2014 SKODA OCTAVIA maintenance

Washing by handRead and observe
and on page 180 first.
Soak the dirt with plenty of water and rinse as well as possible.
Clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, a washing glove or a washing brush.
Work from the top to the bottom – starting with the roof.
For stubborn dirt, agents specifically intended for this purpose are to be used. Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.
Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts last. Use a second sponge for such areas.
Give the vehicle a good rinse after washing it and dry it off using a chamois
leather.
WARNINGProtect your hands and arms from sharp-edged metal parts when cleaning
the underfloor or the inside of the wheel housings or the wheel trims – risk
of cuts!
CAUTION
■ Only apply slight pressure when cleaning the vehicle's paintwork.■Do not wash your vehicle in bright sunlight – risk of paint damage.
Automatic car wash systems
Read and observe
and on page 180 first.
The usual precautionary measures must be taken before washing the vehicle
in an automatic car wash system (e.g. closing the windows and the sliding/tilt-
ing roof etc.).
If your vehicle is fitted with any particular attached parts, such as a spoiler,
roof rack system, two-way radio aerial etc., it is best to consult the operator of
the car wash system beforehand.
After an automatic wash with wax treatment, the lips of the wipers should be
cleaned with cleaning agents specially designed for the purpose, and then de-
greased.
CAUTIONFold in the exterior mirrors to prevent damage before washing the vehicle in
an automatic car wash system. Never manually fold in electric exterior mirrors -
always use the electric controls.
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
Read and observe
and on page 180 first.
When washing the vehicle with a high-pressure cleaner, the instructions for
use of the equipment must be observed. This applies in particular to the pres-
sure used and to the spraying distance .
Maintain a sufficiently large distance to the parking aid sensors and soft mate-
rials such as rubber hoses or insulation material.
CAUTION
■ If washing the vehicle in the winter using a hose or high-pressure cleaner,
ensure that the jet of water is not aimed directly at the locking cylinders or the
door/panel joints – risk of freezing!■
To avoid damaging the parking aid sensors while cleaning with high-pressure
cleaners or steam jets, the sensors must only be directly sprayed for short pe-
riods while a minimum distance of 10 cm must be observed.
Note
See also Washing cars with decorative films using a high-pressure clean-
er » page 183 .
Cleaning vehicle exterior

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Vehicle paint work
182
Plastic parts
182
Rubber seals
183
Chrome parts
183
Decorative films
183
Windows and external mirrors
183
Headlight glasses
184
Camera lens
184

181Care and maintenance

Door closing cylinder184Cavity protection184
Jack
184
Wheels
185
Towing hitch and mounting recess
185
Under-body protection
185
Wiper blades
185
We recommend using vehicle care products from ŠKODA Original Accessories.
These are available from ŠKODA Partners. The usage instructions on the pack-
age must be observed.
WARNING■ Vehicle care products may be harmful to your health if not used according
to the instructions.■
Always keep the vehicle care products safe from people who are not com-
pletely independent, e.g. children - there is a danger of poisoning!
■
Protect your hands and arms from sharp-edged metal parts when clean-
ing the underfloor, the inside of the wheel housings or the wheel trims –
risk of cuts!
CAUTION
■ Do not use any insect sponges, rough kitchen sponges or similar cleaning
products – risk of damaging the paintwork surface.■
Cleaner that contain solvents can damage the material being cleaned.
For the sake of the environment
Used vehicle care product cans represent hazardous waste that is harmful to the environment. These must be disposed of in accordance with national legal
regulations.
Note
Due to the special tools and knowledge required, and to avoid any potential
problems with the cleaning and care of your vehicle's exterior, we recommend
that the cleaning and care of your vehicle be carried out by a ŠKODA Service
Partner.Vehicle paint work
Read and observe
and on page 182 first.
Preserving the vehicle paintwork
Thorough wax treatment is an effective way of protecting the paintwork from
harmful environmental influences.
The vehicle must be treated with a high-quality hard wax polish at the latest,
when no more drops form on the clean paintwork.
A new layer of a high-quality hard wax polish can be applied to the clean body- work after it has dried thoroughly.
Even if you use a wax preserver regularly we still recommend that you treat
the paintwork of the vehicle at least twice a year with hard wax.
Polishing
Polishing is necessary if the vehicle's paintwork has become unattractive and
if it is no longer possible to achieve a gloss with wax preservatives.
If the polish does not contain any preserving elements, the paint must be trea- ted with a preservative afterwards.
CAUTION
■ Paint damage is to be repaired immediately.■Never apply wax to the windows.■
Mat painted or plastic parts must not be treated with polishing products or
hard waxes.
■
Do not polish the paintwork in a dusty environment - risk of paint scratches.
■
Do not apply any paint care products to door seals or window guides.
■
If possible, do not apply any paint care products to parts of the bodywork
that come into contact with door seals or window guides.
Plastic parts
Read and observe
and on page 182 first.
Clean plastic parts with a damp cloth.
If this method does not completely clean the plastic parts, use cleaning prod-
ucts specially designed for this purpose.
CAUTION
Do not use paint care products on plastic parts.182General Maintenance

