2011 SKODA SUPERB engine overheat

Revolution counterRead and observe
on page 30 first.
The red scale of the revolution counter
1
» Fig. 21 on page 30 indicates the
range in which the system begins to limit the engine speed. The system auto-
matically restricts the engine speed to a steady limit.
You should shift into the next highest gear before the red scale of the revolu-
tion counter is reached or select mode D on the automatic gearbox.
Follow the recommended gear to prevent engine speeds that are too high or
too low » page 43 .
Speedometer
Read and observe
on page 30 first.
Warning against speeding
An audible warning will sound when the vehicle speed exceeds 120 km/h 1)
. The
audible warning is switched off once the vehicle speed falls below 120 km/h.
Coolant temperature gauge
Fig. 22
Coolant temperature gauge
Read and observe on page 30 first.
The coolant temperature gauge » Fig. 22 only operates when the ignitions is
switched on.
Cold range
The pointer in the left of the scale indicates that the engine has not yet
reached its operating temperature. Avoid high speeds, full throttle and high
engine loads. This prevents possible damage to the engine.
The operating range
The engine has reached its operating temperature as soon as the pointer
moves into the middle of the scale. At very high ambient temperatures or un-
der heavy engine loads, the pointer may move even further to the right.
High temperature range
The coolant temperature is too high if the pointer reaches the red area of the
scale. Further information » page 36.
CAUTION
■
Additional headlights and other attached components in front of the air inlet
impair the cooling efficiency of the coolant.■
Never cover the radiator - there is a risk of the engine overheating.
Display
Fig. 23
Display types
Read and observe on page 30 first.
The following information will be displayed.
› Distance travelled
» page 32
› Time
» page 32
› Details of the information system
» page 42
› Details of the service interval display
» page 48 
1)
This function is only valid for some countries.
31Instruments and Indicator Lights

The following message is shown in the MAXI DOT display.Gearbox overheated. Stop! Owner's manual!
 do not continue to drive! Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine, and wait
until the 
icon goes out – risk of gearbox damage! You can continue your
journey as soon as the icon disappears.WARNINGIf you have to stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe
distance from the traffic, switch off the engine and activate the hazard
warning light system » page 72. The warning triangle must be set up at
the prescribed distance - observe the national legal provisions when doing
so.
Note
■ If the MAXI DOT display shows warning messages, these messages must be
confirmed in order to access the main menu » page 42 .■
As long as the operational faults are not rectified, the symbols are always in-
dicated again. After they are displayed for the first time, the symbols continue
to be indicated without any extra messages for the driver.
Warning lights
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
 Handbrake
35
 Brake system
35
 Seat belt warning light
35
 Generator
35
 Door open
36
 Engine oil pressure
36
 Coolant
36
 Bonnet
36
 Boot lid
36
 
Power steering / steering lock (system KESSY)
36
 Engine oil level
37
 Traction Control System (ASR)
37
 Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
37 Anti lock brake system (ABS)38 Rear fog light38

Lamp failure
38
 Adaptive headlights (AHL)
38
 Exhaust inspection system
38
 Glow plug system (diesel engine)
38

Engine performance check (petrol engine)
39
 Diesel particulate filter (diesel engine)
39
 Fuel reserve
39
 Airbag system
40
 Tyre inflation pressure
40
 Windscreen washer fluid level
40
 Brake linings
41

 Turn signal system
41
 Low beam
41
 Fog lights
41
 Cruise control system
41
 Selector lever lock / starter (system KESSY)
41
 Main beam
41
The warning lights indicate certain functions or faults.
Some warning lights can be accompanied by acoustic signals and messages in
the display of the instrument cluster.
After switching on the ignition, some warning lights light up briefly as a func-
tion test.
If the tested systems are OK, the corresponding warning lights go out a few
seconds after switching on the ignition or after starting the engine. 
34Operation

