2012 SKODA YETI warning light

Deployment factors
It is not possible to generally determine which deployment conditions apply to
the airbag system in every situation. An important role is played by factors such
as the type of object that the vehicle hits (hard, soft), the impact angle, vehicle
speed, etc.
A decisive factor for the deployment of the airbags is the deceleration which oc-
curs. The control unit analyses the nature of the collision and activates the rele-
vant restraint system. If the vehicle deceleration which occurs and is measured
during the collision remains below the prescribed reference values specified in
the control unit, the airbags are not deployed although the vehicle may well suf-
fer severe damage to the bodywork as a consequence of the accident.
The following will be deployed in the event of a severe frontal collision:
› driver’s front airbag;
› passenger’s front airbag;
› driver’s knee airbag.
The following will be deployed in the event of a severe side collision: › front side airbag on the side of the accident;
› rear side airbag on the side of the accident;
› head airbags on the side of the accident.
In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed:
› the interior lighting comes on (if the switch for the interior light is in the door
contact position),
› the hazard warning light is switched on;
› all the doors are unlocked;
› the fuel supply to the engine is interrupted. Note
A grey white or red, non-harmful gas is released when the airbag is inflated. This
is perfectly normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle. Ð Front airbags
Fig. 122
Driver airbag in the steering wheel/front passenger airbag in the
dashboard Fig. 123
Safe distance to steering wheel/inflated airbags.
In the event of a severe frontal collision, the front airbag system offers additional
protection for the head and chest area of the driver and front passenger.
The front airbag for the driver is housed in the steering wheel » Fig. 122 - .
The front airbag for the front seat passenger is located in the dash panel above
the stowage compartment 
- » Fig. 122.
If the airbags are deployed, the airbags are filled with a propellant gas and infla-
ted in front of the driver and front passenger » Fig. 123 - . The forward move-
ment of the driver and of the front passenger is cushioned when they make con-
tact with the fully inflated airbag and the risk of injury to head and chest is thus
reduced. £
138 Safety

Side airbags
Fig. 125
Location of the side airbag in the driver's seat/gas-filled side air-
bags
In the event of severe side collisions, the side airbag system provides additional
protection for the upper body (chest, stomach and pelvis) of passengers in the ve-
hicle.
The front side airbags are housed in the upholstery of the seat backrests of the
front seats » Fig. 125 - .
The rear side airbags are located between the entrance area and the seat back-
rest.
When the side airbags » Fig. 125 -  are deployed, the head airbag and belt ten-
sioner are also automatically deployed on the relevant side.
The load of the occupants is cushioned when plunging into the fully inflated air-
bag and the risk of injury to the entire upper body (chest, stomach and pelvis) is
reduced on the side facing the door. WARNING
■ Your head should never be positioned in the deployment area of the side
airbag. You might suffer severe injuries in the event of an accident. This ap-
plies in particular to children who are transported without using a suitable
child safety seat » page 144, Child safety and side airbag .
■ There must not be any further persons, animals as well as objects posi-
tioned between the occupants and the deployment area of the airbag. No ac-
cessories, such as cup holders, should be attached to the doors. WARNING (Continued)
■ If children adopt an incorrect seated position when travelling, they may be
exposed to an increased risk of injury in the event of an accident. This can re-
sult in serious injuries » page 143, Transporting children safely .
■ The airbag control unit operates with pressure sensors located in the front
doors. For this reason no adjustments must be carried out to the doors and
door panels (e.g. additional installation of loudspeakers). Resulting damages
can have a negative affect on the operation of the airbag system. All work on
the front doors and their panels must only be carried out by a
ŠKODA special-
ist garage.
■ In the event of a side collision, the side airbags will not function properly, if
the sensors cannot measure the increasing air pressure inside the doors, be-
cause the air can escape through large, non-sealed openings in the door pan-
el. ■Never drive with removed inner door panels.
■ Never drive, if parts of the inner door panel have been removed and the
remaining openings have not been properly sealed.
■ Never drive, if the loudspeakers in the doors have been removed, only if
the loudspeaker openings have been properly sealed.
■ Always make sure that the openings are covered or filled, if additional
loudspeakers or other equipment parts are installed in the inner door pan-
els. ■ Always have work completed by a ŠKODA

