2015 SKODA RAPID SPACEBACK ECU

Wet roads or road salt
The performance of the brakes can be delayed as the brake discs and brake
pads may be moist or have a coating of ice or layer of salt on them in winter.
The brakes are cleaned and dried by applying the brakes several times »
.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on the bake pads occur if the vehicle has
been parked for a long period and if you do not make much use of the braking
system. The brakes are cleaned by applying the brakes several times »
.
Long or steep slopes
Before travelling a long distance with a steep gradient, reduce speed and shift
into the next lowest gear. As a result, the braking effect of the engine will be
used, reducing the load on the brakes. Any additional braking should be com-
pleted intermittently, not continuously.
Emergency brake display
If the brakes are applied in full and the vehicle systems evaluate the situation
as dangerous for the traffic following behind, the brake light flashes automati-
cally.
After the speed was reduced below around 10 km/h or the vehicle was stop-
ped, the brake light stops flashing and the hazard warning light system
switches on. The hazard warning light system is switched off automatically af-
ter accelerating or driving off again.
Faults in the brake surface
If it is found that the braking distance has suddenly become longer and that
the brake pedal can be depressed further, the brake system may be faulty.
Visit a specialist garage immediately and adjust your style of driving appropri-
ately, as you will not know the exact extent of the damage.
Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system.
The level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically » page 32,
 Brake sys-
tem .
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the pressure generated with the brake pedal. The
brake booster only operates when the engine is running.
WARNINGOnly apply the brakes for the purpose of drying and cleaning the brake
discs if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any other road users
in jeopardy.
Handbrake
Fig. 115
Handbrake
Read and observe and on page 101 first.
The hand brake is used when stopping and parking for securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
Apply
›
Pull the handbrake lever firmly upwards.
Releasing
›
Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and at the same time push in the locking
button » Fig. 115 .
›
Move the lever right down while pressing the lock button.
The handbrake warning light 
illuminates when the handbrake is applied,
provided the ignition is on.
A warning signal sounds if the vehicle is inadvertently driven off with the
handbrake applied.
The following message is shown in the information cluster display.
Release the handbrake!RELEASE HANDBRAKE
The handbrake warning is activated if the vehicle is driven at a speed of more
than around 5 km/h for more than 3 seconds. 
102Driving

Save tyre pressure values by pressing a buttonFig. 136
Key for storing the pressure val-
ues
Read and observe on page 120 first.
›
Inflate all the tyres to the specified pressure.
›
Switch on the ignition.
›
Press the symbol key 
» Fig. 136 and hold it down.
The warning light  in the instrument cluster illuminates.
An acoustic signal and the control indicator provide information about the
storage of the tyre pressure values.
›
Release the symbol key  .
Hitch and trailer
Hitch

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Description
122
Adjusting the ready position
122
A correctly set ready position
123
Assembling the tow bar – Step 1
123
Assembling the tow bar – Step 2
124
Check proper fitting
124
Removing the tow bar – Step 1
125
Removing the tow bar – Step 2
125
Mount accessories
126
The maximum trailer draw-bar load is 50 kg.
The draw bar load information on the type plate of the towing device is merely
a test value for the towing device. The vehicle-specific information is detailed
in the vehicle documents.
WARNING■ Check that the tow bar is seated correctly and is secured in the mounting
recess before the start of every journey.■
Do not use the ball head, if it is not correctly inserted into the mounting
recess and secured.
■
Do not use the towing equipment if it is damaged or incomplete.
■
Do not modify or adapt the towing device in any way.
■
Keep the mounting recess of the towing equipment clean at all times.
Such dirt prevents the ball head from being attached securely.
CAUTION
■ Take care with the ball bar - there is a risk of paint damage to the bumper.■When the tow bar 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 hitch » page 137.■Tow the vehicle by means of the detachable ball rod » page 171.121Hitch and trailer

