2013 SKODA ROOMSTER maintenance

Table of Contents
Materials defect liability and ŠKODA warranty for
new cars5
Mobility warranty and ŠKODA extended
warranty
6
Abbreviations
Operation
Cockpit
9
Overview
8
Instruments and Indicator Lights
10
Instrument cluster
10
Multifunction display (MFD)
13
Service Interval Display
16
MAXI DOT display
18
Warning lights
20
Unlocking and locking
28
Unlocking and locking
28
Central locking system
31
Remote control
34
Anti-theft alarm system
35
Luggage compartment lid
37
Electrical power windows
38
Lights and visibility
41
Lights
41
Interior lights
46
Visibility
47
Windscreen wipers and washers
48
Rear window
51
Seats and stowing
52
Front seats
52
Rear seats
54Head restraints56Boot57
Variable loading floor in the luggage
compartment (Estate)
61
Bicycle carrier in the luggage compartment
63
Roof rack system
65
Useful equipment
65
Storage compartments
68
Praktik
73
Heating and air-conditioning
77
Heating, ventilation, cooling
77
Heating
78
Air conditioning system (manual air conditioning system)
80
Climatronic (automatic air conditioningsystem)
83
Communication and multimedia
86
Universal telephone preinstallation GSM II
86
Voice control
91
Multimedia
92
Driving
Starting-off and Driving
95
Steering
95
Starting and stopping the engine
96
Brakes
98
Manual gear changing and pedals
99
Automatic transmission
100
Running in
103
Economical driving and environmental
sustainability
104
Avoiding damage to your vehicle
108
Driving abroad
109
Assist systems
110
Brake assist systems
110
Parking aid
112Cruise Control System113START-STOP115
Towing a trailer
117
Towing device
117
Trailer
120
Safety
Passive Safety
123
General information
123
Correct seated position
124
Seat belts
127
Using seat belts
127
Inertia reels and belt tensioners
130
Airbag system
132
Description of the airbag system
132
Airbag overview
133
Deactivating airbags
136
Transporting children safely
139
Child seat
139
Fastening systems
141
General Maintenance
Car care
144
Service intervals
144
Services, modifications and technical
alterations
146
Washing your car
149
Taking care of your vehicle exterior
150
Taking care of the interior
154
Inspecting and replenishing
157
Fuel
157
Engine compartment
159
Engine oil
163
Coolant
1653Table of Contents

