2014 SKODA FABIA ECU

Change password›Enter a new password in the Configuration area in menu option WPA / WPA2key.
The password must be 8-17 characters without diacritics or special characters
(e.g. -, /, etc.).
Connection option without entering a password›
In the Configuration area set the value Open in the menu item Security .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, SmartGate must be reset to factory set-
tings in a specialized workshop.
102Operation

Under these severe conditions , the thickness of the brake pads must also be
checked by a specialist garage between services.
Wet roads or road salt
The performance of the brakes can be delayed as the brake discs and brake
pads may be moist or have a coating of ice or layer of salt on them in winter.
The brakes are cleaned and dried by applying the brakes several times »
.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on the brake pads occur if the vehicle has
been parked for a long period and if you do not make much use of the braking
system. The brakes are cleaned and dried by applying the brakes several times
»
.
Long or steep slopes
Before travelling a long distance with a steep gradient, reduce speed and shift
into the next lowest gear. As a result, the braking effect of the engine will be
used, reducing the load on the brakes. Any additional braking should be com-
pleted intermittently, not continuously.
Emergency brake display
If the brakes are applied in full and the control unit for the braking system con-
siders the situation to be dangerous for the following traffic, the brake light
flashes automatically.
After the speed was reduced below around 10 km/h or the vehicle was stop-
ped, the brake light stops flashing and the hazard warning light system
switches on. The hazard warning light system is switched off automatically af- ter accelerating or driving off again.
Fault in the brake system
If it is found that the braking distance has suddenly become longer and that
the brake pedal can be depressed further, there may be a fault in the brake
system.
Visit a specialist garage immediately and adjust your style of driving appropri-
ately as you will not know how great the damage is.
Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system.
The fluid level is monitored electronically » page 34,
 Brake system
.
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the pressure generated with the brake pedal. The
brake booster only operates when the engine is running.
WARNINGOnly apply the brakes for the purpose of drying and cleaning the brake
discs if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any other road users
in jeopardy.
Handbrake
Fig. 108
Handbrake
Read and observe and on page 107 first.
The handbrake is used when stopping and parking for securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
Apply
›
Pull the handbrake lever firmly upwards.
Undoing
›
Pull the handbrake lever up slightly while pushing in the locking button
» Fig. 108 .
›
Move the lever right down while pressing the lock button.
The handbrake warning light 
lights up when the handbrake is applied provi-
ded the ignition is on.
A warning signal sounds if the vehicle is inadvertently driven off with the
handbrake applied.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display. Release the handbrake!
RELEASE HANDBRAKE
The handbrake warning is activated if the vehicle is driven at a speed of more
than around 5 km/h for more than 3 seconds. 
108Driving

Hitch and trailer
Hitch
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Description
129
Adjusting the ready position
130
A correctly set ready position
130
Assembling the bar ball - first step
131
Assembling the bar ball - second step
131
Check proper fitting
132
Removing the bar ball - first step
132
Removing the bar ball - second step
133
Accessories
133
The maximum trailer drawbar load is 50 kg.
WARNING■
Check that the ball head is seated correctly and is secured in the mount-
ing recess before starting any journey.■
Do not use the ball head if it is not correctly inserted in the mounting re-
cess.
■
Do not use the towing equipment if it is damaged or incomplete.
■
Do not modify or adapt the towing equipment in any way.
■
Never release the ball head while the trailer is still coupled.
■
Keep the mounting recess of the towing equipment clean at all times.
Such dirt prevents the ball head from being attached securely.
CAUTION
■ Take care with the tow bar - there is a risk of damaging the paint on the
bumper.■
When the ball rod is removed, always place the cover onto the mounting re-
cess - there is a danger of soiling the mounting recess.
Note
■ Operation and maintenance of towing device » page 145.■Tow the vehicle by means of the detachable ball rod » page 179.DescriptionFig. 129
Carrier for the towing device / tow bar
Read and observe
and on page 129 first.
The ball head can be removed and is kept in the spare wheel well or in a com-
partment for the spare wheel in the luggage compartment.
Carrier for the towing device and ball rod » Fig. 129
Cover for the mounting recess
Mounting recess
Dust cap
Ball head
Operating lever
Lock cap
Release pin
Key
Locking ball
Note
If you lose the key, please get in touch with a specialist garage.123456789129Hitch and trailer

