2013 SKODA RAPID warning lights

START-STOP
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Starting/shutting down the engine
116
Operating conditions of the system
117
Manually activating/deactivating the system
117
Information messages
118
The START-STOP system helps you to save fuel while at the same time reducing
harmful exhaust emissions and CO 2 emissions.
The function is automatically activated each time the ignition is switched on.
In the start-stop mode, the engine automatically switches to the vehicle's idle phase, e.g. when stopped at traffic lights. The engine restarts automatically
where necessary.
The system can work only if the following basic conditions are met. The driver's door is closed.
The driver has fastened the seat belt. The bonnet is closed.The driving speed was higher than 4 km/h after the last stop.
No trailer is coupled.
WARNING■ The brake servo unit and power steering only operate if the engine is run-
ning.■
Never let the vehicle roll with the engine switched off.
CAUTION
Always deactivate the START-STOP system before driving through wa-
ter » page 109 .Note■
If the driver's seat belt is removed for more than approx. 30 seconds or the driv-
er's door is opened during stop mode on vehicles with manual transmission or au- tomatic transmission (when the selector lever in position P), the engine must be
started manually.■
After manually starting the engine on vehicles with manual transmission, auto-
matic engine shut down is not possible until the vehicle has travelled the re-
quired minimum distance for START-STOP mode.
■
If, on vehicles with automatic transmission, the selector lever positions D, S or N
are selected after driving in reverse, the vehicle will first need to achieve a speed
of over 10 km/h before automatic engine shut down can take place again.
■
Changes to the outdoor temperature can have an effect on the internal temper-
ature of the vehicle battery even after several hours. If the vehicle remains out-
doors for a long time in minus temperatures or in direct sunlight, it can take sev-
eral hours until the internal temperature of the vehicle battery reaches a suitable temperature for proper operation of the START STOP system.
■
If Climatronic is running in automatic mode, the engine may not switch off auto-
matically under certain conditions.

Starting/shutting down the engine
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 116.
Vehicles with manual transmission
›
Stop the vehicle (where necessary, apply the handbrake).
›
Put the gear stick into Neutral.
›
Release the clutch pedal.
Automatic engine shut down (STOP phase) takes place. The warning symbol 
appears in the instrument cluster display.
›
Depress the clutch pedal.
The automatic start procedure takes place again (START phase). The warning
symbol 
goes out.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
›
Bring the vehicle to a stop and depress the brake pedal.
Automatic engine shut down takes place. The warning symbol 
appears in the
instrument cluster display.
›
Release the brake pedal. 
116Driving

The automatic start procedure takes place again. The warning symbol  goes
out.
Further information on automatic transmission Engine shut down takes place when the selector lever is in positions P, D , S and N
and in Tiptronic mode.
When the selector lever is in position P, the engine remains shut down even after
you release the brake pedal. Start the engine by pressing the gas pedal or by moving the selector lever into a different mode and releasing the brake pedal.
If the selector lever is moved into position R during the STOP phase , the engine
will re-start.
No automatic engine shutdown takes place when the vehicle is moving at low speed (e.g. during a traffic jam or when tuning) and remains stationary after
pressing the brake pedal lightly. Automatic engine shutdown takes place if you
press the brake pedal down with more force.
Operating conditions of the system
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 116.
The START-STOP system is very complex. Some of the procedures are hard to check without servicing.
No engine shut down is carried out
Before each STOP phase, the system checks whether certain conditions have
been met. No engine shut down takes place in the following situations.
› The engine has not reached the minimum temperature for the START STOP
mode.
› The temperature inside the vehicle has not reached the desired temperature
set in the air-conditioning system/heating.
› The external temperature is very low/high.
› The intensive windscreen heater (Climatronic) or windscreen heater/ventilation
is switched on with the maximum air temperature setting (manual air condition-
ing system).
› The parking aid is activated.
› The charge state of the vehicle battery is too low.
› The stationary vehicle is on a steep slope or a steep downhill section.
› The idling speed is too high.
› The steering angle is too large (manoeuvring).
› The selector lever position
R is selected (e.g. when parking).
The warning symbol  appears in the instrument cluster display.
The automatic start procedure takes place again
During the STOP phase, the engine fires up without any active driver intervention, e.g. in the following situations.
› The vehicle begins to roll, e.g. on a slope.
› The difference between the temperature setting of the air-conditioning sys-
tem/heating and the temperature of the interior is too large.
› The intensive windscreen heater (Climatronic) or windscreen heater/ventilation
is switched on with the maximum air temperature setting (manual air condition-
ing system).
› The brake pedal was pressed several times (the pressure in the braking system
is too low).
› The charge state of the vehicle battery is too low.
› The current consumption is too high.
Manually activating/deactivating the system
Fig. 103
Button for the START-STOP sys-
tem
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 116.
Activation/deactivation
›
Press the symbol button 
» Fig. 103 .
When start-stop mode is deactivated, the warning light in the button lights up.
Note
If the system is deactivated during the STOP phase, the automatic start proce-
dure takes place.
117Assist systems