Assembling the tow bar – Step 2Fig. 142
Secure the lock and remove key / place cap on lock
Read and observe
and on page 121 first.
›
First perform step 1 of the tow bar assembly » page 123.
›
Turn the key
A
in the direction of arrow
1,
so that the arrow on the key
symbol 
» Fig. 142 shows.
›
Remove the key in the direction of the arrow
2
.
›
Fit the cap
B
on the lock in the direction of the arrow
3
.
›
Check that the tow bar is securely attached » page 124.
WARNING■
After fitting the tow bar, always secure the lock and remove the key.■The tow bar must not be operated with the key inserted.
CAUTION
After removing the key, always replace the cover on the lock – there is a risk of
the lock getting dirty.Check proper fittingFig. 143
Correctly secured ball head
Read and observe and on page 121 first.
Check that the tow bar is fitted properly before each use.
Correctly secured tow bar » Fig. 143
The tow bar does not come out of the mounting recess even after heavy
“shaking”.
The green marking
A
on the hand wheel points to the white marking on
the tow bar.
The hand wheel lies flush with the tow bar - there is no gap.
The lock is locked and the key is removed.
The cap
B
is on the lock.
WARNINGDo not use the towing hitch unless the tow ball has been properly locked –
risk of accident.124Driving

Removing the tow bar – Step 1Fig. 144
Remove cap from the lock / insert key into the lock
Fig. 145
Unlock lock
Read and observe and on page 121 first.
›
Remove the cover
A
from the lock in the direction of the arrow
1
» Fig. 144 .
›
Insert the key into the lock
B
in the direction of arrow
2,
so that the arrow
on the key symbol  shows.
›
Turn the key
B
in the direction of arrow
3,
so that the arrow on the key
symbol 
» Fig. 145 shows.
WARNINGNever remove the tow bar while the trailer is still coupled.
Note
We recommend putting the protective cover onto the ball head before remov-
ing the tow bar.Removing the tow bar – Step 2Fig. 146
Release tow bar
Read and observe and on page 121 first.
Removing
›
To begin with, follow the first step for the ball rod assembly » page 125.
›
Grasp the ball bar from below » Fig. 146 .
›
Pull the hand wheel
A
in the direction of the arrow
1
.
›
Turn the hand wheel in the direction of the arrow
2
to the stop, and hold in
this position.
›
Remove the tow bar from the mounting recess downwards and in the direc-
tion of the arrow
3
.
At the same time, the ball head latches into the ready position and is thus
ready to be re-inserted into the mounting recess »
.
Subsequent steps
After removing the tow bar the following work must be carried out.
›
Fit the cover for the mounting recess
A
in the opposite direction to arrow
1
» Fig. 141 on page 123 .
WARNINGNever allow the tow bar to remain unsecured in the boot. This could cause
damage on sudden braking and could put the safety of the occupants at
risk! 125Hitch and trailer

Attaching and detaching trailersFig. 148
Swivel out the 13-pin power
socket, safety eyelet
Connect and disconnect
›
Install the tow bar.
›
Lift off protective cap
3
» Fig. 137 on page 122 towards the top.
›
Place the trailer onto the ball.
›
Grip the 13-pin socket on the handle
A
and swing out in the direction of the
arrow » Fig. 148 .
›
Insert the trailer cable into the 13-pin socket.
If the trailer that is to be towed has a 7-pin connector, you can use a suitable
adapter from ŠKODA Original Accessories to establish a connection to the elec-
tricity.
›
Hook the breakaway cable of the trailer to the security lock slot
B
.
The breakaway cable of the trailer must sag in all trailer positions relative to
the vehicle (sharp curves, reversing and the like).
Uncoupling takes place in reverse order.
Exterior mirrors
You should have additional exterior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see the
traffic behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors.
Headlights
The front of the vehicle may lift up when a trailer is being towed and the head-
lights may dazzle other road users.
Adjust the headlights using the headlight beam control » page 59.
Power to the trailer power grid
For the electrical connection between the vehicle and trailer, the power for the
trailer power grid is supplied by the vehicle.
The power supply works with ignition on or off.
With the ignition off, the battery of the towing vehicle is discharged by activa- ted consumers.
At low charge state of the vehicle battery power to the trailer is interrupted.WARNING■ Improperly connected trailer electrical installations may cause accidents
or serious injury due to electric shock.■
Work on the electrical system must only be carried out by specialist ga-
rages.
■
Never directly connect the trailer's electrical system with the electrical
connections for the tail lights or other current sources.
■
After coupling the trailer and connecting up the power socket, check the
rear lights on the trailer to ensure they are working.
■
Never use the safety eyelet for towing!
CAUTION
Improperly connected trailer electrical installations may cause malfunction of
the entire vehicle electronics.
Note
■ The total power consumption of all the connected consumers on the trailer
must not exceed 350 watts.■
Coat the ball head of the towing device with a suitable grease whenever
necessary.
Loading a trailer
Distribution of the cargo
Distribute the cargo in the trailer in such a way that heavy items are located as
close to the trailer axle as possible. Secure the items from slipping.
The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and the
trailer is laden. Maintain a particularly low speed if you cannot avoid driving
with this combination.
Tyre pressure
Correct the tyre inflation pressure on your vehicle for a “full load” » page 155.
WARNINGA sliding cargo can significantly adversely affect stability and driving safety
- there is a risk of accident!127Hitch and trailer

