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

Wheels and Tyres
180
fig. 148
. Markings on the walls of the tyres
through the letters “TWI”, triangular
symbols or other symbols identify the position of the wear indicators. A remaining tread of just 1.6 mm, measured in the grooves of the tread next to the wear indicators, means that your tyres have
reached their legally permissible minimum
tread depth.
WARNING

You must have your tyres replaced with new ones at the latest when the
wear indicators have been worn down
. The legally permissible minimum tread
depth should be observed.
Worn tyres do not provide the necessary adhesion to the road surface at
high speeds on wet roads. One could e
xperience “aquaplaning” (uncontrolled
movements of the vehicle - “swimming” on a wet road surface).Changing wheels aroundIf significantly greater wear is present on the front tyres, we recommend changing the front wheels around with the rear wheels. You will then obtain approximately the same life for all the tyres. It may be advantageous to swap the tyres ov
er “crosswise” when certain types of wear
characteristic arise on the running surface of
the tyres (but not in the case of unidirec-
tional tyres). Specialist garages are familiar with details. We recommend that you change the wheels around every 10 000 km in order to achieve even wear on all wheels and to obtain optimal tyre life.New tyres and wheelsTyres and wheel rims are important design elements. One should therefore use the tyres and wheel rims which have been releas
ed for use by Škoda Auto. They are exactly
matched to the vehicle type and therefore
contribute significantly to good road
holding and safe driving characteristics

.
Only fit radial tyres of the same type on all 4 wheels, size (rolling circumference) and, if possible, the same tread pattern on one axle.
The specialist garages have access to the most current information about which tyres we have released for
use on your vehicle.
We recommend that you have any work relati
ng to tyres or wheels carried out by a
specialist garage
. Your dealer has all of the necessary special tools and replacement
parts available plus the required specialist knowledge and is also in a position to prop-erly dispose of the old tyres. A large number
of specialist garages also have an attrac-
tive range of tyres and wheels available. The tyre/wheel combinations which are appr
oved for your vehicle are indicated in
your vehicle documents. Approval and licens
ing may differ according to the legislation
prevailing in indi
vidual countries.
Proper knowledge of the tyre data makes it ea
sier for you to select the correct type of
tyre. Tyres do, for example, have the following
inscription
on their walls:
185 / 65 R 14 86 T
What this means is: The following
speed restrictions
apply to tyres.
185
Tyre wi dt h i n mm
65
Height/width ratio in %
R
Code letter for the type of tyre -
R adial
14
Diameter of wheel in inches
86
Load index
T
Speed symbol
Speed symbol
Permissible maximum speed
Q
160 km/h
R
170 km/h
S
180 km/h
T
190 km/h
U
200 km/h
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Wheels and Tyres
181
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
The
date of manufacture
is also stated on the tyre wall
(possibly only on the inside of
wheel).
DOT ... 13 10...
means, for example, that the tyre was ma
nufactured in the 13th week of the year 2010.
If the
spare wheel*
differs from the tyres fitted to the vehicle (e.g. winter tyres or low-
profile tyres), the spare wheel* should only be used for a short time in the event of a puncture and when adopting an appropriately
cautious style of driving. It should be
replaced as quickly as po
ssible by a normal wheel.
WARNING

Only use those tyres or wheel rims which have been approved for your
model of Škoda Auto vehicle. Failure to observe this instruction will adversely affect the road safety of your vehicle - risk of accident! Approval and licencing of your vehicle on public roads may also become void as a result.
You must on no account drive at a high
er speed than is permissible for your
tyres - risk of an accident resulting from tyre damage and loss of control over your vehicle.
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.

Never fit tyres which have already b
een used without having adequate
knowledge of their previous history. Tyre
s age even if they have not been used
at all or only very little. A spare tyre must only be used in exceptional cases and only then when adopting an appropriately cautious style of driving.
Do not, where possible, replace individu
al tyres but at least replace them on
both wheels of a given axle at the same time. Always fit the tyres with the deeper tread depth to the front wheels.
For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed
of in conformity with
the appropriate regulations.
Note
It is not normally possible to fit wheels from
other models of cars for technical reasons.
This may also apply in certain circumstances to the wheels of the same type of vehicle.Wheel boltsWheels and
wheel bolts
are matched to each other in terms of design. Each time you
fit other wheels - e.g. light alloy wheels or wheels with winter tyres - you must therefore also use the matching wheel bolts of the corr
ect length and shape of spherical cap. This
is essential to ensure that the wheels are tightly fitted and that the brake system oper- ates properly. If you retrofit
wheel trims
(or have this done), please
also ensure that an adequate
flow of air remains assured for cooling the brake system. The specialist garages are informed about the technical possibilities which exist regarding converting or retrofitting wheels, tyres and wheel trims.
WARNING

