2013 SKODA OCTAVIA gearbox

›Depress and hold the clutch pedal (vehicles with a manual gearbox) or brake
pedal (vehicles with an automatic gearbox) until the engine starts.›
Turn the key into position
3
as far as it will go - the engine's starting proce-
dure will commence (do not touch the accelerator).
›
Release the key, the engine will start automatically.
After letting go, the vehicle key will return to position
2
.
›
Release the handbrake.
If the engine does not start within 10 seconds, turn the key to position
1
. Repeat
the start-up process after approx. half a minute.
Vehicles with manual transmission
The engine will not start if the clutch pedal is not depressed.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display. Press the clutch to start.
PRESS CLUTCH
Vehicles with automatic transmission
The engine will not start if the brake pedal is not depressed.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display. Apply the brake to start.
APPLY BRAKE
CAUTION
■ If the engine does not start up after a second attempt, one of the following
fuses may be defective. ■Petrol engine - fuse for the fuel pump.
■ Diesel engine - fuse for the glow plug control unit or fuel pump.■
Check the fuse and replace if necessary » page 251, or seek assistance from a
specialist garage.

Stopping the engine
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 119.
Switch off the engine by turning the ignition key into position
1
» Fig. 115 on
page 120.
NoteFor vehicles with automatic transmission, the ignition key can only be removed if
the selector lever is in position P .
Starting and stopping the engine - KESSY
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Steering lock / unlock
122
Switching on the ignition
123
Starting the engine
123
Switching off the ignition
123
Switching off the engine
123
Emergency start-up of the engine
124
Emergency ignition shutoff system
124
The KESSY system (Keyless Entry Exit System, hereinafter referred to only as sys- tem) allows the switching on or switching off of the ignition and starting or stop-
ping of the engine without the active use of the key.
A key must be in the vehicle to unlock the steering, switch on the ignition and
start the vehicle. When travelling the key must be in the vehicle.
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■ Never leave the key in the vehicle when you exit the vehicle. This is particu-
larly important if children are left in the vehicle. Otherwise the children could,
for example, start the engine – risk of accident or injury!■
Never leave the vehicle unattended with the engine running.
■
Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary – risk of acci-
dent! 
121Starting-off and Driving

If the steering is still not unlocked, then the following message is displayed on
the display of the instrument cluster.
Move the steering wheel!
MOVE STEERING WHEEL
Slightly move the steering wheel and the system will make up to 3 more attempts
to unlock after 2 seconds. At the same time, the indicator light  flashes.
If the steering is still not unlocked, to try to eliminate the possible cause and then
repeat the unlocking attempt.
Switching on the ignition
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 121.
›
Press the starter button » Fig. 116 on page 122 briefly.
The ignition is switched on.
Note
The ignition is switched on when indicated by the lighting up of certain indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster.
Starting the engine
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 121.
Vehicles with a diesel engine are equipped with a glow plug system. The glow
plug warning light 
illuminates after the ignition has been switched on. Start
the engine after the warning light 
has gone out.
You should not switch on any major electrical components during the heating pe- riod otherwise the vehicle battery will be drained unnecessarily.
Procedure for starting the engine
›
Firmly apply the handbrake.
›
Move the gearshift lever into neutral or move the selector lever into position P
or N.
›
Depress and hold the clutch pedal (vehicles with a manual gearbox) or brake
pedal (vehicles with an automatic gearbox) until the engine starts.
› Press the starter button
» Fig. 116 on page 122 briefly – the engine starts auto-
matically.›
Release the handbrake.
CAUTION
■ If the engine does not start up after a second attempt, one of the following
fuses may be defective. ■Petrol engine - fuse for the fuel pump.
■ Diesel engine - fuse for the glow plug control unit or fuel pump.■
Check the fuse and replace if necessary » page 251, or seek assistance from a
specialist garage.

