2013 SKODA RAPID steering

Natural leatherFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 157.
Leather is a natural material with specific properties, and requires regular clean-
ing and maintenance.
The leather should be cleaned on a regular basis depending on the amount of
wear-and-tear.
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.
■
Sharp-edged objects on items of clothing such as zip fasteners, rivets, sharp-
edged belts, jewellery and pendants may leave permanent scratches or signs of
rubbing on the surface. Such damage cannot be subsequently recognised as a
justified complaint.
■
The use of a mechanical steering wheel lock may damage the leather surface of
the steering wheel.
■ Use a care cream with light blocker and impregnation effect on a regular basis
and each time after cleaning. The cream nourishes the leather, allows it to
breathe and keeps it supple and also provides moisture. It also creates surface
protection.■
Some clothing materials, e.g. dark denim, do not have sufficient colour fastness.
This can cause damage or clearly visible discolouration to seat covers, even when used correctly. This applies particularly to light-coloured seat covers. This does
not relate to a fault in the seat cover, but rather to poor colour fastness of the
clothing textiles.
Note
When using the vehicle, minor visible changes may occur to the leather parts of
the covers (e.g. wrinkles or creases) as a result of the stress applied to the covers.
Artificial leather, cloths and Alcantara ®
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings
on page 157.
Artificial leather
Clean artificial leather with a damp cloth.
If this method does not completely clean the artificial leather, use a mild soap sol- ution or cleaning products specially designed for this purpose.
Fabric
Clean upholstery cover materials and cloth trims on doors, boot cover, etc. using
specific cleaning agents, e.g., dry foam.
Use a soft sponge, brush, or commercially available microfibre cloth.
Use a cloth and a cleaning agent specifically designed for this purpose to clean
the roof trim.
Remove any lumps on the cover fabric and any fabric residue using a brush.
Remove stubborn hair using a “cleaning glove”.
Alcantara ®
Dust and fine dirt particles in pores, creases and seams may chafe and damage the surface.
If you leave your vehicle parked in the open for lengthy periods, protect the Al-
cantara ®
seat covers from the direct rays of the sun to prevent fading. 
158General Maintenance

Always check the inflation pressure when the tyres are cold. Do not reduce the
higher pressure of warm tyres.
With greater additional load, adjust the tyre inflation pressure accordingly.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and braking increase the wear of your tyres.
Balancing wheels
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. When driving, however, there are a
range of factors that may result in an imbalance. This may become apparent by a
“vibration” in the steering.
Have the wheels rebalanced after replacing the tyres.
Wheel alignment errors
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front or rear leads to excess wear of the tyres.
Tyre damage
Drive over kerbs and other such obstacles slowly and at right angles wherever
possible in order to avoid damage to tyres and wheel trims.
We recommend checking your tyres and wheel rims for damage (punctures, cuts,
splits and bulges, etc.) on a regular basis. Remove foreign bodies (e.g. small
stones) from the tyre tread immediately.
Replacing wheels
If significantly greater wear is present on the front tyres, we recommend replac-
ing the front wheels with the rear wheels as shown in the diagram » Fig. 142 . You
will then obtain approximately the same life for all the tyres.
We recommend that you swap the tyres every 10,000 km in order to achieve even wear on all tyres and to ensure optimal service life for the tyres.
Storing tyres
Identify disassembled tyres so that the previous direction of rotation can be maintained if the tyres are reassembled.
Always store wheels or tyres in a cool, dry place that is as dark as possible. Tyres
which are not fixed to a wheel trim should be stored upright.
Wear indicators
The base of the tread of the tyres has 1.6 mm high wear indicators installed.
These wear indicators are evenly spaced around the circumference of the tyre, depending on the make » Fig. 141 - 
. Markings on the walls of the tyres through
the letters “TWI”, triangular symbols or other symbols identify the position of the
wear indicators.Tyre age
Tyres age and lose their original characteristics, even if they are not being used.
Therefore, we recommend not using summer or winter tyres older than 6 or 4
years old respectively.
New tyres
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 175.
Only use radial tyres of the same type, size (rolling circumference) and tread pat-
tern on one axle on all four wheels.
The tyre/wheel combinations which are approved for your vehicle are indicated in
your vehicle documents.
Where possible, replace tyres by axle. Always fit the tyres with the deeper tread
depth to the front wheels.
Explanation of tyre markings
195/55 R 15 85 H
What this means is:
195Tyre width in mm » Fig. 141 on page 176 - 65Height/width ratio in % » Fig. 141 on page 176 - RCode letter for the type of tyre – Radial » Fig. 141 on page 176 - 15Rim diameter in inches » Fig. 141 on page 176 - 85Load index » HSpeed symbol »
The date of manufacture is stated on the tyre wall (possibly on the inside). e.g.
DOT ... 10 13 ..
means, for example, that the tyre was manufactured in the 10th week of 2013.
Load index
This indicates the maximum permissible load for each individual tyre. 487 kg
500 kg
515 kg
530 kg 
83848586177Wheels