In case of incorrect treatment of the
wheel bolts, the wheel
can loosen when
the car is moving - risk of accident!
The wheel bolts must be clean and must
turn easily. However, they must
never be treated with grease or oil.
If the wheel bolts are tightened to a too low tightening torque, the rim can
lossen when the car is moving - risk of accident! A tightening torque which is too high can damage the bolts and threads and this can result in permanent deformation of the contac
t surfaces on the rims.
Caution
The prescribed tightening torque of the wh
eel bolts for steel and light alloy wheels is
120 Nm.
H
210 km/h
V
240 km/h
W
270 km/h
Speed symbol
Permissible maximum speed
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Wheels and Tyres
182
Winter tyresThe handling of your vehicl
e will be significantly improved when driving on wintry
roads if you fit winter tyres. Summer tyres do not offer the same grip on ice, snow and at temperatures below 7 °C because of thei
r construction (width, rubber blend, tread
pattern). This applies in particular
to vehicles which are equipped with
low-profile
tyres
or high-speed tyres
(code index H, V or W on wall of tyre).
Winter tyres must be mounted on all four
wheels to obtain the best handling charac-
teristics. You must only fit those types of winter tyre
which are approved for your vehicle. The
permissible
sizes of winter tyres
are stated in your vehicl
e documents. Approvals may
differ because of na
tional legislation.
Please remember that the tyres should be inflated to 20 kPa (0.2 bar) more than is the case for summer tyres
page 178.
Winter tyres no longer offer the
same winter performance once the
tyre tread
has
worn down to a depth of about 4 mm. Ageing
also causes winter tyres to lose most of their winter performance properties -
even in cases where the remaining tread depth is still clearly more than 4 mm. Speed restrictions
apply to winter tyres as well as to summer tyres
page 180,

.
You can fit winter tyres of a lower speed catego
ry to your vehicle provided that you also
do not drive faster than the permissible maximum speed for such tyres, even if the possible maximum speed of your vehicle is
higher. The correspond
ing tyre category
can damage the tyres when exceeding the permissible maximum speed. Please pay attention to the notes if
you decide to fit winter tyres
page 178.
You can also fit so-called “all-year tyres” instead of winter tyres. Please contact your specialist garage if there are any points which are not clear who will be able to provide you with information regarding the maximum speed for your tyres.
WARNING
You must on no account drive your car at more than the permissible maximum speed for your winter tyres - risk of an
accident resulting from tyre damage and
loss of control over your car.
For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres on again in good time since summer tyres offer you better grip and handling on roads which are free of snow
and ice as well as ar temperatures below
7 °C - the braking distance is shorter, there is less tyre noise, tyre wear is reduced and fuel consumption is reduced.
Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.Unidirectional tyres*The direction of rotation of the tyres is marked 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.
Should it be necessary to fit on a spare wheel* in the event of a puncture with a tyre not dedicated to the running dire
ction or in opposite runnin
g direction, please adopt a
cautious style of driving as the tyre is no
longer able to provide optimal grip and
handling in such a situation. This particular
ly important on wet roads. Please refer to
the additional instructions
page 186, “Spare wheel*”.
You should have the defective tyre replaced as soon as possible and restore the correct direction of rotation on all tyres.Snow chainsSnow chains must only be mounted on the front wheels. When driving on wintry roads, snow chains
improve not only traction, but also the
braking performance. For technical reasons, it is only permissi
ble to fit snow chains
with the following
wheel/tyre combinations.
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Wheels and Tyres
183
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Only fit snow chains with links and locks not larger than
12 mm
.
Remove the
full wheel trims
before installing the snow chains.
Observe the different national legal regulation
s relating to the use of snow chains and
the maximum vehicle spee
d with snow chains.
WARNING
Please pay attention to the information in the supplied fitting instructions of the snow chain manufacturer.
Caution
You must take the chains off as soon as you drive on roads which are free of snow. They adversely affect the handling of your ve
hicle, damage the tyres and are rapidly
destroyed.
Note

Only fit snow chains from the ra
nge of Škoda genui
ne accessories.