Switching off the ignition
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 121.
›
Press the starter button » Fig. 116 on page 122 briefly.
The ignition is switched off.
The ignition can be switched off up to a speed of 2 km/h.
On vehicles fitted with a manual gearbox, the clutch pedal must not be de-
pressed after switching off the ignition, otherwise the system would try to start.
For automatic transmission vehicles, the brake pedal must not be depressed,
otherwise the system will try to start.
If the driver's door is opened while the igition is on, an audible signal sounds andthe following message appears in the instrument cluster display.
Ignition on!
IGNITION STILL ON
When leaving the vehicle always switch off the ignition.

Switching off the engine
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 121.
›
Stop the vehicle.
›
Press the starter button » Fig. 116 on page 122 . 
123Starting-off and Driving

WARNINGPlease note that the handbrake must be fully released. A handbrake which is
only partially released can result in the rear brakes overheating. This can have a negative effect on the operation of the brake system – risk of accident!

Manual shifting of gears and pedals
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Manual gear changing
126
Pedals
126
Manual gear changing
Fig. 119
Gearshift pattern of 5 gear or
6 gear manual gearbox
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 126.
Always depress the clutch pedal all the way down. This prevents uneven wear on the clutch.
The gearshift indicator must be observed when changing gear » page 27.
Only engage reverse gear when the vehicle is stationary. Depress the clutch pedal
and hold it fully depressed. Wait a moment before reverse gear is engaged to
avoid any shift noises.
The reversing lights will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided the igni- tion is on.
WARNINGNever engage reverse gear when driving – risk of accident!
CAUTION
If not in the process of changing gear, do not leave your hand on the gearshift
lever while driving. The pressure from the hand can cause the gearshift mecha-nism to wear excessively.
Pedals
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 126.
The operation of the pedals must not be hindered under any circumstances!
In the driver's footwell, only a footmat, which is attached to the two correspond- ing attachment points, may be used.
Only use factory-supplied foot mats or formats from the range of ŠKODA Original
Accessories, which are fitted to two attachment points.
WARNINGNo objects may be placed in the driver's footwell – risk due to obstruction or
limitation of pedal operation.

Automatic transmission
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Modes and use of selector lever
127
Manual shifting of gears (Tiptronic)
128
Starting-off and driving
129

126Driving

WARNING■Do not depress the accelerator if changing the forward driving mode – risk
of accident!■
Never move the selector lever to mode R or P when driving – risk of an acci-
dent!
■
When the vehicle is stationery and the engine is running, you need to hold
the vehicle with the brake pedal in mode D, S or R. Even when the engine is
idling, the power transmission is never completely interrupted – the vehicle
creeps.
■
When leaving the vehicle the selector lever must always be set to P . Other-
wise the vehicle could then start to move and potentially cause an accident.
CAUTION
■ If you moved the selector lever to mode N while driving, you need to release the
accelerator pedal and wait until the engine has reached its idling speed, before
you can move the selector lever to a forward driving mode again.■
At temperatures below -10 °C the engine can only be started in the selector lev-
er position P.
■
When trying to stop on a slope, never try to hold the vehicle using the accelera-
tor pedal – this may lead to gear damage.
Note
After the ignition is switched off, the ignition key can only be withdrawn if the se-
lector lever is in the position P.
Modes and use of selector leverFig. 120
Selector lever/display
Fig. 121
Shiftlock button
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 126.
When the ignition is switched on, the gearbox mode and the currently selected
gear are indicated in the display » Fig. 120.
The following modes can be selected with the selector lever » Fig. 120.
P
– Parking mode
The driven wheels are locked mechanically in this mode.
The parking mode must only be selected when the vehicle is stationary.
R
– Reverse gear
Reverse gear can only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary and the engine
is at idling speed. 
127Starting-off and Driving

