3
- start engine
Applies to all models:
Position 1 To
lock the steering , with the ignition key withdrawn, turn the steering wheel un-
til the steering locking pin is heard to engage. You should always lock the steering
as a general rule if you leave your vehicle. This acts as a deterrent against possible
theft of your vehicle ⇒ .
Position 2 Move the steering wheel back and forward a little if the ignition key cannot, or
cannot easily be turned into this position, in order to release the steering lock.
Position
3 The engine is started in this position. At the same time, major electrical compo-
nents are switched off for short periods. The ignition key moves back into position
2 when one releases the key.
The ignition key must be turned back into position 1 each time before starting
the engine again. The starter repeat lock in the ignition lock prevents the starter
being engaged when the engine is running and thus getting damaged.
Ignition key withdrawal lock (automatic gearbox)
You can only withdraw the ignition key after switching off the ignition if the selec-
tor lever is in position P.WARNING
● When driving, the ignition key must always be in the position 2 (ignition
switched on) without the engine running. This position is indicated by the
warning lights coming on. If this is not the case, it could result in unexpected
locking of the steering wheel - risk of accident!
● Only remove the ignition key from the ignition lock when the vehicle has
come to a standstill (by applying the handbrake or moving the selector lever
into the position
P). The steering lock can engage immediately - risk of acci-
dent!
● Always withdraw the ignition key if you are going to leave the vehicle,
even for a short time. This is particularly important if children are left in the
vehicle. The children might otherwise start the engine or switch on electrical
equipment (e.g. power windows) - risk of accident or injury! Starting the engine
General You can only start the engine only using an original ignition key.
Manual gearbox
– Place the gearshift lever into neutral and put on the handbrake firmly before
starting the engine.
– Engage the clutch pedal and keep it depressed until the engine starts.
If you start the engine without depressing the clutch pedal, the engine does not
start and the following message appears in the Information display Depress
clutch! (Depress clutch!)
or CLUTCH in the display of the instrument cluster.
– Let go of the key as soon as the engine starts otherwise there may be damage
to the starter.
Automatic gearbox
– Place the gearshift lever into P or N before starting the engine, and apply the
handbrake firmly.
– Let go of the key as soon as the engine starts otherwise there may be damage
to the starter.
The engine running noises may louder at first be louder for a short time after
starting the cold engine until oil pressure can be built up in the hydraulic valve
clearance compensation. This is quite normal and is not an operating problem.
If the engine does not start ...
You can use the battery of another vehicle as a jump-start aid ⇒
page 216. WARNING
● Never run the engine in non ventilated or enclosed areas. The exhaust
gases of the engine contain besides the odorless and colourless carbon mon-
oxide a poisonous gas - hazard! Carbon monoxide can cause unconsciousness
and death.
● Never leave your vehicle unattended with the engine running. £100
Starting-off and Driving
The speed of the vehicle is, nevertheless, the most important factor. Doubling the
speed of the vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy
four times.
The common opinion that it is possible to support your body in a minor accident
with your hands, is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces
acting on the body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed within the range from 30 km/hour to 50 km/hour,
the forces which are produced on your body in the event of an accident can easily
exceed 10.000 N (Newton). This equals a weight of one tonne (1 000 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the vehicle not wearing a seat belt
are thrown forward and strike in an uncontrolled way parts of the interior of the
vehicle, such as steering wheel, dash panel, windshield ⇒ fig. 117 - left. The occu-
pants of a vehicle who have not fastened their seat belts may even be thrown out
of the vehicle. This can result in fatal injuries.
It is also important that rear seat occupants fasten their seat belts as they will
otherwise be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontrolled manner in the event
of an accident A rear seat passenger who has not fastened the seat belt is a dan-
ger not only to himself but also for those seated at the front ⇒
fig. 117 - right.
Important safety information regarding the use of
seat belts The correct use of the seat belts considerably reduces the risk of
injury! WARNING
● The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twisted,
or chafe against any sharp edges.
● It is important that the belt webbing is properly routed if the seat belts are
to offer their maximum protection ⇒ page 134.
● No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single seat belt to-
gether.
