SKODA SUPERB 2009 2.G / (B6/3T) Owner's Manual

Towing a trailer
210
of the engine speed. One should also not
drop a gear for this reason when towing
a trailer as long as the en
gine can manage the slope
without any drop in speed.
Detachable towing device*The detachable ball head of the towing device
is stowed in a box for the car tool kit
in the spare wheel well in the luggage compartment. An instruction for correct installation an
d removal of the ball head of the towing
device is supplied
with the ball head
Inspect the ball head to ensure that it is pr
operly locked each time before setting off.
The inspection is performed by turning the closed locking lever downwards. If the locking lever can only be turned around a small angle (approx. 5°), the locking mechanism is O.K. After the inspection pull
the locking lever back again to its stop.
The towing device must not be used, if it does not wish to close or the locking lever turns slightly in the closed position.
WARNING
Do not use any aids or tools for installing or removing the ball head. This might result in damage to the locking mechanism to the extent that the safety of the towing device is no longer assured - risk of an accident.
Note
•
Do not carry out any modifications or repairs to the ball head or to any other
components on the towing device.•
Contact a specialist garage if you en
counter any problems using the device.
•
Never unlock the ball head with a trailer coupled to it.
•
You should take off the ball head if you drive without towing a trailer. Inspect
whether the end cover properly seals off the mounting shaft.•
Remove the ball head beforehand if yo
u wish to clean your vehicle using a
steam jet. Ensure that the end cover properly seals the mounting shaft.•
It is recommended to wear gloves
when installing and removing.
Fig. 197 Detachable ball head
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
211
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
General MaintenanceTaking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicleGeneralProper care retains the value of your vehicle.Regular and proper care retains
the value
of your vehicle. It may also be one of the
requirements for the acceptance of warran
ty claims relating to corrosion damage
and paint defects on the bodywork. We recommend using a preservative from
Škoda genuine accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer. Please follow the instructions for use on the package.
WARNING
•
Care products may be harmful to your health if not used according to the
instructions.•
Always store care products in a safe place, out of the reach of children -
risk of poisoning!
For the sake of the environment
•
Always select environmentally-friendly pr
oducts when purcha
sing vehicle care
products.•
Do not dispose of the packages with re
sidues of care products in domestic
waste.
Care of the exterior of vehicleWashing the vehicle Frequent washing protects your vehicle.The best protection for your vehicle agai
nst harmful environmen
tal influences is
frequent
washing and wax treatment. How of
ten you should wash your vehicle
depends on a wide range of factors, such as:•
Frequency of use,
•
The parking situation (garage, below trees etc.),
•
Season of the year,
•
Weather conditions,
•
Environmental influences.
The longer insect residues, bird droppings,
tree sap, road and industrial dust, tar,
soot particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain adhering to the paint- work of your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive effect can be. High temperatures, such as those caused by in
tensive sun's rays, accentuate this caustic
effect. It may therefore be necessary, in certain circumstances, to wash the car
once a
week
. It may also be sufficient, however, to wash the car
once a month
followed
by appropriate wax treatment. It is essential to also thoroughly wash the
underside of your vehicle
at the end of
the winter road salting and gritting period.
WARNING
When washing your vehicle in the wint
er: Water and ice in the brake system
can affect the braking efficiency - risk of accident!
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
212
Automatic vehicle wash systemsThe paintwork of the vehicle is sufficiently resistant that the vehicle can be washed normally in automatic vehicle wash plants without any problem. The actual stress to which the paintwork is subjected, however, depends greatly on the design of the vehicle wash system, the filtering of the water and the type of washing and care products used. If the paintwork of your
vehicle appears mat after being washed or
even has scratches, point this out to the operator of the vehicle wash plant. Use a different vehicle wash plant, if necessary. There are no particular points to note be
fore washing your vehicle in an automatic
vehicle wash system other than the usua
l precautionary measures (closing the
windows and the sliding/tilting roof, etc.). If you have any particular atta
ch e d p a r t s f i t te d t o y o u r c a r - s u ch a s s p o i l e r, ro o f ra ck
system, two-way radio aerial - it is best to
first of all consult the operator of the car
wash plant. It is important to degrease the lips of
the windscreen wiper rubbers after passing
through the automatic vehicle wash system.Washing vehicle by handIt is important to first soften the dirt with
plenty of water and
rinse it off as thor-
oughly as possible before wa
shing your vehi
cle by hand.
