Skoda OCTAVIA - 05-2010 Owner's Manual page 119

118 Automatic gearbox
Selector lever positions
Fig. 117 Selector lever / information display: Selector lever positions
The current selector lever position is indicated in the information display of the instru-
 fig. 117
ment cluster - right. In the positions D and S the gear you 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 120 for a
short time in order to adapt the gearbox ratios manually to the driving situations.
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 posi-
tion 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
11)
Not valid for vehicles with automatic gearbox DSG.
.
11)
.