wheel size SKODA OCTAVIA 2007 1.G / (1U) Owner's Manual

Seats and Stowage67
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Seats and Stowage
Front seats
Basic information
The front seats have a wide range of differ ent settings and can thus be matched to
the physical characteristics of the driver and front passenger. Correct adjustment of
the seats is particularly important for
•safely and quickly reaching the controls,
•a relaxed, fatigue-free body position,
•achieving the maximum protection offere d by the seat belts and the airbag
system.
WARNING
•Never transport more occupants than the maximum seating in the
vehicle.
•Each occupant must correctly fasten the seat belt belonging to the seat.
Children must be fastened ⇒page 173, “Transporting children safely” with
a suitable restraint system.
•The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted to match
the body size of the seat occupant as well as the seat belts must always be
correctly fastened in order to provide an optimal protection for you and your
occupants.
•Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven - never
place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the
surfaces of the seats. This is particularly important for the front seat
passenger. You will be exposed to increa sed risk of injury if it becomes
necessary to apply the brake or in the ev ent of an accident. If an airbag is
deployed, you may suffer fatal injuries when adopting an incorrect seated
position!
•It is important for the driver and front passenger to maintain a distance
of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the airb
ag system will not be able to prop-
erly protect you - hazard! The front seats and the head restraints must
always also be correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occupant.
•Ensure that there are no objects in the footwell as any objects may get
behind the pedals during a driving or braking manoeuvre. You would then
no longer be able to operate the clutch, to brake or accelerate.
Adjusting the front seats
Adjusting a seat in a forward/back direction
–Pull the lever ⇒fig. 59 up and push the seat into the desired posi-
tion.
– Release the lever and push the seat further until the lock is heard to engage.
Adjusting height of seat*
– Lift the seat if required by pulling or pumping lever upwards.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 59 Controls at seat
A1
A1
A2
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 67 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Passive Safety155
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Correct seated position
Correct seated position for the driver
Correct seated position for the driver is important for safe and
relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident, we
recommend the following setting:
•Adjust the steering wheel so that the distance between the steering wheel and
your chest is at least 25 cm ⇒fig. 155 .
•Position the driver seat in the forward/back direction so that you are able to
press the pedals with your legs at a slight angle .
•Adjust the backrest so that you are able to reach the highest point of the steering
wheel with your arms at a slight angle.
•Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the same
level as the upper part of your head ⇒ fig. 156.
•Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒page 160, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”.
Manual driver seat adjustment ⇒page 67, “Adjusting the front seats”.
Electrical driver seat adjustment ⇒ page 68, “Adjusting front seats electrically*”.
WARNING
•The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted to match
the body size of the seat occupant as well as the seat belts must always be
correctly fastened in order to provide an optimal protection for you and your
occupants.
•The driver must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering
wheel ⇒fig. 155 . Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the
airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
•When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the
outer edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position. Never hold the steering
wheel firmly in the 12 o'clock position or in another way (e.g. in the middle
of the steering wheel or at the inner steering wheel edge). In such cases,
injuries to the arms, the hands and the head can occur when the driver
airbag is deployed.
•The backrests must not be angled to o far back when driving otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag system -
risk of injury!
•Ensure that there are no objects in the footwell as any objects may get
behind the pedals during a driving or braking manoeuvre. You would then
no longer be able to operate the clutch, to brake or accelerate.
Fig. 155 The correct
distance of the driver
from the steering wheel
Fig. 156 The correct
head restraint adjust-
ment for the driver
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 155 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Airbag system
166
The airbag system is designed in such a way that the driver and the front passenger
airbag* are deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity.
In certain accident situations both the fr ont airbags as well as the head and side
airbags may be deployed together.
If the airbags are deployed, the airbags are filled with a propellant gas and inflated
in front of the driver and front passenger ⇒page 165, fig. 166 . The airbags inflate
in fractions of a second and at a high spee d in order to be able to offer that addi-
tional protection in the event of an acci dent. The forward movement of the driver
and of the front passenger is cushioned when they make contact with the fully
inflated airbag and the risk of injury to head and chest is thus reduced.
The specially developed airbag allows the gas to flow out of the inflated airbag in a
controlled manner (depending on the load of the particular car occupant) in order
to cushion head and chest areas. The airbag then deflates subsequently to such an
extent, after an accident, to again provide a clear view forward.
A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly
normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
The airbag develops enormous forces when triggered, which can lead to injuries if
the sitting position or seated position is not correct ⇒ in “Important safety
information regarding the front airbag system” on page 166.Important safety information regarding the front airbag system
Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of
injury!
