2015 SKODA FABIA Maintenance

Radiator fanRead and observe
and on page 150 first.
The radiator fan is powered by an electric motor. Operation is controlled ac-
cording to the temperature of the coolant.
WARNINGThe fan can intermittently continue to run for approximately 10 minutes af-
ter the ignition is switched off.
Windscreen washer system
Fig. 167
Windscreen washer fluid reser-
voir
Read and observe and on page 150 first.
The windscreen washer fluid reservoir
A
is located in the engine compart-
ment » Fig. 167 .
The cleaning fluid is provided for the cleaning of the front and rear window as
well as the headlight.
The capacity of the reservoir is about 3.5 litres or about 5.4 litres on vehicles
that have a headlight cleaning system 1)
.
Clear water is not sufficient to intensively clean the windscreen and head-
lights. We recommend using clean washing water together with the screen
cleaner from the range of ŠKODA Original Accessories (in winter additionally
with antifreeze) which is capable of removing stubborn dirt.
In winter, the washing water should always be mixed with antifreeze even if
the vehicle has heated windscreen washer nozzles.
Under exceptional circumstances, methylated spirits can also be used if no
screen cleaner with antifreeze is available. The concentration of methylated
spirits must not be more than 15 %. The freeze protection at this concentration
is sufficient only to -5 °C.
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-
plenishing it with liquid otherwise the liquid transportation system can be con-
taminated, which can cause the windscreen washer system to malfunction.
Engine oil
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Specification
153
Checking the oil level
153
Replenishing
154
The engine has been factory-filled with a high-grade oil that can be use
throughout the year - except in extreme climate zones.
Engine oils are the subject of continuous further development. Thus the infor-
mation stated in this Owner's Manual is only correct at the time of publication.
ŠKODA Service Partners are informed about the latest changes by the manu-
facturer. We therefore recommend that you have the oil changed 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 46.
1)
In some countries, 5.4 ltr. applies for both variants.
152General Maintenance

The oil level must be checked at regular intervals.
In case of low oil level, a control light 
is displayed on the instrument cluster,
as well as the corresponding message » page 37. Check the oil level using the
dipstick as soon as possible. Add oil accordingly.
CAUTION
■ The oil level must never be above the range A » Fig. 168 - risk of damage to
the motor as well as the exhaust system.■
Do not continue driving! If for some reason, it is not possible to top up the
engine oil under the current circumstances! 
Switch off the engine and seek
assistance from a specialist garage.
■
If the oil level is above the range
A
, 
do not continue to drive! Switch off
the engine and seek assistance from a specialist garage.
Replenishing
Read and observe
and on page 153 first.
›
Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening » Fig. 166 on page 151 .
›
Replenish the oil in portions of 0.5 litres in accordance with the correct speci-
fications » page 153 .
›
Check the oil level » page 153.
›
Screw the lid of the engine oil filler closed carefully.
›
Pull the dipstick out as far as the stop.
Coolant
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Checking the coolant level
155
Replenishing
155
The coolant provides cooling for the motor.
It consists of water and coolant additive with additives that protect the cooling
system against corrosion and prevents furring.
The coolant additive share 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 reservoir » Fig. 169 on page 155 .WARNINGThe engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area. While working in
the engine compartment, be sure to observe the following warnings
» page 149 .■
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!
■
Consult a doctor immediately if coolant is swallowed.
■
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.■
With an empty expansion tank top up coolant. The system could ventilate -
there is a risk of engine damage, 
not continue! Switch off the engine and
seek assistance from a specialist garage.
■
The amount of coolant additive in the coolant must never be allowed to fall
below 40 %.
■
Over 60 % coolant additive in the coolant reduces the antifreeze protection
and coolant effectiveness.
■
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. 169 on page 155 .
■
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. 
154General Maintenance

CAUTION■Do not continue your journey if the fluid level has dropped below the “MIN”
marking » Fig. 170 on page 156 ,  - 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 service.■We recommend using oils from the ŠKODA Original Accessories range.
Level check
Fig. 170
Brake fluid reservoir
Read and observe and on page 155 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.
Check the status
›
Check the level of brake fluid in the reservoir » Fig. 170.
The level must be between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
A slight drop in the fluid level results in operation due to normal wear and tear
and the 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 
illuminating in the
instrument cluster as well as the relevant notification being displayed
» page 32 , 
Brake system .
Specification
Read and observe
and on page 155 first.
To ensure the optimal function of the system, only use brake fluid in accord-ance with standard VW 501 14 (this standard meets the requirements of
FMVSS 116 DOT4).
Note
We recommend using oils from the ŠKODA Original Accessories range.
Vehicle battery
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Open cover
157
Checking the battery electrolyte level
158
Charging
158
Replacing
159
Disconnecting or reconnecting
159
Automatic load deactivation
159
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
SymbolMeaningAlways wear eye protection.Battery acid is severely caustic. Always wear gloves and eye pro-
tection.Keep 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. 156General Maintenance

