
What influences the driving safety?
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 140.
The driver is fully responsible for himself and his occupants. If your driving safety
is effected, you place yourself and the oncoming traffic at risk.
The following guidelines must therefore be observed. › Do not get distracted from concentrating on the traffic situation, e.g. by your
passengers or mobile phone calls.
› Never drive when your driving ability is impaired, e.g. through medication, alco-
hol, drugs.
› Keep to the traffic regulations and the permissible speed limit.
› Always adjust the driving speed to the road, traffic and weather conditions.
› Take regular breaks on long journeys – at least every two hours. ÐCorrect seated position
ä
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Correct seated position for the driver 142
Correct seated position for the front passenger 142
Correct seated position for the occupants on the rear seats 142
Examples of an incorrect seated position 143
WARNING
■ The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted to match
the body size of the seat occupant as well as the seat belts must always be
correctly fastened in order to provide an optimal protection for you and your
occupants.
■ Always assume the correct seated position before setting off and do not
change this position while driving. Also advise your passengers to adopt the
correct seated position and not to change this position while the car is mov-
ing.
ä WARNING (Continued)
■ If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-
threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.
■ If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury is
increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.
■ The driver must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm from the steering
wheel, and a distance of at least 10 cm between the legs and the dash panel
at the height of the knee airbag. The front passenger must maintain a dis-
tance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel. Not maintaining this minimum dis-
tance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to properly protect you
- hazard!
■ 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 severely injure the arms, hands
and head when the driver airbag is deployed.
■ The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag system -
risk of injury!
■ Ensure that there are no objects in the driver's footwell as they may get
caught behind the pedals when driving or applying the braking. You would
then no longer be able to operate the clutch, brake or accelerate.
■ Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven - never
place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the surfaces
of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes nec-
essary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an airbag is de-
ployed, you may suffer fatal injuries when adopting an incorrect seated posi-
tion! Ð
141
Passive Safety

Correct seated position for the driver
Fig. 135
The correct distance of the driver from the steering wheel and dash
panel/The correct head restraint adjustment
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 141.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident,
we recommend the following setting.
› Position the steering wheel so that there is a gap of at least 25
cm between the
steering wheel and the chest A
» Fig. 135, and that the distance between the
legs and the dash panel at the height of the knee airbag is at least 10
cm B
.
› Adjust the driver’s seat in the forward/back direction so that the pedals can be
fully depressed with slightly bent legs.
› Adjust the seat backrest so that the highest point of the steering wheel can be
reached with your arms at a slight angle.
› Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head C
.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 144.
Manual driver seat adjustment » page 67, Manually adjusting the front seats .
Electrical driver seat adjustment » page 67. ÐCorrect seated position for the front passenger
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 141.ä
ä For the safety of the front passenger and to reduce the risk of injury in the event
of an accident, we recommend the following setting.
› Position the front passenger seat back as far as possible. The front passenger
must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel so that the airbag
offers the greatest possible safety if it is deployed.
› Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head C
» Fig. 135 on page 142.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 144.
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactivated »
page 152,
Deactivating airbags .
Manual front passenger adjustment » page 67, Manually adjusting the front
seats .
Electrical front passenger seat adjustment » page 67, Adjusting front seats elec-
trically. Ð Correct seated position for the occupants on the rear seats
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 141.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an ac-
cident, the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following.
› Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of the head C
» Fig. 135 on page 142.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 144.
› Use a suitable child restraint system if transporting children in the vehi-
cle » page 154, Transporting children safely .Ð
ä
142 Safety