WARNING
•Never transport children on the front seat of a vehicle without using a
proper restraint system. If airbags are deployed in the event of an accident,
the child might suffer severe or even fatal injuries!
•For the driver and front passenger it is important to maintain a distance
of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel ⇒fig. 167 . Not main-
taining this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be
able to properly protect you - hazard! The front seats and the head restraints
must always also be correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occu-
pant.
•It is essential to always switch off ⇒page 171, “Deactivating an airbag”
the front passenger airbag when attach ing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat where the child is seated with its back facing in direction of
travel (in some countries al so when the child is facing the direction of travel).
If this is not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal
injuries if the front passenger airbag is deployed. In certain countries
national legal provisions also requir e that the side or head passenger
airbags be deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger
Fig. 167 Safe distance to
steering wheel
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 166 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Wheels and Tyres225
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Changing wheels around
If significantly greater wear is present on the front tyres, we recommend changing
the front wheels around with the rear wheels as shown in the diagram ⇒fig. 206 .
You will then obtain approximately the same life for all the tyres.
It may be advantageous to swap the tyre s over “crosswise” when certain types of
wear characteristic ar ise on the running surface of the tyres (but not in the case of
unidirectional tyres). Škoda Service Pa rtners can provide you 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 wheels
Tyres and wheel rims are important design elements. One should therefore use the
tyres and wheel rims which have been released for use by Škoda Auto. They are
exactly matched to the vehicle type and th erefore 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 Škoda Service Partners 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 rela
ting to tyres or wheels carried out by
your Škoda Service Partner . Your dealer has all of th e necessary special tools and
replacement parts available plus the required specialist knowledge and is also in a
position to properly dispose of the old tyres. A large number of Škoda Service Part-
ners also have an attractive 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 lice nsing may differ according to the legis-
lation prevailing in individual countries.
Proper knowledge of the tyre data makes it easier for you to select the correct type
of tyre. Tyres do, for example, have the following inscription on their walls:
195 / 65 R 15 91 T
What this means is:
The following speed restrictions apply to tyres.
Fig. 206 Changing
wheels around
195Ty re w i d t h i n m m
65Height/width ratio in %
RCode letter for the type of tyre - R adial
15Diameter of wheel in inches
91Load index
TSpeed symbol
Speed symbolPermissible maximum speed
S180 km/h
T190 km/h
H210 km/h
V240 km/h
W270 km/h
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 225 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Wheels and Tyres227
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Winter tyres
The handling of your vehicle 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 their construction (width, rubber blend,
tread pattern). This partic ularly applies to vehicles which are equipped with low-
profile tyres or high-speed tyres (code index H or V on wall of tyre).
Winter tyres must be mounted on all four wheels to obtain the best handling char-
acteristics.
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 vehicle documents. Approvals
may differ because of national legislation.
Please remember that the tyres should be in flated to 20 kPa (0.2 bar) more than is
the case for summer tyres ⇒page 223, fig. 204 .
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 225,
⇒ .
You can fit winter tyres of a lower speed ca tegory to your vehicle provided that you
also do not drive faster than the permis sible maximum speed for such tyres, even
if the possible maximum speed of your ve hicle is higher. The corresponding tyre
category can damage the tyres when exceeding the permissi ble maximum speed.
Please pay attention to the notes if you decide to fit winter tyres ⇒page 223.
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 ti me since summer tyres offer you better
grip and handling on roads which are free of snow and ice as well as ar tempera-
tures 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 properties in terms of grip, lo w noise, wear-and-tear and aquaplaning.
Should it be necessary to fit on a spare wheel in exceptional cases with a tyre not
dedicated to the running dire ction or in opposite running 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 particularly important on wet roads. Please refer
to the notes ⇒page 233, “Spare wheel”.
You should have the defective tyre replac ed as soon as possible and restore the
correct direction of rotation on all tyres
Snow chains
Snow chains must only be mounted on the front wheels.
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 227 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM

Wheels and Tyres
228
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:
Only use fine-link snow chains . They must not project more than 15 mm -
including the chain lock.
Remove the full wheel trims if you wish to fit snow chains to the wheels.
Observe the national legal requirements relating to the maximum vehicle speed
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 vehicle, damage the tyres and are rapidly
destroyed.
Note
We recommend that you use snow chains from the Škoda genuine accessories.
Wheel sizeDepth (D)Ty re s i z e
6J x 1547 mm195/65
6.5J x 1550 mm195/65
6J x 1650 mm205/55
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 228 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM