
What influences the driving safety?First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 90.
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 become 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. due to medication, alcohol
or 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.
Correct seated position
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Correct seated position for the driver
92
Correct seated position for the front passenger
92
Correct seated position for the passengers in the rear seats
92
Examples of incorrect seated positions
92WARNINGGeneral information■The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted according
to height, so that the occupants can be protected as effectively as possible.■
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 seat backrests must not be tilted too far back when driving, as this will
impair the function of the seat belts and of the airbag system – risk of injury!
WARNINGInformation for the driver■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.■
Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering wheel. Not maintaining
this minimum distance 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, handsand head when the driver airbag is deployed.
■
Ensure that there are no objects in the driver's footwell, as these may get
caught in the pedal apparatus when driving or braking. You would then no
longer be able to operate the clutch, brake or acceleration pedals.
WARNINGInformation for the front seat passenger■Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel. Not maintaining this
minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to proper-
ly protect you – hazard!■
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!
91Passive Safety

WARNING (Continued)■The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked, 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).
■
The seat belts for the rear seats can only fulfil their function reliably when
the seat backrests are correctly locked into position » page 45, Folding the
rear seats forward .
WARNINGObserve the following instructions for proper maintenance of the seat belts.■The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may im-
pair proper operation of the inertia reel » page 121, Seat belts .■
The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not attempt
to repair the seat belts yourself.
■
Check the condition of all the seat belts on a regular basis. If any damage to
the seat belts, seat belt connections, inertia reel or the lock is detected, the
relevant seat belt must be replaced by a specialist garage.
■
Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident and
were therefore stretched, must be replaced – this is best done by a specialist
garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected. The an-
chorage points for the belts should also be checked.
Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when using seat belts.
The physical principle of a frontal collisionFig. 87
Driver without a fastened seat belt/rear passenger without a fas-
tened seat belt
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 94.
As soon as the vehicle is moving, so-called kinetic energy (the energy of motion)
is produced both in terms of the car as well as in terms of the occupants.
The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends essentially on the speed at which
the vehicle is travelling and on the weight of the vehicle including the occupants.
The greater the speed and weight increase, the greater the amount of energy
which has to be absorbed in the event of an accident.
The speed of the vehicle is the most important factor. Doubling the speed of the
vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy four times.
The idea that it is possible to support your body with your hands in a minor acci-dent is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces acting on the
body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed of 30-50 km/h, the forces that your body is ex-
posed to in the event of an accident can exceed a metric ton (1000 kg).
For example, a person's weight of 80 kg “increases” to 4.8 tons (4800 kg) at
50 km/h.
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the car not wearing a seat belt, are thrown forward and strike in an uncontrolled way parts of the interior of the car,
such as steering wheel, dash panel or windscreen » Fig. 87 –
. In certain circum-
stances you could even be thrown out of the vehicle, which could cause life threatening or even fatal injuries.
95Seat belts

The airbags are not deployed in the case of minor frontal and side collisions, rear-
end collisions, tilting of the vehicle and vehicle rollover.
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 re-
mains below the prescribed reference values specified in the control unit, the air- bags are not deployed although the vehicle may well suffer severe damage to thebodywork as a consequence of the accident.
The following airbags will be deployed in the event of a severe frontal collision.
› Driver’s front airbag.
› Front passenger airbag.
The following airbags will be deployed in the event of a severe side collision.
› Head-Thorax side airbag on the crash side.
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.
Airbag overview
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Front airbags
99
Side airbags Head-Thorax
100
Front airbagsFig. 90
Driver's airbag in the steering wheel/front passenger airbag in the
dash panel
Fig. 91
Safe distance to steering wheel/inflated airbags
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 99.
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. 90 –
.
The front airbag for the front seat passenger is located in the dash panel above
the stowage compartment » Fig. 90 –
.
When the airbags are deployed, they inflate in front of the driver and front pas- senger » Fig. 91 -
. The forward movement of the driver and of the front passen-
ger is cushioned when they make contact with the fully inflated airbag and the risk of injury to head and chest is thus reduced.
99Airbag system