Service Partner or a competent
ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ Only hang light items of clothing on the hooks fitted in the vehicle. Never
leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets of the items of cloth-
ing.
■ Ensure that there are no excessive forces, such as violent knocks, kicks etc.,
impact on the backrests of the seats otherwise the system may be damaged.
The side airbags would not be deployed in such a case!
■ Any seat or protective covers which you fit to the driver or front passenger
seats must only be of the type expressly authorized by
ŠKODA. In view of the
fact that the airbag inflates out of the backrest of the seat, use of non-ap-
proved seat or protective covers would considerably impair the protective
function of the side airbag.
■ Any damage to the original seat covers in the area of the side airbag module
must be repaired without delay by your
ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ The airbag modules in the front seats must not display any damage, cracks
or deep scratches. It is not permissible to use force in order to open the mod-
ules. Ð
140 Safety

Head airbags
Fig. 126
Location of the head airbag/gas-filled head airbag
In the event of a severe side collision, the head airbag system offers additional
protection for the head and neck area of passengers.
The head airbags are positioned above the doors on both sides in the interior of
the car » Fig. 126 -  .
In the event of a side collision the head airbag is deployed together with the rele-
vant side airbag and the belt tensioner on the side of the car on which the acci-
dent occurs.
When deployed, the airbags cover the entire side window and door pil-
lar »
Fig. 126 -  .
Any impact of the head against parts of the interior or objects outside of the car,
is cushioned by the inflated head airbag. The reduction in any impact to the head
and the resultant minimizing of any movements of the head additionally reduce
the risk of injuries to the neck area. The head airbag also offers additional protec-
tion in the case of an offset impact by covering the front door pillar. WARNING
■ There must not be any objects in the deployment area of the head airbags
which might prevent the airbags from inflating properly.
■ Only hang light items of clothing on the hooks fitted in the vehicle. Never
leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets of the items of cloth-
ing. Additionally, clothes hangers must not be used to hang up items of cloth-
ing. WARNING (Continued)
■ The airbag control unit operates with sensors located in the front doors. For
this reason no adjustments must be carried out to the doors and door panels
(e.g. additional installation of loudspeakers). Resulting damages can have a
negative affect on the operation of the airbag system. All work on the front
doors and their panels must only be carried out by a

ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ There must no other persons (e.g. children) or animals between the passen-
ger and the deployment area of the head airbag. In addition, none of the occu-
pants should lean their head out of the window when driving, or extend their
arms and hands out of the window.
■ The sun visors must not be swivelled towards the side windows in the de-
ployment area of the head airbags if any objects, such as ball-point pens, etc.
are attached to them. This might result in injuries to the occupants if the head
airbag is deployed.
■ The installation of impermissible accessories in the vicinity of the head air-
bags can considerably impair the protection offered by the head airbag in the
event of it being deployed. When the deployed head airbag is inflated, parts of
the fitted accessories could be thrown into the interior of the car and injure
the occupants » page 189, Accessories, changes and replacement of parts .Ð Deactivating airbags
Deactivating airbags
Deactivation of airbags is envisaged only for particular instances, such as if:
› using a child seat on the front passenger seat, in which the child has its back to
the vehicle's direction of travel (in some countries this must be in the direction
of travel due to different legal regulations applying) » page 143, Transporting
children safely ;
› not being able to maintain a distance of at least 25 cm between the middle of
the steering wheel and chest, despite the driver's seat being correctly adjusted;
› special attachments are required in the area of the steering wheel because of a
physical disability;
› other seats have been installed (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side airbags).
The front passenger airbag can be switched off with the key-operated
switch » Fig. 127 on page 142.
We recommend that you ask a

