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.
Selector lever lock (automatic gearbox) 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 90
.
Traction control system (TCS) The warning light
comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
The warning light comes on when driving when a control cycle is activated.
The warning light lights up permanently if there is a fault in the TCS system.
The fact that the TCS system operates together with the ABS means that the TCS
warning light will also come on if the ABS system is not operating properly.
If the warning light comes on immediately after starting the engine, the TCS
system can be switched off for technical reasons. In this case, the TCS system can
be switched on again by switching the ignition on and off. If the warning light
goes out, the TCS system is fully functional again.
Further information about the TCS ⇒ page 126, Traction control system (TCS)
.Note
If the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, the warning light comes
on after switching on the ignition. The warning light must go out after driving a
short distance. Electronic stability programme (ESP)
The warning light
comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
If the ESP helps to stabilise the vehicle (for example when applying and releasing
a braking force to an individual wheel), then the indicator light flashes.
The warning light lights up permanently if there is a fault in the ESP system.
The fact that the ESP system operates together with the ABS means that the ESP
warning light will also come on if the ABS system is not operating properly.
If the warning light comes on immediately after starting the engine, the ESP
system can be switched off for technical reasons. In this case, the ESP system can
be switched on again by switching the ignition on and off. If the warning light
goes out, the ESP system is fully functional again.
Further information on the ESP ⇒
page 125, Electronic stability programme (ESP). Note
If the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, the warning light comes
on after switching 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 128
, 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 , there is a fault not only in the ABS but also in another part of the brake
system ⇒ .
£ 25
Instruments and warning lights Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data
The load of the occupants is cushioned when plunging into the fully inflated air-
bag and the risk of injury to the entire upper body (chest, stomach and pelvis) is
reduced on the side facing the door.
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 116, Deactivating airbags the
front passenger front airbag when attaching a child safety seat on the front
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).
If this is not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal in-
juries if the front passenger front airbag is deployed. When transporting a
child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropriate national
regulations regarding 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 120
, 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 118,
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.
● 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! WARNING (Continued)
● 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.
Head airbags
Description of the head airbags The head airbag together with the side airbag offers enhanced oc-
cupant protection in the event of a side collision.
Fig. 102 Installation position of the
head airbags
The head airbags are positioned above the doors on both sides in the interior of
the car ⇒ fig. 102 . The installation positions of the head airbags are each marked
with the
“AIRBAG” logo. £114
Airbag system
The head airbag together with the three-point seat belts and the side airbags, of-
fers additional protection for the head and neck area of the occupants in the
event of a side collision of major severity
⇒
in Important safety information on
the head airbag on page 115.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the seat belts is to
also hold the driver and the occupants in a correct seated position in the event of
a side collision so as to enable the head airbags to offer the maximum protection.
You should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is re-
quired by law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection ⇒ page 105
.
Together with other elements (such as cross bars in the doors, stable vehicle
structure) the head airbags are the consequent further development of occupant
protection in the case of side collisions.
Function of the head airbags The risk of injury to the head and neck area is reduced in the event
of a side collision by fully inflated head airbags. Fig. 103 Inflated head airbag
In the case of a side collision the head airbag is deployed together with the rele-
vant side airbag ⇒
fig. 103 and the belt tensioner on the side of the car on which
the accident occurs.
If the system is deployed, the airbag is filled with propellant gas and covers the
entire area of the side window including the door pillars ⇒ fig. 103 .
The protection offered by the head airbags is thus available simultaneously both
to the front occupants of the car seated on the side on which the collision occurs,
as well as to the rear occupants. Any impact of the head against parts of the inte-
rior or objects outside of the car, is cushioned by the inflated head airbag. The re-
duction in any impact to the head and the resultant minimizing of any movements of the head additionally reduce the risk of injuries to the neck area. The head air-
bag also offers additional protection in the case of an offset impact by covering
the front door pillar.
In certain accident situations, the front, side and head airbag are simultaneously
deployed.
The airbags inflate 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. A grey white, non
harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not
an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
Important safety information on the head airbag Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of
injury! WARNING
● It is essential to always switch off ⇒ page 116 the front passenger front
airbag when attaching a child safety seat on the front 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). If this is not done, there is
a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger
front airbag is deployed. When transporting a child on the front passenger
seat, please comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the
use of child safety seats.
● There must not be any objects in the deployment area of the head airbags
which might prevent the airbags from inflating properly.
● 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. In addition, it is not permitted to use clothes hangers for hanging up
items of clothing.
● The airbag control unit operates together with the sensors, which are at-
tached 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 opera-
tion of the airbag system. All work on the front doors and their panels must
only be carried out by a specialist garage. £ 115
Airbag system Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data