Rubber sealsRead and observe
and on page 182 first.
All door seals and window guides are factory-treated with a colourless matt
varnish layer to prevent the freezing of painted body parts and to protect
against driving noise.
CAUTION
■ Do not treat the door seals and window guides with any products.■Applying additional treatments to the seals can corrode the protective coat-
ing, and driving noise may occur.
Chrome parts
Read and observe
and on page 182 first.
First clean the chrome parts with a damp cloth and then polish them with a
soft, dry cloth.
If this method does not completely clean chrome parts, use a specific chrome
care product.
CAUTION
Do not polish the chrome parts in a dusty environment - risk of surface
scratches.
Decorative films
Read and observe
and on page 182 first.
Wash the films with a mild soap solution and clean, warm water.
The following instructions must be followed when washing the vehicle with a high-pressure cleaner:
› The minimum distance between the nozzle and the vehicle body should be
50 cm.
› Keep jet perpendicular to the film surface.
› The maximum water temperature is 50 °C.
› The maximum water pressure is 80 bar.
CAUTION■
Never use aggressive cleaning agents or chemical solvents for the glued sur-
faces with films - there is a danger of film damage.■
In the winter months, do not use an ice scraper to remove ice and snow from
the areas with films. Do not use any other objects to remove frozen layers of
snow or ice – risk of film damage.
Windows and external mirrors
Fig. 179
Fuel filler flap: Remove ice scra-
per
Read and observe and on page 182 first.
Removing snow and ice
Use a plastic ice scraper for removing snow and ice from the windows and mir-
rors.
The ice scraper can be found on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
›
Open the fuel filler flap.
›
Slide out the ice scraper in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 179.
Cleaning windows
Regularly clean windows from the inside with clean water.
Dry the glass surfaces with a clean chamois leather or a cloth intended for this
purpose.
CAUTION
Instructions for removing snow and ice■The ice scraper should not be moved forward and backward but in one direc-
tion to avoid any damage to the surface of the glass.■
Snow or ice that is contaminated with coarse dirt such as fine gravel, sand or
salt must not be removed from the windows and mirrors – there is a risk of
damage to the surface of the windows and mirrors. 
183Care and maintenance

■Do not remove snow or ice from glass parts using warm or hot water – risk of
cracks forming in the 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 window leather can dirty the window and reduce visibility.
Headlight glasses
Read and observe
and on page 182 first.
Clean plastic front headlight lenses using 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.
Camera lens
Read and observe
and on page 182 first.
Moisten the lens of the rear view camera first with clean water and then dry
with a dry cloth.
Remove the snow from the lens with a brush and the ice from the lens with
de-icing agents specifically developed for these purposes.
CAUTION■ Remove snow or ice on the lens with warm or hot water - there is a risk of
damaging the lens.■
Never use cleaners containing abrasive effect to clean the lens.
■
Never use pressurized water or steam jet to clean the lens.
Door closing cylinder
Read and observe
and on page 182 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 182 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 – risk of fire!
Jack
Read and observe
and on page 182 first.
The jack is maintenance-free.
If necessary, the moving parts of the jack should be lubricated with a suitable
lubricant.
184General Maintenance

