2012 SKODA OCTAVIA engine

SymbolDescriptionReference
START-STOPSystem» page 20Ice warning» page 20WARNING■
Failing to respect active warning lights, their associated descriptions, and
warning messages can lead to major injuries or damage to the vehicle.■
The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area. There is a risk of
injuries, scalding, accidents and fire when working in the engine compart-
ment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. It is essential to ob-
serve safety notes » page 169, Engine compartment .

Clutches of the automatic gearbox DSG are too hot 
The warning light 
lights up if the temperature of the clutches of the automatic
gearbox is too high.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display: Gearbox overheated. Stop! Owner's manual!
or STOP VEHICLE GEARBOX OVERHEAT
Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine, and wait until the light 
goes out – risk
of gearbox damage! You can continue your journey as soon as the light goes out.

Handbrake 
The warning light 
comes on if the handbrake is applied. An acoustic signal will
sound if you drive the vehicle above 5 km/h while the handbrake is still on.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display: Release the handbrake!
or RELEASE HANDBRAKE

Brake system 
The warning light  illuminates if the brake fluid level is too low or there is a
fault in the ABS.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display: Brake fluid: owner's manual!
or BRAKE FLUID PLEASE CHECK
Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine, and check the level of the brake flu-
id » page 175 »
.
WARNING■
If you have to stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe dis-
tance from the traffic, switch off the engine and activate the hazard warning
light system » page 49.■
If the warning light  is displayed simultaneously with warning light
 » page 17 , Antilock brake system (ABS) ,  do not continue your jour-
ney! Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
■
A fault to the braking system can increase the vehicle's braking distance -
risk of accident!

Seat belt warning light, front 
The warning light 
comes on after the ignition is switched on as a reminder for
the driver and front passenger to fasten the seat belt.
The warning light goes out if the driver or front passenger has fastened their seat
belt.
The warning light 
flashes and at the same time an acoustic warning signal
sounds when the driver or front passenger has not fastened their seat belt and
the speed of the vehicle exceeds 30 km/h.
If the seat belt is not fastened by the driver or front passenger during the next
approx. 2 seconds, the warning signal is deactivated and the warning light 
lights up permanently.
Further information » page 142, Seat belts .

14Using the system

Seat belt warning light, rear  
A rear seat belt is not fastenedA rear seat belt is fastened
The warning lights  or  come on after the ignition has been switched on.
When the seat belt is fastened/unfastened, the particular warning light lights up briefly and indicates the current belt status!
Further information » page 142, Seat belts .

Dynamo 
The warning light 
lights up when the engine is running, the vehicle battery is
not being charged.
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage to have the electrical system checked
out.
WARNINGIf you have to stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe dis-
tance from the traffic, switch off the engine and activate the hazard warning
light system » page 49.
CAUTION
If the warning light  (cooling system fault) comes on in addition to the warning
light  when driving, stop the vehicle immediately and switch the engine off –
there is a risk of engine damage!
Coolant temperature/coolant level 
If the warning light 
lights up, this means the coolant temperature is too high.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display:
Check coolant! Owner's manual!
or ENGINE COOLANT PLEASE CHECK
Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine, check the level of the coolant » page 174,
and refill the coolant if necessary » page 175.
If the coolant is within the specified range, the increased temperature may be
caused by an operating problem at the radiator fan. Check the fuse for the radia-
tor fan, replace if necessary » page 201, Fuses in the engine compartment .
Do not continue driving if the warning light   does not go off even though the
coolant level is correct and the fuse for the fan is in working order!
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.WARNING■ If you have to stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe dis-
tance from the traffic, switch off the engine and activate the hazard warning
light system » page 49.■
Carefully open the coolant expansion bottle. If the engine is hot, the cooling
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.

