Wheels
Wheels and tyres
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Advice on tyre/wheel usage
276
Tyre pressure
277
Tire wear and wheel change
277
Spare wheel
278
Tyre marking
278
Advice on tyre/wheel usage
New tyres , during the first 500 km, new tyres do not offer optimum grip and
appropriate care should therefore be taken when driving.
Always fit tyres with a greater profile depth on the front wheels.
Wheels and bolts are matched to each other in terms of design. We recom-
mend that you use wheel rims and wheel bolts from ŠKODA Original Accesso-
ries.
Always store wheels or tyres in a cool, dry and, where possible, dark place. The
tyres themselves should be stored standing.
Tyre life
Tyres age and lose their original characteristics, even if they are not being
used. Therefore, we recommend not using tyres that are more than 6 years
old.
The manufacturing date is indicated on the tyre sidewall (possibly on the in-
side ). E.g. DOT ... 10 16... means, for example, that the tyre was manufactured
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 tread immediately (e.g. small stones).
Foreign bodies which have penetrated into the tyre (e.g. screws or nails)
should not be removed. Seek help from a specialist garage.
Installation of new tyres
Only fit radial tyres of the same type, size (rolling circumference) and the same
tread pattern on one axle on all 4 wheels.
When mounting new tyres the tyres have to be replaced axle by axle.
Uni-directional tires
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.
Tyres with increased puncture resistance
Some vehicles may be fitted with tyres at the factory that have increased
puncture resistance (so-called “SEAL” tyres). For some countries, vehicles are
equipped with “SEAL” tyres delivered without a spare wheel and appropriate
tools.
If “SEAL”tyres are replaced with standard tyres, the vehicle must be retrofitted
with a puncture repair kit or spare wheel and appropriate hand tools.WARNING■ Never use tyres if you do not know anything about the condition and age.■Never drive with damaged tyres – risk of accident.
CAUTION
■ The tyres must be protected from contact with substances such as oil,
grease and fuel, which could damage them. If the tyres come into contact with
these substances, then we recommend you have this checked out in a special-
ist workshop.■
Do not use rims with ground or polished surface in winter conditions - there
is a risk of wheel damage (e.g. from the road grit).
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.
276General Maintenance