● The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if you
are correctly seated ⇒
page 129, Correct seated position. WARNING (Continued)
● The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. specta-
cles, ball-point pens, keys etc.) as this may be a cause of injuries.
● Many layers of clothing and loose clothing (e. g. a winter coat over a jacket)
do not allow you to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of the
seat belts.
● It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e. g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons).
● The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is the correct
one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to pro-
tect and the risk of injury increases.
● The seat backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
● The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may im-
pair proper operation of the inertia reel ⇒
page 185, Seat belts.
● The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked by paper or similar objects
otherwise the belt tongue will not lock in place properly.
● Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condition. If you
find seat belts which have damage to the belt, the seat belt connections, to
the inertia reel or to the lock, the relevant seat belt must be replaced by a
specialist garage.
● The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not make
an attempt to repair the seat belts yourself.
● Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident
and were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is best done by a spe-
cialist garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected. The
anchorage points for the belts should also be checked.
● In certain countries it is possible to use seat belts which differ in terms of
their operation from the seat belts which are described on the pages which
follow. 133
Seat belts Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
There also may be a certain delay before the full braking efficiency is available
when driving on roads which have been treated with road salt if you have not
used the brakes for some considerable time beforehand. The layer of salt on the
brake discs and brake pads must first be rubbed off when you apply the brakes.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on the bake pads occur if the vehicle has
been parked for a long period and if you do not make much use of the braking sys-
tem.
We recommend cleaning the brake discs by firmly applying the brakes at a fairly
high speed if you do not make much use of the braking system or if surface corro-
sion is present ⇒ .
Faults in the brake surface
If you notice that the braking distance has suddenly become longer and that the
brake pedal can be depressed further, it is possible that a brake circuit of the dual-
circuit brake system has failed. Drive, in such cases, to the nearest specialist ga-
rage without delay in order to have the problem rectified. Drive at a reduced
speed while on your way to the dealer and adapt your style of driving to the high-
er brake pedal pressure required.
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 29, Brake system . WARNING
● Only apply the brakes for the purpose of drying and cleaning the brake
discs if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any other road users in
jeopardy.
● When retrospectively mounting a front spoiler, solid wheel hubs etc. one
must ensure that the air supply to the front wheel brakes is not reduced oth-
erwise the braking system could run too hot.
● Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking ef-
ficiency until approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first
“run in
” before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however,
compensate for this slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pressure
on the brake pedal. This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed
at a future date. CAUTION
● Never allow the brakes to rub by applying slight pressure if you do not wish to
brake the vehicle. This causes the brakes to overheat and can also result in a lon-
ger braking distance and excessive wear.
● Before negotiating a steep downhill section, please reduce your speed, shift
down into the next lower gear (manual gearbox) or select a lower driving stage
(automatic gearbox). This enables you to make full use of the braking power of
the vehicle and reduces the strain on the brakes. Any additional braking should be
done intermittently, not continuously. Note
The brake light flashes automatically in case of an emergency braking at speeds
greater than 60 km/h or with the intervention of the ABS, which lasts longer than
1.5 seconds. After the speed was reduced below 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 after accelerat-
ing or driving off again.
Brake booster The brake booster boosts the pressure which you generate with the brake pedal.
The necessary pressure is only generated when the engine is running. WARNING
● Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary.
● The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater
physical effort for braking is required when engine is switched off. Because if
you do not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
● While stopping or braking with a vehicle with a petrol engine and manual
transmission in the low rev range, press down on the clutch pedal. If you fail
to do so, the result may be an impairment of the function of the power brake.
You will apply a greater force to the brake pedal which you are usde to - dan-
ger of accident! 156
Intelligent technology
WARNING
● The diesel particle filter achieves very high temperatures. Therefore do not
park at points where the hot filter comes into direct contact with dry grass or
other combustible materials - risk of fire!
● Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents
for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters, diesel particle filter or heat shields.
When the engine reaches its operating temperature, these materials might ig-
nite – risk of fire. Note
When using diesel fuel with high sulphur content the life of the diesel particle fil-
ter is clearly reduced. A specialist garage will be able to tell you which countries
use only diesel fuel with high sulphur content.
