2012 SKODA OCTAVIA battery

Disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery180
Automatic load deactivation
180
Warning symbols on the vehicle battery
SymbolDescriptionAlways wear eye protection!Battery acid is severely caustic. Always wear gloves and eye protec-tion!Keep fire, sparks, open flames and lit cigarettes well clear of the ve-
hicle battery!When charging the vehicle battery, a highly explosive gas mixture is produced!Keep children away from the vehicle battery!
Improper handling of the battery can lead to damage occurring. We recommend
having all work on the vehicle battery be undertaken by a ŠKODA Partner.
WARNINGThere is a risk of injuries, poisoning, chemical burns, explosions or fire when
carrying out any work on the battery and on the electrical system. It is essen-
tial to comply with the warning instructions stated below and with the gener-
al applicable rules of safety.■
Keep children away from the vehicle battery.
■
The battery acid is strongly corrosive and must, therefore, be handled with
the greatest of care.
■
Always wear protective gloves, eye and skin protection when handling the
vehicle battery.
■
Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivitis
and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs.
■
Battery acid corrodes dental enamel and creates deep wounds after contact
with the skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted
acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, skin cracks).
■
Acids coming into contact with water are diluted accompanied by significant
development of heat.
WARNING (Continued)■ Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the bat-
tery vent openings. Protect the eyes with safety glasses or a shield! There is
the danger of suffering blindness!■
If any battery electrolyte comes into contact with your eyes, rinse the rele-
vant eye immediately with clear water for several minutes - consult a doctor
immediately!
■
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. If you swallow
battery acid, seek immediate medical assistance!
■
When you charge a battery, hydrogen is released, and a highly explosive gas
mixture is also produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling over
during unclamping or loosening of the cable plug while the ignition is on.
■
Creating a bridge between the poles on the battery (e.g. with a metal object,
cable) creates a short circuit - risk of melting of lead struts, explosion and
burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.
■
It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light.
■
Smoking or to carrying out any activities which produce sparks are prohibi-
ted.
■
Avoid creating sparks when working with cables and electrical devices.
Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.
■
Before carrying out any work on the electrical system, switch off the engine,
the ignition and all of the electrical components and disconnect the negative
terminal (-) on the battery.
■
The relevant lamp must always be switched off before a light bulb is re-
placed.
■
Never charge a frozen or thawed vehicle battery – risk of explosion and
caustic burns!
■
Replace a frozen vehicle battery.
■
Never jump-start vehicle batteries with an electrolyte level that is too low –
risk of explosion and caustic burns.
■
Never use a damaged vehicle battery – risk of explosion! Replace any vehicle
battery that is damaged. 
177Inspecting and replenishing

CAUTION■The vehicle battery must only be disconnected if the ignition is switched off,
otherwise the vehicle's electrical system (electronic components) can be dam-
aged. When disconnecting the battery from the electrical system, first of all dis-
connect the negative terminal (-) of the battery, followed by the positive terminal
(+).■
When connecting the battery to the electrical system, first of all connect the
positive terminal (+) of the battery, followed by the negative terminal (-). Under no
circumstances must the battery cables be connected incorrectly – risk of a cable fire.
■
Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the bodywork – risk of
damage to the paintwork.
■
Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the vehicle battery
housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.
■
If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will
discharge. This is because certain electrical components consume electricity (e. g.
control units) also in idle state. Prevent the battery from discharging by discon-
necting the battery's negative terminal (-) or continuously charging the battery
with a very low charging current.
■
If the vehicle is frequently used for making short trips, the vehicle battery will
not have time to charge up sufficiently and may discharge.
For the sake of the environment
A vehicle battery that has been removed is a special type of hazardous waste.
These must be disposed of in accordance with national legal regulations.
Note
You should replace batteries older than 5 years.
Battery coverFig. 153
Engine compartment: Polyester
cover of vehicle battery
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 176.
The battery is located in the engine compartment - in some models, underneath apolyester cover » Fig. 153.
›
Fold out the cover on the battery in the direction of the arrow .
The battery cover is installed in reverse order.
The edge of the polyester battery cover is inserted between the battery and the
side wall of the battery cover when working on the battery.

