engine coolant SKODA FABIA 2006 2.G / 5J User Guide

Heating and air conditioning system99
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
The AC compressor is switched off at a high coolant temperature in order to provide cooling at a high load of the engine.
After switching on the cooling Condensation from the evaporator of the air conditioning may drip down and form a puddle below the vehicle. This is quite normal and not an indication of a leak!
Recommended setting for al l periods of the year:
•Set the temperature to 22 °C.
•Press the button ⇒fig. 85.
•Move the air outlet vents 3 and 4 so that the air flow is directed slightly upwards ⇒page 102, fig. 86.
Switching over between degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit
Press and hold the buttons and ⇒fig. 85. The information in the desired temperature measuring unit appears in the display.
WARNING
•For your own safety and that of other road users, ensure that all the windows are free of ice, snow and mi sting. Please familiarize yourself about how to correctly operate the he ating and ventilation systems, how to demist and defrost the windows, as well as with the cooling mode.
•You should not leave recirculated air mode on over a longer period of time, as “stale” air may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, divert your attention and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident increases. Switch recirculated air mode off as soon as the windows begin misting up.
Note
•If the cooling system has not been switched on for a lengthy period, odours may be produced at the evaporator be cause of deposits. Switch the cooling system on at least once a month for approximately 5 minutes at the highest
blower stage - also during the cold season of the year - in order to remove such odours. Also open a window for a short time.
•We recommend that you do not smoke in the vehicle when the recirculating air mode is operating since the smoke wh ich is drawn at the evaporator from the interior of the vehicle forms deposi ts in the evaporator of the air condi- tioning system. This produces a perman ent odour when the air conditioning system is operating which can only be eliminated through considerable effort and expense (replaceme nt of compressor).
•The used air streams out through the air removal openings in the luggage compartment.
•Using the cooling economically ⇒page 98.
•Operational problems ⇒page 98.
Overview of the control elements
Fig. 85 Climatronic: Control elements
Buttons / control dial
Setting the blower speed
AUTO
ECONAUTO
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Starting-off and Driving106
Diesel engines
Glow plug system
Diesel engines are equipped with a glow plug system, the preglow period being controlled automatically in line with the coolant temperature and outside temperature.
The preglow indicator light  comes on after the ignition has been switched on.
You should not switch on any major electrical components during the heating period otherwise the vehicle battery will be drained unneces- sarily.
•You should start the engine immediately after the glow plug warning light  has gone out.
•The glow plug warning light will come on for about one second if the engine is at a normal operating temperature or if the outside temperature is above +5°C. This means that you can start the engine right away.
•Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start right awayand wait for about 30 seco nds before repeating the attempt.
•It is possible that the fuse on the diesel preglow system is defect if the engine still does not start. Check th e fuse and replace it if necessary ⇒ page 235.
•Contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
Starting the engine after fuel tank has run dry
It may take longer than normal to start th e engine after refuelling if the fuel tank has run completely dry - up to one minute. This is because the fuel system must first of all be filled while the attempting to start the engine.
Switching off the engine
– The engine can be sw itched off by turning the ignition key from
position ⇒page 104, fig. 89 into position .
WARNING
•Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary - risk of accident!
•The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater physical effort for braking is required when engine is switched off. Because if you do not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
Caution
you should not switch the engine off righ t away at the end of your journey after the engine has been operated for a length y period at high loads but should be allowed it to run at idling speed for about 2 minutes. This prevents any accumu- lation of heat when the engine is switched off.
Note
•The radiator fan may continue running for a further 10 minutes or so after the engine and the ignition have been switched off. The coolant fan may, however, also switch on again after some time if the coolant temperature rises because of an accumulation of heat in th e engine or if the engine is warm and the engine compartment is additionally heated by strong sunlight.
•This is why particular care is requir ed when carrying out any work in the engine compartment ⇒page 198, “Working in the engine compartment”.