One should then clean the vehicle using a soft
washing sponge
, washing glove
or
a washing brush
and only slight pressure. Work
from the top to the bottom -
beginning with the roof. Only place slight
pressure on the vehicle paintwork during
cleaning Only use a
car shampoo
for stubborn dirt.
Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts
last. Use a second sponge for such areas.
Rinse off the vehicle well after giving it a
wash and dry it off using a chamois leather.
WARNING
•
The ignition should always be switched off when you wash your vehicle -
risk of accident!•
Protect your hands and arms from sharp-edged metal parts when you
are cleaning the underfloor, the inside
of the wheel housings or the wheel
trims - risk of cuts.
Caution
•
Do not wash your vehicle in bright
sunlight - risk of paint damage.
•
Ensure that the jet of water is not aimed directly at the locks or at the door and
panel joints if you spray your
vehicle in winter down with
a hose - risk of freezing.
•
Do not use any insect sponges, rough ki
tchen sponges or simi
lar cleaning prod-
ucts - risk of damage to the surface of paintwork.
For the sake of the environment
Only wash your vehicle at washing bays specifically reserved for this purpose. This ensures that no water which may be cont
aminated by oil flow
s into the sewage
system. It is not even permitted to wash your vehicle in certain areas except at such specific washing bays.Washing with a high-pressure cleanerWhen you wash your vehicle with a high-pre
ssure cleaner, it is
essential to comply
with the instructions for use of the cleaning equipment. This applies in particular to the
pressure
used and to the
spraying distance
. Maintain a sufficiently large
distance to soft materials such as
rubber hoses or insulation material.
On no account use
circular spray nozzles
or so-called
dirt cutters
!
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
213
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING
It is particularly important that you do not clean tyres with circular spray jets. Visible but also invisible damage to
tyres may occur even at a relatively
large spraying distance and if sprayed only for a short time - risk of accident!
Caution
The water containing wax must be no hott
er than 60°C, otherwise the vehicle can
be damaged.Wax treatmentGood wax treatment is an effective way of
protecting the paintwork from harmful
environmental influences an
d minor mechanical damage.
The vehicle must be treated with a high-qua
lity hard wax polish at the latest, when
no more drops form on the clean paintwork. A new layer of a high-quality
hard wax polish can be a
pplied to the clean bodywork
after it has dried thoroughly. Even if you use a wax preserver regularly we still recommend that you treat the paintwork of the vehicle at least twice a year with hard wax.
Caution
Never apply wax to the windows.PolishingPolishing is only necessary if the paintwor
k of your vehicle ha
s become unattractive
and if it is no longer possible to
achieve a gloss with wax preservers.
You must treat the paintwork with a wax preserver if the polish you use does not contain any preserving elements
⇒page 213.
We recommend using a preservative from
Škoda genuine accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer.
Caution
•
You must not treat mat painted parts or plastic with polishing products or hard
wax.•
Do not polish the paintwork of the vehicle in a dusty environment, otherwise
the paintwork can be scratched.Chrome partsFirst clean the chrome parts with a damp clotch and then polish them with a soft, dry cloth. If it does not prove to be
adequate, use a chrome care product from
Škoda original accessories.
Caution
Do not polish the chrome parts in a du
sty environment, otherwise they can be
scratched.Paint damageSlight damage to paintwork such as scratche
s, scuffs or traces of chip damage must
be touched up immediately with
paint (Škoda painting pen)
before
any corrosion
can result. You can of course have this wo
rk carried out by authorised Škoda Service
Par tners. The authorised Škoda Service Partne
rs have a range of matching
touch-up pens
or
spray cans
available in the colour of your vehicle.
The paint number of the orig
inal paintwork of your ve
hicle is indicated on the
vehicle data sticker
⇒page 268.
