2011 SKODA ROOMSTER brake

The Defrost function for the windshield is switched on.
A high blower stage has been selected.
Button for the START-STOP system is pressed
Conditions for an automatic restart without driver intervention
The vehicle moves at a speed of more than 3 km/h.
The difference between the outdoor- and the set temperature in the interior is
too great.
The charge state of the vehicle battery is not sufficient.
The pressure in the brake system is not sufficient.
Messages in the instrument cluster display (valid for vehicles without
Information display) ERROR: START STOP
Error in the START-STOP system
START STOP NOT POSSIBLE Automatic engine shut down is not
possible
START STOP ACTIVE Automatic engine shut down (stop
phase)
SWITCH OFF IGNITION
Switch off the ignition
START MANUALLY
Start the engine manually
WARNING
● If the engine is switched off, neither the brake booster nor the electrohy-
draulic power steering operates.
● Never let the vehicle roll with the engine switched off. CAUTION
If the “START-STOP” system is used at very high outside temperatures over a very
long period of time, the vehicle battery can be damaged. Note
● Changes to the outdoor temperature can have an effect on the internal tem-
perature of the vehicle battery even after several hours. For example, if the vehi-
cle is standing outside for a long period of time at a temperature below freezing
or is in direct sunlight, it may take several hours until the temperature inside the
battery reaches the appropriate temperature for the START-STOP system.
● In some instances it may be necessary to start the engine manually with the
ignition key (e.g. when the seat belt is not inserted or the driver's door is opened
for more than 30 seconds). Follow the messages in the instrument cluster display.
● If the Climatronic is running in automatic mode, under certain conditions, the
engine may not switch off automatically. 86
Starting-off and Driving

Automatic gearbox
Automatic gearbox Information for driving with the 6-speed automatic gearbox The maximum speed is reached in the 5th gear. The 6th gear serves as an eco-
nomic driving programme, which is intended to reduce the fuel consumption.
Shifting up and down through the gears is performed automatically. You can also,
however, switch the gearbox over into the Tiptronic mode. This mode makes it
possible for you to also shift gears manually ⇒ page 91
.
Starting-off and Driving
– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in handle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the desired position, e.g. D ⇒  page 89

, and then release
the Shiftlock button.
– Wait a moment until the gearbox has shifted (a slight engagement nudge can
be felt).
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator ⇒  .
Stop
– The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping just
for a short time, such as at a cross roads. It is sufficient to hold the vehicle sta-
tionary using the foot brake. The engine can, however, be allowed just to idle.
Parking
– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector lever to P
and then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be started when the selector lever is in position P or N . If the
selector lever is not in the P or N positions when locking the steering, switching
the ignition on or off or when leaving the engine on, the following message will
appear in the Information display Move selector lever to position P/N! or, in the
instrument cluster display:  P/N. It is sufficient to engage selector lever position
P when parking on a flat surface.
When parking on a slope you should first apply the handbrake firmly and then
move the selector lever into position P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive
pressure acting on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move
the selector lever out of position P. If the selector lever is not in the P position
when the driver's door is open and the ignition is switched off, or if it is not in the
P position when the ignition is switched off and the driver's door is opened, the
following message will appear in the Information display: Move selector lever to
position P! or, in the instrument cluster display:  P. The message disappears af-
ter a few seconds by switching on the ignition or by moving the selector lever into
the position P .
If the selector lever position N is selected by accident while driving it is first nec-
essary to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of
the engine to be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever. WARNING
● Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector
lever if the car is stationary and the engine is running - risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
● When the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary, it is necessary to
hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (ex-
cept P and N) since the power transmission is never completely interrupted,
also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle creeps. 
Information for driving with the automatic gearbox DSG The abbreviation DSG means Direct shift gearbox (Direct shift gear-
box).
Two independent clutches are needed for the power transmission between the
engine and the gearbox. These replace the torque converter of the conventional
automatic gearbox. Their shifting is matched in such a way that there are no jerks
when shifting the gear and the power transmission of the engine to the front
wheels is not interrupted. Shifting up and down through the gears is performed £ 87
Automatic gearbox Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data

automatically. You can also, however, switch the gearbox over into the
Tiptronic
mode. This mode makes it possible for you to also shift gears manually
⇒ page 91.
Starting-off and Driving
– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in handle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the desired position, e.g. in D, and then release the Shiftlock
button.
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator ⇒  .
Stop
– The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping just
for a short time, such as at a cross roads. It is absolutely sufficient to hold the
stopped vehicle stationary by depressing the foot brake. The engine can, how-
ever, be allowed just to idle.
Parking
– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector lever to P
and then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be started when the selector lever is in position P or N . If the
selector lever is not in the P or N positions when locking the steering, switching
the ignition on or off or when leaving the engine on, the following message will
appear in the Information display Move selector lever to position P/N! or, in the
instrument cluster display:  P/N. At temperatures below -10 °C the engine can
only be started in the selector lever position P.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position P when parking on a flat surface.
When parking on a slope you should first apply the handbrake firmly and then
move the selector lever into position P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive
pressure acting on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move
the selector lever out of position P. If the selector lever is not in the P position
when the driver's door is open and the ignition is switched off, or if it is not in the
P position when the ignition is switched off and the driver's door is opened, the
following message will appear in the Information display: Move selector lever to
position P! or, in the instrument cluster display:  P. The message disappears af-
ter a few seconds by switching on the ignition or by moving the selector lever into
the position P . If the selector lever position
N is selected by accident while driving it is first nec-
essary to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of
the engine to be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever. WARNING
● Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector
lever if the car is stationary and the engine is running - risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
● If you are stopping at a hill (downhill section), never try to hold the car sta-
tionary with the gear engaged by means of the “accelerator”, this means by
letting the clutch slip. This can lead to overheating of the clutch. If there is a
risk of overheating of the clutch due to overload, the clutch is opened auto-
matically and the vehicle rolls backward - risk of accident!
● If you must stop at a slope, depress and hold the brake pedal, so that you
can prevent the vehicle from rolling back. CAUTION
● The double clutch on the automatic gearbox DSG is equipped with an overload
protection. If you make use of the uphill function on a vehicle which is stationary
or driving slowly uphill, it will result in an increase of thermal stress of the clutch-
es.
● In the event that they overheat, the warning light  and a warning text ap-
pears in the information display ⇒ page 18. In such a case bring the vehicle to a
stop, switch off the engine and wait until the warning light and the warning go
out - risk of gearbox damage! You can continue the trip as soon as the warning
light and the warning go out. 88
Automatic gearbox

Selector lever positions
Fig. 84 Selector lever/information display: Selector lever positions
The selector lever position you have engaged is shown in the information display
of the instrument cluster with the corresponding gear symbol highlighted
⇒  fig. 84 on the right. In the positions D and S the gear you have already engaged
will be additionally displayed on the display.
P - Parklock
The driven wheels are locked mechanically in this position.
The Parklock must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary ⇒  .
If you wish to move the selector lever into or out of this position, you must press
the Shiftlock button in the handle of the selector lever and at the same time de-
press the brake pedal.
R - Reverse gear
Reverse gear must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary and the engine
idling ⇒  .
The brake pedal must be depressed and at the same time the Shiftlock must be
pressed, if you wish to obtain the selector lever positions R, P or N.
When the ignition is switched on and the selector lever is in position R, the re-
verse lights will come on.
N - Neutral
The transmission is in Neutral in this position. The brake pedal must be depressed (if the lever is in its position for longer than 2
seconds) in order to move the selector lever out of the position
N into the position
D, with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/hour or
on a stationary vehicle.
D - Position for driving forward
When the selector lever is in this position, the forward gears are shifted up and
down automatically in line with engine load, vehicle speed and the dynamic shift
programme.
You must depress the brake pedal if you wish to move into position D from N
when the vehicle is travelling at less than 5
km/hour or is stationary ⇒  .
Under certain circumstances (e.g. when driving in mountainous regions or when
towing a trailer) it may be beneficial to select the manual shift programme
⇒  page 91 for a short time in order to adapt the gearbox ratios manually to the
driving situations.
S - Position for sporty style of driving
Shifting up later into a higher gear makes it possible to fully exploit the power po-
tential of the engine. The gearbox also then shifts down at higher engine speeds
as in the position D .
The gearbox does not shift into the 6th gear in the position S, because the maxi-
mum speed is reached with the 5th gear 1)
.
The Shiftlock on the selector lever grip must be pressed when moving the selec-
tor lever out of the position D into the position S. WARNING
● Never move the selector lever into position
R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
● When the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary, it is necessary to
hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (ex-
cept P and N) since the power transmission is never completely interrupted,
also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle creeps. £1)
Not valid for vehicles with automatic gearbox DSG. 89
Automatic gearbox Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data

WARNING (Continued)
● You must on no account unintentionally operate the throttle (e.g. by hand
from the engine compartment) if a drive position is engaged when the car is
stationary. The vehicle would otherwise immediately start off - also when the
handbrake is firmly applied - risk of an accident!
● You must move the selector lever into position P and firmly apply the
handbrake first before you or any other person opens the bonnet and starts
working on the engine when it is running - risk of accident! It is also essential
to observe all warnings ⇒ page 150
, Working in the engine compartment. 
Selector lever lock Automatic selector lever lock

With the ignition on, the selector lever is locked when it is in the positions P and
N. You must first of all depress the brake pedal in order to move the selector lever
out of this position. The warning light  ⇒

