2013 SKODA RAPID charging

AbbreviationsAbbreviationDefinitionrpmEngine revolutions per minuteABSAnti-lock brake systemAGAutomatic gearboxTCSTraction controlCO2 in g/kmdischarged quantity of carbon dioxide in grams per driven kilo-
meterDPFDiesel particle filterDSGAutomatic double clutch gearboxEDLElectronic differential lockECEEconomic Commission for EuropeESCElectronic Stability ControlEUEuropean UnionGSMGroupe Spécial Mobile - a digital network of mobile devices for the transmission of voice and dataHBAHydraulic brake assistHFPHands-free profile - connection of a mobile device by means of
its Bluetooth ®
profileHHCUphill start assistkWKilowatt, measuring unit for the engine outputMDIMobile Device Interface - connecting an external device via
the AUX or USB inputMFDMultifunction displayMGManual gearboxMPIGasoline engine with a multi-point fuel injectionN1Panel van intended exclusively or mainly for the transporta-
tion of goodsNmNewton meter, measuring unit for the engine torquePINPersonal Identification Number - personal identification num-
ber for the connection of electronic devices using Bluetooth ®AbbreviationDefinitionTDI CRDiesel engine with turbocharging and common rail injection
systemTSIPetrol engine with turbocharging and direct injection
7Abbreviations

A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-tear
and automatic adjustment of the brake pads.
There may be an indication of a leak in the brake system, however, if the fluid lev-
el drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” marking.
If the brake fluid level is too low, this is indicated by the indicator light  » page 15 ,  Brake system lighting up in the instrument cluster.
Changing
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 170.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. Over time it therefore absorbs moisture from the
environment.
Excessive water in the brake fluid may be the cause of corrosion in the brake sys-
tem.
The water content lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid.
The brake fluid must comply with the following standards or specifications: › VW 50114;
› FMVSS 116 DOT4.

Vehicle battery

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Opening the cover
172
Checking the battery electrolyte level
173
Charging
173
Replacing
174
Disconnecting and reconnecting
174
Automatic load deactivation
174Warning symbols on the vehicle batterySymbolMeaningAlways wear eye protection.Battery acid is severely caustic. Always wear gloves and eye protec- tion.Keep fire, sparks, open flames and lit cigarettes well clear of the ve-
hicle battery.When charging the vehicle battery, a highly explosive gas mixture is
produced.Keep children away from the vehicle battery.WARNINGThere is risk of injuries, poisoning, chemical burns, explosions or fire when
working on the battery and on the electrical system. It is essential to comply
with the general applicable safety rules as well as the warning instructions
outlined below.■
Keep children away from the vehicle battery.
■
Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the bat-
tery vent openings. Protect your eyes by wearing safety goggles or a face
shield – risk of blindness!
■
Always wear protective gloves, eye and skin protection when handling the
vehicle battery.
■
The battery acid is strongly corrosive and must, therefore, be handled with
the greatest of care.
■
Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivitis
and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs.
■
Battery acid corrodes dental enamel and, if it comes into contact with the
skin, causes deep wounds that take a long time to heal. Repeated contact
with diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks).
■
If any battery acid comes into contact with your eyes, rinse the affected eye
immediately with clean water for several minutes and consult a doctor imme-
diately!
■
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. If you swallow
battery acid, consult a doctor immediately! 
171Inspecting and replenishing

