Skoda Octavia Owner's Manual page 117

116 Automatic gearbox
The current selector lever position is indicated in the information display of the
instrument cluster  page 115, fig. 119
have already engaged will be additionally displayed on the display.
A
- Parklock
P
The driven wheels are locked mechanically in this position.
The Parklock must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary 
If you wish to move the selector lever into 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.
If the battery is used, the selector lever cannot be moved out of the position P.
A - Reverse gear
R
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.
A - Neutral
N
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 or R, with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/hour
or on a stationary vehicle.
A - Position for driving forward
D
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.
You must depress the brake pedal if you wish to move 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 117 for a
short time in order to adapt the gearbox ratios manually to the driving situations.
- right. In the positions D and S the gear you
.
.
A
- Position for sporty style of driving
S
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 reached 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 interrupted, 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 otherwise 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 hand-
brake 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 188, "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 
as a reminder for the driver when the selector lever is in the positions P and N.
A time delay element ensures that the selector 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.
9)
Not valid for vehicles with automatic gearbox DSG.
9)
.
 page 31 lights up in the instrument cluster