›Pull the right-hand paddle
+
» Fig. 122 briefly towards the steering wheel.
Shifting down gears›
Push the selector lever backwards
-
» Fig. 122 .
›
Pull the left-hand paddle -
» Fig. 122 briefly towards the steering wheel.
Temporarily switching to manual shifting in position D/S
›
Pull one of the -/+ paddles
» Fig. 122 briefly towards the steering wheel .
If you do not pull one of the rocker switches -
/+ for more than 1 Minute, manual
shifting of gears is deactivated. You can also deactivate the temporary switch to
manual shifting by pulling the right rocker switch +
towards the steering wheel
for more than 1 second.
When accelerating, the gearbox automatically shifts up into the higher gear just
before the maximum permissible engine speed is reached.
If a lower gear is selected, the gearbox does not shift down until there is no riskof the engine overrevving.
Note
It may be beneficial, for example, when travelling downhill, to use manual shifting
of gears. Shifting to a lower gear reduces the load on the brakes and hence the
wear of the brakes » page 125.
Starting-off and driving
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 126.
Starting off
›
Start the engine.
›
Firmly depress and hold the brake pedal.
›
Press and hold the lock button » Fig. 121 on page 127.
›
Move the selector lever into the desired position » page 127 and then release
the lock button.
›
Release the brake pedal and accelerate.
Stop
›
Depress the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a stop.
›
Keep holding the brake pedal until driving is resumed.
The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping for a
short time, such as at a cross roads.
Parking›
Depress the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a stop.
›
Firmly apply the handbrake.
›
Press and hold the lock button » Fig. 121 on page 127.
›
Move the selector lever into the position P and then release the lock button.
Driving in neutral position in mode E (freewheel)
›
Move the selector lever into the position D/S.
›
Select the Eco driving mode » page 161, Driving mode .
›
Take the foot off the accelerator pedal.
The vehicle moves without the braking effect of the engine.
The gear is selected again automatically, when you briefly depress the brake ped-
al or pull the left rocker switch -
towards the steering wheel
» page 128, Manual
shifting of gears (Tiptronic) .
Launch control 1)
The launch control function allows the vehicle in mode S or Tiptronic to reach its
maximum acceleration when starting off.
›
Disable the TCS » page 137, Brake assist systems .
›
START STOP deactivate » page 160, Manually activating/deactivating the sys-
tem .
›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal with your left foot.
›
Fully depress the accelerator pedal with your right foot.
›
Release the brake pedal.
The vehicle starts off with maximum acceleration.
Reactivate the TCS and START-STOP when the desired speed has been reached.
Kickdown
The kickdown function allows you to achieve the maximum acceleration of your
vehicle while driving.
When the accelerator pedal is fully depressed, the kickdown function is activated
in any forward driving mode.
The gearbox shifts down one or more gears depending on the vehicle speed and engine speed, and the vehicle accelerates. 
1)
This function is only valid for some engines.
129Starting-off and Driving

The gearbox does not shift up into the highest gear until the engine has reached
its maximum revolutions for this gear range.WARNINGRapid acceleration, particularly on slippery roads, can lead to loss of control of
the vehicle – risk of accident!

Running in
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
New engine
130
New tyres
130
New brake pads
131
New engine
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 130.
The engine has to be run in during the first 1500 kilometres.Up to 1000 kilometres
›
Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the maximum speed of the gear in use, i.e. 3/4 of
the maximum permissible engine speed.
›
No full throttle.
›
Avoid high engine speeds.
›
Do not tow a trailer.
From 1000 up to 1500 kilometres
Gradually increase the power output of the engine up to the full speed of the
gear engaged, i.e. up to the maximum permissible engine speed.
The red scale of the rev counter indicates the range in which the system beginsto limit the engine speed.
During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than later until all of the moving parts have harmonized. The driving style which you adopt
during the first approx.1500 kilometres plays a decisive part in the success of run-
ning in your car.
Never drive at unnecessarily high engine speeds, even after the running-in period is complete.
On vehicles fitted with a manual gearbox, at the very latest shift up into the next
gear when the red area is reached. Observe the recommended gear » page 27.
Very high engine speeds when accelerating (accelerator) are automatically re-
stricted »
.
With vehicles with a manual gearbox, do not drive at unnecessarily low engine
speeds. Shift down a gear when the engine is no longer running smoothly. Ob-
serve the recommended gear » page 27.
CAUTION
■
The engine is not protected from excessive engine revs caused by shifting
down at the wrong time. This can result in the sudden increase in revs beyond
the permissible maximum rpm and thus cause engine damage.■
Never rev up a cold engine when the vehicle is stationary or when driving in in-
dividual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Do not drive at unnecessarily high engine speeds. Shifting up sooner helps save
on fuel, reduces engine noises and protects the environment.
New tyres
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 130.
New tyres have to be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first. Drive
especially carefully for the first 500 km or so.