Assembling the bar ball - first stepFig. 133
Remove cap: on the rear bumper / for receiving shaft
Fig. 134
Insert ball rod / trigger bolt in the extended state
Read and observe
and on page 129 first.
Preliminary work
Before installing the tow bar the following work must be carried out.
›
Remove the cover cap
A
» Fig. 133 in the direction of arrow
1
using the on-
board tool clamp for pulling off the wheel trims » page 168.
›
Remove cover cap
B
in the direction of arrow
2
» .
The tow bar must be set to the standby position » page 130, A correctly set
ready position . If this is not in the standby position, then it must be set to the
standby position » page 130, Adjusting the ready position .
Fitting
›
Grip the tow bar from underneath » Fig. 134 and insert into the mounting re-
cess in arrow direction
3
until you hear it click into place » .
The operating lever C automatically turns upwards in the direction of arrow4 and the release pin D pops out (both its red and green parts are visible)
» .
If the operating lever
C
does not turn automatically, or if the release pin
D
does not pop out, remove the tow bar from the mounting recess by turning the
operating lever
C
downwards as far as it can go. Clean the contact surfaces
on the tow bar and the mounting recess.
WARNING■ Carefully remove the cap for the mounting recess B - there is a risk of
hand injury.■
Keep your hands outside the operating lever's range of motion when at-
taching the ball head – there is a risk of finger injury.
■
Never attempt to pull the operating lever upwards forcibly to turn the
key. Doing so would mean the ball head is not attached correctly.
CAUTION
Remove the cover A from the rear bumper with care - there is a risk of paint
damage to the bumper and the cap.
Note
Store the caps A and B » Fig. 133 in a suitable place in the luggage compart-
ment after removal.
Assembling the bar ball - second step
Fig. 135
Secure the lock and remove key / place cap on lock
Read and observe
and on page 129 first.
›
To begin with, perform the first step of the ball rod assembly » page 131.
131Hitch and trailer

›Turn the key A in the direction of arrow 1 so that the green marking points
upwards » Fig. 135.›
Remove the key in the direction of the arrow
2
.
›
Fit and press in the cap
B
on the hand-wheel lock in the direction of the ar-
row
3
» .
›
Check the ball head for secure mounting » page 132, Check proper fitting .
CAUTION
After removing the key, always replace the cover on the lock – risk of lock get-
ting dirty.
Check proper fitting
Fig. 136
Correctly secured ball head
Read and observe and on page 129 first.
Check that the ball head is fitted properly each time before use.
Correctly secured ball rod » Fig. 136
The ball head does not come out of the mounting recess even after heavy
“shaking”.
Operating lever
A
is located as far up as possible.
The release pin
B
is completely exposed (both its red and green parts are
visible).
The key is removed.
The cap
B
is on the hand-wheel.
WARNINGDo not use the towing equipment unless the ball head has been properly
locked - risk of accident.Removing the bar ball - first stepFig. 137
Remove the cap from the lock
Fig. 138
Insert the key into the lock / unlock the lock
Read and observe
and on page 129 first.
›
Remove the cover
A
from the lock in the direction of the arrow
1
» Fig. 137 .
›
Insert the key
B
into the lock in the direction of arrow
2
, so that its green
marker points upward » Fig. 138.
›
Turn the key in the direction of arrow
3
so that the red marking points up-
wards.
WARNINGNever remove the tow bar while the trailer is still coupled.
Note
We recommend that you put the protective cap on the ball before removing
the ball head.132Driving

Removing the bar ball - second stepFig. 139
Release tow bar
Read and observe and on page 129 first.
Removing
›
To begin with, perform the first step of the ball end assembly » page 132.
›
Grasp the ball head from underneath » Fig. 139 .
›
Push in the release bolt
A
in the direction of arrow
1
until it stops and si-
multaneously press the operating lever
B
in the direction of arrow
2
until it
stops.
The ball head is released in this position and falls freely into the hand. If it
does not fall freely into the hand, use your other hand to push it upwards.
At the same time, the ball head latches into the ready position and is thus
ready to be built-in »
.
Subsequent steps
After removing the tow bar the following work must be carried out.
›
Insert the cover
B
» Fig. 133 on page 131 in the opposite direction to arrow
2
.
›
Fix the cap
A
» Fig. 133 on page 131 aligning it with “check mark” in the low-
er bumper area.
›
Push the cap in first on the left and right and then at the top.
WARNINGNever allow the ball head to remain unsecured in the boot. This could
cause damage to the boot upon sudden braking, and could put the safety
of the occupants at risk.CAUTION■ If the operating lever B is held firm and not pushed downwards as far as it
can go, it will go back up after the ball head is removed and will not latch into
the ready position. The ball head then needs to be brought into this position
before the next time it is fitted » page 130, Adjusting the ready position .■
Place the tow bar in the standby position, with the key upwards, and store in
the box - otherwise there is a risk of damage to the key!
■
Do not use excessive force when handling the operating lever (e.g. do not
step on it).
Note
Clean any dirt from the ball head before stowing it away in the box with the
vehicle tool kit.
Accessories
Fig. 140
Depiction of the maximum per-
missible protrusion of the ball
head of the towing hitch and of
the permissible total weight of
the accessory including the load,
depending on the load centre of
gravity
Read and observe and on page 129 first.
An accessory can be mounted on the ball head of the towing device (such as a
bike carrier).
If this accessory is used, the maximum permissible protrusion of the towing
device ball head and the permissible gross vehicle weight of the accessory in-
cluding load is to be observed.
The maximum permissible protrusion for the ball head of the towing device is
70 cm » Fig. 140 .
The total allowable weight of the accessory including load, changes with in-
creasing distance of the center of gravity of the load from the ball head of the
towing device. 
133Hitch and trailer

