Only engage reverse gear when the vehicle is stationary. Depress the clutch
pedal and hold it fully depressed. Wait a moment before reverse gear is engag-
ed to avoid any shift noises.
The reversing lights will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided the
ignition is on.WARNINGNever engage reverse gear when driving – risk of accident!
CAUTION
If not in the process of changing gear, do not leave your hand on the gearshift
lever while driving. The pressure from the hand can cause the gearshift mech-
anism to wear excessively.
Pedals
The operation of the pedals must not be hindered under any circumstances!
In the driver's footwell, only a footmat, which is attached to the two corre-
sponding attachment points, may be used.
Only use footmats from the range of ŠKODA Original Accessories, which are fit-
ted to two attachment points.
WARNINGNo objects are allowed in the driver's footwell – risk of obstruction or limi-
tation in operating the pedals!
Automatic transmission
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Modes and use of selector lever
145
Manual gear shifting (Tiptronic)
146
Starting off and driving
147
Malfunction
148WARNING■ Do not depress the accelerator if the forward driving mode is changed
when the vehicle is halted and the engine is running – there is a risk of an
accident.■
Never shift the selector lever to R or P modes when driving – there is a
risk of an accident.
■
The vehicle must be held on the brake pedal in D, S or R modes if the ve-
hicle is halted and the engine is running. Even when the engine is idling,
power transmission is never completely interrupted – the vehicle will creep.
CAUTION
■ If the selector lever is shifted to N while the vehicle is being driven you must
lift off the accelerator pedal and you will need to wait until the engine has
reached its idling speed before shifting the selector lever to a forward driving
mode again.■
At temperatures below -10 °C, the engine can only be started in selector lev-
er position P.
■
Never try to hold the vehicle using the accelerator pedal when stopping on a
hill – this may lead to transmission damage.
Note
After the ignition is switched off, the ignition key can only be withdrawn when
the selector lever is in position P.
Modes and use of selector lever
Fig. 139
Selector lever/display
145Starting off and Driving
Fig. 140
Shift lock button
Read and observe and on page 145 first.
When the ignition is switched on, the gearbox mode and the currently selectedgear are indicated in the display » Fig. 139.
The following modes can be selected with the selector lever » Fig. 139.
P
– Parking mode
The driven wheels are locked mechanically in this mode.
Parking mode must only be selected when the vehicle is stationary.
R
- Reverse gear
Reverse gear can only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary and the en-
gine is at idling speed.
Before moving into mode R from mode P or N, depress the brake pedal while
simultaneously pressing the lock button in the direction of the ar-
row » Fig. 140 .
N
- Neutral
Power transmission to the drive wheels is interrupted in this mode.
D
- Mode for forwards travel (normal programme)
In mode D, the forward gears are automatically changed according to the en-
gine load, accelerator pedal actuation and driving speed.
S
- Mode for forwards travel (sports programme)
In mode S, the forward gears are shifted automatically up and down at higher
engine speeds than in mode D.
Before changing to mode S from mode D , the shift lock button must be press-
ed in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 140.
Releasing selector lever from P or N modes (selector lever lock)
The selector lever is locked in the P and N modes to prevent the forwards trav-
el mode from being selected accidentally and setting the vehicle in motion.
The
warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster » page 41.
The selector lever is released by depressing the brake pedal while simultane-
ously pressing the lock button in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 140.
The selector lever is not locked when shifted quickly through N (e.g. from R to
D ). This, for example, helps to rock out a vehicle that is stuck, e.g. in a bank of
snow. The selector lever lock will engage if the lever is in position N for more
than approximately 2 seconds without the brake pedal being depressed.
The selector lever is locked only when the vehicle is stationary and at speeds
up to 5 km/h.
Note
If you want to move the selector lever from mode P to mode D or vice versa,
move the selector lever quickly. This prevents modes R or N from being selec-
ted accidentally.
Manual gear shifting (Tiptronic)
Fig. 141
Selector lever/multi function steering wheel
Read and observe
and on page 145 first.
Tiptronic mode makes it possible to manually shift gears with the selector lev-
er or multifunction steering wheel. This mode can be selected both while hal-
ted and while driving.
The currently selected gear is indicated in the » Fig. 139 on page 145 display.
The gearshift indicator must be observed when changing gear » page 43.
146Driving
Switching to manual shifting›Push the gear selector from position D towards the right, or left in a right-
hand drive vehicle.
Shifting up gears›
Press the selector lever forwards
+
» Fig. 141 .
›
Pull the right-hand paddle +
» Fig. 141 briefly towards the steering wheel.
Shifting down gears
›
Press the selector lever backwards
-
» Fig. 141 .
›
Pull the left-hand paddle -
» Fig. 141 briefly towards the steering wheel.
