2012 SKODA FABIA tow

Front armrest with storage compartment
Fig. 72
Armrest: Storage compartment/open storage compartment
Fold the armrest forwards
› Press the bottom button on the face end of the armrest
» Fig. 72 - .
› Fold the arm rest forward and release the button again.
Opening the storage compartment
› Press the top button and fold the cover of the stowage compartment up-
wards » Fig. 72 - . Note
The moving space of the arms can be restricted if the armrest is folded forwards.
In city traffic the armrest should not be folded forwards. ÐStorage compartments in the doors
Fig. 73
Storage compartment: in the front door/in the rear door A bottle holder is located in the area B
» Fig. 73
of the storage compartment for
the front doors. WARNING
Use the area A
» Fig. 73
of the storage compartment only for storing objects
which do not project so that the effectiveness of the side airbag is not im-
paired. Ð Storage compartments in the boot
Fig. 74
Boot: Storage compartments
The cover for the side compartment can be removed, thus enlarging the boot. › Grasp the top part of the cover and carefully remove it in the direction of the
arrow » Fig. 74. CAUTION
The storage compartments are designed for storing small objects of up to 2.5 kg.
in weight in total. Ð
68 Using the system

Flexible storage compartment
Fig. 75
Flexible storage compartment
The flexible storage compartment » Fig. 75 can be built into the right-hand side of
the luggage compartment.
Install
› Insert both ends of the flexible storage compartment into the openings of the
right side trim panel of the boot and push it downwards until it locks.
Removing
› Grasp the flexible storage compartment on the two upper corners.
› Press the upper corners inwards and release the storage compartment by pull-
ing upwards.
› Remove by pulling towards you. CAUTION
The storage compartment is designed for storing small objects with a maximum
total weight of 8 kg. Note
If the variable loading floor » page 57 is installed in the luggage compartment, no
flexible storage compartment can be installed. ÐClothes hooks
The clothes hooks are located on the handle of the headliner above each of the
rear doors. WARNING
■ Ensure that any clothes hanging from the hooks do not impair your vision to
the rear.
■ Only use the hooks for hanging light items of clothing and ensure that there
are no heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
■ Do not use clothes hangers for hanging up items of clothing otherwise this
may reduce the effectiveness of head airbags. CAUTION
The maximum permissible load of the hooks is 2 kg. Ð Parking ticket holder
Fig. 76
Windscreen: Parking ticket hold-
er
The note holder is designed e.g. for attaching car park tickets. WARNING
The attached note has to always be removed before starting off in order not
to restrict the driver's vision. Ð 69
Seats and Stowage

Note
If the air distribution is positioned towards the windows, the total amount of air is
used to defrost the windows and thus no air will be fed to the footwell. This can
lead to restriction of the heating comfort. ÐSet heating
Recommended basic settings of the heating controls for the respective operating
modes:
Set-up Setting of the control dial
Button 1
Air outlet vents 4
A B C
Defrosting the windshield and side
windows
To the right up to the
stop 3
Do not switch on Open and align with the side win-
dow
Free windshield and side windows
from mist Desired temperature 2 or 3
   Do not switch on Open and align with the side win-
dow
The fastest heating To the right up to the
stop 3
Briefly switch on
Opening
Comfortable heating Desired temperature 2 or 3
  Do not switch on
Opening
Fresh air mode - ventilation To the left up to the
stop Desired position
Do not switch on
OpeningNote
■ Controls A
» Fig. 78 on page 71, B
, C
and the button 1
.
■ Air outlet vents 4 » Fig. 77 on page 71 .
■ We recommend that you leave the air outlet vents 3 » Fig. 77 on page 71 in the
opened position. ÐRecirculated air mode
Recirculated air mode prevents polluted air outside the vehicle from getting into
the vehicle, for example when driving through a tunnel or when standing in a
traffic jam. Switching on
› Press the button
 1
» Fig. 78 on page 71

and the warning light in the button
illuminates.
Switching off
› Press the button
 1
» Fig. 78 on page 71again - the warning light in the but-
ton goes out.
Recirculated air mode is switched off automatically if the air distribution control C
» Fig. 78 on page 71

is turned to position . Recirculated air mode can be
switched on again from this setting by repeatedly pressing the button  .
£
72 Using the system