Materials defect liability and ŠKODAwarranty for new cars
Materials defect liability
Your ŠKODA partner, as a vendor, is liable to you for defects in your new ŠKODA
car, ŠKODA Genuine Parts or ŠKODA Genuine Accessories in accordance with stat-
utory regulations and the purchase agreement.
ŠKODA warranty for new cars
As well as the materials defect liability, ŠKODA AUTO a.s. grants you the ŠKODA warranty for new cars (hereafter referred to as “ŠKODA warranty),” according to
the terms described below.
As part of the ŠKODA warranty, ŠKODA AUTO a.s. will guarantee the following
services:
› Repair of damage to your vehicle that occurs within two years from the start of
the ŠKODA warranty;
› Repair of paint damage to your vehicle that occurs within three years from the
start of the ŠKODA warranty;
› Repair of rust perforation to the bodywork of your vehicle that occurs within
twelve years from the start of the warranty. Only rust perforation from the in- side to the outside of body panels is considered to be rust perforation of the
bodywork and is covered by the ŠKODA warranty.
The start of the warranty is the date on which the original purchaser acquires the vehicle upon purchasing it from the ŠKODA partner or the date of first registra-
tion. Whichever occurs first and is accordingly recorded by the ŠKODA partner in
the service schedule is the applicable date.
Defects may be remedied by replacement or repair of the defective part. Replacedparts become the property of the ŠKODA service partner.
There are no other entitlements arising from the ŠKODA warranty. In particular,
there are no entitlements to replacement, cancellation, provision of a courtesy
vehicle for the duration of repairs or compensation for loss.
If your ŠKODA vehicle was purchased from a ŠKODA partner in a country withinthe European Economic Area (i.e. the countries of the European Union, Norway,
Iceland and Liechtenstein) or in Switzerland, claims arising from the ŠKODA war-
ranty must also be made through a ŠKODA service partner in one of these coun-
tries.If your ŠKODA vehicle has been purchased from a ŠKODA partner outside the Eu-
ropean Economic Area and Switzerland, claims arising from the ŠKODA warranty
must also be made through a ŠKODA service partner outside the European Eco-
nomic Area and Switzerland.
One of the conditions for the assertion of the ŠKODA warranty is that all service operations have been carried out works in a timely and adequate manner and in
accordance with the manufacturer's provisions. You must prove that service oper-
ations have been carried out properly and in accordance with the manufacturer's
provisions when asserting a claim under the ŠKODA warranty. Where a service
has been missed or not carried out according to the manufacturer's provisions,
you may still be entitled to warranty claims as long as you can prove that the
missed service or the failure to carry out a service according to the manufactur-
er's provisions was not the cause of the defect.
Natural wear and tear of your vehicle is not covered by the ŠKODA warranty. The
ŠKODA warranty also does not cover defects to bodywork, installations and con-
versions provided by third-parties, nor vehicle defects caused by these. The same
is true for accessories which are not factory installed and/or supplied.
In addition, this warranty does not apply if the defect was caused by one of thefollowing:
› unauthorized use, improper handling (e.g. use in motorsport competitions or
overloading), improper care and maintenance, or unapproved modification to
your vehicle;
› non-compliance with provisions in the service schedule and the Owner's manual
or other factory-supplied instructions;
› external causes or influences (e.g. accidents, hail, flooding, etc.);
› parts fitted or installed on the vehicle the use of which is not approved by
ŠKODA AUTO a.s., or modification of the vehicle in a manner not approved by
ŠKODA AUTO a.s. (e.g. tuning);
› damage caused by you which was not immediately seen to by specialist garage
or was not fixed properly.
It is the customer's responsibility to prove that it was not the cause.
This ŠKODA warranty does not affect the purchaser's statutory rights arising from
liability for defects by the vehicle vendor and other potential claims under product liability laws.
5Materials defect liability and ŠKODA warranty for new cars

During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than lateruntil all of the moving parts have harmonized. The driving style which you adopt
during the first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive part in the success of
running in your car.
Never drive at unnecessarily high engine speeds even after the running-in period. On vehicles fitted with a manual gearbox, at the very latest shift up into the nextgear when the red area is reached. Observe the recommended gear » page 13,
Recommended gear . Very high engine speeds when accelerating (accelerator) are
automatically restricted »
.
In vehicles with manual transmission, do not drive at unnecessarily low engine
speeds. Shift down a gear when the engine is no longer running smoothly. Ob-
serve the recommended gear » page 13, Recommended gear .
CAUTION
■
The engine is not protected from excessive engine revs caused by shifting
down at the wrong time. This can result in a sudden increase in revs beyond the
permissible maximum rpm and hence engine damage.■
Never rev up a cold engine when the vehicle is stationary or when driving in in-
dividual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Do not drive at unnecessarily high engine speeds. Shifting up sooner helps save
fuel, reduces engine noise and protects the environment.
New tyres
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 103.
New tyres must firstly be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first.Therefore, drive especially carefully for the first 500 km or so.

New brake pads
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 103.
New brake pads do not initially provide optimal braking performance. They firstneed to be “run in”. Therefore, drive especially carefully for the first 200 km or so.

