Off-road driving
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 151.
Important information
› Switch on the
OFF ROADmode » page 98 , OFF ROAD mode.
› Drive slowly through tricky route sections. Shift up when driving up on slippery
surfaces, make sure the vehicle always remains in motion. Do not drive too fast
otherwise you may lose control over the vehicle.
› Drive slowly over hilltops. Make sure that the wheels of the vehicle do not lift
off the ground, as this could severely damage the vehicle and it may become
disabled.
› If your vehicle got stuck in sand, snow or sludge, it may be more effective to re-
verse the vehicle than trying to drive forwards.
› Place stones, footmats or pieces of wood under the spinning wheels in order to
achieve traction on a sandy or slippery ground.
› Read the instructions before driving through water
» page 151.
› Keep sufficient distance from other vehicles even at low speeds. When the first
vehicle suddenly gets stuck, the following vehicle can still stop in time without
getting stuck itself.
Driving uphill
› Drive slowly and steadily straight uphill.
› Do not shift gears or press the clutch pedal while climbing.
› Only press the accelerator enough to move up the hill.
› Do not stop or turn the vehicle around on the hillside.
› Prevent the engine from cutting out.
If you can go no further on a slope
› Never attempt to make a turn with the vehicle on a hillside.
› If the engine cuts out, stop and restart the engine.
› Shift into reverse gear and carefully move backwards in your own lane.
Downhill
› Shift into first gear or select the first driving stage, while in Tiptronic mode, to
drive downhill on steep hillsides. The Downhill Drive Support is optimally utilis-
ed in this way.
› Use the foot break carefully otherwise you may lose control over the vehicle.
› If it is feasible and safe, drive straight down.
› Do not press down on the clutch or shift into Neutral.
ä
Driving over rutted roads and troughs
› Only drive over rutted roads and troughs when they do not exceed your vehi-
cle's ground clearance. Your vehicle may
“sink” and get stuck in soft ground.
› Never drive over rutted roads and troughs which are too deep. If you cannot
avoid this, it is better that you turn back.
Crossing a trench › If possible, drive through the trench at an acute angle. Make sure when driving
through the trench that the tilt angle is not too steep.
Driving in sand and mud
› You should always drive at a constant speed through sand or mud whenever
possible and at the same time do not shift gears.
› Never drive too fast, otherwise the wheels may spin and the vehicle can get
stuck. If you feel that the tyres are losing grip, turn the steering wheel quickly
back and forth. This leads to an improved grip on the front tyres for a short peri-
od of time. Ð Changing gear when driving off-road
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 151.
The gear you must shift into depends on the terrain. Choosing the correct gear
contributes to safe driving.
Important information
› When the gear or the driving stage has been properly selected, it is unnecessary
to slow down the vehicle on a downhill section using the footbrake as in most
cases the engine braking power is sufficient.
› Depress the accelerator only as much as is necessary. A too great acceleration
may lead to the wheels spinning and thus results in the loss over the control of
the vehicle. £
ä
154 Driving Tips
Rocking out vehicle
›
Switch off the TCS.
› Set the steering wheel straight.
› Drive back until the wheels just begin to spin.
› Shift into first gear and drive forwards until the wheels just begin to spin again.
› Drive back and forth repeatedly until the momentum is sufficient to free the ve-
hicle.
› Switch on the TCS. ÐAfter driving off-road
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 151.
Check the vehicle for damage after driving off-road - especially on the underside
of the vehicle.
Remove coarse dirt and trapped objects, such as scrub, chips, small stones and
foreign bodies from the tyre tread.
Clean the indicator lights, headlamps, indicator light and windows.
In case of thick layers of dirt, clean the radiator grille, the engine compartment
and the underbody of the vehicle.
We recommend you have any damage repaired by a
ŠKODA Service Partner.Ðä
156 Driving Tips
Immediately reduce your speed as soon as even the slightest swaying of the trail-
er is detected. Never attempt to stop the trailer from “swaying” by accelerating.
Brakes
Apply the brakes in good time! If the trailer is fitted with a trailer brake, apply the
brakes gently at first, then brake firmly. This will avoid brake jolts resulting from
the trailer wheels locking. On downhill sections shift down a gear in good time to
also use the engine as a brake.
Trailer stabilisation
The trailer stabilisation is an extension of the stabilisation control that works in
conjunction with the counter-steering assistance to reduce the amount the trail-
er "sways". After turning on the ignition, the ESC indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster lights up for about 2 seconds longer than the ABS indicator light.