Any corrosion which has already have formed must be removed thoroughly. Apply a corrosion protection primer
and then the paint to the affected point. You can of
course have this work carried out by
authorised Škoda Service Partners.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
214
Plastic partsExternal plastic parts are cleaned by norm
al washing. Plastic
parts and synthetic
leather can also be treated with
special solvent-free plastic cleaning agents
if a
damp cloth is not sufficient. Paint care pr
oducts are not suitable for plastic parts.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack th
e material and can damage it.
WindowsOnly use a plastic ice scraper for removing snow and ice from the windows and mirrors. You should not move the ice scraper forward and backward but in one direction on the window which you are clea
ning in order to avoid any damage to
the surface of the glass. You can best remove residues of rubber,
oil, grease, wax or
silicone by using a
special window cleaner or a special silicone remover. You should also clean the windows regularly from the inside.Do not use window leathers
which you have used to polish the vehicle body to dry
off the windows. Residues of preservati
ves in the window leather can dirty the
window and reduce visibility. Do not affix any stickers over the inside of the rear window to avoid damage to the heating elements of the rear window heater
.
We recommend using a preservative from
Škoda genuine accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer.
Caution
Never remove snow or ice from the glass
parts with warm or hot water - risk of
formation of cracks in the glass!
The headlight lensesPlease do not use any aggres
sive cleaning or
chemical solvent pr
oducts - risk of
damage to the plastic lenses
Please use
soap and clean warm water.
Caution
Never
wipe the headlights dry and do not
use any sharp objects for cleaning the
plastic lenses, this may result in damage
to the protective paintwork and conse-
quently in formation of cracks on the head
light lenses, e.g through effect of chem-
ical products.Door and window sealsThe rubber seals on the doors, boot lid,
bonnet and windows remain supple and
last longer if you treat them from time to
time with a rubber care product (e.g. with
a spray with silicone-free oil). You also avoid premature wear of the seals and prevent leakages in this way. It is also easier to open the doors. Rubber seals which are well cared for also do not stick together in cold winter weather.Locking cylinderWe recommend that you use the spray from Škoda original accessories with regreasing and anticorrosive effect
for de-icing lo
cking cylinders.
Note
When washing your vehicle, ensure that as
little water as possible gets into the
locks.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
215
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WheelsSteel wheels You should also thoroughly wash the wheels and wheel trims when giving your vehicle its regular wash. This prevents an
y brake dust, dirt and road salt from
sticking to the wheel hubs. You can remove
stubborn brake abrasion adhering to
t h e w h e e l s w i t h a n i n d u s tr i a l c l e a n e r. To u c h u p a n y d a m a g e to t h e p a i n tw o r k o n th e wheels before rust is able to form. Light alloy wheels Regular care of light alloy wheels is necessary in order to retain their decorative appearance over long periods. It is partic
ularly important to remove any road salt
and brake abrasion from light alloy wheels every two weeks, otherwise the light metal will suffer. Wash thoroughly and th
en treat the wheels with a protective
product for light alloy wheels which does
not contain any acidic components. You
should provide the wheel hubs with a hard wax layer every three months. You must not use any products which cause abrasi
on when treating the wheel hubs. Any
damage to the paint layer on the whee
l hubs must be touched up immediately.
We recommend using a preservative from
Škoda genuine accessories offered by
your Škoda dealer.
WARNING
One should remember when cleaning th
e wheels that moisture, ice and road
salt may adversely affect braking ef
ficiency - risk of an accident!
Note
Severe layers of dirt on th
e wheels can also result in
wheel imbalance. This may
show itself in the form of a wheel vibration which is transmitted to the steering wheel which, in certain circumstances, ca
n cause premature wear
of the steering.
This means it is necessary to remove the dirt.
Underbody protectionThe underside of your vehicl
e is protected for life against chemical and mechanical
influences. One cannot, however, completely rule out damage to the
protective layer
when
driving so we recommend that you inspect the protective layer on the underside of your vehicle and on the chassis at certain in
tervals - this is best done at the begin-
ning and end of the winter - and to touch up any damaged areas. The authorised Škoda Service Partners have suitable
spray products
available as
well as the necessary equipment and are familiar with the instructions for use. It is therefore best to have such touch-up work or additional corrosion protection measures carried out by an authorised Škoda Service Partner.
