
Starting-off and Driving
Setting steering wheel position Fig. 95 Adjustable steering wheel: Lever next to the steering column/safe distance to the
steering wheel
You can set the height and the forward/back position of the steering wheel to the
desired position.
– Adjust the driver seat ⇒ page 61.
– Pull the lever below the steering wheel down ⇒ fig. 95 - left ⇒ .
– Set the steering wheel to the desired position (concerning height and forward/
back position).
– Push the lever upwards as far as the stop. WARNING
● You must not adjust the steering wheel when the vehicle is moving!
● The driver must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering wheel
⇒ fig. 95 - right. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the air-
bag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
● For safety reasons the lever must always be firmly pushed up to avoid the
steering wheel altering its position unintentionally when driving - risk of acci-
dent! WARNING (Continued)
● If you adjust the steering wheel further towards the head, you will reduce
the protection offered by the driver airbag in the event of an accident. Check
that the steering wheel is aligned to the chest.
● When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the outer
edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position. Never hold the steering wheel
firmly in the 12 o'clock position or in another way (e.g. in the middle of the
steering wheel or at the inner steering wheel edge). In such cases, injuries to
the arms, the hands and the head can occur when the driver airbag is de-
ployed.
Ignition lock Fig. 96 Ignition lock positions
Petrol engines 1 - ignition switched off, engine off, the steering can be locked.
2 - ignition switched on
3 - start engine
Diesel engines 1 - interruption of fuel supply, ignition switched off, engine off, the steering can
be locked.
2 - heating glow plugs on, ignition switched on
● You should not switch on any major electrical components during the heating
period otherwise the vehicle battery will be drained unnecessarily. £ 99
Starting-off and Driving Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

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lock the steering , with the ignition key withdrawn, turn the steering wheel un-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

Note
● The radiator fan may continue running for a further 10 minutes or so after the
engine and the ignition have been switched off. The coolant fan may, however, al-
so switch on again after some time if the coolant temperature rises because of an
accumulation of heat in the engine or if the engine is warm and the engine com-
partment is additionally heated by strong sunlight.
● This is why particular care is required when carrying out any work in the en-
gine compartment ⇒
page 190, Working in the engine compartment.
Shifting (manual gearbox) Fig. 97 The shift pattern: 5-speed or 6-
speed manual gearbox
Shift into reverse only when the car is stationary. Depress the clutch pedal and
hold it fully depressed. Wait a moment before engaging reverse gear in order to
avoid any shift noises.
The reversing lights will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided the igni-
tion is on. WARNING
Never engage the reverse gear when driving - risk of accident! Note
● One should not lay the hand on the shift lever while driving the vehicle. The
pressure of the hand will be transferred to the gearshift forks in the gearbox. This
can, over a period of time, lead to early wear of the gearshift forks.
● Depress the clutch pedal fully when changing gears, in order to avoid unneces-
sary wear and damage. Pedals Operation of the pedals must not be hindered!
WARNING
● In the driver's footwell, only a footmat, which is attached to the two corre-
sponding attachment points, may be used.
● No objects are allowed in the driver's footwell – risk of obstruction or limi-
tation in operating the pedal! Note
● Greater brake pedal distances may be needed when there is a fault in the
brake system.
● Use only footmats from the range of ŠKODA Original Accessories, which are at-
tached at two attachment points.
Handbrake Fig. 98 Centre console: Handbrake
Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up fully.
Releasing the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and at the same time press in the locking
button ⇒
fig. 98 .
– Hold the button pressed and push the handbrake lever down fully ⇒ .
£102
Starting-off and Driving

