2011 SKODA SUPERB check engine

WARNING■The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area. The following
warning instructions must be followed at all times when working in the en-
gine compartment » page 186.■

Do not continue your journey if the fluid level has fallen below the MIN
marking » Fig. 168 on page 193 - there is a risk of an accident. Seek help
from a specialist garage.
■
Do not use used brake fluid - the function of the brake system may be im-
paired – risk of accident!
CAUTION
Brake fluid damages the paintwork of the vehicle.
Note
■ The brake fluid is changed as part of a compulsory inspection service.■We recommend using brake fluids from the ŠKODA Original Accessories
range.
Checking the brake fluid level
Fig. 168
Engine compartment: Brake fluid
reservoir
Read and observe and on page 193 first.
The brake fluid reservoir is located in the engine compartment » Fig. 168.
›
Switch off the engine.
›
Open the bonnet.
›
Check the level of brake fluid in the reservoir » Fig. 168.
The level must be between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
A slight drop in the fluid level results in operation due to normal wear-and-tear
and the automatic adjustment of the brake pads.
There may be an indication of a leak in the brake system, however, if the fluid
level drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” mark- ing.
If the brake fluid level is too low, this is indicated by the warning light
 » page 35 , 
Brake system illuminating in the instrument cluster.
Changing
Read and observe
and on page 193 first.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. Over time it therefore absorbs moisture from the
environment.
Excessive water in the brake fluid may be the cause of corrosion in the brake
system.
The water content lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid.
The brake fluid must comply with the following standards or specifications: › VW 50114;
› FMVSS 116 DOT4.
Vehicle battery

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Open cover
195
Checking the battery electrolyte level
195
Charging
196
Replacing
196
Disconnecting or reconnecting
196
Automatic load deactivation
197
Warning symbols on the vehicle battery
SymbolMeaningAlways wear eye protection.Battery acid is severely caustic. Always wear gloves and eye pro-
tection. 193Inspecting and replenishing

■If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will
discharge. This is because certain electrical components consume electricity
(e. g. control units) also in idle state. Prevent the battery from discharging by
disconnecting the battery's negative terminal (-) or continuously charging the
battery with a very low charging current.■
If the vehicle is frequently used for making short trips, the vehicle battery
will not have time to charge up sufficiently and may discharge.
For the sake of the environment
A vehicle battery that has been removed is a special type of hazardous waste.
These must be disposed of in accordance with national legal regulations.
Note
You should replace batteries older than 5 years.
Open cover
Fig. 169
Polyester cover of the vehicle battery / plastic cover of the vehi-
cle battery
Read and observe
and on page 194 first.
The battery is located in the engine compartment, with some equipment under
a polyester cover » Fig. 169or in the left side compartment of the luggage com-
partment » page 101 .
Battery in the engine compartment
›
Open the battery cover in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 169 - 
or press
the catch on the side of the battery cover in the direction » Fig. 169 - 
.
›
fold the cover up and remove.
The battery cover is installed in reverse order.
Battery in the boot
The battery is located in the left side compartment with the symbol
 » page 101 .
Checking the battery electrolyte level
Fig. 170
Vehicle battery: Electrolyte level
indicator
Read and observe and on page 194 first.
On vehicles with a vehicle battery fitted with a colour indicator, » Fig. 170 the
colouring of the display can indicate the acidic level.
Air bubbles can influence the colour of the indicator. For this reason carefully knock on the indicator before carrying out the check.
› Black colour - electrolyte level is correct.
› Colourless or light yellow colour - electrolyte level too low, the battery must
be replaced.
Vehicles with a START STOP system are fitted with a battery control unit for
checking the energy level for the recurring engine start.
We recommend that you have the acid level checked regularly by a specialist garage, especially in the following cases.
› High external temperatures.
› Longer day trips.
› After each charge.
Winter time
The vehicle battery only has some of its starting power at low temperatures. A
discharged vehicle battery may freeze at temperatures just below 0 °C .
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked and, if necessary,
recharged by a specialist garage before the start of the winter. 
195Inspecting and replenishing

