2013 SKODA YETI tow

Green box on the tow bar
Tow ball
The tow bar can be removed and is kept in the spare wheel compartment or in a
compartment for the spare wheel in the boot » page 220, Vehicle tool kit .
Note
On the bottom of the key is a code number. If you lose a key, please contact a
specialist garage, who will be able to use this code number to provide you with a new one.
Setting the ready position
Fig. 127
Setting the ready position
Fig. 128
Ready position
1213First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 152.
Always set the ready position before fitting the tow bar.
›
Turn the key
A
in direction of the arrow
1
to the stop » Fig. 127.
›
Hold the tow bar with your left hand.
›
Using your right hand, pull the handwheel
B
in the direction of the arrow
2
and drag in the direction of the arrow
3
to the stop.
The handwheel remains locked in this position.
Correctly adjusted standby position » Fig. 128 .
The key
C
is in the unlocked position and cannot be removed.
The locking balls
D
can be pushed fully into the tow bar.
The red marking
E
on the handwheel is located in the green box on the tow
bar.
There is a clear gap of approx. 5 mm
F
between the handwheel and the tow
bar.
The tow bar is now ready to be inserted into the mounting recess.
WARNINGIf the tow bar cannot be correctly placed in the ready position, then it must
not be used.
CAUTION
When in the ready position, the key cannot be removed from the handwheel lock.
153Towing a trailer

Installing the ball rodFig. 129
Removing the cap on the rear bumper/inserting the tow bar
Fig. 130
Locking the lock and removing the the key/replacing the lock cap
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 152.
›
Grip the cap on the rear bumper
B
» Fig. 129 at the handle
A
, release in the
direction of the arrow
1
and remove in the direction of the arrow
2
.
›
Remove the cover for the mounting recess
4
» Fig. 126 on page 152 in a down-
wards direction.
›
Put the tow bar in the ready position » page 153.
›
Grip the tow bar from underneath » Fig. 129 and insert into the mounting recess
in arrow direction
3
until you hear it click into place » .
The handwheel
C
» Fig. 129 returns automatically and rests on the tow bar » .
›Lock the handwheel lock by turning the key D
» Fig. 130 to the left in the direc-
tion of the arrow 4 to the stop, and remove the key in the direction of the ar-
row 5
.
›
Put the cap
E
onto the handwheel lock in the direction of the arrow
6
» .
›
Check that the tow bar is securely attached » page 155.
WARNING■
When attaching the tow bar, do not hold the handwheel by hand - risk of
injuring fingers!■
When removing the cover for the mounting recess, watch out for your hand
coming into contact with the opening of the bumper - risk of injuring hand!
■
After fitting the tow bar, always secure the lock and remove the key.
■
The tow bar must not be operated with the key inserted.
■
If the tow bar is not in the ready position, it cannot be fitted in the mounting
recess.
CAUTION
■ When removing the cover on the rear bumper, please note that there is a risk of
paint damage to the bumper or cover.■
After removing the key, always replace the cover on the handwheel lock – risk
of lock getting dirty.
Note
Store the cover for the rear bumper and the cover for the mounting recess in a
suitable location in the boot after removal.
154Driving

Check proper fittingFig. 131
Check that the tow bar is attach-
ed properly
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 152.
Check that the tow bar is fitted properly before each use.
Check the following points. The tow bar does not come out of the mounting recess even after heavy
“shaking”.
The green marking
A
» Fig. 131 on the handwheel is located in the green box
on the tow bar.
The handwheel lies flush with the tow bar - there is no gap. The cover
B
is attached to the locked handwheel lock.
WARNINGDo not use the towing device unless the tow bar has been properly locked!

Removing the ball rodFig. 132
Removing the lock cover/releasing the lock
Fig. 133
Removing the two bar/placing the cover on the rear bumper
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 152.
›
Remover the cover
A
from the handwheel lock in the direction of the arrow
1
» Fig. 132 .
›
Insert the key into the handwheel lock.
›
Release the handwheel lock by turning the key
B
to the right in the direction
of the arrow
2
to the stop.
›
Grip the tow bar from below and with the other hand pull the handwheel
C
in
the direction of the arrow
3
» Fig. 133 .
›
Turn the handwheel in the direction of the arrow
4
to the stop , and hold in
this position.
›
Remove the tow bar from the mounting recess downwards and in the direction
of the arrow
5
. 
155Towing a trailer