Starting-off and Driving
Starting and stopping the engine
ä
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Adjusting the steering wheel position 80
Electrohydraulic power steering 80
Electronic immobiliser 80
Ignition lock 81
Starting engine 81
Switching off the engine 81
WARNING
■ Never adjust the steering wheel when the vehicle is moving only when the
vehicle is stationary!
■ Maintain a distance of 25 cm 1
to the steering wheel
» Fig. 81 on page 80
-  . Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system
will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
■ The lever for adjusting the steering wheel must be locked whilst driving so
that the position of the steering wheel cannot accidently change during the
journey - risk of accident!
■ If the steering wheel is adjusted further towards the head, the protection
provided by the driver airbag in the event of an accident is reduced. 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 in
the 12 o'clock position or in any other way (e.g. in the middle or inner edge of
the steering wheel). In such cases, you could injure the arms, hands and head
when the driver airbag is deployed.
■ When driving, the ignition key must always be in the position 2
» Fig. 82 on
page 81 (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! WARNING (Continued)
■ Only pull the ignition key from the ignition lock when the vehicle has come
to a complete stop (by applying the handbrake). Otherwise the steering wheel
could block - risk of accident!
■ When leaving the vehicle, the ignition must always be removed. This is par-
ticularly important if children are left in the vehicle. Otherwise the children
could, for example, start the engine - risk of accident or injury!
■ Never leave the engine running in unventilated or closed rooms. The ex-
haust gases of the engine contain besides the odorless and colourless carbon
monoxide a poisonous gas - hazard! Carbon monoxide can cause unconscious-
ness and death. ■ Never leave the vehicle unattended with the engine running.
■ Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary - risk of acci-
dent! CAUTION
■ You will place great stresses on the power steering system if the steering is
turned to full lock when the vehicle is stationary. Turning the steering to full lock
in such a situation will be accompanied by noises. Never leave the steering wheel
at full lock for more than 15

seconds when the engine is running - risk of damag-
ing the power steering!
■ The starter may only be operated (ignition key position 3
» Fig. 82 on
page 81), if the engine is not running. The starter or engine can be damaged if
the starter is activated when the engine is running. ■ Let go of the ignition key as soon as the engine starts otherwise the starter
could be damaged. ■ Avoid high engine revolutions, full throttle and high engine loads as long as the
engine has not yet reached its operating temperature - risk of damaging the en-
gine!
■ Do not tow start the engine - danger of damaging the engine! On vehicles with
a catalytic converter, unburnt fuel may get into the catalytic converter where it
may ignite. This in turn may damage the catalytic converter. The battery from an-
other vehicle can be used as a jump-start aid » page 165, Jump-starting.
■ Do not switch the engine off immediately at the end of your journey after the
engine has been operated over a prolonged period at high loads but leave it to
run at an idling speed for about 1

minute. This prevents any possible accumulation
of heat when the engine is switched off. £
79
Starting-off and Driving

For the sake of the environment
Do not warm up the engine while the vehicle is stationary. If possible, start your
journey as soon as the engine has started. Through this the engine reaches its
operating temperature more rapidly and the pollutant emissions are lower. Note
■ The engine can only be started with a genuine ŠKODA key with the matching
code. ■ The engine running noises may louder at first be louder for a short time after
starting the cold engine. This is quite normal and is not an operating problem. ■ After switching off the ignition, the radiator fan can intermittently continue to
operate for approx. 10
minutes.
■ If the engine does not start up after a second attempt, the fuse for the fuel
pump may have a fault. Check the fuse and replace, if necessary » page 168,
Fuses or seek assistance from a

ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ We recommend locking the steering wheel whenever leaving the vehicle. This
acts as a deterrent against the attempted theft of your car. ÐAdjusting the steering wheel position
Fig. 81
Adjustable steering wheel: Lever below the steering column/safe
distance to the steering wheel
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 79.
The height and forward/back position of the steering wheel can be adjusted.
›
First of all adjust the driver's seat
» page 49, Front seats.
› Pull the lever below the steering wheel down
» Fig. 81 - .
ä ›
Adjust the steering wheel to the desired position (with regard to the height and
forward/back position).
› Push the lever upwards to the stop. Ð Electrohydraulic power steering
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 79.
The power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force.
It is still possible to fully steer the vehicle if the power steering fails or if the en-
gine is not running (vehicle being towed in). However, greater physical effort is
required to turn the steering wheel.
If there is a fault in the power steering, the warning light then lights up in the in-
strument cluster  » page 17, Warning lights . Ð Electronic immobiliser
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 79.
An electronic chip is integrated in the head of the key. The immobiliser is deacti-
vated with the aid of this chip when the key is inserted in the ignition lock. The
electronic immobiliser is automatically activated when the ignition key is with-
drawn from the lock.
The engine will not start if a non-authorized ignition key is used.
The following is displayed in the information display: Immobilizer active. Ð
ä
ä
80 Using the system

