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-
filling, as this may cause contamination of the liquid transportation system,
leading in turn to a windscreen washer system malfunction.
Engine oil
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Specification
183
Checking the oil level
184
Replenishing
184
The engine has been factory-filled with a high-grade oil that can be use
throughout the year - except in extreme climate zones.
The engine oils are undergoing continuous further development. Thus the in- formation stated in this Owner's Manual is only correct at the time of publica-
tion.
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 49.
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 180.
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 oil comes into contact with your skin, the affected area must be washed
thoroughly.
Specification
Read and observe
and on page 183 first.
Vehicles with variable service intervals
Petrol enginesSpecification1.2 l / 77 kW TSI
VW 504 00
1.4 l / 90 kW TSI1.8 l/112, 118 kW TSIDiesel engines a)Specification1.6 l/77 kW TDI CRVW 507 002.0 l/81, 103, 125 kW TDI CRa)
Engine oil VW 505 01 can optionally be used in diesel engines without a
DPF.
Vehicles with fixed service intervals
Petrol enginesSpecification1.2 l / 77 kW TSI
VW 502 00
1.4 l / 90 kW TSI1.6 l./81 kW MPI
1.8 l/112, 118 kW TSI
VW 502 00applies to Russia
SAE 0W-30 VW 502 00 / 505 00Diesel engines a)Specification1.6 l/77 kW TDI CRVW 507 002.0 l/81, 103, 125 kW TDI CRa)
Engine oil VW 505 01 can optionally be used in diesel engines without a
DPF.
183Inspecting and replenishing
The coolant additive content in the coolant must be 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 reser-
voir » Fig. 162 on page 185 .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 180.■
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!
■
If coolant is swallowed, consult a doctor immediately.
■
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.■
If the expansion tank is empty, do not top up with coolant. The system could
fill with air - risk of engine damage,
stop driving! Switch off the engine and
seek assistance from a specialist garage.
■
The concentration of coolant additive in the coolant must never be under
40%.
■
Over 60% of coolant additive in the coolant reduces the antifreeze protec-
tion and cooling effect.
■
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. 162 on page 185 .
■
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.
Note
The coolant capacity is approximately 1 l greater on vehicles that are fitted
with an auxiliary heater (auxiliary heating and ventilation).
Checking the coolant level
Fig. 162
Coolant expansion reservoir
Read and observe and on page 185 first.
The coolant expansion bottle is located in the engine compartment.
Coolant expansion reservoir » Fig. 162
Mark for the maximum permissible coolant level
Mark for the lowest permissible coolant level
The coolant level should be kept between the marks
A
and
B
.
The coolant can be checked and topped up, if the following conditions are sat-
isfied.
The vehicle is standing on a horizontal surface.
The engine is turned off.
The engine is not heated.
The bonnet is open.
AB185Inspecting and replenishing
Checking the level›Check the coolant level in the coolant expansion tank » Fig. 162.
If the engine is warm, the test result may be inaccurate. The level can also be
above the mark A
» Fig. 162 .
In case of low coolant level, the indicator symbol
is displayed in the instru-
ment cluster along with the relevant message » page 36. We still recommend
inspecting the coolant level directly at the reservoir from time to time.
Loss of coolant
A loss of coolant is first and foremost an indication of a leak in the cooling sys-
tem. Do not merely top up the coolant. Have the cooling system checked by a
specialist garage.
Replenishing
Read and observe
and on page 185 first.
The coolant expansion tank must always contain a small amount of cool-
ant » page 185, in section Introduction .
›
Place a cloth over the cap of the coolant expansion tank and unscrew the
cap carefully .
›
Replenish the coolant.
›
Turn the cap until it clicks into place.
CAUTION
■
Only top up 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
186
Specification
187
The brake fluid reservoir is located in the engine compartment » Fig. 163 on
page 186 .
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 180.■
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. 163 on page 186 , 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 compulsory inspection service.■We recommend using oils from the ŠKODA Original Accessories range.
Checking the brake fluid level
Fig. 163
Brake fluid reservoir
Read and observe and on page 186 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. 163.
The level must be between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
186General Maintenance
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 ,
Brake system .
Specification
Read and observe
and on page 186 first.
The brake fluid must comply with the following standards or specifications:› VW 50114;
› FMVSS 116 DOT4.
