2012 SKODA OCTAVIA ESP

ShiftingFig. 94
Gearshift pattern of 5 gear or
6 gear manual gearbox
Always depress the clutch pedal all the way down. This prevents uneven wear on the clutch.
Observe the recommended gear » page 21.
Only engage reverse gear when the vehicle is stationary. Depress the clutch pedal
and hold it fully depressed. Wait a moment before reverse gear is engaged to avoid any shift noises.
The reversing lights will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided the igni- tion is on.
WARNINGNever engage reverse gear when driving – risk of accident!
Note
If not in the process of changing gear, do not leave your hand on the gearshift
lever while driving. The pressure from the hand can cause the gearshift mecha-
nism to wear excessively.
Pedals
The operation of the pedals must not be hindered under any circumstances! In the driver's footwell, only a footmat, which is attached to the two correspond-
ing attachment points, may be used.
Only use footmats from the range of ŠKODA Original Accessories, which are fitted to two attachment points.WARNINGNo objects are allowed in the driver's footwell – risk of obstruction or limita-
tion in operating the pedal!

99Starting-off and Driving

Driving and the Environment
Running in
New engine
The engine has to be run in during the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1 000 kilometres
›
Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the maximum speed of the gear in use, i.e. 3/4 of
the maximum permissible engine speed.
›
No full throttle.
›
Avoid high engine speeds.
›
Do not tow a trailer.
From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres
Gradually increase the power output of the engine up to the full speed of the
gear engaged, i.e. up to the maximum permissible engine speed.
During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than lateruntil all of the moving parts have harmonized. The driving style which you adopt
during the first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive part in the success of running in your car.
Never drive at unnecessarily high engine speeds even after the running-in period
is complete. The maximum permissible engine speed is marked by the start of the red scale area of the revolutions counter.
On vehicles fitted with a manual gearbox, at the very latest shift up into the nextgear when the red area is reached. Very high engine speeds when accelerating
(accelerator) are automatically restricted »
.
If the engine is no longer running smoothly, do not drive with unnecessarily low
engine revs on a vehicle with manual transmission. Shift down. Observe the rec-
ommended gear » page 21.
CAUTION■
The engine is not protected from excessive engine revs caused by shifting
down at the wrong time. This can result in the sudden increase in revs beyond
the permissible maximum rpm and thus cause engine damage.■
Never rev up a cold engine when the vehicle is stationary or when driving in in-
dividual gears.
■
All the speed and engine revolution figures apply only when the engine is at its
normal operating temperature.
For the sake of the environment
Never drive with unnecessarily high engine revs. Shifting up sooner helps save on
fuel, reduces engine noises and protects the environment.
New tyres
New tyres have to be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first. Drive
especially carefully for the first 500 km or so.

New brake pads
New brake pads initially do not provide optimal braking performance. They first need to be “run in”. Drive especially carefully for the first 200 km or so.

Catalytic converter
Proper operation of the emission control system (catalytic converter) is of major
significance for driving your vehicle in an environmentally conscious way.
› Vehicles fitted with a petrol engine must always be refuelled with unleaded
petrol » page 168 .
› Do not pour too much oil into the engine
» page 172, Checking the engine oil
level .
› Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle.
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. 
100Using the system

Explanation of graphic - range of sensors in the vicinity of the vehicleArea » Fig. 107Range of sensors a)A120 cmB90 cmC160 cmD90 cmEb)90 cma)
These are only the approximate ranges of sensors.
b)
Applies only for vehicles with 12 sensors.
The interval between the acoustic signals becomes shorter as the clearance is re-
duced. A continuous tone sounds from a distance of approx. 30 cm - danger area.
From this moment on do not continue driving!
The length of the vehicle can be increased with an installed detachable towing
device. The danger area thus begins at a distance of around 35 cm on vehicles
equipped with a factory-fitted towing device.
Towing a trailer
On vehicles equipped with a factory-fitted towing device, only the areas
A
and
B
» Fig. 107 of the system are active when operating a trailer, there is no road
display.
Activation/deactivation
The system is automatically activated when you shift into reverse or after press-
ing the button 