Engine oil  
The warning light 
flashes (low oil pressure)
The following message is shown in the information cluster display:
Oil pressure: Stop! Owner's manual!
or STOP VEHICLE OIL PRESSURE
Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine, and check the level of the engine
oil » page 172 , Checking the engine oil level .
Even if the oil level is correct, 
do not drive any further if the warning light is
flashing! Also do not leave the engine running at an idling speed.
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
The indicator light 
lights up (oil quantity too low)
The following message is shown in the information cluster display:
Check oil level! 
15Instruments and warning lights

orCHECK OIL LEVEL
Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine, and check the level of the engine
oil » page 172 .
The warning light will go out if the bonnet is left open for more than 30 seconds.
If no engine oil has been replenished, the warning light will come on again after
driving about 100 km.
The indicator light  flashes (engine oil level sensor faulty)
The following message is shown in the information cluster display:
Oil sensor: workshop!
or
OIL SENSOR WORKSHOP
If the engine oil level sensor is faulty, the warning light flashes 
several times
and an audible signal sounds when the ignition is turned on.
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.WARNING■ If you have to stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe dis-
tance from the traffic, switch off the engine and activate the hazard warning
light system » page 49.■
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible  to top
up the engine oil under the prevailing conditions! Switch off the engine and
seek assistance from a ŠKODA specialist garage.

Power steering  
If the warning light 
lights up, this indicates a partial failure of the power steer-
ing and the steering forces can be greater. Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist ga-
rage.
If the warning light 
lights up, this indicates a complete failure of the power
steering and the steering assist has failed (significantly higher steering forces).
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
Further information » page 93.
WARNINGIf you have to stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe dis-
tance from the traffic, switch off the engine and activate the hazard warning
light system » page 49.
Note
If the vehicle's battery has been disconnected and reconnected, the warning light
 comes on after switching on the ignition. The warning light should go out after
driving a short distance. If the yellow warning light  does not go out after start-
ing the engine again and a short drive, it is necessary to visit a ŠKODA specialist
garage.
Traction control system (TCS) 
If your vehicle is fitted with the ESC system, the ASR is integrated into the ESC
system » page 112 .
The warning light flashes 
to show that the ASR is currently operating.
If the warning light 
lights up, there is a fault in the ASR.
If the warning light 
comes on immediately after starting the engine, the ASR
can be switched off for technical reasons. Switch the ignition off and on again. If
the warning light does not light up after you switch the engine back on, the ASR
is fully functional again.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display: Error: traction control
or
ASR ERROR
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
Further information » page 112 and » page 113 , Traction control system (TCS) .
Note
If the vehicle's battery has been disconnected and reconnected, the warning light
 comes on after switching on the ignition. The warning light should go out after
driving a short distance.
16Using the system

Traction control (TCS) switched off
When the warning light  is lit, this means the ASR is switched off.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display: Traction control (TCS) deactivated.
or ASR OFF
Further information » page 113, Traction control system (TCS) .

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 
A flashing warning light 
shows that the ESC system is currently operating.
If the warning light 
lights up, there is a fault in the ESC system.
If the warning light 
comes on immediately after starting the engine, the ESC
system can be switched off for technical reasons. Switch the ignition off and on
again. If the warning light does not light up after you switch the engine back on,
the ESC system is fully functional again.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display:
Error: stabilisation control (ESC)
or
ESC ERROR
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
Further information » page 112, Stabilisation Control (ESC) .
Note
If the vehicle's battery has been disconnected and reconnected, the warning light
 comes on after switching on the ignition. If the warning light does not go out
after moving a short distance, this means there is an error in the ESC system.
Antilock brake system (ABS) 
If the warning light 
lights up, there is a fault in the ABS.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display:
Error: ABS
or
ABS ERROR
The vehicle will only be braked by the normal brake system without the ABS.
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage. Further information » page 113, Antilock brake system (ABS) .WARNING■
If you have to stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe dis-
tance from the traffic, switch off the engine and activate the hazard warning
light system » page 49.■
If the warning light  is displayed simultaneously with warning light , 
do not continue your journey! Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
■
A fault to the ABS system or the braking system can increase the vehicle's
braking distance – risk of accident!

The rear fog light 
The warning light 
comes on when the rear fog lights are operating » page 48.

Bulb failure 
The warning light 
comes on if a bulb is faulty:
› within 2 seconds of the ignition being switched on;
› when switching on the defective light bulb.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display: Check right dipped headlight beam!
or DIPPED HEADLIGHT CHECK RIGHT

Exhaust inspection system 
If the warning light 
lights up, there is a fault in the exhaust inspection system.
The engine control unit allows the vehicle to run in emergency mode. 
17Instruments and warning lights

Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
Glow plug system  (diesel engine)
The warning light  comes on after the ignition has been switched on. Once the
light has gone out, the engine can be started immediately.
There is a fault in the glow plug system if the warning light  does not come on
at all or lights up continuously .
If the warning light  begins to flash while driving, a fault exists in the engine
control. The engine control unit allows the vehicle to run in emergency mode.
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.

