2014 SKODA FABIA inspec

■Never remove snow or ice from glass parts using warm or hot water – there
is a risk of cracking in glass.■
Make sure that when removing snow and ice from the windows, the labels
attached to the vehicle by the factory are not damaged.
CAUTION
Information for cleaning windows■Do not clean the inside of the windows with sharp-edged objects or corro-
sive and acidic cleaning agents – there is a risk of damaging the heating ele-
ments or window aerial.■
When drying the windows after washing the vehicle, do not use window
leathers that have been used to polish the bodywork. Residues of preserva-
tives in the chamois leather can smear the windows and reduce visibility.
Headlight glasses
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
Clean the plastic headlight lenses with clean, warm water and soap.
CAUTION
■The headlights are never to be wiped dry - there is a risk of damaging the
protective lacquer and the headlight glass subsequently developing cracks.■
Do not use sharp objects to clean the glasses - there is a risk of damaging
the protective lacquer and the headlight glasses subsequently developing
cracks.
■
Do not use any aggressive cleaning or chemical solvent products to clean the
headlights – risk of damaging the headlight lenses.
Door closing cylinder
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
Specific products must be used for de-icing door lock cylinders.
CAUTION
Make sure that as little water as possible gets into the locking cylinder when
washing the vehicle - there is a risk of freezing the lock cylinder!Cavity protection
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
All the cavities of your vehicle which are at risk from corrosion are protected
for life by a layer of protective wax applied in the factory.
Wax protection does not require to be inspected or re-treated.
If any small amount of wax flow out of the cavities at high temperatures, these
must be removed with a plastic scraper and the stains cleaned using a petrole-
um cleaner.
WARNINGSafety regulations should be observed when using petroleum cleaner to re-
move wax – there is a risk of fire.
Jack
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
The jack is maintenance-free.
If necessary, the moving parts of the jack should be lubricated with a suitable
lubricant.
Wheels
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
Wheel rims
Also thoroughly wash the wheel rims when washing the vehicle on a regular
basis.
Regularly remove salt and brake dust otherwise the rim material will be at-
tacked.
Light alloy wheels
After washing thoroughly and treat the wheel rims with a protective product
for light alloy wheels.
For the treatment of wheel rims do not use products which may cause damage
to the paint on the rims. 
144General Maintenance

CAUTION■Damage to the paint layer on the wheel rims must be touched up immediate-
ly.■
Severe layers of dirt on the wheels can also result in wheel imbalance. This
may show itself in the form of a wheel vibration which is transmitted to the
steering wheel which, in certain circumstances, can cause premature wear of
the steering. This means it is necessary to remove the dirt.
Towing device and mounting recess
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
Close the mounting recess with the cap to prevent any ingress of dirt.
In the event of dirt, clean the inner surfaces of the mounting recess and treat
with a suitable preservative.
Before hitching a trailer check the ball head and apply a suitable grease where
necessary.
Fit the protective cap when stowing away the ball head to protect the luggage
compartment against dirt.
CAUTION
Apply grease to the inner part of the mounting recess. Make sure you do not
remove any grease.
Under-body protection
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
The underside of your vehicle is already permanently protected by the factory
against chemical and mechanical influences.
Damage to the protective coating cannot be excluded when the vehicle is
driven.
We recommend that you have the protective coating under the body and on
the chassis inspected - preferably before the beginning and at the end of the
cold season.
WARNINGNever use additional underbody protection or anti-corrosion agents for ex-
haust pipes, catalytic converters, diesel particle filters or heat shields.
These substances could ignite when the engine reaches its operating tem-
perature - there is a risk of fire.
Wiper blades
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
Clean the wiper blades regularly with a glass cleaner. The wiper blades should
be cleaned with a sponge or cloth if they are heavily soiled by insect residues,
for example.
The wiper blades can become soiled with wax residues after washing in auto-
matic vehicle wash systems for example » page 141.
