2014 SKODA OCTAVIA maintenance

General Maintenance
Care and maintenance177
Service work, adjustments and technical alterations
177
Washing vehicle
180
Cleaning vehicle exterior
181
Interior care
185
Inspecting and replenishing
188
Fuel
188
Engine compartment
192
Engine oil
195
Coolant
197
Brake fluid
199
Vehicle battery
200
Wheels
204
Tyres and wheel rims
204
Manufacturer-approved tyre variants
207
Winter operation
209
Do-it-yourself
Emergency equipment, and self-help
211
Emergency equipment
211
Reserve and temporary spare
213
Changing a wheel
214
Puncture repair kit
218
Jump-starting
220
Towing the vehicle
221
Remote control
224
Emergency unlocking/locking
225
Replacing windscreen wiper blades
226
Fuses and light bulbs
228
Fuses
228
Bulbs
231Technical data
Technical data238
Basic vehicle data
238
Vehicle-specific information depending on
engine type
246
Index
3Table of Contents

WARNING (Continued)■The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is the correct
one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to
protect and the risk of injury increases.■
The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked otherwise the belt
tongue will not lock in place properly.
■
Many layers of clothing and loose clothing (e. g. a winter coat over a jack-
et) do not allow you to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of
the seat belts.
■
It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e. g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons).
■
The seat belts for the rear seats can only fulfil their function reliably
when the seat backrests are correctly locked into position » page 92.
WARNINGInformation on the care and maintenance of the safety belts■The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may im-
pair proper operation of the inertia reel » page 187.■
The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not at-
tempt to repair the seat belts yourself.
■
Check the condition of all the seat belts on a regular basis. If any damage
to the seat belts, seat belt connections, inertia reel or the lock is detected,
the relevant seat belt must be replaced by a specialist garage.
■
Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident
and were therefore stretched, must be replaced – this is best done by a
specialist garage. The anchorage points for the belts should also be
checked.
Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when using seat belts.The physical principle of a head-on collisionFig. 4
Driver without a fastened seat belt/rear seat passenger without a
fastened seat belt
Read and observe
on page 12 first.
As soon as the vehicle is moving, so-called kinetic energy (the energy of mo-
tion) is produced both in terms of the car as well as in terms of the occupants.
The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends essentially on the speed at
which the vehicle is travelling and on the weight of the vehicle including the
occupants. The greater the speed and weight increase, the greater the
amount of energy which has to be absorbed in the event of an accident.
The speed of the vehicle is the most important factor. Doubling the speed of
the vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy four
times.
The opinion that it is possible to support your body in a minor accident with
your hands, is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces act-
ing on the body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed of 30 km/h to 50 km/h, the forces that your
body is exposed to in the event of an accident can exceed a metric ton
(1000 kg).
For example, a person's weight of 80 kg “increases” at 50 km/h to 4.8 tons
(4800 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the car not wearing a seat belt
are thrown forward and strike parts of the interior of the car, such as the
steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen in ways which cannot be control-
led » Fig. 4 - 
. In certain circumstances you could even be thrown out of the
vehicle, which could cause life threatening or even fatal injuries. 
13Seat belts

Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
System description
16
Airbag deployment
16WARNING■ An airbag can only offer you optimal protection in combination with a
fastened seat belt .■
The airbag is not a substitute for the seat belt, but instead forms part of
the complete passive vehicle safety concept.
■
To ensure passengers are protected with the greatest possible effect
when the airbag is deployed, the front seats must be correctly adjusted to
match the body size » page 9, Correct and safe seated position .
■
If you do not fasten the seat belts when driving, lean too far forward or
adopt an incorrect seated position, you are exposing yourself to increased
risk of injury in the event of an accident.
WARNINGInformation on the use of the airbag system■If there is a fault, the airbag system must be checked by a specialist ga-
rage immediately. Otherwise, there is a risk of the airbag not being activa-
ted in the event of an accident.■
No modifications of any kind must be made to parts of the airbag system.
■
Any 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.
■
Never make any changes to the front bumper or bodywork.
■
It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system as this
might result in the airbag being deployed.
■
The protective function of the airbag system is sufficient for only one ac-
cident. The airbag system must then be replaced if the airbag has been de-
ployed.
System description
Read and observe
on page 16 first.
The functional status of the airbag system is indicated by the indicator light 
in the instrument cluster » page 38.
When the airbags are deployed they fill with gas and inflate.
A grey white or red, non-harmful gas is released when the airbag is inflated.
This is perfectly normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
The airbag system consists – depending on the vehicle equipment – of the
following modules.
› Electronic control unit.
› Front airbag for the driver and the front passenger
» page 17.
› Driver’s knee airbag
» page 18.
› Side airbags
» page 19.
› Head airbags
» page 20.
› Airbag warning light in the instrument cluster
» page 38.
› Key switch for the front passenger airbag
» page 21.
› Warning light for the front passenger airbag/activation in dash panel cen-
tre » page 21 .
Note
■
The airbag system needs no maintenance during its working life.■If you sell your vehicle, provide the complete vehicle documentation to the
new owner. Please note that the information relating to the possibility of de-
activating the front passenger airbag must be included!■
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important to
comply with the national legal requirements.
Airbag deployment
Read and observe
on page 16 first.
The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to beable to offer that additional protection in the event of an accident.
The airbag system is only functional when the ignition is switched on.
In certain accident situations, the several airbags may be deployed simultane-
ously. 
16Safety

