2012 SKODA RAPID radiator

The warning light
 flashes yellow (engine oil level sensor faulty)
The following is displayed in the information display:
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 37. ÐCoolant temperature/coolant level 

The indicator light  lights up until the engine reaches operating temperature 1)
.
Avoid high speeds, full throttle and high engine loads.
If the warning light  lights up or flashes, either the coolant temperature is too
high or the coolant level is too low.
The following is displayed in the information display:
Check coolant! Owner's manual!
Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine, check the level of the coolant » page 130,
and refill the coolant if necessary » page 131.
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 159, Replacing the fuses in the engine com-
partment .
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 37.
■ 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. Ð Power steering 
If the indicator light  lights up, there is a fault in the power steering system.
The power steering operates with reduced steering assist or does not function at
all.
Seek help from a

ŠKODA specialist garage. Ð Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 
The warning light flashes  to show that the ESC is currently operating.
If the warning light  comes on immediately after you start the engine, the ESC
might be switched off due to 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 ESR is fully functional again.
If the warning light  lights up, there is a fault in the ESC.
The following is displayed in the information display: Error: Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
or Error: traction control (ASR)
Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
Further information » page 72, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) .£1)
Not valid for vehicles with information display.
19
Instruments and Indicator Lights

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 157,
Fuses in the dash panel

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. 62
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 68.
The height and forward/back position of the steering wheel can be adjusted.
›
First of all adjust the driver's seat
» page 44, Front seats.
› Pull the lever below the steering wheel down
» Fig. 62 – .
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 Power steering
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 68.
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. Ð Electronic immobiliser
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 68.
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
69
Starting-off and Driving

Diesel fuel
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 124.
Your vehicle can only be operated with
diesel fuel, which complies with the
standard EN
590 (standard DIN 51628 in Germany, standard ÖNORM C 1590 in
Austria, GOST R 52368-2005/EN 590:2004 in Russia).
Operation in winter – Winter-grade diesel fuel
In the winter, only use diesel fuel, which complies with the standard EN 590
(standard DIN 51628 in Germany, standard ÖNORM C 1590 in Austria,
GOST R 52368-2005/EN 590:2004 in Russia). “Winter-grade diesel fuel” will still
operate properly even at a temperature of -20 °C.
It is often the case in countries with different climatic conditions that diesel fuels
available have a different temperature characteristic. The ŠKODA Service Partners
and filling stations in the relevant country will be able to provide you with infor-
mation regarding the diesel fuels available.
Preheating fuel
The vehicle is fitted with a fuel filter preheating system. This secures operation of
a vehicle using diesel fuel down to an environmental temperature of -25 °C.
Fuel additives
Fuel additives, so-called “flow improvers” (petrol and similar products) must not
be added to the diesel fuel. CAUTION
■ Just filling the tank once with diesel fuel that does not comply with the stand-
ard, can cause severe damage to parts of the engine, the fuel and exhaust sys-
tem!
■ If a different fuel other than diesel fuel, which complies to the above mentioned
standards (e.g. petrol) is used by mistake do not start the engine or switch on the
ignition! Extensive damage to engine parts can occur! We recommend that the
fuel system is cleaned by a

ŠKODA Service Partner.
■ Water which has collected in the fuel filter can cause engine faults.
■ Your vehicle is not adapted for use of biofuel (RME), therefore this fuel must not
be refuelled and driven. The use of biofuel (RME) can cause considerable damage
to parts of the engine or fuel system. Ð
ä Engine compartment
ä
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Opening and closing the bonnet 128
Engine compartment overview 128
Checking the engine oil level 129
Replenishing the engine oil 129
Changing engine oil 130
Coolant 130
Checking the coolant level 130
Replenishing the coolant 131
Radiator fan 131
Checking the brake fluid 132
Brake fluid change 132
Windscreen washer system 132
There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and fire when working in the en-
gine compartment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. For this
reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions stated below and
with the general applicable rules of safety. The vehicle's engine compartment is
a hazardous area . WARNING
■ Never open the bonnet if you can see steam or coolant flowing out of the
engine compartment – risk of scalding! Wait until the steam or coolant has
stopped escaping.
■ Turn off the engine and withdraw the ignition key.
■ If the vehicle is fitted with a manual gearbox, move the gearshift lever into
Neutral, or if the vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox, move the selec-
tor lever into position P .
■ Firmly apply the handbrake.
■ Allow the engine to cool.
■ For safety reasons, the bonnet must always be properly closed when driving.
This is why after closing the bonnet, the lock must always be checked to en-
sure it has engaged properly. £
126 General Maintenance