WARNING■When the warning light  illuminates, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvres. Stop the vehicle as soon as
possible and inspect the tyres and their inflation pressure.■
Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved
roads) the warning light  may light up after a delay, or not at all.
CAUTION
■
The tyre control display does therefore not replace the regular tyre inflation
pressure control, as the system cannot detect an even loss of pressure.■
The system cannot warn in case of very rapid tyre inflation pressure loss, e.g. in
case of sudden tyre damage. In this case carefully bring the vehicle to a standstill
without sudden steering movements or sharp braking.
■
To ensure a proper functioning of the tyre control display, it is necessary to re-
peat the basic setting every 10,000 km or once a year.

Spare wheel
Fig. 144
Boot: Spare wheel
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 175.
The spare wheel is located in a well under the floor covering in the boot and is
fixed in place with a special bolt » Fig. 144.
Take out the wheel
›
Open the boot lid.
›
Lift up the floor in the luggage compartment.
›
Remove the box with the tool kit.
›
Unscrew the bolt » Fig. 144 in an anti-clockwise direction.
›Take out the wheel.
Stow the wheel›
Stow the replaced wheel in the spare wheel well with the rim facing down.
›
Screw in the bolt » Fig. 144 in a clockwise direction until the wheel is securely
attached.
›
Place the box with the tool kit back into the spare wheel and secure it with the
tape.
›
Fold back the floor in the luggage compartment.
›
Close the boot lid.
Fit a wheel in the appropriate dimensions and design as soon as possible.
If the dimensions or design of the spare wheel differ from the tyres fitted to the
vehicle (e.g. winter tyres or low-profile tyres), it must only be used briefly in the
event of a puncture and if an appropriately cautious style of driving is adop-
ted »
.
Temporary spare wheel
A warning label is displayed on the rim of the temporary spare wheel.
Please note the following if you intend to use the temporary spare wheel. › The warning label must not be covered after installing the wheel.
› Be particularly observant when driving.
› The inflation pressure for the temporary spare wheel is identical to the maxi-
mum inflation pressure for the standard tyres.
› Only use this temporary spare wheel to reach the nearest specialist garage, as it
is not intended for long-term use.
WARNING■ Never use the temporary spare wheel if it is damaged.■If the dimensions or design of the temporary spare wheel differ from the fit-
ted tyres, never drive faster than 80 km/h (or 50 mph).■
Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
CAUTION
Observe the instructions on the warning sign of the temporary spare wheel.
179Wheels

Jump-starting in vehicles with the START-STOP systemFig. 156
Engine earth: START-STOP system
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings
on page 189.
On vehicles with the START-STOP system, the jump-start cable of the charger must never be connected directly to the negative pole of the vehicle battery, but
only to the engine earth.
› 1.2 l/63 kW TSI and 1.2 l/77 kW TSI engines
» Fig. 156 - 
› 1.4 l/90 kW engine
» Fig. 156 - 
› 1.6 l/77 kW TDI CR engine
» Fig. 156 - 

Towing the vehicle

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Front towing eye
192
Rear towing eye
192
Vehicles with a tow hitch
192
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.
When towing, the following guidelines must be observed.
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 189 , 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 192
or » page 192 to the detachable ball head of the towing equipment » page 119 .
191Emergency equipment and self-help

›Reinsert the cover into the dash panel in the opposite direction to the arrow
such that the guide pins are guided into the dash panel openings.
Carefully push the cover in.