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

Checking the battery electrolyte levelFig. 140
Vehicle battery: Electrolyte level
indicator
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 171.
On vehicles with a vehicle battery fitted with a colour indicator, the so-called
magic eye » Fig. 140, the electrolyte level can be determined by looking at the
change in colour.
Air bubbles can influence the colour of the indicator. For this reason carefully
knock on the indicator before carrying out the check.
› Black colour – electrolyte level is correct.
› Colourless or light yellow colour – electrolyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced.
Vehicles with a START-STOP system are fitted with a battery control unit for checking the energy level for the recurring engine start.
We recommend that you have the acid level checked regularly by a specialist ga-
rage, especially in the following cases.
› High external temperatures.
› Longer day trips.
› After each charge.
Winter time
The vehicle battery only has a proportion of the starting power in lower tempera-
tures. A discharged vehicle battery may already freeze at temperatures just be-
low 0 °C .
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked and, if necessary, re-
charged by a specialist garage before the start of the winter.
CAUTIONFor technical reasons, on vehicles with the description “AGM”, the electrolyte lev- el cannot be checked.
Note
The battery acid level is also checked regularly by a specialist garage as part of
the inspection service.
Charging
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 171.
A properly charged vehicle battery is essential for reliably starting the engine.
›
Switch off the ignition and all of the electrical components.
›
Only when performing a “quick-charge”, disconnect both battery cables (first
“negative”, then “positive”).
›
Attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery terminals (red = “posi- tive”, black = “negative”).
›
Plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket and switch on the
device.
›
After charging has been successful: Switch off the charger and remove themains cable from the power socket.
›
Only then disconnect the charger's terminal clamps.
›
Reconnect the cables to the battery (first “positive”, then “negative”).
It is not necessary to disconnect the cables of the battery if you recharge the ve-
hicle battery using low amperages (for example from a mini-charger). Refer to the
instructions of the charger manufacturer .
A charging current of 0.1 multiple of the total vehicle battery capacity (or lower) must be used until full charging is achieved.
It is necessary to disconnect both cables before charging the battery with high
amperages, known as “ rapid charging”.
The vent plugs of the vehicle battery should not be opened for charging. 
173Inspecting and replenishing

WARNING“Quick-charging” the vehicle battery is dangerous and requires a special
charger and specialist knowledge.
CAUTION
On vehicles with the START/STOP system, the pole terminal of the charger must
not be connected directly to the negative terminal of the vehicle battery, but only
to the engine earth » page 191, Jump-starting in vehicles with the START-STOP
system .
Note
We therefore recommend that vehicle batteries be rapid charged by a specialist
garage.
Replacing
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 171.
When replacing a battery, the new vehicle battery must have the same capacity,
voltage, amperage and be the same size. Suitable vehicle battery types can be
purchased from a specialist garage.
We recommend having the battery replaced by a specialist garage, where the
new vehicle battery will be installed properly and the original battery will be dis-
posed of in accordance with national regulations.

Disconnecting and reconnecting
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 171.
On disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery, the following functions
are initially deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free:
OperationOperating measureEnter the radio/navigation system code num-
ber» User manual of the radio
or » user manual of the naviga-
tion systemSetting the clock» page 13Data in the multifunction display are deleted.» page 25
Note
We recommend having the vehicle checked by a specialist garage in order to en-
sure full functionality of all electrical systems.
Automatic load deactivation
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 171.
The vehicle voltage control unit automatically prevents the battery from discharg-
ing when the battery is put under high levels of strain. This manifests itself by the
following.
› The idling speed is raised to allow the generator to deliver more electricity to
the electrical system.
› Where necessary, large convenience consumers such as seat heaters and rear
window heaters have their power limited or are shut off completely in the event
of an emergency.
CAUTION
■ Despite such intervention by the vehicle electric system management, the vehi-
cle battery may be drained. For example, when the ignition is switched on a long
time with the engine turned off or the side or parking lights are turned on during longer parking.■
Consumers that are supplied via a 12-V power socket can cause the vehicle bat-
tery to discharge when the ignition is switched off.
Note
Driving comfort is not impaired by consumers being deactivated. The driver is of-
ten not aware of it having taken place.
174General Maintenance

