2016 SKODA FABIA Owner's Manual

WARNING (Continued)■If your eyes or skin come into contact with the electrolytic fluid, immedi-
ately wash the affected area for a few minutes long with a lot of water. Get
medical assistance without delay.■
Keep the vehicle battery away from people who are not completely inde-
pendent (e.g. children).
■
Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the
battery vent openings.
WARNINGWorking on the car battery may cause explosion, fire, injury or chemical
burn! The following guidelines must be observed.■
Do not smoke, use open flames or light or transmitting devices.
■
A discharged vehicle battery may freeze slightly. Never charge up a fro-
zen or thawed vehicle battery. Replace a frozen vehicle battery.
■
Never use a damaged vehicle battery.
■
Do not connect the battery terminals, bridging the two poles will cause a
short circuit.
CAUTION
Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the bodywork – risk
of damage to the vehicle.
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.
Check conditionFig. 173
Vehicle battery: Open the cover / acid level indicator
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
The battery condition is checked regularly by a specialist garage as part of the
inspection service.
Check the acid level
For car batteries with acid level indicator, acidity can be checked on the basis
of a colour display. In vehicle batteries with the label “AGM” there is no acid
level examination.
Depending on the equipment, the vehicle battery may be provided with a cov-
er, this can be opened in the direction of arrow » Fig. 173 -
 .
Air bubbles can influence the colour of the indicator. Therefore, carefully knock
on the display » Fig. 173 -
 .
Black colour - electrolyte level is correct.
Colourless or light yellow colour - electrolyte level too low, the battery must be replaced.
Battery discharge
If frequent short journeys are made, the vehicle battery does not recharge suf-
ficiently.
The battery capacity decreases at low temperatures.
If the vehicle is not used for longer than 3 to 4 weeks, then disconnect the
negative terminal  of the battery or charge the battery constantly with a very
low charging current.
143Inspecting and replenishing

ChargingRead and observe
and on page 142 first.
Only charge the battery when the ignition and all consumers are switched off.
Refer to the instructions of the charger manufacturer.
Charging
›
For vehicles withthe START-STOPsystem or auxiliary heater 
, connect the -
terminal of the charger on the battery’s 
-pole, 
the -terminal of the charg-
er to the ground point of the engine » page 157.
›
For vehicles without the START-STOPsystem or auxiliary heating, connect
the charger terminals to the corresponding battery poles (  to
,
 to
).
›
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.
›
Disconnect the terminals of the charger from the vehicle battery.
A charging current of 0.1 multiple of the total vehicle battery capacity (or low-
er) must be used until full charging is achieved.
WARNING■ When charging the vehicle battery, hydrogen is released - risk of explo-
sion. An explosion can be caused through sparking while unclamping or
loosening the cable plug.■
So-called“quick-charging” of the vehicle battery is dangerous and re-
quires a special charger and specialist knowledge. Therefore, have“Quick
loading” carried out by a specialist garage.
Disconnect/reconnect and change
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
The new vehicle battery must have the same capacity, voltage, current and the
same size as the original battery.
We recommend you have the battery replaced by a specialist garage.
›
To disconnect , switch off the ignition and disconnect the negative terminal
first , then disconnect the positive terminal
.
›
When
reconnecting the battery, reconnect the positive terminal first
, then
connect the negative terminal .
After disconnecting and re-connecting the vehicle battery, the following func-
tions or devices are partially or completely inoperative.Function / deviceOperating measurePower windows» page 52Time settings» page 37
CAUTION
■ Disconnect the battery only with the ignition and consumers turned off - risk
of damaging the electrical system of the vehicle.■
Before disconnecting the battery, always close all electric windows other-
wise malfunctions of the window can occur.
■
Under no circumstances mix up the charging cables – risk of fire.
Note
After disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery, we recommend hav-
ing the vehicle checked by a specialist to ensure that the full functionality of
the vehicle is guaranteed.144General Maintenance