Prerequisites for stabilising the trailer.
› The towing device is factory-fitted or a compatible towing device has been ret-
rofitted.
› The ESC is active. The indicator light
or in the instrument cluster is not illu-
minated.
› The trailer is electrically connected to the towing vehicle by means of the trailer
socket.
› The speed is higher than approx. 60 km/h.
› Trailers must have a fixed drawbar.
› The ESC works for both braked and unbraked trailers.
Trailer is connected to the anti-theft alarm system. › If the vehicle is factory-fitted with an anti-theft alarm system and a towing de-
vice.
› If the trailer is electrically connected to the towing vehicle by means of the trail-
er socket.
› If the electrical system of the vehicle and trailer is fully functional.
› If the vehicle is locked with the car key and the anti-theft alarm system is acti-
vated.
When the vehicle is locked, the alarm is activated as soon as the electrical con-
nection to the trailer is interrupted.
Always deactivate the anti-theft alarm system before a trailer is connected/dis-
connected. Otherwise, the anti-theft alarm system could accidentally be trig-
gered » page 31 , Anti-theft alarm system . Engine overheating
If the needle for the coolant temperature gauge moves into the right-hand area
or the red area of the scale, the speed must be reduced immediately. Stop and
switch off the engine if the indicator light
in the instrument cluster starts to
flash. Wait a few minutes and check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion
bottle » page 174, Checking the coolant level .
The following guidelines must be observed » page 20, Coolant temperature/cool-
ant level .
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating. WARNING
■ The increased safety offered by the trailer stabilisation must not tempt you
to take greater risks than otherwise. ■ Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to the traffic sit-
uation.
■ Improper or incorrectly connected electric cables can energise the trailer and
cause functional faults to the vehicle's entire electrical system as well as acci-
dents and severe injuries.
■ Any work on the electrical system must be carried out only by ŠKODA spe-
cialist garages.
■ Never directly connect the trailer's electrical system with the electrical con-
nections for the tail lights or other current sources. CAUTION
■ The trailer stabilisation need not be able to correctly detect all of driving situa-
tions.
■ Trailers that sway slightly are not always detected by the trailer stabilisation
and thus are not stabilised accordingly.
■ Release the pressure on the accelerator pedal if the system is being regulated.
■ Avoid abrupt and sudden driving/braking manoeuvres.
■ When the ball rod is removed, the mounting shaft must be sealed with an ap-
propriate cover. This prevents foreign matter from penetrating into the mounting
shaft. See the fitting instructions for the towing device. £
158 Driving Tips
Wheels
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 160.
Wheel rims
Also thoroughly wash the wheel rims when washing the vehicle on a regular ba-
sis. Regularly remove salt and brake abrasion from the wheel rims otherwise the
material will be affected. Damage to the paint layer on the wheel rims must be
touched up immediately.
Light alloy wheels
After washing thoroughly and treat the wheel rims with a protective product for
light alloy wheels. Products which cause abrasion must not be used to treat the
wheel rims. WARNING
Water, ice and grit in the brake system can affect the braking efficiency - risk
of accident! CAUTION
Severe layers of dirt on the wheels can also result in wheel imbalance. This may
show itself in the form of a wheel vibration which is transmitted to the steering
wheel which, in certain circumstances, can cause premature wear of the steering.
This means it is necessary to remove the dirt. Note
We recommend that any repairs to damaged paintwork are carried out by a
ŠKODA Service Partner. ÐUnderbody protection
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 160.
The underside of your vehicle is protected for life against chemical and mechani-
cal influences.ä
ä As damage to the
protective layer when driving cannot be ruled out completely,
we recommend that you inspect the protective layer on the underside of your ve-
hicle and on the chassis at specific intervals - preferably at the beginning and end
of the winter.
ŠKODA Service Partners have suitable spray products and the necessary equip-
ment available, and are familiar with the instructions for use. We therefore rec-
ommend that touch-up work or additional corrosion protection measures are car-
ried out by a ŠKODA Service Partner. WARNING
Never use additional underbody protection or anti-corrosion agents for ex-
haust pipes, catalytic converters, diesel particle filters or heat shields. When
the engine reaches its operating temperature, these substances might ignite -
risk of fire! Ð Protection of hollow spaces
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 160.
All the cavities of your vehicle which are at risk from corrosion are protected for
life by a layer of protective wax applied in the factory.
