2013 SKODA OCTAVIA roof

WARNING■The items which you transport on the roof rack must be reliably attached –
risk of accident!■
Always secure the load with appropriate and undamaged lashing straps or
tensioning straps.
■
Distribute the load evenly over the roof rack system.
■
When transporting heavy objects or objects which take up a large area on
the roof rack system, the handling of the car may change as a result of the displacement of the centre of gravity. The style of driving and speed musttherefore be adapted to the current circumstances.
■
Avoid abrupt and sudden driving/braking manoeuvres.
■
Adjust the speed and driving style to the visibility, weather, road and traffic
conditions.
■
The permissible roof load, permissible axle loads and gross permissible
weight of the vehicle must not be exceeded under any circumstances – risk of
accident!
CAUTION
■ Only use roof rack systems approved by ŠKODA AUTO a.s.■When dealing with roof rack systems, the installation instructions supplied with
the roof luggage rack system must be observed.■
On models fitted with a sliding/tilting roof, ensure that the sliding/tilting roof
does not strike any items of luggage transported on the roof.
■
Ensure that the luggage compartment lid does not hit the roof load when
opened.
■
The height of the vehicle changes after mounting a roof luggage rack system
and the load that is secured to it. Compare the vehicle height with available clear-
ances, such as underpasses and garage doors.
■
Always remove the roof luggage rack system before entering an automated car
wash.
■
Ensure the roof aerial is not impaired by the secured load.
For the sake of the environment
The increased aerodynamic drag results in a higher fuel consumption.NoteThe removed roof rack for the Octavia Estate can be stowed in the stowage com-
partment under the variable loading floor » page 97, Stowing roll-up luggage
compartment cover and roof racks .
Attachment points
Does not apply to the Octavia Estate.
Fig. 105
Attachment points for roof bars
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings
on page 103.
Installation position of the attachment points for roof bars » Fig. 105:
Front attachment points
Rear attachment points
Perform the assembly and disassembly according to the enclosed instructions.
CAUTION
Observe the information regarding the assembly and disassembly in the enclosed
instructions.
AB104Using the system

Roof loadFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 103.
The maximum permissible roof load (including roof rack system) of 75 kg and the
maximum permissible total weight of the vehicle should not be exceeded.
The full permissible roof load cannot be used if a roof rack system with a lower
load carrying capacity is used. In this case, the roof rack system must only be loa-
ded up to the maximum weight limit specified in the fitting instructions.

105Seats and useful equipment

WARNING■Never leave the engine running in unventilated or closed rooms. The ex-
haust gases from the engine contain substances such as odourless and col-
ourless carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas) – risk to life! ■ Carbon monoxide can cause unconsciousness and death.
CAUTION
■The system can recognize the valid key, even if it has been forgotten, for exam-
ple, in the front of the vehicle roof D » Fig. 14 on page 38 - There is danger of
loss or damage to the key! It is therefore not always necessary to know where
the key is.■
The starter must only be operated when the engine is not running and the vehi-
cle is at a standstill. The starter or engine may be damaged if the starter is activa- ted when the engine is running.
■
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 243 , Jump-starting using the battery from another vehicle .
CAUTION
■
Avoid high engine revolutions, full throttle and high engine loads before the en-
gine has reached its operating temperature – risk of damaging the engine!■
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.
For the sake of the environment
Do not warm up the engine while the vehicle is stationary. If possible, start your
journey as soon as the engine has started. Through this the engine reaches its operating temperature more rapidly and the pollutant emissions are lower.
Note
■ The vehicle can not be locked if the ignition has not been turned off.■The system is protected against inadvertently switching off the engine while
driving, this means that the engine can only be switched off in an emergen- cy » page 124 .■
After switching off the ignition, the radiator fan may intermittently continue to
operate for approx. 10 minutes.■
Under certain circumstances (e.g. after switching off the ignition and opening
the driver's door), the steering is enabled only when the ignition is switched on or the engine is started.

Steering lock / unlock
Fig. 116
Starter button
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 121.
The steering lock (steering lock) deters attempted theft of your vehicle.
Locking
›
Stop the vehicle.
›
Switch off the engine or the ignition by pressing the starter button » Fig. 116.
›
Open the driver door.
The steering is locked automatically.
If the driver's door is opened and the ignition is switched off afterwards, the
steering is only locked after the vehicle is locked.
Unlocking
›
Open the driver's door and get into the vehicle.
›
Close the driver's door.
The steering is unlocked within 2 seconds.
If the system does not unlock the steering at the first time (for example when the
front wheels are in contact with an obstacle), then two more unlocking attempts
are performed automatically. 
122Driving

Avoiding unnecessary ballastFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 131.
Transporting ballast costs fuel.
Each kilogramme of weight increases the fuel consumption. Therefore, we rec-
ommend to carry no unnecessary weight.
It is particularly in town traffic, when one is accelerating quite often, that the ve-
hicle weight will have a significant effect upon the fuel consumption. A rule of
thumb here is that an increase in weight of 100 kilograms will cause an increase
in fuel consumption of about 1 litre/100 kilometres.
At a speed of 100 - 120 km/h, a vehicle fitted with a roof rack cross member with-
out a load will use about 10 % more fuel than normal due to the increased aero-
dynamic drag.

