engine SKODA ROOMSTER 2008 1.G Owner's Guide

Starting-off and Driving91
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistancePraktikTechnical Data
•Let go of the key as soon as the engine starts otherwise there may be damage to the starter.
The engine running noises may louder at first be louder for a short time after starting the cold engine until oil pressure can be built up in the hydraulic valve clearance compensation. This is quite normal and is not an operating problem.
If the engine does not start ...
You can use the battery of anothe r vehicle as a jump-start aid ⇒page 202.
It is only possible to tow-start vehicl es fitted with a manual gearbox. The tow- starting distance must not be more than 50 metres ⇒page 205.
WARNING
•Never run the engine in non ventilated or enclosed areas. The exhaust gases of the engine contain besides the odorless and colourless carbon monoxide a poisonous gas - hazard! Carbon monoxide can cause uncon- sciousness and death.
•Never leave your vehicle unattended with the engine running.
Caution
•The starter may only be operated (ignition key position ), if the engine is not running. If the starter is immediately oper ated after switching off the engine, the starter or the engine can be damaged.
•Avoid high engine revolutions, full throttle and high engine loads as long as the engine has not yet reached its normal oper ating temperature - risk of damaging the engine!
•Vehicles which are fitted wi th an exhaust gas catalytic converter should not be tow-started over a distance of more than 50 metres.
For the sake of the environment
Never warm up the engine when the vehicle is standing. Drive off right away. When driving the engine reaches its operating temperature more rapidly and the pollutant emissions are lower.
Petrol engines
These engines are fitted with a starter system which selects the correct fuel/air mixture for every external air temperature.
•Do not operate accelerator before and when starting engine.
•Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start right awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
•It is possible that the fuse on the electric al fuel pump is defect if the engine still does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary ⇒page 207.
•If the engine does not start, contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
It may be necessary, if the engine is very hot, to slightly depress the accelerator after the engine has started.
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 temper- ature.
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 unnecessarily.
•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 seconds 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 the fuse and replace it if necessary ⇒page 207.
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Starting-off and Driving92
•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 the 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 swit ched off by turning the ignition key from posi-
tion ⇒page 90, fig. 101 into position .
WARNING
•Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary - risk of acci- dent!
•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 right away at the end of your journey after the engine has been operated fo r a lengthy period at high loads but should be allowed it to run at idling speed for about 2 minutes . This prevents any accumulation of heat when the engine is switched off.
Note
•The radiator fan may continue running fo r 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 the engine or if the engine is warm and the engine compartment is additionally heated by strong sunlight.
•This is why particular care is required when carrying out any work in the engine compartment ⇒page 174, “Working in the engine compartment”.
Shifting (manual gearbox)
Shift into reverse only when the car is stationary. Depress the clutch pedal and hold it fully depressed. Wait a moment before engaging reverse gear in order to avoid any shift noises.
The reversing lights will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided the igni- tion is on.
WARNING
Never engage the reverse gear when driving - risk of accident!
Note
•One should not lay the hand on the shift lever while driving the vehicle. The pressure of the hand will be transferred to the gearshift forks in the gearbox. This can, over a period of time, lead to early wear of the gearshift forks.
•Depress the clutch pedal fully when changing gears, in order to avoid unneces- sary wear and damage.
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Fig. 102 The shift pattern: 5-speed or 6-speed manual gearbox
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Range of sensors
The clearance warning begins at a distance of about 160 cm from the obstacle (area ⇒page 93, fig. 104). The interval between the warning signals becomes shorter as the clearance is reduced.
A continuous tone sounds fr om a clearance of just 30 cm (Bereich ) - danger area. You should not reverse any further after this signal sounds!
Activating
The parking aid is activated automatically when reverse gear is engaged and the ignition is turned on. This is confir med by a brief acknowledgement signal.
Deactivating
The parking aid is deactivated by removing the reverse gear.
WARNING
•The parking aid is not a substitute fo r the driver paying proper attention and it is always the driver's responsibility to take care when parking the vehicle or carrying ou t similar manoeuvres.
•You should therefore satisfy yourself, before reversing, that there is no small obstacle, such as a rock, thin post, trailer drawbar etc., behind your vehicle. Such an obstacle might not be within the range detected by the sensors.
Note
•When operating with a trailer, the parking aid is without function.
•A system fault is indicated if a warning signal sounds for about 5 seconds after switching the ignition on and engaging reve rse gear and there is no obstacle close to your vehicle. Have the fault re ctified by a specialist workshop.
•The sensors must be kept clean and free of ice to enable the parking aid to operate properly.