Off-road General Fig. 141 Off-road switch
The Off-road mode comprises functions which assist off-road driving.
The following functions are integrated in the Off-road mode:
● Start-Off Assist ⇒ page 160,
● Downhill Drive Support ⇒ page 161 ,
● EDL Off-road ⇒ page 154,
● TCS Off-road ⇒ page 154,
● ABS Off-road ⇒ page 156. Switch on Off-road
The Off-road mode is switched on by pressing the button
⇒
fig. 141. The warning
light in the button lights up. The warning light lights up in the instrument cluster
if the system is switched on ⇒ page 30.
Switch off Off-road
The Off-road mode is switched off by repeated pressing of the button. The warn-
ing light in the button goes out. When switching off the ignition, the Off-road
mode is also switched off and can be switched on again, if necessary, after
switching on the ignition. If the engine is switched off by accident and restarted
within 30 seconds, the Off-road mode remains switched on.
All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve proper op-
eration of the Off-road mode. Differing rolling circumferences of the tyres can lead
to an undesirable reduction in the engine output. WARNING
● Always adjust your speed to suit weather, road and traffic conditions. The
increased safety must not tempt you to take a greater safety risk than other-
wise - risk of accident!
● The Off-road equipment can also not overcome the physical limits of your
vehicle.
● The effect of the Off-road equipment depends as well on the tyres.
● The Off-road equipment is not designed for the use on common roads.
Start-Off Assist The Start-Off Assist enhances the driving comfort and can be used when starting
off, in particular on a slope. When the vehicle is stationary, the Start-Off Assist is
activated after switching it on using the button for the Off-road mode ⇒
fig. 141
.
Operating principle
When depressing the accelerator pedal fully, the engine speed required for the
start-up procedure of the stationary vehicle is restricted. The overspeed trip unit
is automatically deactivated after terminating the start-up procedure. As part of
the Assist System, the accelerator pedal is adapted in its characteristics for an
easier start-off on slippery and loose soil. 160
Intelligent technology
Downhill Drive Support
Operating principle
The Downhill Drive Support maintains a constant speed on a steep downhill sec-
tion when driving forwards and backwards by automatically intervening in the
brake system of all wheels. It prevents the wheels locking because the ABS re-
mains active. The warning light in the instrument cluster indicates that the
Downhill Drive Support is available ⇒ page 30.
The vehicle speed, which is maintained by the Assist System, is selected by the
driver while driving on a downhill section as of the moment the first intervention
of the Assist System is performed or else, while driving on a downhill section, the
driver must control the vehicle speed until the Assist System intervenes for the
first time. When the Assist System actively intervenes, this is indicated by the
warning light flashing or by a pulsating movement of the brake pedal, similar to
the intervention of the ABS.
You can increase or reduce the speed, even when no gear is engaged, by operat-
ing the accelerator or brake pedal. Thus the function is always interrupted and is
reactivated afterwards.
The Downhill Drive Support is activated automatically if the following conditions
are met:
● the Off-road mode is switched on and the warning light lights up in the in-
strument cluster,
● the engine of the vehicle is running and either the 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear, the re-
verse gear or no gear is engaged,
● the engine of the vehicle is running, the selector lever of the automatic gear-
box is in the position R, N, D, S or Tiptronic,
● the speed is less than 30 km/h,
● the downhill gradient is at least 10 % (when driving over sleepers the limit can
briefly drop to 8 %),
● neither the accelerator nor the brake pedal is operated.
It is however a requirement that the vehicle has sufficient grip on the soil. The
Downhill Drive Support cannot properly fulfil its function on slushy soil due to
physical reasons (ice or mud).