Interior care
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Natural leather
146
Artificial leather, materials and Alcantara ®
146
Seat covers
147
Safety belts
147
We recommend using care products from ŠKODA Original Accessories that are
available from ŠKODA Partners. The instructions for use on the package must
be observed.
WARNING■ Care products may be harmful to your health if not used according to the
instructions.■
Always keep the automobile care products safe from people who are not
completely independent, e.g. children - there is a danger of poisoning!
■
Air fresheners and scents can be hazardous to heath when the tempera-
ture inside the vehicle is high. 
145Care and maintenance

Inspecting and replenishing
Fuel
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Refuelling
148
Lead-free petrol
149
Diesel fuel
150
The correct fuel grades for your vehicle are specified on the inside of the fuel
filler flap » Fig. 143 on page 148 .
CAUTION
■
Never drive until the fuel tank is completely empty! The irregular supply of
fuel can cause misfiring, which can result in damage to parts of the engine and
the exhaust system.■
Immediately remove any fuel that has spilled onto the vehicle's paintwork –
there is a risk of paint damage.
■
If the vehicle was not purchased in the country in which it was intended to
be operated, you should check whether the fuel specified by the manufacturer
is offered in the country where the vehicle will be operated. You should also
perhaps check whether the manufacturer has recommended a different fuel
for operation of the vehicle in the country concerned. If no prescribed fuel is
available, then you must check whether it is permitted by the manufacturer to
operate the vehicle with another fuel type.
RefuellingFig. 143
Open fuel filler flap / unscrew tank cap / place the tank cap on
the fuel filler flap
Read and observe
on page 148 first.
Refuelling can be done if the following conditions are met. The vehicle is unlocked.
The engine and the ignition are switched off.
›
Press on the fuel filler flap in the direction of the arrow
1
accordingly
» Fig. 143 .
›
Open the cover in the direction of the arrow
2
.
›
Unscrew the tank cap in the direction of the arrow
3
.
›
Remove the tank cap and place on top of the fuel filler flap in direction of ar-
row
4
.
›
Insert the pump nozzle into the fuel filler tube as far as it will go » .
The fuel tank is full just as soon as the pump nozzle switches off for the first
time »
.
›
Remove the pump nozzle from the fuel filler neck and put it back in the
pump.
›
Screw in the tank cap in the opposite direction of the arrow
3
until it audibly
clicks into place.
›
Close the fuel filler flap until it clicks into place.
Check that the fuel filler flap is closed properly.
WARNING■ Do not smoke when refuelling and do not use a mobile phone.■The fuel and fuel vapours are explosive - risk to life!■
Observe the local regulations regarding fuel handling. 
148General Maintenance

WARNINGInstructions for filling the reserve canister■Never fill the reserve can inside the vehicle.■
Never place the reserve can on the vehicle.
■
Always place the reserve can on the floor.
■
The national legal requirements must be observed if carrying a spare can-
ister in the vehicle.
■
We do not recommend carrying any fuel canisters in your vehicle for safe-
ty reasons. In the event of an accident this could be damaged and fuel
could escape – there is a risk of fire.
CAUTION
■ The fuel tank is full just as soon as the pump nozzle switches off for the first
time, provided the nozzle has been operated properly. Do not continue refuel-
ling.■
Be careful when filling diesel fuel from the spare canister and then do this
slowly and cautiously – danger of contaminating the body.
Note
The fuel tank has a capacity of about 45 litres, including a reserve of approx.
7 litres .
Lead-free petrol
Read and observe
on page 148 first.
The vehicle can only be operated with unleaded petrol in compliance with the
EN 228 1)
standard.
All petrol engines can be operated using petrol with a maximum of 10% bioe-
thanol (E10).
Specified fuel - unleaded petrol 95/91 or 92 or 93 RON
Use unleaded fuel with an octane rating of 95 RON. Unleaded petrol with the
octane ratings 91, 92 and/or 93 RON can also be used, but may result in a
slight loss in performance and slightly increased fuel consumption »
.