WARNING
■ The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater physi-
cal effort for braking is required when the engine is switched off - risk of acci-
dent!
■ Depress the clutch pedal when stopping or braking a vehicle with a petrol
engine and manual transmission in the low rev range. If you fail to do so, the
functionality of the brake booster can be impaired - risk of accident!
■ If a front spoiler, full wheel trim, etc. is mounted retrospectively, it must be
ensured that the air supply to the front wheel brakes is not reduced. Other-
wise, the functionality of the brake system could be impaired - risk of acci-
dent! ■ Please note that the handbrake must be fully released. A handbrake which
is only partially released can result in the rear brakes overheating, which can
have a negative effect on the operation of the brake system - risk of accident!
■ Never leave children unattended in the vehicle. The children might, for ex-
ample, release the handbrake or take the vehicle out of gear. The vehicle
might then move off - risk of accident!
■ A lack of fuel can cause irregular engine running or cause the engine to shut
down. The brake assist systems would then be without function - risk of acci-
dent! ■ Adjust the speed and driving style to the current visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions. The increased safety offered by the brake assist systems
must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
■ The normal braking system is still fully functional if there is an ABS fault.
Visit a ŠKODA specialist garage immediately and adjust your style of driving
according to the damage to the ABS as you will not know how great the dam-
age is and the limitation it is placing on the braking efficiency. CAUTION
■ Observe the recommendations on the new brake pads » page 121.
■ Never let the brakes slip with light pressure on the pedal if braking is not neces-
sary. This causes the brakes to overheat and can also result in a longer braking
distance and excessive wear. ■ All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres approved by the manufactur-
er to ensure the brake assist systems operate correctly. Note
■ 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 stopped, the brake light stops flashing and the hazard warning light
system switches on. The hazard warning light system is switched off automatical-
ly after accelerating or driving off again. ■ Before negotiating a steep downhill section, reduce the speed, shift down into
the next lower gear (manual gearbox) or select a lower drive position (automatic
gearbox). 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. ■ Changes to the vehicle (e.g. to the engine, brakes, chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the functionality of the brake assist sys-
tems »

page 157, Accessories, changes and replacement of parts .
■ If a fault occurs in the ABS system, the ESC, ASR and EDL and XDS also do not
work. A warning light  » page 21 comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system. Ð Information for braking
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 81.
Wear-and-tear
The wear of the brake pads is dependent on the operating conditions and driving
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. If
operated under severe conditions, the thickness of the brake pads must be
checked by a ŠKODA specialist garage before the next service appointment.
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 bake pads occur if the vehicle has
been parked for a long period and if you do not make much use of the braking
system. If the brake system is not used much or if there is corrosion on the sur-
face, we recommend cleaning the brake discs by firmly applying the brakes from a
fairly high speed. £
ä
82 Using the system