The Downhill Drive Support is deactivated when braking or accelerating or if the
downhill gradient is less than 8 %. Manual gearbox
The vehicle speed is steadily regulated by the Assist System depending on the
type of gearbox or engine:
● 1. gear - approx. 8 1)
- 30 km/h
● 2. gear - approx. 13 1 )
- 30 km/h
● 3. gear - approx. 22 1 )
- 30 km/h
● Reverse gear - approx. 9 1 )
- 30 km/h
● Neutral for driving forwards - as well as driving backwards - approx. 2 1 )
- 30
km/h
Automatic gearbox
● Selector lever in the position D, S or Tiptronic (for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear) for
driving forwards - approx. 2 - 30
km/h
● Selector lever in the position R for driving backwards - approx. 2 - 30 km/h
● Selector lever in the position N for driving forwards as well as backwards - ap-
prox. 2 - 30
km/h Note
● During an intervention of the Downhill Drive Support, the brake lights do not
light up.
● Do not switch off the Off-road mode during an intervention of the Assist Sys-
tem. 1)
The indicated values represent the average of the lower speed limits if a gear is engaged (depending
on the type of gearbox or engine). 161
Intelligent technology Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
–
For vehicles with petrol engine only refuel with unleaded petrol ⇒ page 186,
Fuel.
– Never run the fuel tank completely empty.
– Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle.
– Do not pour too much oil into the engine ⇒
page 192, Replenishing engine oil.
If you drive your vehicle in a country in which unleaded petrol is not available, you
must have the catalytic converter replaced later when driving the vehicle into a
country in which use of a catalytic converter is mandatory. WARNING
● In view of the high temperatures which may be produced in the catalytic
converter, one should always park a vehicle in such a way that the catalytic
converter cannot come into contact with easily flammable materials below the
vehicle - a risk of fire!
● Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents
for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat shields. Such substances
might ignite when driving - risk of fire! CAUTION
● On vehicles fitted with a catalytic converter, never let the fuel tank run com-
pletely empty. An irregular fuel supply can result in poor ignition or misfiring. Un-
burnt fuel may get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter.
● Filling the tank even only once with leaded petrol will result in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.
● If you detect misfiring, a drop in performance or irregular engine running when
driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the vehicle inspected by the
nearest specialist garage. The symptoms described may be caused by a fault in
the ignition system. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system and damage
the catalytic converter. For the sake of the environment
Even if the exhaust system is operating properly, a sulphur-like exhaust odour
may be produced under certain operating conditions of the engine. This depends
on the sulphur content of the fuel. It is often sufficient to refuel with unleaded
premium-grade petrol of a different brand or at a different filling station. Driving in an economical and environmentally
conscious manner
General Your personal style of driving is a major factor.
Your fuel consumption, any pollution of the environmental and the wear-and-tear
to the engine, brakes and tyres, depend essentially on three factors:
● your personal style of driving,
● the conditions under which your vehicle is operated,
● technical aspects.
You can easily improve your fuel economy by 10 - 15 percent by driving in an eco-
nomical way with foresight. This section is intended to provide you with a number
of tips on how to protect the environment and at the same time save money.
The fuel consumption can naturally also be influenced by factors which are be-
yond the driver's control. It is, for example, normal for the fuel consumption to in-
crease in winter and under worsened conditions such as poor road conditions,
towing a trailer, etc.
The technical requirements for low fuel usage and economic efficiency of the ve-
hicle have already been built into the vehicle at the works. Special attention has
been given to 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.
The optimal engine speed should be obtained when accelerating, in order to avoid
a high fuel consumption and resonance of the vehicle.
Looking ahead when driving A vehicle's highest fuel consumption occurs it accelerates.
Avoid accelerating and braking unnecessarily. If you drive with foresight you will
not need to brake so often and will also then not have to accelerate so much. Let
your vehicle coast to a stop, for example, if this is possible, when you see that the
next set of traffic lights is at red. 163
Driving and the environment Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
Regular servicing
A poorly tuned engine uses an unnecessarily high amount of fuel.
Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a specialist garge enables you to satisfy
one of the requirements for economical motoring even before you set off on your
journey. Keeping your vehicle properly serviced not only has a positive effect on
the safety of your vehicle and maintaining its value, but also saves on fuel.
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fuel consumption which is 10 % higher than
normal.
The foreseen maintenance work should be undertaken exactly according to the
Service schedule by a specialist garage.