Prescribed fuel - unleaded petrol min. 95 RON
Use unleaded fuel with an octane rating of 95 RON or higher.
If unleaded gasoline is not available with the octane number 95 RON, in an
emergency petrol with the octane rating of 91, 92 and/or 93 RON can be used
to fill the tank, but this leads to a slight loss of performance and a slightly in-
creased fuel consumption »
.
Fuel additives
Unleaded petrol complying with EN 228 1)
meets all the conditions for a
smooth-running engine. We therefore recommend that no fuel additives are
used. This can result in considerable damage to parts of the engine or the ex-
haust system.
CAUTION
■ Even one filling of the tank with petrol that does not meet the standards can
lead to serious damage to parts of the exhaust system!■
If a fuel other than unleaded fuel which complies to the above mentioned
standards (e.g. leaded petrol) is used by mistake, do not start the engine or
switch on the ignition! Engine parts could be significantly damaged.
CAUTION
■ If, in an emergency, the vehicle has to be refuelled with petrol of a lower oc-
tane number than the one prescribed, the journey must only be continued at
medium engine speeds and a low engine load. Driving at high engine revs or a
high engine load can severely damage the engine! Refuel using petrol of the
prescribed octane number as soon as possible.■
Engine parts can be damaged if petrol with a lower octane number than the
one prescribed is used.
■
Even in the event of an emergency, petrol of a lower octane number than 91
RON must not be used, otherwise the engine can be severely damaged!
CAUTION
Under no circumstances may fuel additives with metal components be used,
and especially not those with manganese and iron content. Risk of consider-
able damage to parts of the engine or exhaust system!
CAUTION
Do not use fuels with metal components, such as LRP (lead replacement
petrol) may be used. Risk of considerable damage to parts of the engine or
exhaust system! 1)
In Germany also DIN 51626-1 or E10 for unleaded petrol with octane rating 95 or 91 or DIN 51626-2 or E5
for unleaded petrol with octane rating 95.
149Inspecting and replenishing

WARNINGWhen working in the engine compartment, injuries, scalding, accident or
fire hazards may arise. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the
warning instructions stated below and with the generally applicable rules
of safety. The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area.WARNINGInstructions before beginning work in the engine compartment■Turn off the engine and remove the ignition key.■
Firmly apply the handbrake.
■
For vehicles with manual transmission the lever into the neutral position.
■
On vehicles with automatic transmission, shift the selector lever into the
P position.
■
Allow the engine to cool.
■
Never open the bonnet if you can see steam or coolant flowing out of the
engine compartment – there is a risk of scalding. Wait until the steam or
coolant has stopped escaping.
WARNINGInformation for working in the engine room■Keep all people, especially children, away from the engine compartment.■
Never touch the radiator fan while the engine is still warm. The fan might
suddenly start running!
■
Do not touch any hot engine parts – there is a risk of burns.
WARNINGInformation for working in the engine compartment with the engine run-
ning■
Pay particular attention to moving engine parts, e.g. V-ribbed belt, gener-
ator, radiator fan - danger to life!
■
Never touch the electric wiring on the ignition system.
■
Avoid short circuits in the electrical system - particularly on the vehicle's
battery.
■
Always make sure that no jewellery, loose clothing or long hair can get
caught in rotating engine parts – there is a risk of death. Always remove
any jewellery, tie back long hair and wear tight fitting clothing before com-
pleting any work.
WARNINGInformation for working on the fuel system or the electrical system■Always disconnect the vehicle battery from the electrical system.■
Do not smoke.
■
Never work near open flames.
■
Always have a functioning fire extinguisher nearby.
WARNING■ Read the information and warning instructions on the fluid containers.■Keep the working fluids in sealed original containers and safe from peo-
ple who are not completely independent, e.g. children.■
Never spill operating fluids over the hot engine - risk of fire.
■
If you wish to work under the vehicle, you must secure the vehicle against
rolling away and support it with suitable axle stands: the car jack is not suf-
ficient for this – there is a risk of injury.
