2014 SKODA OCTAVIA change time

Hitch and trailer
Hitch
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Description
169
Adjusting the ready position
170
Correctly adjusted ready position
170
Assembling the ball rod - 1st step
171
Assembling the ball rod - 2nd step
171
Check proper fitting
172
Removing the ball rod - 1st step
172
Removing the ball rod - 2nd step
173
Accessories
173
The maximum trailer drawbar load is 75 kg.
For vehicles with all-wheel drive, the maximum trailer nose weight is 80 kg.
With G-TEC-vehicles, the maximum trailer drawbar load is 56 kg .
WARNING■
Before each time you make a journey when using the ball rod, check that
it is seated correctly and is secured in the mounting recess.■
Do not use the ball rod if it is not correctly inserted into the mounting re-
cess and secured.
■
Do not use the towing hitch if it is damaged or if there are parts missing.
■
Do not perform any modifications or changes to the towing device.
■
Never release the ball rod while the trailer is still coupled.
■
Keep the mounting recess of the towing device clean at all times. Such
dirt prevents the ball rod from being attached securely!
CAUTION
■ Take care when using the ball rod - there is a risk of paint damage to 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 the tow hitch » page 185.■The towing vehicle by means of the detachable ball rod » page 223.
Description
Fig. 166
Support for the hitch equipment / ball bar / key (Version 1 and 2)
Read and observe
and on page 169 first.
The ball rod can be removed and is located in the spare wheel well or in a com- partment for the spare wheel in the luggage compartment.
The hitch comes with two key versions. The handling of the hitch is identical
for the two key versions. The difference is only in the key version.
Carrier for the towing device and ball rod » Fig. 166
13-pin power socket
Safety eye
Mounting recess
Cap
Dust cap
Ball rod
Operating lever
Lock cap
Trigger pin
Lock
Locking ball
Key – Version 1
Key – Version 2 
12345678910111213169Hitch and trailer

ŠKODA Service Partners are liable for any defects of ŠKODA Genuine Accesso-
ries for a period of 2 years after installation or delivery in accordance with the
materials defect liability, unless agreed otherwise in the purchase agreement
or any other agreements. You should keep the approved warranty certificate
and the invoices for these accessories for this period of time, so that the com-
mencement of the term can be verified.
ŠKODA Service Partners also stock a range of suitable car care products and all
parts that are subject to natural wear-and-tear, such as tyres, batteries, bulbs
and wiper blades.
Note
The accessories authorized by the company ŠKODA AUTO a.s. will be offered
by the ŠKODA Partners in all countries where the company ŠKODA AUTO a.s.
has a sales and after-sales service network. This will usually be in the form of a
printed catalogue of ŠKODA Genuine Accessories, in the form of separate prin-
ted brochures or in the form of ŠKODA Genuine Accessories on the ŠKODA
Partner websites.
Spoiler
Read and observe
on page 177 first.
If your new vehicle is fitted with a spoiler on the front bumper in combination
with the spoiler on the luggage compartment lid, the following instructions
must be adhered to.
› For safety reasons, the vehicle must only be fitted with a spoiler on the front
bumper in combination with the associated spoiler on the luggage compart-
ment lid.
› This kind of spoiler cannot be left on the front bumper either on its own, in
combination with another spoiler not on the luggage compartment lid or in
combination with an unsuitable spoiler on the luggage compartment lid.
› We recommend that you consult the ŠKODA Service Partner for any repairs
to or replacement, addition or removal of spoilers.
WARNING■ If work on your vehicle's spoilers is not carried out properly, this can lead
to operational faults - risk of accident and serious injuries.■
If a front spoiler, full wheel trim, etc. is mounted retrospectively, it must
be ensured that the air supply to the front wheel brakes is not reduced.
The front brakes may overheat which can have a negative impact on the
functioning of the braking system – risk of accident!
Component protection
Read and observe
on page 177 first.
Some electronic vehicle components (such as the instrument cluster) are fac-
tory-equipped with component protection.
Component protection has been developed as a protection mechanism for the
following situations.
› Impairment of factory- or garage-fitted electronic components after installa-
tion in another vehicle (for example, after a theft).
› Impairment of electronic components used outside the vehicle.
› The possibility of a legitimate installation or change of electronic compo-
nents for repairs at a specialist garage.
The activated component protection can be realized by functional limitations
of the specific electronic component. Seek help from a specialist garage.
Airbags
Read and observe
on page 177 first.
The system components of the airbag system can be situated in the front
bumper, doors, front seats, roof lining or body.
WARNINGAny work on the airbag system including the installation and removal of
system components due to other repair work (e.g. removal of the steering
wheel) must only be carried out by a specialist garage.■
Modifications, repairs and technical alterations that have been carried out
unprofessionally can cause damage and operational faults, and can also se-
riously impair the effectiveness of the airbag system – risk of accident and
fatal injury!
■
The airbag system must then be replaced if the airbag has been deployed.
Airbag modules cannot be repaired.
WARNINGInformation on the use of the airbag system■It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system, as this
might result in the airbag being deployed. 179Care and 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