WARNING
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converte
rs, diesel particle
filter or heat
shields. When the engine reaches its operating temperature, these substances might ignite - risk of fire!Protection of hollow spacesAll the cavities of your vehicle which are at
risk from corrosion are protected for life
by a layer of
protective wax
applied in the factory.
This wax protection does not require to be
inspected or re-treated. Please remove
any small amount of wax which flows out of
the cavities at high temperatures with
a plastic scraper and clean the spot using petroleum cleaner.
WARNING
Safety and environmental protection regulations should observed when using petroleum cleaner to re
move wax - a risk of fire!
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
216
Engine compartmentGood corrosion protection is very importan
t, particularly in winter when one often
drives over its salt-strewn roads. One should therefore clean the whole engine compartment before and after the salt spre
ading period and treat with preservative
in order to prevent the salt from being destructive. The authorised Škoda Service Partners have the cleaning agents and preservatives recommended by the manufacturer and also the required equipment.
WARNING
•
It is necessary to observe the guidelines given in the chapter before
working on the engine compartment
⇒page 223, “Working in the engine
compartment”.•
Let the engine cool down before
cleaning the engine compartment.
Caution
•
Engine cleaning may be only be und
ertaken when the ignition is off.
•
It is recommended to cover the generator before washing the engine compart-
ment.
For the sake of the environment
The dirty water produced by
washing the engine has washed away petrol, and resi-
dues of grease and oil and should therefor
e be cleaned by an oil separator. This is
why engine washing should only be undertake
n in a specialist garage or at a fueling
station (when these are fitted with the required equipment).
Care of the interior of vehiclePlastic parts, artificial leather and clothsYou can clean plastic parts and artificial le
ather with a moist cloth. You should only
treat such parts with special
solvent-free plastic cleaning and care products
it
does prove to be adequate. Upholstery cloth and cloth trim on the
doors, luggage compartment cover, head-
liner etc. are best treated with special
cleaning products, using if necessary a
dry
foam
and a soft sponge or brush.
We recommend using a cleaning product
from Škoda genuine accessories offered
by your Škoda dealer.
Caution
Solvent-free cleaners attack the material and can damage it.Fabric covers of electrically heated seatsDo
not clean
the seat covers moist as this may result in damage to the seat heating
system. Clean such covers using special agents, for example dry foam.Natural leather Natural leather requires quite particular care and attention.Leather should be treated from time
to time according the following
guidelines depending on how much it is used. Normal cleaning – Clean soiled areas of the leather
with slightly moistened cotton or
woollen cloth.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
217
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Severe soiling – Clean severely soiled areas with
a cloth dipped in a mild soapy solu-
tion (2 spoonfuls of natural
soap to 1 litre of water).
– Ensure that the leather is not soaked through at any point and that no
water gets into the stitching of the seams.
– Dry off the leather with a soft, dry cloth. Removing stains – Remove fresh stains which are
water-based
(e.g. coffee, tea, juices,
blood etc.) with an absorbent cloth or household paper or use the cleaner from the care set for a
stain which has already dried in.
– Remove fresh stains on a
fat base
(e.g. butter, mayonnaise, chocolate
etc.) with an absorbent cloth or household cleaning paper or with the cleaner from the care set if the stain has not yet penetrated into the surface.
– Use a grease dissolver for
grease stains which have dried in
.
–Eliminate
special stains
(e.g. ball-point pens, felt pen, nail varnish,
dispersion paint, shoe cream etc.) with a special stain remover suit-able for leather.
Leather care – Treat the leather every six months with the leather care product avail-
able from an authorised Škoda Service Partner.
– Apply only a small amount of the care product. – Dry the leather off with a soft clothIt is best to consult an authorised Škod
a Service Partner if you have any questions
regarding cleaning and care of the
leather interior in your vehicle.
Caution
•
You must on no account treat the leathe
r with solvents (e.g. gasoline, turpen-
tine), floor wax, shoe cream or such like.•
Avoid leaving your vehicle for lengthy pe
riods in bright sunlight in order to
avoid bleaching the leather. If you leave yo
ur vehicle parked in the open for lengthy
periods, protect the leather from the direct
rays of the sun by covering it over.