CAUTIONFor technical reasons, on vehicles with the description “AGM”, the electrolyte
level cannot be checked.
Note
The battery acid level is also checked regularly by a specialist garage as part of
the inspection service.
Charging
Read and observe
and on page 194 first.
A properly charged vehicle battery is essential for reliably starting the engine.
›
Switch off the ignition and all of the electrical components.
›
Disconnect both battery cables (“negative” first, then “positive”) only when“rapid charging” the battery.
›
Attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery terminals (red =
“positive”, black = “negative”).
›
Plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket and switch the
charger on.
›
Once charging is complete: Switch off the charger and remove the mains ca-
ble from the power socket.
›
Only then disconnect the charger's terminal clamps.
›
Reconnect the cables to the battery (first “positive”, then “negative”).
It is not necessary to disconnect the battery cables if you are recharging the
vehicle battery using low amperages (for example from a mini-charger). Refer
to the charger manufacturer's instructions .
A charging current of 0.1 multiple of the total vehicle battery capacity (or low-
er) must be used until full charging is achieved.
Both cables must be disconnected before charging the battery with high
amperages, known as “ rapid charging”.
The vent plugs of the vehicle battery should not be opened for charging.
WARNING“Quick-charging” the vehicle battery is dangerous and requires a special
charger and specialist knowledge.CAUTIONOn vehicles with the START/STOP system, the pole terminal of the charger
must not be connected directly to the negative terminal of the vehicle battery,
but only to the engine earth » page 212, Jump-starting in vehicles with the
START STOP system .
Note
We therefore recommend that vehicle batteries be rapid charged by a special-
ist garage.
Replacing
Read and observe
and on page 194 first.
The new vehicle battery must have the same capacity, voltage, current and
size as the original battery. Suitable vehicle battery types can be purchased
from a specialist garage.
We recommend having the battery replaced by a specialist garage, where the
new vehicle battery will be installed properly and the original battery will be
disposed of in accordance with national regulations.
Disconnecting or reconnecting
Read and observe
and on page 194 first.
The following functions are initially deactivated or are no longer able to oper-
ate faultlessly after the vehicle battery has been disconnected and reconnec-
ted.
FunctionOperating measureElectrical power window (operational faults)» page 64Panoramic sliding roof (operational faults)» page 218Enter the radio/navigation system code
number» User manual of the radio
or » user manual of the naviga-
tion systemSetting the clock» page 32Data in the multifunction display are de-
leted.» page 44 196General Maintenance

NoteWe recommend having the vehicle checked by a specialist garage in order to
ensure full functionality of all electrical systems.
Automatic load deactivation
Read and observe
and on page 194 first.
The vehicle voltage control unit automatically prevents the battery from dis-
charging when the battery is put under high levels of strain. This may be no-
ticed from the following.
› The idling speed is raised to allow the generator to deliver more electricity to
the electrical system.
› Where necessary, large convenience consumers such as seat heaters and
rear window heaters have their power limited or are shut off completely in
the event of an emergency.
CAUTION
■ Despite such intervention by the vehicle electric system management, the
vehicle battery may be drained. For example, when the ignition is switched on
a long time with the engine turned off or the side or parking lights are turned
on during longer parking.■
Consumers that are supplied via a 12-V power socket can cause the vehicle
battery to discharge when the ignition is switched off.
Note
Driving comfort is not impaired by consumers being deactivated. The driver is
often not aware of it having taken place.Wheels
Tyres and wheel rims
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Service life of tyres
198
Unidirectional tyres
199
Spare and temporary spare wheel
200
Full wheel trim
200
Wheel bolts
201
Only use tyres or wheel rims that have been approved by ŠKODA for your mod-
el of vehicle.
WARNINGThe national legal regulations must be observed for the use of tyres.WARNINGInstructions for the use of tyres■For the first 500 km, new tyres do not yet provide optimum grip, and ap-
propriate care should therefore be taken when driving – risk of accident!■
For reasons of driving safety, do not replace tyres individually.
■
Never exceed the maximum permissible load bearing capacity of moun-
ted tyres.
■
Never exceed the maximum permissible speed for the mounted tyres.
■
An incorrect wheel alignment at the front or rear impairs handling.
■
Unusual vibrations or pulling of the vehicle to one side could be a sign of
tyre damage. If there is any doubt that a wheel is damaged, immediately re-
duce your speed and stop! If no external damage is evident, drive slowly
and carefully to the nearest specialist garage to have the vehicle checked.
WARNINGInformation regarding tyre damage or wear■Never use tyres if you do not know anything about the condition and age.■
Never drive with damaged tyres – there is the risk of an accident occur-
ring. 
197Wheels