Wheels
Wheels and tyres
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Advice on tyre/wheel usage
145
Tyre pressure
146
Tyre wear and wheel change
146
Spare wheel
147
Spare wheel
147
Tyre marking
147
Advice on tyre/wheel usage
During the first 500 km, new tyres do not offer optimum grip; appropriate care
should therefore be taken when driving.
Tyres with the deeper profiles should always be fitted to the front wheels.
Rims and wheel bolts are matched to each other in terms of design. We rec-
ommend that you use rims and wheel bolts from ŠKODA Original Accessories.
Wheels and tyres should always be stored in a cool, dry and dark place. The
tyres themselves should be stored vertically.
Tyre life
Tyres age losing their original characteristics, even if they are not used. We
recommend that you do not use tyres that are more than 6 years old.
The manufacturing date is indicated on the tyre sidewall (possibly on the in-
side ). For example, DOT ... 10 16... means, for example, that the tyre was manu-
factured in the 10. week of 2016.
Tyre damage
We recommend checking your tyres and wheel rims for damage (punctures,
cuts, splits and bulges etc.) on a regular basis.
Remove any foreign objects in the tyre’s profile immediately (e.g. small stones).
Foreign bodies which have penetrated into the tyre (e.g. screws or nails)
should not be removed and help should be sought from a specialist garage.
Fitting new tyres
Only fit approved 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.
Unidirectional tyres
The direction of rotation of the tyres is marked by arrows on the wall of the
tyre .
The specified running direction must be strictly adhered to, otherwise the fol-
lowing tyre characteristics may be degraded. ▶ Driving stability.
▶ Traction.
▶ Tyre noise and tyre wear.WARNING■Never use tyres if you do not know anything about their condition and
age - risk of accidents.■
Never drive with damaged tyres – there is the risk of an accident.
CAUTION
■ The tyres must be protected from contact with substances (e.g. oil, grease
and fuel) which could damage them. If the tyres with these substances come
into contact, then we recommend that you check this in a specialist workshop.■
Do not use rims with ground or polished surfaces in winter conditions - there
is a risk of rim damage (e.g through salt spreading).
Note
■ We recommend that any work on the wheels or tyres be carried out by a spe-
cialist garage.■
We recommend that you use tyres, snow chains and full wheel trims from
ŠKODA Original Accessories.
145Wheels

Tyre pressureFig. 174
Label with a table of tyre sizes and tyre pressure value / inflate
tyres
The prescribed tyre inflation is on the sticker with pictograms
A
» Fig. 174 (for
some countries, the pictograms are replaced with a text).
Tyre pressure is always to match the load .
Inflation pressure for half load
Inflation pressure for environmentally friendly operation (slightly lower
fuel consumption and emissions)
Inflation pressure for full load
Tyre diameter in inches
This information serves merely as information for the prescribed tyre pres-
sure. This is not a list of shared tyre sizes for your vehicle. These are in the
vehicle's technical documentation, in the declaration of conformity (in so-
called COC document) and listed on the vehicle data » page 173.
Tyre pressure value on the front axle
Tyre pressure value on the rear axle
Check tyre pressures
Check the tyre pressure (including that of the emergency or spare wheel) at
least once a month and also before setting off on a long journey.
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 saved
each time the pressures are changed » page 117.
BCDEFGWARNING■
Do not drive with incorrect tyre pressure - risk of accident.■In the event of very rapid pressure loss (e.g. in the event of tyre damage)
an attempt should be made to bring the vehicle carefully to a stop without
sudden steering movements and without any hard braking - risk of acci-
dent.
Note
The declaration of conformity (the COC document) can be obtained from a
ŠKODA partner 1)
.
Tyre wear and wheel change
Fig. 175
Tyre wear indicator / wheel change
Tyre wear increases in the following circumstances.
▶ Incorrect tyre pressures.
▶ Driving style (e.g. fast cornering, rapid acceleration / braking).
▶ Incorrect wheel balancing (you should have the wheels balanced after
changing/repair tyres or if the steering “is drifting”).
▶ Wheel alignment errors.
There are wear indicator markers in the tyre profiles, indicating whether the
minimum permissible tread depth has been reached » Fig. 175 -
 . A tyre
should be regarded as worn out when this indicator is flush with the tread.
Markings on the walls of the tyres through the letters “TWI” and/or other sym- bols (e.g. ), identify the position of the wear indicators.
To ensure uniform wear on all tyres, we recommend that you change the
wheels every 10 000 km, in line with the schedule » Fig. 175 -
 . 
1)
Only valid for some countries and some models.
146General Maintenance