CAUTION
Always top up using the correct specification of fluids. This may result in major
operating problems and also vehicle damage!
For the sake of the environment
In view of the requirements for the environmentally friendly disposal of fluids and the special tools and knowledge required for such work, we recommend
that fluids be changed by a specialist garage.
Note
■ If there is anything you are not sure about concerning fluids, please consult a
specialist garage.■
Fluids with the proper specifications can be purchased from the ŠKODA Origi-
nal Accessories or from the ŠKODA Genuine Parts ranges.
151Inspecting and replenishing

Opening and closing the bonnetFig. 144
Opening the bonnet
Read and observe
and on page 151 first.
Open flap
›
Open the front door.
›
Pull the release lever under the dash panel in the direction of the arrow
1
» Fig. 144 .
Before opening the bonnet, ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers
are correctly in place against the windscreen, otherwise the paintwork on the
flap could be damaged.
›
Push the release lever in the direction of arrow
2
.
The bonnet is then unlocked.
›
Grasp the bonnet catch and lift in the direction of arrow
3
.
›
Remove the lid prop in the direction of arrow
4
from the holder.
›
Secure the open flap inserting the end of the post into the opening in the di-
rection of arrow
5
.
Close the flap
›
Lift the bonnet.
›
Decouple the bonnet support and press into the holder designed to hold it.
›
Let the bonnet drop into the lock carrier lock from a height of around 20 cm –
do not push it in .
WARNING■
Check that the bonnet is closed properly.■If you notice that the lock is not properly engaged while driving, stop the
vehicle immediately and close the bonnet – there is the risk of an accident.■
Make sure that when closing the boot lid, no body parts are crushed -
there is danger of injury!
CAUTION
Never open the bonnet by the locking lever » Fig. 144.
Engine compartment overview
Fig. 145
Principle sketch: Engine compartment
Read and observe
and on page 151 first.
Arrangement in the engine compartment » Fig. 145
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir
153
Coolant expansion tank
156
Engine oil dipstick
154
Oil filler opening
155
Brake fluid reservoir
157
Battery (below a cover)
157
Note
The location of the inspection points in the engine compartment of petrol and
diesel engines is practically identical.ABCDEF152General Maintenance

Radiator fanRead and observe
and on page 151 first.
The radiator fan is powered by an electric motor. Operation is controlled ac-
cording to the temperature of the coolant.
WARNINGThe fan can intermittently continue to run for approximately 10 minutes af-
ter the ignition is switched off.
Windscreen washer system
Fig. 146
Windscreen washer fluid reser-
voir
Read and observe and on page 151 first.
The windscreen washer fluid reservoir
A
is located in the engine compart-
ment » Fig. 146 .
The cleaning fluid is provided for the cleaning of the front and rear window as
well as the headlight.
The capacity of the reservoir is about 3.5 litres or about 5.4 litres on vehicles
that have a headlight cleaning system 1)
.
Clear water is not sufficient to intensively clean the windscreen and head-
lights. We recommend using clean washing water together with the screen
cleaner from the range of ŠKODA Original Accessories (in winter additionally
with antifreeze) which is capable of removing stubborn dirt.
The washing water should always be mixed with antifreeze in winter even if
the vehicle has heated windscreen washer nozzles.
Under exceptional circumstances, methylated spirits can also be used if no
screen cleaner with antifreeze is available. The concentration of methylated
spirits must not be more than 15 %. The freeze protection at this concentration
is sufficient only to -5 °C.
CAUTION
■ Under no circumstances must radiator antifreeze or other additives be added
to the windscreen washer fluid.■
If the vehicle is fitted with a headlight cleaning system, only cleaning prod-
ucts which do not attack the polycarbonate coating of the headlights must be
added to the windscreen washer fluid.
■
Do not remove the filter from the windscreen washer fluid reservoir when re-
plenishing it with liquid otherwise the liquid transportation system can be con-
taminated, which can cause the windscreen washer system to malfunction.