130Driving

Economical gear changingFig. 123
Principle sketch: Fuel consump-
tion in litres/100 km depending
on the selected gear
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 131.
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 revs/min.
An effective way of achieving good fuel economy is to shift up early. Observe the
recommended gear » page 27.
Sensible gear selection can have an effect on fuel consumption » Fig. 123.
Automatic gearbox › Slowly
apply the accelerator pedal. However, do not depress it to the kick-down
position » page 129 .
› If the accelerator pedal is only depressed slowly, an economic driving pro-
gramme is automatically selected.

Avoiding full throttleFig. 124
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 131.
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 » Fig. 124 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to speed. Fuel consumption
will be halved if only three-quarters of the possible top speed of your vehicle is
used.

Reducing idling
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 131.
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. 
132Driving

›Never stop in the water, do not reverse and do not switch the engine off.›Deactivate the START-STOP system before driving through water
» page 158.WARNING■
Driving through water, mud, sludge etc. can reduce the braking power and
extend the braking distance – risk of accident!■
Avoid abrupt and sudden braking immediately after water crossings.
■
After driving through bodies of water, the brakes must be cleaned and dried
as soon as possible by intermittent braking. Only apply the brakes for the pur-
pose of drying and cleaning the brake discs if the traffic conditions permit this.
Do not place any other road users in jeopardy.
CAUTION
■ When driving through bodies of water, some parts of the vehicle such as the
engine, gearbox, chassis or electrics can be severely damaged.■
Oncoming vehicles can generate water waves which can exceed the permissible
water level for your vehicle.
■
Potholes, mud or rocks can be hidden under the water making it difficult or im-
possible to drive through the body of water.
■
Do not drive through salt water. The salt can lead to corrosion. Any vehicle parts
that have come into contact with salt water must be rinsed immediately with
fresh water.
Note
After driving through water, we recommend having the vehicle checked by a spe-
cialist garage.
Driving abroad
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Unleaded petrol
136
Headlights
136In certain countries it is also possible that the ŠKODA Partner network is limited
or has not been established yet. This is the reason why procuring certain spare
parts may be somewhat complicated and specialist garages may only be able to
make limited repairs.
Unleaded petrol
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 136.
A vehicle fitted with a petrol engine must always be refuelled with unleaded pet-rol » page 213 . Information regarding the locations of filling stations that offer
unleaded petrol is, for example, provided by the automobile associations.

Headlights
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 136.
The low beam of your headlights is set asymmetrically. It illuminates the side ofthe road on which the vehicle is being driven to a greater extent.
When driving in countries in which the traffic drives on the other side of the roadthan in your home country, the asymmetrical low beam may dazzle oncoming
drivers. In order to avoid this, the headlights must be adjusted at a specialist ga-
rage.
You can adjust the Xenon headlights yourself by setting the "tourist light" mode
in Infotainment » Operating instructions for Infotainment , chapter Vehicle set-
tings (button CAR) .
Note
You can find out more information on adjusting the headlights at a specialist ga-
rage.
136Driving