Driving with a trailerFig. 112
Swivel out the 13-pin power
socket
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 123.
Before the journey
›
Grip the 13-pin socket on the handle
A
and swing out in the direction of the
arrow » Fig. 112 .
›
Lift off protective cap
5
» Fig. 104 on page 119.
After the journey
›
Grip the 13-pin socket on the handle
A
and swing in the opposite direction to
the arrow » Fig. 112.
›
Place the protective cover
5
» Fig. 104 on page 119 onto the tow bar.
Safety eyelet
The purpose of the safety eyelet
B
» Fig. 112 is to attach the breakaway cable of
the trailer.
When attaching the breakaway cable to the safety eyelet, it must sag freely
against the vehicle in all trailer positions (sharp bends, in reverse etc.).
Exterior mirrors
You have to have additional exterior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see the
traffic behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. The national legal requirements must be observed.
Headlights
The front of the vehicle may lift up when a trailer is being towed and the head-
lights may dazzle other road users.
Adjust the headlights using the headlight beam control » page 41.
Driving speed
For safety reasons, do not drive faster than 80 km/h when towing a trailer.
Immediately reduce your speed as soon as even the slightest swaying of the trail-
er is detected. Never attempt to stop the trailer from “swaying” by accelerating.
Brakes
Apply the brakes in good time! If the trailer is fitted with a trailer brake, apply the
brakes gently at first, then brake firmly. This will avoid brake jolts resulting from
the trailer wheels locking.
On downhill sections shift down a gear in good time to also use the engine as a brake.
Engine overheating
If the needle for the coolant temperature gauge moves into the right-hand area
or the red area of the scale, the speed must be reduced immediately.
Stop and switch off the engine if the indicator light 
in the instrument cluster
starts to flash » page 16. Wait a few minutes and check the level of cool-
ant » page 169 .
The following guidelines must be observed » page 16.
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.WARNING■ Never use the safety eyelet for towing!■Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to the traffic sit-
uation.■
Improper or incorrectly connected electric cables can energise the trailer and
cause functional faults to the vehicle's entire electrical system as well as acci-
dents and severe injuries.
■
Work on the electrical system must only be carried out by specialist garages.
■
Never directly connect the trailer's electrical system with the electrical con-
nections for the tail lights or other current sources.
Note
■ After coupling the trailer and connecting the power socket, check that the rear
lights on the trailer are working correctly.■
If there is an error in the trailer lighting, check the fuses in the fuse box in the
dash panel » page 197. 
124Driving

Deactivating airbagsFirst read and observe the introductory information given on page 139.
Deactivating an airbag should be considered in cases such as the ones below.› If using a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat (due to different le-
gal regulations, the airbag must be deactivated if using a forwards-facing child
seat in some countries) » page 142, Transporting children safely .
› If it is not possible to maintain a distance of at least 25 cm between the middle
of the steering wheel and chest, despite the driver's seat being correctly adjus-
ted.
› If special attachments are required in the area of the steering wheel because of
a physical disability.
› If different seats have been fitted (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side airbags).
The front passenger airbag can be switched off with the key-operated
switch » page 140 .
We recommend that you ask a ŠKODA service partner to deactivate any other air- bags.
Monitoring the airbag system
The operational capability of the airbag system is monitored electronically, includ-
ing when one of the airbags is switched off.
Airbag deactivated using diagnostic equipment
› The warning light

lights up for approximately 4 seconds after the ignition is
switched on and then flashes again for approximately 12 seconds.
Front passenger airbag deactivated using the key switch in the storage com-
partment
› The warning light

lights up for approximately 3 seconds after the ignition is
switched on.
› The indicator light



3
» Fig. 123 on page 140 lights up after the ignition is
switched on.
Note■ The national regulations for switching off airbags must be observed.■A ŠKODA service partner will be able to inform you which, if any, of your vehi-
cle's airbags can or must be deactivated.