178General Maintenance

Checking the battery electrolyte levelFig. 154
Vehicle battery: Electrolyte level
indicator
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 176.
On vehicles with a vehicle battery fitted with a colour indicator, the so-called magic eye » Fig. 154, the electrolyte level can be determined by looking at the
change in colour.
Air bubbles can influence the colour of the indicator. For this reason carefully
knock on the indicator before carrying out the check.
› Black colour – electrolyte level is correct.
› Colourless or light yellow colour – electrolyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced.
For technical reasons, on vehicles with the description “AGM”, the electrolyte lev- el cannot be checked.
Vehicles with a START-STOP system are fitted with a battery control unit for checking the energy level for the recurring engine start.
We recommend you have the electrolyte level checked by a ŠKODA specialist ga-
rage from time to time, especially in the following cases.
› High external temperatures.
› Longer day trips.
› After each charge.
Winter time
The vehicle battery only has a proportion of the starting power in lower tempera- tures. A discharged vehicle battery may already freeze at temperatures just be-
low 0 °C .
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked and, if necessary, re-
charged by a ŠKODA Partner before the start of the winter.
NoteThe battery electrolyte level is periodically checked by a ŠKODA Partner as part of
the Inspection Service.
Charging a vehicle battery
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 176.
A properly charged vehicle battery is essential for reliably starting the engine.
›
Switch off the ignition and all of the electrical components.
›
Only when performing a “quick-charge”, disconnect both battery cables (first of
all “negative”, then “positive”).
›
Attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery terminals (red = “posi-
tive”, black = “negative”).
›
Plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket and switch on thedevice.
›
After charging has been successful: Switch off the charger and remove themains cable from the power socket.
›
Only then disconnect the charger's terminal clamps.
›
Reconnect the cables to the battery (first of all “positive”, then “negative”).
It is not necessary to disconnect the cables of the battery if you recharge the ve- hicle battery using low amperages (for example from a mini-charger). Refer to the
instructions of the charger manufacturer .
A charging current of 0.1 multiple of the total vehicle battery capacity (or lower) must be used until full charging is achieved.
It is necessary to disconnect both cables before charging the battery with high
amperages, so-called “ quick-charging”.
The vent plugs of the vehicle battery should not be opened for charging.
Replacing the vehicle battery
When replacing a battery, the new vehicle battery must have the same capacity,
voltage, amperage and be the same size. Suitable types of vehicle batteries can
be purchased from a ŠKODA Partner.
We recommend that the battery is replaced by a ŠKODA Partner, where the new
vehicle battery will be installed properly and the original battery will be disposed
of in accordance with national regulations. 
179Inspecting and replenishing

WARNING“Quick-charging” the vehicle battery is dangerous and requires a special
charger and specialist knowledge.
CAUTION
On vehicles with the START/STOP system, the pole terminal of the charger must
not be connected directly to the negative terminal of the vehicle battery, but only
to the engine earth » page 196, Jump-starting in vehicles with the START-STOP
system .
Note
We recommend having the quick charging of vehicle batteries undertaken by a
ŠKODA specialist garage.
Disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 176.
On disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery the following functionsare initially deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free:
OperationOperating measureElectrical power window (operational faults)» page 41Enter the radio/navigation system code num-
ber» operating instructions for Info-
tainment radio or » operating in-
structions for Infotainment Navi-
gationSetting the clock» page 11Data in the multifunction display are deleted» page 22
Note
We recommend having the vehicle checked by a ŠKODA Partner to ensure the full
functionality of all electrical systems.
Automatic load deactivation
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 176.
The vehicle voltage control unit automatically prevents the battery from discharg-
ing when the bettery is subjected to heavy loads. This manifests itself by the fol-
lowing:
› The idling speed is raised to allow the generator to deliver more electricity to
the electrical system.
› Where appropriate large convenience consumers, e.g. seat heaters, rear win-
dow heaters, have their power limited or in case of emergency shut off com-pletely.
CAUTION
■ Despite such intervention by the vehicle electric system management, the vehi-
cle battery may be drained. For example, when the ignition is switched on a long
time with the engine turned off or the side or parking lights are turned on during longer parking.■
Consumers which are supplied via a 12 V socket can cause the vehicle battery to
discharge when the ignition is switched off.
Note
Driving comfort is not disrupted by any shutting off of consumers. Often the driv-
er is not aware of it having taken place.
180General Maintenance

