SKODA FABIA 2010 2.G / 5J Owner's Manual

Inspecting and replenishing
170

Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of coolant
and, as a consequence of this,
result in major engine damage.
Inspecting the coolant levelThe coolant expansion bottle
is located in the engine compartment on the right.
– Switch the engine off.– Open the bonnet

in “Working in the engine compartment” on page 166.
– Check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle
fig. 142
. The coolant
level when the engine is cold must lie between the “MIN” and “MAX” mark- ings. The level may also rise slightly ab
ove the “MAX” marking when the engine is
warm.
If the coolant level in the reservoir is too lo
w, this is indicated by the warning light in
the instrument cluster
 page 29. We nevertheless recommend inspecting the
coolant level directly at the reservoir from time to time. Loss of coolant A loss of coolant is first and foremost an
indication of a leak
in the system. You should
not merely top up the coolant in the reservoir.
It is also important to have the cooling
system inspected without delay by a specialist garage. Losses can only occur through
the pressure relief in the cap of the coolant expansion
bottle which is completely free of leaks if
the coolant boils as a
result of overheating
and is forced out of the cooling system.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes
page 166, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Caution
One should contact a specialist garage as s
oon as possible if the source of overheating
itself cannot be determined and removed,
since there may be grave damage to the
engine.Replenishing the coolant– Switch the engine off. – Allow the engine to cool down.– Place a cloth over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir
fig. 142
and
unscrew the cap
carefully
by turning it to the left

.
–Top up the coolant.– Screw the cap tight until it is heard to lock. The coolant which you use for replenishing the system, must comply with one specific specification
page 169, “Coolant”. Do not use an al
ternative additive if the coolant
additive G12 PLUS - PLUS is not available in
exceptional cases. Just top up the system
with water and as soon as possible arrange
adjustment to correct
the mixing ratio of
water and coolant additive again by a specialist garage. Only use fresh coolant for topping up the system.Do not fill up over the “MAX” marking! Excess
coolant which is heated up is forced out
of the cooling system through the pressure relief valve in the cap of the coolant compensation bottle. Wait until the engine has cooled down for a
system which has suffered a major loss of
coolant before pouring in coolant. This
is necessary to avoid engine damage.
Fig. 142 Engine compartment: Coolant expansion bottle
AB
AA
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Inspecting and replenishing
171
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING

The cooling system is pressurized!
Do not open the cap of the coolant
expansion bottle if the engine is still hot - risk of scalding!
The coolant additive and thus all of the coolant is harmful to your health.
Avoid contact with the coolant. Coolant
vapours are also harmful to the health.
It is important, therefore, to always safely store any coolant additive in its orig-inal container out of the reach of children - risk of poisoning!
If any splashes of coolant get into yo
ur eyes, rinse out your eyes immedi-
ately with clear water and contact a doctor as soon as possible.
You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvertently
swallowed coolant.
Caution
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the conditions prevailing to top up with coolant. Switch the engine off
and obtain
professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage.
For the sake of the environment
Do not re-use coolant if it is necessary to
drain the coolant in the system. It should be
collected and disposed of in compliance
with environmental protection regulations.
Radiator fan The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.The radiator fan is driven by an electr
ic motor and controlled by a thermostat
according to the coolant temperature. The radiator fan may continue running for up
to 10 minutes after the engine has been
switched off - even if the igni
tion is also off. It may also
switch on suddenly after a
certain time, if
the coolant temperature has risen beca
use of an accumulation of heat or

the warm engine compartment is heated
up additionally by strong sunlight.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when working in the engine compartment that the fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!Brake fluidInspecting the brake fluid levelThe brake fluid reservoir is located on the
left of the engine compartment. The brake
fluid reservoir on right-hand steering models is positioned on the other side of the engine compartment. – Switch the engine off.– Open the bonnet

in “Working in the engine compartment” on page 166.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir
fig. 143
. The level must be between
the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-tear and automatic adjustment of the brak
e pads, and is perfectly normal.
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” marking. If the brake fluid level is too low, this
is indicated by the warning light
 lighting up in the
instrument cluster
page 32. In this case
stop immediately and do not drive any
further! Obtain professional assistance.
Fig. 143 Engine compartment: Brake fluid reservoir
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Inspecting and replenishing
172
WARNING