EPC  fault light (petrol engine)
If the warning light 
lights up, there is a fault in the engine control. The engine
control unit allows the vehicle to run in emergency mode.
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.

Diesel particulate filter (diesel engine)
The diesel particulate filter separates the soot particles from the exhaust. The soot particles collect in the diesel particulate filter where they are burnt on a reg-
ular basis.
If the warning light 
lights up, soot has accumulated in the diesel particulate
filter.
In order to clean the diesel particulate filter, and where traffic conditions per-
mit »
, the vehicle should be driven at an even speed of at least 60 km/h at en-
gine speeds of 1 800 - 2 500 rpm for at least 15 minutes or until the warning light
goes out with the 4th or 5th gear engaged (automatic gearbox: position S).
The warning light 
goes out after the diesel particulate filter has been success-
fully cleaned.
If the filter is not properly cleaned, the warning light 
does not go out and the
warning light 
begins to flash.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display: Diesel particulate filter: owner's manual!
orDIESEL PM FILTER OWNER MANUAL
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.WARNING■ The diesel particle filter achieves very high temperatures. Therefore do not
park in areas where the hot filter can come into direct contact with dry grass
or other combustible materials – there is the risk of fire!■
Always adjust your speed to suit weather, road, region and traffic condi-
tions. The recommendations indicated by the warning light must not tempt
you to disregard the national regulations for road traffic.
CAUTION
As long as the warning light  lights up, one must take into account an in-
creased fuel consumption and in certain circumstances a power reduction of the
engine.
Note
■ To assist the combustion process of the soot particles, we recommend that reg-
ularly driving over short distances should be avoided.■
Using diesel fuel with an increased sulphur content can considerably reduce the
life of the diesel particle filter. A ŠKODA specialist garage will be able to tell you
which countries use only diesel fuel with high sulphur content.

Fuel reserve 
When the warning light  is lit, this means there is a fuel reserve of under around
7 litres left.
An audible signal sounds as a warning signal.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display:
Please refuel. Range: ... km
or PLEASE REFUEL 
18Using the system

›Average speed
› Driving time
Since start
The memory collates the driving information from the moment the ignition is
switched on until it is switched off. New data will also flow into the calculation of
the current driving information if the trip is continued within 2 hours after
switching off the ignition. If the trip is interrupted for more than 2 hours, the
memory is automatically erased.
Long-term
The memory gathers driving information from any number of individual journeys
up to a total of 99 hours and 59 minutes driving or 9 999 kilometres driven. The
memory is deleted when either of these limits is reached and the calculation
starts all over again.
Since refuel
The memory gathers driving information since the last refuelling. The memory is erased automatically the next time you fill up.
Note
Disconnecting the vehicle battery will delete all memory data.
Multifunction display details
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 22.
Range
The range indicates the distance you can still drive with your vehicle based on the
level of fuel in the tank and the same style of driving as before.
The display is shown in steps of 10 km. After lighting up of the indicator light 
the display is shown in steps of 5 km.
The fuel consumption over the last 50 km is used to calculate the range. Therange can increase if you drive in a more fuel-efficient manner.
Average fuel consumption
The average fuel consumption 1)
is calculated since the last time the memory was
erased » page 22 .
If you wish to determine the average fuel consumption over a certain period of
time, you must set the memory at the start of the new measurement to zero » Fig. 3 on page 22. After erasing the memory, no fuel consumption data will
appear for the first 100 m driven.
The fuel consumption data is updated regularly while you are driving.
Current fuel consumption
You can use this information to adapt your driving style to the desired fuel con-
sumption 1)
.
The display appears in litres/hour if the vehicle is stationary or driving at a low
speed 2)
.
Oil temperature
If the engine oil temperature is in the range 80-110 °C, the engine operating tem-
perature is reached.
If the temperature lies below 80 °C or above 110 °C, avoid high engine revs, full
throttle and high engine loads.
If the oil temperature is lower than 50 °C or if a fault in the system for checking
the oil temperature is present, 
are displayed instead of the oil temperature.
Warning against excessive speeds
Setting the speed limit, e.g. for the intra-urban top speed » page 24.
Traffic sign recognition
In the display, up to three detected traffic signs can be displayed, which provide
information about the following:
› Maximum speed (including additional sign);
› Overtaking prohibited.
Further information » page 25, Traffic sign recognition .
Current driving speed
The current speed is identical to the display on the speedometer 3
» Fig. 2 on
page 9. 
1)
To set the units for the fuel consumption display
» Bedienungsanleitung Infotainment, chapter Unit
setup .
2)
On some models in certain countries, the display appears in --,- kilometres/litres if the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
23Information system