Also check the oil level after refuelling. Oil consumption is dependent to a consid-
erable 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 a higher oil consumption at first, and rea-
ches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. It is therefore not possi-
ble to correctly assess the oil consumption of a new vehicle until after you have
driven about 5 000 km. For the sake of the environment
● You can achieve additional improvements in your fuel economy by using high-
lubricity oils.
● Check the ground below your car at regular intervals to detect any leakages in
good time. Please have your vehicle inspected by a specialist garage if you find
any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the floor. Avoid driving short distances Short distances result in an above-average high fuel consumption.
Fig. 144 Fuel consumption in litres/100
km at different temperatures
– Avoid driving a distance of no more than 4 km if the engine is cold.
The engine and catalytic converter must first have reached their optimal operat-
ing temperature in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption and pollutant
emissions.
The cold engine vehicle consumes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel immediate-
ly after starting. Fuel consumption drops to 10 litres/100 km after just 1 kilometre.
The engine reaches its operating temperature (outside temperature and engine
dependent) only after about 4 to 10 kilometres and the fuel consumption then
stabilizes. You should therefore avoid driving short distances whenever possible.
An important factor in this connection is also the ambient temperature. The
⇒ fig. 144 shows the different fuel consumptions for the same distance, on the
one hand at +20 °C and on the other hand at -10
°C. Your vehicle has a higher fuel
consumption in winter than in summer.
Checking tyre inflation pressures Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel.
Always ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure at all times. The
rolling resistance will be increased if the tyre filling pressure is too low. This will
not only increase fuel consumption but also tyre wear and the driving behaviour
will worsen.
Always check the inflation pressure of the tyres when cold. £ 165
Driving and the environment Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
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 environ-
mental regulations.
Vehicles with special built-on types
Technical documents regarding changes carried out on the vehicle must be kept
by the vehicle user, in order to hand over later to the old car user. This ensures the
recycling in accordance with environmental regulations. Note
Detailed information about the trade-in and recycling of old cars is available from
a ŠKODA Service Partner.
Motoring abroad General Other circumstances may exist abroad.
It is also possible, in certain countries, that the ŠKODA Service Partner network is
limited or has not been established yet. This is the reason why obtaining certain
spare parts may be somewhat complicated and specialist garage personnel may
only be able to make limited repairs. ŠKODA in the Czech Republic and its foreign
importers are happy to provide information about technical aspects of the vehicle,
required maintenance work and possibilities for getting repairs done.
Unleaded petrol A vehicle fitted with a petrol engine must always be refuelled with unleaded pet-
rol
⇒ page 162
. The automobile associations can provide you with information re-
garding the locations of filling stations which offer unleaded petrol.
Headlight The low beam of your headlights is set asymmetrically. It illuminates the side of
the road on which you are driving to a greater extent. If you drive abroad on the
other side of the road, you will dazzle oncoming traffic.
In order to prevent the dazzling of oncoming traffic, it is necessary that an adjust-
ment of the headlights is carried out by a specialist garage. The adaptation of the headlights with Xenon lights (applies to vehicles which are
designed for driving on the left and on the right) is performed in the menu Set-
tings Travel mode of the information display ⇒ page 18
.
Avoiding damage to your vehicle When driving on poor roads and lanes or when driving over kerbstones, steep
ramps etc., you must pay particular attention to ensuring that any low-slung parts
of the vehicle, such as spoiler and exhaust, do not touch the ground and get dam-
aged.
This particularly applies to models with a lowered suspension (sport suspension)
and also when your vehicle is fully laden.
Driving through bodies of water on roads Fig. 145 Crossing bodies of water
In order to avoid damage to the vehicle when driving through bodies of water (e.g.
flooded roads), observe the following:
● Determine the depth of the water when driving through bodies of water. The
water can reach at the maximum the web on the lower sill of the vehicle
⇒ fig. 145 .
● Drive no more than at walking speed. At a higher speed, a water wave can
form in front of the vehicle which can cause water to penetrate into the air induc-
tion system of the engine or into other parts of the vehicle.
● Never let the vehicle stand in the water, never drive backwards and do not
switch off the engine. £ 167
Driving and the environment Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data