Read and observe the warning notes
page 166, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
If the fluid level has dropped below the MIN marking, do not drive any
further - risk of accident! Obtain professional assistance.Replacing brake fluidBrake fluid absorbs moisture. This causes the fluid to absorb moisture from the surrounding air over a period of time. Excessive water in the brake fluid may be the cause of corrosion in the brake system. The
water content also lowers the boiling point
of the brake fluid. One may only use new brake fluid approved
by Škoda Auto. The brake fluid must
comply with one of the following standards or specifications:
VW 501 14,

FMVSS 116 DOT4,

DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4.
We recommend that you have the brake fluid replaced by an
authorised Škoda
Service Partner
as part of an Inspection Service.
WARNING

Using old brake fluid can result in severe
stress on the brakes because of the
formation of vapour bubbles in the br
ake system. This greatly impairs the
braking efficiency and thus also the safety of your vehicle.
Brake fluid is toxic! It must therefor
e be kept safely in closed original
containers and well away from children and unauthorized persons.
Caution
Brake fluid damages the paintwork of the vehicle.
For the sake of the environment
In view of the problems involved with proper
disposal of brake fluid, the special tools
and the professional knowledge required, we recommend you have the brake fluid replaced by a specialist garage.BatteryWorking on the batteryFig. 144 The battery: Pull up the cove
r (automatic gearbox) / (manual gearbox)
The battery is located in the engi
ne compartment below a plastic box.
– Unlock the interlock on the positive terminal side of the battery
fig. 144
- left.
– Pull up the cover in direction of arrow
fig. 144
- left (automatic gearbox) or
 fig. 144
- right (manual gearbox).
– The installation of the battery cover on th
e positive terminal side takes place in the
reverse order.
Removal and installation of the battery is
not recommended since it can, under certain
circumstances, lead to ma
jor damage to the battery and fuse boxes. Contact a
specialist garage. There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and burns when carrying out any work on the battery and on the electrical system. For th
is reason, it is essential to comply with
the warning instructions

stated below and with the general applicable rules of
safety.
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Inspecting and replenishing
173
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING

The battery acid is strongly corrosive
and must, therefore, be handled with
the greatest of care. Always wear prot
ective gloves, eye and skin protection
when handling batteries. Corrosive fumes
in the air irritate the air passages and
lead to conjunctivitis and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs. Battery acid corrodes dental enamel and create
s deep wounds after contact with the
skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids coming into contact with water are diluted accompanied by
significant development of heat.

Do not tilt the battery otherwise batt
ery electrolyte may flow out of the
battery vent openings. Protec
t the eyes with safety glas
ses or a shield! There is
the danger of suffering blindness! If an
y battery electrolyte
gets into your eye,
rinse out your eye immediately with cl
ear water for several minutes. Contact a
doctor without delay.
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Contact a doctor immediately if you swal
low battery electrolyte.

Keep batteries out of the reach of children.

Hydrogen is released when you charge
a battery and a highly explosive gas
mixture is produced. An explosion can be caused through sparkling over during unclamping or loosening of the cabl
e plug while the ignition is on.

Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal objects,
cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explo- sion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.
It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry out
any activities which produce sparks. Avoi
d creating sparks when working with
cables and electrical devices. Strong sparking represents a risk of injury.
Before carrying out any work on the el
ectrical system, swit
ch off the engine,
the ignition as well as all electrical components and disconnect the negative cable (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off the appropriate light.
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns! Replace a frozen battery.

Never use a battery which is damaged - risk of explosion! Immediately
replace a damaged battery.
Caution

You must only disconnect the battery if th
e ignition is switched off, otherwise the
electrical system (electronic components
) of the vehicle may be damaged. When
disconnecting the battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, first disconnect the negative terminal (-) of the battery. Then
disconnect the positive terminal (+).

When reconnecting the battery, first connect the positive terminal (+) and only
then the negative terminal (-) of the batt
ery. You must on no account connect the
cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.
Ensure that battery acid does not come
into contact with the vehicle body other-
wise damage could occur to the paintwork.
Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the battery housing
from the effects of ultra-violet light.
For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of wast
e which is harmful to the environment - we
recommend that you contact your Škoda Service Partner regarding disposing of the battery.
Note

Please also refer to the guidelines
page 176, “Disconnectin
g and reconnecting
the battery”, also after connecting the battery.
WARNING (continued)
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Inspecting and replenishing
174
Battery with a two-tone indicatorAn indicator for the electrolyte level, the so-called magic eye
fig. 145
, is located on
the top of the battery. The indicator changes it
s colour in line with the electrolyte level
in the battery. Air bubbles can influence the colour of the in
dicator. For this reason carefully knock on
the indicator before carrying out the check.
Black colour - electrolyte level is correct.