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Towing a trailer182
Exterior mirrors
You have to have addi tional exterior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see the traffic behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. Both exterior mirrors should be attached to folding arms. Adjust the mirrors so that they provide you with an adequate field of view to the rear.
Headlights
Before starting off with a hitched trailer, also check the setting of the headlights. Alter the setting as necessary with th e aid of the headlight beam adjuster ⇒ page 59.
Detachable ball head
The ball rod is detachable on vehicles with towing device and suppliable from Škoda original accessories. It is stowed together with separate fitting instruc- tions in the spare wheel well in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Note
•We recommend that you also have yo ur vehicle inspected between service intervals if you tow a trailer frequently.
•The handbrake on the towing vehicle must be put on when coupling and decoupling the trailer.
•Keep the mechanism of the ball head of the towing device clean and take proper care of it with a suitable preservative.
Driving Tips
Particular caution is required when towing a trailer.
– Do not, as far as possible, drive with your vehicle unladen and the
trailer laden.
– Do not make full use of the lega l maximum speeds. This applies in
particular to downhill sections.
– Apply the brakes in good time.
– Keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if the outside
temperature is high.
Distribution of weight
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.
Driving speed
Do not drive faster than 80 km/hour for safety reasons. This also applies for countries in which higher speeds are allowed.
The fact that the driving stability of the vehicle + trailer combination reduces with increasing speed means that the legally allowed speed should not be used when there are unfavourable road, weat her or wind conditions, particularly near accident black spots.
You must always reduce your speed imme diately as soon as you detect even just the slightest swaying of the trailer. On no account attempt to stop the trailer from “swaying ” by accelerating.
Apply the brakes in good time! If the trailer is fitted with a trailer brake, apply the brakes gently at first and then brake firmly. This will avoid brake jolts resulting from the trailer wheels locking. Shift down gears in good time before negotiating a downhill section to allow the engine to also act as a brake.
Engine overheating
Please keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if you have to negotiate a lengthy slope in a low gear at a high engine speed when the outside temper- ature is very high ⇒page 14.
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Towing a trailer183
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
If the needle of the coolant temperatur e gauge moves into the right-hand area or even the red area of the scale, reduce your speed immediately. Stop and switch off the engine if the warning light  in the instrument cluster begins flashing. Wait a few minutes and check th e level of coolant in the coolant expan- sion bottle ⇒page 204, “Inspecting the coolant level”.
Please refer to the following guidelines ⇒page 30, “Coolant tempera- ture/coolant level ”.
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.
Any increase in the cooling effect of the coolant fan through shifting down a gear and increasing the engine speed is not possible since the fan speed is inde- pendent of the engine speed. One should also not drop a gear for this reason when towing a trailer as long as the engine can manage the slope without any drop in speed.
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Inspecting and Replenishing198
Opening the bonnet
– Unlock the bonnet ⇒page 197, fig. 141.
– Ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers are correctly in
place against the windscreen before opening the bonnet other-
wise damage could occur to the paintwork.
– Press the locking button ⇒page 197, fig. 142, the bonnet unlocks
itself.
– Grip the bonnet and lift it up.
– Take the bonnet support out of its holder and set it in the opening
designed for it ⇒page 197, fig. 143.
Closing the bonnet
– Lift the bonnet slightly and unhook the bonnet support. Press the
bonnet support into the holder designed to hold it.
– Allow the bonnet to drop from a height of about 30 cm into the lock
- bonnet do not press down on it!
WARNING
•Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is flowing out of the engine compartment - risk of scalding! Wait long enough until the steam or coolant has stopped escaping.
•For safety reasons, the bonnet must always be properly closed when driving. One should therefore check that the lock has in fact engaged properly after closing the bonnet.
•Stop your vehicle immediately whil e driving if you notice that the lock is not properly engaged and close the bonnet properly - risk of an accident!
Caution
•Before opening the bonnet, ensure that the arms of the windscreen wipers are correctly in place against the windscreen. Otherwise, there is a risk of damage to the paintwork.
Working in the engine compartment
Particular care is required when carrying out any work in the
engine compartment!