•If the parking aid is activated and the selector lever of the automatic gearbox is in the position , warning signal indicates interruption (vehicle can no longer move).
Cruise control system (CCS)*
Introduction
The cruise control system (CCS) maintains a constant speed, more than 30 km/h, once it has been set, without you having to depress the accelerator pedal. This is only possible within the range which is permitted by the power output and braking power of the engine. The cruise control syst em makes it possible - particularly on long journeys - for you to rest your “accelerator foot”.
WARNING
•The cruise control system must not, for safety reasons, be used in dense traffic or on unfavourable road surfaces (such as icy roads, slippery roads or loose chippings) - risk of accident!
•In order to prevent unintentional use of the cruise control system, always switch off the system after use.
Note
•Models fitted with a manual gearbox: Always depress the clutch pedal if you switch on the cruise control system when the gearbox is in Neutral. Otherwise the engine can rev up unintentionally.
•The cruise control system is not able to maintain a constant speed when driving on steep downhill sections. The weight of the vehicle increases the speed at which it travels. One should shift down in good time to a lower gear or slow the vehicle down by applying the foot brake.
•It is not possible on vehicl es fitted with an automatic gearbox to switch on the cruise control system if the selector lever is in the position P, N or R.
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AB
AP
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Automatic gearbox97
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistancePraktikTechnical Data
Automatic gearbox
6-speed automatic gearbox*
Introduction
Your car is equipped with an electronically controlled 6-speed automatic gearbox. Shifting up and also down through the gears is performed automatically.
At the same time this is a conventional automatic gearbox. The maximum speed is reached in the 5th gear. The 6th gear serves as an economic driving programme, which is intended to reduce the fuel consumption.
Information for driving with an automatic gearbox
Shifting up and down through the gears is performed automatically.
You can also, however, switch the gearbox over into the Tiptronic mode.
This mode makes it possible for you to also shift gears manually
⇒ page 100.
Starting-off and Driving
– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in handle of the selector lever),
move the selector lever into the desired position, e.g. D ⇒page 98,
and then release the Shiftlock button.
– Wait a moment until the gearbox ha s shifted (a slight engagement
nudge can be felt).
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator ⇒.
Stopping for a short time
– The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stop-
ping just for a short time, such as at a cross roads. It is sufficient to hold
the vehicle stationary using the foot brake. The engine can, however,
be allowed just to idle.
Parking
– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector
lever to P and then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be started when the selector lever is in position P or N ⇒ page 90.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position P when parking on a flat surface. When parking on a slope you should first apply the handbrake firmly and then move the selector lever into position P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive pressure acting on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move the selector lever out of position P.
If the selector lever position N is selected by accident while driving it is first neces- sary to release pressure on the accelerato r pedal and wait for idling speed of the engine to be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever.
WARNING
•Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector lever if the car is stationary an d the engine is running - risk of acci- dent!
•Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an accident!
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•When the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary, it is necessary to hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (except P and N) since the power transmission is never completely inter- rupted, also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle "creeps".
Selector lever positions
The selector lever position you have engaged is shown in the information display of the instrument cluster with the co rresponding gear symbol highlighted
⇒ fig. 107. In the positions D and S the gear you have already engaged will be addi- tionally displayed on the display.
P - Parklock
The driven wheels are locked mechanically in this position.
The Parklock must only be engage d when the vehicle is stationary ⇒.
I f y o u w i s h t o m o v e t h e s e l e c t o r l e v e r i n to or out of this position, you must press the Shiftlock button in the handle of the selector lever and at the same time depress the brake pedal.
R - Reverse
Reverse gear must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary and the engine idling ⇒.
The brake pedal must be depressed and at the same time the Shiftlock must be pressed, if you wish to obtain the selector lever positions R, P or N.
When the ignition is switched on and the selector lever is in position R, the reverse lights will come on.
N - Neutral
The transmission is in Neutral in this position.
The brake pedal must be depressed (if the lever is in its position for longer than 2 seconds) in order to move the selector lever out of the position N into the position D , with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/hour or on a stationary vehicle.
The brake pedal must be depressed (if the lever is in its position for longer than 2 seconds) in order to move the selector lever out of the position N into the position R , with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/hour or on a stationary vehicle.
D - Drive, position for driving forward
When the selector lever is in this position, the forward gears are shifted up and down automatically in line with engine load, vehicle speed and the dynamic shift programme.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 106 Selector lever
Fig. 107 Information display: Selector lever positions
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Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistancePraktikTechnical Data
You must depress the brake pedal ⇒ if you wish to move the selector lever into position D from N when the vehicle is travelling at less than 5 km/hour or is stationary.
