sensor SKODA OCTAVIA 2011 2.G / (1Z) Owner's Guide

Traction control system (TCS)
The traction control system prevents the driven wheels from spin-
ning when accelerating.
Fig. 139 TCS switch
General
The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, acceler-
ate and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfavoura-
ble.
Operating principle
The TCS switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts
a self-test. The system monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of
the ABS sensors. If the wheels are spinning, the force transmitted to the road sur-
face is automatically adapted by reducing the engine speed. The system operates
at all speeds.
The TCS operates in combination with the ABS ⇒ page 158, Antilock brake system
(ABS)
. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system.
The TCS warning light lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a fault on
the TCS 
⇒  page 26.
During an intervention of the system, the TCS warning light flashes  in the in-
strument cluster ⇒ page 26.
Switching off
You can also switch off the TCS system by pressing the ⇒ fig. 139 button, or, in ve-
hicles with ESP, by pressing the ⇒ fig. 138 button. The TCS warning light lights up
in the instrument cluster when the TCS is switched off . The TCS should normally always be switched on. It may be good practice in certain
exceptional cases, such as when you wish to have wheel slip, to switch off the
system.
Examples:
● when driving with snow chains,
● when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface,
● when it is necessary to rock a car free when it has become stuck.
then you should switch on the TCS again. WARNING
You should always adjust your style of driving to the conditions of the road
surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered must not tempt
you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident! Note
● All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve prob-
lem-free operation of the TCS. Differing rolling circumferences of the tyres can
lead to an undesirable reduction in the engine output.
● Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combi-
nation of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the TCS ⇒

 page 197, Ac-
cessories, changes and replacement of parts. 
Active driver-steering recommendation (DSR) This function indicates to the driver in critical situations a steering recommenda-
tion in order to stabilise the vehicle. The active driver-steering recommendation is
activated, for example, on the right and left vehicle side when braking sharply on
different road surfaces. WARNING
Even with this function the vehicle cannot steer itself! The driver is further-
more responsible for the steering of the vehicle! 156
Intelligent Technology

The Brake Assist is able to help you achieve a shorter braking distance in emer-
gency situations by rapidly producing the pressure required in the brake system. It
fully exploits the attributes of the ABS. After you release the brake pedal, the
function of the Brake Assist is automatically switched off and the brakes operate
in the normal way.
The Brake Assist is part of the ESP system. If a fault occurs in the ESP, the Brake
Assist function is also not available. Further information on the ESP
⇒ page 154.WARNING
● The Brake Assist is also not able to overcome the physical limits of your car
in terms of the braking distance required.
● Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to the traffic
situation.
● The increased safety offered by the Brake Assist must not tempt you to
take a greater safety risk than otherwise. 
Uphill Start Assist The uphill start assist makes it easier to start off on steep hills. The system assists
a start off by holding the brake pressure produced by the brake pedal actuation
for approx. 2 seconds after releasing the brake pedal. The driver can therefore
move his foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and start off on the
slope, without having to actuate the handbrake. The brake pressure drops gradu-
ally the more you operate the accelerator pedal. If the vehicle does not start off
within 2 seconds, it starts to roll back.
The uphill start assist is active as of a 5 % slope, if the driver door is closed. It is
always active on slopes when in forward or reverse start off. When driving down-
hill, it is inactive. 
Electromechanical power steering The power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force.
With the electromechanical power steering, the steering assist is automatically
adapted to the speed and to the steering angle.
It is still possible to fully steer the vehicle if the power steering fails or if the en-
gine is not running (vehicle being towed in). The only difference is that greater
physical effort is required. If there is a fault in the power steering, the warning light
 or  lights up in the
instrument cluster ⇒
 page 24. WARNING
Contact your specialist garage if the power steering is defective. 
Tyre pressure monitoring system Fig. 140 Button for setting the tyre in-
flation pressure control value
The tyre pressure monitoring system compares with the aid of the ABS sensors
the speed and also the rolling circumference of the individual wheels. If the rolling
circumference of a wheel is changed, the warning light
 in the instrument clus-
ter ⇒ page 27 and an acoustic signal sounds.
The rolling circumference of the tyre can change if:
● the tyre inflation pressure is too low,
● the structure of the tyre is damaged,
● the vehicle is loaded on one side,
● the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when
driving uphill or downhill),
● snow chains are mounted,
● the temporary spare wheel is mounted,
● one wheel per axle was changed.
Basic setting of the system
After changing the tyre inflation pressures, after changing one or several wheels,
the position of a wheel on the vehicle (e.g. exchanging the wheels between the
axles) or when the warning light lights up while driving, a basic setting of the sys-
tem must be carried out as follows. £ 159
Intelligent Technology Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data