WARNING■Change the tyres at the latest when they are worn down to the wear indi-
cators - risk of accident.■
Faulty wheel alignment affects handling - risk of accident.
■
Unusual vibrations or the vehicle“pulling” to one side could be a sign of
tyre damage. Reduce speed and stop! If there are no external signs of tyre
damage, seek the help of a specialist garage.
Spare wheel
The size of the spare wheel is identical to that of the vehicle factory installed
wheels.
After changing the spare wheel, the tyre pressure should be adjusted.
In vehicles with tyre pressure monitoring, save the tyre pressure values in the
system » page 117 .
WARNING■
If, you get a puncture and a spare tyre has to be mounted with opposite
direction of rotation, then drive carefully. In this situation the best proper-
ties of the tyre are no longer present.■
If the dimensions or design of the spare wheel differ from the tyres fitted
to the vehicle (e.g. winter tyres or low-profile tyres), it must only be used
briefly in the event of a puncture and if an appropriately cautious style of
driving is adopted.
Spare wheel
Only use this emergency spare wheel to reach the nearest specialist garage, as
it is not intended for permanent use .
A warning label is always placed on the rim of the temporary spare wheel.
Please note the following if you intend to use the temporary spare wheel. ▶ Do not cover the warning sign.
▶ Be specially attentive when driving.
▶ Inflate the emergency spare to the maximum inflation pressure for the vehi-
cle » page 146 .
In vehicles with tyre pressure monitoring, save the tyre pressure values in the
system » page 117 .
WARNING■
Never drive with more than one spare wheel mounted!■Avoid full throttle acceleration, sharp braking and fast cornering when
driving with the temporary spare wheel.■
Do not use snow chains on the temporary spare wheel.
■
Observe the instructions on the warning sign of the temporary spare
wheel.
Tyre marking
Explanation of tyre markings - e.g. 185/60 R 15 84 H
185Tyre width in mm60Height/width ratio in %RCode letter for the type of tyre – Radial15Diameter of wheel in inches84load indexHSpeed symbol
Load index - indicates the maximum permissible load for each individual tyre
load index838485868788Load
(In kg)487500515530545560
Speed symbol - indicates the maximum permissible speed for a vehicle fitted
with tyres in a given category
Speed symbolSTUHVWTopspeed (in km/h)180190200210240270WARNINGNever exceed the maximum permissible load bearing capacity and speed
for the tyres fitted – risk of accident.147Wheels

Operating in winter conditions
All-year (or “winter”) tyres
All-year or “winter”tyres (indicated by an M+S or a mountain peak/snowflake
symbol ) to improve the performance of the vehicle in winter conditions.
To get the best possible driving characteristics, all-year or “winter”tyres, with a
minimum tread depth of 4 mm on all four wheels, should be fitted.
If “winter” tyres are mounted, summer tyres should be fitted again in good
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
All-year or “winter”tyres (marked with M+S and a peak/snowflake symbol
) of
a lower speed category than listed in the vehicle’s technical documentation
can be used provided that the maximum permissible speed for these tyres is
not exceeded even if the maximum possible speed of the vehicle is higher.
For vehicles with Infotainment System with the key  the speed limit for all-
season or“winter”Tires can be set » Owner's Manual infotainment . For other
vehicles, there is the option to set the speed limit for winter tyres at a special-
ist garage.
If the vehicle has all-season or “winter”tires of a lower speed category then
the specified maximum speed of the vehicle (referring to tyres that have not
been delivered by the factory, a warning label with the maximum value of the
speed category provided for the mounted tyres must be fixed in the interior of
the vehicle in a constantly visible place in the driver’s field of vision. The warn-
ing label (sticker) can be replaced by setting the maximum value of the speed
category supplied for the mounted tyres in Infotainment 1)
. This specification
defines the maximum vehicle speed with mounted all-season or “winter”tyres
that may not be exceeded.
Snow chains
The snow chains improve handling in wintry road conditions.
Remove the full wheel trims before installing the snow chains » page 152.
Snow chains must only be fitted on the front wheels and are applicable only to
the following wheel / tyre combinations.Rim sizePress depth DTyre size5J x 1435 mm175/70 R14
Only fit snow chains with links and locks not larger than 9 mm.
Rim sizePress depth DTyre size6J x 1538 mm185/60 R15
Only fit snow chains with links and locks not larger than 12 mm.
WARNINGDo not use chains on snow and ice-free routes - the handling would be im-
paired and there is a risk of damage to the tyres.1)
Valid in certain countries.
148General Maintenance