This wax protection does not require to be inspected or re-treated. If any small
amount of wax flow out of the cavities at high temperatures, these must be re-
moved with a plastic scraper and the stains cleaned using a petroleum cleaner. WARNING
Safety regulations should be observed when using petroleum cleaner to re-
move wax - risk of fire! Ð
ä
164 General Maintenance
Artificial leather and materials
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 160.
The artificial leather can be cleaned using a damp cloth. If this does not prove to
be adequate, these parts can only be treated with special
solvent-free plastic
cleaning and care products .
Clean upholstery cover materials and cloth trims on doors, boot cover, etc. using
specific cleaning agents, e.g., dry foam. Use a soft sponge, brush, or commercially
available microfibre cloth. Use a cloth and a specific cleaning agent to clean the
roof trim.
Some clothing materials, such as dark denim, do, in part, not have sufficient col-
our fastness. This can cause damage or clearly visible discolouration to seat cov-
ers (fabric or leather) even when used correctly. This particularly applies to light
seat covers (fabric or leather). This is not a defect in the seat cover, but poor col-
our fastness of the clothing textiles. ÐFabric covers on electrically heated seats
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 160.
Do not clean the seat covers
using moisture as this can damage the seat heating
system.
Use a specific cleaning agent such as dry foam or similar to clean the covers. ÐNatural leather
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 160.
Depending on the amount of wear-and-tear, the leather should be cleaned on a
regular basis.
Normal cleaning
Clean soiled areas of the leather with slightly moistened cotton or woollen cloth.
ä
ä
ä
Severe soiling
Ensure that the leather is not soaked through at any point and that no water gets
into the stitching of the seams.
Dry off the leather with a soft, dry cloth.
Removing stains
Remove fresh water-based stains (e.g., coffee, tea, juices, blood) with an absorb-
ent cloth or household cleaning paper. A specific cleaning agent is required for
dried-on stains.
Remove fresh grease-based stains (e.g. butter, mayonnaise, chocolate, etc.) with
an absorbent cloth, household cleaning paper, or use a suitable cleaner if the
stain has not yet penetrated into the surface.
Use a grease solvent for grease stains which have dried in .
Remove specific stains (e.g. ball-point pens, marker pen, nail varnish, dispersion
paint, shoe polish, etc.) with a special stain remover suitable for leather.
Leather care
Treat the leather roughly every six months with a suitable leather care product.
Apply only a small amount of the cleaning and care product.
Dry off the leather with a soft, dry cloth. CAUTION
■ Avoid leaving the vehicle for lengthy periods in bright sunlight to avoid the
leather from bleaching. If the vehicle is parked in the open for lengthy periods,
protect the leather from direct sunlight by covering it.
■ Sharp-edged objects on items of clothing such as zip fasteners, rivets, sharp-
edged belts, jewellery and pendants may leave permanent scratches or signs of
rubbing on the surface.
■ The use of a mechanical steering wheel lock may damage the leather surface of
the steering wheel. Note
■ Use a care cream with light blocker and impregnation effect on a regular basis
and each time after cleaning. The cream nourishes the leather, allows it to
breathe and keeps it supple and also provides moisture. It also creates surface
protection. ■ Clean the leather every 2 to 3 months, remove any fresh stains as they occur. £
165
Taking care of and cleaning the vehicle
Note
■ We recommend that any work on the wheels or tyres is carried out by a ŠKODA
Service Partner. ■ We recommend that you use wheel rims, tyres, full wheel trims and snow chains
from
ŠKODA Original Accessories. ÐService life of tyres
Fig. 148
Tyre tread with wear indicators/Open fuel filler flap with a table
detailing the tyre size and tyre inflation pressure
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 181.
Wear indicators
The base of the tread of the tyres has 1.6 mm high wear indicators installed.
These wear indicators are located multiple times depending on the make and are
evenly spaced around the circumference of the tyre » Fig. 148 - . Markings on
the walls of the tyres through the letters
“TWI”, triangular symbols or other sym-
bols identify the position of the wear indicators.
The life of your tyres very much depends on the following points:
Tyre pressure
The working life of tyres will be shortened considerably if the tyres are insuffi-
ciently or over-inflated and this will have an adverse effect on the handling of
your vehicle. Therefore check the tyre pressure, including that of the spare wheel,
at least once a month and also before setting off on a long journey.
ä The tyre inflation pressures for
summer tyres are indicated on the inside of the
fuel filler flap » Fig. 148 - . The inflation pressures for winter tyres are 20
kPa
(0.2 bar) higher than those for summer tyres.