» Fig. 107 . The symbol 
lights up in the button; activation is
confirmed by a brief acoustic signal.
The system is deactivated by moving out of reverse gear, by pressing the button 
or automatically at a speed exceeding 10 km/h (the symbol 
in the button
goes out).
On vehicles which only have rear sensors, the system can only be deactivated by
moving out of reverse gear.
Automatic system activation when driving forward
The compact display of the parking aid can be displayed in the area of the Info- tainment display » Fig. 108 - 
.
Automatic activation takes place at a speed below around 10 km/h under the fol- lowing conditions:
› the distance to the obstacle at the front is less than around 90 cm;
› the distance to the obstacle at the rear or to the side of the vehicle is less than
around 30 cm.
Acoustic signals are sounded as of a distance from the obstacle of around 50 cm.
Automatic display can be activated/deactivated in the Infotainment » operating
instructions for Infotainment , chapter Setting vehicle systems (CAR button) .
Road display
The display of the upcoming road changes depending on the steering angleA
» Fig. 108 -  .
Obstacles appearing on the road are represented by the colours:
› the distance to the obstacle is less than around 30 cm - red;
› the distance to the obstacle is greater than around 30 cm - yellow;
Obstacles which do not appear on the road are represented by the following col-
ours:
› the distance to the obstacle is less than around 30 cm - red;
› the distance to the obstacle is greater than around 30 cm - white.
The road ahead is displayed when a forward gear or Neutral is engaged or the se-
lector lever is in position N.
The road behind the vehicle is displayed when reverse gear is engaged or the se-
lector lever is in position R.
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.■
You should satisfy yourself before reversing that there is no small obstacle,
such as a rock, thin post, trailer drawbar etc., in front or behind your vehicle.
Such obstacles 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. 
115Assist systems

CAUTION■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. The fault is
confirmed additionally when the symbol  flashes in the button 
.
! is displayed
in the error area of the Infotainment display. 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.
Note
■ The signal tones for front obstacle recognition are factory-set to be higher than
for rear obstacle recognition.■
If not all fields around the vehicle are shown after the system is activated, the
vehicle will need to be moved a few metres forwards or in reverse.
■
If the parking aid is activated and the selector lever of the automatic gearbox is
in the position P (the vehicle cannot move), the warning signal is interrupted and
no obstacles are displayed.
■
Additional mounted modules, such as a bicycle carrier, can impair the function of
the parking aid.

Park Assist
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
finding a parking space
117
Parking the vehicle
117
Manoeuvring out of a parallel parking space
118
Automatic brake assist
118
Information for the driver
119
The parking aid is part of the park assist system, therefore the information and
safety guidelines » page 114, Parking aid must be read and observed.
Park Assist (in the following referred to as the system) helps drivers park in suita- ble parallel and perpendicular parking places and also to manoeuvre out of paral- lel parking spaces.
The system only operates if the ignition is switched on.
During the parking procedure the system only takes over the steering move- ments, the pedals continue to be operated by the driver.
When the system is activated, 
the warning light

» Fig. 109 on page 117 - 
lights up in the button.
The traction control system (TCS) must always be switched on when parking.
The function of the system is based on: › the measurement and evaluation of the size of parking spaces when driving,
› the determination of the correct position of the vehicle for parking,
› the calculation of the line on which the vehicle drives backwards into the park-
ing space or forwards from the parking space;
› the automatic turning of the front wheels when parking in, or manoeuvring out
of the parking space.
WARNING■ The system does not exempt the driver from his/her responsibility for park-
ing in and manoeuvring out of the parking space.■
External sound sources can have a detrimental effect on parking in and ma-
noeuvring out of the parking space. Under unfavourable conditions, objects or
people may not be recognised.
■
When parking in, and manoeuvring out of parking spaces, the system auto-
matically executes quick steering movements. While it is doing so, do not place your hands between the steering wheel - risk of injury!
CAUTION
■ If other vehicles are parked behind or on the kerb, the system guides your vehi-
cle beyond the kerb or onto it. Ensure that the wheels or the wheel rims of your
vehicle are not damaged and if necessary intervene in time.■
Under certain circumstances, surfaces or structures of certain objects such as
wire mesh fences, powder snow, etc., cannot be recognised by the system.
■
The evaluation of the parking space and the parking procedure depends on the
circumference of the wheels. The system only works correctly if the vehicle is fit-
ted with the wheel size approved by the manufacturer. If wheels other than those approved by the manufacturer are mounted, the resulting position of the
vehicle in the parking space can differ slightly. This can be avoided by readjusting
the system at a ŠKODA specialist garage. Under certain circumstances, the sys-
tem may not function correctly, for example, if the vehicle is fitted with snow chains or a temporary spare wheel.