Economical driving and environmental sustainability
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Looking ahead
105
Economical gear changing.
105
Avoiding full throttle
105
Reducing idling
106
Avoiding short distances
106
Checking tyre pressure
106
Avoiding unnecessary ballast
106
Regular maintenance
107
Saving electrical energy
107
Environmental compatibility
107
The technical requirements for low fuel usage and economic efficiency of the ve-
hicle have already been built into the vehicle at the works. ŠKODA places a partic-
ular emphasis on minimising negative effects on the environment.
It is necessary to take note of the guidelines given in this chapter in order tomake best use of these characteristics and to maintain their effectiveness.
Fuel consumption, environmental pollution and the wear to the engine, brakes
and tyres depend essentially on the following three factors.
› Your personal driving style
› Operating conditions
› Technical requirements
The fuel economy by can be improved by 10 -15 % by always looking ahead and
driving in an economical way. 
104Driving

Regular maintenanceFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 104.
A poorly tuned engine uses an unnecessarily high amount of fuel.
By having your vehicle regularly maintained by a specialist garage, you create theconditions needed for economical driving. The maintenance state of your vehicle has a positive effect on traffic safety and value retention
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fuel consumption which is 10 % higher than normal.
Check the oil level at regular intervals, e.g. when filling up. Oil consumption is de-
pendent to a considerable extent on the load and speed of the engine. Oil con-
sumption could be as high as 0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of driv-
ing.
It is quite normal that a new engine has a higher oil consumption at first, and rea- ches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. The oil consumption of anew vehicle can therefore only be correctly assessed after driving about5 000 km.
For the sake of the environment
■ Additional improvements to the fuel economy can be made by using synthetic
high-lubricity oils.■
Regularly check the ground under the vehicle. Have your vehicle inspected by a
specialist garage if you find any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the ground.
Note
We recommend that your vehicle be serviced on a regular basis by a ŠKODA serv- ice partner.
Saving electrical energy
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 104.
When the engine is running, the alternator generates and supplies electrical pow- er. If more electrical components of the electrical system are switched on, more
fuel is needed to operate the alternator. We therefore recommend switching off
electrical components if these are no longer required.

Environmental compatibility
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 104.
Environmental protection has played a major role in the design, material selection
and production of your new ŠKODA. Particular emphasis has been placed on the
following points.
Design measures › Joints designed to be easily detached.
› Simplified disassembly due to the modular structure system.
› Improved purity of different classes of materials.
› Identification of all plastic parts in accordance with VDA Recommendation 260.
› Reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emission CO
2.
› Minimum fuel leakage during accidents.
› Reduced noise.
Choice of materials › Extensive use of recyclable material.
› Air conditioning filled with CFC-free refrigerant.
› No cadmium.
› No asbestos.
› Reduction in the “vaporisation” of plastics.
Manufacture › Solvent-free cavity protection.
› Solvent-free protection of the vehicle for transportation from the production
plant to the customer.
› The use of solvent-free adhesives.
› No CFCs used in the production process.
› Without use of mercury.
› Use of water-soluble paints.

107Starting-off and Driving

WARNINGObserve the following instructions for the proper use of the seat belts.■Never use one seat belt to secure two persons (including children). The
seatbelt must not be placed over a child who is sitting on the lap of another
passenger.■
The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is the correct
one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to pro-
tect and the risk of injury increases.
■
The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked, otherwise the belt tongue
will not lock in place properly.
■
Many layers of clothing and loose clothing (e. g. a winter coat over a jacket)
do not allow you to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of the
seat belts.
■
It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e. g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons).
■
The seat belts for the rear seats can only fulfil their function reliably when
the seat backrests are correctly locked into position » page 55.
WARNINGObserve the following instructions for proper maintenance of the seat belts.■The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may im-
pair proper operation of the inertia reel » page 156.■
The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not attempt
to repair the seat belts yourself.
■
Check the condition of all the seat belts on a regular basis. If any damage to
the seat belts, seat belt connections, inertia reel or the lock is detected, the
relevant seat belt must be replaced by a specialist garage.
■
Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident and
were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is best done by a specialist
garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected. The an-
chorage points for the belts should also be checked.
Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when using seat belts.
The physical principle of a frontal collisionFig. 111
Driver without a fastened seat belt/rear passenger without a fas-
tened seat belt
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 127.
As soon as the vehicle is moving, so-called kinetic energy (the energy of motion)
is produced both in terms of the car as well as in terms of the occupants.
The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends essentially on the speed at which
the vehicle is travelling and on the weight of the vehicle including the occupants.
The greater the speed and weight increase, the greater the amount of energy
which has to be absorbed in the event of an accident.
The speed of the vehicle is the most important factor. Doubling the speed of the
vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy four times.
The idea that it is possible to support your body with your hands in a minor acci- dent is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces acting on the
body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed of 30-50 km/h, the forces that your body is ex-
posed to in the event of an accident can exceed a metric ton (1000 kg).
For example, a person's weight of 80 kg “increases” to 4.8 tons (4800 kg) at
50 km/h.
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the car not wearing a seat belt are thrown forward in an uncontrolled way and strike parts of the interior of the car,
such as the steering wheel, dash panel or windscreen » Fig. 111 - 
. In certain cir-
cumstances you could even be thrown out of the vehicle, which could cause life threatening or even fatal injuries. 
128Safety

Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
System description
132
Airbag deployment
132WARNING■ An airbag can only offer you optimal protection in combination with a fas-
tened seat belt .■
The airbag is not a substitute for the seat belt, but instead forms part of the
complete passive vehicle safety concept.
■
To ensure passengers are protected with the greatest possible effect when
the airbag is deployed, the front seats must be correctly adjusted to match
the body size » page 124, Correct seated position .
■
If you do not fasten the seat belts when driving, lean too far forward or
adopt an incorrect seated position, you are exposing yourself to increased risk of injury in the event of an accident.
WARNINGObserve the following instructions for handling the airbag system.■If there is a fault, the airbag system must be checked by a specialist garage
immediately. Otherwise, there is a risk of the airbag not being activated in the
event of an accident.■
No modifications of any kind must be made to parts of the airbag system.
■
Any work on the airbag system including the installation and removal of sys-
tem components due to other repair work (e.g. removal of the steering wheel) must only be carried out by a specialist garage.
■
Never make any changes to the front bumper or bodywork.
■
It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system as this
might result in the airbag being deployed.
■
The protective function of the airbag system is sufficient for only one acci-
dent. The airbag system must then be replaced if the airbag has been de-
ployed.

System description
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 132.
The functional status of the airbag system is indicated by the indicator light  in
the instrument cluster » page 26.
When the airbags are deployed, they fill with gas and inflate.
A grey white or red, non-harmful gas is released when the airbag is inflated. This
is perfectly normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
Depending on the vehicle equipment, the airbag system consists of the
following modules.
› Electronic control unit.
› Front airbag for the driver and the front passenger
» page 134.
› Side airbags
» page 135.
› Head airbags
» page 136.
› Airbag warning light in the instrument cluster
» page 26.
› Key switch for the front passenger airbag
» page 137.
› Warning light for the front passenger airbag deactivation/activation in the mid-
dle of the dash panel » page 137.
Note
■
The airbag system needs no maintenance during its working life.■If you sell your vehicle, provide the complete vehicle documentation to the new
owner. Please note that the information relating to the possibility of deactivating
the front passenger airbag must be included!■
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important to com-
ply with the national legal requirements.

Airbag deployment
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 132.
The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to be able
to offer additional protection in the event of an accident.
The airbag system is only functional when the ignition is switched on. 
132Safety

General Maintenance
Car care
Service intervals
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Overview of service intervals
144
Fixed service intervals QI1 - QI4
145
Variable service interval QI6
145
Information about the ŠKODA service
145
The Service Interval Display in the instrument cluster will remind you to have ev- ery service specified by the manufacturer at the right time so that you never for- get a service.
A timely and adequate performance of servicing works is one of the requirements for the settlement of possible warranty claims.
The completion of services can be verified through the confirmed service certifi-
cation and the corresponding receipts.
The service intervals are appropriate for normal operating conditions.
It will be necessary to have some servicing work performed before the date of the next service or between the service intervals stated if operating conditions are
severe. This applies mainly to the cleaning or the replacement of the air filter in-
sert in regions with heavy dust pollution and to inspection and replacement of
the toothed belt, but also to vehicles with diesel particle filter which can stress
the engine oil more intensely.
These severe conditions are:
› fuel containing sulphur;
› frequent short trips;
› longer idling mode of the engine (e.g. taxi vehicles);
› operation in areas with heavy dust pollution;
› frequent trailer towing;
›
predominantly stop-and-go traffic as tends to occur in city driving, for example;
› operation predominantly during winter.
A service consultant at the specialist garage will tell you whether your vehicle's operating conditions make it necessary for such work to be carried out between
the normal service intervals.
Different service charges may apply, depending on the scope of operations re-
quired as well as the model, features and condition of your vehicle.
Note
■ The customer is responsible for covering the cost of all services including
changing or topping up the operating fluid, even during the warranty period, un- less the ŠKODA AUTO a.s. warranty terms or other agreements state otherwise.■
You will be informed about the scope of the service with regard to a particular
service event by the specialist garage.