Automatic gearbox DSG
Automatic gearbox DSG
Information for driving with the automatic gearbox DSG The abbreviation DSG means Direct shift gearbox (Direct shift gear-
box).
Two independent clutches are needed for the power transmission between the
engine and the gearbox. These replace the torque converter of the conventional
automatic gearbox. Their shifting is matched in such a way that there are no jerks
when shifting the gear and the power transmission of the engine to the front
wheels is not interrupted. You can also, however, switch the gearbox over into the
Tiptronic mode . This mode makes it possible for you to also shift gears manually
⇒
page 115.
Starting-off and Driving
– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in handle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the desired position, e.g. D ⇒
page 113, and then release
the Shiftlock button.
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator ⇒
.
Stop
– The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping just
for a short time, such as at a cross roads. It is sufficient to hold the vehicle sta-
tionary using the foot brake. The engine can, however, be allowed just to idle.
Parking
– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector lever to P
and then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be started when the selector lever is in position P or N . If the
selector lever is not in the P or N positions when locking the steering, switching
the ignition on or off or when leaving the engine on, the following message will appear in the Information display
Move selector lever to position P/N! or, in the
instrument cluster display: P/N. At temperatures below -10 °C the engine can
only be started in the selector lever position P.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position P when parking on a flat surface.
When parking on a slope you should first apply the handbrake firmly and then
move the selector lever into position P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive
pressure acting on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move
the selector lever out of position P. If the selector lever is not in the P positin
when the driver's door is open and the ignition is switched off, or if it is not in the
P position when the ignition is switched off and the driver's door is opened, the
following message will appear in the Information display: Move selector lever to
position P! or, in the instrument cluster display: P. The message disappears af-
ter a few seconds by switching on the ignition or by moving the selector lever into
the position P .
If the selector lever position N is selected by accident while driving it is first nec-
essary to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of
the engine to be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever. WARNING
● Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector
lever if the car is stationary and the engine is running - risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
● If you are stopping at a hill (downhill section), never try to hold the car sta-
tionary with the gear engaged by means of the
“accelerator”, this means by
letting the clutch slip. This can lead to overheating of the clutch. If there is a
risk of overheating of the clutch due to overload, the clutch is opened auto-
matically and the vehicle rolls backward - risk of accident!
● If you must stop at a slope, depress and hold the brake pedal, so that you
can prevent the vehicle from rolling back. £112
Automatic gearbox DSG

CAUTION
● The double clutch on the automatic gearbox DSG is equipped with an overload
protection. If you make use of the uphill function on a vehicle which is stationary
or driving slowly uphill, it will result in an increase of thermal stress of the clutch-
es.
● In the event that they overheat, the warning light and a warning text ap-
pears in the information display ⇒ page 30. In such a case bring the vehicle to a
stop, switch off the engine and wait until the warning light and the warning go
out - risk of gearbox damage! You can continue the trip as soon as the warning
light and the warning go out.
Selector lever positions Fig. 106 Selector lever/information display: Selector lever positions
The current selector lever position is indicated in the information display of the in-
strument cluster
⇒ fig. 106 - right. In the positions D and S the gear you have al-
ready engaged will be additionally displayed on the display.
P - Parklock
The driven wheels are locked mechanically in this position.
The Parklock must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary ⇒ .
If you wish to move the selector lever into or out of this position, you must press
the Shiftlock button in the handle of the selector lever and at the same time de-
press the brake pedal.
If the battery is used, the selector lever cannot be moved out of the position P.R - Reverse gear
Reverse gear must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary and the engine
idling ⇒ .
The brake pedal must be depressed and at the same time the Shiftlock must be
pressed, if you wish to obtain the selector lever positions R, P or N.
When the ignition is switched on and the selector lever is in position R, the re-
verse lights will come on.
N - Neutral
The transmission is in Neutral in this position.
The brake pedal must be depressed (if the lever is in its position for longer than 2
seconds) in order to move the selector lever out of the position N into the position
D or R, with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/
hour or on a stationary vehicle.
D - Position for driving forward
When the selector lever is in this position, the forward gears are shifted up and
down automatically in line with engine load, vehicle speed and the dynamic shift
programme.
You must depress the brake pedal if you wish to move into position D from N
when the vehicle is travelling at less than 5
km/hour or is stationary ⇒ .
Under certain circumstances (e.g. when driving in mountainous regions or when
towing a trailer) it may be beneficial to select the manual shift programme
⇒ page 115 for a short time in order to adapt the gearbox ratios manually to the
driving situations.
S - Position for sporty style of driving
Shifting up later into a higher gear makes it possible to fully exploit the power po-
tential of the engine. The gearbox also then shifts down at higher engine speeds
as in the position D .
The Shiftlock on the selector lever grip must be pressed when moving the selec-
tor lever out of the position D into the position S. £ 113
Automatic gearbox DSG Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data