There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and fire when working in the engine compartment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions stated below and with the general appl icable rules of safety. The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area ⇒.
WARNING
•Never open the bonnet if you see that steam or coolant is flowing out of the engine compartment - risk of scalding! Wait long enough until the steam or coolant has stopped escaping.
•Switch off the engine and pull out the ignition key.
•Apply the handbrake firmly.
•If your vehicle is fitted with a manual gearbox, move the gearshift lever into Neutral, or if it is fitted with automatic gearbox, move the selector lever into position P.
•Allow the engine to cool down.
•Keep children clear of the engine compartment.
•Do not touch any hot engine parts - risk of burns!
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Inspecting and Replenishing199
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•Never spill oil and other fluids over the hot engine. Such fluids (e.g. the antifreeze contained in the coolant) may ignite!
•Avoid short circuits in the electrical system - particularly on the battery.
•Never place your hand into the radiator fan as long as the engine is still warm. The fan might suddenly start running!
•Never open the cap of the coolant expansion bottle as long as the engine is still warm. The co oling system is pressurized!
•Cover over the cap of the coolant expansion reservoir with a large cloth when opening it as protection for your face, hands and arms from hot steam or hot coolant.
•Do not let objects, such as e.g cleaning cloth or tools lie in the engine compartment.
•If you wish to work under the vehicle, you must secure the vehicle from rolling away and support it with suitable supporting blocks: the car jack is not sufficient for this - risk of injury!
•In cases where it be necessary to carry out inspection work when the engine is running there is an additional risk from rotating parts (e.g. the V-ribbed belt, alternator, radiator fan) and from the high-voltage igni- tion system. Please observe in addition the following:
− Never touch the electrical cables of the ignition system.
− Absolutely avoid any jewellery, loose items of clothing or long hair from getting into the rotating part s of the engine - Hazard! Therefore remove any jewellery beforehand, tie up your hair and wear tight fitting clothing.
•Please also comply with the warnin g instructions stated below when carrying out any essential work on th e fuel system or on the electrical system:
− Always separate the car battery from the electrical system.
− Do not smoke.
− Never carry out any work close to naked flames.
− Always keep a working fire extinguisher at hand.
Caution
When replenishing fluids in the engine, always ensure that the fluids are on no account mixed up. This may result in ma jor operating problems and also vehicle damage!
Overview of the engine compartment
The main inspection points.
Fig. 144 Diesel engine 1.9 litre/77 kW
WARNING (continued)WARNING (continued)
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Inspecting and Replenishing200
Coolant expansion bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil filler opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Battery (below a cover) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Note
The location of the inspection points in the engine compartment of petrol and diesel engines is practically identical.
Engine oil
Engine oil specifications
The grade of engine oil should be selected in accordance with
precise specifications.
The engine of your vehicle has been fact ory-filled with a high-grade oil which you can use throughout the year - except in extreme climatic regions.
You can mix various oils together with ea ch other when refilling with oil. This does not, however, apply for models with flexible service intervals (QG1).
Engine oils are, of course, undergoing continuous further development. Thus the information stated in this Owner's Manual is only correct at the time of publication.
Škoda Service Partners are informed by Škoda Auto a.s. about current changes. We recommend having this oil change undertaken by a Škoda Service Partner.
Engine oil specifications for vehicles with fixed service intervals (QG0, QG2)
Engine oil specifications for models with flexible service intervals (QG1)
Caution
Only the above-mentioned oils may be used on vehicles with flexible service intervals (QG1). We recommend always re filling with oil of the same specifica- tion since this will maintain the properti es of the oil. In exceptional cases, you must top up only once engine oil complying with Specification VW 502 00 (only for petrol engines) or Specification VW 505 01 (only for diesel engines) to maximum 0.5 litres. You must not use other engine oils - risk of engine damage!
A1204A2211
A3202
A4201
A5206
A6207
Engine oil specifications
Petrol engines
VW 501 01 VW 502 00 VW 504 00
ACEA A2 a) or A3 a)
a)Only to be used in exceptional cases if the oils specified above are not available.