General Maintenance
Vehicle care
Service intervals
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Overview of service intervals
108
Fixed service intervals QI1 - QI4
109
Variable service interval QI6
109
Information about the ŠKODA service
109
The Service Interval Display in the instrument cluster will remind you to carry out
every service stipulated by the manufacturer at the right time, in order to avoid
forgetting any.
A timely and adequate performance of servicing works is one of the requirements
for the settlement of possible warranty claims.
The completion of services can be verified through the service schedule and the
respective receipts.
The service intervals are matched to normal operating conditions. In case of difficult operating conditions, it is necessary to have some servicingwork performed before the date of the next service or between the service inter-
vals stated. This applies mainly to the cleaning or the replacement of the air filter
insert in regions with heavy dust pollution as well as checking and replacing the
toothed belt, but also vehicles with diesel particle filter which can use the engine
oil more intensely.
These severe conditions are:
› Fuel containing sulphur
› Frequent short trips
› Longer idling mode of the engine (e.g. taxi vehicles)
› Operation in areas with heavy dust pollution
› Frequent trailer operation
›
Predominantly stop-and-go traffic as tends to occur in city driving, for example
› Operation predominantly during winter.
A service consultant at the specialist garage will tell you whether the operating conditions of your vehicle make it necessary for such work to be carried out be-
tween the normal service intervals.
Different service charges may apply, depending on the scope of necessary works
as well as the model, features and condition of your vehicle.
Note
■ The customer is responsible for covering the cost of all services including
changing or replenishing the operating fluid, even during the warranty period, un-
less the ŠKODA AUTO a.s. warranty terms or other agreements state otherwise.■
You will be informed about the scope of the service with regard to a particular
service event by the specialist garage.
Overview of service intervals
Fig. 98
Vehicle data sticker: Service in-
terval
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 108.
The service interval specified by the manufacturer is indicated on the vehicle data sticker » Fig. 98 under the floor covering in the boot.
One of the following service intervals applies for your vehicle: › Fixed service interval QI1;
› Fixed service interval QI2;
› Fixed service interval QI3;
› Fixed service interval QI4;
› Variable service interval QI6.
108General Maintenance

ŠKODA Service Partners feature modern, specially developed tools and equip-
ment. Here, trained specialists have a comprehensive range of ŠKODA Original
Parts and ŠKODA Original Accessories at their disposal.
All ŠKODA service partners operate in accordance with the latest guidelines and
instructions of the manufacturer. All service work is therefore carried out on time and in accordance with the quality standards. Adhering to these instructions and
guidelines helps ensure road safety and helps keep your vehicle in a good techni-
cal condition.
In addition, the ŠKODA service partners offer an array of other services. ŠKODA Service Partners are therefore properly prepared to service your vehicleand to provide quality work. We therefore recommend that you have your vehicle
maintained by a ŠKODA service partner.
Modifications, adjustments and technical alterations
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Tests required by law
111
ŠKODA Service Partners
111
ŠKODA Original Parts
111
ŠKODA Original Accessories
111
Spoiler
112
Airbags
112
Trailer operation
113
The instructions and guidelines from ŠKODA AUTO a.s. must be observed when
carrying out all modifications, repairs or technical alterations to your vehicle.
Adhering to these instructions and guidelines helps ensure road safety and helps
keep your vehicle in a good technical condition. After carrying out modifications,
repairs or technical alterations, the vehicle will comply with German road trans-
port regulations (StVZO)
Always consult a ŠKODA Partner » page 111 before buying accessories or parts,
or before carrying out any modifications, repairs or technical alterations to your
vehicle.
WARNING■ If work on your vehicle is not carried out properly, this can lead to operation-
al faults - risk of accident and serious injuries.■
We recommend only having these modifications and technical alterations
carried out by a specialist garage.
■
Interference on the electronic components and their software can lead to
operational faults. This interference can also impair not directly affected sys-
tems because of the networking of the electronic components. The operation- al safety of the vehicle may be at significant risk and can lead to increased
wear of parts.
■
The ŠKODA Partner does not assume any liability for products that have not
been approved by ŠKODA AUTO a.s. even though these may be products with
an operational approval or that have been approved by a government testing
institute.
WARNING■ We advise you only to use ŠKODA Original Accessories and ŠKODA Original
Parts which have been expressly approved for use on your vehicle. Reliability,
safety and suitability for your vehicle are guaranteed with these.■
ŠKODA Original Accessories and ŠKODA Original Parts can be purchased
from ŠKODA Partners, who will also perform the professional assembly of the purchased parts.
For the sake of the environment
Technical documents regarding alterations carried out on the vehicle must be
kept by the vehicle user in order to be handed over to the recyclers at a later
date. This ensures that the vehicle is recycled in an environmentally sound man-
ner.
Note
Any damage caused by technical alterations made without the approval of the
manufacturer is excluded from the warranty service schedule.
110General Maintenance