Overview of service intervals
Fig. 124
Vehicle data sticker: Service in-
terval
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 144.
The service interval specified by the manufacturer is indicated on the data stick-
er » Fig. 124 which is under the luggage compartment floor covering.
One of the following service intervals applies for your vehicle: › Fixed service interval QI1;
› Fixed service interval QI2;
› Fixed service interval QI3;
› Fixed service interval QI4;
› Variable service interval QI6.

144General Maintenance

ŠKODA Service Partners are equipped with modern, specially developed tools and
equipment. Here, trained specialists have a comprehensive range of ŠKODA Origi-
nal Parts and ŠKODA Original Accessories at their disposal.
All ŠKODA Service Partners operate in accordance with the latest guidelines and instructions from the manufacturer. All service work is therefore carried out ontime and in accordance with quality standards. Adhering to these instructions and
guidelines helps ensure road safety and helps keep your vehicle in a good techni-
cal condition.
In addition, ŠKODA Service Partners offer an array of other services. ŠKODA Service Partners are therefore properly prepared to service your vehicleand to provide quality work. We therefore recommend that you have your vehicle
maintained by a ŠKODA Service Partner.
Services, modifications and technical alterations
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Legally required inspections
147
ŠKODA Service Partners
147
ŠKODA Original Parts
147
ŠKODA Original Accessories
147
Spoiler
148
Airbags
148
The instructions and guidelines from ŠKODA AUTO a.s. must be observed when
carrying out all modifications, repairs or technical alterations to your vehicle.
Adhering to these instructions and guidelines helps ensure road safety and helps
keep your vehicle in a good technical condition. After carrying out modifications,
repairs or technical alterations, the vehicle will comply with German road trans-
port regulations (StVZO)
Always consult a ŠKODA Partner » page 147 before buying accessories or parts,
or before carrying out any modifications, repairs or technical alterations to your
vehicle.
WARNING■ If work on your vehicle is not carried out properly, this can lead to operation-
al faults - risk of accident and serious injuries.■
We recommend only having these modifications and technical alterations
carried out by a specialist garage.
■
Interference on the electronic components and their software can lead to
operational faults. This interference can also impair not directly affected sys-
tems because of the networking of the electronic components. The operation- al safety of the vehicle may be at significant risk and can lead to increased
wear of parts.
■
The ŠKODA Partner does not assume any liability for products that have not
been approved by ŠKODA AUTO a.s. even though these may be products with
an operational approval or that have been approved by a government testing
institute.
WARNING■ We advise you only to use ŠKODA Original Accessories and ŠKODA Original
Parts which have been expressly approved for use on your vehicle. Reliability,
safety and suitability for your vehicle are guaranteed with these.■
ŠKODA Original Accessories and ŠKODA Original Parts can be purchased
from ŠKODA Partners, who will also perform the professional assembly of the purchased parts.
For the sake of the environment
Technical documents regarding alterations carried out on the vehicle must be
kept by the vehicle user in order to be handed over to the recyclers at a later
date. This ensures that the vehicle is recycled in an environmentally sound man-
ner.
Note
Any damage caused by technical modifications made without the approval of the
manufacturer is excluded from the warranty.
146General Maintenance