WARNING (Continued)
■ If you notice that the lock is not properly engaged while driving, stop the ve-
hicle immediately and close the bonnet – risk of an accident!
■ Keep children clear of the engine compartment.
■ Do not touch any hot engine parts – risk of burns!
■ Never spill fluids on the hot engine. Such fluids (e.g. the antifreeze con-
tained in the coolant) may ignite!
■ Avoid short circuits in the electrical system – particularly on the vehicle's
battery.
■ Never touch the radiator fan while the engine is still warm. The fan might
suddenly start running! ■ Never open the end cover of the coolant expansion reservoir while the en-
gine is still warm. The cooling system is pressurized!
■ When opening the end cover of the coolant expansion reservoir, cover it
with a cloth to protect your face, hands and arms from hot steam or hot cool-
ant.
■ Do not leave any items such as cloths or tools in the engine compartment.
■ If you wish to work under the vehicle, you must secure the vehicle from roll-
ing away and support it with suitable supporting blocks: the car jack is not
sufficient for this – risk of injury!
■ If any inspection work has to be carried out when the engine is running,
there is an additional risk from rotating parts (e.g. V-belt, alternator, radiator
fan) and the high-voltage ignition system. The following must also be ob-
served. ■ Never touch the electric wiring on the ignition system.
■ Always make sure that no jewellery, loose clothing or long hair can get
caught in rotating engine parts – hazard! Always remove any jewellery, tie
back long hair and wear tight fitting clothing before completing any work.
■ Additionally, the following warning instructions must be observed if work
has to be carried out on the fuel or electrical system. ■Always disconnect the vehicle battery from the electrical system.
■ Do not smoke.
■ Never work near open flames.
■ Always have a functioning fire extinguisher nearby. CAUTION
■ Always top up using the correct specification of fluids. This may result in major
operating problems and also vehicle damage!
■ Never open the bonnet using the locking lever – danger of causing damage. For the sake of the environment
In view of the environmentally friendly disposal of fluids, the specials tools and
knowledge required for such work, we recommend that fluids are changed by a
Škoda
Service Partner as part of the inspection service. Note
■ If you have any questions regarding the fluids, visit a
ŠKODA Service Partner.
■ Fluids with the correct specifications can be purchased from ŠKODA Original Ac-
cessories. Ð
127
Inspecting and replenishing

Opening and closing the bonnet
Fig. 96
Bonnet/radiator grille release lever: Release lever Fig. 97
Securing the bonnet
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 126.
Opening
›
Open the front left door.
› Pull the release lever under the dash panel 1
» Fig. 96
in the direction of the
arrow.
Before opening the bonnet, ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers are
correctly in place against the windscreen otherwise the paintwork could be dam-
aged.
› Press the release lever in the direction of the arrow 2
» Fig. 96
and the bonnet
is unlocked.
› Grab hold of the bonnet and lift.
ä ›
Take the bonnet support out of its holder 3
in the direction of the ar-
row » Fig. 97 and secure the opened bonnet by inserting the end of the support
in the opening 4
in the bonnet.
Closing
› Lift the bonnet slightly and unhook the bonnet support. Press the bonnet sup-
port into the holder 3
designed to hold it.
› Let the bonnet drop into the lock carrier lock from a height of around 20 cm –
do not push it in .
› Check that the bonnet is closed properly. Ð Engine compartment overview
Fig. 98
1.2 ltr./63 kW TSI petrol engine
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 126.
Coolant expansion reservoir 130
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir 132
Engine oil filler opening 129
Engine oil dipstick 129
Brake fluid reservoir 132
Vehicle battery 133
£
ä 1
2
3
4
5
6
128
General Maintenance

If the coolant level in the coolant expansion tank is too low, this is indicated by
the warning light
 lighting up in the instrument cluster » page 19, Coolant tem-
perature/coolant level  . We still recommend inspecting the coolant level di-
rectly at the reservoir from time to time.
Loss of coolant
A loss of coolant is first and foremost an indication of a leak in the system. Do
not merely top up the coolant. Have the cooling system checked by a
ŠKODA spe-
cialist garage immediately. CAUTION
If a fault causes the engine to overheat, we recommend visiting a ŠKODA Service
Partner immediately, otherwise serious engine damage may occur. ÐReplenishing the coolant
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 126.
›
Switch off the engine.
› Allow the engine to cool.
› Place a cloth over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir
» Fig. 100 on
page 130 and unscrew the cap carefully.
› Replenish the coolant.
› Turn the cap until it clicks into place.
Do not use an alternative additive if the specified coolant is not available in an
emergency. In this case, just use water and have the correct mixing ratio of water
and the coolant additive restored by a ŠKODA

specialist garage as soon as possi-
ble.
Only use new coolant to top up the system.
Do not fill the coolant above the mark A
(max.)
» Fig. 100 on page 130! Excess
coolant heats up and then is forced out of the cooling system through the pres-
sure relief valve in the cap. ä WARNING
■ The coolant additive and thus all of the coolant is harmful to your health.
Avoid contact with the coolant. Coolant vapours are also harmful to health.
Therefore always safely store the coolant additive in its original container out
of the reach of children – risk of poisoning!
■ If any coolant splashes into your eyes, immediately rinse out your eyes with
clear water and contact a doctor as soon as possible. ■ You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvertently
swallowed coolant. CAUTION
Do not continue your journey, if it is not possible  to top up the coolant under
the prevailing conditions . Contact a