In certain circumstances (e.g. when driving in mountainous regions or when towing a trailer) it may be beneficial to select the manual shift programme ⇒page 100 for a short time in order to adapt the gearbox ratios manually to the driving situations.
S - Position for sporty style of driving
Shifting up later into a higher gear makes it possible to fully exploit the power potential of the engine. The gearbox also then shifts down at higher engine speeds as in the position D.
The gearbox does not shift into the 6th gear in the position S, because the maximum speed is achieved with the 5th gear.
The Shiftlock on the selector lever grip must be pressed when moving the selector lever out of the position D into the position S.
WARNING
•Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an accident!
•When the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary, it is necessary to hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (except P and N) since the power transmission is never completely inter-rupted, also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle "creeps".
•You must on no account unintentionally operate the throttle (e.g. by hand from the engine compartment) if a drive position is engaged when the car is stationary. The vehicle would ot herwise immediately start off - also when the handbrake is firmly applied - risk of an accident!
•You must move the selector lever into position P and firmly apply the handbrake first before you or any other person opens the bonnet and starts working on the engine when it is running - risk of accident! It is also essential to observe all warnings ⇒page 174, “Working in the engine compartment”.
Selector lever lock
Automatic selector lever lock 
With the ignition on, the selector lever is locked when it is in the positions P and N. You must first of all depress the brake pedal in order to move the selector lever out of this position. The warning light  ⇒page 27 lights up in the instrument cluster as a reminder for the driver when the selector lever is in position P and N:
A time delay element ensures that the sele ctor lever is not blocked when rapidly switching over the position N (e.g. from R to D). This does, for example, allow one to seesaw out a stuck vehicle. The selector lever lock will click into place if the lever is in the N position for more than 2 seconds without the brake pedal being pressed.
The selector lever lock is only active if th e vehicle is stationary or moving at speed of less than 5 km/hour. The lock is switched off automatically into position N when the car is travelling at a higher speed.
Shiftlock button
The Shiftlock button in the handle of sele ctor lever prevents certain selector lever positions being engaged inadvertently. The selector lever lock is cancelled when you press the Shiftlock button.
Note
For vehicles fitted with manual gearbox, yo u can withdraw the ignition key in each selector lever position after switching off the ignition.
Kickdown function
The kickdown function provides you with maximum acceleration
power.
Depressing the accelerator pedal allows th e kickdown function to be activated in the desired driving program. This function has precedence over the driving programme and serves for maximum accelera tion of the vehicle when exploiting the maximum power potential of the engine without taking into account the current selector lever position ( D, S or Tiptronic). The gearbox shifts down to one or several gears in line with the driving state and the vehicle accelerates. The
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gearbox does not shift up into the highest gear until the engine has reached its maximum revolutions for this gear range.
WARNING
Please note that using the kickdown fu nction can result in the driven wheels spinning on a smooth or slippery road surface - risk of skidding!
Dynamic shift programme
The automatic gearbox of your vehicle is controlled electronically. Shifting up and down through the gears is performed auto matically on the basis of pre-defined driving programmes.
Adopting a moderate style of driving will cause the gearbox to select the most economical driving programme. Shifting up into a higher gear as soon as possible and shifting down as late as possible will have a favourable effect on your fuel consumption.
Adopting a sporty style of driving with rapid movements of the accelerator pedal combined with sharp acceleration and frequent changes in speed, exploiting the top speed of the car or depressing the a ccelerator pedal (kickdown function), will cause the gearbox to switch over to this style of driving and shift down earlier with frequent changes in gears in comparison to the moderate style of driving.
Selecting the most appropriate driving programme for the particular style of driving is a continuous process. Irrespective of this it is, however, possible to switch or shift down into a dynamic shift programme by depressing the accelerator rapidly. The gearbox shifts down into a lower gear matc hing the speed of the car and this allows you to accelerate rapidly (e.g. when ov ertaking) without having to depress the accelerator pedal fully into the kickdown range. The original programme will be reactivated to match your part icular style of driving once the gearbox has shifted up again.
When driving in hilly regions, the gears are selected to match uphill and downhill sections. This avoids the ge arbox frequently shifting up and down when negotiating an uphill stretch. When driving downhill, it is possible to shift down into the Tiptronic position, in order to exploit the engine brake torque.
Tiptronic
The Tiptronic allows the driver to also shift gears manually.
Switching over to manual shifting
– Push the selector lever to the right out of position D. As soon as the
gearbox has switched over, 6 5 4 3 2 1 appears in the display, with the
gear engaged being highlighted.