Distance of the load center of gravityfrom the ball headPermissible total weight of the ac-cessories, including load0 cm50 kg30 cm50 kg60 cm25 kg70 cm0 kgWARNING■Never exceed the permissible gross weight of the accessory including
load - there is a risk of damaging the ball head of the towing device.■
Never exceed the permissible protrusion of the ball head including towing
device - there is a risk of damaging the ball head of the towing device.
Note
We recommend that you use the accessories from ŠKODA Original Accessories.
Trailer
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Trailer, connect and disconnect
134
Loading a trailer
135
Towing a trailer
135
Anti-theft alarm system
136
If your vehicle has already been factory-fitted with towing equipment or is fit-
ted with towing equipment from ŠKODA Original Accessories, then it meets all
of the technical requirements and national legal provisions for towing a trailer.
Note
If there is an error in the trailer lighting system, check the fuses in the fuse box
in the dashboard » page 183.Trailer, connect and disconnectFig. 141
13-pin socket, and safety eye
Coupling
›
Fit the ball rod.
›
Lift off protective cap
3
» Fig. 129 on page 129 upwards.
›
Place the trailer onto the ball head.
›
Insert the trailer cable into the 13-pin socket
A
» Fig. 141.
If the trailer that is to be towed has a 7-pin connector, you can make an elec-
trical connection using a suitable adapter from ŠKODA Original Accessories.
›
Hook the breakaway cable of the trailer to the security lock slot
B
.
The breakaway cable of the trailer has to sag when mounted into the security
lock slot for all trailer positions relative to the vehicle (sharp curves, reverse
driving and the like.)
Detaching
›
Unhook the breakaway cable of the trailer from the securing eyelet
B
» Fig. 141 .
›
Pull the trailer cable out of the 13-pin socket.
›
Remove the trailer from the ball head.
›
Place cap
3
onto the ball head » Fig. 129 on page 129 .
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. National legal
requirements must be observed.
Headlights
The front of the vehicle can be lifted when a trailer is being towed and the
headlights can dazzle other road users.
Adjust the headlight setting on the headlight range control » page 60, Operat-
ing the lights . 
134Driving

Power to the trailer power grid
For the electrical connection between the vehicle and trailer, the power for the
trailer power grid is supplied by the vehicle.
The power supply works with ignition on or off.WARNING■ Incorrect or improperly connected electrical installation can cause acci-
dents and serious injury due to electric shock.■
Work on the electrical system must only be carried out by specialist ga-
rages.
■
Never directly connect the trailer's electrical system with the electrical
connections for the tail lights or other current sources.
■
After coupling the trailer and connecting up the power socket, check the
rear lights on the trailer to ensure they work correctly.
■
The handbrake on the vehicle must be applied when coupling and uncou-
pling the trailer.
■
Never use the safety eyelet for towing!
CAUTION
Incorrect or improperly connected electrical installations may cause malfunc-
tion of the entire vehicle electronics.
Loading a trailer
The vehicle/trailer combination must be balanced, whereby the maximum per-
missible drawbar load must be utilised. If the drawbar load is too low, it jeop-
ardises 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 trailer axle as possible. Secure the items from slipping.
The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and the
trailer 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 162.
Towing capacity and trailer weight
The permissible trailer load must not be exceeded under any circumstances
» page 194 , Technical data .
The details given in the vehicle's technical documentation always take prece-
dence over the details in the Owner's Manual.
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 ability to climb.
Therefore, for every additional 1,000 m in height (or part), the maximum per-
missible towed weight must be reduced by 10 %.
The towed weight comprises 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
equipment are merely test data for the towing equipment. The vehicle-specific
values are detailed in the vehicle documents.WARNING■ Do not exceed the maximum permissible axle and drawbar load and
weight of the trailer - risk of accident and serious injuries!■
An unsecured load can adversely affect stability and driving safety signifi-
cantly - there is a risk of accident!
Towing a trailer
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
trailer is detected. Never attempt to stop the trailer from “swaying” by acceler-
ating.
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 pointer of the coolant temperature gauge reaches the red scale range,
the speed should be reduced immediately.
Stop and switch off the engine if the warning light  illuminates in the instru-
ment cluster display. 
135Hitch and trailer