2015 SKODA FABIA Owner's Manual

WARNINGDo not exceed the maximum permissible axle and drawbar load and weight
of the trailer - risk of accident and serious injuries!
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.
WARNINGAlways drive particularly carefully with the trailer.
CAUTION
If you tow a trailer frequently, you should also have your vehicle inspected be-
tween service intervals.
Anti-theft alarm system
When the vehicle is locked, the alarm is activated when the electrical connec-
tion to the trailer is interrupted.
Always switch off the anti-theft alarm system before a trailer is coupled or un-
coupled » page 54 .
Conditions for including a trailer in the anti-theft alarm system. The vehicle is factory-fitted with an anti-theft alarm system and towing
equipment.
The trailer is electrically connected to the towing vehicle by means of the
trailer socket.
The electrical system of the vehicle and trailer is functional.
The vehicle is locked and the anti-theft alarm system is activated.
CAUTIONFor technical reasons, trailers with rear LED lights cannot be connected to the
anti-theft alarm system.135Hitch and trailer

General Maintenance
Care and maintenance
Services, modifications and technical alterations
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Vehicle operating under different weather conditions
136
Statutory checks
136
ŠKODA Service Partners
137
ŠKODA Original parts
137
ŠKODA Original accessories
137
Spoiler
138
Component protection
138
Airbags
138
Acceptance and recycling of used vehicles
139
The instructions and guidelines issued by ŠKODA AUTO a.s. must be observed
when making any modifications, repairs or technical changes to your vehicle.
Compliance with these guidelines and instructions is in the interest of the
roadworthiness and technical condition of your vehicle. The vehicle will comply
with road traffic regulations following the modifications, repairs and technical
changes.
Always consult a ŠKODA Partner » page 137before buying accessories or
parts, or before carrying out any modifications, repairs or technical alterations
to your vehicle.
WARNING■ Works 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 parts may suf-
fer increased wear.
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, repairs and technical
changes performed by a specialist garage.■
Any damage caused by technical alterations made without the approval of
the manufacturer is excluded from the » Service schedule warranty.
■
The ŠKODA Partner cannot assume any liability for products which have not
been approved by ŠKODA AUTO a.s. even though these may be products with a
type approval or have been approved by a nationally recognised testing labo-
ratory.
■
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
a ŠKODA Partner who will also fit the purchased parts correctly.
Vehicle operating under different weather conditions
Read and observe
on page 136 first.
If you would like you operate your vehicle in countries other than its intended
weather conditions, you should contact a ŠKODA Partner.
They will advise you on certain precautions that should be taken to ensure the
full functioning of the vehicle as well as to prevent damage.
For example coolant and battery replacement or similar.
Statutory checks
Read and observe
on page 136 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 authorised for this purpose. 
136General 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
authorised 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 136 first.
ŠKODA Service Partners are equipped with modern, specially developed tools
and equipment. Here, trained specialists have access to a comprehensive
range of ŠKODA Original Parts and ŠKODA Original Accessories for carrying out
modifications, repairs and technical alterations.
All ŠKODA service partners operate according to the latest guidelines and in-
structions from ŠKODA AUTO a.s. All service and repair work is therefore car-
ried out on time and to the appropriate quality. Adhering to these instructions
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 136 first.
We recommend the use of ŠKODA Genuine Parts for your vehicle, since these
parts are approved by ŠKODA AUTO a.s. They correspond exactly to ŠKODA
AUTO a.s. specifications in respect of design, dimensional accuracy and materi-
al and are identical to the components used in the batch production.
ŠKODA AUTO a.s. can guarantee the safety, suitability, and long 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 with wear-and-tear parts for at least 15 years after the end of series production and with all other
vehicle parts for at least 10 years.
ŠKODA service partners are liable for any defects in ŠKODA original parts for a
period of 2 years after sale in accordance with materials defect liability under
the law unless otherwise agreed in the purchase agreement. You should keep
the confirmed warranty certificate and the receipt for these components for
this period, so that the commencement of the warranty term may be verified.
Body repairs
ŠKODA vehicles are designed so that if the body suffers damage, it is only nec-
essary to replace those parts which are in fact damaged.
Before you decide to have damaged body parts replaced, however, you should first contact your specialist garage to determine whether or not such parts can
also be repaired. Repairs to body parts are usually cheaper.
ŠKODA Original accessories
Read and observe
on page 136 first.
You should note the following if you wish to fit accessories to your vehicle:
We recommend that you use ŠKODA Genuine Accessories in your vehicle.
ŠKODA AUTO a.s. offers a warranty on the reliability, safety and suitability for
your particular vehicle of these accessories. Although we constantly monitor
the market, we are not able to assess or offer a warranty on other products
even though in some instances such products may have a type approval or
may have been approved by a nationally recognised approval authority.
All accessory products go through a fastidious process of technical develop-
ment (technical tests) and quality inspection (customer tests), and only if all
tests are positive does the product become a ŠKODA Genuine Accessory.
Our ŠKODA Genuine Accessories service also provides expert advice and pro-
fessional fitting if requested by the customer.
ŠKODA Service Partners are liable for any defects in ŠKODA Genuine Parts for a
period of 2 years after installation or delivery in accordance with materials de-
fect liability legislation, unless otherwise agreed in the purchase contract or in 
137Care and maintenance