The tyre inflation pressure for tyres of the tyre size 205/50 R17 or 205/55 R16,
which are intended to be used with snow chains, is identical to the tyre inflation
pressure for tyres of the tyre size 225/45 R17 or 215/60 R16.
Always check the inflation pressure when the tyres are cold. Do not reduce the
higher pressure of warm tyres. If the load varies greatly, adjust the tyre inflation
pressure accordingly.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and braking increase the wear of your tyres.
Balancing wheels
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. There are a wide range of influences
when driving which may result in an imbalance and which makes themselves felt
through vibration in the steering.
Have the wheels rebalanced after replacing the tyres.
Wheel alignment errors
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front and rear will not only increase wear-and-
tear on the tyres but will also has an adverse effect on vehicle safety. In the
event of any unusual tyre wear, seek assistance from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
Tyre damage
Drive over curbs on the side of the road and other such obstacles slowly and,
where possible, at a right angle in order to avoid damage to tyres and wheel
trims.
We recommend checking your tyres and wheel rims for damage (punctures, cuts,
splits and bulges, etc.) on a regular basis. Remove foreign bodies from the tyre
profile.
Unusual vibrations or pulling of the vehicle to one side could be a sign of tyre
damage. If there is any doubt that a wheel is damaged, immediately reduce your
speed and stop! Check the tyres for signs of damage (bulges, splits, etc.). If no ex-
ternal damage is evident, drive slowly and carefully to the nearest ŠKODA special-
ist garage to have the vehicle checked. Ð
182 General Maintenance
Tyre control display
Fig. 153
Button for setting the tyre infla-
tion pressure control value
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 181.
The tyre control display compares the speed and thus the rolling circumference of
the individual wheels with the help of the ABS sensors. If the rolling circumfer-
ence of a wheel is changed, the indicator light
in the instrument clus-
ter » page 24, Tyre control display and an audible signal sounds.
The rolling circumference of the tyre can change if: › the tyre inflation pressure is too low;
› the structure of the tyre is damaged;
› the vehicle is loaded on one side;
› the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when
driving uphill or downhill);
› snow chains are mounted;
› the temporary spare wheel is mounted;
› one wheel per axle was changed.
Basic setting of the system
After changing the tyre inflation pressure, after changing one or several wheels,
the position of a wheel on the vehicle (e.g. exchanging the wheels between the
axles) or when the indicator light lights up while driving, a basic setting of the
system must be carried out as follows:
› Inflate all of the tyres to the specified inflation pressure
» page 182, Service life
of tyres.
› Switch on the ignition.
ä
›
Press and hold the button
» Fig. 153 for longer than 2
seconds. While
pressing the button, the indicator light illuminates. At the same time the sys-
tem memory is erased and the new calibration is started, which is confirmed
with an audible signal and then the indicator light goes out.
› If the indicator light
does not go out after the basic setting, this indicates a
system fault. Seek help from a ŠKODA specialist garage.
The indicator light is lit
If the tyre inflation pressure of at least one wheel is insufficiently inflated in com-
parison to the stored basic value, the indicator light » lights up.
The indicator light flashes
If the indicator light flashes, there is a system fault. Seek help from a
ŠKODA spe-
cialist garage to correct the fault. WARNING
■ When the indicator light illuminates, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvres. Stop the vehicle as soon as
possible and inspect the tyres and their inflation pressure.
■ Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved
roads) the indicator light can be delayed or does not light up at all.
■ The tyre control display does not absolve the driver of the responsibility to
ensure the correct tyre inflation pressure. For this reason, the tyre inflation
pressure must be checked regularly. Note
■ The tyre control display does therefore not replace the regular tyre inflation
pressure control, as the system cannot detect an even loss of pressure. ■ The tyre control display cannot provide a warning in the event of very rapid tyre
inflation pressure loss, e.g. in the case of sudden tyre damage. In this case care-
fully bring the vehicle to a standstill without sudden steering movements or
sharp braking.
■ To ensure a proper functioning of the tyre control display, it is necessary to re-
peat the basic setting every 10 000 km or once a year. Ð
186 General Maintenance
›
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.
› 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. ÐJump-starting in vehicles with the START-STOP system
Fig. 162
Jump-starting - START-STOP
system
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 197.
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. 162. ÐTowing the vehicle
ä
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Front towing eye 199
Rear towing eye 199
Vehicles a towing device 200
ä Vehicles with manual transmission can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope
or with the front or rear wheels raised.
Vehicles with automatic transmission can 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.
When towing, 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
vehicle 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 197, 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. £
198 Do-it-yourself