or accelerate.
● Do not transport any objects on the front passenger seat except objects
(e.g. child safety seat) provided for this purpose - risk of accident! 
Adjusting the front seats Fig. 42 Controls at seat
Adjusting a seat in a forward/back direction
– Pull the lever 1
⇒
 fig. 42 up and push the seat into the desired position.
– Release the lever 1 and push the seat further until the lock is heard to en-
gage.
Adjusting height of seat
– Lift the seat if required by pulling or pumping lever 2 upwards.
– Lower the seat if required by pushing or pumping lever 2 downwards.
Adjust the angle of the seat backrest
– Relieve any pressure on the seat backrest (do not lean on it) and turn the
handwheel 3 to adjust the angle of the backrest.
Adjusting lumbar support
– Turn the wheel 4 until you have set the most comfortable curvature of the
seat upholstery in the area of your spine. £60
Seats and Stowage

The driver's seat should be adjusted in such a way that the pedals can be fully
pressed to the floor with slightly bent legs.
The seat backrest on the driver's seat should be adjusted in such a way that the
upper point of the steering wheel can be easily reached with slightly bent arms.
WARNING
● Only adjust the driver seat when the vehicle is stationary - risk of injury!
● Take care when adjusting the seat! Adjusting the seat without care can
lead to bruises or injuries.
● The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving other-
wise this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag sys-
tem - risk of injury! 
Adjusting front seats electrically
Adjusting seats Fig. 43 Side view: Controls for adjusting the seat/seat setting switch
Adopt the correct seated position before setting ⇒ page 60
.
Adjusting a seat in a forward/back direction
– Press the switch A
⇒
 fig. 43 forwards or backwards 1 .
Set the height of the seat cushion
– Press the switch A upwards or downwards. Adjust the angle of the seat cushion
–
Press the switch A at the front in the direction of arrow
2 or at the back in
the direction of arrow 3 .
Adjusting the seat backrest
– Press the switch B in the direction of the desired setting.
Adjusting lumbar support
– Press the switch C at the front in order to enlarge the curvature of the lum-
bar support.
– Press the switch C rear in order to reduce the curvature of the lumbar sup-
port.
– Press the switch C top in order to adjust the curvature of the lumbar support
higher.
– Press the switch C bottom in order to adjust the curvature of the lumbar sup-
port lower.
Switch A is operated in order to move the seat up/down and forward/back, while
switch B is operated in order to move the seat backrest forward or back.
WARNING
● Only adjust the driver seat when the vehicle is stationary - risk of injury!
● Caution when adjusting the seat! You may suffer injuries or bruises as a re-
sult of adjusting the seat without paying proper attention.
● In view of the fact that the seats can also be adjusted when the ignition is
switched off (even when ignition key withdrawn), you should never leave chil-
dren unattended in the car.
● The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving other-
wise this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag sys-
tem - risk of injury! Note
If the movement of the seat is inadvertently interrupted during an adjustment,
once again press the switch in the appropriate direction and continue with the ad-
justment of the seat to the end.  61
Seats and Stowage Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

●
Ensure that no objects can obstruct the pedal.
● Adjust the mirror, the front seat and the head restraint to match your body
size.
● Point out to your occupants that the head restraints must be adjusted to
match their body size.
● Protect the children in suitable child seats with correctly fastened seat belts
⇒ page 147, Transporting children safely.
● Adopt the correct seated position ⇒
 page 132, Correct seated position. Also
inform your occupants to adopt the correct seated position.
● Fasten the seat belt correctly. Also inform your occupants to properly fasten
the seat belts ⇒

 page 137, How are seat belts correctly fastened?. 
What influences the driving safety? The driving safety is primarily determined by the style of driving
and the personal behaviour of all the occupants.
The driver is fully responsible for himself and his occupants. If your driving safety
is effected, you place yourself and the oncoming traffic at risk.
Please refer to the following guidelines.
● Do not get distracted from concentrating on the traffic situation, e.g. by your
occupants or mobile phone calls.
● Never drive when your driving ability is impaired, e.g. through medication, alco-
hol, drugs.
● Keep to the traffic regulations and the permissible speed limit.
● Adjust the driving speed at all times to the road condition as well as to the
traffic and weather conditions.
● Take regular breaks on long journeys - at the latest every two hours. Correct seated position
Correct seated position for the driver Correct seated position for the driver is important for safe and re-
laxed driving.
Fig. 116 The correct distance of the driver from the steering wheel/The correct head restraint
adjustment for the driver
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident, we
recommend the following setting.
● Adjust the steering wheel so that the distance between the steering wheel
and your chest is at least 25 cm ⇒ fig. 116 - left.
● Position the driver seat in the forward/back direction so that you are able to
fully press the pedals with your legs at a slight angle.
● Adjust the seat backrest so that you are able to reach the highest point of the
steering wheel with your arms at a slight angle.
● Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head ⇒

 fig. 116 - right.
● Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒
 page 137, How are seat belts correctly fas-
tened?.
Manual driver seat adjustment ⇒ page 60, Adjusting the front seats.
Electrical driver seat adjustment ⇒ page 61, Adjusting front seats electrically. £132
Passive Safety