Checking the battery electrolyte levelFig. 172
Vehicle battery: Electrolyte level
indicator
Read and observe and on page 157 first.
On vehicles with a vehicle battery fitted with a colour indicator, 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.
Check
Black colour - electrolyte level is correct.
Colourless or light yellow colour - electrolyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced.
For technical reasons, on vehicles with the description “AGM”, the electrolyte
level cannot be checked.
Vehicles with a START-STOP system are fitted with a system for checking the
energy level for recurring engine start.
We recommend you have the electrolyte level checked by a specialist garage
from time to time, especially in the following cases. ▶ High external temperatures.
▶ Longer day trips.
▶ After each charge.
Winter time
The vehicle battery only has some of its starting power at low temperatures. A
discharged vehicle battery may 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.
NoteThe battery electrolyte level is also periodically checked by a specialist garage
as part of the Inspection Service.
Charging
Read and observe
and on page 157 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 the
charger on.
›
Once charging is complete: Switch off the charger and remove the mains ca-
ble 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 charger manufacturer's instructions .
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. 
158General Maintenance

NoteDriving comfort is not disrupted by any shutting off of consumers. Often the
driver is not aware of it having taken place.Wheels
Tyres and rims
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Notes on using wheels
160
Tyre pressure
161
Tyre wear
162
Tyre wear indicator and wheels exchange
162
Tyre damage
163
Unidirectional tyres
163
Spare wheel
163
Spare wheel
163
Tyre label
164
Only use those tyres or wheel rims which have been approved by ŠKODA for
your model of vehicle.
WARNINGFor safety reasons, do no replace tyres individually.
Note
■ We recommend that any work on the wheels or tyres is 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 160 first.
During the first 500 km, new tyres do not offer optimum grip and appropriate
care should therefore be taken when driving.
Always fit the tyres with the deeper tread depth to the front wheels.
Tyre storage
Mark the tyres as you remove them so that you are able to refit them to run in
the same direction. 
160General Maintenance

NoteThe declaration of conformity (the COC document) can be obtained from a
ŠKODA partner 1)
.
Tyre wear
Read and observe
on page 160 first.
Tyre wear depends on the pressure, driving style, and other circumstances.
Attention to the following notes may affect tyre wear.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and braking increase the tyre wear.
Wheel balance
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. There are a wide range of influen-
ces when the car is being driven which may result in an imbalance. This may
become apparent by “vibration” in the steering. If this is the case, the wheels
have to be balanced at specialist garage.
Also have the wheels rebalanced after replacing or repairing the tyres.
Adjustment of the vehicle geometry
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front or rear leads to excess wear of the tyres
and negatively affects the driving safety. With a distinctive tyre wear, we rec-
ommend that you check the setting of the vehicle geometry in a specialist
workshop.
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 wheels exchangeFig. 174
Principle sketch: Replace tyre tread with wear indicators /
wheels
Read and observe
on page 160 first.
Wear indicators
The base of the tread of the tyres has 1.6 mm high wear indicators installed » Fig. 174 -
 . 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.
Exchanging the wheels
For uniform wear on all tyres, we recommend that you change the wheels ev-
ery 10 000 km according to the scheme » Fig. 174-
 . You will then obtain ap-
proximately the same life for all the tyres.
After swapping the wheels, the tyre pressure should be adjusted.
In vehicles with tyre pressure monitoring, save tyre pressure values » page 126.
WARNING■
You must have your tyres replaced with new ones at the latest when the
wear indicators have been worn down.■
Worn tyres do not provide the necessary grip particularly at high speeds
on wet roads. “Aquaplaning” (uncontrolled movements of the vehicle –
“swimming” on a wet road surface) could be the result.
1)
Only valid for some countries and some models.
162General Maintenance