Colourless or light yellow colour - electrolyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced. Batteries, which are more than 5 years old, must be replaced. We recommend you have the battery checked or replaced by a specialist garage.
Caution
If the vehicle has not been driven for more
than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will discharge
because certain electrical components consum
e electricity (e.g. control units) also in
idle state. You can prevent the discharging of
the battery by disconnecting the negative
terminal or charging the battery constantly
with a very low charging current. Please
also refer to the notes wh
en working on the battery

in “Working on the battery”
on page 172.
Note

Batteries with two-tone indicator, which
are mounted as of factory, are marked
with a code which always begins with
5K0
. The exact marking can be e.g.
5K0 915 105 D
.

Replacement batteries with two-tone indi
cator, which were obtained from Škoda
original accessories, are marked with the code
000 915 105 Dx
, whereby “x” stands for
a variable. The exact marking can be e.g.
000 915 105 DB
.
Battery with a three-tone indicatorAn indicator for the electrolyte level and
the charge state, the so-called magic eye
 fig. 145
, is located on the top of the battery.
The indicator changes its colour in line
with the charge state of and the electrolyte level in the battery. Air bubbles can influence the colour of the in
dicator. For this reason carefully knock on
the indicator before carrying out the check.
Green colour - the battery
is adequately charged.

Dark colour - the battery has to be charged

Colourless or yellow colour - electrolyte level too low, the battery must be
replaced. Batteries, which are more than 5 years old, must be replaced. We recommend you have the battery checked or replaced by a specialist garage.
Caution
If the vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 to 4 weeks, the battery will discharge because certain electrical comp
onents consume electricity (e
.g. control units) also in
idle state. You can prevent the discharging of
the battery by disco
nnecting the negative
terminal or charging the battery constantly
with a very low charging current. Please
also refer to the notes when working on the battery

in “Working on the battery”
on page 172.
Fig. 145 The battery: Show
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Inspecting and replenishing
175
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Note

Batteries with three-tone indicator, which are mounted as of factory, are marked
with a code which always begins with
1J0
, 7N0
or 3B0
. The exact marking can be e.g.
1J0 915 105 AC
.

Replacement batteries with three-tone indi
cator, which were obtained from Škoda
original accessories, are marked with the code
000 915 105 Ax
, whereby “x” stands for
a variable. The exact marking can be e.g.
000 915 105 AB
.
Inspecting the electrolyte levelThe battery is practically
maintenance-free
under normal operating conditions. We
do, however, recommend that you have the electrolyte level inspected from time to time by a specialist garage when outside
temperatures are high or when driving on
long trips. You should also have the electrolyte level
page 175 checked each time
the battery is charged. The electrolyte level of the battery will al
so be checked as part of the Inspection
Service.Operation in winterThe battery has to provide greater amounts of
electricity during the winter. It also has
only part of the initial power output at low temperatures that it has at normal temper-atures. A discharged battery may already freez
e at temperatures just below 0°C.
We therefore recommend that you have the
battery checked by a specialist garage
before the start of the winter, and recharged if necessary.Charging the battery A properly charged battery is essentia
l for reliably starting the engine.
– Read the warning notes

in “Working on the battery” on page 172 and

.
– Switch the ignition and all electrical components off.
– Only for “quick-charging”: Disconnect both
battery cables (first
of all “negative”,
then “positive”).
– Carefully attach the terminal
clamps of the charger to the battery terminals (red =
“positive”, black = “negative”).
– You can now plug the mains cable of the
charger into the power socket and switch
on the charger.
– When charging is completed: switch th
e charger off and unplug the mains cable
from the power socket.
– Only then should you disconnect th
e terminal clamps of the charger.
– Reconnect the cables to the battery (first of all “positive”, then “negative”). It is not normally necessary to
disconnect the cables of th
e battery if you recharge the
battery using low amperages (as for example from a
mini-charger
). Please also refer
to the instructions from the charger manufacturer. A charging current of 0.1 of the total battery
capacity (or lower) is that which should be
used until full charging is achieved. It is, however, necessary to disconnect both
cables before charging the battery with
high amperages, so-called “
quick-charging
”.
“Quick-charging” a battery is
dangerous

in “Working on the battery” on
page 172. It requires a special charger an
d appropriate knowledge. We therefore
recommend that you have your battery quick-
charged only by your specialist garage.
A discharged battery may already
freeze
at temperatures just below 0°C

