
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 244.
■
Contact between the breakaway cable and the safety eyelet can result in me-
chanical wear on the surface protection of the eyelet. Such wear does not impair
the functioning of the safety eyelet and does not constitute a fault. It is excluded from the warranty coverage.
■
If you tow a trailer frequently, you should also have your vehicle inspected be-
tween service intervals.
■
The handbrake on the towing vehicle must be applied when coupling and un-
coupling the trailer.
Trailer stabilisation
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 165.
The trailer stabilisation is an extension of the stabilisation control that works in
conjunction with the counter-steering assistance to reduce the amount the trail-
er "sways".
After turning on the ignition, the ESC indicator light
in the instrument cluster
lights up for about 2 seconds longer than the ABS indicator light.
Function requirements for trailer stabilisation.
The coupling device was factory-fitted or purchased from the ŠKODA OriginalAccessories.
The ESC is active. (Warning lights or do not illuminate in the instrument
cluster).
The trailer is electrically connected to the towing vehicle via the trailer sock-
et.
The speed is higher than approx. 60 km/h.
The trailer has a rigid drawbar.WARNINGThe increased safety offered by the trailer stabilisation must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise.
CAUTION
■ The trailer stabilisation need not be able to correctly detect all of driving situa-
tions.■
Light trailers that sway are not always detected and therefore stabilised accord-
ingly by the trailer stabilisation.
■
Release the pressure on the accelerator pedal if the system is being regulated.
■
Avoid abrupt and sudden driving/braking manoeuvres.
Note
The trailer stabilisation works for both braked and unbraked trailers.
Anti-theft alarm system
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 165.
When the vehicle is locked, the alarm is activated when the electrical connection
to the trailer is interrupted.
Always switch off the anti-theft alarm system before a trailer is coupled or uncou- pled » page 38 .
167Towing a trailer

Seat belts
Using seat belts
Introduction
Fig. 144
Driver wearing seat belt
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
The physical principle of a frontal collision
174
Fastening and unfastening seat belts
175
Seat belt height adjuster on the front seats
176
Seat belts that are fastened correctly offer good protection in the event of an ac-
cident. They reduce the risk of an injury and increase the chance of survival in the
event of a major accident.
Correctly fastened seat belts hold occupants of the car in the correct seated posi-
tion » Fig. 144 .
The seat belts reduce the kinetic energy (energy of motion) to a considerable ex-
tent. They also prevent uncontrolled movements which, in turn, may well result in
severe injuries.
Occupants of a vehicle who have correctly fastened their seat belts have the ma-
jor benefit of the fact that the kinetic energy is absorbed as effectively as possi-
ble by the belts.
The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety measures,
such as the airbag system, also contribute to the kinetic energy being reduced as
effectively as possible. The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less
risk of injury.
Particular safety aspects must be observed when transporting children in the ve-
hicle » page 186 .WARNING■
Fasten your seat belt before each journey - even when driving in town! This
also applies to the passengers seated at the rear – risk of injury!■
Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way of
ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child » page 175, Fastening and
unfastening seat belts .
■
Maximum seat belt protection is only achieved if you are correctly seat-
ed » page 170 , Correct seated position .
■
The seat backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
WARNINGObserve the following instructions for the correct routing of the seat belt.■Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat
belts which are not correctly adjusted can themselves cause injuries even in
minor accidents.■
Adjust the height of the belt in such a way that the shoulder part of the belt
is roughly positioned across the middle of your shoulder - on no account across your neck.
■
A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is
moved forward by the kinetic energy produced in an accident and is then sud-
denly held firm by the belt.
■
The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. specta-
cles, ball-point pens, bunches of keys etc.). Such objects can cause injury.
WARNINGObserve the following instructions for handling the seat belts.■The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twisted,
or chafe against any sharp edges.■
Make sure you do not catch the seat belt in the door when closing it.
173Seat belts

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 73.
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 203.■
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. 145
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 173.
Motion energy, so-called kinetic energy, is produced as soon as the vehicle is
moving, both for the vehicle and its 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 and strike in an uncontrolled way parts of the interior of the car,
such as steering wheel, dash panel or windscreen » Fig. 145 -
. In certain circum-
stances you could even be thrown out of the vehicle, which could cause life threatening or even fatal injuries.
174Safety