Regular maintenance
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 131.
A poorly tuned engine uses an unnecessarily high amount of fuel.
By having your vehicle regularly maintained by a specialist garage, you create the conditions needed for economical driving. The maintenance state of your vehicle has a positive effect on traffic safety and value retention.
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fuel consumption which is 10 % higher thannormal!
Check the oil at regular intervals, e.g. when filling up. Oil consumption is depend-
ent to a considerable extent on the load and speed of the engine. Oil consump-
tion could be as high as 0.5 litres/1000 km depending on your style of driving.
It is quite normal that a new engine has a higher oil consumption at first, and rea- ches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. The oil consumption of anew vehicle can therefore only be correctly assessed after driving about 5000 km.
For the sake of the environment■ Additional improvements to the fuel economy can be made by using synthetic
high-lubricity oils.■
Regularly check the ground under the vehicle. Have your vehicle inspected by a
specialist garage if you find any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the ground.
Note
We recommend that your vehicle be serviced on a regular basis by a ŠKODA serv- ice partner.
Saving electrical energy
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 131.
When the engine is running, the alternator generates and supplies electrical pow- er. If more electrical components of the electrical system are switched on, more
fuel is needed to operate the alternator. We therefore recommend switching off
electrical components if these are no longer required.

Environmental compatibility
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 131.
Environmental protection has played a major role in the design, selection of mate-
rials, and manufacture of your new ŠKODA. Particular emphasis has been placed
on the following points.
Design measures › Joints designed to be easily detached.
› Simplified disassembly due to the modular structure system.
› Improved purity of different classes of materials.
› Identification of all plastic parts in accordance with VDA Recommendation 260.
› Reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emission CO
2.
› Minimum fuel leakage during accidents.
› Reduced noise.

134Driving

Note■The Eco driving mode is not available when towing a trailer. When the vehicle is
connected electrically to a trailer and is in the Eco driving mode, the Normal driv-
ing mode is configured automatically.■
The maximum vehicle acceleration (kickdown function) is possible also in driving
mode Eco.

Individualmode
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 161.
In mode Individual you can select between Normal, Sport and Eco for each system
separately » Operating instructions for Infotainment , chapter Vehicle settings .

ProActive passenger protection

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Function
163WARNINGAdjust the speed and driving style to the current visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions. The increased safety by ProActive passenger protection must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise – risk of accident!
Note
■ If the front passenger front airbag is deactivated » page 191 the belt tension-
ing function for the front passenger seat is switched off.■
The system component service life is monitored electronically. Further informa-
tion » page 19 ,  Security Systems .

Function
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 163.
ProActive passenger protection (From here on referred to only as system) increa-
ses passenger protection in the front seats in situations that could lead to vehicle
impact or overturning.
The system is ready to intervene automatically in the following conditions. The ignition is switched on.
The vehicle moves at a speed of more than 30 km/h.
In critical driving situations (e.g. during emergency braking or a sudden change in
direction), the following steps can be taken separately or combined in order to re-
duce the risk of serious injury.
› The front passenger's and driver's seatbelts, if worn, are automatically
ten-
sioned closely over the body.
› The windows in the side doors (if open) are automatically closed up to a gap of
about 5 cm from the edge.
› The sliding/tilting roof is closed.
Once the critical driving situation has passed, the tension on the seatbelts will be
released again.
The system operates at two levels of protection.
The first level of protection
The system already intervenes in situations that may occur during dynamic driv-
ing. As a result, this primarily helps to keep the driver and the passenger in the
correct seated position.
The first level of protection can be deactivated by one of the following measures. › Deactivation of the system in Infotainment
» Operating instructions for Info-
tainment , chapter Vehicle settings (CAR button) .
› Deactivation of TCS
» page 138.
› Selecting the driving mode Sport
» page 161.
The second level of protection
The system intervenes only if the situation is evaluated as critical, such as in pan-
ic braking at high speeds.
This level of protection cannot be deactivated.