Shifting up gears
– One-touch forward of the selector lever (in the Tiptronic position)
⇒ fig. 108 .
Fig. 108 Selector lever: Manual shifting of gears
Fig. 109 Information display: Manual shifting of gears
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Shifting down gears
– One-touch back of the selector lever (in the Tiptronic position) .
It is possible to switch over to manual both when the car is stationary and also when driving.
When you accelerate, the gearbox shifts up automatically in gears 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 into the next higher gear just before the maximum permissible engine speed is reached.
If you select a lower gear, the automatic ge arbox does not shift down until there is no risk of the engine overrevving.
If you operate the kickdown function, the ge arbox shifts into a lower gear in line with the vehicle speed and engine speed.
Emergency programme
An emergency programme exists in th e event of a fault in the system.
The gearbox operates in a corresponding emergency programme if there are func- tional faults in the gearbox electronics. This is indicated by all of the segments in the display lighting up or going out.
It is possible to continue to move the se lector lever into all the positions. In the positions D and S the gearbox remains engaged in the 3rd gear. It is also possible to continue to engage reverse gear in the position R.
The manual shift programme (Tiptronic) is switched off in the emergency mode.
If the gearbox has switched over to emergency mode, drive to the nearest specialist garage in order to have the fault rectified.
Tow-starting and towing vehicle
Tow-starting a vehicle
It is not possible to tow-start or push-s tart vehicles fitted with automatic gearbox.
you can use jump-start cables connected to the battery of another vehicle for starting your car if the vehicle battery is flat ⇒page 202.
Towing a vehicle
Please pay attention to the following information if it comes necessary to tow-in your car ⇒page 203.A-
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Intelligent Technology145
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistancePraktikTechnical Data
Driving Tips
Intelligent Technology
Electronic stability programme (ESP)*
General
General
The ESP aids you maintain control of your vehicle in situations in borderline driving situations such as when negotiating a curve too fast. The risk of skidding is reduced and your car thus offers greater driving stability depending on the conditions of the road surface. This occurs at all speeds.
The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability programme:
•Electronic Differential Lock (EDL),
•Traction control system (TCS),
•Antilock brake system (ABS),
•Brake Assist.
Operating principle
The ESP switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts a self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the individual systems. It also processes additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive sensors: the rotational velocity of the vehi cle about its vertical axis, the lateral accel- eration of the vehicle, the brakin g pressure and the steering angle.
The direction which the driver wishes to ta ke is determined based on the steering angle and the speed of the vehicle and is constantly compared with the actual behaviour of the vehicle. If differences exis t, such as the car beginning to skid, the ESP will automatically brake the appropriate wheel.
The car is stabilised again by the forces which take effect when the wheel is braked. Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front wheel of a vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the rear of the vehicle to break away) while occurs this is on the inner re ar wheel of a vehicle which tends to under- steer (tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle is accompanied by noises.
The ESP operates in combination with the ABS ⇒page 149, “Antilock brake system (ABS)*”. If there is a fault in the ABS system, the ESP also does not operate.
The ESP warning light ⇒page 27 lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a fault on the ESP.
Switching off
You can switch the ESP off and on again as you wish, by pressing the button ⇒ fig. 145. The ESP warning light ⇒page 27 lights up in the instrument cluster when the ESP is switched off.
The ESP 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:
Fig. 145 ESP switch
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Intelligent Technology146
•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 ESP again.
WARNING
It is also not possible for the ESP to overcome the physical limits of the vehicle. Even if a vehicle fitted with ESP you should still always adapt your style of driving to the condition of the road surface and the traffic situation. This particularly applies when driving on slippery and wet roads. The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than other- wise - risk of an accident!
Note
•All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free operation of the ESP. 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 other assign- ment of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ESP ⇒page 193, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Traction control system (TCS)*
The traction control system prevents the driven wheels from spinning
when accelerating.
General
The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, accelerate and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfavourable.
Operating principle
The TCS switches on automatically when th e 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 ar e spinning, the force transmitted to the road surface is automatically adapted by reducing the engi ne speed. This occurs at all speeds.
The TCS operates in combination with the ABS ⇒page 149, “Antilock brake system (ABS)*”. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system.
The TCS warning light ⇒page 26 lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a fault on the TCS.
Switching off
You can switch the TCS off and on again as you wish by pressing the button ⇒ fig. 146. The TCS warning light ⇒page 26 lights up in the instrument cluster when the TCS is switched off.
Fig. 146 TCS switch
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