Temporarily switching to manual gear shifting in mode D or S
›
Pull one of the -/+ paddles
» Fig. 141 briefly towards the steering wheel .
Manual gear shifting is deactivated if more than 1 minute passes after either of
the -
/+ paddles was pulled. The temporary switch to manual gear shifting can
also be deactivated by pulling the right-hand + paddle towards the steering
wheel for more than 1 second.
When accelerating, the gearbox automatically shifts up into the higher gear
just before the maximum permissible engine speed is reached.
If a lower gear is selected, the gearbox does not shift down until there is no risk of the engine over revving.
Note
It may be beneficial, for example, when travelling downhill, to use manual
shifting of gears. Shifting to a lower gear reduces the load on the brakes and
hence brake wear » page 143.
Starting off and driving
Read and observe
and on page 145 first.
Starting off
›
Start the engine.
›
Firmly depress and hold the brake pedal.
›
Press the lock button in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 140 on page 146 and
keep pressing.
›
Move the selector lever into the desired position » page 145 and then release
the lock button.
› Release the brake pedal and accelerate.
Stop›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a stop.
›
Keep holding the brake pedal until driving is resumed.
The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping for a
short time, such as at a cross roads.
Parking
›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a stop.
›
Firmly apply the handbrake.
›
Press the lock button in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 140 on page 146 and
keep pressing.
›
Move the selector lever into the position P and then release the locking but-
ton.
Launch control 1)
The launch control function allows the vehicle in mode S or Tiptronic to reach
its maximum acceleration when starting off.
›
Disable the ASR » page 154, Brake assist systems .
›
START STOP deactivate » page 164.
›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal with your left foot.
›
Fully depress the accelerator pedal with your right foot.
›
Release the brake pedal.
The vehicle starts off with maximum acceleration.
Reactivate the ASR and START STOP when the desired speed has been
reached.
Kickdown
The kickdown function allows you to achieve maximum acceleration by your
vehicle while driving.
When the accelerator pedal is fully depressed, the kickdown function is activa-
ted in any forward driving mode.
The gearbox shifts down one or more gears depending on the vehicle speed
and engine speed, and the vehicle accelerates.
The gearbox does not shift up into the highest gear until the engine has
reached its maximum revolutions for this gear range.
1)
This function is only valid for some engines.
147Starting off and Driving
WARNINGRapid acceleration, particularly on slippery roads, can lead to loss of control
of the vehicle – there is a risk of an accident.
Malfunction
Read and observe
and on page 145 first.
Emergency programme
The transmission switches to the emergency programme if there is a fault in
the automatic gearbox system.
Indications of an activated emergency programme include the following:
› Only certain gears are selected.
› Reverse gear
R cannot be used.
› Shifting gears in Tiptronic mode is not possible.
Gearbox overheating
The gearbox may, for example, become too hot due to frequent repeated
starting or stop-and-go traffic. Overheating is indicated by the warning
light » page 33 ,
Clutches of the automatic DSG gearbox are too hot
.
Defective selector lever lock
If the selector lever lock is defective or its power supply is interrupted (e.g. dis-
charged vehicle battery, faulty fuse), the selector lever can no longer be moved
out of position P in the normal manner, and the vehicle can no longer be driv-
en. The selector lever must be emergency released » page 217.
Note
Visit a specialist workshop if the gearbox has switched to the emergency pro-
gramme.
Running in
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
New engine
148
New tyres
149
New brake pads
149New engine
The engine has to be run in during the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1,000 kilometres›
Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the maximum speed of the gear in use, which
means 3/4 of the maximum permissible engine speed.
›
No full throttle.
›
Avoid high engine speeds.
›
Do not tow a trailer.
From 1,000 up to 1,500 kilometres
Gradually increase the power output of the engine up to the full speed of the
gear engaged, which means up to the maximum permissible engine speed.
The red scale on the rev counter indicates the range in which the system be-
gins to limit the engine speed.
During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than
later until all of the moving parts have harmonized. The driving style which you
adopt during the first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive part in the suc-
cess of running in your car.
Never drive at unnecessarily high engine speeds even after the running in pe-
riod.
On vehicles fitted with a manual gearbox, at the very latest shift up into the
next gear when the red area is reached. Observe the recommended
gear » page 43 , Gear recommendation . Very high engine speeds when acceler-
ating (accelerator) are automatically restricted »
.
In vehicles with manual transmission, do not drive at unnecessarily low engine
speeds. Shift down a gear when the engine is no longer running smoothly. Ob-
serve the recommended gear » page 43, Gear recommendation .