WARNING■If you are in flowing traffic, switch on the hazard warning light system
and set up the warning triangle at the prescribed distance! The national le-
gal requirements must be observed.■
Park the vehicle as far away as possible from the flow of traffic. Park on
as flat and firm a surface as possible.
■
The following instructions must be followed if the vehicle is subsequently
fitted with tyres or rims that differ from the factory fitted ones » page 201,
Explanation of the tyre labelling .
WARNINGInformation on the wheel bolts■The wheel bolts must be clean and must turn easily. Never treat them
with grease or oil.■
The prescribed tightening torque of the wheel bolts for steel and light al-
loy wheels is 120 Nm.
■
If the wheel bolts are tightened to a too low tightening torque, the rim
can come loose when the car is moving. A tightening torque which is too
high can damage the bolts and threads and this can result in permanent
deformation of the contact surfaces on the rim.
■
In case of incorrect treatment of the wheel bolts, the wheel can loosen
when the car is moving.
Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when changing a wheel.
Preliminary work
Read and observe
on page 206 first.
Before changing the wheel, the following work must be carried out.
›
Have all the occupants get out. The passengers should not stand on the
road (instead they should remain behind a crash barrier, for instance) while
the wheel is being changed.
›
Switch off the engine.
›
Select the 1st gear or place the selector lever of the automatic transmission
in the P-position .
›
Apply the handbrake firmly.
›
Uncouple a trailer.
›Remove the
vehicle tool kit » page 205 and the spare wheel » page 200 from
the boot.
Changing a wheel
Read and observe
on page 206 first.
When changing a wheel, the following instructions must be followed.
›
Remove the full wheel trim or the caps of the wheel bolts.
›
First of all slacken the anti-theft wheel bolt and then the other wheel bolts.
›
Jack up the vehicle until the wheel that needs changing is clear of the
ground.
›
Unscrew the wheel bolts and place them on a clean surface (cloth, paper, etc.).
›
Remove the wheel carefully.
›
Attach the spare wheel and slightly screw on the wheel bolts.
›
Lower the vehicle.
›
Tighten the opposite wheel bolts alternately (cross-wise) with the wheelwrench. Tighten the anti-theft wheel bolt last.
›
Replace the wheel trim or the caps.
When fitting unidirectional tyres, ensure that the indication is cor-
rect » page 197 .
WARNINGIf it is established when changing a wheel that the wheel bolts are corro-
ded and difficult to move, then these must be replaced.
Follow-up work
Read and observe
on page 206 first.
After changing the wheel, the following work must be carried out.
›
Stow and attach the replaced wheel in the spare wheel well using a special
bolt » page 200 .
›
Stow the tool kit in the space provided and secure using the strap.
›
Check the tyre pressure on the installed spare wheel as soon as possible.
›
Have the tightening torque of the wheel bolts checked with a torque
wrench as soon as possible. 
206Do-it-yourself