Do-it-yourself
Emergency equipment, and self-help
Emergency equipment
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Placement of the first aid kit and warning triangle
149
Location of reflective vest
149
Fire extinguisher
150
Vehicle tool kit
150
Placement of the first aid kit and warning triangle
Fig. 176
Placement of the first aid kit and
warning triangle - version 1
Fig. 177
Placing the first aid kit and the warning triangle - variant 2 / re-
lease the warning triangle
The following information is for the first aid kit and warning triangle from the
ŠKODA Original accessories valid.
Placing the first-aid kit
The first-aid box can be attached by a strap to the right-hand side of the boot
» Fig. 176 or » Fig. 177 .
Placing of the warning triangle - variant 1
The warning triangle can be stored in the recess under the loading edge
» Fig. 176 .
Warning triangle – version 2
The first-aid box can be attached to the right-hand side of the boot using a
strap » Fig. 177 .›
To release , press the clasp on the tape in the direction of arrow
1
fold open
the belt
A
in the direction of arrow
2
» Fig. 177 .
›
To secure , fold up the belt
A
against the arrow direction
2
until it locks in-
to place.
WARNINGProperly secure the first aid kit and the warning triangle, or there is a risk of
injury in the event of sudden braking or a vehicle collision.
Location of reflective vest
Fig. 178
Stowage compartment for the
reflective vest in the front door
The reflective vest can be stowed in the storage compartment
A
inside the
storage compartment of the front door » Fig. 178.
149Emergency equipment, and self-help

Fire extinguisherFig. 179
Release the fire extinguisher
The fire extinguisher is attached by two straps in a bracket under the front
passenger's seat.
›
To remove the fire extinguisher, release the safety catches on the two belts
in the direction of arrow » Fig. 179and remove the fire extinguisher.
›
To secure , place the fire extinguisher back in the mount and secure with the
belts.
The Owner´s Manual is fitted next to the fire extinguisher.
Pay attention to the expiration date of the fire extinguisher. After this date,
the correct function of the device is not guaranteed.
WARNINGAlways properly secure the fire extinguisher, there is a risk of injury in the
event of sudden braking or a vehicle collision.Vehicle tool kitFig. 180
Vehicle tool kit
The box with the tool kit is located in the storage compartment for the spare
wheel and may be secured with tape, depending on specification.
Depending on the equipment, not all of the following components in the on-
board tool kit have to be contained in it.
Screwdriver
Top section for the anti-theft wheel bolts
Towing eye
Clamps for removing the wheel trims
Jack with sign
Wheel brace
Extraction pliers for the wheel bolt caps
Breakdown kit
WARNING■ The factory-supplied lifting jack is only intended for your model of vehicle.
Under no circumstances attempt to lift other vehicles or loads with it –
there is a risk of injury.■
Always stow the tool safely in the box and make sure that it is attached
with the belt to the spare wheel - otherwise it could cause injury to the oc-
cupants if breaking suddenly or colliding with another vehicle. 
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