When driving with snow chains, switch off the traction control system (TCS).
Wheel size
Depth (D)
Ty re s i z e
5J x 14
35 mm
165/70
6J x 14
37 mm
185/60
6J x 15
43 mm
185/55
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Accessories, changes and replacement of parts
184
Accessories, changes and replacement of partsAccessories and re
placement parts
Škoda vehicles have been built according to
the latest discoveries in safety engi-
neering. Thus one should not change the co
ndition in which the vehicle was delivered
from the manufacturer without some thought. The following guidelines should be observed
when a vehicle is to be retrofitted with
accessories, have technical ch
anges made to it or a part has to be replaced at some
time in the future.
Advise should always be obtained from a specialist garage
before
buying any
accessories and
before
making any technical changes

.

This is particularly the case when acce
ssories are bought in a foreign country.

Škoda Genuine Accessories wh
ich have been released for use and Škoda original
parts can be bought from specialist ga
rages that professionally undertake the
assembly of parts which were purchased there.
All Škoda original accessories which are listed in the catalogue of original accesso-
ries such as spoilers, transport systems, child seats, etc., are homologized.
Radios, aerials and other electrical acce
ssories should only be installed by a
specialist garage.
The guidelines issued by Škoda Auto mu
st be observed when
making technical
changes.
This is to ensure that no technical damage
occurs to the vehicle, that travelling and
operating safety are maintained and that the chnages are permissible. The specialist garages also undertake this work professionally
or refer it to another specialist garage
in special cases. Any damage which is done caused by tech
nical changes made without consulting
a Skoda dealer is exclud
ed from the guarantee.
WARNING

We advise you, in your own interest, to only use Škoda Genuine Accessories
and Škoda original parts which have been
expressly approved for use on your
Škoda. Reliability, safety and suitabilii
ty have been established for these Škoda
original parts.
We cannot guarantee suitability of installation into your vehicle of other
products despite keeping a constant eye
on market developments (also not in
the case where there is an attestation or permission can be produced).Technical changesInterference on the electronic components and their software can lead to operational faults. This interference can also impair no
t directly affected sy
stems because of the
networking of the electronic components. This
means that the operating safety of your
vehicle can be considerably jeopardized, a
greater wear of vehicle parts can occur and
finally the vehicle registration documents expire. We trust that you will understand that Šk
oda Auto cannot be liable for damage
resulting from unprofessional work. We therefore recommend that you have all wo
rk carried out with Škoda original parts
at specialist garages.
WARNING
Work or modifications on your vehicle, which have been carried out unprofes-sionally, can cause operational faults - risk of accident!Vehicles of category N1The vehicle of category N1 is a vehicle wh
ich is designed and manufactured for trans-
porting loads with a maximum weight of 3.5 tonnes.
WARNING (continued)
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Breakdown assistance
185
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Breakdown assistanceBreakdown assistanceFirst-aid box* and Warning triangle*The first-aid box must be stored in such a
way that it is immediately ready to hand.
A warning triangle with the maximum di
mensions 39 x 68 x 450 mm
can be attached
to the trim panel of the rear wall with rubber straps
fig. 149
.
If you wish to equip your ve
hicle additionally with a warning triangle, please contact a
specialist garage.
WARNING
The first-aid box must be stored in such a way that the occupants do no suffer any injuries in the event of an emergency
braking or a collision of the vehicle.
Note
Pay attention to the use-by-date of the contents of the first-aid box.Fire extinguisher*The fire extinguisher is attached
with straps under the driver seat.
Please read carefully the instructions whic
h are attached to the fire extinguisher.
The fire extinguisher must be checked by
an authorised person or company annually
(please observe the various differing national legal requirements).
WARNING
If the fire extinguisher is
not correctly attached, in
case of sudden manoeuvres
or an accident it can be “thrown” through the interior compartment and cause injuries.
Note

The fire extinguisher must comply with
the relevant and valid legal requirements.

Pay attention to the expiration date of the fire extinguisher. If the fire extinguisher
is used after the expiration date, its
proper function is no longer assured.