Vehicle battery
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Opening the cover
188
Checking the battery electrolyte level
188
Charging
189
Replacing
190
Disconnecting and reconnecting
190
Automatic load deactivation
190
The vehicle battery represents a power source for the motor to start and for
the supply of electrical consumers in the car.
Warning symbols on the vehicle battery
SymbolImportanceAlways wear eye protection.Battery acid is severely caustic. Always wear gloves and eye pro-
tection.SymbolImportanceKeep fire, sparks, open flames and lit cigarettes well clear of the
vehicle battery.When charging the vehicle battery, a highly explosive gas mixture
is produced.Keep children away from the vehicle battery.WARNINGThere is risk of injuries, poisoning, chemical burns, explosions or fire when
working on the battery and on the electrical system. The general applicable
safety rules and the following warnings must be observed without excep-
tion.■
Keep the vehicle battery away from people who are not completely inde-
pendent, especially children.
■
Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the
battery vent openings. Protect your eyes by wearing safety goggles or a
face shield – risk of blindness!
■
Always wear protective gloves, eye and skin protection when handling
the vehicle battery.
■
The battery acid is strongly corrosive and must, therefore, be handled
with the greatest of care.
■
Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivi-
tis and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs.
■
Battery acid corrodes dental enamel and, if it comes into contact with the
skin, causes deep wounds that take a long time to heal.
■
If any battery acid comes into contact with your eyes, rinse the affected
eye immediately with clean water for several minutes and consult a doctor
immediately!
■
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water.
■
If you swallow battery acid, consult a doctor immediately!
WARNING■ The use of open flames and light should be avoided.■Smoking and radio triggering activities should be avoided.■
Never use a damaged vehicle battery – risk of explosion!
187Inspecting and replenishing
WARNING (Continued)■Never charge a frozen or thawed vehicle battery – risk of explosion and
chemical burns!■
Replace a frozen vehicle battery.
■
Never jump-start vehicle batteries with insufficient acid levels – risk of
explosion and chemical burns.
CAUTION
■ Improper handling of the vehicle battery may cause damage.■Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the bodywork – risk
of damage to the paintwork.■
If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will
discharge. Prevent the battery from discharging by disconnecting the battery's
negative terminal
or continuously charging the battery with a very low
charging current.
■
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 coverFig. 164
Polyester vehicle battery cover / plastic vehicle battery cover
Read and observe
and on page 187 first.
The battery is located in the engine compartment - in some models, under-
neath a polyester cover » Fig. 164.
›
Open the battery cover in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 164-
or press the
catch on the side of the battery cover in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 164-
.
›
fold the cover up and remove.
The battery cover is installed in reverse order.
Checking the battery electrolyte level
Fig. 165
Electrolyte level indicator
Read and observe and on page 187 first.
On vehicles with a vehicle battery fitted with a colour indicator » Fig. 165, the
electrolyte level can be determined by looking at the change in colour of this
display.
188General Maintenance
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 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.
Note
■ The battery acid level is also checked regularly by a specialist garage as part
of the inspection service.■
For technical reasons, on vehicles with the description “AGM”, the electrolyte
level cannot be checked.
Charging
Read and observe
and on page 187 first.
A properly charged vehicle battery is essential for reliably starting the engine.A charging operation can be performed if the following conditions are satis-
fied.
The engine is turned off.
The ignition is switched off.
All consumers are turned off.
The bonnet is open.
“Fast charging” with high currents
›
Disconnect both battery cables (first of all “negative”, then “positive”).
› Attach the terminal clamps of the charger to the battery terminals (red =
“positive”, black = “negative”).›
Plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket and switch on the
device.
›
After charging has been successful: Switch off the charger and remove the
mains cable from the power socket.
›
Only then disconnect the charger's terminal clamps.
›
Reconnect the cables to the battery (first “positive”, then “negative”).
Charging with low voltages
It is not necessary to disconnect the cables from the battery if you recharge
the vehicle battery, for example from a mini-charger.
Refer to the instructions of the charger manufacturer .
A charging current of 0.1 multiple of the total vehicle battery capacity (or low-
er) must be used until full charging is achieved.
The vent plugs of the vehicle battery should not be opened for charging.
WARNING■ When you charge a battery, hydrogen is released, and a highly explosive
gas mixture is also produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling
over during unclamping or loosening of the cable plug while the ignition is
on.■
Creating a bridge between the poles on the battery (e.g. with metal ob-
jects - cables) creates a short circuit - risk of damage to the battery, explo-
sion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.
