Skoda Octavia Tour Owner's Manual page 120

Driving Tips
Particular caution is required when towing a trailer.
– Do not, as far as possible, drive with your vehicle unladen and the trailer laden.
– Do not make full use of the legal maximum speeds. This applies in particular to
downhill sections.
– Apply the brakes in good time.
– Keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if the outside temperature is
high.
Distribution of weight
The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and the trailer
is laden. Maintain a particularly low speed if you cannot avoid driving with this
combination.
Driving speed
Do not drive faster than 80 km/hour for safety reasons. This also applies for coun-
tries in which higher speeds are allowed.
The fact that the driving stability of the vehicle + trailer combination reduces with
increasing speed means that the legally allowed speed should not be used when
there are unfavourable road, weather or wind conditions, particularly near accident
black spots.
You must always reduce your speed immediately as soon as you detect even just
the slightest swaying of the trailer. On no account attempt to stop the trailer from
"swaying" by accelerating.
Apply the brakes in good time! If the trailer is fitted with a trailer brake, apply the
brakes gently at first and then brake firmly. This will avoid brake jolts resulting from
the trailer wheels locking. Shift down gears in good time before negotiating a
downhill section to allow the engine to also act as a brake.
Engine overheating
Please keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if you have to negotiate a
lengthy slope in a low gear at a high engine speed when the outside temperature is
very high  page 16, "Engine coolant temperature Display".
If the needle of the coolant temperature gauge moves into the right-hand area or
even the red area of the scale, reduce your speed immediately. Stop and switch off
the engine if the warning light
few minutes and check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle
 page 134, "Inspecting the coolant level".
Using the system Safety
 in the instrument cluster begins flashing. Wait a
Driving Tips
Please refer to the following guidelines  page 25, "Coolant temperature/coolant
level ".
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.
Any increase in the cooling effect of the coolant fan through shifting down a gear
and increasing the engine speed is not possible since the fan speed is independent
of the engine speed. One should also not drop a gear for this reason when towing a
trailer as long as the engine can manage the slope without any drop in speed.
Detachable towing device*
The ball head of the towing device is stowed together with separate fitting instruc-
tions in the spare wheel well in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Inspect the ball head to ensure that it is properly 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.
General Maintenance Breakdown assistance
Towing a trailer 119
Fig. 118 Detachable ball head
Technical Data