Tests required by lawFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 110.
Many countries have legislation which require that the reliability and roadworthi- ness and/or exhaust gas composition of a vehicle must be tested at specific inter-vals. These tests can be carried out by workshops or checking stations that havebeen legally authorized for this purpose.
The ŠKODA service partners have been informed about the necessary legal tests
and will prepare the vehicle for the tests in a service operation at the customer's
discretion, or will ensure that these tests are carried out. The specialist garages
can carry out the specified tests directly at the customer's discretion, if they are
designated for such a procedure. This saves you time and money.
Even if you want to take your vehicle to an officially approved test centre for prior checking in preparation of a legally required test, we recommend that you consult
the service consultant of your ŠKODA service partner beforehand.
The service consultant will tell you which areas, according to his appraisal, you
should focus on in order that your vehicle may pass the technical test without any
problems. In this way, you can avoid additional expenses resulting from a possible
subsequent test.
ŠKODA Service Partners
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 110.
The ŠKODA Service Partners feature modern, specially developed tools and
equipment. Here, trained specialists have access to a comprehensive range of ŠKODA Original Parts and ŠKODA Original Accessories for carrying out modifica-tions, repairs and technical alterations.
All ŠKODA service partners operate according to the most recent guidelines and
instructions from ŠKODA AUTO a.s. All service and repair work is therefore carried
out on time and at the appropriate quality. Adhering to these instructions and guidelines helps ensure road safety and helps keep your vehicle in a good techni-
cal condition.
ŠKODA Service Partners are therefore properly prepared to service your vehicle
and to provide quality work. We therefore advise you to have all modifications, re-
pairs and technical alterations to your vehicle carried out by a ŠKODA Service
Partner.
ŠKODA Original Parts
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 110.
We recommend the use of ŠKODA Genuine Parts for your vehicle, since these parts are approved by ŠKODA AUTO a.s. They correspond exactly to the ŠKODA
AUTO a.s. regulations in regard to design, dimensional accuracy and material, and are identical to the components used in the batch production.
ŠKODA AUTO a.s. is able to warrant the safety, suitability, and long life of these
products. Therefore, we recommend that you only use ŠKODA Genuine Parts.
ŠKODA AUTO a.s. supplies the market with a complete range of ŠKODA Genuine
Parts not only while the model is still in production but for at least 15 years after
the end of series production; the market is supplied with wear-and-tear parts and for at least 10 years with equipment parts.
ŠKODA service partners are liable for any ŠKODA original part defects for a period of 2 years after sale in accordance with the materials defect liability, provided that
nothing else was agreed in the purchase agreement. You should keep the ap-
proved warranty certificate and the bill for these components for this period of
time, so that the commencement of the term may be verified.
Body repairs
ŠKODA vehicles are designed so that if the body suffers damage, it is only neces-
sary to replace those parts which are in fact damaged.
Before you decide to have damaged body parts replaced, however, you should
first of all contact your specialist garage to determine whether or not such parts
can also be repaired. Repairs to body parts are usually cheaper.
ŠKODA Original Accessories
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 110.
If you wish to fit accessories to your vehicle, you should remember the following:
111Vehicle care

WARNINGObserve the following instructions for handling the airbag system.■It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system, as this
might result in the airbag being deployed.■
Never install any airbag parts into the vehicle that have been removed from
old cars or have been recycled.
■
Never install damaged airbag parts in the vehicle. The airbags may then not
be deployed properly or even at all in the event of an accident.
■
No modifications of any kind must be made to parts of the airbag system.
WARNING■ A change to the vehicle's wheel suspension, including the use of non-ap-
proved wheels and tire combinations, can alter the functioning of the airbag system - risk of accident and fatal injury!■
Never make any changes to the front bumper or the bodywork.
WARNINGThe airbag control unit operates using pressure sensors located in the front
doors. For this reason, no adjustments may be carried out to the doors or door
panels (e.g. installation of additional loudspeakers). Resulting damage can have a negative impact on the function of the airbag system. Any work on thefront doors and door panels must be carried out by a specialist garage. The
following instructions must be observed.■
Never drive with inner door panels removed.
■
Never drive if parts of the inner door panel have been removed and the re-
sulting openings have not been properly sealed.
■
Never drive if the loudspeakers in the doors have been removed, unless the
loudspeaker openings have been properly sealed.
■
Always make sure that the openings are covered or filled if additional loud-
speakers or other equipment parts have been installed in the inner door pan-
els.
Trailer operation
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 110.
The vehicle is not approved for towing a trailer. The vehicle is not factory-equip-
ped with a towing device and it cannot be retrofitted with a towing device.
WARNINGNever attach a towing device to the vehicle.
Washing your car
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Washing by hand
114
Automatic car wash systems
114
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
114
The best way to protect your vehicle against harmful environmental influences is frequent washing.
How often the vehicle should be washed depends on factors such as: › Frequency of use.
› Parking situation (garage, under trees etc.).
› Season.
› Weather conditions.
› Environmental influences.
The longer insect residues, bird droppings, tree sap, road and industrial dust, tar,
soot particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain adhering to the paintwork of your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive effect can be.
High temperatures, such as those caused by intensive sun's rays, accentuate this
caustic effect.
It is essential to also thoroughly clean the underside of the vehicle at the end of
the winter.
113Vehicle care

Seat beltsFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 118.
The belt webbing must always be kept clean.
Wash dirty seat belts with mild soapy water.
Remove coarse dirt with a soft brush.
Dirty belt webbing may impair the correct functioning of the inertia reel.
WARNING■ The seat belts must not be removed for cleaning.■Never clean the seat belts chemically as chemical cleaning products could
destroy the fabric.■
The seat belts must not be allowed to come into contact with corrosive liq-
uids (e.g. acids).
■
Check the condition of all the seat belts on a regular basis. If any damage to
the belt webbing, seat belt connections, inertia reel or lock is detected, the
seat belt must be replaced by a specialist garage.
■
The seat belts must be fully dried before being rolled up.
121Vehicle care