On vehicles with a factory-fitted towing device, the border of the danger area
starts (continuous tone) 5
cm further away from the vehicle. The length of the ve-
hicle can be increased with an installed detachable towing device.
On vehicles with a factory-fitted towing device, the rear sensors are deactivated
when towing a trailer.
Activating/deactivating the parking aid
The parking aid is activated automatically when reverse gear is engaged and the
ignition is turned on. This is confirmed by a brief audible signal.
The parking aid is deactivated by removing the reverse gear. WARNING
■ The parking aid is not a substitute for the driver paying proper attention and
it is always the driver's responsibility to take care when reversing the vehicle
or carrying out similar manoeuvres. Pay particular attention to small children
and animals as they are not recognised by the parking aid sensors.
■ Before reversing or parking, check that there is no small obstacle, such as a
rock, thin post, trailer drawbar etc., in front of or behind the vehicle. Such ob-
stacles may not be recognised by the parking aid sensors.
■ Under certain circumstances, surfaces of certain objects and types of cloth-
ing cannot reflect the signals from the parking aid. Thus, these objects or peo-
ple who wear such clothing are not recognised by the parking aid sensors.
■ External sound sources can have a detrimental effect on the parking aid.
Under unfavourable conditions, objects or people may not be recognised. Note
■ If a warning signal sounds for about 3
seconds after activating the system and
there is no obstacle close to your car, this indicates a system fault. Have the fault
rectified by a ŠKODA specialist garage. ■ The sensors must be kept clean (free of ice, etc.) to enable the parking aid to
operate properly.
■ If the parking aid is activated and the selector lever of the automatic gearbox is
in the position P, the warning signal is interrupted (the vehicle cannot move). Ð Cruise control system (CCS)
ä
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Storing a speed 87
Changing a stored speed 87
Switching off the cruise control system temporarily 87
Switching off the cruise control system completely 87
The cruise control system (CCS) maintains a constant speed, more than 30 km/h,
once it has been set, without you having to depress the accelerator pedal. This is
only possible within the range which is permitted by the power output and brak-
ing power of the engine.
The warning light  illuminates in the instrument cluster when the cruise control
system is activated. WARNING
■ For safety reasons, the cruise control system must not be used in dense
traffic or on unfavourable road surfaces (such as icy roads, slippery roads,
loose gravel) - risk of accident!
■ The saved speed may only be resumed if it is not too high for the current
traffic conditions.
■ Always switch off the cruise control system after use to prevent uninten-
tional use of the system. CAUTION
■ Always depress the clutch pedal if switching to the neutral position (vehicle
with a manual gearbox) when the cruise control system is switched on! Otherwise
the engine can rev up unintentionally.
■ The cruise control system is not able to maintain a constant speed when driving
in areas with steeper gradients. The weight of the vehicle increases the speed at
which it travels. Therefore, shift to a lower gear in good time or slow the vehicle
down by applying the foot brake. £
86 Using the system

START/STOP
Fig. 88
Centre console: Button for the
START-STOP system
The START-STOP system helps you to save fuel while at the same time reducing
harmful exhaust emissions and CO 2 emissions.
The function is automatically activated each time the ignition is switched on.
In the start-stop mode, the engine automatically switches to the vehicle's idle
phase, e.g. when stopped at traffic lights.
Information regarding the current state of the
START-STOP system is indicated in
the display of the instrument cluster.
Automatic engine shut down (stop phase)
› Stop the vehicle (where necessary, apply the handbrake).
› Take the vehicle out of gear.
› Release the clutch pedal.
Automatic renewed engine restart (start phase).
› Depress the clutch pedal.
Switching the
START-STOP system on and off
The START/STOP system can be switched on/off by pressing the button  » Fig. 88
.
When start-stop mode is deactivated, the warning light in the button lights up.
If the vehicle is in the stop phase when manually switching off the system, the
engine starts immediately.
The

START-STOP system is very complex. Some of the procedures are hard to
check without servicing. The general conditions for the proper functioning of the
START-STOP system are listed in the following overview. Conditions for the automatic engine shut down (stop phase)
› The gearshift lever is in Neutral.
› The clutch pedal is not depressed.
› The driver has fastened the seat belt.
› The driver's door is closed.
› The bonnet is closed.
› The vehicle is at a standstill.
› The factory-fitted towing device is not electrically connected to a trailer.
› The engine is at operating temperature.
› The charge state of the vehicle battery is sufficient.
› The stationary vehicle is not on a steep slope or a steep downhill section.
› The engine speed is less than 1

200 rpm.
› The temperature of the vehicle battery is not too low or too high.
› There is sufficient pressure in the braking system.
› The difference between the outdoor- and the set temperature in the interior is
not too great.
› The vehicle speed since the last time the engine was switched off was greater
than 3 km/h.
› No cleaning of the diesel particle filter takes place
» page 22.
› The front wheels are not turned excessively (the steering angle is less than 3/4
of a steering wheel revolution).
Conditions for an automatic restart (start phase) › The clutch is depressed.
› The max./min. temperature is set.
› The defrost function for the windscreen is switched on.
› A high blower stage has been selected.
› The START STOP button is pressed.
Conditions for an automatic restart without driver intervention
› The vehicle moves at a speed of more than 3 km/h.
› The difference between the outdoor- and the set temperature in the interior is
too great.
› The charge state of the vehicle battery is not sufficient.
› There is insufficient pressure in the braking system.
If the driver's seat belt is removed for more than 30 seconds or the driver's door is
opened during stop mode, the engine must be started manually with the key. The
following messages in the instrument cluster display must be observed. £
88 Using the system