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

General Maintenance
Care and maintenance
Service work, adjustments and technical alterations
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Vehicle operation in different weather conditions
177
Statutory checks
177
ŠKODA Service Partners
178
ŠKODA Original parts
178
ŠKODA Original accessories
178
Spoiler
179
Component protection
179
Airbags
179
Acceptance and recycling of used vehicles
180
The instructions and guidelines from ŠKODA AUTO a.s. must be observed when
carrying out any modifications, repairs or technical alterations to your vehicle.
Adhering to these instructions and guidelines helps ensure road safety and
helps keep your vehicle in a good technical condition. After carrying out modifi-
cations, repairs or technical alterations, the vehicle will comply with German
road transport regulations (StVZO)
Always consult a ŠKODA Partner » page 178before buying accessories or
parts, or before carrying out any modifications, repairs or technical alterations
to your vehicle.
WARNING■ Work on your vehicle, which have been carried out unprofessionally, can
cause operational faults – risk of accident!■
Interference on the electronic components and their software can lead to
operational faults. This interference can also impair not directly affected
systems because of the networking of the electronic components. The op-
erational safety of the vehicle may be at significant risk and can lead to in-
creased wear of parts.
For the sake of the environmentTechnical documents regarding changes carried out on the vehicle must be
kept by the vehicle user, in order to be handed over to the recyclers later. This
ensures that vehicle recycling is in accordance with environmental regulations.
Note
■ We recommend only having these modifications and technical alterations
carried out by a specialist garage.■
Any damage caused by technical alterations made without the approval of
the manufacturer is excluded from the warranty » Service schedule .
■
The ŠKODA Partner accepts no liability for products that have not been ap-
proved by ŠKODA AUTO a.s. even though these may be products with an op-
erational approval or that have been approved by a government testing insti-
tute.
■
We advise you only to use ŠKODA Original Accessories and ŠKODA Original
Parts which have been expressly approved for use on your vehicle. Reliability,
safety and suitability for your vehicle are guaranteed with these.
■
ŠKODA Original Accessories and ŠKODA Original Parts can be purchased from
ŠKODA Partners, who will also perform the professional assembly of the pur-
chased parts.
Vehicle operation in different weather conditions
Read and observe
on page 177 first.
If you would like to operate your vehicle in countries other than those with itsintended weather conditions, please contact a ŠKODA Partner.
He or she will advise you if certain precautions need to be taken to ensure the
full functioning of the vehicle or to prevent damage.
This relates to the coolant, the battery replacement etc.
Statutory checks
Read and observe
on page 177 first.
Many countries have legislation requiring the operational reliability and road-worthiness and/or exhaust gas properties of a vehicle to be tested at specific
intervals. These tests can be carried out by workshops or testing stations that
have been legally authorized for this purpose. 
177Care and maintenance