NoteDue to the special tools and knowledge required, and to avoid any potential
problems with the cleaning and care of your vehicle's exterior, we recommend
that the cleaning and care of your vehicle be carried out by a ŠKODA Service
Partner.
Vehicle paint work
Read and observe
and on page 134 first.
Preserving the vehicle paintwork
A thorough wax treatment provides the vehicle's paintwork with highly effec-
tive protection against 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 - risk of paint scratches.
■
Do not apply any paint care products to door seals or window guides.
■
If possible, do not apply any paint care products to parts of the bodywork
that come into contact with door seals or window guides.
Films
Read and observe
and on page 134 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 a high-pressure cleaner.
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.
Sunlight may also affect the strength of the film colour.
Films will age and become brittle – this is entirely normal; this is not 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.
■
In the winter months, do not use an ice scraper to remove ice and snow from
the areas with films. Do not use any other objects to remove frozen layers of
snow or ice – risk of film damage.
■
Do not polish the films - risk of damage!
■
When transporting a load on the roof rack (e.g. roof box or similar), there is
an increased risk of film damage (e.g. of chipping from the secured load).
Plastic parts
Read and observe
and on page 134 first.
Clean plastic parts with a damp cloth.
If this method does not completely clean the plastic parts, use cleaning prod-
ucts specially designed for this purpose.
CAUTION
Do not use paint care products on plastic parts.135Care and maintenance

WARNINGInformation for working on the fuel system or the electrical system■Always disconnect the vehicle battery from the electrical system.■
Do not smoke.
■
Never work near open flames.
■
Always have a functioning fire extinguisher nearby.
WARNING■Read and observe the information and warning instructions on the fluid
containers.■
Keep the working fluids in sealed original containers and safe from peo-
ple who are not completely independent, e.g. children.
■
Never spill operating fluids over the hot engine - risk of fire.
■
If you intend to work underneath the vehicle, you must secure the vehicle
from rolling away and support it with suitable supporting blocks; the car
jack is not sufficient – risk of injury!
CAUTION
Always top up using the correct specification of fluids. This may result in major
operating problems and also vehicle damage!
For the sake of the environment
In view of the requirements for the environmentally friendly disposal of fluids and the special tools and knowledge required for such work, we recommend
that fluids be changed by a specialist garage.
Note
■ Please consult a specialist garage for any questions relating to fluids.■Fluids with the proper specifications can be purchased from the ŠKODA Origi-
nal Accessories or from the ŠKODA Genuine Parts ranges.Opening and closing the bonnetFig. 151
Opening the bonnet
Read and observe
and on page 143 first.
Open flap
›
Open the driver door.
›
Pull the release lever underneath the dash panel in the direction of the ar-
row
1
» Fig. 151 .
Before opening the bonnet, ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers
are correctly in place against the windscreen, otherwise the paintwork on the
flap could be damaged.
›
Press the release lever in the direction of the arrow
2
.
The flap is then unlocked.
›
Grasp the bonnet catch and lift in the direction of arrow
3
.
›
Remove the lid prop in the direction of arrow
4
from the holder.
›
Secure the open flap inserting the end of the post into the opening in the di-
rection of arrow
5
. 
144General Maintenance

Checking the battery electrolyte levelFig. 158
Vehicle battery: Electrolyte level
indicator
Read and observe and on page 151 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 the START STOPsystem are fitted with a battery control unit for
checking the energy level for recurring engine starts.
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.
NoteThe battery acid level is also checked regularly by a specialist garage as part of
the inspection service.
Charging
Read and observe
and on page 151 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. 
152General Maintenance