 Door openRead and observe
on page 35 first.
The warning light 
illuminates if one or several doors are opened.
 Engine oil pressure
Read and observe
on page 35 first.
When the warning light is flashing 
, the engine oil pressure is too low.
The following message is shown in the MAXI DOT display. Oil pressure: Engine off. Owner's manual!
›
Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine, and check the engine oil lev-
el » page 190 .
If the warning light 
flashes do not drive any further , even if the oil level is
correct! Also do not leave the engine running at an idling speed.
Seek help from a specialist garage.
 Coolant
Read and observe
on page 35 first.
If the warning light 
illuminates or flashes , either the coolant temperature is
too high or the coolant level is too low.
The following message is shown in the MAXI DOT display. Check coolant! Owner's manual!
›
Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine and check the coolant lev-
el » page 192 .
›
If the coolant level is too low, top up coolant » page 192.
If the warning light 
does not illuminate , after adding coolant and switching
on the ignition, you may continue your journey.
If the coolant level is within the specified range and the warning light is still
illuminated , then there may be a malfunction of the cooling fan.
›
Check the fuse for the radiator fan, replace if necessary » page 222, Fuses in
the engine compartment .
If the coolant level and fan fuse are both OK but the warning light  is never-
theless still illuminated,  do not continue your journey!
Seek help from a specialist garage.WARNING■ Carefully open the coolant expansion bottle. If the engine is hot, the cool-
ing system is pressurized - risk of scalding! It is therefore best to allow the
engine to cool down before removing the cap.■
Do not touch the radiator fan. The radiator fan may switch itself on auto-
matically even if the ignition is off - a danger of injury is present!
CAUTION
■ Additional headlights and other attached components in front of the air inlet
impair the cooling efficiency of the coolant.■
Never cover the radiator - there is a risk of the engine overheating.
 Bonnet
Read and observe
on page 35 first.
The warning light 
illuminates if the bonnet is unlocked.
 Boot lid
Read and observe
on page 35 first.
The warning light 
illuminates if the boot lid is opened.
  Power steering / steering lock (system KESSY)
Read and observe
on page 35 first.
Power steering
If the warning light 
is illuminated , this indicates a partial failure of the Pow-
er Steering and the steering forces can be greater.
If the warning light 
is illuminated , this indicates a complete failure of the
power steering and the steering assist has failed (significantly higher steering
forces).
›
Stop the car, turn the ignition off and on again.
The powered steering is fully functional again if the 
or 
warning light does
not illuminate after you switch the engine back on. 
36Operation

Emergency ignition shutoff systemRead and observe
and on page 140 first.
The ignition can be turned off in an emergency even when travelling at a
speed of more than 2 km / hr.
›
Press the starter button » Fig. 135 on page 141 for longer than 1 second or
twice within 1 second.
After emergency stop of the ignition, the steering is unlocked.
Brakes
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Information on braking
143
Handbrake
144WARNING■ Greater physical effort is required for braking when the engine is switch-
ed off – risk of accident!■
The clutch pedal must be depressed when braking on a vehicle with man-
ual transmission, when the vehicle is in gear and at low revs. Otherwise,
the function of the brake booster may be impaired – risk of accident!
■
When leaving the vehicle, never leave persons who might, for example,
release the handbrake or take the vehicle out of gear unattended in the ve-
hicle. The vehicle could then start to move – risk of accident!
WARNINGIn the case of damage to the standard fitted front spoiler or if retrofitting
another front spoiler, hub caps etc. » page 173, Services, modifications and
technical alterations , make sure that the air supply to the front brakes is
not affected. The front brakes may overheat, which can have a negative im-
pact on the functioning of the braking system – there is a risk of an acci-
dent!CAUTION■ Observe the recommendations on the new brake pads » page 149.■Never let the brakes slip with light pressure on the pedal if braking is not
necessary. This causes the brakes to overheat and can also result in a longer
braking distance and excessive wear.
Information on braking
Read and observe
and on page 143 first.
If the brakes are applied in full and the control unit for the braking system con-siders the situation to be dangerous for the following traffic, the brake light
flashes automatically.
After the speed was reduced below around 10 km/h or the vehicle was stop-
ped, the brake light stops flashing and the hazard warning light system
switches on. The hazard warning light system is switched off automatically af- ter accelerating or driving off again.
Before travelling a long distance down a steep gradient, reduce speed and
shift into the next lowest gear. As a result, the braking effect of the engine will
be used, reducing the load on the brakes. Any additional braking should be
completed intermittently, not continuously.
Wear-and-tear
The wear of the brake pads is dependent on the operating conditions and driv- ing style.
The brake pads wear more quickly if a lot of journeys are completed in towns
and over short distances or if a very sporty style of driving is adopted.
Under these severe conditions , the thickness of the brake pads must also be
checked by a specialist garage between services.
Wet roads or road salt
The performance of the brakes can be delayed as the brake discs and brake
pads may be moist or have a coating of ice or layer of salt on them in winter.
The brakes are cleaned and dried by applying the brakes several times.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on the brake pads occur if the vehicle has
been parked for a long period and if you do not make much use of the braking
system. The brakes are cleaned by applying the brakes several times. 
143Starting off and Driving