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 shown 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 214.
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:
Open cover
216
Checking the battery electrolyte level
217
Charging
217
Replace
218
Disconnecting or reconnecting
218
Automatic load deactivation
218Warning symbols on the vehicle batterySymbolImportanceAlways 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!
215Inspecting and replenishing

Wheels
Tyres and wheel rims
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Service life of tyres
221
New tyres
222
Unidirectional tyres
223
Tyre pressure monitor
223
Spare wheel
224
Full wheel trim
225
Wheel bolts
225
Hubcaps
225
Wheel bolts
226WARNING■ The national legal regulations must be observed for the use of tyres.■Observe the national legal regulations relating to the use of snow chains
and the maximum vehicle speed with snow chains.WARNINGThe following instructions for the use of tyres must be observed.■For the first 500 km, new tyres do not yet provide optimum grip, and appro-
priate care should therefore be taken when driving – risk of accident!■
Only use radial tyres of the same type, size (rolling circumference) and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
■
For reasons of driving safety, do not replace tyres individually.
■
Never exceed the maximum permissible load bearing capacity for the tyres
fitted – there is a risk of an accident.
■
Never exceed the maximum permissible speed for the tyres fitted – there is
a risk of an accident.
WARNING (Continued)■ Incorrect wheel alignment at the front or rear impairs handling – risk of acci-
dent!■
Unusual vibrations or pulling of the vehicle to one side could be a sign of
tyre damage. If there is any doubt that a wheel is damaged, immediately re-
duce your speed and stop! If no external damage is evident, drive slowly and
carefully to the nearest specialist garage to have the vehicle checked.
■
Only use tyres or wheel rims that have been approved by ŠKODA for your
model of vehicle. Failure to observe this instruction may impair the road safety
of your vehicle – risk of accident!
WARNINGObserve the following information regarding tyre damage and wear.■Never use tyres if you do not know anything about the condition and age.■
Never drive with damaged tyres – risk of accident!
■
Immediately replace damaged wheel rims or tyres.
■
You must have your tyres replaced with new ones at the latest when the
wear indicators have been worn down.
■
Worn tyres impair necessary adhesion to the road surface, particularly at
high speeds on wet roads. This could lead to “aquaplaning” (uncontrolled ve- hicle movement – “swimming” on a wet road surface).
WARNINGObserve the following information regarding the tyre inflation pressure.■The tyre control display does not absolve the driver of the responsibility to
ensure the correct tyre inflation pressure. Check the tyre inflation pressure at
regular intervals.■
Insufficient or excessive inflation pressure impairs handling – risk of acci-
dent!
■
If the inflation pressure is too low, the tyre will have to overcome a higher
rolling resistance. This will cause a significant increase in the temperature of
the tyre, especially at higher speeds. This can result in tread separation and a
tyre blowout.
220General Maintenance

›Clip it onto the respective fuse and pry out.›Insert a new fuse.›
Return the clip to its original place.
›
Re-insert the cover of the fuse box .
Fuse assignment in the dash panel
No.Power consumer1Diagnostic socket, engine control unit, fuel pump relay, fuel pump
control unit2ABS control unit, ESC switch for tyre pressure warning, brake sensor, for START-STOP coil of the starter relay only3Switch and airbag control unit4WIV, tail lights, dimming mirrors, pressure sensor, telephone preinstal-lation5Control unit for headlight beam adjustment and headlight swivel, con-trol unit for parking aid, control unit for park assist6Instrument cluster, control unit for electromechanical power steering,
selector lever lock, power supply for data bus7Heated opening of the crankcase ventilation, air flow meter8Control unit for trailer detection9Relay for auxiliary heating and ventilation10Adaptive left main headlight11Adaptive right main headlight12Not assigned13Diagnostic socket, light switch, rain sensor, clock14Central locking system and bonnet lid15Central control unit - interior lights16The air conditioning system17Not assigned18Phone19Instrument cluster, wind-shield wiper lever and turn signal lever, the relay coil for heating wind-shield20KESSY21KESSY ELV22Air blower for Climatronic23Front power window, central locking of the front doorsNo.Power consumer24Selector lever lock25Rear window heater, relay for auxiliary heating and ventilation26Power socket in the boot27Fuel pump relay, control unit for fuel pump, injection valves28Electric boot lid29Haldex30Climate controlled front seats31DVD pre-installation32Front power window, central locking system of the rear doors33Electric sliding/tilting roof34Alarm, spare horn35front and rear lighter36Headlight cleaning system37Heated front seats38Heated rear seats39Rear window wiper40Fan air-conditioning system, relay for auxiliary heating and ventilation41Not assigned42Light switch43Control unit for trailer detection44Control unit for trailer detection45Control unit for trailer detection46Switch for seat heating47Telephone preinstallation48Preparation for the aftermarket radio49Only for START-STOP: Central control unit, DC-DC converter, the en-
gine control unit
245Fuses and light bulbs

