2013 SKODA FABIA catalytic converter

It is still fully possible to steer the vehicle if the power steering fails or if the en-gine is not running (e.g. when towing). However, greater physical effort is re-
quired to turn the steering wheel.
CAUTION
You will place great stresses on the power steering system if the steering is
turned to full lock when the vehicle is stationary. Turning the steering to full lock
in such a situation will be accompanied by noises. Never leave the steering wheel at full lock for more than 15 seconds when the engine is running - there is a risk of
damaging the power steering.
Starting and stopping the engine
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Electronic immobilizer
97
Ignition lock
97
Starting the engine
97
Switching off the engine
98
The engine can only be started using a correctly coded original key. The engine running noises may louder at first be louder for a short time afterstarting the cold engine. This is quite normal and is not an operating problem.
WARNING■ When the vehicle is travelling with the engine off, the ignition key must al-
ways be in position 2 » Fig. 86 on page 97 (ignition switched on). This posi-
tion is indicated by the warning lights coming on. If this is not the case, it
could result in unexpected locking of the steering wheel – there is the risk of
an accident.■
Only pull the ignition key from the ignition lock when the vehicle has come
to a complete stop (by applying the handbrake). Otherwise the steering wheel
could lock – there is the risk of an accident.
WARNING (Continued)■ When leaving the vehicle, the ignition must always be removed. This is par-
ticularly important if children are left in the vehicle. Otherwise the children
could, for example, start the engine – there is the risk of an accident or injury.■
Never leave the vehicle unattended with the engine running.
■
Never switch off the engine before the vehicle has come to a halt – there is
the risk of an accident.
WARNING■ Never leave the engine running in unventilated or closed rooms. The en-
gine's exhaust gases also contain the odourless and colourless carbon mon-
oxide, a poisonous gas – risk of death. ■ Carbon monoxide can cause unconsciousness and death.
CAUTION
■The starter must only be operated when the engine is not running and the vehi-
cle is at a standstill. The starter or engine can be damaged if the starter is activa-
ted when the engine is running 3
» Fig. 86 on page 97.
■
If the engine does not start up after a second attempt, the fuse for the fuel
pump may have a fault. Check the fuse and replace, if necessary » page 192 or
seek assistance from a specialist garage.
■
Let go of the ignition key as soon as the engine starts otherwise the starter
could be damaged.
■
Do not tow start the engine – there is a risk of damaging the engine and the
catalytic converter. The battery from another vehicle can be used as a jump-start
aid » page 187 , Jump-starting .
CAUTION
■
Avoid high engine speeds, full throttle and high engine loads until the engine
has yet reached its operating temperature – there is a risk of damaging the en-
gine.■
Do not switch the engine off immediately at the end of your journey after the
engine has been operated over a prolonged period at high loads but leave it to
run at an idling speed for about 1 minute. This prevents any possible accumulation
of heat when the engine is switched off. 
96Driving

Avoiding full throttleFig. 93
Principle sketch: Fuel consump-
tion in litres/100 km. and speed
in km/h.
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 104.
The slower you drive, the more the fuel savings.
Sensitive use of the accelerator will not only significantly reduce fuel consump-tion but also positively influence environmental pollution and wear of your vehi-
cle.
The maximum speed of your vehicle should, as far possible, never be used. Fuel
consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicle noises increase disproportionally at
high speeds.
The graph » Fig. 93 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your ve-
hicle. Fuel consumption will be halved if you drive at only three-quarters of the
possible top speed of your vehicle.

Reducing idling
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 104.
Idling also costs fuel.
In vehicles not equipped with the START-STOP system, turn off the engine when
in a traffic jam, at a level crossing or traffic lights with longer wait times.
Even after just 30 - 40 seconds you will have saved more fuel than that is needed
when you start the engine up again.
If an engine is only idling it takes much longer for it to reach its normal operating
temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant emissions, though, are particularly
high in the warming-up phase. Therefore, start driving as soon as the engine has
started, In this case high engine speeds should be avoided.
Avoiding short distances
Fig. 94
Principle sketch: Fuel consump-
tion in l/100 km at different tem-
peratures
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 104.
Short distances result in an above-average high fuel consumption. We therefore recommend avoiding distances of less than 4 km if the engine is cold.
A cold engine consumes the most fuel immediately after the start. Fuel consump-tion drops to 10 litres/100 km after just 1 kilometre. The consumption stabilises
once the engine and catalytic converter have reached their operating tempera-
ture.
An important factor in this connection is also the ambient temperature. The
graph » Fig. 94 shows the different levels of fuel consumption after driving a cer-
tain distance at a temperature of +20 °C and a temperature of -10 °C.
The vehicle has a higher fuel consumption in winter than in summer.