Jump-starting
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Jump-starting using the battery from another vehicle
195
Jump-starting in vehicles with the START-STOP system
196
The battery of another vehicle can be used to jump-start your vehicle if the en-
gine will not start because the battery is flat. Jump-start cables are required for
this purpose.
Both batteries must have a rated voltage of 12 V. The capacity (Ah) of the battery
supplying the power must not be significantly less than the capacity of the dis- charged battery in your vehicle.
Jump-start cables
Only use jump-start cables which have an adequately large cross-section and in-
sulated terminal clamps. Observe the manufacturer's instructions.
Positive cable – colour coding in the majority of cases is red.
Negative cable – colour coding in the majority of cases is black.
WARNING■
A discharged vehicle battery may already freeze at temperatures just below
0 °C. In case of frozen battery carry out no jump-starting – risk of explosion!■
Pay attention to the warning instructions relating to working in the engine
compartment » page 169, Engine compartment .
■
The non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps must never make contact
with each other. In addition, the jump-start cable connected to the positive
terminal of the battery must not come into contact with electrically conduct-
ing parts of the vehicle – risk of short circuit!
■
Do not clamp the jump-start cable to the negative terminal of the dis-
charged battery. There is the risk of detonating gas seeping out the battery
being ignited by the strong spark which results from the engine being started.
■
Route the jump-start cables so that they cannot be caught by any rotating
parts in the engine compartment.
■
Do not bend over the battery – risk of caustic burns!
■
The vent screws of the battery cells must be tightened firmly.
WARNING (Continued)■ Keep any sources of ignition (naked flame, smouldering cigarettes, etc.)
away from the battery – risk of an explosion!■
Never jump-start vehicle batteries with an electrolyte level that is too low –
risk of explosion and caustic burns.
Note
■ There must not be any contact between the two vehicles otherwise current
may flow as soon as the negative terminals are connected.■
The discharged battery must be properly connected to the system of the vehi-
cle.
■
We recommend you buy jump-start cables from a car battery specialist.

Jump-starting using the battery from another vehicle
Fig. 167
Jump-starting: A – flat battery, B
– battery providing current
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 195.
The jump-start cables must be attached in the following sequence.
›
Attach one end
1
on the positive terminal
A
» Fig. 167 .
›
Attach the other end
2
to the positive terminal
B
.
›
Attach one end
3
on the minus terminal
B
.
›
Attach the other end
4
to a solid metal part which is connected firmly to the
engine block, or to the engine block itself.
Starting engine
›
Start the engine on the vehicle providing the power and allow it to idle.
›
Now start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery. 
195Do-it-yourself

›If the engine does not start, terminate the attempt to start the engine after
10 seconds and wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the process.›
Disconnect the cables in exactly the reverse order to the one described above.

Jump-starting in vehicles with the START-STOP system
Fig. 168
Engine compartment: Earth
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 195.
On vehicles with the START-STOP system, the jump-start cable of the charger
must never be connected directly to the negative pole of the vehicle battery, but
only to the engine earth » Fig. 168.

Towing the vehicle

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Front towing eye
197
Rear towing eye
197
Vehicles a towing device
198
Vehicles with manual transmission may be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope
or with the front or rear wheels raised.
Vehicles with automatic transmission may be towed in with a tow bar or a tow
rope or with the front wheels raised. If the vehicle is raised at rear, the automatic
gearbox is damaged!
A tow bar is the safest way of towing a vehicle and also minimises any shocks.
Only use a tow rope if a suitable tow bar is not available.
The following guidelines must be observed.
Driver of the tow vehicle›
Release the clutch particularly gently when starting off or depress the accelera-
tor particularly gently if the vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
›
On vehicles with a manual transmission, only push down on the accelerator pedal once the rope is taught.
The maximum towing speed is 50 km/h.
Driver of the towed vehicle
›
Switch on the ignition so that the steering wheel is not blocked and so that the
turn signal lights, horn, windscreen wipers and windscreen washer system can be switched on.
›
Take the vehicle out of gear or move the selector lever into position N if the ve-
hicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
Please note that the brake servo unit and power steering only operate if the en-
gine is running. If the engine is not running, significantly more physical force is re- quired to depress the brake pedal and steer the vehicle.
If using a tow rope, ensure that it is always kept taught.
CAUTION
■ 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 or destroy the catalytic converter. The bat-
tery from another vehicle can be used as a jump-start aid » page 195, Jump-start-
ing .■
If the gearbox of your vehicle no longer contains any oil because of a defect,
your vehicle must only be towed in with the driven wheels raised clear of the
ground, or on a special vehicle transporter or trailer.
■
The vehicle must be transported on a special vehicle or trailer if it is not possible
to tow in the vehicle in the way described or if the towing distance is greater than
50 km.
■
To protect both vehicles when tow-starting or towing, the tow rope should be
elastic. Thus one should only use plastic fibre rope or a rope made out of a simi-
larly elastic material. 
196Do-it-yourself