Unlocking and locking
Vehicle key
Introductory information
Fig. 8
Key: without/with remote control
Two keys are provided with the vehicle. Depending on the equipment, your vehi- cle can be equipped with keys without radio remote control » Fig. 8 – 
or with
radio remote control » Fig. 8 – 
.
WARNING■
Always withdraw the key whenever you leave the vehicle – even if it is only
for a short time. This is particularly important if children are left in the vehicle.
The children might otherwise start the engine or operate electrical equipment
(e.g. electrical power windows) – risk of injury!■
Do not withdraw the ignition key from the ignition lock until the vehicle has
come to a stop! The steering lock might otherwise engage unintentionally – risk of accident!
CAUTION
■ Each key contains electronic components; therefore it must be protected
against moisture and severe shocks.■
Keep the groove of the keys absolutely clean. Impurities (textile fibres, dust,
etc.) have a negative effect on the functionality of the locking cylinder and igni-
tion lock.
NotePlease contact a ŠKODA Partner if you lose a key as they can obtain a new one for you.
Replacing the battery in the remote control key
Fig. 9
Remote control key: Remove cover/remove battery
Each remote control key contains a battery that is located under the cover
A
» Fig. 9 . If the battery is discharged, the red indicator light
B
does not flash
after you press a button on the remote control key » Fig. 14 on page 32.
We recommend that you ask a ŠKODA Partner to replace the key battery. Howev- er, if you would like to replace the discharged battery yourself proceed as follows.
›
Flip out the key.
›
Press off the battery cover with your thumb or using a flat screwdriver in theregion of arrows
1
» Fig. 9 .
›
Remove the discharged battery from the key by pressing the battery down-
wards in the region of arrow
2
.
›
Insert the new battery.
Ensure that the “+” symbol on the battery is facing upwards. The correct polarity
is shown on the battery cover.
›
Place the battery cover on the key and press it down until it clicks into place.
CAUTION
The replacement battery must have the same specification as the original battery. 28Using the system

Vehicle locking/unlocking from the insideFig. 13
Central locking button
If the vehicle was not locked from the outside, you can also unlock or lock it with
the button » Fig. 13 without the ignition switched on. While a door is opened, the
vehicle cannot be locked.
Locking
›
Press the button 
» Fig. 13 . The symbol 
in the button comes on.
Unlocking
›
Press the button 
» Fig. 13 . The symbol 
in the button is no longer illuminated.
The following applies if your vehicle has been locked using the central locking button.
› It is not possible to open the doors or the luggage compartment lid from the
outside (safety feature, e.g. when stopping at traffic lights etc.).
› The doors can be unlocked and opened from the inside by a single pull on the
opening lever of the respective door.
› In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed, the locked doors
are automatically unlocked from the inside in order to enable rescuers to gain access to the vehicle.
WARNING■ Locked doors make it difficult for rescuers to get into the vehicle in an emer-
gency – hazard!■
Never leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Note
If the safelock system is switched on » page 30
, the door opening lever and the
central locking buttons do not operate.
Remote control
Introductory information
You can use the remote control key to:
› unlock and lock the vehicle,
› unlocking boot lid;
› open and close the windows
» page 40, Window convenience operation .
The transmitter with the battery is housed in the handle of the remote control
key. The receiver is located in the interior of the vehicle. The operating range of
the remote control key is approx. 30 m. But this range of the remote control can
be reduced if the batteries are weak.
The key has a fold-open key bit which can be used for unlocking and locking the
car manually and also for starting the engine.
The spare key must by initialised by a ŠKODA partner after the receiver unit is re-
paired or replaced. Only then can the remote control key be used again.
Note
■ The operation of the remote control may temporarily be affected by interfer-
ence from transmitters close to the car and which operate in the same frequency
range (e.g. mobile phone, TV transmitter).■
The battery must be replaced if the central locking or anti-theft alarm system
does react to the remote control at less than approx. 3 metres away » page 28.

Unlocking/locking
Fig. 14
Remote control key 
32Using the system