•
Sharp-edged objects on items of clothing such as zip fasteners, rivets, sharp-
edged belts may leave permanent scratches or signs of rubbing on the surface.
Note
•
Use a care cream with light blocker and impregnation effect regularly and each
time after cleaning the leather. The cream no
urishes the leather, allows it to breathe
and keeps it supple and also provides moisture. It also creates surface protection.•
Clean the leather every 2 to 3 months, remove fresh soiling each time this
occurs.•
Remove fresh stains such as those from
ball-point pens, ink, lipstick, shoe
cream etc., as quickly as possible.•
Care also for the leather dye. Refreshen
areas which have lost their colour with
a special coloured leather cream as required.•
The leather is a natural material with specific properties. During the use of the
vehicle, minor optical change
s can occur on the leather parts of the covers (e. g
wrinkles or creases as a result of the stress of the covers).Seat belts– Keep the seat belts clean! – Wash seat belts which have become
soiled using a mild soapy solu-
tion.
– Inspect the seat belts regularly to
ensure they are in good condition.
Belt webbing which has become severely so
iled may prevent the inertia reel from
reeling up the belt properly.
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Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
218
WARNING
•
The seat belts must not be removed for cleaning.
•
Never clean the seat belts chemically
as dry cleaning may destroy the
fabric. The seat belts must also not be allowed to come into contact with corrosive liquids (such as acids etc.).•
Seat belts which have damage to the webbing, the connections, the
inertia reel or the lock should be re
placed by an authorised Škoda Service
Par tner.•
Inertia reel belts must be complete
ly dried before being reeled up.
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Fuel
219
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
FuelPetrolGrades of petrolThere are various grades of petrol. Please read
⇒page 267, “Technical Data” in
order to know which grade of petrol your
vehicle requires. You will also find the
same information affixed to the inside of
the fuel filler flap of your vehicle
⇒ page 220, fig. 199
.
A distinction is made between unleaded an
d leaded petrol. All Škoda vehicles with
petrol engines are equipped with a catalyti
c converter and must therefore be only
driven with
unleaded petrol
. Unleaded petrol
complies with the
standard
DINEN228
.
The individual grades of petr
ol are distinguished by their
octane number
(RON).
Please adopt the following procedure if the grade of petrol which you normally use is not be available in
exceptional circumstances.
•
Engines which need
unleaded premium petrol 95 RON
can also be run on
unleaded regular petrol 91 RON. This does, however, result in a slight loss in performance. If, in an emergency, the only fuel availa
ble is one which has a lower octane number
than that required by the engine then only drive at medium engine speeds and lower engine loadings. You can make unlimited use of fuel whic
h has a higher octane
number than that
required by the engine. There will, howeve
r, be no advantages gained by this in
terms of engine performance and fuel consumption! The handling, performance and
life of your engine are determined to a significant
extent by the quality of the fuel.
Do not use any petrol additives.
Use a fuel
complying with
the standard.
You can find further information on refuelling
⇒page 220, “Refuelling”.
Caution
•
Filling the tank even only once with lead
ed petrol will result in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.•
Operating the engine with petrol of a lo
w octane number can result in engine
damage at high revolutions or severe engine loading.DieselDiesel fuelYour vehicle can be operated with
diesel fuel
, which complies with the standard
DIN EN 590
.
Fuel additives You must not use fuel additives, so-called “flow improvers” (petrol and similar products) in diesel fuel. If the quality of the diesel fuel is poor, it is then necessary to drain the
fuel filter

more often than stated in the Service schedule. You can find information on refuelling
⇒page 220, “Refuelling”.
Caution
•
Use fuel which complies with the standard
DIN EN 590
. Filling the tank even
only once, which does not comply with th
e standard, can result
in damage to the
fuel system.•
Water which has collected in the fuel fi
lter can result in engine problems.
•
Your vehicle is not adapted
for use of biofuel (RME), therefore this fuel must not
be refuelled and driven. Using this fuel (RME) can lead to damage to the engine or the fuel system.
s2dk.1.book Page 219 Wednesday, April 8, 2009 12:23 PM