2013 SKODA RAPID brake

Seats and useful equipment
Adjusting the seats
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Adjusting the front seats
53
Head restraints
53
The driver's seat should be adjusted in such a way that the pedals can be fully
pressed to the floor with slightly bent legs.
The seat backrest on the driver's seat should be adjusted in such a way that the
upper point of the steering wheel can be easily reached with slightly bent arms.
Correct adjustment of the seats is particularly important for the following: › Reaching the controls safely and quickly,
› A relaxed and fatigue-free body position.
› Achieving the maximum protection offered by the seat belts and the airbag
system.
WARNINGGeneral information■Caution when adjusting the seat! You may suffer injuries or bruises as a re-
sult of adjusting the seat without paying proper attention.■
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!
■
Never carry more people than the number of seats in the vehicle.
■
Each occupant must correctly fasten the seat belt belonging to the seat.
Children must be fastened » page 142, Transporting children safely with a
suitable restraint system.
■
The front seats and head restraints must be adjusted to match the body
size at all times and the seat belt must always be fastened properly to provide
the most effective levels of protection to the passengers.
■
Do not carry any objects on the front passenger seat, except objects de-
signed for this purpose (e.g. child seats) – risk of accident!
WARNINGInformation for the driver■Only adjust the driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary – risk of accident!■
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!
■
Ensure that there are no objects in the driver's footwell, as these may get
caught in the pedal apparatus when driving or braking » page 101. You would
then no longer be able to operate the clutch, brake or accelerate.
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 – risk to life!■
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!
Note
After a certain time, play can develop within the adjustment mechanism of the
backrest angle.
52Using the system

Folding backwards›If you removed the head restraint, you need to reinsert it with the backrest til-ted slightly forwards.›
Then push the seat backrest back into the upright position until the locking but-
ton
B
clicks into place – check by pulling on the seat backrest » .
›
Make sure that the red pin
C
is hidden.
WARNING■
The belts and the belt locks must be in their original position after folding
back the seat backrests – they must be ready to use.■
The seat backrests must be securely locked in position so that no objects in
the luggage compartment can slide into the passenger compartment on sud- den braking – risk of injury.
■
Ensure that the rear seat backrests are properly engaged. Only then can the
seat belt for the middle seat reliably fulfil its function.
CAUTION
Ensure that the seat belts are not damaged when operating the seat backrests. Under no circumstances must the rear seat belts be jammed by the folded back
seat backrests.
Practical equipment
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Car park ticket holder
56
Storage compartments in the doors
57
Holder for reflective vest
57
Storage compartments in centre console
58
Cup holders
58
Cigarette lighter
59
Ashtray
59
12-volt power outlet
60
Waste container
60
Multimedia holder
61
Storage compartment in the front arm rest
62Glasses storage box62Storage compartment on the passenger side63
Clothes hook
63
Storage pockets on the front seats
64
Meshed pockets on the front seat backrests
64WARNING■ Do not place anything on the dash panel. These objects might slide or fall
down when driving (when accelerating or cornering) and may distract you
from concentrating on the traffic – there is the risk of an accident.■
When driving, ensure that no objects from the centre console or from other
storage compartments can get into the driver's footwell. You would then no
longer be able to apply the brakes or operate the clutch or accelerator pedal –
risk of accident!
■
No objects should be placed in the storage compartments nor in the drinks
holders; the vehicle occupants could be endangered if there is sudden braking
or the vehicle collides with something.
■
Ash and cigarette or cigar stubs must only be discarded in ashtrays!

Car park ticket holder
Fig. 42
Parking ticket holder
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 56.
The note holder is designed e.g. for attaching car park tickets. 
56Using the system

Power steeringFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 96.
The power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force.
The power steering only works when the engine is running. 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.

