2013 SKODA OCTAVIA window

WARNINGInformation for the front 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 dash panel, out of the window or on the surfaces of the
seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury when braking or in the
event of an accident. If an airbag is deployed, you may suffer fatal injuries
when adopting an incorrect seated position!

Correct seated position for the driver
Fig. 158
Correct driver seating position / properly adjusted headrest
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 177.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident,
we recommend the following setting.
› Position the steering wheel so that there is a gap of at least 25 cm between the
steering wheel and the chest
A
» Fig. 158 , and that the distance between the
legs and the dash panel at the height of the knee airbag is at least 10 cm
B
.
› Adjust the driver’s seat in the forward/back direction so that the pedals can be
fully depressed with slightly bent legs.
› Adjust the seat backrest so that the highest point of the steering wheel can be
reached with your arms at a slight angle.
› Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head 1)
C.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 180, Using seat belts .
Manual driver seat adjustment » page 72.
Electrical driver seat adjustment » page 73.

Correct seated position for the front passenger
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 177.
For the safety of the front passenger and to reduce the risk of injury in the event
of an accident, we recommend the following setting.
› Position the front passenger seat back as far as possible. The front passenger
must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel so that the airbag
offers the greatest possible safety if it is deployed.
› Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head 1)

C
» Fig. 158 on page 178.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 180.
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactivated » page 190,
Deactivating airbags .
Manual front passenger adjustment » page 72.
Electrical front passenger seat adjustment » page 73.

Correct seated position for the passengers in the rear seats
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 177.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an ac-
cident, the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following.
› Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of the head
C
» Fig. 158 on page 178.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 180, Using seat belts .
› Use a suitable child restraint system if transporting children in the vehi-
cle » page 193 , Transporting children safely .


1)
Not valid for sport seats.
178Safety

Examples of an incorrect seated positionFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 177.
The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if your seat-
belts are fastened correctly.
Incorrect seated positions considerably reduce the protective functions of the
seat belts and therefore increase the risk of injury due to an incorrect routing of
the seat belt.
The driver is fully responsible for himself and passengers, especially children.
Never allow a passenger to adopt an incorrect seated position when the car is
moving.
The following list contains instructions which, if not observed, may cause serious injuries or death. This list is not complete, however we would like you to familiar-
ise yourself with this subject.
Observe the following instructions while driving. › Do not stand up.
› Do not stand on the seats.
› Do not knee on the seats.
› Do not tilt the seat backrest too much to the back.
› Do not lean against the dash panel.
› Do not lie on the rear seat bench.
› Do not sit only on the front area of the seat.
› Do not sit facing to the side.
› Do not lean out of the window.
› Do not put your feet out of the window.
› Do not put your feet on the dash panel.
› Do not put your feet on the seat upholstery.
› Do not transport somebody in the footwell.
› Do not drive without fastening the seat belt.
› Do not remain in the luggage compartment.

179Passive Safety

In the event of a side collision the head airbag is deployed together with the rele-
vant side airbag and the front seat belt tensioner on the side of the car on which
the accident occurs.
When deployed, the airbag covers the window area of the front and rear doors, as well as the area of the door pillar » Fig. 169 -  .
Head impact with interior parts is reduced by the inflated head airbag. The reduc- tion 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 protection in the case of an offset impact by covering the front door pillar.WARNINGGeneral■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.
■
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 accessories fitted could, conditions permitting, be thrown into the interior
of the car and injure the occupants » page 200.
■
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.
■
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.
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.
■
Always have work carried out by a ŠKODA service partner or a professional
specialist garage.
Note
In vehicles with head airbags, the word AIRBAG can be seen on the B column
cladding.
Deactivating airbags
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Deactivating airbags
191
Deactivating the front passenger airbag
191
190Safety

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

WARNINGNever use circular spray nozzles or dirt cutters!
CAUTION
■If washing the vehicle in the winter using a hose or high-pressure cleaner, en-
sure that the jet of water is not aimed directly at the locking cylinders or the
door/panel joints – risk of freezing!■
To avoid damaging the parking aid sensors while cleaning with high-pressure
cleaners or steam jets, the sensors must only be directly sprayed for short periods
while a minimum distance of 10 cm must be observed.
■
The temperature of the water used for cleaning must not exceed 60 °C – risk of
damaging the vehicle.
■
See also Washing cars with decorative films using a high-pressure clean-
er » page 206 .