Assignment of the fuses in the dash panel
Fig. 166
Schematic representation of the fuse box for vehicles with left-
hand steering/right-hand steering
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 197.
No.Power consumer1S-contact2START - STOP3Instrument cluster, headlight range adjustment, telephone, oil level
sensor, diagnostic port4Control unit for ABS/ESC, steering angle sensor strip with switches5Petrol engine: Speed regulating system6Reversing light (manual gearbox)7Ignition, engine control unit, automatic gearbox8Brake pedal switch, clutch switch, engine cooling fan9Operating controls for the heating, electronic control unit for air condi-
tioning system, park distance control, window lift, engine cooling fan, heated washer nozzles10DC-DC converter11Mirror adjustmentNo.Power consumer12Control unit for trailer detection13Electronic control unit for automatic gearbox, selector lever of the au-tomatic gearbox14Headlight beam control15Not assigned16Power steering, speed sensor, engine control unit, control unit for fuel
pump17Daytime running lights/radio for vehicles with START-STOP18Mirror heater19Ignition lock input20Engine control unit, electronic control unit for fuel pump, fuel pump21Reversing lamp (automatic gearbox), fog lights with the function
CORNER
22
Operating controls for the heating, electronic control unit for air condi- tioning system, telephone, instrument cluster, steering angle sender,
multi-function steering wheel, ignition key removal lock, diagnostic
port23Interior lighting, storage compartment and luggage compartment, side
lights24Central control unit25Not assigned26Rear window wiper27Not assigned28Petrol engine: Purge valve, PTC heater29Injection, coolant pump30Fuel pump, ignition system, cruise control31Lambda probe32High pressure fuel pump, pressure valve33Engine control unit34Engine control unit, vacuum pump35Switch illumination, number plate light, parking light36Main beam37Rear fog light, DC-DC converter38Fog lights 198Do-it-yourself

No.Power consumer39Air blower for heating40Not assigned41Heated front seats42Rear window heater43Horn44Windscreen wipers45Boot lid lock, central locking system46Alarm47Cigarette lighter, power socket in the luggage compartment48ABS49Turn signal lights, brake lights50DC-DC converter, radio51Electric windows (driver's window and rear left window)52Electric windows (front passenger's window and rear right)53Windscreen washer54START-STOP instrument cluster, steering wheel module, multi-function
steering wheel55Control unit for automatic gearbox56Headlight cleaning system57Low beam on the left58Low beam on the right

Fuses in the engine compartment
Fig. 167
Vehicle battery: Cover for the
fuse box (variant 1)
Fig. 168
Vehicle battery: Cover for the
fuse box (variant 2)
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 197.
Replacing fuses
›
Press the lock buttons on the cover together simultaneously in the direction of
the arrow
1
» Fig. 167 or » Fig. 168 .
›
Remove the cover in the direction of the arrow
2
.
›
Replace the appropriate fuse.
›
Place the cover on top of the fuse box.
›
Push in the interlocks on the cover and lock.
The cover must engage firmly.