Starting and stopping the engine
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Electronic immobiliser
98
Ignition switch
98
Starting the engine
98
Switching off the engine
99
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 driving without the engine running, the ignition key must always be in
the position 2 » Fig. 90 on page 98 (ignition switched on). This position is
indicated by the illumination of certain indicator lights in the instrument clus-
ter. ■ If the key is not in position 2
, this could lead to unexpected the steering
locking - risk of 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 could
be blocked – risk of 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. Children could otherwise
start the engine for example – 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!
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 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 3
» Fig. 90 on page 98.
■
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 189 , Jump-starting .
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. 97Starting-off and Driving

NoteAfter switching off the ignition, the radiator fan may intermittently continue to
operate for approx. 10 minutes.
Electronic immobiliser
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 97.
An electronic chip is integrated in the head of the key. The immobiliser is deacti-
vated with the aid of this chip when the key is inserted in the ignition lock.
The electronic immobiliser is automatically activated when the ignition key is
withdrawn from the lock.
The engine will not start if a non-authorized ignition key is used.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display. Immobilizer active.
IMMOBILISER

Ignition switch
Fig. 90
Positions of the vehicle key in
the ignition lockFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings on page 97.
Petrol engines » Fig. 90
Ignition switched off, engine off, the steering can be locked
Ignition switched on Starting engine
Diesel engines » Fig. 90
Fuel supply interrupted, ignition switched off, engine switched off, the steer-
ing can be locked.
Heating glow plugs on, ignition switched on
Starting engine
To lock the steering , with the ignition key withdrawn, turn the steering wheel
until the steering locking pin engages audibly.
If the steering is locked and it is impossible or difficult to turn the key into posi-
tion
2
» Fig. 90 , move the steering wheel back and forth to unlock the steering.
Note
We recommend locking the steering wheel whenever leaving the vehicle. This
acts as a deterrent against the attempted theft of your car.
Starting the engine
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 97.
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.
›
Switch on the ignition
2
» Fig. 90 on page 98. 

12312398Driving

›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
to the stop and release immediately after the en-
gine has been started – do not apply the accelerator.
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.
Depress clutch to start.
CLUTCH
Vehicles with automatic transmission
The engine will not start if the brake pedal is not depressed.
The warning light 
lights up in the instrument cluster and the following mes-
sage appears in the display.
Apply the brake to start.
BRAKE
CAUTION
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 197, Fuses in
the dash panel , or seek assistance from a specialist garage.
Switching off the engine
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 97.
Switch off the engine by turning the ignition key into position
1
» Fig. 90 on
page 98.
For vehicles with automatic transmission, the ignition key can only be removed if
the selector lever is in position P.
Brakes
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Information on braking
100
Handbrake
100WARNING■ Greater physical effort is required for braking when the engine is switched
off – risk of accident!■
The clutch pedal must be actuated when braking on a vehicle with manual
transmission, when the vehicle is in gear and at low revs. Otherwise, the func-
tion of the brake booster may be impaired – risk of accident!
■
Never leave children unattended in the vehicle. The children might, for ex-
ample, release the handbrake or take the vehicle out of gear. The vehicle
could then start to move – risk of accident!
WARNING■ In the event of damage occurring to the standard fitted front spoiler or the
retrofitting of another front spoiler, wheel hubs etc. » page 149, Service work,
adjustments and technical alterations , It must be ensured that the air supply
to the front brakes is not impaired. The front brakes may overheat, which can
have a negative impact on the functioning of the braking system – risk of acci-
dent!
CAUTION
■ Observe the recommendations on the new brake pads » page 105.■Never let the brakes slip with light pressure on the pedal if braking is not neces-
sary. This causes the brakes to overheat and can also result in a longer braking distance and excessive wear.