WheelsRead and observe
and on page 182 first.
Wheel rims
Also thoroughly wash the wheel rims when washing the vehicle on a regular
basis.
Regularly remove salt and brake abrasion, otherwise the rim material will be
corroded.
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.
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 hitch and mounting recess
Read and observe
and on page 182 first.
Seal the mounting recess with the cap to prevent any ingress of dirt.
In the event of dirt, clean the interior surfaces of the mounting recess and
treat with a suitable preservative.
Always check the ball head before attaching a trailer. Apply suitable grease
where necessary.
Include the protective cap when stowing away the ball rod to protect the boot
from getting contaminated.
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 182 first.
The underside of your vehicle is already permanently protected by the factory
against chemical and mechanical influences.
It is not possible to guarantee that the protective coating will not suffer any
damage as the vehicle is driven.
We recommend having the protective coating underneath the vehicle and the
chassis checked — preferably before the beginning of winter and at the end of
winter.
WARNINGNever use additional underbody protection or anti-corrosion agents for ex-
haust pipes, catalytic converters, diesel particle filters or heat shields.
When the engine reaches its operating temperature, these substances
might ignite - risk of fire!
Wiper blades
Read and observe
and on page 182 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 181.
Interior care
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Natural leather
186
Artificial leather, materials and Alcantara ®
187
Seat covers
187
Safety belts
187

185Care and maintenance

We recommend using vehicle care products from ŠKODA Original Accessories.
These are available from ŠKODA Partners. The usage instructions on the pack-
age must be observed.WARNING■ Vehicle care products may be harmful to your health if not used according
to the instructions.■
Always keep the vehicle care products safe from people who are not com-
pletely 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.
CAUTION
■ Be sure to check clothing for colourfastness to avoid any damage or visible
stains on the material (leather), panels and textiles.■
Remove fresh stains such as those from ball-point pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
polish, etc., from the material (leather), panels and textiles as quickly as possi-
ble.
■
Do not attach scents or air fresheners to the dash panel – there is a risk of
damage to the dash panel.
■
Do not attach any stickers to the filaments or glass antenna - there is risk of
damage.
■
Do not clean the roof panelling with a brush – risk of damage to the surface
of the panelling.
■
Cleaner that contain solvents can damage the material being cleaned.
■
Apply only a small amount of the cleaning and care product.
For the sake of the environment
Used vehicle care product cans represent hazardous waste that is harmful to the environment. These must be disposed of in accordance with national legal
regulations.
Note
Due to the special tools and knowledge required, and to avoid any potential
problems with the cleaning and care of the interior of your vehicle, we recom-
mend that cleaning and care of the interior of your vehicle be carried out by a
ŠKODA service partner.Natural leather
Read and observe
and on page 186 first.
The leather needs, depending on the strain placed on it, regular cleaning and
maintenance.
Dust and dirt in pores and creases cause abrasions on the surface and lead to
premature embrittlement of the leather surface. Therefore, they must be re-
moved regularly at short intervals with a cloth or vacuum cleaner.
Clean soiled leather surfaces with a water-dampened cotton or woollen cloth and then dry with a clean, dry cloth »
.
Clean severely soiled areas with a cloth soaked in a mild soap solution (2 ta-
blespoons of neutral soap to 1 litre of water).
To remove stains , use a cleaning agent specially designed for this purpose.
Treat the leather periodically with a suitable leather protector and use a skin
care cream with light blocker and impregnation after each cleaning.
CAUTION
■ Ensure that no part of the leather is soaked through during cleaning and that
no water gets into the seams. Otherwise, the leather could become brittle or
cracked.■
Avoid leaving the vehicle for lengthy periods in bright sunlight to avoid the
leather from bleaching. If the vehicle is parked in the open for lengthy periods,
protect the leather from direct sunlight by covering it.
■
The use of an additional mechanical steering wheel lock may damage the
leather surface of the steering wheel.
■
Some clothing materials, e.g. dark denim, do not have sufficient colour fast-
ness. This can cause damage or clearly visible discolouration to seat covers,
even when used correctly. This applies particularly to light-coloured seat cov-
ers. This does not relate to a fault in the seat cover, but rather to poor colour
fastness of the clothing textiles.
■
Sharp-edged objects on items of clothing such as zip fasteners, rivets, sharp-
edged belts etc may leave permanent scratches or signs of rubbing on the sur-
face or damage these. Such damage cannot be subsequently recognised as a
justified complaint.
Note
During the use of the vehicle, minor visible changes can occur on the leather
parts of the covers (e. g wrinkles or creases as a result of the stress of the cov-
ers).186General Maintenance