Seat belts
Seat belts
ä
Introduction Fig. 136
Driver wearing seat belt
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
The physical principle of a frontal collision 145
Fastening and unfastening seat belts 146
Seat belt height adjuster on the front seats 147
Belt tensioners 147
Seat belts that are fastened correctly offer good protection in the event of an ac-
cident. They reduce the risk of an injury and increase the chance of survival in the
event of a major accident.
Correctly fastened seat belts hold occupants of the car in the correct seated posi-
tion » Fig. 136.
The seat belts reduce the kinetic energy (energy of motion) to a considerable ex-
tent. They also prevent uncontrolled movements which, in turn, may well result in
severe injuries.
The occupants of a vehicle who have fastened and correctly adjusted their seat
belt, profit to a major extent from the fact that the kinetic energy is optimally ab-
sorbed by the belts. The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other pas-
sive safety measures, such as the airbag system, also contribute to reducing the
kinetic energy. The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less risk of in-
jury. Particular safety aspects must be observed when transporting children in the ve-
hicle
» page 154, Transporting children safely . WARNING
■ Fasten your seat belt before each journey - even when driving in town! This
also applies to the people seated at the rear - risk of injury! ■ Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way of
ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child » page 146, Fastening and
unfastening seat belts. ■ Adjust the height of the belt in such a way that the shoulder part of the belt
is roughly positioned across the middle of your shoulder - on no account
across your neck. ■ Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat
belts which are not correctly adjusted can themselves cause injuries even in
minor accidents. ■ The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if you
are correctly seated » page 141, Correct seated position .
■ The seat backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
■ The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twisted,
or chafe against any sharp edges.
■ A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is
moved forward by the kinetic energy produced in an accident and is then sud-
denly held firm by the belt. ■ The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. specta-
cles, ball-point pens, keys etc.) as this may be a cause of injuries. ■ No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single seat belt togeth-
er.
■ The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is the correct
one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to pro-
tect and the risk of injury increases. ■ The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked by paper or similar objects
otherwise the belt tongue will not lock in place properly.
■ Many layers of clothing and loose clothing (e. g. a winter coat over a jacket)
do not allow you to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of the
seat belts. ■ It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e. g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons). £
144 Safety

Seat belt height adjuster on the front seats
Fig. 140
Front seat: Seat belt height ad-
juster
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 144.
The seat belt height adjuster makes it possible to adjust the routing of the front
seat belts in the area of the shoulder to the body size.
›
Press the height adjuster and move up or down in the desired direc-
tion » Fig. 140.
› Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has cor-
rectly locked in place. ÐBelt tensioners
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 144.
The safety for the driver, front passenger and passengers on the outer rear seats
who are wearing their seat belts
, is enhanced by the belt tensioners fitted to the
inertia reels on the front and rear external three-point seat belts.
The three-point seat belts are automatically tensioned in the event of a frontal
collision of a certain severity. The belt tensioners can also be deployed if the seat
belts are not fastened.
The fastened three-point seat belts are automatically tensioned in the event of a
frontal or side collision of a certain severity.
Belt tensioners are not activated in the event of minor frontal collisions, side and
rear-end collisions, in the case of a rollover and also not in accidents in which no
major forces are produced from the front.
ä
ä WARNING
■ Any work on the belt tensioner system including removal and installation of
system components because of other repair work, must only be carried out by
a
ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ The protective function of the system is only adequate for a single accident.
If the belt tensioners have been deployed, it is then necessary to replace the
entire system. Note
■ Smoke is generated when the belt tensioners are deployed. This is not an indi-
cation of a fire in the vehicle. ■ When disposing of the vehicle or parts of the belt tensioner system, it is impor-
tant to comply with national legal requirements.
ŠKODA Service Partners are fa-
miliar with these regulations and will be able to provide you with detailed infor-
mation. Ð 147
Seat belts