. We
recommend that you no longer use a battery
which has thawed out because the casing
of the battery may be cracked through the formation of ice and this would allow battery electrolyte to flow out. The vent plugs of the battery should not be opened for charging.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns! Replace a frozen battery.
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Inspecting and replenishing
176
Caution
On vehicles with the “START/STOP” system,
the pole terminal of the charger must not
be connected directly to the negative termin
al of the vehicle battery, but only to the
engine earth
page 192, fig. 158
.
Disconnecting and reconnecting the batteryOn disconnecting and reconnecting the batt
ery the following functions are initially
deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free. We recommend having the vehicle checked by a specialist garage to ensure full func- tionality of all electrical systems.Replacing the batteryYou should only replace a battery with a ne
w battery of the same
capacity, voltage (12
V), amperage and of the same size. Specialist garages have a range of suitable batteries available. We recommend that you only have an old ba
ttery disposed of by a specialist garage
since it does require special disposal.
For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain poisonous substances such
as sulphuric acid and lead. They must be
disposed of in accordance with local environmental protection regulations and on no account as domestic waste.
Windshield washer systemThe windshield washer reservoir contains the
cleaning fluid for the
windscreen or rear
window and for the headlamp cleaning system*.
The reservoir is located in the front of
the engine compartment on the right side of the vehicle
fig. 146
. On some vehicles,
the reservoir is located on the left si
de of the vehicle next to the battery.
The
filling level
of the container is about 3.5 litres and about 5.4 litres on vehicles
which have a headlight washing system. Clear water is not sufficient to intensivel
y clean the windscreen and headlights. We
therefore recommend using clean washing water together with the screen cleaner from Škoda genuine accessories (in winter additionally with antifreeze) which is capable of removing stubborn
dirt. Follow the instructions for use on the packaging
when using screen cleaning products. You should always add antifreeze to the cleani
ng water in winter even
if your vehicle is
fitted with heated wind
screen washer nozzles*.
It is also possible in exceptional cases to use methylated spirits when no screen cleaner with antifreeze is available. The concentration of methylated spirits must not be more than 15 %. Please note, however, that the anti
freeze protection at this concentration is
only adequate down to -5°C.
WARNING
Read and observe the warning notes
page 166, “Working in the engine
compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Operation
Operating measure
Electrical power window
(operational faults)
page 45
Enter radio code number
see Radio Operat
ing Instructions
Set hours
page 18
Data in the multi-functional indicator* are deleted.
 page 19
Fig. 146 Engine compartment: Wind- shield washer fluid reservoir
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Inspecting and replenishing
177
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Caution

On no account should you add radiator an
tifreeze or other additives to the wind-
screen washer fluid.
If the vehicle is fitted with a headligh
t cleaning system, you should only add
cleaning products which do no
t attack the polycarbonate co
ating of the headlights to
the windscreen washer fluid. Please contac
t your specialist garage, who will tell you
which cleaning agent you can use.
Note
Do not take the filter out of the windscreen
wash container when filling it up again with
liquid otherwise dirt can get into the liquid
transportation system and can lead to faults
in operation of the windscreen wash system.
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Wheels and Tyres
178
Wheels and TyresWheelsGeneral information
New tyres do not offer optimal grip at first and should therefore be run in for about
500 km at a moderate speed and an appropri
ately cautious style of driving. You will
also profit from longer tyre life.
The tread depth of new tyres may differ be
cause of design features and the config-
uration of the tread (depending on the type of tyre and the manufacturer).
Drive over curbs on the side of the road
and other such obstacles slowly and,
where possible, at a right angle in order
to avoid damage to tyres and wheel trims.