Engine oil
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Specification
154
Checking the oil level
154
Replenishing
155
The engine has been factory-filled with a high-grade oil that can be use
throughout the year - except in extreme climate zones.
Engine oils are the subject of continuous further development. Thus the infor-
mation stated in this Owner's Manual is only correct at the time of publication.
ŠKODA Service Partners are informed about the latest changes by the manu-
facturer. We therefore recommend that you have the oil changed by a ŠKODA
Service Partner.
The specifications (VW standards) stated in the following can be indicated sep-
arately or together with other specifications on the bottle.
The engine oil should be changed after specified service intervals » page 48.
1)
In some countries, 5.4 ltr. applies for both variants.
153Inspecting and replenishing

CAUTION■The oil level must never be above the range A » Fig. 147 - risk of damage to
the motor as well as the exhaust system!■
If for some reason, it is not possible to top up the engine oil under the cur-
rent circumstances, 
do not continue driving! Switch off the engine and seek
assistance from a specialist garage.
■
If the oil level is above the range
A
, 
do not continue to drive! Switch off
the engine and seek assistance from a specialist garage.
Replenishing
Read and observe
and on page 154 first.
›
Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening » Fig. 145 on page 152 .
›
Replenish the oil in portions of 0.5 litres in accordance with the correct speci-
fications » page 154 .
›
Check the oil level » page 154.
›
Screw the lid of the engine oil filler closed carefully.
›
Pull the dipstick out as far as the stop.
Coolant
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Checking the coolant level
156
Replenishing
156
The coolant provides cooling for the motor.
It consists of water and coolant additive with additives that protect the cooling
system against corrosion and prevents furring.
The coolant additive level in the coolant must amount to at least 40%.
The coolant additive may be increased to a maximum of 60%.
The correct mixing ratio of water and coolant additive is to be checked if nec-
essary by a specialist garage or is to be restored if necessary.
The description of the coolant is shown in the coolant expansion reservoir
» Fig. 148 on page 156 .
WARNINGThe engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area. While working in
the engine compartment, be sure to observe the following warnings
» page 150 .■
The coolant is harmful to health.
■
Avoid contact with the coolant.
■
Coolant vapours are harmful to health.
■
Never open the end cover of the coolant expansion reservoir while the
engine is still warm. The cooling system is pressurized!
■
When opening the end cover of the coolant expansion reservoir, cover it
with a cloth to protect your face, hands and arms from hot steam or hot
coolant.
■
If any coolant splashes into your eyes, immediately rinse out your eyes
with clear water and contact a doctor as soon as possible.
■
Always keep the coolant in the original container safe from people who
are not completely independent, especially children - there is a danger of
poisoning!
■
Consult a doctor immediately if coolant is swallowed.
■
Never spill operating fluids over the hot engine - risk of fire.
CAUTION
■  Do not continue if for some reason it is not possible to fill with coolant un-
der the current circumstances! Switch off the engine and seek assistance from
a specialist garage.■
With an empty expansion tank top up coolant. The system could ventilate -
there is a risk of engine damage, 
not continue! Switch off the engine and
seek assistance from a specialist garage.
■
The amount of coolant additive in the coolant must never be allowed to fall
below 40 %.
■
Over 60 % coolant additive in the coolant reduces the antifreeze protection
and coolant effectiveness.
■
A coolant additive that does not comply with the correct specification can
significantly reduce the corrosion protection of the cooling system.
■
Any faults resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of coolant and can con-
sequently result in major engine damage!
■
Do not fill the coolant above the mark
A
» Fig. 148 on page 156 .
■
If an error occurs, leading to the engine overheating, the help of a professio-
nal garage is to be sought - there is a risk of serious engine damage occurring.
■
Additional headlights and other attached components in front of the air inlet
impair the cooling efficiency of the coolant.
■
Never cover the radiator - there is a risk of the engine overheating.
155Inspecting and replenishing