The following guidelines must be observed when using a child safety seat in
which the child is seated with its back facing the direction of travel on the front
passenger seat.
›
Switch off the front passenger airbag
» page 152, Deactivating airbags .
› Slide the front passenger seat all the way back.
› Move the front passenger seat backrest into the vertical position.
› Set the height-adjustable front passenger seat as high up as possible.
› Adjust the seat belt for the front passenger seat so that it is as high as possible
(not suitable for a child seat fastened with the
ISOFIX system).
› Place and fasten the child seat on the seat and the child in the child seat ac-
cording to the specifications in the manufacturer's user manual of the child
seat . WARNING
■ It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag when attach-
ing a child safety seat to the front passenger seat where the child is seated
with its back facing in direction of travel »
page 152, Deactivating airbags .
■ Never use a child safety seat in which the child is seated with its back facing
the direction of travel on the front passenger seat if the airbag is switched on.
This child safety seat is positioned in the deployment area of the front pas-
senger airbag. The airbag may cause the child severe, or even fatal injuries, in
the event of it being deployed.
■ This is also clearly stated on the sticker which is located on the B column on
the front passenger side » Fig. 147. The sticker is visible upon opening the
front passenger door. For some countries, the sticker is also affixed to the sun
visor of the front passenger.
■ If a child safety seat in which the child faces in the direction of travel is used
on the front passenger seat, the front passenger seat must be moved back
and to the top fully. Move the backrest into the vertical position.
■ The front passenger airbag must be reactivated as soon as you no longer
use a child seat on the front passenger seat. Ð Child safety and side airbag
Fig. 148
Incorrect seated position of a child who is not properly secured -
risk from the side airbag/Child properly protected by safety seat
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 154.
The child must not be positioned in the deployment area of the side air-
bag » Fig. 148 - . There must be sufficient room between the child and the de-
ployment area of the side airbag so that the airbag can provide as much protec-
tion as possible » Fig. 148 - . WARNING
■ Children must never be seated with their head in the deployment area of
the side airbag - risk of injury!
■ Do not place any objects within the deployment area of the side airbags -
risk of injury! Ð Classification of child seats
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 154.
Child safety seats are classified in 5 groups:
Group Weight of the child Approximate age
0 0-10 kg up to 9 months
0+ up to 13 kg up to 18 months£ ä
ä
155
Transporting children safely

Towing a trailer
Towing a trailer
Technical requirements
If your vehicle has already been factory-fitted with a towing device or is fitted
with a towing device from ŠKODA Original Accessories, then it meets all of the
technical requirements and national legal provisions for towing a trailer.
On vehicles with a towing device, the ball rod is detachable and is stowed togeth-
er with separate operating instructions in the spare wheel well or in the compart-
ment for the spare wheel within the boot » page 196, Vehicle tool kit.
Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin power socket for the electrical connection be-
tween the vehicle and trailer. If the trailer that is to be towed has a 7-pin connec-
tor, you can use a suitable adapter from
ŠKODA Original Accessories.
If a towing device is retrofitted, it must be completed in accordance with the
manufacturer's specifications. Note
If you have any questions, please contact a ŠKODA Service Partner. ÐLoading a trailer
Loading a trailer
The vehicle/trailer combination must be balanced, whereby the maximum permis-
sible drawbar load must be utilised. If the drawbar load is too low, it jeopardises
the performance of the vehicle/trailer combination.
Distribution of the load
Distribute the load in the trailer in such a way that heavy items are located as
close to the axle as possible. Secure the items from slipping.
The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and the trail-
er is laden. Maintain a particularly low speed if you cannot avoid driving with this
combination. Tyre pressure
Correct the tyre inflation pressure on your vehicle for a
“full load” » page 188 ,
Service life of tyres.
Trailer load
The permissible trailer load must not be exceeded under any circumstan-
ces » page 216, Technical data .
The trailer loads specified apply only to altitudes up to 1 000 metres above mean
sea level. As the engine output drops at an increasing altitude due to the declin-
ing air pressure and therefore the climbing ability is also reduced, this means that
the maximum permissible towed weight must be reduced by 10 % for every fur-
ther increase of 1 000 m in height. The towed weight comprises the actual weight
of the (loaded) towing vehicle and the (loaded) trailer. Always drive particularly
carefully with the trailer.
The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the towing device
are merely test data for the towing device The vehicle-specific values are detailed
in the vehicle documents. WARNING
■ If the maximum permissible axle and drawbar load and the maximum per-
missible total or towed weight of the vehicle and the trailer are exceeded this
can cause accidents and serious injuries.
■ Slipping loads can significantly affect the stability and safety of the vehicle/
trailer combination, causing accidents and serious injuries. Ð Towing a trailer
Exterior mirrors
You have to have additional exterior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see the
traffic behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. The national legal
requirements must be observed.
Headlights
The headlight settings must be checked before starting a journey with a coupled
trailer. If necessary, adjust the settings with the headlight beam adjust-
ment » page 53, Headlight beam adjustment .
Driving speed
For safety reasons, do not drive faster than the maximum permissible speed indi-
cated on the trailer. £
164 Driving Tips