Tyre inflation pressure indicator
Air release valve
ON and OFF switch
12 volt cable connector
Tyre inflator bottle with sealing agent
Replacement valve core
The valve remover 1
has a slot at its lower end which fits into the valve core.
The kit is located in a box under the floor covering in the luggage compart-
ment. This contains a sealing means and an air compressor.
Note
The declaration of conformity is included with the air compressor or the log
folder.
Preparations for using the breakdown kit
Read and observe
on page 209 first.
The following preparatory work must be carried out before using the puncturerepair kit.
›
Have all the occupants get out. The passengers should not stand on the
road (instead they should remain behind a crash barrier, for instance) while
the wheel is being changed.
›
Switch off the engine.
›
Select the 1st gear or place the selector lever of the automatic transmission
in the P-position .
›
Apply the handbrake firmly.
›
Check that you can carry out the repairs with the breakdown kit
» page 209.
›
Uncouple a trailer.
›
Remove the breakdown kit from the boot.
›
Stick the appropriate sticker
2
» Fig. 183 on page 209 onto the dashboard in
the driver's field of view.
›
Unscrew the valve cap.
›
Use the valve remover
1
to unscrew the valve core and place it on a clean
surface (rag, paper, etc.).
67891011Sealing and inflating the tyre
Read and observe
on page 209 first.
Sealing
›
Shake the tyre inflator bottle
10
» Fig. 183 on page 209 vigorously several
times.
›
Firmly screw the inflation hose
3
onto the tyre inflator bottle
10
in a clock-
wise direction. The film on the cap is pierced automatically.
›
Remove the plug from the inflation hose
3
and plug the open end fully onto
the tyre valve.
›
Hold the bottle
10
with the bottom facing upwards and fill all of the sealing
agent from the tyre inflator bottle into the tyre.
›
Remove the empty tyre inflator bottle from the valve.
›
Screw the valve core back into the tyre valve using the valve remover
1
.
Inflating
›
Screw the air compressor tyre inflation hose
5
» Fig. 183 on page 209 firmly
onto the tyre valve.
›
Check that the air release valve
7
is closed.
›
Start the engine and run it in idle.
›
Plug the connector
9
into 12 Volt socket » page 91, Cigarette lighter .
›
Switch on the air compressor with the ON and OFF switch
8
.
›
Allow the air compressor to run until a pressure of 2.0 - 2.5 bar is achieved.
Maximum run time of 8 minutes » .
›
Switch off the air compressor.
›
If you cannot reach an air pressure of 2.0 - 2.5 bar, unscrew the tyre inflation
hose
5
from the tyre valve.
›
Drive the vehicle 10 metres forwards or backwards to allow the sealing agent
to “distribute” in the tyre.
›
Firmly screw the tyre inflation hose
5
back onto the tyre valve and repeat
the inflation process.
›
If you cannot reach the required tyre inflation pressure here either, this
means the tyre has sustained too much damage. You cannot seal with tyre with the breakdown kit »
.
›
Switch off the air compressor.
›
Remove the tyre inflation hose
5
from the tyre valve.
Once a tyre pressure of 2.0 - 2.5 bar is reached, the journey may be continued
at a maximum speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). 
210Do-it-yourself