Checking tyre pressure
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 104.
Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel. 
106Driving

Damage to the protective coating cannot be excluded when the vehicle is driven.
We recommend that you have the protective coating under the body and on the chassis inspected - preferably before the beginning and at the end of the cold
season.WARNINGNever use additional underbody protection or anti-corrosion agents for ex-
haust pipes, catalytic converters, diesel particle filters or heat shields. These
substances could ignite when the engine reaches its operating temperature -
there is a risk of fire.

Care of the interior
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Natural leather
155
Synthetic leather, fabrics and Alcantara ®
156
Seat covers
157
Seat belts
157
Regular and proper care help to retain the efficiency and
value of your vehicle.
We recommend using care products from ŠKODA Original Accessories that are
available from ŠKODA Partners. The instructions for use on the package must be
observed.
WARNING■ Care products may be harmful to your health if not used according to the in-
structions.■
Always store vehicle care products in a safe place, out of the reach of chil-
dren – there is a risk of poisoning.
CAUTION■ Be sure to check clothing for colourfastness to avoid any damage or visible
stains on the material (leather), panels and textiles.■
Remove fresh stains such as those from ball-point pens, ink, lipstick, shoe pol-
ish, etc., from the material (leather), panels and textiles as quickly as possible.
■
Air fresheners and scents can be hazardous to heath when the temperature in-
side the vehicle is high.
■
Do not attach scents and air fresheners to the dashboard – risk of damage to
the dash panel.
■
Do not stick any stickers on the inside of the rear windows, the rear side win-
dows and in the vicinity of the heating elements on the windscreen or near the
window aerial. These may get damaged.
■
Do not clean the headlining with a brush – risk of damage to the lining surface.
■
Cleaners containing solvents can damage the material being cleaned.
■
Apply only a small amount of the cleaning and care product.
For the sake of the environment
Used cans of vehicle care product represent hazardous waste that is harmful to
the environment. These must be disposed of in accordance with national legisla-
tion.
Note
Because of the special tools and knowledge required, and to avoid any potential
problems with the cleaning and care of the interior of your vehicle, we recom-
mend that cleaning and care of the interior of your vehicle be carried out by a
ŠKODA Service Partner.
Natural leather
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 155.
Leather is a natural material with specific properties and requires regular cleaning
and maintenance.
The leather should be cleaned on a regular basis depending on the amount of
wear-and-tear.
Dust and dirt in pores and creases act as abrasives. This leads to severe abrasion
and the premature embrittlement of the leather surface. 
155Car care

Jump-starting in vehicles with the START-STOP systemFig. 147
Engine compartment: Earth
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings on page 187.
The jump-start cable must only be connected to the engine earthing point on ve-
hicles with the START-STOP system » Fig. 147.

Towing the vehicle

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Front towing eye
190
Rear towing eye
190
Vehicles with a tow hitch
190
Vehicles with manual transmission may be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope
or with the front or rear wheels raised.
Vehicles with automatic transmission may 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.
The following guidelines must be observed when towing.
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 locked and so that the turn signal lights, horn, windscreen wipers and windscreen washer system can
be used.
›
Take the vehicle out of gear or move the selector lever into position N if the ve-
hicle 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 – there is a risk of damaging the engine and the
catalytic converter. The battery from another vehicle can be used as a jump-start
aid » page 187 , Jump-starting .■
If the gearbox no longer contains any oil because of a defect, your vehicle must
only be towed with the driven wheels raised clear of the ground or on a special
breakdown vehicle or trailer.
■
The vehicle must be transported on a special breakdown 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.
■
To protect both vehicles when tow-starting or towing, the tow rope should be
elastic. Thus one should only use plastic fibre rope or a rope made out of a simi-
larly elastic material.
■
While towing, take care to avoid impermissibly high tensile forces or jerky loads.
There is always a risk of excessive stresses and damage resulting at the points to
which you attach the tow rope or tow bar when you attempt to tow a vehicle
which is not standing on a paved road.
■
Attach the tow rope or the tow bar to the towing eyes » page 190 , Front tow-
ing eye or » page 190 , Rear towing eye to the detachable ball head of the tow-
ing equipment » page 118 . 
189Emergency equipment, and self-help