116Using the system

›If the arrow in the display is flashing to the front
» Fig. 110  , engage 1st gear or
move the selector lever into the position D.›
Wait until the steering wheel automatically turns into the required position and
then carefully drive forwards.
›
When the arrow in the display is flashing towards the rear » Fig. 110 -  , engage
the reverse gear or move the selector lever to the position R.
›
Wait until the steering wheel automatically turns into the required position and
then carefully reverse.
You can repeat these steps several times.
As soon as the parking procedure is completed, an audible signal sounds and the
following message appears in the instrument cluster display:
Steering interven. stopped. Take over steering!
Automatic termination
The system terminates the parking procedure if one of the following cases arises: › Speed of around 7 km/h repeatedly exceeded during the parking procedure;
› Time limit of 6 minutes exceeded for the parking procedure;
› System button pressed;
› TCS system switched off;
› Automatic steering procedure interrupted by the driver (stopping the steering
wheel);
› Reverse gear disengaged or selector lever taken out of position
R when revers-
ing into the parking space;
› Shift the selector lever to
P position;
› when there is a system fault (system temporarily not available).

Manoeuvring out of a parallel parking space
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 116.
Manoeuvring out
›
Press the button 
» Fig. 109 on page 117 once.
›
Activate the turn signal for side of the vehicle where the parking space is out of
which you wish to manoeuvre.
›
Engage reverse gear.
›
As soon as the following message is shown in the information display: Steering
int. active. Check around veh.! , let go of the steering wheel and the steering is
taken over by the system.
›
Observe the direct vicinity of the vehicle and reverse carefully.
› Follow the instructions of the system shown in the instrument cluster display.
As soon as the manoeuvring procedure is completed, an audible signal sounds
and the following message appears in the instrument cluster display:
Steering interven. stopped. Take over steering!
Automatic termination
The system terminates the manoeuvring procedure if one of the following cases
arises:
› Speed of around 7 km/h repeatedly exceeded during the manoeuvring proce-
dure;
› System button pressed;
› TCS system switched off;
› Automatic steering procedure interrupted by the driver (stopping the steering
wheel);
› when there is a system fault (system temporarily not available).

Automatic brake assist
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 116.
The system provides assistance to the driver with automatic brake assist. The au-
tomatic brake assist does not exempt the driver from his/her responsibility for
the accelerator, brake and clutch.
Automatic braking for preventing cancellations caused by excessive speeds
To prevent the speed from exceeding 7 km/h and to subsequently prevent can-
cellation of the parking procedure, automatic brake support is initiated. The park-
ing procedure can be resumed after automatic braking.
Automatic braking takes place only once per parking procedure.
Automatic braking for damage limitationThe system detects an imminent collision based on the driving speed and the dis-
tance from the obstacle, automatic brake support is initiated.
The system function is ended after this automatic brake assist for damage limita-tion. 
118Using the system

Steering
In the Sport driving mode, the steering force assistance » page 93 is reduced
somewhat. This helps keep the vehicle on the best possible track when driving in
a sporty driving style.
Engine (drive)
The engine and transmission respond more dynamically or more relaxed to move- ments of the gas pedal based on what driving mode was set. In the Eco driving
mode, automatic transmission allows you to drive in the Neutral posi- tion » page 130 . When the Cruise Control System is active, the selected driving
mode can have an influence on driving behaviour when accelerating.
Dynamic cornering lights
The headlights adjust to the more dynamic driving style in the Sport driving
mode. Dynamic cornering lights is deactivated in the Eco driving mode.
Air conditioning (Climatronic)
In the Eco driving mode, the air conditioning system works more efficiently whilst
still maintaining the desired interior temperature.WARNING■ Setting the driving mode while driving can distract you from other traffic -
risk of accident.■
Concentrate fully at all times on your driving! As the driver you are fully re-
sponsible for the operation of your vehicle.
■
Adjust the speed and driving style to the current visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions.
Note
■ The Eco driving mode is not available when towing a trailer. When the vehicle is
connected electrically to a trailer and is in the Eco driving mode, the Normal driv-
ing mode is configured automatically.■
On vehicles with automatic transmission, the gear is automatically set to mode
S » page 129 when selecting driving mode Sport or, in Eco driving mode, to mode
E .
■
The driver can change some vehicle functions irrespective of the selected driv-
ing mode. For instance, in the driving mode Eco , the driver can switch the auto-
matic transmission to the mode S.