Diesel enginesVW 505 01b)
VW 507 00 c)
b)Only for engines without diesel particle filter ⇒page 36.c)Only for engines with diesel particle filter ⇒page 36.
Engine oil specifications
Petrol enginesVW 504 00 alternative VW 503 00
Diesel enginesVW 507 00
alternative VW 506 01 a)
a)Only for engines without diesel particle filter ⇒page 36.
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Inspecting and Replenishing203
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•Oil is toxic! Store old oil in a safe place out of the reach of children and unauthorized persons until you dispose of it properly.
Caution
You must not pour any additives into th e engine oil - risk of engine damage! Damage, which results from such product, are excluded from the warranty.
For the sake of the environment
•You must on no account pour oil into the ground or into the sewage system.
•In view of the problems involved in properly disposing of old oil, the mate- rial, equipment and the knowledge required for such work, we recommend that you have the oil and oil filter change ca rried out by your Škoda Service Partner.
Note
After your skin has come in contact with the oil, you must thoroughly wash your skin.
Cooling system
Coolant
The job of the coolant is to cool the engine.
The cooling system does not require an y maintenance under normal operating conditions. The coolan t consists of water with a concentration of coolant addi- tive of 40 %. This mixture not only provid es antifreeze protection down to -25°C but also protects the cooling and heat ing system from corrosion. It also
prevents the formation of scale and significantly increases the boiling point of the coolant.
You must therefore not reduce the concentration of antifreeze agent in the coolant by adding water, also not duri ng the summer months or in countries with a warm climate. The concentration of coolant additive in the coolant must be at least 40%.
You can increase the amount of antifreeze in the coolant if a higher concentra- tion of antifreeze is necessary for clim atic reasons but only up to 60% (anti- freeze protection down to approx. -40° C). The antifreeze protection tails off above that concentration.
Vehicles exported to co untries with a cold climate (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland) are already factory-filled with a coolant which offers antifreeze protec-tion down to about -35°C. In these countries the concentration of coolant addi- tive should be at least 50 %.
Coolant
The cooling system is filled at the works with coolant (purple in colour), which complies with the specification TL-VW 774 F.
We recommend that you use the antifreeze agent - G12 PLUS (purple in colour).
We recommend that you contact your Šk oda Service Partner if you have any questions regarding the coolant or if you wish to fill up with a different coolant.
Your Škoda Service Partner can also supp ly you with the correct coolant addi- tives.
Caution
•Other coolant additives may cause operational problems which, in particular, involves significantly reducing the anticorrosion effect.
•Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of coolant and, as a consequence of th is, result in major engine damage.
WARNING (continued)
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Inspecting and Replenishing204
Inspecting the coolant level
The 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 198.
– Check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle
⇒ fig. 146. The coolant level when the engine is cold must lie
between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings. The level may also
rise slightly above the “MAX” ma rking when the engine is warm.
If the coolant level in the reservoir is too low, this is indicated by the warning light in the instrument cluster  ⇒page 30. 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 198, “Working in the engine compartment” before working in the engine compartment.
Caution
One should contact a specialist garage as soon as possible if the source of over- heating itself cannot be determined an d 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. 146 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.
Fig. 146 Engine compartment: Coolant expansion bottle
ABAA
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Inspecting and Replenishing205
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
The coolant which you use for replenishing the system, must comply with one specific specification ⇒page 203, “Coolant”. Do not use an alternative additive if the coolant additive G12 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 a dditive 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 cool ant. This is necessary to avoid engine damage.
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 coolan t. Coolant vapours are also harmful to the health. It is important, therefore, to always safely store any coolant additive in its original container out of the reach of children - risk of poisoning!
•If any splashes of coolant get into your eyes, rinse out your eyes immediately with clear water and cont act a doctor as soon as possible.
•You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvert- ently 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 protec- tion 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 fo r up to 10 minutes after the engine has been switched off - even if the ignition 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!
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