Inspect your tyres from time to time
for damage (punctures, cuts, splits and
bulges). Remove foreign bodies from the tyre profile.
Damage to tyres and wheels is frequently
not visible. Unusual vi
brations or pulling
of the vehicle to one side coul
d be a sign of tyre damage.
Please reduce your speed
immediately and stop if you su
spect that a wheel is damaged.
Inspect the tyres for
signs of damage (bulges, splits, etc.). If no
visible damage is present, please drive at an
appropriately slow speed and carefully to the nearest specialist garage in order to have your vehicle inspected.
Also protect your tyres from contact with oil, grease and fuel.

Immediately replace any dust caps of
the valves which have got lost.

Mark wheels before removing them so that
their previous dire
ction of running can
be maintained when mounted them again.
Always store wheels or tyres which been removed in a cool, dry and, where
possible, dark place. Tyres which are not fixed to a wheel trim should be stored upright. Unidirectional tyres* The direction of rotation of the tyres is mark
ed by arrows on the
wall of the tyre. This
indicates the direction of rotation of the tyre, and it is essential that the tyres are fitted on to run in this direction. Only then are
the tyres able to provide the optimal proper-
ties in terms of grip, low nois
e, wear-and-tear and aquaplaning.
Further information concerning th
e use of unidirectional tyres
page 182.
WARNING

New tyres during the first 500 km do not offer optimal grip and should
therefore be run appropriately - risk of accident!
Never drive with damaged tyres - risk of accident!Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.Ty re l i feThe life of your tyres very much depends on the following points: Tyre pressure The working life of tyres will be shortened considerably if the tyres are insufficiently or over-inflated and this will have an adverse
effect on the handli
ng of your vehicle.
Correctly inflated tyres are of particular importance when travelling at
high speeds
. It
is therefore good to check the pressure at
least once a month and also before setting
off on a long trip. Please do not forget the spare wheel* when checking the tyres. The tyre inflation pressures for
summer tyres
are indicated on the inside of the fuel
filler flap
fig. 147
. The inflation pressures for
winter tyres
are 20 kPa (0.2 bar) higher
than those for summer tyres
page 182.
Fig. 147 An opened fuel filler flap with a tyre size and tyre inflation pressure table
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Wheels and Tyres
179
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
The tyre pressure should be
at the highest pressure specified for your vehicle at all
times. Always check the inflation pressure of tyres
when cold. Do not reduce the higher pres-
sure of warm tyres. Adapt the inflation pressure of the tyres accordingly if your vehicle is carrying a significantly higher payload. Tyre inflation pressure - Tyre size 185/55 R15 The same inflation pressure values apply to ty
res of the tyre size 195/55 R15 as to tyres
of the tyre size 185/55 R15 which are intended to be used with snow chains, see the inside of the fuel filler flap. The tyres of the tyre size 185/55 R15, which are intended to be used with snow chains and are fitted on models Fabia Combi Scout, have the following inflation pressure values in kPa. Driving style Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and brak
ing (squealing tyres) increase wear-and-
tear on your tyres. Balancing wheels The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. There are a wide range of influences when driving which may result in an imbalance
and which makes themselves felt through
vibration in the steering.
You should have the wheels rebalanced si
nce any imbalance increases wear-and-tear
on the steering, the suspension and tyres. A wheel must also be rebalanced when a new tyre is fitted and each time a tyre is repaired. Wheel alignment errors Incorrect wheel alignment at the front and rear
will not only increase wear-and-tear on
the tyres but will also has an adverse effect on vehicle safety. Contact your specialist garage if you notice any unusual tyre wear.
WARNING

If the inflation pressure is too low,
the tyre must perform a higher rolling
resistance. At higher speeds the tyre will warm up as a result of this. This can result in tread separation and even a tyre blowout.
Immediately replace the damaged rims or tyres.

Tyres which are 6 years old or more should only be fitted in exceptional
cases and when adopting an approp
riately cautious style of driving.
For the sake of the environment
Tyres which are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption.Wear indicatorsThe base of the tread of the original tyres has wear indicators 1.6 mm high, installed at right angles to the direction of travel. These
wear indicators are lo
cated at 6 - 8 points
depending on the make and are evenly spaced around the circumference of the tyre
Engine
Partial load
Full load
1.2/63 kW TSI
220/230
220/230
1,4/63 kW
220/290
1.2/77 kW TSI
230/300
1.6/77 kW
230/300
1,2/55 kW TDI CR
230/300
1.6/66 kW TDI CR
220/290
1.6/77 kW TDI CR
220/290
Fig. 148 Tyre tread with wear indicators
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