Tyre labelRead and observe
on page 160 first.
Only fit radial tyres of the same type, size (rolling circumference) and the same
tread pattern on one axle on all four wheels.
When mounting new tyres the tyres have to be replaced axle by axle.
Explanation of tyre markings
For example, 185/65 R 14 86 T means:
185Tyre width in mm65Height/width ratio in %RCode letter for the type of tyre – Radial14Diameter of wheel in inches86Load indexTSpeed symbol
The date of manufacture is stated on the tyre wall (possibly on the inside).
For example DOT ... 10 15... means, for example, that the tyre was manufac-
tured in the 10th week of 2015.
Load index
The load index indicates the maximum permissible load bearing capacity for
each individual tyre.
Load index838485868788Load
(In kg)487500515530545560
Speed symbol
The maximum speed symbol indicates the maximum permissible vehicle speed
with fitted tyres in each category.
Speed symbolSTUHVWTopspeed (in km/h)180190200210240270WARNING■ Never exceed the maximum permissible load bearing capacity of moun-
ted tyres.■
Never exceed the maximum permissible speed for the mounted tyres.
Winter use
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Winter tyres
164
Snow chains
165
Do not use alloys rims with smoothed or polished surface during the winter
time. The rim surface does not have sufficient corrosion protection and could
be permanently damaged (e.g. through grit).
Winter tyres
The handling of your vehicle will be significantly improved when driving on
wintry roads if you fit winter tyres (labelled M+S).
To get best possible handling, winter tyres must be used on all four wheels.
The minimum tread depth should be 4 mm.
Re-fit the summer tyres at an appropriate time as they provide better handling
properties, a shorter braking distance, less tyre noise, and reduced tyre wear
on roads which are free of snow and ice as well as at temperatures above 7 °C.
Speed symbol
Winter tyres (marked with M+S and a peak/snowflake symbol
) of a lower
speed category can be used provided that the permissible maximum speed of
these tyres is not exceeded even if the possible maximum speed of the vehicle
is higher.
On vehicles with the infotainment system with key the speed limit can be
set for winter tyres » Owner´s Manual Infotainment , chapter CAR - Adjust ve-
hicle systems .
For other vehicles, there is the possibility to have the speed limit set for winter
tyres in a specialist workshop.
164General Maintenance

Index
Numbers and Symbols
12-volt power outlet
77
A
abroad lead-free petrol
148
Abroad Headlights
64
ABS Operation
115
Warning light33
Acceptance and recycling of used vehicles139
Accessories136
Adjusting Exterior mirrors
68
headrests70
Seat69
Steering wheel9
Adjusting the seats8
Adjustment Headlight beam
60
Adjustments and technical changes Spoiler
138
Adjustments and technical modifications Airbags
138
Advance warning/emergency braking Warning light
38
Air-conditioning system Air outlet vents
98
Airbag14
Adjustments and impairment of the airbag sys- tem
138
Deactivating18
Deployment15
Front airbag15
Head airbag17
Side airbag17
Switching off the front passenger airbag19
Warning light34
Airbag system14
Air conditioning95
Climatronic96
Manual air conditioning95
Recirculated air mode97
Air outlet vents98
Alarm Enable/disable
54
Switch off54
Trailer135
Triggering54
Alcantara cleaning
145
Anodized parts Refer to vehicle maintenance
142
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)115
Anti-theft alarm system Enable/disable
54
Trailer135
Anti-theft wheel bolts 169
Armrest71
artificial leather145
Ashtray76
Assembling the bar ball, Step 1
129
bar ball, Step 2130
Assist systems114
Auto-check control39
Automatic driving lamp control61
Automatic gearbox Selector lever-emergency unlocking
179
Selector lever lock110
Starting-off and driving111
Tiptronic110
Using the selector lever109
Automatic gearbox modes109
Automatic load deactivation159
automatic transmission selector lever lock defect110
Automatic transmission109
Kickdown111
Malfunction36
Selector lever lock110
Warning light36
Warning messages36
AUX82
Avoiding damage to your vehicle113
B
Bags on the backs of the front seats
81
on the inner sides of the front seats81
Ball head Check fitting
130
Ready position128, 129
Battery In the remote control key
177
Belts11
Belt tensioners14
Bicycle carrier91
Bonnet Closing
151
Opening151
Boot Class N1 vehicles
89
Hooks85
See Boot lid55
Boot lid automatic locking
56
Close55
Open55
Brake Assist (HBA)116
Brake booster107
brake fluid specification
156
201Index