Seats and Stowage49
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Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Seats and StowageFront seatsBasic informationThe front seats have a wide range of differ ent 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. Chil-
dren must be fastened page 97, “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.
•
Keep your feet in the footwell at all ti mes while driving. Never place your feet
on the dash panel, out of the window or on the seats. This is particularly impor-
tant for the front seat passenger. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury
if it becomes necessary to apply the brak e or in the event of an accident. If an
airbag is deployed, you may suffer fata l 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 properly
protect you - hazard! The front seats and the head restraints must always also
be correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occupant.
•
Ensure that there are no objects in the footwell as any objects may get
behind the pedals during a driving or braking manoeuvre. You would then no
longer be able to operate the clutch, to brake or accelerate.
Adjusting the front seatsAdjusting a seat in a forward/back direction–Pull the lever fig. 47 up and push the seat into the desired position.
– Release the lever and push the seat further until the lock is heard to engage.Adjusting height of seat*– Lift the seat if required by pulling or pumping lever upwards.
– Lower the seat if required by pushing or pumping lever downwards.Adjust the angle of the seat backrest– Relieve any pressure on the seat backrest (do not lean on it) and turn the hand-
wheel fig. 47 to adjust the desired angle of the backrest.Adjusting lumbar support*– Turn the wheel until you have set the most comfortable curvature of the seat
upholstery in the area of your spine.
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 sh ould be adjusted in such a way that the
upper point of the steering wheel can be easily reached with slightly bent arms.
Fig. 47 Controls at seat
1
1
2
2
3
4
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Passive Safety
82
•
Point out to your occupants that the head restraints must be adjusted to match
their body size.
•
Protect the children in suit able child seats with correctly fastened seat belts
page 97, “Transporting children safely”.
•
Adopt the correct seated position page 82, “Correct seated position”. Also
inform your occupants to adop t the correct seated position.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly. Also inform your occupants to properly fasten the
seat belts page 87, “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,
alcohol, drugs.
•
Keep to the traffic regulations and the permissible speed limit.
•
Adjust the driving speed at all times to th e road condition as well as to the traffic
and weather conditions.
•
Take regular breaks on long journe ys - at the latest every two hours.
Correct seated positionCorrect seated position for the driver
Correct seated position for the driver is important for safe and
relaxed driving.Fig. 89 The correct distance of the driver fr om the steering wheel/the correct head restraint
adjustment for the driverFor 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. 89 - 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 ar e able to reach the highest point of the
steering wheel with your arms at a slight angle.
•
Adjust the head restraint so that the to p edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head fig. 89 - right.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly page 87, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”.
Manual driver seat adjustment page 11, “Adjusting the front seats”.
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.
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Passive Safety83
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
The driver must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering wheel
page 82, fig. 89 - left. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that
the airbag 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 positi on. 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 deployed.
•
The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the se at belts and of the airbag system - risk
of injury!
•
Ensure that there are no objects in the footwell as any objects may get
behind 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 possible
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 page 82, fig. 89 - right.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly page 87, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”.
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactivated page 95,
“Deactivating an airbag”.
Manual front passenger adjustment page 11, “Adjusting the front seats”.
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 dist ance will mean that the airbag system
will not be able to prop erly protect you - hazard!
•
Keep your feet in the footwell at all times while driving. Never place your feet
on the dash panel, out of the window or on the seats. You will be exposed to
increased risk of injury if it becomes ne cessary 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!
•
The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag system - 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 correct ly 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 page 82, fig. 89 - on the right.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly page 87, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”.
•
If you are transporting page 97, “Transporting children safely” children in the
vehicle, please use a suitable child restraint system.
WARNING
•
The head restraints must always be adju sted to match the body size, in order
to offer an optimal protection for you and your occupants.
•
Keep your feet in the footwell at all times while driving. Never place your feet
out of the window or on the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury
if it becomes necessary to apply the brak e or in the event of an accident. If an
airbag is deployed, you may suffer fata l injuries when adopting an incorrect
seated position!
•
If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury is
increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system91
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Function of the front airbags
Risk of injury to the head and ches t area is reduced by fully inflated
airbags.The airbag system is designed in such a way that the driver and the front passenger
airbag* are deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity.
In certain accident situations, the front, si de and head airbag are deployed together.
If the airbags are deployed, the airbags are filled with a propellant gas and inflated
in front of the driver and front passenger fig. 96 . The airbags infl ate in fractions
of a second and at a high speed in order to be able to offer that additional protection
in the event of an accident. The forward movement of the driver and of the front
passenger is cushioned when they make contact with the fully inflated airbag and
the risk of injury to head and chest is thus reduced.
The specially developed airbag allows the gas to flow out of the inflated airbag in a
co ntr o ll ed m a nn er ( d ep e nd i ng o n th e lo a d o f th e p a rt ic ula r c a r o c cu pa n t) i n o r d e r t o
cushion head and chest areas. The airbag then deflates subsequently to such an
extent, after an accident, to again provide a clear view forward.
