Driving And The Environment; The First 1 500 Kilometres And Then Afterwards - Skoda Fabia Owner's Manual

Driving and the Environment

The first 1 500 kilometres and then afterwards

A new engine
The engine has to be run in during the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1 000 kilometres
– Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the maximum speed of the gear in use, that is 3/4 of
the maximum permissible engine speed.
– Do not use full throttle.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres
– Increase the power output of the engine gradually up to the full speed of the gear
engaged, that is up to the maximum permissible engine revolutions.
During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than later until
all of the moving parts have harmonized. The driving style which you adopt during the
first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive part in the success of running in your
vehicle.
You should not drive at unnecessarily high engine revolutions even after the
running-in period is complete. The maximum permissible engine speed is marked by
the beginning of the red zone on the scale of the revolutions counter. Shift up into the
next higher gear on a vehicle fitted with manual gearbox before the red zone is
reached. During acceleration (depressing the accelerator) exceptionally high engine
speeds are automatically reduced, yet the engine is not protected against too high
engine speeds which are caused by incorrectly shifting down the gears resulting in a
sudden increase of the engine speeds above the permitted maximum revolutions
which can lead to engine damage.
For a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox the converse situation also applies: Do not
drive at engine revolutions which are too low. Shift down as soon as the engine is no
longer running smoothly.
Using the system Safety
All the speed and engine revolution figures apply only when the engine is at its normal
operating temperature. Never rev up an engine which is cold, neither when the vehicle
is stationary nor when driving in individual gears.
Not driving at unnecessarily high engine revolutions and shifting to a higher gear as
early as possible are ways to minimise fuel consumption, operating noise levels as well
as protects the environment and contributes to a longer life and reliability of the
engine.
New tyres
New tyres have to be "run in" since they do not offer optimal grip at first. You should
take account of this fact for the first 500 kilometres and drive particularly carefully.
New brake pads
Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking efficiency until
approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first "run in" before they
develop their optimal friction force. You can, however, compensate for this slightly
reduced braking force by increasing the pressure on the brake pedal.
This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future date.
During the running-in period, you should avoid excessive stresses on the brakes. This
includes, for example, violent braking, particularly from very high speeds, and also
when crossing mountain passes.
Driving Tips General Maintenance
Caution
For the sake of the environment
Breakdown assistance
Driving and the Environment
Technical Data
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