Taking care of your vehicle exterior

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Taking care of your vehicle's paintwork
205
Plastic parts
206
Rubber seals
206
Chrome parts
206
Decorative films
206
De-icing windows and exterior mirrors
207
Headlight lenses
207
Door lock cylinders
207
Cavity protection
208
Wheels
208
Underbody protection
208
Regular and proper care help to retain the efficiency and value of your vehicle. It
may also be one of the requirements for the acceptance of warranty claims relat- ing to corrosion damage and paint defects on the bodywork.
We recommend using care products from ŠKODA Original Accessories that areavailable 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 safely, in particular out of the reach of
children – risk of poisoning!
■
Protect your hands and arms from sharp-edged metal parts when cleaning
the underfloor, the inside of the wheel housings or the wheel trims – risk of cuts!
CAUTION
■ Do not use any insect sponges, rough kitchen sponges or similar cleaning prod-
ucts – risk of damaging the paintwork surface.■
Cleaner that contain solvents can damage the material being cleaned.
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.
Note
Due to the special tools and knowledge required, and to avoid any potential prob-
lems with the cleaning and care of your vehicle's exterior, we recommend that
the cleaning and care of your vehicle be carried out by a ŠKODA Service Partner.
Taking care of your vehicle's paintwork
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 205.
Minor paint damage such as scratches, scuffs or stone chips should be treated im-
mediately if possible, using touch-up pens or sprays . 
205Vehicle care

Preserving the vehicle paintwork
Thorough wax treatment is an effective way of protecting the paintwork from
harmful environmental influences.
The vehicle must be treated with a high-quality hard wax polish at the latest,
when no more drops form on the clean paintwork.
A new layer of a high-quality hard wax polish can be applied to the clean body-
work after it has dried thoroughly.
Even if you use a wax preserver regularly we still recommend that you treat the
paintwork of the vehicle at least twice a year with hard wax.
Polishing
Polishing is necessary if the vehicle's paintwork has become unattractive and if it
is no longer possible to achieve a gloss with wax preservatives.
If the polish does not contain any preserving elements, the paint must be treatedwith a preservative afterwards.
CAUTION
■ Never apply wax to the windows.■Mat painted or plastic parts must not be treated with polishing products or hard
waxes.■
Do not polish the paintwork in a dusty environment - risk of paint scratches.
■
Do not apply any paint care products to door seals or window guides.
■
If possible, do not apply any paint care products to parts of the bodywork that
come into contact with door seals or window guides.

Plastic parts
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 205.
Clean plastic parts with a damp cloth.
If this method does not completely clean the plastic parts, use cleaning products specially designed for this purpose.
CAUTION
Do not use paint care products on plastic parts.
Rubber seals
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 205.
All door seals and window guides are factory-treated with a colourless matt var- nish layer to prevent the freezing of painted body parts and to protect against
driving noise.
Do not treat the door seals and window guides with any products.
CAUTION
Applying additional treatments to the seals can corrode the protective coating,
and driving noise may occur.
Chrome parts
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 205.
First clean the chrome parts with a damp cloth and then polish them with a soft,
dry cloth.
If this method does not completely clean chrome parts, use a specific chrome care product.
CAUTION
Do not polish the chrome parts in a dusty environment - risk of surface scratches.
Decorative films
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 205.
Wash the films with a mild soap solution and clean, warm water. Never use harsh
cleaning products or chemical solvents, as this could damage the films. 
206General Maintenance

The following instructions must be followed when washing the vehicle with a
high-pressure cleaner:
› The minimum distance between the nozzle and the vehicle body should be 50
cm.
› Keep jet perpendicular to the film surface.
› The maximum water temperature is 50 °C.
› The maximum water pressure is 80 bar.
CAUTION
In the winter months, do not use an ice scraper to remove ice and snow from the
areas with films. Do not use any other objects to remove frozen layers of snow or
ice – risk of film damage.
De-icing windows and exterior mirrors
Fig. 177
Fuel filler flap: Ice scraper
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings on page 205.
Use a plastic ice scraper for removing snow and ice from the windows and mir-
rors.
The ice scraper can be found on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
›
Open the fuel filler flap.
›
Slide out the ice scraper in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 177.
Regularly clean windows from the inside with clean water. Dry the glass surfaces with a clean chamois leather or a cloth intended for this
purpose.
When drying the windows after washing the vehicle, do not use window leathers
that have been used to polish the bodywork. Residues of preservatives in the
window leather can dirty the window and reduce visibility.
CAUTION
■ The ice scraper should not be moved forward and backward but in one direction
to avoid any damage to the surface of the glass.■
Snow or ice that is contaminated with coarse dirt such as fine gravel, sand or
salt must not be removed from the windows and mirrors – there is a risk of dam-
age to the surface of the windows and mirrors.
■
Do not remove snow or ice from glass parts using warm or hot water – risk of
cracks forming in the glass.
■
When removing snow or ice from windows and mirror lenses ensure that the
paintwork of the vehicle is not to damage.
■
Do not clean the inside of the windows with sharp-edged objects or corrosive
and acidic cleaning agents – there is a risk of damaging the heating elements or
window aerial.

Headlight lenses
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 205.
Clean plastic front headlight lenses using clean, warm water and soap.
CAUTION
■ Never wipe headlights to dry.■Do not use any sharp objects to clean the plastic lenses, as this may damage
the protective paintwork and consequently cause cracks to form on the headlight lenses.■
Do not use any harsh cleaning products or chemical solvents to clean the head-
lights, as this could damage the headlight lenses.

Door lock cylinders
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 205.
Specific products must be used for de-icing door lock cylinders. 
207Vehicle care

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