A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly
normal and is not an indicati on of a fire in the vehicle.
The airbag develops enormous forces when triggered, which can lead to injuries if
the sitting position or seat ed position is not correct page 91.
Important safety information regarding the front airbag system
Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of
injury!
WARNING
•
Never transport children on the front seat of a vehicle without using a proper
restraint system. If airbags are deployed in the event of an accident, the child
might suffer severe or even fatal injuries!
•
For the driver and front passenger it is important to maintain a distance of at
least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel fig. 97 . Not maintaining this
minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to properly
protect you - hazard! The front seats and the head restraints must always also
be correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occupant.
•
It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag when
attaching a child safety seat on the fr ont passenger 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) page 95, “Deactivating an airbag”. 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 . The national legal provisions in certain
countries require that both the front, side and head airbags be deactivated.
When transporting a child on the front pa ssenger seat, please comply with the
appropriate national legal pr ovisions regarding the use of child safety seats.
•
There must not by any further person s, animals or objects positioned
between the front seated occupants and the deployment area of the airbag.
•
The steering wheel and the surface of the airbag module in the dash panel
on the passenger side must not be stuck onto, covered or modified in any other
way. These parts should only be cleane d with a dry cloth or a cloth moistened
with water. No objects such as cup hold ers, mobile phone mounts, etc. may be
Fig. 96 Deployed front airbags
Fig. 97 Safe distance to steering wheel
s2lk.2.book Page 91 Monday, April 18, 2011 7:41 AM
Wheels and Tyres141
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Wheels and TyresWheelsGeneral information•
New tyres do not offer optimal grip at fi rst and 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.
•
Inspect your tyres from ti me to time for damage (punctures, cuts, splits and
bulges). Remove foreign bodies from the tyre profile.
•
Damage to tyres and wheels 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 immediately 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 ca refully to the nearest specialist garage
in order 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, lo w noise, wear-and-tear and aquaplaning.
Further information concerning the use of unidirectional tyres page 145.
WARNING
•
New tyres during the first 500 km do not offer optimal grip and should there-
fore be run appropriatel y - risk of accident!
•
Never drive with damaged tyres - risk of accident!Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.Tyre lifeThe 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 insufficiently
or over-inflated and this will have an adverse effect on the handling of your vehicle.
Correctly inflated tyres are of partic ular importance when travelling at high speeds.
It is therefore good to check the pressure at least once a month and also before
setting off on a long trip. Please do not forget the spare wheel when checking the
tyres.
The tyre inflation pressures for summer tyres are indicated on the inside of the fuel
filler flap fig. 129 . The inflation pressures for winter tyres are 20 kPa (0.2 bar)
higher than those for summer tyres page 144.
Fig. 129 An opened fuel filler flap with a
tyre size and tyre inflation pressure table
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Wheels and Tyres
142
The tyre inflation pressures for tyres of the tyre size 205/50 R17, which are intended
to be used with snow chains, is identical to the pressures for tyres of the tyre size
225/45 R17, see page 141, fig. 129 .
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. Adap t 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 re ar 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 no tice any unusual tyre wear.
WARNING
•
If the inflation pressure is too low, the tyre must perform a greater flexing
work. 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.
•
T y r e s w h i c h a r e 6 y e a r s o l d o r m o r e s h o u l d o n l y b e f i t t e d i n e x c e p t i o n a l c a s e s
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 indicatorsThe base of the tread of the original tyres has wear indicators 1.6 mm high, installed
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 circumference of
the tyre fig. 130. Markings on the walls of the tyres through the letters “TWI”,
triangular symbols or other symbols identify the posi tion of the wear indicators.
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
minimum 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 experien ce “aquaplaning” (uncontrolled move-
ments of the vehicle - “swimming” on a wet road surface).
Fig. 130 Tyre tread with wear indicators
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Wheels and Tyres143
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Changing wheels aroundIf significantly greater wear is present on the front tyres, we recommend changing
the front wheels around with the rear wheels as shown in the diagram fig. 131.
You will then obtain approximately the same life for all the tyres.
It may be advantageous to swap the tyres over “crosswise” when certain types of
wear characteristic arise on the running surface of the tyres (but not in the case of
unidirectional tyres). The co -workers of the authorised Škoda Service Partners are
extensively familiar with the combination possibilities.
We recommend that you change the wheels around every 10 000 km in order to
achieve even wear on all wheels and to obtain optimal tyre life.New tyres and wheelsTyres and wheel rims are important design elements. One should therefore use the
tyres and wheel rims which have been released for use by Škoda Auto. They are
exactly matched to the vehicle type and th erefore contribute significantly to good
road holding and safe driving characteristics .
Only fit radial tyres of the same type on all 4 wheels, size (rolling circumference) and,
if possible, the same tr ead pattern on one axle.
The authorised Škoda Service Partners have access to the most current information
about which tyres we have released for use on your vehicle.