Indicator light15
Running in105
Braking Information on braking
100
Breakdown kit188
Bulb failure Indicator light
18
Bulbs Indicator light
18
Replacing200
Tail lamp (Rapid Spaceback)205
Button in the driver's door Electrical power windows
38
C
Car computer See multifunction display
25
Car park ticket holder56
Carrier74
Cavity protection156
Central locking button34
Changing Brake fluid
171
Engine oil168
Front turn signal bulb202
Wheels184
Changing a wheel Follow-up work
185
Preliminary work184
Remove and attaching a wheel185
Charging a vehicle battery173
Check Fit ball head properly
121
Checking Battery electrolyte level
173
Brake fluid170
Coolant169
Engine oil167
Oil level167
Windscreen washer fluid165
Children and safety142
Child safety Side airbag
144
Child safety lock35
Child seat Classification
144
ISOFIX145
on the front passenger seat143
TOP TETHER146
Use of child seats144
Use of ISOFIX child seats145
Chrome parts refer to Taking care of your vehicle
155
Cigarette lighter59
Cleaning147
Alcantara158
Artificial leather158
cloths158
Covers of electrically heated seats159
Headlight lenses156
Natural leather158
Plastic parts154
Wheels156
Climatronic82
automatic mode83
Control elements82
Controlling blower84
Cooling system83
Defrosting windscreen84
recirculated air mode83
Setting the temperature83
Clock13
Clothes hook63
Cockpit 12-volt power outlet
60
Ashtray59
Cigarette lighter59
General view9
Lights45
Practical equipment56
Storage compartments56
Compartments56
Computer See multifunction display
25
Coolant168
Checking169
Indicator light16
Information messages16
Replenishing170
Temperature gauge11
CORNER See Fog lights with CORNER function
43
Correct seated position127
Driver128
Front passenger128
Instructions129
Rear seats128
Counter for distance driven12
Cruise control system Activating/deactivating
115
Changing the stored speed115
Indicator light21
Storing and maintaining speed115
Switching off temporarily115
Cruise Control System114
Cup holders58
D
DAY LIGHT See Daytime running lights
42
Daytime running lights42
Deactivating an airbag140
Decorative films155
Defrsoting rear window47
Delayed locking of the boot lid see Boot lid
38
Diesel refer to Fuel
162
Diesel fuel Operation in winter
162
213Index

UnlockingIndividual settings34
Key32
Remote control33
Vehicle key32
Unlocking and locking31
USB95
Useful equipment 12-volt power outlet
60
Ashtray59
Car park ticket holder56
Cigarette lighter59
Clothes hook63
Cup holders58
Glasses storage box62
Holder for reflective vest57
Multimedia holder61
Storage compartment in the front arm rest62
Storage compartments in the doors57
Using the information system22
Using the selector lever102
V
Variable loading floor
70
Folding up73
Inserting72
Lower position72
Parking position73
Removing72
Upper position71
Vehicle battery Automatic load deactivation
174
charging173
Checking the battery electrolyte level173
Cover172
Operation in winter173
Replacing174
Safety instructions171
Vehicle care147
Alcantara158
Artificial leather158
Cloths158
Vehicle Condition See Auto Check Control
13
Vehicle data sticker207
Vehicle dimensions208
Vehicle height208
vehicle identification number - VIN207
Vehicle key Locking
32
Unlocking32
Vehicle length208
Vehicle tool kit183
Vehicle width208
Vest Holder for reflective vest
57
Visibility46
Visors see Sun visors
47
W
Warning at excessive speeds
27
Warning triangle182
Warranty5
Washing147
Automatic car wash system153
by hand152
Chrome parts155
High-pressure cleaner153
Waste container60
Water Driving through
109
Wax treatment See Taking care of your vehicle
154
Weights207
Wheel bolts Anti-theft wheel bolt186
Caps180
Loosening and tightening185
Wheel rims175
Wheels Bolts
180
Changing184
Full trim180
General information175
Load index177
Replacing wheels176
Service life of tyres176
Snow chains181
Spare wheel179
Speed symbol178
Storing wheels176
Temporary spare wheel179
Tyre pressure176
Tyre sizes176
Tyre wear indicator176
Unidirectional tyres178
Winter tyres181
Window Interior mirror
50
Windows De-icing
155
See Electrical power windows38
Windscreen washer fluid Checking
165
Replenishing165
Warning light20
Winter165
Windscreen washer system165
Windscreen wipers49
Windscreen wiper Replacing the front windscreen wiper blades
195
Service position195
219Index