ŠKODA Service Partner to switch off any other air-
bags. £
141
Airbag system

Monitoring the airbag system
The functionality of the airbag system is also monitored electronically when one
airbag has been switched off.
If the airbag was switched off using diagnostic equipment:
› The airbag indicator light  illuminates for around 4
seconds after the ignition
is switched on and then flashes approximately another 12 seconds in 2 second
intervals.
The following applies if the airbag has been switched off using the key switch
in the storage compartment: › The airbag indicator light  comes on for around 4 seconds after the ignition is
switched on;
› Switched off airbags are indicated in the middle of the dash panel by the yellow
indicator light   in the display    coming on » Fig. 127 on
page 142. Note
■ The national regulations for switching off airbags must be observed.
■ A ŠKODA Service Partner will be able to inform you which airbags in your vehicle
can/must be deactivated. ÐKey switch for the front seat passenger airbag
Fig. 127
Storage compartment: Switch for the front passenger airbag/indi-
cator light for the deactivated front seat passenger airbag
Only the front passenger airbag is deactivated with the key switch.
Switching off › Switch off the ignition. ›
Use the key to turn the slot of the key switch into position 2
» Fig. 127
OFF.
› Check that the yellow indicator light
  in the display     in the
middle of the dash panel lights up 3
» Fig. 127 when the ignition is switched
on.
Switching on
› Switch off the ignition.
› Use the key to turn the slot of the key switch into position 1
» Fig. 127
ON.
› Check that the yellow indicator light
  in the display 
   in the
middle of the dash panel lights up 3
» Fig. 127 when the ignition is switched
on. The indicator light 
  goes out 65 seconds after the ignition is switched
on.
Indicator light   in the display   
The airbag indicator light is located in the middle of the dash panel » Fig. 127 3
.
If the front passenger airbag is switched off, the indicator light comes on for
about 4

seconds after the ignition is switched on.
There is a system fault in the deactivated airbag » if the airbag indicator light
flashes. Immediately visit a ŠKODA specialist garage. WARNING
■ The driver is responsible for whether the airbag is switched on or switched
off.
■ Only switch off the airbag when the ignition is switched off! Otherwise a
fault can occur in the system for deactivating the airbag. ■ If the indicator light   in the display 
   flashes, the front pas-
senger airbag will not be deployed in the event of an accident! Have the air-
bag system checked by a ŠKODA specialist garage immediately. Ð142
Safety

WARNING
■ In view of the high temperatures which can be produced in the catalytic con-
verter, the vehicle should be parked in such a way that the catalytic converter
cannot come into contact with easily flammable materials under the vehicle -
risk of fire!
■ Never use additional underbody protection or anti-corrosion agents for ex-
haust pipes, catalytic converters or heat shields - risk of fire! CAUTION
■ Never drive until the fuel tank is completely empty! The irregular supply of fuel
can cause misfiring, which can result in considerable damage to parts of the en-
gine and exhaust system. ■ Just filling the tank with leaded petrol once will damage the exhaust system! ÐEconomical and environmentally friendly driving
Introductory information
Your fuel consumption, any pollution of the environmental and the wear-and-tear
to the engine, brakes and tyres, depend essentially on three factors:
› your personal style of driving;
› the conditions under which your vehicle is operated;
› technical aspects.
The fuel economy by can be improved by 10
-15 % by always looking ahead and
driving in an economical way.
Fuel consumption is also be influenced by external factors which are beyond the
driver's control. Consumption increases during the winter or under difficult condi-
tions, on poor roads, etc.
Fuel consumption can vary considerably from the manufacturer's data, as a result
of outside temperatures, the weather and driving style.
The technical requirements for low fuel usage and economic efficiency of the ve-
hicle have already been built into the vehicle at the works. ŠKODA places a partic-
ular emphasis on minimising negative effects on the environment. It is necessary
to take note of the guidelines given in this chapter in order to make best use of
these characteristics and to maintain their effectiveness. The optimal engine speed should be obtained when accelerating, in order to
avoid a high fuel consumption and resonance of the vehicle.
Ð Looking ahead when driving
A vehicle's highest fuel consumption occurs when accelerating, therefore unnec-
essary accelerating and braking should be avoided. If looking ahead when driving,
less braking and consequently less accelerating are required. If possible, let your
vehicle coast to a stop, or use the engine brake, if you can see that the next set
of traffic lights is on red, for example. Ð Shifting to save energy
Fig. 131
Principle sketch: Fuel consump-
tion in litres/100 km depending
on the selected gear
Shifting up early saves on fuel.
Manual gearbox › Drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear.
› Shift up into the next gear at approx. 2