We recommend that you have any work relating to tyres or wheels carried out by an
authorised Škoda Service Partner . The authorised Škoda Service Partners have all
of the necessary special tools and replac ement parts available plus the required
specialist knowledge and are al so in a position to properly dispose of the old tyres.
A large number of authorised Škoda Service Partners also have an attractive range
of tyres and wheels available. The tyre/wheel combinations which are approved for your vehicle are indicated in
your vehicle documents. Approval and licensing may differ according to the legisla-
tion prevailing in individual countries.
Proper knowledge of the tyre data makes it easier for you to select the correct type
of tyre. Tyres do, for example, have the following
inscription on their walls:
195/65 R 15 91 T
What this means is:
The following speed restrictions apply to tyres.
The date of manufacture is also stated on the tyre wall (possibly only on the inside
of wheel):
DOT ... 20 09...
means, for example, that the tyre was manufactured in the 20th week of the year
2009.
Any spare wheel which differs from the tyres fitted to the vehicle (e.g. winter tyres
or low-profile tyres) should only be used for a short time in the event of a puncture
Fig. 131 Changing wheels around
195
Tyre width in mm
65
Height/width ratio in %
R
Code letter for the type of tyre - Radial
15
Diameter of wheel in inches
91
Load index
T
Speed symbol
Speed symbol
Permissible maximum speed
S
180 km/h
T
190 km/h
U
200 km/h
H
210 km/h
V
240 km/h
W
270 km/h
Y
300 km/h
s2lk.2.book Page 143 Monday, April 18, 2011 7:41 AM
Wheels and Tyres
144
and when adopting an appropri ately cautious style of driving. It should be replaced
as quickly as possible by a normal wheel.
WARNING
•
Only use those tyres or wheel rims which have been approved for your model
of Škoda Auto vehicle. Failure to observ e this instruction will adversely affect
the road safety of your vehicle - risk of accident! Approval and licensing of your
vehicle on public roads may also become void as a result.
•
You must on no account drive at a high er speed than is permissible for your
tyres - risk of an accident resulting from tyre damage and loss of control over
your vehicle.
•
T y r e s w h i c h a r e 6 y e a r s o l d o r m o r e s h o u l d o n l y b e f i t t e d i n e x c e p t i o n a l c a s e s
and when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.
•
Never fit tyres which have already been used without having adequate
knowledge of their previous history. Tyres age even if they have not been used
at all or only very little. A spare tyre must only be used in exceptional cases and
only then when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.
•
Do not, where possible, replace individu al tyres but at least replace them on
both wheels of a given axle at the same time. Always fit the tyres with the
deeper tread depth to the front wheels.For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of in conformity with the appropriate regulations.
Note
It is not normally possible to fit wheels from other models of cars for technical
reasons. This may also appl y in certain circumstances to the wheels of the same
type of vehicle.Wheel boltsWheels and wheel bolts are matched to each other in terms of design. Each time
you fit other wheels - e.g. light alloy wheels or wheels with winter tyres - you must
therefore also use the matching wheel bolts of the correct length and shape of
spherical cap. This is essential to ensure that the wheels are tightly fitted and that
the brake system operates properly.
If you retrofit wheel trims (or have this done), please also ensure that an adequate
flow of air remains assured for cooling the brake system. The authorised Škoda Service Partners are instructed in the technical possibilities
which exist regarding converting or retr
ofitting tyres, wheels and wheel trims.
WARNING
•
In case of incorrect treatment of the wheel bolts, the wheel can loosen when
the car is moving - risk of accident!
•
The wheel bolts must be clean and must turn easily. However, they must
never be treated with grease or oil.
•
If the wheel bolts are tightened to a too low tightening torque, the rim can
lossen when the car is moving - risk of accident! A tightening torque which is too
high can damage the bolts and threads and this can result in permanent defor-
mation of the contact surfaces on the rim.Caution
The prescribed tightening torque of the wheel bolts for steel and light alloy wheels
is 120 Nm.Winter tyresThe handling of your vehicle will be signif icantly improved when driving on wintry
roads if you fit winter tyres. Summer tyres do not offer the same grip on ice, snow
and at temperatures below 7 °C because of their construction (width, rubber blend,
tread pattern). This particularly applies to vehicles which are equipped with low-
profile tyres or high-speed tyres (code index H or V on wall of tyre).
Winter tyres must be mounted on all four wheels to obtain the best handling char-
acteristics.
You must only fit those types of winter tyre which are approved for your vehicle. The
permissible sizes of winter tyres are stated in your vehicle documents. Approvals
may differ because of national legislation.
Please remember that the tyres should be inflated to 20 kPa (0.2 bar) more than is
the case for summer tyres page 141.
Winter tyres no longer offer the same winter performance once the tyre tread has
worn down to a depth of about 4 mm.
Ageing also causes winter tyres to lose most of their winter performance properties
- even in cases where the remaining tread depth is still clearly more than 4 mm.
Speed restrictions apply to winter tyres as well as to summer tyres page 143,
.
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