 page 25 lights up in the instrument
cluster as a reminder for the driver when the selector lever is in the positions P
and N.
A time delay element ensures that the selector lever is not blocked when rapidly
switching over the position N (e.g. from R to D). This does, for example, allow one
to see-saw out a stuck vehicle. The selector lever lock will click into place if the
lever is in the N position for more than 2 seconds without the brake pedal being
pressed.
The selector lever lock is only active if the vehicle is stationary or moving at speed
of less than 5 km/hour. The lock is switched off automatically into position N
when the car is travelling at a higher speed.
Shiftlock button
The Shiftlock button in the handle of selector lever prevents certain selector lever
positions being engaged inadvertently. The selector lever lock is cancelled when
you press the Shiftlock button.
Keylock - Ignition key withdrawal lock
You can only withdraw the ignition key after switching off the ignition if the selec-
tor lever is in position P. If the ignition key is withdrawn, the selector lever is
blocked in position P . Kickdown function The kickdown function provides you with maximum acceleration
power.
Fully depressing the accelerator pedal allows the kickdown function to be activa-
ted in the desired driving program. This function has precedence over the driving
programme and serves for maximum acceleration of the vehicle when exploiting
the maximum power potential of the engine without taking into account the cur-
rent selector lever position ( D, S or Tiptronic ). The gearbox shifts down to one or
several gears in line with the driving state and the vehicle accelerates. The gear-
box does not shift up into the highest gear until the engine has reached its maxi-
mum revolutions for this gear range. WARNING
Please note that using the kickdown function can result in the driven wheels
spinning on a smooth or slippery road surface - risk of skidding! 
Dynamic shift programme The automatic gearbox of your vehicle is controlled electronically. Shifting up and
down through the gears is performed automatically on the basis of pre-defined
driving programmes.
Adopting a moderate style of driving
will cause the gearbox to select the most
economical driving programme. Shifting up into a higher gear as soon as possible
and shifting down as late as possible will have a favourable effect on your fuel
consumption.
Adopting a sporty style of driving with rapid movements of the accelerator pedal
combined with sharp acceleration and frequent changes in speed, exploiting the
top speed of the car or depressing the accelerator pedal (kickdown function), will
cause the gearbox to switch over to this style of driving and shift down earlier
with frequent changes in gears in comparison to the moderate style of driving.
Selecting the most appropriate driving programme for the particular style of driv-
ing is a continuous process. Irrespective of this it is, however, possible to switch or
shift down into a dynamic shift programme by depressing the accelerator rapidly.
The gearbox shifts down into a lower gear matching the speed of the car and this
allows you to accelerate rapidly (e.g. when overtaking) without having to depress £90
Automatic gearbox

the accelerator pedal fully into the kickdown range. The original programme will
be reactivated to match your particular style of driving once the gearbox has shif-
ted up again.
When driving in hilly regions, the gears are selected to match uphill and downhill
sections. This avoids the gearbox frequently shifting up and down when negotiat-
ing an uphill stretch. When driving downhill, it is possible to shift down into the
Tiptronic position, in order to exploit the engine brake torque. 
Tiptronic The Tiptronic allows the driver to also shift gears manually.
Fig. 85 Selector lever: manual shifting/large information display: Manual shifting of gears
The selector lever position you have engaged is indicated in the information dis-
play of the instrument cluster together with the engaged gear
⇒ fig. 85 on the
right.
Switching over to manual shifting
– Push the selector lever to the right out of position D. After switching over, the
current engaged gear is indicated in the display.
Shifting up gears
– One-touch forward of the selector lever (in the Tiptronic position) ⇒  fig. 85 + .
Shifting down gears
– One-touch back of the selector lever (in the Tiptronic position) - .
It is possible to switch over to manual both when the car is stationary and also
when driving. When you accelerate, the gearbox shifts up automatically into the higher gear just
before the maximum permissible engine speed is reached.
If you select a lower gear, the automatic gearbox does not shift down until there
is no risk of the engine overrevving.
When you operate the kickdown feature, the gearbox shifts into a lower gear in
line with the vehicle speed and engine speed. 
Emergency programme An emergency programme exists in the event of a fault in the sys-
tem.
The gearbox operates in a corresponding emergency programme if there are func-
tional faults in the gearbox electronics. This is indicated by all of the segments in
the display lighting up or going out.
A functional fault can have the following effect:
● The gearbox only shifts into certain gears.
● The reverse gear R cannot be used.
● The manual shift programme (Tiptronic) is switched off in the emergency
mode.
If the gearbox has switched over to emergency mode, drive to the nearest spe-
cialist garage in order to have the fault rectified. 
Selector lever-emergency unlocking Fig. 86 Selector lever-emergency un-
locking
£ 91
Automatic gearbox Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data

In case of interruption of the power supply (e.g. flat vehicle battery, defective
fuse) or defect of the selector lever lock, the selector lever can no longer be shif-
ted from the position
P in the normal way and the vehicle can no longer be moved.
The selector lever must be unlocked in case of emergency.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Carefully pull up the front left and right cover.
– Pull up rear cover.
– Use the finger to press the yellow plastic part downwards ⇒ fig. 86.
– Simultaneously press the Shiftlock button in the handle of the selector lever
and shift the lever into the position N (if the selector lever is shifted again into
the position P , it is once again blocked). 92
Automatic gearbox

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. 91. 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 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. 91 - right.
● Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒
 page 107, How are seat belts correctly fas-
tened?.
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactivated ⇒ page 116,
Deactivating airbags.
Adjusting the passenger seat ⇒ page 50, 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 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. 91
- on the right.
● Fasten the seat belt correctly
⇒ page 107, How are seat belts correctly fas-
tened?.
● If you are transporting
⇒ page 118

, Transporting children safely children in the
vehicle, please use a suitable child restraint system. £ 103
Passive Safety Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data