163Assist systems

AirbagsFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 200.
The system components of the airbag system can be situated in the front bump-
er, doors, front seats, roof lining or body.
WARNINGAny work on the airbag system including the installation and removal of sys-
tem components due to other repair work (e.g. removal of the steering wheel) must only be carried out by a specialist garage.■
Modifications, repairs and technical alterations that have been carried out
unprofessionally can cause damage and operational faults, and can also seri-
ously impair the effectiveness of the airbag system – risk of accident and fatal
injury!
■
The airbag system must then be replaced if the airbag has been deployed.
Airbag modules cannot be repaired.
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 triggered properly or not 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 guidelines 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.

Washing your car
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Washing by hand
204
Automatic car wash systems
204
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
204
The best way to protect your vehicle against harmful environmental influences is frequent washing.
How often the vehicle should be washed depends, for example, on the following
factors.
› Frequency of use.
› Parking situation (garage, below trees, etc.).
› Season of the year.
› Weather conditions.
› Environmental influences.

203Vehicle care

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.WARNING■ When washing your vehicle in the winter: Water and ice in the braking sys-
tem can affect the braking efficiency – risk of accident!■
Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is switched off – risk of accident!
CAUTION
Do not wash your vehicle in bright sunlight – risk of paint damage.
For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle at washing bays intended for this purpose.
Washing by hand
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 203.
Soak the dirt with plenty of water and rinse as well as possible.
Clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, a washing glove or a washing brush . Work
from the top to the bottom – starting with the roof.
Only use a car shampoo for stubborn dirt.
Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.
Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts last. Use a second sponge for such
areas.
Give the vehicle a good rinse after washing it and dry it off using a chamois leath- er.
CAUTION■ When washing the car by hand, protect your hands and arms from sharp-edged
metal parts (e.g. when cleaning the underfloor, the inside of the wheel housings
or the wheel trims, etc.) - There is a risk of cuts!■
Only apply slight pressure when cleaning the vehicle's paintwork.

Automatic car wash systems
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 203.
The usual precautionary measures must be taken before washing the vehicle in
an automatic car wash system (e.g. closing the windows and the sliding/tilting
roof etc.).
If your vehicle is fitted with any particular attached parts, such as a spoiler, roof
rack system, two-way radio aerial etc., it is best to consult the operator of the car
wash system beforehand.
After an automatic wash with wax treatment, the lips of the wipers should be cleaned with cleaning agents specially designed for the purpose, and then de-
greased.
WARNINGFold in the exterior mirrors to prevent damage before washing the vehicle in
an automatic car wash system. Never manually fold in electric exterior mirrors
- always use the electric controls.

Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 203.
When washing the vehicle with a high-pressure cleaner, the instructions for use
of the equipment must be observed. This applies in particular to the pressure
used and to the spraying distance .
Maintain a sufficiently large distance to the parking aid sensors and soft materials
such as rubber hoses or insulation material. 
204General Maintenance

Regular and proper care helps to ensure efficiency and to maintain the value of
your vehicle.
We recommend using vehicle care products from ŠKODA Original Accessories. These are available from ŠKODA Partners. The usage instructions on the package
must be observed.WARNING■ Vehicle care products may be harmful to your health if not used according to
the instructions.■
Always store vehicle care products safely, in particular out of the reach of
children – 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 or air fresheners to the dash panel – there is a risk of dam-
age 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 roof panelling with a brush – risk of damage to the surface of
the panelling.
■
Cleaner that contain 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 vehicle care product cans represent hazardous waste that is harmful to the
environment. These must be disposed of in accordance with national legal regula-
tions.NoteDue to the special tools and knowledge required, and to avoid any potential prob-
lems with the cleaning and care of the interior of your vehicle, we recommend
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 208.
Leather is a natural material with specific properties, and requires regular clean-
ing and maintenance.
Depending on the amount of wear-and-tear, the leather should be cleaned on a
regular basis.
Dust and dirt in the pores and folds act as abrasive materials. This leads to severe corrosion and the premature brittleness of the leather surface.
We recommend that you remove dust regularly and at short intervals using a
cloth or vacuum cleaner.
Clean soiled leather surfaces with a water-dampened cotton or woollen cloth and
then dry with a clean, dry cloth »
.
Clean severely soiled areas with a cloth soaked in a mild soap solution (2 table-
spoons of neutral soap to 1 litre of water).
To remove stains , use a cleaning agent specially designed for this purpose.
Treat the leather regularly and at suitable intervals using a suitable leather care
product.
CAUTION
■ Ensure that no part of the leather is soaked through during cleaning and that
no water gets into the seams. Otherwise, the leather could become brittle or
cracked.■
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. 
209Vehicle care