Fuses in the engine compartmentFig. 199
Cover for the fuse box in the en-
gine compartment
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 244.
On some vehicles, the battery cover must be removed before removing the cover
for the fuse box » page 216.
Replacing fuses
›
The safety catch of the cover of the fuse box
A
» Fig. 199 Move the arrow.
The symbol
is displayed behind the catches.
›
Remove the cover.
›
Replace the appropriate fuse.
›
Replace the cover on the fuse box and the safety clip
A
move against the ar-
row.
The symbol
is displayed behind the catches.
The cover is locked into position.
CAUTION
The cover for the fuse box in the engine compartment must always be applied
correctly. If the cover is not replaced properly, water may get into the fuse box -
leading to a risk of vehicle damage!
Assignment of fuses in the engine compartmentFig. 200
Fuses: Type A / Type B
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings
on page 244.
Fuse assignment in the engine compartment - version A
No.Power consumer1Front right main headlight, right tail light2Valves for ABS3-4Not assigned5Horn6-12Not assigned13Control unit for automatic gearbox14Not assigned15Coolant pump16Not assigned17Instrument cluster, windscreen wiper lever, and turn signal lever18Audio amplifier (sound system)19Radio20-22Not assigned23Engine control unit24Data bus control unit25-26Not assigned27Fuel dosage valve 246Do-it-yourself

No.Power consumer28Engine control unit29Main relay30Auxiliary heating and ventilation control unit31Windscreen wipers32-37Not assigned38Radiator fan, valves39Clutch/brake pad sensor40Lambda probe41AKF valve42Lambda probe43Ignition44-46Not assigned47Front left main headlight, left tail light48Pump for ABS49Power supply for terminal 15 (ignition on)50-51Not assigned52Power supply relay - terminal X a)53Power to the internal fuse carrier54Not assigneda)
In order not to drain the battery unnecessarily when starting the engine, the electrical components
of this terminal are automatically switched off.
Fuse assignment in the engine compartment - version B
No.Power consumer1Not assigned2Control unit for automatic gearbox DSG3Measuring circuit4Valves for ABS5Control unit for automatic gearbox DSG6Not assigned7Power supply relay - terminal X a)8Radio9Not assignedNo.Power consumer10Engine control unit, Main relay11Auxiliary heating and ventilation control unit12Data bus control unit13Engine control unit14Ignition15Lambda probe (petrol engine), glow plug system relay and fuel pump
(diesel engine)16Front right main headlight, right tail light17Horn18Audio amplifier (sound system)19Windscreen wipers20Valve for metering fuel, coolant pump, high pressure pump21Lambda probe22Clutch pedal switch23Coil of the coolant pump relay valves, high-pressure pump24Radiator fan25Pump for ABS26Front left main headlight, left tail light27Control unit for glow plug system28Windscreen heater29Power to the internal fuse carrier30Power supply for terminal 15 (ignition on)a)
In order not to drain the battery unnecessarily when starting the engine, the electrical components
of this terminal are automatically switched off.
Bulbs
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Headlights
248
Replacing the low beam bulb
249
Replacing bulb for main beam and daytime running lights
249
247Fuses and light bulbs