199Fuses and light bulbs

Fuse assignment in the engine compartmentFig. 169
Schematic representation of fuse box in engine compartment: Ver-
sion 1/version 2
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 197.
No.Power consumer1Generator2Not assigned (version 1), auxiliary electric heater (version 2)3Interior (version 1) » Fig. 169
Power supply for fuse block (version 2) » Fig. 1694Auxiliary electric heating (version 1) » Fig. 169
Interior (version 2) » Fig. 1695Interior6Engine cooling fan, control unit for preheating unit7Electrohydraulic power steering8ABS9Radiator fan10Automatic gearbox11ABS12Central control unit13Electrical auxiliary heating system
Note
Fuses 1-7 are replaced by a specialist garage.
Bulbs
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Bulb arrangement in the headlights
201
Replacing the low beam bulb
201
Replacing bulb for main beam, daytime running lights and parking light
202
Changing the front turn signal bulb
202
Replacing the bulb for the fog light
203
Replacing the bulb for the licence plate light
203
Rear light (Rapid)
204
Replacing bulbs in rear light (Rapid)
204
Tail lamp (Rapid Spaceback)
205
Replacing bulbs in rear light (Rapid Spaceback)
206
Some manual skills are required to change a bulb. For this reason, we recommend
having bulbs replaced by a specialist garage or seeking other expert help in the
event of any uncertainties.
› Switch off the ignition and all of the lights before replacing a bulb.
› Faulty bulbs must only be replaced with the same type of bulbs. The designa-
tion is located on the light socket or the glass bulb.
› A stowage compartment for replacement bulbs is located in a plastic box in the
spare wheel or underneath the floor covering in the boot.
WARNING■ Always read and observe the warning notes before completing any work in
the engine compartment » page 162, Engine compartment .■
Accidents can be caused if the road in front of the vehicle is not sufficiently
illuminated and the vehicle cannot or can only be seen with difficulty by other
road users.
■
H7 and H15 bulbs are pressurised and may burst when changing the bulb -
risk of injury! We therefore recommended wearing gloves and safety glasses
when changing a bulb.
■
Gas discharge bulbs (xenon bulbs) operate with a high voltage, professional
knowledge is required – risk of death!
■
The corresponding lamp must always be switched off when replacing a light
bulb. 
200Do-it-yourself

Index
A
Abroad Driving abroad
110
Unleaded petrol110
ABS Function
112
Warning light18
Accessories149
Adjusting Belt height
133
Exterior mirror50
Head restraints53
Interior mirror50
Manual air conditioning81
Seat53
Seats52
Steering wheel96
Adjusting the seats52, 127
Adjustment Beam range
41
Aerial153
Airbag135
Deactivating140
Deactivating the front passenger airbag140
Deployment135
Front airbag137
Head airbag139
Indicator light20
Modifications and damage to the airbag system151
Side airbag138
Airbag system135
Air conditioning system Air outlets
76
Climatronic82
Manual air conditioning system79
Air outlets76
Alarm Switching off36
Triggering36
Anti-theft alarm system Activating/deactivating
36
Trailer125
Antilock Braking System112
Armrest Front
55
Rear55
Artificial leather158
Ashtray59
ASR warning light
17
Assist system ABS
112
Assist systems111
ABS18
ASR17
Cruise Control System114
EDL112
ESC17, 111
HBA112
HHC112
Parking aid113
START-STOP116
TCS112
Auto Check Control13
Automatic gearbox Selector lever-emergency unlocking
195
Starting-off and driving103
Tiptronic103
Automatic load deactivation174
Automatic transmission101
Kickdown104
Malfunction104
Selector lever lock103
Using the selector lever102
AUX95
Avoiding damage to the vehicle Driving through water
109
Avoiding damage to your vehicle109
B
Ball head Check fitting
121
Fitting121
Ready position120
Removing122
Battery In the remote control key
193
Belts130
Belt tensioners133
Bonnet Closing
164
Opening164
Boot Class N1 vehicles
65
Double-sided floor covering70
Flexible storage compartment69
Hooks66
Meshed pocket for storage70
See Boot lid38
Storage compartments in the boot69
Boot cover Parking position
68
Boot lid Automatic locking
38
Closing38
Opening38
Brake booster100
Brake fluid170
Changing171
Checking170
Information messages15
Brakes Brake assist systems
111
Brake booster100
Brake fluid170
Handbrake100
212Index