WARNING■If you cannot inflate the tyre to at least 2.0 bar, this means the damage
sustained was too serious. The sealing agent cannot be used to seal the
tyre. 
Do not continue to drive! Seek help from a specialist garage.■
The tyre inflation hose and air compressor may get hot as the tyre is be-
ing inflated – there is a risk of burning.
CAUTION
Switch off the air compressor after running 8 minutes at the latest – there is a
risk of overheating. Allow the air compressor to cool a few minutes before
switching it on again.
Notes for driving with tyre repaired
Read and observe
on page 209 first.
The inflation pressure of the repaired tyre must be checked after driving for 10minutes.
If the tyre pressure is 1.3 bar or less
›
 Do not continue to drive! You cannot properly seal with tyre with the
breakdown kit.
If the tyre pressure is 1.3 bar or more
›
Set the tyre pressure back to the correct value.
›
Continue driving carefully to the nearest specialist garage at a maximum speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).
Jump-starting
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Jump-starting using the battery from another vehicle
211
Jump-starting in vehicles with the START STOP system
212
Jump-starting vehicles with the vehicle battery in the boot
212
The battery of another vehicle can be used to jump-start your vehicle if the en-
gine will not start because the battery is flat.
WARNING■ Pay attention to the warning instructions relating to work in the engine
compartment » page 186.■
A discharged vehicle battery may already freeze at temperatures just be-
low 0 °C. If the battery is frozen, do not jump-start with the battery of an-
other vehicle – there is a risk of explosion.
■
Keep any sources of ignition (naked flame, smouldering cigarettes, etc.)
away from the battery – risk of explosion!
■
Never jump-start vehicle batteries with insufficient acid levels – risk of
explosion and chemical burns.
■
The vent screws of the battery cells must be tightened firmly.
Note
We recommend you buy jump-start cables from a car battery specialist.
Jump-starting using the battery from another vehicle
Fig. 184
Jump-starting: A – flat battery, B
– battery providing current
Read and observe on page 211 first.
The starting process using the battery of another vehicle requires the use of
jumper cables.
The jump-start cables must be attached in the following sequence.
›
Attach clamp
1
to the positive terminal of the discharged battery
A
» Fig. 184 .
›
Attach clamp
2
to the positive terminal of the battery supplying power
B
.
›
Attach clamp
3
to the negative terminal of the battery supplying power
B
.
›
Attach clamp
4
to a solid metal component firmly connected to the engine
block or to the engine block itself.
Starting engine
›
Start the engine on the vehicle providing the power and allow it to idle. 
211Emergency equipment and self-help

Replacing the bulb for the licence plate light226Rear light (Superb Combi)226
Replacing bulbs in rear light (Superb Combi)
227
Some manual skills are required to change a bulb. For this reason, we recom-
mend having bulbs replaced by a specialist garage or seeking other expert help
in the event of any uncertainties.
› Switch off the ignition and all of the lights before replacing a bulb.
› Faulty bulbs must only be replaced with the same type of bulbs. The designa-
tion is located on the light socket or the glass bulb.
› A stowage compartment for replacement bulbs is located in a plastic box in
the spare wheel or underneath the floor covering in the boot.
WARNING■ Always read and observe the warnings before completing any work in the
engine compartment » page 186.■
Accidents can be caused if the road in front of the vehicle is not suffi-
ciently illuminated and the vehicle cannot or can only be seen with difficul-
ty by other road users.
■
Bulbs H7 H8 and H15 are pressurised and may burst when changing the
bulb - risk of injury! We therefore recommended wearing gloves and safety
glasses when changing a bulb.
■
Gas discharge bulbs (xenon bulbs) operate with a high voltage, professio-
nal knowledge is required – risk of death!
■
Switch off the respective vehicle light when changing the bulb.
CAUTION
Do not take hold of the glass bulb with naked fingers (even the smallest
amount of dirt reduces the working life of the light bulb). Use a clean cloth,
napkin, or similar.
Note
■ This Owner's Manual only describes the replacement of bulbs where it is pos-
sible to replace the bulbs on your own without any complications arising. Other
bulbs must be replaced by a specialist garage.■
We recommend that a box of replacement bulbs always be carried in the ve-
hicle. Replacement bulbs can be purchased from ŠKODAOriginal Accessories.
■
We recommend having the headlight settings checked by a specialist garage
after replacing a bulb in the main beam, low beam or fog lights.
■
In case of failure of a xenon gas discharge lamp or an LED diode, visit a spe-
cialist garage.
HeadlightsFig. 202
Bulb arrangement: Headlight with halogen bulb/with Xenon
bulb
Read and observe
and on page 224 first.
Headlight with halogen bulb Low beam
Main beam, separate daytime running lights, and parking light
Headlights with Xenon light Xenon gas discharge bulbs
Main beam
Replacing the low beam bulb
Fig. 203
Halogen headlight: Changing the
bulb for the low beam
Read and observe and on page 224 first.
›
Remove the protective cap
1
» Fig. 202 on page 224 . 
1234224Do-it-yourself