Skoda OCTAVIA - 05-2010 Owner's Manual page 224

– Take the vehicle out of gear or move the selector lever into position N if your
vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
– Note that the brake servo unit and power steering only operate if the engine is
running. You will require significantly greater physical force to depress the brake
pedal and to steer the vehicle if the engine is not running.
– Ensure that the tow rope is always kept taught.
Tow rope or tow bar
A tow bar is safest way of towing a vehicle and also minimizes any shocks. You can use
a tow rope only if a suitable tow bar is not available.
The tow rope must be elastic to protect the vehicle. Thus one should only use plastic
fibre rope or a rope made out of a similarly elastic material.
Only attach the tow rope to the towing eyes provided for this purpose  page 223
and  page 224.
Driving style
Towing another vehicle requires a certain amount of practice. Both drivers should be
familiar with the particular points about towing a vehicle. Unskilled drivers should not
attempt to tow in another vehicle or to be towed in.
One should be constantly vigilant not to allow impermissibly high towing forces or
jerky loadings. There is always a risk of excessive stresses and damage resulting at the
points to which you attach the tow rope or tow bar when you attempt to tow a vehicle
which is not standing on a paved road.
Caution
If the gearbox of your vehicle no longer contains any oil because of a defect, your
vehicle must only be towed in with the driven wheels raised clear of the ground, or on
a special vehicle transporter or trailer.
Note

Please comply with any national legal provisions particularly regarding the
switched on signal systems, when towing in or tow-starting another vehicle.

The tow rope must not be twisted as it may in certain circumstances result in the
front towing eye being unscrewed out of your vehicle.
Using the system Safety
Front towing eye
The towing eye is stored in the box for the vehicle tool kit.
Fig. 182 Front bumper: protective grille / installing the towing eye
Carefully remove the cover as follows.
– Guide the fingers into the opening
– By pulling in the direction of arrow
– Afterwards, also slacken the cover on the other side in the direction of arrow
– Screw in the towing eye by hand to the left up to the stop
– In order to reinstall the cover after screwing out the towing eye, first of all insert it
Driving Tips General Maintenance
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on the side to the fog lights.
and remove it.
tighten. For tightening, we recommend that you use for example the wheel
wrench*, the lashing eye of another vehicle or a similar object which you can push
through the eye.
starting on the side facing the marking. Then press the cover closed on the side
facing the fog light. The cover must engage firmly.
Breakdown assistance
Breakdown assistance
 fig.
182.
, first of all slacken the cover in the upper area
 fig. 182
- right and
Technical Data
223
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