ProActive passenger protection
ProActive passenger protection increases the protection offered to passengers in situations which could lead to a collision or rollover.
The system is automatically activated each time the ignition is switched on and
works at speeds of over 30 km/h.
In critical driving situations (e.g. during an emergency brake or sudden change in direction), the following steps can be taken separately or combined in order to re-
duce the risk of serious injury:
› Front passenger seatbelt or front passenger and driver's seatbelts are automat-
ically tensioned strongly over the body;
› Door panels in the side doors and the sliding/tilting roof (if open) are automati-
cally closed up to a gap of around 5 cm from the edge.
Once the critical driving situation has passed, the tension on the seatbelts will be released again.
All functions of the system are available when:
› the system is activated in Infotainment
» operating instructions for Infotain-
ment , chapter Setting vehicle systems (CAR button) ;
› the TCS is switched on
» page 113;
› the
Sport driving mode is not selected » page 124.
If the system cannot function correctly, the following message will appear in the
instrument cluster display:
ProActive passenger protection not available.
or ProActive passenger protection: funct. restricted.
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.WARNING■ Adjust the speed and driving style to the current visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions. The increased safety offered by ProActive passenger pro-
tection must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise – risk of an
accident! 125Assist systems

NoteIf the front passenger front airbag is deactivated » page 151 the belt tensioning
function for the front passenger seat is switched off.
Lane Assist
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Operating principle
126
Explanations of situations
127
Information for the driver
128WARNING■ Lane Assist only operates as a support- it does absolve the driver of the re-
sponsibility to maintain full control over the vehicle's steering.■
Lane Assist only makes the driver away that the vehicle is approaching the
line between two lanes by means of a steering intervention. The driver retains
responsibility at all times for keeping the vehicle within the lane.
■
Lane Assist can help you keep the vehicle within the lane. However, it does
not steer the vehicle for you. The driver retains full responsibility for steering at all times.
■
The camera need not be able to detect all lane lines. A steering intervention
can only be made when the vehicle approaches a detected line between lanes.
■
Some objects on the road may be incorrectly detected as lines. As a result,
an incorrect steering intervention may take place.
■
The function of adaptive lane guidance Assist system may be restricted
when driving e.g. over rutted roads, on a slope, or if there are lateral winds.
■
Do not use the Assist system in poor weather, e.g. black ice, fog, heavy rain -
risk of accident!
WARNINGThe camera's powers of detection may be limited by a range of external influ-
ences. In this case, the Assist system may not be able to detect the line cor-
rectly, if at all. The camera's powers of detection may be limited, e.g. in the fol- lowing:■
in poor visibility conditions, e.g. fog, heavy rain, thick snowfall;
■
when dazzled by the sun;
■
when dazzled by oncoming traffic;
■
by vehicles ahead;
■
when the camera viewing range is obstructed by an obstacle.
CAUTION
Do not attach any stickers or similar objects to the windscreen to avoid impairing
the functions of the Assist system.
Operating principle
Fig. 117
Windscreen: Camera viewing
window for Lane Assist
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings on page 126.
Lane Assist (in the following referred to as the system) detects the lines between
lanes using data obtained from the camera (continuous and interrupted) » Fig. 117.
When the vehicle approaches a detected line between lanes, the system makes a
light movement of the steering wheel in the opposite direction to the boundary
line. This corrective steering intervention can be overridden at any time.
The strength of the steering movement can be activated/deactivated in the Info-
tainment » operating instructions for Infotainment , chapter Setting vehicle sys-
tems (CAR button) . 
126Using the system

The selector lever lock is only effective when the vehicle is stationary and at
speeds up to 5 km/h.
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 whenthe Shiftlock button is pressed.
Ignition key withdrawal lock
After the ignition is switched off, the ignition key can only be withdrawn if the se- lector lever is in the position P. If the ignition key is withdrawn, the selector lever
is blocked in position P.
Kickdown function
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 129.
The kickdown function provides you with maximum acceleration power.
When the accelerator pedal is fully depressed, the kickdown function is activated
in the desired driving program. The gearbox shifts down to one or several gears in
line with the driving state and the vehicle accelerates.
The gearbox does not shift up into the highest gear until the engine has reached
its maximum revolutions for this gear range.
Note
The kickdown function is also available in the Eco » page 124 driving mode.
Dynamic shift programme
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 129.
The control unit on the automatic gearbox continuously monitors the driving per-
formance and takes the selected driving mode into account » page 124. The dy-
namic shifting program is adapted to it.
Adopting a moderate style of driving will cause the control unit 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.
If the control unit detects that sporty style of driving is active, the driving pro-
gramme is adapted to this style and gears are shifted down more quickly than in
the moderate style of driving.
Emergency programme
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 129.
An emergency programme exists in the event of a fault in the system.
The gearbox operates in a corresponding emergency programme if there are
functional faults in the gearbox electronics.
A functional fault can have the following effect:
› The gearbox only shifts into certain gears;
› The reverse gear
R cannot be used,
› The manual shift programme is switched off in emergency mode.
Note
When the gearbox has switched to emergency mode, consult a ŠKODA Specialist
garage.
132Using the system