any other agreements. You should keep the confirmed warranty certificate and
the receipt for these accessories for this period, so that the commencement of
the warranty term may be verified.
In addition, ŠKODA Service Partners also stock a range of suitable car care
products as well as those parts which are subject to natural wear and tear,
such as tyres, batteries, bulbs and wiper blades.
Note
The accessories authorized by ŠKODA AUTO a.s. will be offered by the ŠKODA
Partners in all countries where ŠKODA AUTO a.s. has a sales and service net- work. This will usually be in the form of a printed catalogue of Original ŠKODA
Accessories, in the form of separate printed brochures or in the form of offers
for ŠKODA Genuine Accessories on the ŠKODA Partner's website.
Spoiler
Read and observe
on page 136 first.
If your new vehicle is fitted with a spoiler on the front bumper in combination
with the spoiler on the luggage compartment lid, then the following instruc-
tions must be adhered to.
▶ For safety reasons the vehicle must only ever be equipped with a spoiler on
the front bumper in combination with the associated spoiler on the tailgate.
▶ A spoiler cannot be fitted alone on the front bumper nor in combination with-
out a spoiler on the tailgate or in combination with an inappropriate spoiler
on the tailgate.
▶ We recommend that you consult a ŠKODA Service Partner for any repairs, re-
placement, fitting or removal of spoilers.
WARNING■ Work not properly performed on the spoilers on your vehicle can result in
faults - there is a risk of an accident and serious injury.■
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 – there is a risk of an accident.
Component protection
Read and observe
on page 136 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 136 first.
WARNING■Adjustments, repairs and modifications which have been carried out un-
professionally can cause damage, operational faults, and can also seriously
impair the effectiveness of airbag system – there is the risk of an accident
and fatal injury.■
A change in the suspension of the vehicle including the use of non-ap-
proved wheels and tyre combinations can alter the functioning of the air-
bag system - there is a risk of accident and fatal injury.
WARNINGInformation on the use of the airbag system■Never install any airbag parts into the vehicle that have been removed
from old cars or have been recycled.■
Never fit damaged airbag parts to a vehicle. The airbags may then not be
triggered properly or not at all in the event of an accident. 
138General Maintenance

WARNING■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 the 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.
WARNINGThe airbag system 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 their door panels must be carried out by a specialist
garage. 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 136 first.
ŠKODA meets the requirements of the brand and its products with regard to
protecting the environment and the preserving resources. All new ŠKODA ve-
hicles are 95% recyclable.
Note
Detailed information about the trade-in and recycling of end-of-life cars is
available from a specialist garage.Washing vehicle
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Washing by hand
139
Automatic car wash systems
140
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
140
The best protection for your vehicle against harmful environmental influences
is frequent washing.
The longer insect residues, bird droppings, road salt and other aggressive de-
posits remain adhering to your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive
effect can be. High temperatures, such as those caused by intensive sun's
rays, accentuate this caustic effect.
It is essential to also thoroughly clean the underside of the vehicle at the end
of the winter.
WARNINGWashing your vehicle in the winter: Water and ice in the brake system can
affect the braking efficiency – there is the risk of an accident.
CAUTION
The temperature of the water used for cleaning must not exceed 60 °C – there
is a risk of damaging the vehicle.
For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle at washing bays intended for this purpose.
Washing by hand
Read and observe
and on page 139 first.
Soften the dirt with plenty of water and rinse as much as you can of this off.
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. 
139Care and maintenance