The fire extinguisher is only supplied in
certain countries within the scope of
delivery.Vehicle tool kit
Fig. 149 Placing of the warning triangle
Fig. 150 Luggage compartment: storage compartment for vehicle tool kit
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Breakdown assistance
186
The vehicle tool kit and the lifting jack* are
housed in a plastic box in the spare wheel*
 page 185, fig. 150
or in the space for the spare wheel. There is also space here for
the removable ball for the trailer towing device. The vehicle tool kit contains the following
parts (depending on equipment fitted):

wheel wrench*;

wire clamps for removing the full wheel trims;

towing eye;

Adapter for the safety wheel bolts*;

Extraction pliers for wheel bolt caps;

Replacement bulb set;

Screwdriver*.
Before placing the lifting jack back in its storage area, screw in the arm of the lifting jack fully.
WARNING

The factory-supplied lifting jack is only intended for your model of vehicle.
On no account attempt to lift a heavier vehicle or other loads - risk of injury!
Ensure that the vehicle tool kit is safely attached in the luggage
compartment.Tyre repair kitThe tyre repair kit is intended for the repair
of minor tyre defects. The tyre repair kit
contains a compressor, inflation bottle,
operating instructions and accessories.
The repair with the tyre repair kit is
not at all intended to replace
a permanent repair
on the tyre; this repair only serves to re
ach a workshop. The repair can be undertaken
on the vehicle immediately.
Please read the attached in
structions carefully before
the repair. The ty re re pa ir kit i s s towed in a n ins er ted foa m pie ce unde r the lugga ge com pa r tment cover or in the right part
of the luggage compartment.
Spare wheel*The spare wheel is stowed in th
e spare wheel well in the luggage
compartment below the floor covering.The spare wheel lies in a well under the floor covering of the luggage compartment and is fixed in place along with a vehicle tool kit box using a special screw
fig. 151
.
One should check the inflation pressure in
the spare wheel (at best when generally
checking the tyre air pressures - see sign on the fuel filler flap
page 163) to ensure
that the spare wheel is always ready to use. Unidirectional tyres* If you have such tyres on your vehi
cle, please refer to the notes below:

The spare wheel provided with a car fitted with unidirectional tyres has different
dimensions. The wheel is provided with a warning sticker.
The warning label must not be covered after installing the wheel.

Do not drive faster than 80 km/h with this spare wheel and pay particular attention
while driving. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation pressure of
the standard tyres.
Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not intended
for continuous use.
Fig. 151 Luggage compartment: Spare wheel
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Breakdown assistance
187
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Changing a wheelPreliminary workThe following steps should be carried ou
t before actually changing the wheel.
– If it is necessary to change a wheel, park
the vehicle as far aw
ay as possible from
the traffic flow. The place you choose should be
level
.
– Have all the occupants
get out
. While changing a wheel, the occupants of the
vehicle should not stand on the ro
ad (e.g. behind a crash barrier).
– Apply the
handbrake
firmly.
–Engage
1st gear
or if your vehicle is fitted with
an automatic gearbox, position the
selector lever into position P
.
– If a trailer is coupled, uncouple it.– Take the
vehicle tool kit
and the
spare wheel*
page 185 out of the luggage
compartment.
WARNING

If you find yourself in flowing traffic switch on the hazard warning lights
system and place the warning triangle on
the side of the road at the prescribed
distance from your vehicle while observing all national legal provisions. In this way you are protecting not only yourself but also other road users.
Never start the engine with the vehicle si
tting on the raised
jack - danger of
suffering injury.
Caution
If you have to change a wheel on a slope first block the opposite wheel with a stone or similar object in order to secure the
vehicle from unexpectedly rolling away.
Note
Comply with the national legal regulations.
Changing a wheelAlways change a wheel on a level surface as far as possible. – Take off the full wheel trim*
page 188 or the caps
page 188.
– Slacken the wheel bolts
page 189.
– Jack up the vehicle until the wheel to
be changed is clear of the ground
 page 189.
– Unscrew the wheel bolts and place them
on a clean surface (cloth, paper etc.).
– Take off the wheel.– Fit on the spare wheel* and tighten the wheel bolts slightly.– Lower the car.– Tighten the wheel bolts firmly, alternatel
y and diagonally using the wrench (cross-
wise)
page 189.
– Mount the full wheel trim/wheel trim cap or the caps.
Note

All bolts must be clean and must turn easily.

You must never grease or oil the wheel bolts!