›
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. ÐEngine compartment overview
Fig. 157
1.6 l/77 kW TDI CR diesel engine
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 176.
Coolant expansion reservoir 180
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir 182
Engine oil filler opening 179
Engine oil dipstick 178
Brake fluid reservoir 181
Battery (below a cover) 182
Note
The location of the inspection points in the engine compartment of petrol and
diesel engines is practically identical. Ð
ä 1
2
3
4
5
6 Checking the engine oil level
Fig. 158
Dipstick
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 176.
The dipstick indicates the level of oil in the engine
» Fig. 158.
Checking the oil level
› Ensure that the vehicle is positioned on a level surface and the engine has
reached its operating temperature.
› Switch off the engine.
› Open the bonnet.
› Wait a few minutes until the engine oil flows back into the oil sump and remove
the dipstick.
› Wipe the dipstick with a clean cloth and insert it again to the stop.
› Then pull the dipstick out again and check the oil level.
Oil level within range A
›
No oil must be refilled.
Oil level within range B
›
Oil can
be refilled. It is possible that the oil level may then be within range A
after doing this.
Oil level within range C
›
Oil must be refilled. It is sufficient, once this is done, to keep the oil level within
range B
.
It is normal for the engine to consume oil. The oil consumption may be as much as
0.5 l/1 000 km depending on your style of driving and the conditions under which
you operate your vehicle. Consumption may be slightly higher than this during the
first 5 000 kilometres. £
ä
178 General Maintenance

Handling wheels and tyres
Fig. 165
Changing wheels around
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 187.
Changing wheels around
If significantly greater wear is present on the front tyres, we recommend chang-
ing the front wheels around with the rear wheels as shown in the dia-
gram » Fig. 165. You will then obtain approximately the same life for all the tyres.
We recommend that you change the wheels around every 10
000 km in order to
achieve even wear on all wheels and to obtain optimal tyre life.
Storing tyres
Mark wheels before removing them so that their previous direction of running can
be maintained when mounted them again.
Always store wheels or tyres which been removed in a cool, dry and, where possi-
ble, dark place. Tyres which are not fixed to a wheel trim should be stored up-
right. ÐNew wheels and tyres
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 187.
Only fit tyres of the same type, size (rolling circumference) and the same tread
pattern on one axle on all 4
wheels.
The tyre/wheel combinations which are approved for your vehicle are indicated in
your vehicle documents.
ä
ä Proper knowledge of the tyre data makes it easier for you to select the correct
type of tyre. Tyres, for example, have the following inscription on their walls.
205/55
R 16 94 V
What this means is:
205 Tyre width in mm
55 Height/width ratio in %
R Code letter for the type of tyre - Radial
16 Diameter of wheel in inches
94 Load index
V Speed symbol The following speed restrictions apply to tyres.
Speed symbol Permissible maximum speed
S 180 km/h
T 190 km/h
U 200 km/h
H 210 km/h
V 240 km/h
W 270 km/h
Y 300 km/h The date of manufacture
is also stated on the tyre wall (possibly only on the in-
side of wheel ): e.g.
DOT ... 20
12...
means, for example, that the tyre was manufactured in the 20th week of 2012.
The following must be observed if only one temporary spare wheel is availa-
ble » page 190. Ð
189
Wheels and Tyres