ŠKODA Service Partner to avoid the risk of
serious engine. Ð Radiator fan
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 126.
The radiator fan is driven by an electric motor and controlled according to the
coolant temperature.
After switching off the ignition, the radiator fan can intermittently continue to op-
erate for approx. 10 minutes.
Ð
ä
131
Inspecting and replenishing

Clear water is not sufficient to intensively clean the windscreen and headlights.
We therefore recommend using clean water with a screen cleaner
(including anti-
freeze in the winter) that is able to remove stubborn dirt.
Antifreeze should always be added to the cleaning water in the winter even if the
vehicle is fitted with heated windscreen washer nozzles.
Under exceptional circumstances, methylated spirits can also be used if no screen
cleaner with antifreeze is available. The concentration of methylated spirits must
not be more than 15
%. The freeze protection at this concentration is sufficient
only to -5 °C. CAUTION
■ Under no circumstances must radiator antifreeze or other additives be added to
the windscreen washer fluid.
■ If the vehicle is fitted with a headlight cleaning system, only cleaning products
which do not attack the polycarbonate coating of the headlights must be added
to the windscreen washer fluid. Note
Do not remove the filter from the windscreen washer fluid reservoir when replen-
ishing it with liquid otherwise the liquid transportation system can be contamina-
ted, which can cause the windscreen washer system to malfunction. ÐVehicle battery
ä
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Battery cover 134
Checking the battery electrolyte level 135
Operation in winter 135
Charging a vehicle battery 135
Disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery 136
Replacing the vehicle battery 136
Automatic load deactivation 136Warning symbols on the vehicle battery
Symbol Importance
 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 vehicle battery can cause damage. We therefore recom-
mend that any work on the vehicle battery is carried out by a

ŠKODA Service Part-
ner.
There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and burns when carrying out any
work on the battery and on the electrical system. For this reason, it is essential to
comply with the warning instructions stated below and with the general applica-
ble rules of safety. WARNING
■ 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. They corrode tooth enamel. After contact with the skin, the acid
creates deep wounds which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with
diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids
coming into contact with water are diluted accompanied by significant devel-
opment of heat.
■ 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 con-
tact with your eyes, rinse the relevant eye immediately with clear water for
several minutes. Then consult a doctor immediately. £
133
Inspecting and replenishing

No. Power consumer
29 Injection, coolant pump
30 Fuel pump, ignition system, cruise control 31 Lambda probe
32 High pressure fuel pump, pressure valve
33 Engine control unit
34 Engine control unit, vacuum pump
35 Switch illumination, number plate light, parking light, headlamp washer
system
36 Main beam 37 Rear fog light, DC-DC converter
38 Fog lights 39 Air blower for heating
40 Not assigned 41 Heated front seats
42 Rear window heater
43 Horn
44 Windscreen wipers 45 Boot lid lock, central locking system
46 Alarm 47 Cigarette lighter, power socket in the luggage compartment
48 ABS 49 Turn signal lights, brake lights50 DC-DC converter, radio 51 Electric windows (driver's window and rear left window)
52 Electric windows (front passenger's window and rear right)
53 Windscreen washer
54 START-STOP instrument cluster, steering wheel module, multi-function
steering wheel
55 Control unit for automatic gearbox
56 Headlight cleaning system 57 Low beam on the left
58 Low beam on the right Ð Fuses in the engine compartment
Fig. 123
Schematic representation of fuse box in engine compartment: Ver-
sion
1/version 2
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 156.
Fuse assignment in engine compartment
No. Power consumer
1 Generator
2 Not assigned
3 Vehicle interior (variant 1) » Fig. 123 Power supply for fuse block (variant
2) » Fig. 123
4 Electric auxiliary heater (variant 1) » Fig. 123 Vehicle interior (variant
2) » Fig. 123
5 Interior
6 Engine cooling fan, control unit for preheating unit 7 Electrohydraulic power steering
8 ABS 9 Radiator fan
10 Automatic gearbox 11 ABS
12 Central control unit
13 Electrical auxiliary heating system £ ä
158 Do-it-yourself