CAUTION
■
The engine is not protected from excessive engine revs caused by shifting
down at the wrong time. This can result in a sudden increase in revs beyond
the permissible maximum rpm and hence engine damage.■
Never rev up a cold engine when the vehicle is stationary or when driving in
individual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Do not drive at unnecessarily high engine speeds. Shifting up sooner helps
save fuel, reduces engine noise and protects the environment.148Driving
New tyres
New tyres must firstly be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first.
Therefore, drive especially carefully for the first 500 km or so.
New brake pads
New brake pads do not initially provide optimal braking performance. They first
need to be “run in”. Therefore, drive especially carefully for the first 200 km or
so.
Economical driving and environmental sustainability
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Looking ahead
149
Economical gear changing.
149
Avoiding full throttle
150
Reducing idling
150
Avoiding short distances
150
Checking tyre pressure
150
Avoiding unnecessary ballast
151
Regular maintenance
151
Saving electrical energy
151
Environmental compatibility
151
The technical requirements for low fuel usage and economic efficiency of the
vehicle have already been built into the vehicle at the works. ŠKODA places a
particular emphasis on minimising negative effects on the environment.
It is necessary to take note of the guidelines given in this chapter in order to make best use of these characteristics and to maintain their effectiveness.
Fuel consumption, environmental pollution and the wear to the engine, brakes
and tyres depend essentially on the following three factors:
› Your personal driving style
› Operating conditions
› Technical requirements
The fuel economy by can be improved by 10 - 15 % by always looking ahead
and driving in an economical way.
Fuel consumption is also be influenced by external factors which are beyond
the driver's control. Consumption increases during the winter or under difficult
conditions, on poor roads, etc.
Fuel consumption can vary considerably from the manufacturer's data, as a re-
sult of outside temperatures, the weather and driving style.
The optimal engine speed should be maintained when accelerating, to avoid a high fuel consumption and resonance of the vehicle.
CAUTION
All the speed and engine revolution figures apply only when the engine is at
its normal operating temperature.
Looking ahead
Read and observe
on page 149 first.
A vehicle's highest fuel consumption occurs when accelerating, therefore un-necessary accelerating and braking should be avoided. If looking ahead when
driving, less braking and consequently less accelerating are required.
If possible, let your vehicle coast to a stop, or use the engine brake, if you can see that the next set of traffic lights is on red, for example.
Economical gear changing.
Fig. 142
Principle sketch: Fuel consump-
tion in litres/100 km depending
on the selected gear
Read and observe on page 149 first.
Shifting up early saves on fuel.
Manual gearbox › Drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear.
› Shift up into the next gear at approximately 2,000 rpm.
149Starting off and Driving
An effective way of achieving good fuel economy is to shift up early. Observe
the recommended gear » page 43, Gear recommendation .
A suitably selected gear can have an effect on fuel consumption » Fig. 142.
Automatic gearbox
› Slowly
apply the accelerator pedal. However, do not depress it as far as the
kickdown position » page 147.
› An economic driving programme is automatically selected if the accelerator
pedal is only depressed slowly.
Avoiding full throttle
Fig. 143
Principle sketch: Fuel consump-
tion in litres/100 km. and speed
in km/h.
Read and observe on page 149 first.
Driving more slowly saves fuel.
Sensitive use of the accelerator will not only significantly reduce fuel con-
sumption but also positively influence environmental pollution and wear of
your vehicle.
The maximum speed of your vehicle should, as far possible, never be used.
Fuel consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicle noises increase dispropor-
tionally at high speeds.
The graph » Fig. 143 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your
vehicle. Fuel consumption will be halved if you drive at only three-quarters of
the possible top speed of your vehicle.
Reducing idling
Read and observe
on page 149 first.
Idling also costs fuel.
In vehicles not equipped with the START STOP system, turn off the engine
when in a traffic jam, at a level crossing or traffic lights with longer wait times.
Even after just 30 - 40 seconds you will have saved more fuel than that is nee-
ded when you start the engine up again.
If an engine is only idling it takes much longer for it to reach its normal operat-
ing temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant emissions, though, are particu- larly high in the warming-up phase. Therefore, start driving as soon as the en-
gine has started, In this case high engine speeds should be avoided.
Avoiding short distances
Fig. 144
Principle sketch: Fuel consump-
tion in l/100 km at different tem-
peratures
Read and observe on page 149 first.
Short distances result in above-average high fuel consumption. We therefore
recommend avoiding distances of less than 4 km if the engine is cold.
A cold engine consumes the most fuel immediately after the start. Fuel con- sumption drops to 10 litres/100 km after just 1 kilometre. The consumption sta-
bilises once the engine and catalytic converter have reached their operating
temperature.
An important factor in this connection is also the ambient temperature. The
graph » Fig. 144 shows the different levels of fuel consumption after driving a
certain distance at a temperature of +20 °C and a temperature of -10 °C.
Checking tyre pressure
Read and observe
on page 149 first.
Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel.
150Driving
Always ensure the tyre inflation pressure is correct » page 198. If the pressure
is too low, the tyres will have to overcome a higher rolling resistance. This will
not only increase fuel consumption but also tyre wear and the driving behav-
iour will worsen.
Always check the tyre inflation pressure when the tyres are cold.
Avoiding unnecessary ballast
Read and observe
on page 149 first.
Transporting ballast costs fuel.
Each kilogramme of weight increases the fuel consumption. Therefore we rec-
ommend carrying no unnecessary weight.
It is particularly in town traffic, when one is accelerating quite often, that the
vehicle weight will have a significant effect upon the fuel consumption. A rule
of thumb here is that an increase in weight of 100 kilograms will cause an in-
crease in fuel consumption of about 1 litre/100 kilometres.
At a speed of 100 - 120 km/h, a vehicle fitted with a roof rack cross member
without a load will use about 10 % more fuel than normal due to the increased
aerodynamic drag.
Regular maintenance
Read and observe
on page 149 first.
A poorly tuned engine uses an unnecessarily high amount of fuel.
By having your vehicle regularly maintained by a specialist garage, you create
the conditions needed for economical driving. The maintenance state of your
vehicle has a positive effect on traffic safety and value retention
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fuel consumption which is 10 % higher than normal.
Check the oil level at regular intervals, e.g. when filling up. Oil consumption is
dependent to a considerable extent on the load and speed of the engine. Oil
consumption could be as high as 0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style
of driving.
It is quite normal that a new engine has higher oil consumption at first, and
reaches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. The oil consump-
tion of a new vehicle can therefore only be correctly assessed after driving
about 5,000 km.
For the sake of the environment■ Additional improvements to the fuel economy can be made by using synthet-
ic low viscosity oils.■
Regularly check the ground under the vehicle. Have your vehicle inspected by
a specialist garage if you find any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the
ground.
Note
We recommend that your vehicle be serviced on a regular basis by a ŠKODA
service partner.
Saving electrical energy
Read and observe
on page 149 first.
When the engine is running, the alternator generates and supplies electricalpower. If more electrical components of the electrical system are switched on,
more fuel is needed to operate the alternator. We therefore recommend
switching off electrical components if these are no longer required.
Environmental compatibility
Read and observe
on page 149 first.
Environmental protection has played a major role in the design, material selec-
tion and production of your new ŠKODA. Particular emphasis has been placed
on the following points.
Design measures › Joints designed to be easily detached.
› Simplified disassembly due to the modular structure system.
› Improved purity of different classes of materials.
› Identification of all plastic parts in accordance with VDA Recommendation
260.
› Reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emission CO
2.
› Minimum fuel leakage during accidents.
› Reduced noise.
Choice of materials
› Extensive use of recyclable material.
› Air conditioning filled with CFC-free refrigerant.
› No cadmium.
151Starting off and Driving
›No asbestos.
› Reduction in the “vaporisation” of plastics.
Manufacture › Solvent-free cavity protection.
› Solvent-free protection of the vehicle for transportation from the production
plant to the customer.
› The use of solvent-free adhesives.
› No CFCs used in the production process.
› Without use of mercury.
› Use of water-soluble paints.
Trade-in and recycling of old cars
ŠKODA meets the requirements of the brand and its products with regard to
protecting the environment and the preserving resources. All new ŠKODAvehi-
cles can be recycled by up to 95 % and can always 1)
be returned free of charge.
In a lot of countries sufficient trade-in networks have been created, where you
can trade-in your vehicle. After you trade-in your vehicle, you will receive a
confirmation stating the recycling in accordance with environmental regula-
tions.
Note
You can find more detailed information about the trade-in and recycling of old
cars from a specialist garage.
Avoiding damage to your vehicle
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
General information
152
Driving through water on streets
152General information
Pay attention to low-slung parts of the vehicle, such as the spoiler and ex-
haust, particularly in the following situations.
› When driving on poorly maintained roads and paths.
› When driving over kerbs.
› When driving on steep ramps, etc.
Particular attention is required for vehicles with sport suspension and when
the vehicle is fully laden.
Driving through water on streets
Fig. 145
Maximum permissible water lev-
el when driving through water
The following instructions must be observed if vehicle damage is to be avoided when driving through water (e.g. flooded roads).
›
Determine the depth of the water before driving through it.
The water level must not reach above the web of the lower beam » Fig. 145.
›
Do not drive any faster than at a walking speed.
At a higher speed, a water wave can form in front of the vehicle, which can
cause water to penetrate into the engine's air intake system or other parts of
the vehicle.
›
Never stop in the water, do not reverse and do not switch the engine off.
1)
Subject to fulfilment of the national legal requirements.
152Driving