Deactivating the front passenger airbag
Fig. 123
Key switch for front passenger airbag/warning light for front pas-
senger airbag activation/deactivation
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 139.
Only the front passenger airbag is deactivated with the key switch.
Switching off
›
Switch off the ignition.
›
Open the storage box on the front passenger's side.
›
Use the key to turn the slot of the key switch into position
2
» Fig. 123 OFF .
›
After switching on the ignition, check whether the warning light
3

 1)
is illu-
minated in writing 




is illuminated in the centre panel.
Switching on
›
Switch off the ignition.
›
Use the key to turn the slot of the key switch into position
1
» Fig. 123 ON .
›
Close the storage box on the front passenger's side. 

1)
The warning light
  comes on for a few seconds after the ignition is switched on, goes out for
about 1 second and then comes on again.
140Safety

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 make the window dirty 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 153.
Clean plastic front headlight lenses using clean, warm water and soap.
CAUTION
■ Never wipe headlights with a dry cloth.■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 153.
Specific products must be used for de-icing door lock cylinders.
CAUTIONWhen washing your vehicle, ensure as little water as possible gets into the lock-
ing cylinders.
Cavity protection
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 153.
All the cavities of your vehicle which are at risk from corrosion are protected for
life by a layer of protective wax applied in the factory.
This wax protection does not need to be inspected or re-applied. If any small amount of wax flow out of the cavities at high temperatures, thesemust be removed with a plastic scraper and the stains cleaned using a petroleum
cleaner.
WARNINGSafety regulations should be observed when using petroleum cleaner to re-
move wax – risk of fire!

Wheels
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 153.
Wheel rims
Also thoroughly wash the wheel rims when washing the vehicle on a regular ba-
sis.
Regularly remove salt and brake abrasion, otherwise the rim material will be cor-
roded.
Damage to the paint layer on the wheel rims must be touched up immediately.
Light alloy wheels
After washing thoroughly and treat the wheel rims with a protective product for
light alloy wheels. Products which cause abrasion must not be used to treat the
wheel rims. 
156General Maintenance

›Take the bonnet support out of its holder 3
» Fig. 133 in the direction of the
arrow and secure the opened bonnet by inserting the end of the support into the opening 4
.
Closing
›
Lift the bonnet slightly and unhook the bonnet support. Insert the bonnet sup-
port into the designated holder
3
» Fig. 133 .
›
Let the bonnet drop into the lock carrier lock from a height of around 20 cm – do
not push it in .
WARNINGCheck that the bonnet is closed properly.
CAUTION
Never open the bonnet using the release lever » Fig. 132.
Engine compartment overview
Fig. 134
Principle sketch: Engine compartment
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings
on page 162.
Coolant expansion reservoir
169
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir
165
Engine oil filler opening
168123Engine oil dipstick167Brake fluid reservoir170
Vehicle battery
171
Note
The location of the inspection points in the engine compartment of petrol and
diesel engines is practically identical.
Radiator fan
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 162.
The radiator fan is powered by an electric motor. Operation is controlled accord-
ing to the temperature of the coolant.
WARNINGAfter switching off the ignition, the fan may intermittently continue to oper-
ate for approx. 10 minutes.

Windscreen washer system
Fig. 135
Engine compartment: Wind-
screen washer fluid reservoir
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings on page 162.
The windscreen washer fluid reservoir is located in the engine compartment and
contains the cleaning fluid for the windscreen or rear window and for the head-
lights. 
456165Inspecting and replenishing

The filling level of the container is about 3.5 litres and about 5.4 litres on vehicles
that have a headlight washing system 1)
.
Clear water is not sufficient to intensively clean the windscreen and headlights. We recommend using clean water together with a screen cleaner from the range
of ŠKODA Original Accessories (with antifreeze in winter), which will remove any
stubborn dirt.
In Winter, the washing water should always be mixed with antifreeze even if the
vehicle has heated windscreen washer nozzles.
Under exceptional circumstances, methylated spirits can also be used if no screen
cleaner with antifreeze is available. The concentration of methylated spirits must
not be more than 15 %. The freeze protection at this concentration is sufficient
only to -5 °C.
CAUTION
■ Under no circumstances must radiator antifreeze or other additives be added to
the windscreen washer fluid.■
If the vehicle is fitted with a headlight cleaning system, only cleaning products
which do not attack the polycarbonate coating of the headlights must be added
to the windscreen washer fluid.
■
Do not remove the filter from the windscreen washer fluid reservoir when refill-
ing, as this may cause contamination of the liquid transportation system, leading
in turn to a windscreen washer system malfunction.