99Starting-off and Driving

Information on brakingFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 99.
If the brakes are applied in full and the control unit for the braking system consid-
ers the situation to be dangerous for the following traffic, the brake light flashes
automatically.
After the speed was reduced below around 10 km/h or the vehicle was stopped,
the brake light stops flashing and the hazard warning light system switches on.
The hazard warning light system is switched off automatically after accelerating
or driving off again.
Before travelling a long distance at a steep gradient, reduce speed and shift into
the next lowest gear. As a result, the braking effect of the engine will be used,
reducing the load on the brakes. Any additional braking should be completed in-
termittently, not continuously.
Wear-and-tear
The wear of the brake pads is dependent on the operating conditions and driving style.
The brake pads wear more quickly if a lot of journeys are completed in towns and
over short distances or if a very sporty style of driving is adopted.
Under these severe conditions , the thickness of the brake pads must also be
checked by a specialist garage between service intervals.
Wet roads or road salt
The performance of the brakes can be delayed as the brake discs and brake pads may be moist or have a coating of ice or layer of salt on them in winter. The
brakes are cleaned and dried by applying the brakes several times.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on the bake pads occur if the vehicle has been parked for a long period and if you do not make much use of the braking
system. The brakes are cleaned and dried by applying the brakes several times.
Faults in the brake surface
If it is found that the braking distance has suddenly become longer and that the brake pedal can be depressed further, the brake system may be faulty.
Visit a specialist garage immediately and adjust your style of driving appropriate-
ly, as you will not know the exact extent of the damage.
Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system. The level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically » page 15,  Brake system .
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the pressure generated with the brake pedal. The
brake booster only operates when the engine is running.
Handbrake
Fig. 91
Handbrake
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings on page 99.
Apply
›
Pull the handbrake lever firmly upwards.
Release
›
Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and at the same time push in the lock but-
ton » Fig. 91 .
›
Move the lever right down while pressing the lock button.
The handbrake warning light 
lights up when the handbrake is applied, provided
the ignition is on.
A warning signal sounds if the vehicle is inadvertently driven off with the hand-
brake applied.
The following message is shown in the MAXI DOT display. Release parking brake!
The handbrake warning is activated if the vehicle is driven at a speed of more
than around 6 km/h for more than 3 seconds. 
100Driving

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 gear changing and pedals
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Manual gear changing
101
Pedals
101
Manual gear changing
Fig. 92
Gearshift pattern of 5 gear or
6 gear manual gearbox
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 101.
Always depress the clutch pedal all the way down. This prevents uneven wear to
the clutch.
The gearshift indicator must be observed when changing gear » page 24.
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 101.
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 footmats or footmats from the range of ŠKODAOriginal 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
102
Manual shifting of gears (Tiptronic)
103
Starting-off and driving
103
Malfunction
104

101Starting-off and Driving

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 acci-
dent!
■
When the vehicle is stationary and the engine is running, the vehicle must
be held in mode D, S or R with the brake pedal. Even when the engine is
idling, the power transmission is never completely interrupted – the vehicle
crawls.
CAUTION
■ If the selector lever is moved to mode N while driving, the accelerator pedal
must be released and you will need to wait until the engine has reached its idling speed before moving 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 stopping on a slope, never try to hold the vehicle using the accelerator
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 lever
Fig. 93
Selector lever/display
Fig. 94
Shiftlock button
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 101.
When the ignition is switched on, the gearbox mode and the currently selected
gear are indicated in the display » Fig. 93.
The following modes can be selected with the selector lever » Fig. 93.
P
– Parking mode
The driven wheels are locked mechanically in this mode.
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.
Before moving into mode R from mode P or N, depress the brake pedal while si-
multaneously pressing the lock button » Fig. 94.
N
– Neutral
The power transmission to the drive wheels is interrupted in this mode.
D
- Mode for forwards travel (normal programme)
In mode D, the forward gears are automatically changed according to the engine
load, accelerator pedal actuation and driving speed.
S
- Mode for forwards travel (sports programme)
In mode S, the forward gears are shifted automatically up and down at higher en-
gine speeds than in mode D.
Before changing to mode S from mode D, press the lock button » Fig. 94. 
102Driving