Artificial leather, materials and Alcantara®
Read and observe
and on page 186 first.
Artificial leather
Clean artificial leather with a damp cloth.
If this method does not completely clean the artificial leather, use a mild soap
solution or cleaning products specially designed for this purpose.
Fabric
Clean upholstery cover materials and cloth trims on doors, luggage compart-
ment cover, etc. using specific cleaning agents, e.g., dry foam.
Use a soft sponge, brush, or commercially available microfibre cloth.
Use a cloth and a cleaning agent specifically designed for this purpose to clean the roof trim.
Remove any lumps on the cover fabric and any fabric residue using a brush.
Remove stubborn hair using a “cleaning glove”.
Alcantara ®
Dust and dirt in pores, creases and seams may chafe and damage the surface.
Therefore, they must be removed regularly at short intervals with a cloth or
vacuum cleaner.
Minor changes in colour caused by use are normal.
CAUTION
■ For Alcantara ®
seat covers, do not use any solvents, floor wax, shoe cream,
stain remover, leather cleaners or similar agents.■
Avoid leaving the vehicle in bright sunlight for long periods of time in order
to stop the artificial leather, materials or Alcantara ®
from bleaching. During ex-
tended periods of standing outdoors, protect artificial leather, fabrics or Alcan-
tara ®
by covering.
■
Some clothing materials, e.g. dark denim, do not have sufficient colour fast-
ness. This can cause damage or clearly visible discolouration to seat covers,
even when used correctly. This applies particularly to light-coloured seat cov-
ers. This does not relate to a fault in the seat cover, but rather to poor colour
fastness of the clothing textiles.
Seat covers
Read and observe
and on page 186 first.
Electrically heated seats
Use a specific cleaning agent such as dry foam or similar to clean the cov-
ers. »
.
Seats without seat heating
Thoroughly vacuum the seat covers with a vacuum cleaner before cleaning.
Clean the seat covers with a damp cloth or cleaning products specially de-
signed for this purpose.
Indented points arising on the fabrics by everyday use, can be removed by
brushing against the direction of hair with a damp brush.
Always clean all parts of the covers, so that there are no visible edges. Then
allow the seat to dry completely.
CAUTION
■ Do not clean the covers of electrically heated seats either with water or with
other liquids - there is a risk of damaging the seat heating system.■
Regularly remove dust from the seat covers using a vacuum cleaner.
■
Electrically heated seats must not be dried after cleaning by switching on the
heater.
■
Do not sit on wet seats - risk of seat deformation.
■
Always clean the seats from “seam to seam”.
Safety belts
Read and observe
and on page 186 first.
Wash dirty seat belts with mild soapy water.
Remove coarse dirt with a soft brush.
WARNING■ The seat belts must not be removed for cleaning.■Never clean the seat belts chemically as chemical cleaning products could
destroy the fabric.■
The seat belts must not be allowed to come into contact with corrosive
liquids (e.g. acids).
■
The seat belts must be fully dried before being rolled up.
187Care and maintenance

Inspecting and replenishing
Fuel
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Petrol and diesel refuelling
188
Lead-free petrol
189
Diesel fuel
190
Refuelling with CNG (compressed natural gas)
191
CNG
192
The correct fuels for your vehicle are specified on the inside of the fuel filler
flap » Fig. 180 on page 188 .
WARNING■
Observe the local regulations regarding fuel handling.■The operating instructions of the refuelling system must always be fol-
lowed.■
Do not smoke when refuelling and do not use a mobile phone.
■
The fuel and fuel vapours are explosive - risk to life!
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 –
risk of paint damage!
■
If the vehicle was not purchased in the country where 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 per-
haps check whether the manufacturer has recommended a different fuel for
operation of the vehicle in the corresponding country. 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.
Petrol and diesel refuellingFig. 180
Open fuel filler flap/unscrew tank cap/place the tank cap on the
fuel filler flap
Fig. 181
Fuel filler tube on vehicles with
diesel engines
Read and observe and on page 188 first.
Refuelling can be done if the following conditions are met.
The vehicle is unlocked.
The engine and the ignition are switched off simultaneously.
The auxiliary heating and ventilation is switched off » page 122.
›
Press on the fuel filler flap in the direction of arrow
1
» Fig. 180.
›
Open the flap in the direction of arrow
2
.
›
Unscrew the tank cap in the direction of arrow
3
.
›
Remove the tank cap and place in the recess on top of the fuel filler flap in
the direction of arrow
4
.
›
Insert the pump nozzle into the fuel filler neck as far as it will go, and refuel.
The fuel tank is full just as soon as the pump nozzle switches off for the first
time »
. 
188General Maintenance