000 revolutions.
An effective way of achieving good fuel economy is to shift up early. Observe the
recommended gear » page 11, Recommended gear .
A suitably selected gear can have an effect on fuel consumption » Fig. 131.
Automatic gearbox › Slowly
apply the accelerator pedal. However, do not depress it to the kickdown
position.
› If the accelerator pedal is only depressed slowly on a vehicle fitted with an au-
tomatic gearbox, an economic driving programme is automatically selected.
£
147
Driving and the Environment

Manual gearbox
› If you are driving through difficult terrain,
on no account use the clutch or
change the gear. When the clutch is depressed, the vehicle may come to a
standstill because of the increased grip of all the tyres of the vehicle (e.g. in the
mud, in deep sand or on a slope). Once the vehicle has come to a standstill, it
may be difficult or even impossible to start off under these conditions.
› When negotiating a steep downhill section or a steep uphill section, always
shift into the 1st or 2nd gear.
› On a soft or slippery ground, you must drive at the appropriate speed and you
must select the highest possible gear for this.
Automatic gearbox
› Select the selector lever position D
for normal flat stretches of ter-
rain » page 110, Selector lever positions.
› While in Tiptronic mode, select the selector lever position 3
or 2
if you are
driving through mud, sand, water or hilly sections of terrain » page 111, Manual
shifting of gears (Tiptronic) .
› When negotiating a steep downhill section or a steep uphill section, select the
selector lever position 1
while in Tiptronic mode
› On a soft or slippery ground, you must drive at the appropriate speed and you
must select the highest possible driving stage for this. ÐDriving at an angle on a hillside
Fig. 137
Steer and maintain your trajec-
tory/in direction to exit - facing
uphill
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 151.
Driving at an angle on a hillside is one of the most dangerous situations while
driving off-road.
ä If the vehicle is at a very steep angle, the wheels on the low side must not sink
deeply into the ground or into troughs and you must not drive over stones, tree
stumps or other obstructions with the alternate raised wheels.
If there is a risk your vehicle may tilt, steer immediately in direction of dip A
and
lightly depress the accelerator » Fig. 137.
A passenger, seated at the rear, should always remain seated on the seat facing
up the hill during such a journey. In an extreme case, the passenger on the rele-
vant side must exit the vehicle until you have safely crossed the hillside.
Exiting the vehicle on a hillside
If the vehicle comes to a standstill at a steep angle on a hillside and you and your
passengers must exit the vehicle, then all the occupants should exit on the side
facing up the hill B
» Fig. 137
. WARNING
■ Before driving at an angle on a hillside A
» Fig. 137
, ensure that you can
steer and maintain your trajectory. If you drive at an angle on a hillside and
there is a risk your vehicle may tilt, steer immediately downhill on your trajec-
tory and lightly depress the accelerator. ■ In case the vehicle is stationary on a hillside at a steep angle, do not exit the
vehicle when it is facing downhill. Always leave the vehicle carefully on the
side facing downhill B
» Fig. 137.
■ When driving at an angle on a hillside, the vehicle can lose its grip and slide
sideways. Always make sure that the wheels on the low side do not sink
deeply into the ground or into troughs and do not drive over stones, tree
stumps or other obstructions with the alternate raised wheels - risk of acci-
dent! Ð Stuck vehicle
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 151.
If you can no longer drive on ...
›
Carefully dig out all wheels and ensure that no other parts of the vehicle are
still stuck.
› Engage reverse gear.
› Carefully press the accelerator and try to reverse in a straight line.
› Place scrub, footmats or a sackcloth directly in front of the tyres in order to im-
prove grip and thus achieve an improved traction to drive out. £
ä
155
Driving and the Environment

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 190, 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 182 ,
Service life of tyres.
Trailer load
The permissible trailer load must not be exceeded under any circumstan-
ces » page 208 , 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 44 , Headlight beam adjustment .
Driving speed
For safety reasons, do not drive faster than the maximum permissible speed indi-
cated on the trailer. £
157
Towing a trailer

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