When fitting on unidirectiona
l tyres, ensure that the tyres rotate in the correct
direction
page 178.
Subsequent stepsAfter changing the wheel, you mu
st perform the following steps.
– Stow the vehicle tool kit in the space provided.– Stow the replaced wheel in the luggage compartment.–
Check
the
tyre pressure
on the spare wheel just mounted as soon as possible.
– Have the
tightening torque
of the wheel bolts
checked
with a torque wrench as
soon as possible. Steel and light alloy wheels must be tightened to a tightening torque of
120 Nm
.
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Breakdown assistance
188
– Change the damaged wheel or consult a specialist garage about possibilities for
getting repairs done.
WARNING
It is necessary to observe the guidelines given on
page 180, “New tyres and
wheels” if the vehicle is subsequently fi
tted with tyres which are different to
those it was fitted with at the works.
Note

If you find, when changing the wheel, that
the wheel bolts are corroded and diffi-
cult to turn, the bolts must be replaced
before checking the tightening torque.

Drive cautiously and only at a moderate speed to a workshop where the tightening
torque can be checked.Full wheel trim*Pulling off– Hook the clamp found in the vehicle tool
kit into the reinforced edge of the full
wheel trim.
– Push the wheel key through the clamp, support the wheel key on the tyre and pull
off the wheel trim
fig. 152
.
Installing– First press the full wheel trim onto the wheel at the valve opening provided. Then
press the full wheel trim into the wheel in
such a way that its entire circumference
locks correctly in place.Caution

Use the pressure of your hand, do not knock on the full wheel trim! Heavy knocks
mainly on the points where the full wheel trim has not been inserted into the wheel, can result in damage to the guide and centering elements of the full wheel trim.
Check for yourself that the safety wheel bolt
is located in the hole in the area of the
valve before fitting the full wheel trim onto a
steel wheel which is attached with a safety
wheel bolt
page 190, “Securing wheels against being stolen*”.
Wheel bolts with caps* The caps are designed to protect the wheel bolts.Pulling off– Insert the
plastic clip
(in the car tool kit) sufficiently
far onto the cap until the inner
catches of the clip are positioned at the collar of the cap.
– Pull the cap off with the
plastic clip
fig. 153
.
Installing– Insert the caps onto the bolts.
Fig. 152 Removing the full wheel trim
Fig. 153 Changing a wheel: Pull off cap from the wheel bolt
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Breakdown assistance
189
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Slackening and tightening wheel bolts Slacken the wheel bolts befo
re jacking up the vehicle.
Slackening wheel bolts– Insert the wheel wrench fully onto the wheel bolt
13).
– Grasp the end of the wrench and turn the bolt about
one
turn to the left
fig. 154
.
Tightening wheel bolts– Insert the wheel wrench fully onto the wheel bolt
13).
– Grasp the end of the wrench and turn the bolt to the right until it is tight.
WARNING
Slacken the wheel bolts only a little (abo
ut one turn) as long as the vehicle has
not yet been jacked up - risk of an accident!
Note

Apply pressure carefully with your
foot
to the e nd of the wrench if it prove s d iff icult
to slacken the bolts. Hold tight on the vehicl
e when doing this and ensure that you have
a steady position.
Raise vehicle You have to raise the vehicle with a lifting jack in order to be able to take off the wheel.– Position the lifting jack by selecting the ja
cking point - engraving in the lower sill -
which is closest to the wheel to be removed
fig. 155
.
– Position the lifting jack below the jacking
point and move it up until its claw is posi-
tioned directly below the vertical web of the lower sill.
– Align the lifting jack so that its claw grasps the vertical web on the engraving of the
lower sill and the bottom ba
se plate of the lifting jack is resting flat with its
complete surface against firm ground.
– Turn the lifting jack up further until
the wheel is just clear of the ground.
Ground below the lifting jack which is soft and slippery
can cause the vehicle to slip
off the jack. It is therefore always necessary
to place the lifting jack on a solid surface
or use a wide and stable base. Use a non-sl
ip base (e.g. a rubber foot mat) if the
surface is smooth
, such as cobbled stones, a tiled floor, etc.
WARNING

Always raise the vehicle with the doors closed - risk of injury.

Take suitable measures to prevent the ba
se of the lifting jack from slipping
off - risk of injury!
Place the lifting ja
ck only on a soli
d and even surface.
13)Use the appropriate adapter for slackening and tightening the safety wheel bolts
page 190.
Fig. 154 Changing a wheel: Slackening wheel bolts
Fig. 155 Changing a wheel: Jacking points for positioning lifting jack
AA
AB
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