2013 SKODA YETI Owner's Manual

If the coolant level in the coolant expansion tank is too low, this is indicated by
the warning light  lighting up in the instrument cluster » page 16,  Coolant .
We still recommend inspecting the coolant level directly at the reservoir from
time to time.
Loss of coolant
A loss of coolant is first and foremost an indication of a leak in the system. Do
not merely top up the coolant. Have the cooling system checked by a specialist
garage.
Replenishing
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 204.
Only top up with new coolant.
›
Switch off the engine.
›
Allow the engine to cool.
›
Place a cloth over the cap of the coolant expansion tank and unscrew the cap carefully .
›
Replenish the coolant.
›
Turn the cap until it clicks into place.
Do not use an alternative additive if the specified coolant is not available in an emergency. In this case, use just water and have the correct mixing ratio of waterand coolant additive restored by a specialist garage as soon as possible.

Brake fluid
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Checking the brake fluid level
206
Changing
207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 199.■
If the fluid level has dropped below the MIN marking » Fig. 162 on page 206,
 do not continue your journey - risk of accident! Seek help from a specialist
garage.
■
Do not use used brake fluid - the function of the brake system may be im-
paired – risk of accident!
CAUTION
Brake fluid damages the paintwork of the vehicle.
Note
■ The brake fluid is changed as part of a compulsory inspection service.■We recommend using oils from the ŠKODA Original Accessories range.

Checking the brake fluid level
Fig. 162
Engine compartment: Brake fluid
reservoir
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 206.
The brake fluid reservoir is located in the engine compartment » Fig. 162.
›
Switch off the engine.
›
Open the bonnet.
›
Check the level of brake fluid in the reservoir » Fig. 162.
The level must be between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings. 
206General Maintenance

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 206.
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
208
Checking the battery electrolyte level
209
Charging
209
Replacing
210
Disconnecting and reconnecting
210
Automatic load deactivation
210Warning symbols on the vehicle batterySymbolImportance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. The general applicable
safety rules and the following warnings must be observed without exception.■
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! 
207Inspecting 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. 163
Engine compartment: Polyester cover of the vehicle battery/plastic
cover of the vehicle battery
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 207.
The battery is located in the engine compartment in a polyester cover or in a plas-
tic cover » Fig. 163 . 
208General Maintenance

›Open the battery cover in the direction of the arrow 1 or press the interlock on
the side of the battery cover in the direction of the arrow 2 » Fig. 163 , fold the
cover up and remove.
The battery cover is installed in reverse order.
The edge of the polyester battery cover is inserted between the battery and theside wall of the battery cover when working on the battery.

Checking the battery electrolyte level
Fig. 164
Vehicle battery: Electrolyte level
indicator
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 207.
On vehicles with a vehicle battery fitted with a colour indicator » Fig. 164 , 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 carefullyknock 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 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.
CAUTION
For 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 207.
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 thedevice.
›
After charging has been successful: Switch off the charger and remove the
mains 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. 
209Inspecting and replenishing

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.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 228, 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 207.
The new vehicle battery must have the same capacity, voltage, current and the
same size as the original Battery. 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 207.
On disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery, the following functions
are initially deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free.
OperationOperating measureElectrical power window (operational faults)» page 44Panoramic sliding roof (operational faults)» page 234Enter 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 207.
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. 
210General Maintenance

NoteDriving comfort is not impaired by consumers being deactivated. The driver is of-
ten not aware of it having taken place.
211Inspecting and replenishing

Wheels
Tyres and wheel rims
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Service life of tyres
213
New tyres
214
Unidirectional tyres
215
Tyre pressure monitor
215
Spare wheel
216
Full wheel trim
217
Wheel bolts
217
Wheel bolts
217WARNINGThe national legal regulations must be observed for the use of tyres.WARNINGInstructions for the use of tyres■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 fitted
tyres – risk of accident!
■
Never exceed the maximum permissible speed for fitted tyres – risk of acci-
dent!
■
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front or rear impairs handling – risk of acci-
dent!
WARNING (Continued)■ 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!
WARNINGInformation regarding tyre damage or 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).
WARNINGInformation on tyre 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. 
212General Maintenance

WARNINGInformation on the wheel bolts■The wheel bolts must be clean and must turn easily. Never treat them with
grease or oil.■
The prescribed tightening torque of the wheel bolts for steel and light alloy
wheels is 120 Nm.
■
If the wheel bolts are tightened to a too low tightening torque, the rim can
come loose when the car is moving – risk of accident! A tightening torque
which is too high can damage the bolts and threads and this can result in per-
manent deformation of the contact surfaces on the rim.
■
In case of incorrect treatment of the wheel bolts, the wheel can loosen
when the car is moving – risk of accident!
WARNINGInformation on the spare wheel■Only use the spare wheel while absolutely necessary.■
Never drive with more than one spare wheel mounted.
■
The snow chains cannot be used on the spare wheel.
CAUTION
■ If a spare wheel is used that is not identical to the fitted tyres, the following
must be observed » page 216, Spare wheel .■
Protect the tyres from contact with oil, grease and fuel.
■
Replace lost valve caps.
■
If, in the event of a puncture, it is necessary to fit a spare wheel with a tyre
without a dedicated running direction or with the opposite direction of rotation, drive carefully as the optimal characteristics of the tyre are no longer applicable in
this situation.
For the sake of the environment
Tyres that are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption.
Note
■ We recommend that any work on the wheels or tyres be carried out by a spe-
cialist garage.■
We recommend that you use wheel rims, tyres, full wheel trims and snow chains
from ŠKODA Original Accessories.

Service life of tyresFig. 165
Principle sketch: Tyre tread with wear indicators/open fuel filler
flap with a table detailing the tyre sizes and tyre inflation pressures
Fig. 166
Replacing wheels
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 212.
The service life of tyres depends on the inflation pressure, driving style and other
circumstances. Following the advice below can extend the service life of your
tyres.
Tyre pressure
Check the tyre pressure, including that of the spare wheel, at least once a month and also before setting off on a long journey.
The tyre pressures for tyres are shown on the inside of the fuel filler
flap » Fig. 165 –
.
The tyre pressure for the spare wheel should correspond to the highest pressure
specified for your vehicle. 
213Wheels