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 – there is a risk of paint damage.
Automatic car wash systems
Read and observe
and on page 139 first.
The usual precautionary measures must be taken before washing the vehicle
in an automatic car wash system (e.g. closing the windows including the slid-
ing/tilting roof, etc.).
If your vehicle is fitted with any particular attached parts, such as a spoiler,
roof rack system etc., it is best to consult the operator of the car wash system
beforehand.
The lips of the windscreen wiper rubbers must be cleaned and degreased with
cleaning agents especially formulated for the task after an automatic wash
with wax.
CAUTION
■ Before driving through a car wash fold in the exterior mirrors - there is a risk
of damage.■
For vehicles with roof antenna the antenna rod should be unscrewed before
driving through a car wash - there is a risk of damage.
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
Read and observe
and on page 139 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
■ The films may not be washed with any high-pressure cleaners - there is risk
of damage » page 141.■
Do not aim the water jet directly at the lock cylinders or the door or opening
joints when washing the vehicle in the winter – there is a risk of freezing.
■
The sensors of the parking aid can be sprayed only for a short time and there
must be a minimum distance of 10 cm - there is a risk of damage.
Cleaning vehicle exterior
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Vehicle paint work
141
Foils
141
Plastic parts
142
Rubber seals
142
Chrome and anodized parts
142
Windows and external mirrors
142
Headlight glasses
143
Door closing cylinder
143
Cavity protection
143
Jack
143
Wheels
143
Towing device and mounting recess
144
Under-body protection
144
Wiper blades
144
We recommend using care products from ŠKODA Original Accessories that are
available from ŠKODA Partners. The instructions for use on the package must
be observed. 
140General Maintenance

WARNING■Care products may be harmful to your health if not used according to the
instructions.■
Always keep the automobile care products safe from people who are not
completely 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, kitchen scrubbers or similar cleaning prod-
ucts – there is a risk of damaging the paintwork finish.■
Cleaners containing solvents can damage the material being cleaned.
Note
Because of the special tools and knowledge required, and to avoid any poten-
tial problems with the cleaning and care of the exterior of your vehicle, we rec-
ommend that cleaning and care of your vehicle be carried out by a ŠKODA
Service Partner.
Vehicle paint work
Read and observe
and on page 141 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 - there is a risk of
scratching the paintwork.
■
Do not apply polish to door seals or window guides.
■
If possible, do not apply any polish to body surfaces that come into contact
with door seals and window guides.
Foils
Read and observe
and on page 141 first.
Cleaning
Films (e.g. Roof, decorative, protective films, etc.) must be cleaned more care-
fully than the vehicle paint.
The films may not be washed with any high-pressure cleaners.
Only wash the films with a soft cloth, mild soap solution and clean, warm wa-
ter.
Service life
Environmental influences (e.g. sunlight, humidity, air pollution, rockfall) affect
the life of the films.
The sunlight may also affect the depth of the film colour.
The films age and become brittle, which is normal; this shall not be considered
a fault.
CAUTION
■ Never use aggressive cleaning agents or chemical solvents for the glued sur-
faces with films - there is a danger of film damage.■
Never use dirty cloths or chemical solvents for the glued surfaces with films -
there is a danger of damaging the film.
■
No ice scrapers should be used in the winter months to remove ice and snow
from the areas to which films have been applied. Do not remove frozen snow
or ice using other objects - there is a risk of damage to the film.
■
Do not polish the films - there is risk of damage!
■
When transporting a load on the roof rack (e.g. roof box, etc.), there is an in-
creased risk of film damage (e.g. due to rockfall from the secured load).
141Care and maintenance

Plastic partsRead and observe
and on page 141 first.
Clean plastic parts with a damp cloth.
If this method does not clean plastic parts completely, use a specific plastic
care product.
CAUTION
Do not use polish on plastic parts.
Rubber seals
Read and observe
and on page 141 first.
All door seals and window guides are factory-treated with a colourless mattvarnish layer against a freezing to painted body parts and against road noise.
CAUTION
■ Do not treat the door seals or window guides with any cleaning agent.■An additional treatment of the seals can attack their protective coating and
road noise may be generated.
Chrome and anodized parts
Read and observe
and on page 141 first.
First clean the chrome parts and anodized parts with a damp cloth and thenpolish them with a soft, dry cloth.
If this method does not completely clean the parts, use cleaning products spe-
cially designed for this purpose.
CAUTION
■ Do not polish the chrome parts and anodized parts in a dusty environment -
risk of surface scratches.■
Never use aggressive cleaning agents or chemical solvents for these parts -
there is risk of damage.
Windows and external mirrorsFig. 163
Fuel filler flap: Remove ice scra-
per
Read and observe and on page 141 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. 163.
Cleaning windows
Clean the windows regularly with clean water, inside and out.
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,
and salt must not be removed from the window glass and mirrors – risk of
damage to the surface of the windows and mirrors.
■
Never remove snow or ice from glass parts using warm or hot water – there
is a risk of cracking in glass.
■
Make sure that when removing snow and ice from the windows, the labels
attached to the vehicle by the factory are not damaged. 
142General Maintenance