Faults in the brake surface
If it is found that the braking distance has suddenly become longer and that
the brake pedal can be depressed further, the brake system may be faulty.
Visit a specialist garage immediately and adjust your style of driving appropri-
ately as you will not know the exact extent of the damage.
Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system.
The level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically » page 35, 
Brake sys-
tem .
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the pressure generated with the brake pedal. The
brake booster only operates when the engine is running.
Handbrake
Fig. 137
Handbrake
Read and observe and on page 143 first.
Apply
›
Pull the handbrake lever firmly upwards.
Releasing
›
Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and at the same time push in the locking
button » Fig. 137 .
›
Move the lever right down while pressing the lock button.
The handbrake warning light  illuminates when the handbrake is applied,
provided the ignition is on.
A warning signal sounds if the vehicle is inadvertently driven off with the
handbrake applied.
The following message is shown in the MAXI DOT display.
Release parking brake!
The handbrake warning is activated if the vehicle is driven at a speed of more
than around 5 km/h for more than 3 seconds.WARNINGPlease note that the handbrake must be fully released. A handbrake which
is only partially released can result in the rear brakes overheating. This can
have a negative effect on the operation of the brake system – there is a
risk of an accident.
CAUTION
After the vehicle has come to a standstill, always tighten the handbrake first
and then select the first gear (vehicles with a manual gearbox) or move the se-
lector lever to the P-position (vehicles with an automatic gearbox).
Manual gear changing and pedals
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Manual gear changing
144
Pedals
145
Manual gear changing
Fig. 138
Gearshift pattern of 5 gear or
6 gear manual gearbox
Always depress the clutch pedal all the way down. This prevents uneven wear on the clutch.
The gearshift indicator must be observed when changing gear » page 43.
144Driving

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
149New 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