■
Avoid creating sparks when working with cables and electrical devices.
Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.
■
Before carrying out any work on the electrical system, switch off the en-
gine, the ignition and all electrical consumers and disconnect the negative
terminal
.
■
“Quick-charging” the vehicle battery is dangerous and requires a special
charger and specialist knowledge.
■
We therefore recommend that vehicle batteries be “rapidly charged” by a
specialist garage.
CAUTION
On vehicles with the START / STOP system or additional heating (auxiliary
heating), do not connect the pole terminal of the charger directly to the nega-
tive terminal of the vehicle battery but only to the engine earth » page 206.189Inspecting and replenishing
Wheels
Tyres and wheel rims
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Notes on using wheels
191
Tyre pressure
191
Tyre wear
192
Tyre wear indicator and wheel replacement
192
Tyre damage
193
Unidirectional tyres
193
Only use tyres or wheel rims that have been approved by ŠKODA for your mod-
el of vehicle.
WARNINGThe national legal regulations must be observed for the use of tyres.WARNINGFor reasons of driving safety, do not replace tyres individually.
For the sake of the environment
Old and unserviceable tyres are classified in a special environmentally hazard- ous category. These must be disposed of in accordance with national legisla-
tion.
Note
■ We recommend that any work on the wheels or tyres be carried out by a spe-
cialist garage.■
We recommend that you use wheel rims, tyres, full wheel trims and snow
chains from ŠKODA Original Accessories.
Notes on using wheels
Read and observe
on page 191 first.
New tyres do not offer optimum grip during the first 500 km and appropriate
care should therefore be taken when driving.
Always fit the tyres with the deeper tread depth to the front wheels.
Tyre storage
Identify disassembled tyres so that the previous direction of rotation can be
maintained if the tyres are reassembled.
Always store wheels or tyres in a cool, dry place that is as dark as possible.
Tyres which are not fixed to a wheel trim should be stored upright.
Tyre age
Tyres age and lose their original characteristics, even if they are not being
used. The service life of the tyres is 6 years. Therefore, we recommend not us-
ing tyres that are older than 6 years.
Wheel bolts
Wheels and wheel bolts are matched to each other in terms of design. We rec-
ommend that you use wheel rims, tyres, full wheel trims and snow chains from
ŠKODA Original Accessories.WARNINGNever use tyres if you do not know anything about the condition and age.
Tyre pressure
Fig. 166
Label with table of tyre sizes and
tyre pressures / inflate pressures
Read and observe on page 191 first.
Tyre pressure
Check the tyre pressure, including that of the spare wheel, at least once a
month and also before setting off on a long journey.
The tyre inflation pressures are indicated on the inside of the fuel filler
flap » Fig. 166 .
191Wheels
The tyre pressure for the spare wheel should correspond to the highest pres-
sure specified for your vehicle.
Always check the inflation pressure when the tyres are cold. Do not reduce the
higher pressure of warm tyres.
In vehicles with tyre pressure monitoring, tyre pressure values must be stored
every time the tyre pressure changes » page 158.
With greater additional load, adjust the tyre inflation pressure accordingly.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 will have to overcome a higher
rolling resistance. This will cause a significant increase in the temperature
of the tyre, especially at higher speeds. This can result in tread separation
and a tyre blowout.
■
In the event of very fast tyre inflation pressure loss, such as a sudden tyre
failure, 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 that are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption.
Note
In some countries, the vehicles have a sticker without pictograms.
Tyre wear
Read and observe
on page 191 first.
Tyre wear depends on the pressure, driving style, and other circumstances.
Attention to the following factors can reduce tyre wear.
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, however, there are a
range of factors that may result in an imbalance. This may become apparent by
a “vibration” in the steering. If this is the case, have the wheels checked by a
specialist garage.
Have the wheels likewise rebalanced after replacing 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. With a distinct tyre wear pattern, we recom-
mend that you check the setting of the vehicle geometry in a specialist work-
shop.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.
Tyre wear indicator and wheel replacement
Fig. 167
Principle sketch: Replace tyre tread with wear indicators /
wheels
Read and observe
on page 191 first.
Wear indicators
The base of the tread of the tyres contains has a 1.6 mm high wear indica- tor » Fig. 167 -
. In some countries, different tyre wear rates may apply.
Markings on the walls of the tyres through the letters “TWI”, triangular sym-
bols or other symbols identify the position of the wear indicators.
192General Maintenance