WARNING
● Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
● When the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary, it is necessary to
hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (ex-
cept P and N) since the power transmission is never completely interrupted,
also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle creeps.
● You must on no account unintentionally operate the throttle (e.g. by hand
from the engine compartment) if a drive position is engaged when the car is
stationary. The vehicle would otherwise immediately start off - also when the
handbrake is firmly applied - risk of an accident!
● You must move the selector lever into position P and firmly apply the
handbrake first before you or any other person opens the bonnet and starts
working on the engine when it is running - risk of accident! It is also essential
to observe all warnings ⇒
page 190, Working in the engine compartment.
Selector lever lock Automatic selector lever lock
With the ignition on, the selector lever is locked when it is in the positions P and
N. You must first of all depress the brake pedal in order to move the selector lever
out of this position. The warning light
⇒
page 27 lights up in the instrument
cluster as a reminder for the driver when the selector lever is in the positions P
and N.
A time delay element ensures that the selector lever is not blocked when rapidly
switching over the position N (e.g. from R to D). This does, for example, allow one
to seesaw out a stuck vehicle. The selector lever lock will click into place if the lev-
er is in the N position for more than 2 seconds without the brake pedal being
pressed.
The selector lever lock is only active if the vehicle is stationary or moving at speed
of less than 5 km/hour. The lock is switched off automatically into position N
when the car is travelling at a higher speed.
Shiftlock button
The Shiftlock button in the handle of selector lever prevents certain selector lever
positions being engaged inadvertently. The selector lever lock is cancelled when
you press the Shiftlock button. Keylock - Ignition key withdrawal lock
You can only withdraw the ignition key after switching off the ignition if the selec-
tor lever is in position
P. If the ignition key is withdrawn, the selector lever is
blocked in position P .
Kickdown function The kickdown function provides you with maximum acceleration
power.
Fully depressing the accelerator pedal allows the kickdown function to be activa-
ted in the desired driving program. This function has precedence over the driving
programme and serves for maximum acceleration of the vehicle when exploiting
the maximum power potential of the engine without taking into account the cur-
rent selector lever position ( D, S or Tiptronic ). The gearbox shifts down to one or
several gears in line with the driving state and the vehicle accelerates. The gear-
box does not shift up into the highest gear until the engine has reached its maxi-
mum revolutions for this gear range. WARNING
Please note that using the kickdown function can result in the driven wheels
spinning on a smooth or slippery road surface - risk of skidding!
Dynamic shift programme The automatic gearbox of your vehicle is controlled electronically. Shifting up and
down through the gears is performed automatically on the basis of pre-defined
driving programmes.
Adopting a moderate style of driving
will cause the gearbox to select the most
economical driving programme. Shifting up into a higher gear as soon as possible
and shifting down as late as possible will have a favourable effect on your fuel
consumption.
Adopting a sporty style of driving with rapid movements of the accelerator pedal
combined with sharp acceleration and frequent changes in speed, exploiting the
top speed of the car or depressing the accelerator pedal (kickdown function), will
cause the gearbox to switch over to this style of driving and shift down earlier
with frequent changes in gears in comparison to the moderate style of driving. £114
Automatic gearbox DSG

Selector lever-emergency unlocking
Fig. 108 Selector lever-emergency un-
locking
In case of interruption of the power supply (e.g. flat vehicle battery, defective
fuse) or defect of the selector lever lock, the selector lever can no longer be shif-
ted from the position P in the normal way and the vehicle can no longer be moved.
The selector lever must be unlocked in case of emergency.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Carefully pull up the front left and right cover.
– Pull up rear cover.
– Use the finger to press the yellow plastic part downwards ⇒ fig. 108 .
– Simultaneously press the shiftlock button in the handle of the selector lever
and shift the lever into the position N (if the selector lever is shifted again into
the position P , it is once again blocked). 116
Automatic gearbox DSG

●
Inserting the mobile phone into the adapter ensures an optimal sending and
receiving power and offers at the same time the advantage of the battery charg-
ing.
● The range of the Bluetooth ®
connection to the hands-free system is restricted
to the vehicle interior. The range is dependent on local factors, e.g. obstacles be-
tween the devices and mutual interferences with other devices. If your mobile
phone is e.g. in a jacket pocket, this can lead to difficulties when establishing the
Bluetooth ®
connection with the hands-free system or the data transfer.
Inserting the mobile phone and adapter Fig. 110 Universal preparation for the
mobile phone
Only one telephone mount is factory-fitted. An adapter for the telephone can be
purchased from the range of the ŠKODA Original Accessories.
Inserting the mobile phone and adapter
– First of all push the adapter A in the direction of arrow
⇒ fig. 110 up to the
stop into the mount. Press the adapter slightly downwards, until it locks se-
curely into position.
– Insert the mobile phone into the adapter A (as specified in manufacturer's in-
structions).
Removing the mobile phone and adapter
– Press simultaneously the side locks of the mount ⇒ fig. 110 and remove the
mobile phone and adapter . CAUTION
Taking the mobile phone out of the adapter during the call can lead to interrup-
tion of the connection. When taking out the mobile phone, the connection to the
factory-fitted antenna is interrupted; this reduces the quality of the transmitting
and receiving signal. The charging of the mobile phone battery is also interrupted.
Operating telephone calls with the aid of the adapter. Fig. 111 Illustration image: Adapter with one button/adapter with two buttons
Function overview of the
(PTT - “push to talk”) button on the adapter
⇒
fig. 111 :
● Activating/deactivating voice control
● Reject/end a call
On some adapters, aside from the button, the
SOS
⇒ fig. 111 button also ap-
pears- on the right. After pressing the button for 2 seconds, the number 112
(Emergency call) is dialled. Note
● The adapters illustrated are only prime examples.
● On vehicles fitted with the radio navigation system Columbus, the and
SOS buttons do not operate.
121
Communication Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data