Engine overheating
The speed must be reduced immediately if the needle for the coolant tempera-
ture gauge moves into the right-hand area or the red area of the scale.
Stop and switch off the engine if the warning light 
in the instrument cluster
illuminates.
The following guidelines must be observed » page 36, 
Coolant .
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.WARNING■ Always drive particularly carefully with the trailer.■Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to the traffic
situation.
CAUTION
If you tow a trailer frequently, you should also have your vehicle inspected be-
tween service intervals.
Trailer stabilisation (TSA)
The trailer stabilisation is an extension of the stabilisation control that works
in conjunction with the counter-steering assistance to reduce the amount the
trailer "sways".
After turning on the ignition, the ESC warning light 
in the instrument cluster
illuminates for about 2 seconds longer than the ABS warning light.
Function requirements for trailer stabilisation. The trailer was shipped from the factory or purchased from the ŠKODA
genuine accessories.
The ESC is active. (Warning lights 
or 
do not illuminate in the instru-
ment cluster).
The trailer is electrically connected to the towing vehicle by means of the
trailer socket.
The speed is higher than approx. 60 km/h.
The trailer has a rigid drawbar.
WARNING■ The increased safety offered by the trailer stabilisation must not tempt
you to take greater risks than otherwise.■
Avoid abrupt and sudden driving and braking manoeuvres - there is a risk
of accidents.
CAUTION
■ The trailer stabilisation need not be able to correctly detect all of driving sit-
uations.■
Light trailers that sway are not always detected and therefore stabilised ac-
cordingly by the trailer stabilisation.
■
Release the pressure on the accelerator pedal if the system is being regula-
ted.
Note
The trailer stabilisation works for both braked and unbraked trailers.
Anti-theft alarm system
When the vehicle is locked, the alarm is activated when the electrical connec-
tion to the trailer is interrupted.
Always switch off the anti-theft alarm system before a trailer is coupled or un-
coupled » page 55 .
Conditions for including a trailer in the anti-theft alarm system. The vehicle is factory fitted with an anti-theft alarm system and towing
equipment.
The trailer is electrically connected to the towing vehicle by means of the
trailer socket.
The electrical system of the vehicle and trailer is functional.
The vehicle is locked with the vehicle key and the anti-theft alarm system
is activated.
CAUTION
For technical reasons, trailers with rear LED lights cannot be connected to the
anti-theft alarm system.172Driving

ReplenishingRead and observe
and on page 189 first.
›
Check the oil level » page 190.
›
Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening » Fig. 164 on page 188 .
›
Replenish the oil in portions of 0.5 litres in accordance with the correct speci-
fications » page 189 .
›
Check the oil level » page 190.
›
Carefully screw on the oil filler opening cap and push the dipstick in fully.
Coolant

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Capacity
191
Checking the coolant level
192
Replenishing
192
The coolant consists of water with coolant additive. This mixture guarantees
antifreeze protection, protects the cooling/heater system against corrosion
and prevents lime formation.
Vehicles exported to countries with a mild climate are already factory-filled
with a coolant which offers antifreeze protection down to about -25 ℃. In
these countries, the concentration of coolant additive should be at least 40%.
Vehicles exported to countries with a cold climate are already factory-filled
with a coolant which offers antifreeze protection down to about -35 °C. In
these countries, the concentration of coolant additive should be at least 50%.
If a higher concentration of antifreeze is required for climatic reasons, the con-
centration of coolant additive can be increased up to a maximum of 60% (anti-
freeze protection down to approx. -40 °C).
When refilling, only use the same antifreeze identified on the coolant expan-
sion vessel » Fig. 167 on page 192 .
WARNINGThe 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.
CAUTION
■
 Do not continue if for some reason it is not possible to fill with coolant un-
der the current circumstances! Switch off the engine and seek assistance from
a specialist garage.■
If the expansion tank is empty, do not top up with coolant. The system could
ventilate - there is a risk of engine damage, 
do not continue driving! Switch
off the engine and seek assistance from a specialist garage.
■
The concentration of coolant additive in the coolant must never be under
40%.
■
Over 60% of coolant additive in the coolant reduces the antifreeze protec-
tion and cooling effect.
■
A coolant additive that does not comply with the correct specifications can
significantly reduce the corrosion protection.
■
Any faults resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of coolant and can con-
sequently result in major engine damage!
■
Do not fill the coolant above the mark
A
» Fig. 167 on page 192 .
■
If a fault causes the engine to overheat, we recommend visiting a specialist
garage, as otherwise serious engine damage may occur.
■
Additional headlights and other attached components in front of the air inlet
impair the cooling efficiency of the coolant.
■
Never cover the radiator - there is a risk of the engine overheating.
Capacity
Read and observe
and on page 191 first.
Coolant capacity (in litres) 1)
Petrol enginesCapacity1.4 l/92 kW TSI7.71.8 l/112 kW TSI
1.8 l/118 kW TSI8.6 1)
The coolant capacity is approximately 1 Litre greater on vehicles that are fitted with an auxiliary heater
(auxiliary heating and ventilation).
191Inspecting and replenishing