ŠKODA Service Partners are informed about the latest changes by the manu-
facturer. We therefore recommend that the oil change be completed 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 53.WARNINGThe 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 192.
CAUTION
Do not pour any additives into the engine oil – risk of serious damage to the
engine parts!
Note
■ Before a long drive we recommend that you purchase and carry with you en-
gine oil which complies with the specification for your vehicle.■
We recommend that you use oils from ŠKODA Original Accessories.
■
If your skin has come into contact with oil, it must be washed thoroughly.
Specification
Read and observe
and on page 196 first.
Vehicles with variable service intervals
Petrol enginesSpecification1.2 l/63, 77 kW TSI
VW 504 00
1.4 l/103 kW TSI1,8 l/132 kW TSI2,0 l/162 kW TSIDiesel engines a)Specification1.6 l/66, 77, 81 kW TDIVW 507 002.0 l/110, 135 kW TDI CRa)
Engine oil VW 505 01 can optionally be used in diesel engines without a
DPF.
Vehicles with fixed service intervalsPetrol enginesSpecification1.2 l/63, 77 kW TSI
VW 502 00
1.4 l/81 kW TSI G-TEC1.4 l/103 kW TSI1.6 l/81 kW MPI1.8 l/132 kW TSI2.0 l/162 kW TSIDiesel engines a)Specification1.6 l/66, 77, 81 kW TDIVW 507 002.0 l/105, 110, 135 kW TDIa)
Engine oil VW 505 01 can optionally be used in diesel engines without a
DPF.
CAUTION
■
If the above engine oils are not available, a different engine oil can be used in
an emergency. To prevent damage to the engine, a maximum of 0.5 litres only
of the following engine oils may be used: ■ For petrol engine models: ACEA A3/ACEA B4 or API SN, (API SM);
■ for diesel engines: ACEA C3 or API CJ-4.
Checking the oil level
Fig. 187
Principle sketch: Dipstick
Read and observe
and on page 196 first.
The dipstick indicates the engine oil level . 
196General Maintenance

CAUTION■Only refill with new coolant.■Do not use an alternative additive if the specified coolant is not available. In
this case, use just water and have the correct mixing ratio of water and cool-
ant 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
199
Specification
199
The brake fluid reservoir is located in the engine compartment » Fig. 189 on
page 199 .
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 192.■
Do not use used brake fluid - the function of the brake system may be im-
paired – risk of accident!
CAUTION
■ Do not continue your journey if the fluid level has dropped below the “MIN”
marking » Fig. 189 on page 199 ,  do not continue driving - there is a risk of
an accident! Seek help from a specialist garage.■
Brake fluid damages the paintwork of the vehicle.
Note
■ The brake fluid is changed as part of a prescribed inspection services.■We recommend using brake fluids from the ŠKODA Original Accessories
range.Checking the brake fluid levelFig. 189
Brake fluid reservoir
Read and observe and on page 199 first.
The fluid can be checked if the following conditions are met.
The vehicle is standing on a horizontal surface.
The engine is turned off.
The bonnet is open.
Checking the level
›
Check the level of brake fluid in the reservoir » Fig. 189.
The level must be between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
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
level drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” mark-
ing.
Too low brake fluid level is indicated by the warning light  being shown on
the display of the instrument cluster as well as the corresponding mes-
sage » page 35 .
Specification
Read and observe
and on page 199 first.
The brake fluid must comply with the following standards or specifications:› VW 50114;
› FMVSS 116 DOT4.
199Inspecting and replenishing

■Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the vehicle bat-
tery housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.■
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
■ We recommend having all work on the vehicle battery carried out by a spe-
cialist garage.■
You should replace batteries older than 5 years.
Opening the cover
Fig. 190
Polyester cover of vehicle bat-
tery
Read and observe and on page 200 first.
The battery is located in the engine compartment. For some equipment var-
iants, it is located underneath a polyester cover » Fig. 190.
›
Fold out the cover on the battery in the direction of the arrow.
The battery cover is installed in reverse order.
Checking the battery electrolyte levelFig. 191
Vehicle battery: Electrolyte level
indicator
Read and observe and on page 200 first.
On vehicles with a vehicle battery fitted with a colour indicator » Fig. 191, the
electrolyte level can be determined by looking at the change in colour of this
display.
Air bubbles can influence the colour of the indicator. For this reason carefully
knock 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 the recurring engine start.
We recommend that you have the acid level checked regularly by a specialist
garage, 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 tem-
peratures. A discharged vehicle battery may already freeze at temperatures
just below 0 °C .
We therefore recommend that you have the battery checked and, if necessary,
recharged by a specialist garage before the start of the winter. 
201Inspecting and replenishing