WARNING
● The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted to match
the body size of the seat occupant as well as the seat belts must always be
correctly fastened in order to provide an optimal protection for you and your
occupants.
● The driver must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering wheel
⇒ fig. 116 left. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the air-
bag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
● When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the outer
edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position. Never hold the steering wheel
firmly in the 12 o'clock position or in another way (e.g. in the middle of the
steering wheel or at the inner steering wheel edge). In such cases, injuries to
the arms, the hands and the head can occur when the driver airbag is de-
ployed.
● The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving other-
wise this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag sys-
tem - risk of injury!
● Ensure that there are no objects in the footwell as any objects may get be-
hind the pedals during a driving or braking manoeuvre. You would then no
longer be able to operate the clutch, to brake or accelerate. 
Correct seated position for the front passenger The front passenger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm
from the dash panel so that the airbag offers him the greatest pos-
sible safety it is deployed.
For the safety of the front passenger and to reduce the risk of injury in the event
of an accident, we recommend the following setting:
● Adjust the front passenger seat as far as possible to the rear.
● Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head ⇒
 fig. 116 - right.
● Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒
 page 137, How are seat belts correctly fas-
tened?.
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactivated ⇒ page 145,
Deactivating an airbag.
Manual front passenger adjustment ⇒ page 60, Adjusting the front seats. Electrical front passenger seat adjustment
⇒
 page 61, Adjusting front seats elec-
trically. WARNING
● The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted to match
the body size of the seat occupant as well as the seat belts must always be
correctly fastened in order to provide an optimal protection for you and your
occupants.
● The front passenger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash
panel. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the airbag sys-
tem will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
● Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven - never
place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the surfaces
of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes nec-
essary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an airbag is de-
ployed, you may suffer fatal injuries when adopting an incorrect seated posi-
tion!
● The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving other-
wise this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag sys-
tem - risk of injury! 
Correct seated position for the occupants on the rear seats Occupants on the rear seats must sit upright, keep the feet in the
footwell and must have their seat belts correctly fastened.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an acci-
dent, the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following:
● Adjust the head restraints so that the top edge of the head restraints is at the
same level as the upper part of your head ⇒ fig. 116 - on the right.
● Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒ page 137,
How are seat belts correctly fas-
tened?.
● If you are transporting ⇒ page 147, Transporting children safely
children in the
vehicle, please use a suitable child restraint system. £ 133
Passive Safety Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

Important safety information on the side airbag
Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of
injury! WARNING
● It is essential to always switch off ⇒ page 145 , Deactivating an airbag the
front passenger airbag when attaching a child safety seat on the front pas-
senger seat where the child is seated with its back facing in direction of travel
(in some countries also when the child is facing the direction of travel). If this
is not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if
the front passenger airbag is deployed. When transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, please comply with the appropriate national regulations re-
garding the use of child safety seats.
● Your head should never be positioned in the deployment area of the side
airbag. You might suffer severe injuries in the event of an accident. This ap-
plies in particular to children who are transported without using a suitable
child safety seat ⇒ page 149

, Child safety and side airbag.
● If children adopt an incorrect seated position when travelling, they may be
exposed to an increased risk of injury in the event of an accident. This can re-
sult in serious injuries ⇒ page 147

, What you should know about transporting
children!.
● There must not be any further persons, animals as well as objects posi-
tioned between the occupants and the deployment area of the airbag. No ac-
cessories, such as a can holder, should be attached to the doors.
● The airbag control unit operates together with the pressure sensors,
which are attached in the front doors. For this reason no adjustments must be
carried out at the doors as well as at the door panels (for example additional
installation of loudspeakers). Resulting damages can have a negative affect
on the operation of the airbag system. All work on the front doors and their
panels must only be carried out by a specialist garage. WARNING (Continued)
● In the event of a side collision, the side airbags will not function properly, if
the sensors cannot measure the increasing air pressure inside the doors, be-
cause the air can escape through large, non-sealed openings in the door pan-
el.
–Never drive with removed inner door panels.
– Never drive, if parts of the inner door panel have been removed and the
remaining openings have not been properly sealed.
– Never drive, if the loudspeakers in the doors have been removed, only if
the loudspeaker openings have been properly sealed.
– Always make sure that the openings are covered or filled, if additional
loudspeakers or other equipment parts are installed in the inner door pan-
els.
– Always work with an authorised ŠKODA Service Partner or have it car-
ried out by a competent specialist workshop.
● Only hang light items of clothing on the clothes hooks to the vehicle. Nev-
er leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets of the items of cloth-
ing.
● Ensure that there are no excessive forces, such as violent knocks, kicks
etc., impact on the backrests of the seats otherwise the system may be dam-
aged. The side airbags would not be deployed in such a case!
● Any seat or protective covers which you fit to the driver or front passenger
seats must only be of the type expressly authorized by
ŠKODA. In view of the
fact that the airbag inflates out of the backrest of the seat, use of non-ap-
proved seat or protective covers would considerably impair the protective
function of the side airbag.
● Any damage to the original seat covers in the area of the side airbag mod-
ule must be repaired without delay by your specialist garage.
● The airbag modules in the front seats must not display any damage, cracks
or deep scratches. It is not permissible to use force in order to open the mod-
ules.
● Any work on the side airbag system including removing and installing sys-
tem components because of other repair work (e.g. removing seats) must only
be carried out by a specialist garage. 143
Airbag system Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data