Index
A
ABS Function
113
Warning light17
Accessories165
Active driver-steering recommendation (DSR)112
Adjusting Exterior mirror
58
Interior mirror57
Adjusting seats139
Adjustment Seat
60
Aerial160
see Radio reception162
Airbag146
Deployment146
Front airbag147
Head airbag150
Knee airbag148
Side airbag149
Airbag system146
Air conditioning system Air outlets
82
Climatronic86
Manual air conditioning system84
Air outlets82
Alarm35
Anti-theft alarm system35
Antilock brake system113
Armrest Front
76
rear64
Ashtray70
Assist systems ABS
17, 113
Cruise control systems (CCS)119
EDL114
ESC17, 112
Headlight assist47
Lane Assist126
Park Assist116
Parking aid114
ProActive passenger protection125
Select driving mode124
START/STOP121
TCS16, 113
Auto Check Control12
Automatic driving lamp control45
Automatic gearbox Dynamic shift programme
132
Emergency programme132
Kickdown132
Selector lever-emergency unlocking133
Selector lever lock131
Selector lever positions130
Starting-off and driving130
Tiptronic131
Automatic load deactivation180
Automatic transmission129
Auxiliary heating and cooling system Switching on/off
89
Auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and ventila- tion)
88
setting90
B
Ball rod Check attachment
108
installing107
Ready position107
removing108
Battery Replacing the battery in the remote control(aux-
iliary heating)
91
Before setting off138
Belt tensioners145
Bonnet Closing171
Opening171
Boot Cover
67
Fastening elements65
Fixing of the floor covering66
Light65
see Boot lid37
Boot lid37
Automatic locking38
Brake booster97
Brake fluid Checking
175
Brake pads Indicator light
20
Brakes Brake assist systems
112
Brake booster97
Handbrake98
Running in100
Warning light14
Braking Brake fluid
175
Information for braking97
Breakdown kit192
Break recommendation see Fatigue detection
27
Bulbs Replacing
202
Button in the driver's door Electrical power windows
38
C
Car computer see Multifunction display
22
Car jack188
Carrier68
Catalytic converter100
Central locking button32
212Index

Central locking system29
Changes165
Changing Engine oil
173
Wheels189
Charge level indicator of the vehicle battery
11
Charge level indicator vehicle battery
11
Charging a vehicle battery179
Checking Battery electrolyte level
179
Brake fluid175
Coolant level174
Engine oil172
Oil level172
Windscreen washer fluid176
Children and safety154
Child safety Side airbag
156
Child safety lock29
Child safety seat Use of child safety seats
156
Child seat Classification
156
ISOFIX157
on the front passenger seat155
TOP TETHER158
Use of child seats157
Chrome parts refer to Taking care of your vehicle
161
Cigarette lighter70
Cleaning159
Alcantara164
Artificial leather164
Cloths164
Headlight lenses162
Material coverings164
Natural leather164
Plastic parts162
Wheels163
Climatronic86
Clock11
Clothes hooks79
Cockpit Ashtray
70
Cigarette lighter70
General view7
Light51
Sockets71
Storage compartments72
Compartments72
Computer see Multifunction display
22
Coolant Checking
174
Replenishing175
Coolant temperature gauge display
10
Correct seated position139
Counter for distance driven11
Cruise control system (CCS)119
D
Daylight driving light
44
De-icing the windscreen and rear window52
Deactivating an airbag
151
Deactivating an airbag151
Delayed locking of the boot lid see Boot lid
38
Diesel refer to Fuel
169
Diesel fuel Operation in winter
169
Diesel particulate filter18
Digital clock11
Dipstick172
Display Service interval
11
Distance driven11
Door Child safety lock
29
Door locking Emergency
36
Doors Emergency locking
36
Driving Abroad
104
Driving through water on the street104
Emissions207
Fuel consumption207
Driving mode see Select driving mode
124
E
Economical and environmentally friendly driving
101
EDL114
Electrical power windows Button in the driver's door
38, 39
Button in the rear doors40
Central locking system40
Operational faults41
Electronic differential lock (EDL)114
Electronic immobiliser93
Emergency Automatic gearbox
133
Changing a wheel189
Door locking36
Hazard warning light system49
Jump-starting195
KESSY - start engine97
Locking the driver's door36
Towing the vehicle196
Tyre repair192
Unlocking the driver's door36
Unlocking the luggage compartment lid38
Emissions207
213Index