Label with prescribed tyre inflation pressure values » Fig. 192
Position of the CNG label
Inflation pressure for half load
Inflation pressure for increased driving comfort at half load
Inflation pressure for full load
As a result of adjusting the pressure to the value C
for increased driving com-
fort, fuel consumption may slightly increase.
Checking the tyre pressures
Check the tyre pressure, including that of the spare wheel, at least once a
month and also before setting off on a long journey.
Always check the inflation pressure when the tyres are cold. Do not reduce the
higher pressure on warm tyres.
In vehicles with tyre pressure monitoring, tyre pressure values must be saved
each time the pressures are changed » page 167.
WARNING■
Having the correct tyre inflation pressure is always the driver's responsi-
bility.■
Too low or too high inflation pressure impairs handling.
■
If the inflation pressure is too low, the tyre must perform a greater rolling
resistance. At higher speeds the tyre will warm up as a result of this. This
can result in tread separation and a tyre blowout.
■
In the event of very fast pressure loss, e.g. in the event of sudden tyre
damage, an attempt should be made to bring the vehicle carefully to a stop
without sudden steering movements and without any hard braking.
For the sake of the environment
Tyres which are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption.
Note
In some countries, the vehicles have a label without pictograms.
Tyre wear
Read and observe
on page 204 first.
The tyre wear depends on the tyre pressure, the driving style and other condi-
tions.
Attention to the following notes may affect tyre wear.
ABCDDriving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and braking increase the wear of your tyres.
Wheel balance
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. When driving, there are a wide
range of influences which may result in an imbalance. This may become appa-
rent by a “vibration” in the steering. If this is the case, have the wheels
checked by a specialist garage.
Have the wheels rebalanced after replacing or repairing the tyres.
Setting the vehicle geometry
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front or rear leads to excess wear on the
tyres and impairs driving safety. In the event of prominent tyre wear, we rec-
ommend that you have the setting of the vehicle geometry checked at a spe-
cialist garage.WARNING■ An incorrect wheel alignment at the front or rear impairs handling.■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 tyre damage is evident, drive slow-
ly and carefully to the nearest specialist garage to have the vehicle
checked.205Wheels

Towing the vehicle using the towing device is a viable alternative solution to
using the towing eye.
If the towing device is removed completely, it must be replaced with the
standard reinforcement of the rear bumper which is part of the mount for the
towing eye.
If this procedure is not observed, the vehicle may not meet the national legal
provisions.
CAUTION
The detachable ball rod and/or the vehicle can be damaged if an unsuitable
tow bar is used.
Note
The detachable ball rod must always be in the vehicle so that it can be used for
towing, if necessary.
Remote control
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Replacing the battery in the remote control key
224
Synchronising the remote control
224
replace battery in the remote control the auxiliary heating (auxiliary
heating)
225
CAUTION
■ The replacement battery must have the same specification as the original
battery.■
We recommend having faulty rechargeable batteries replaced by a ŠKODA
service partner.
■
Pay attention to the correct polarity when changing the battery.
For the sake of the environment
Dispose of the used battery in accordance with national legal provisions.Replacing the battery in the remote control keyFig. 211
Remove cover/take out battery
Read and observe
on page 224 first.
The battery change is carried out as follows.
›
Flip out the key.
›
Press off the battery cover
A
» Fig. 211 with your thumb or using a flat
screwdriver in the region of the arrows
B
.
›
Open the battery in the direction of the arrow
1
.
›
Remove the discharged battery in the direction of arrow
2.›
Insert the new battery.
›
Insert the battery cover
A
and press it down until it clicks audibly into place.
The key has to be synchronised if the vehicle cannot be unlocked or locked
with the remote control key after replacing the battery » page 224.
Note
If a key has an affixed decorative cover, this will be destroyed when the bat-
tery is replaced. A replacement cover can be purchased from a ŠKODA Partner.
Synchronising the remote control
Read and observe
on page 224 first.
If the vehicle does not unlock when pressing the remote control, the key may
not be synchronised. This can occur when the buttons on the remote control
key are actuated a number of times outside of the operative range of the
equipment or the battery in the remote control key has been replaced.
Synchronise the key as follows. 
224Do-it-yourself