The ŠKODA Service Partners are up-to-date on the legally required tests and
will prepare the vehicle for the tests as part of a service operation if required,
or will be responsible for carrying out these tests. The specialist garages can
carry out the specified tests directly if required by the customer if they are au-
thorised to do so. This saves you time and money.
Even if you want to take your vehicle to an officially approved test centre for
prior checking in preparation of a legally required test, we recommend that you
consult the service consultant of your ŠKODA Service Partner beforehand.
Based on their appraisal, the service consultant will tell you which areas you
should focus on in order to ensure that your vehicle will pass the technical test
without any problems. This allows you to avoid additional expenses resulting
from a possible subsequent test.
ŠKODA Service Partners
Read and observe
on page 177 first.
ŠKODA Service Partners feature modern, specially developed tools and equip-
ment. Here, trained specialists have access to a comprehensive range of
ŠKODA Original Parts and ŠKODA Original Accessories for carrying out modifi-
cations, repairs and technical alterations.
All ŠKODA service partners operate according to the most recent guidelines
and instructions from ŠKODA AUTO a.s. All service and repair work is therefore
carried out on time and at the appropriate quality. Adhering to these instruc-
tions and guidelines helps ensure road safety and helps keep your vehicle in a
good technical condition.
ŠKODA Service Partners are therefore properly prepared to service your vehicle
and to provide quality work. We therefore advise you to have all modifications,
repairs and technical alterations to your vehicle carried out by a ŠKODA Service
Partner.
ŠKODA Original parts
Read and observe
on page 177 first.
We recommend the use of ŠKODA Genuine Parts for your vehicle, as these
parts are approved by ŠKODA AUTO a.s.. They correspond precisely to the
ŠKODA AUTO a.s. regulations with regard to design, dimensional accuracy and
material, and are identical to the components used in series production.
ŠKODA AUTO a.s. is able to vouch for the safety, suitability and long service life
of these products. We therefore recommend that you only use ŠKODA Genuine
Parts.
ŠKODA AUTO a.s. supplies the market with a complete range of ŠKODA Genu-
ine Parts - not only while the model is still in production but for at least 15
years after the end of series production for wear parts and at least 10 years
after the end of series production for all other vehicle parts.
ŠKODA Service Partners are liable for any defects of ŠKODA Genuine Parts for a period of 2 years after sale in accordance with the materials defect liability,
unless agreed otherwise in the purchase agreement. You should keep the ap-
proved warranty certificate and the invoices for these components for this pe-
riod of time, so that the commencement of the term can be verified.
Body repairs
ŠKODA vehicles are designed such that if any damage occurs to the body, it is
only necessary to replace those parts that are actually damaged.
However, before you decide to have damaged body parts replaced, you should
first of all contact your specialist garage to determine whether or not the parts
can also be repaired. Repairs to body parts are usually cheaper.
ŠKODA Original accessories
Read and observe
on page 177 first.
If you wish to fit accessories to your vehicle, you should remember the follow-ing:
We recommend that you use ŠKODA Genuine Accessories in your vehicle.
ŠKODA AUTO a.s. has selected these accessories to ensure that they are relia-
ble, safe and suitable for your particular vehicle. Although we constantly moni-
tor the market, we are not able to assess or vouch for other products even
though in some instances such parts may have operational approval or may
have been approved by a nationally recognised testing laboratory.
All accessory products are subjected to a challenging process in the areas of technical development (technical testing) and quality inspection (customer
testing), and the product only becomes a ŠKODA Genuine Accessory if all tests
are passed.
Our ŠKODA Genuine Accessories service also includes expert advice and pro-
fessional fitting if required by the customer. 
178General Maintenance

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

WARNING (Continued)■Never install any airbag parts into the vehicle that have been removed
from old cars or have been recycled.■
Never install damaged airbag parts in the vehicle. The airbags may then
not be triggered properly or not at all in the event of an accident.
■
No modifications of any kind must be made to parts of the airbag system.
WARNING■ A change to the vehicle's wheel suspension, including the use of non-ap-
proved wheels and tire combinations, can alter the functioning of the air-
bag system - risk of accident and fatal injury!■
Never make any changes to the front bumper or the bodywork.
WARNINGThe airbag control unit operates using pressure sensors located in the front
doors. For this reason, no adjustments may be carried out to the doors or
door panels (e.g. installation of additional loudspeakers). Resulting damage
can have a negative impact on the function of the airbag system. Any work
on the front doors and door panels must be carried out by a specialist ga-
rage. The following guidelines must be observed.■
Never drive with inner door panels removed.
■
Never drive if parts of the inner door panel have been removed and the
resulting openings have not been properly sealed.
■
Never drive if the loudspeakers in the doors have been removed, unless
the loudspeaker openings have been properly sealed.
■
Always make sure that the openings are covered or filled if additional
loudspeakers or other equipment parts have been installed in the inner
door panels.
Acceptance and recycling of used vehicles
Read and observe
on page 177 first.
ŠKODA meets the requirements of the brand and its products with regard to
protecting the environment and the preserving resources. All new ŠKODAvehi-
cles can be recycled by up to 95 % and can always 1)
be returned free of charge.
In a lot of countries sufficient trade-in networks have been created, where you
can trade-in your vehicle. After you trade-in your vehicle, you will receive a
confirmation stating the recycling in accordance with environmental regula-
tions.
Note
You can find more detailed information about the trade-in and recycling of old
cars from a specialist garage.
Washing vehicle
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Washing by hand
181
Automatic car wash systems
181
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
181
The best way to protect your vehicle against harmful environmental influences
is frequent washing.
The longer insect residues, bird droppings, tree sap, road and industrial dust,
tar, soot particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain adhering to
the paintwork of your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive effect
can be. High temperatures, such as those caused by intensive sun's rays, ac-
centuate this caustic effect.
It is essential to also thoroughly clean the underside of the vehicle at the end
of the winter.
WARNINGWhen washing your vehicle in the winter: Water and ice in the braking sys-
tem can affect the braking efficiency – risk of accident!
CAUTION
The temperature of the water used for cleaning must not exceed 60 °C – risk
of damaging the vehicle.
For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle at washing bays intended for this purpose.1)
Subject to fulfilment of the national legal requirements.
180General Maintenance