At the same time, the tow bar latches into the ready position and is therefore
ready to be re-inserted into the mounting recess » .›
Attach the cover for the mounting recess
4
» Fig. 126 on page 152 » .
›
Grip the cover on the rear bumper
E
» Fig. 133 at the handle
D
and position in
the direction of the arrow
6
on the checkmark underneath the upper edge of
the bumper.
›
Push this cover onto the lower edge and onto the two sides in the direction of the arrow
7
.
WARNING■ Never allow the tow bar to remain unsecured in the boot. This could cause
damage on sudden braking, and could put the safety of the occupants at risk.■
Never remove the tow bar while the trailer is still coupled.
CAUTION
■ If the handwheel is not turned all the way to the stop, then it will return to its
initial position when the tow bar is removed, and will rest on the tow bar and not
engage into the ready position. The tow bar will then need to be brought into this position before the next time it is fitted.■
The mounting recess must be closed with the cover following removal. This pre-
vents foreign bodies from getting into the mounting recess.
■
Clean any dirt from the tow bar before stowing it away in the box with the vehi-
cle tool kit.
Note
We recommend putting the protective cover onto the ball head before removing
the tow bar.
Use and care
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 152.
Close the mounting recess with the cover to prevent any dirt from getting in.
Always check the tow bar before hitching a trailer. Apply suitable grease where
necessary.
Use the protective cover when stowing away the tow bar, in order to stop the boot from getting dirty.
In the event of dirt, clean the surfaces of the mounting recess and treat with a
suitable preservative.
CAUTION
Apply grease to the upper part of the mounting recess. Make sure you do not re-
move any grease.
Trailer
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Loading a trailer
156
Driving with a trailer
157
Trailer stabilisation (TSA)
158
Anti-theft alarm system
159WARNINGAlways drive particularly carefully with the trailer.

Loading a trailer
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 156.
The vehicle/trailer combination must be balanced, whereby the maximum permis-
sible drawbar load must be utilised. If the drawbar load is too low, it jeopardises
the performance of the vehicle/trailer combination.
Distribution of the load
Distribute the load in the trailer in such a way that heavy items are located as close to the axle as possible. Secure the items from slipping. 
156Driving

The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and the trail-
er is laden. Maintain a particularly low speed if you cannot avoid driving with this
combination.
Tyre pressure
Correct the tyre inflation pressure on your vehicle for a “full load” » page 213,
Service life of tyres .
Towing capacity and trailer weight
The permissible trailer load must not be exceeded under any circumstan- ces » page 244 , Technical data .
The trailer loads specified apply only to altitudes up to 1,000 metres above mean sea level.
The engine output falls as altitude increases, as does the vehicle's climbing pow- er. Therefore, for every additional 1000 m in height (or part), the maximum per-
missible towed weight must be reduced by 10%.
The towed weight is made up of the actual weights of the loaded towing vehicle
and the loaded trailer.
The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the towing device is merely a test value for the towing device. The vehicle-specific values are detailed in the vehicle documents.WARNING■ Do not exceed the maximum permissible axle and drawbar load and the
maximum permissible total or towed weight of the vehicle and the trailer –
risk of accident and serious injury.■
Slipping loads can significantly impair the stability and safety of the vehicle/
trailer combination – risk of accident and serious injury.

Driving with a trailerFig. 134
Swivel out the 13-pin power
socket
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 156.
Before the journey
›
Swing the 13-pin socket in the direction of arrow
A
» Fig. 134 .
›
Lift off protective cap
5
» Fig. 126 on page 152.
After the journey
›
Swivel the 13-pin power socket
A
» Fig. 134 back in in the opposite direction to
the arrow.
›
Place the protective cover
5
» Fig. 126 on page 152 onto the tow bar.
Safety eyelet
The purpose of the safety eyelet
B
» Fig. 134 is to attach the breakaway cable of
the trailer.
When attaching the breakaway cable to the safety eye, it must sag freely in all
trailer positions in relation to the vehicle (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. 
157Towing a trailer

Adjust the headlights using the headlight beam control » page 48, Headlight
beam control 1)
.
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. Wait a few minutes and check the level of coolant » page 205,
Checking the coolant level .
The following guidelines must be observed » page 16, 
Coolant .
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 236.
■
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 (TSA)
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 156.
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 trailer was shipped from the factory or purchased from the ŠKODA genu-
ine accessories range.
The ESC system is active (in the instrument cluster, the warning lights illumi-
nates 
or 
) » page 18 does not .
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. 
1)
Applies to vehicles with bi-xenon headlights.
158Driving

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.■
Trailers that sway slightly may not always be detected by the trailer stabilisa-
tion and are thus not stabilised accordingly.
■
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 156.
If 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 39 .
Conditions for including a trailer in the anti-theft alarm system. The vehicle is factory-fitted with an anti-theft alarm system and towing de-
vice.
The trailer is electrically connected to the towing vehicle via the trailer sock-
et.
The electrical system of the vehicle and trailer is functional.
The vehicle is locked with the vehicle key and the anti-theft alarm system is
activated.
Note
For technical reasons, trailers with rear LED lights cannot be connected to the an-
ti-theft alarm system.
159Towing a trailer

Seat belts
Using seat belts
Introduction
Fig. 136
Driver wearing seat belt
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
The physical principle of a head-on collision
165
Fastening and unfastening seat belts
166
Belt height adjustment on the front seats
167
Seat belt for the rear middle seat
167
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. 136 .
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 177 .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 166, Fastening and
unfastening seat belts .
■
Maximum seat belt protection is only achieved if you are correctly seat-
ed » page 161 , 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.
WARNINGInformation on the correct routing of the 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.
WARNINGInformation on dealing with the safety 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. 
164Safety