Hi everyone,

I have a Škoda Kodiaq 4x4 with 19-inch wheels, and I’m having an issue with snow chains.

Due to limited clearance on the front wheels, chains cannot be mounted on the front (they touch suspension components).

Question:

👉 Is it acceptable and safe to use snow chains on the rear wheels only on a Kodiaq 4x4?

Has anyone done this, or is there any official Škoda guidance or real-world experience?

I know the general rule is “chains on the driven axle,” but in this case the front axle physically doesn’t allow chains.

Thanks in advance for your help and experiences.

Here's what it says about snow chains in the owner's manual for the Kodiaq MK2. Notice that it says, "Mount snow chains on the front wheels (215/65R17 6.5Jx17 ET38) only". Some of the 17" alloy rims have a specification of 7Jx17 ET40, so they aren't allowed to be used with snow chains because the rim width is not 6.5J and the offset is not ET38.

Snow chains

Use

Snow chains improve handling the vehicle on icy or snowy roads.

What you should be mindful of

WARNING

Risk of accident and tyre damage

• Do not use chains on sections without snow and ice.

NOTICE

• Remove the wheel covers before fitting the snow chains.

• Mount snow chains on the front wheels only.

Technical data and specifications

Permitted rim and tyre combinations for mounting snow chains:

Rim dimensions	Tyre dimensions
6.5J×17 ET38	215/65R17

Only use snow chains with links no larger than 13 mm, including locks.

Edited 14 December, 202514 Dec by Carlston

2 hours ago, skodakodiaq2025 said:

Hi everyone,

I have a Škoda Kodiaq 4x4 with 19-inch wheels, and I’m having an issue with snow chains.

Due to limited clearance on the front wheels, chains cannot be mounted on the front (they touch suspension components).

Question:

👉 Is it acceptable and safe to use snow chains on the rear wheels only on a Kodiaq 4x4?

Has anyone done this, or is there any official Škoda guidance or real-world experience?

I know the general rule is “chains on the driven axle,” but in this case the front axle physically doesn’t allow chains.

Thanks in advance for your help and experiences.

2 hours ago, skodakodiaq2025 said:

Hi everyone,

I have a Škoda Kodiaq 4x4 with 19-inch wheels, and I’m having an issue with snow chains.

Due to limited clearance on the front wheels, chains cannot be mounted on the front (they touch suspension components).

Question:

👉 Is it acceptable and safe to use snow chains on the rear wheels only on a Kodiaq 4x4?

Has anyone done this, or is there any official Škoda guidance or real-world experience?

I know the general rule is “chains on the driven axle,” but in this case the front axle physically doesn’t allow chains.

Thanks in advance for your help and experiences.

In such a situation you should try snow socks...at least this is what I have tried with my 2002 Octavia ABT 4x4, where I had the same limitations with snow chains...although to tell you the truth, I have tried them just to once to see how they fit, and since then I just have them in the trunk for police control only...in limited Greek snow falls, generally I am doing fine with summer tires and 4wd....I am intending to do the same with KODIAQ, all I think, when it's about time to change tires, to put 4 seasons...new pirelli, seem to be pretty nice, although expensive

In such a situation you should try snow socks...at least this is what I have tried with my 2002 Octavia ABT 4x4, where I had the same limitations with snow chains...although to tell you the truth, I have tried them just once to see how they fit, and since then I just have them in the trunk for police control only...in limited Greek snow falls, generally I am doing fine with summer tires and 4wd....I am intending to do the same with KODIAQ, although I think, when it's about time to change tires, to put 4 seasons...new pirelli, seem to be pretty nice, although expensive

Edited 14 December, 202514 Dec by aronisk
Typing corrections

It is very different in countries or regions where Snow tyres are required at times or Snow Chains and not just carried but must be fitted if there are notices to fit them. @skodakodiaq2025 Which country are you driving in and how many Km might you need the chains on for?

This is hugely true...In Greece, law has changed, so that you have to carry them all the time, from November to march, and have to place them, every time there is a police announcement, for a specific region...but that's on papers...in real, you have to place them, mostly in touristic or crowded region where controls are constant...it has happened to me, a couple of times, travelling to south Greece, in Peloponnese territory, where the police stopped me, before entering a snowy part of the road...they asked me if I have chains, I answered that I have snow socks with me plus 4wd, they gave a glance at the car, and let me go, advising, to put the socks, if I face troubles...snow was about 3cm, for about 20 Kms....I passed with speed around 60 Kms/h, no problem....it has happened also, during a trip to central Greece with heavy snowfall, motorway covered up to 3-5 cms with snow, I passed normally with speeds up to 90 Kms/h, no problem for me, no stop for control by anyone....in northern Greece though, close to Fyrom or Bulgarian borders, controls are more often, but anyway, drivers there, use winter tires...most of them...

19 hours ago, aronisk said:

In such a situation you should try snow socks...at least this is what I have tried with my 2002 Octavia ABT 4x4, where I had the same limitations with snow chains...although to tell you the truth, I have tried them just once to see how they fit, and since then I just have them in the trunk for police control only...in limited Greek snow falls, generally I am doing fine with summer tires and 4wd....I am intending to do the same with KODIAQ, although I think, when it's about time to change tires, to put 4 seasons...new pirelli, seem to be pretty nice, although expensive

19 hours ago, aronisk said:

In such a situation you should try snow socks...at least this is what I have tried with my 2002 Octavia ABT 4x4, where I had the same limitations with snow chains...although to tell you the truth, I have tried them just once to see how they fit, and since then I just have them in the trunk for police control only...in limited Greek snow falls, generally I am doing fine with summer tires and 4wd....I am intending to do the same with KODIAQ, although I think, when it's about time to change tires, to put 4 seasons...new pirelli, seem to be pretty nice, although expensive

I already have winter tyres fitted, as I had to travel to a destination with heavy snow. I also bought snow chains as a backup, but when I tried to test-fit them on the front wheels, I noticed they could hit the suspension components due to limited clearance.

That’s why I started wondering: if chains are ever required, how could I safely fit them? I read that in some cases chains can be fitted on the rear wheels, but that didn’t sound fully convincing to me, so I decided to ask here and get real world experience.

For now, my Michelin Alpin 7 tyres have been performing very well on icy and snowy roads (tested already). As an alternative, I’m thinking that snow socks might be a safer option if additional traction is ever required.

9 hours ago, Evolution13 said:

It is very different in countries or regions where Snow tyres are required at times or Snow Chains and not just carried but must be fitted if there are notices to fit them. @skodakodiaq2025 Which country are you driving in and how many Km might you need the chains on for?

I already did my road trip. Fortunately chains where not needed. I had good winter tyres though.

17 minutes ago, skodakodiaq2025 said:

I already did my road trip. Fortunately chains where not needed. I had good winter tyres though.

Good for you...but in any case you shouldn't ignore Skoda's advice: chains should be placed in front or nowhere else...

^^^ Very very true for Front Wheel Drive Vehicles & for AWD / Part Time All Wheel Drives they can be fitted all round. Then obviously Skoda must be well aware with Classic Rear Wheel Drive Skoda fitting the Snow Chains on the Rear is 'Simply Clever' and just to the front would be simply stupid.

On OP: Skoda clearly indicates snow chains for 17" rims only, so anything else is at your own rist.

On FWD or RWD - chains should be fitted on the axle where the power is usually sent. For Kodiaq 2, that is front, regardless if FWD or 4x4.