Engine oil
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Specifications and capacity
167
Checking the oil level
167
Replenishing
168
Changing
168
The engine has been factory-filled with a high-grade oil that can be use through-
out the year - except in extreme climate zones.
The engine oils are undergoing continuous further development. Thus the infor-
mation stated in this Owner's Manual is only correct at the time of publication.
ŠKODA Service Partners are informed about the latest changes by the manufac-
turer. We therefore recommend that the oil change be completed by a ŠKODA
Service Partner.
The specifications (VW standards) stated in the following can be indicated sepa-
rately or together with other specifications on the bottle.
The oil capacities include oil filter change. Check the oil level when filling; do not
over fill. The oil level must be between the markings » page 167.WARNING■
The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area. The following
warning instructions must be followed at all times when working in the en-
gine compartment » page 162.■
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible to top up
the engine oil ! Switch off the engine and seek assistance from a specialist
garage.
■
If the oil level is above level
A
» Fig. 136 on page 167,  do not continue to
drive! Switch off the engine and seek assistance from a specialist garage.
CAUTION
Do not pour any additives into the engine oil – risk of serious damage to the en-
gine parts!
Note
■ Before a long drive we recommend that you purchase and carry with you engine
oil which complies with the specification for your vehicle.■
We recommend that you use oils from ŠKODA Original Accessories.
■
If your skin has come into contact with oil, it must be washed thoroughly.
1)
In some countries, 5.4 l. applies for both variants.
166General Maintenance

WARNING■It is prohibited to work with naked flames or lights.■It is prohibited to smoke or carry out any activities that produce sparks.■
Never use a damaged vehicle battery – risk of explosion!
■
Never charge a frozen or thawed vehicle battery – risk of explosion and
chemical burns!
■
Replace a frozen vehicle battery.
■
Never jump-start vehicle batteries with insufficient acid levels – risk of ex-
plosion and chemical burns.
WARNING■ When you charge a battery, hydrogen is released, and a highly explosive gas
mixture is also produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling over during unclamping or loosening of the cable plug while the ignition is on.■
Creating a bridge between the poles on the battery (e.g. with a metal object
or cable) creates a short circuit - risk of melting the lead bars, and risk of ex-
plosion, battery fire and acid splashes.
■
Avoid creating sparks when working with cables and electrical devices.
Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.
■
Before carrying out any work on the electrical system, switch off the engine,
the ignition and all electrical components and disconnect the negative termi-
nal (-) on the battery.
CAUTION
Improper handling of the battery can lead to damage. We recommend having all
work on the vehicle battery carried out by a specialist garage.
CAUTION
■ The vehicle battery must only be disconnected if the ignition is switched off,
otherwise the vehicle's electrical system (electronic components) can be dam-
aged. When disconnecting the battery from the electrical system, first of all dis-
connect the negative terminal (-) of the battery, followed by the positive terminal
(+).■
When connecting the battery to the electrical system, first of all connect the
positive terminal (+) of the battery, followed by the negative terminal (-). Under no
circumstances must the battery cables be connected incorrectly – risk of a cable fire.
■ Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the bodywork – risk of
damage to the paintwork.■
Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the vehicle battery
housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.
■
If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will
discharge. This is because certain electrical components consume electricity (e. g.
control units) also in idle state. Prevent the battery from discharging by discon- necting the battery's negative terminal (-) or continuously charging the battery
with a very low charging current.
■
If the vehicle is frequently used for making short trips, the vehicle battery will
not have time to charge up sufficiently and may discharge.
For the sake of the environment
A vehicle battery that has been removed is a special type of hazardous waste.
These must be disposed of in accordance with national legal regulations.
Note
You should replace batteries older than 5 years.
Opening the cover
Fig. 139
Vehicle battery: Open up the
cover
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings on page 171.
The battery is located in the engine compartment.
›
Open the battery cover in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 139.
The installation of the battery cover on the positive terminal side takes place in the reverse order.

172General Maintenance