Checking and refilling levels
220However, if the level goes down noticeably in a short time, or drops below the
“MIN” mark, there may be a leak in the brake system. A display on the instru-
ment panel will warn you if the brake fluid level is too low ⇒page 72.
WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and observe
the warnings ⇒page 206.Changing the brake fluid
The brake fluid must be renewed every two years.We recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by an Authorised
Service Centre.
Before opening the bonnet, please read and follow the warnings ⇒ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on page 206 in
“Working in the engine compartment”.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. In the cour se of time, it will absorb water from
the ambient air. If the water content in the brake fluid is too high, the brake
system could corrode. This also considerably reduces the boiling point of the
brake fluid. Heavy use of the brakes may then cause a vapour lock which
could impair the braking effect.
For this reason the brake fluid must be renewed every two years.
It is important that you use only use brake fluid compliant with the US
standard FMVSS 116 DOT 4. We recommend the use of Genuine SEAT brake
fluid.
WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous. Old brake fluid impairs the braking effect.
•
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and
observe the warnings ⇒page 206.
•
Brake fluid should be stored in the closed original container in a safe
place out of reach of children. There is a toxic risk.
•
Have the brake fluid changed every two years at the latest. Heavy use
of the brakes may cause a vapour lock if the brake fluid is left in the system
for too long. This would seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes and the
safety of the vehicle. This may cause an accident.Caution
Brake fluid could damage the paintwork. Wipe off any brake fluid from the
paintwork immediately.
For the sake of the environment
Brake fluid must be drained and disposed of in the proper manner observing
environmental regulations.
WARNING (continued)
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Checking and refilling levels223
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances such as sulphuric acid and lead. They
must be disposed of appropriately and must not be disposed of with ordinary
household waste.WheelsGeneral notesAvoiding damage
– If you have to drive over a kerb or similar obstacle, drive very
slowly and as near as possible at a right angle to the kerb.
– Keep grease, oil and fuel off the tyres.
– Inspect the tyres regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blisters, etc.). Remove any foreign objects embedded in the treads.
Storing tyres
– Mark tyres when you remove them to indicate the direction of rotation. This ensures you will be able to install them correctly
when you replace them.
– When removed, the wheels and/or tyres should be stored in a cool, dry and preferably dark location.
– Store tyres in a vertical position if they are not fitted on wheel rims.
New tyres
New tyres have to be run in ⇒page 181.
The tread depth of new tyres may vary, according to the type and make of tyre
and the tread pattern.
Concealed damage
Damage to tyres and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice unusual
vibrations or the car pulling to one side, this may indicate that one of the tyres
is damaged. The tyres should be checked immediately by an Authorised
Service Centre.
Tyres with directional tread pattern
An arrow on the tyre sidewall indicates the direction of rotation on tyres with
directional tread. Always observe the direction of rotation indicated when
fitting the wheel. This guarantees optimum grip and helps to avoid aqua-
planing, excessive noise and wear.
WARNING
•
New tyres do not have maximum grip in the first 500 km. Drive particu-
larly carefully to avoid risk of accident.
•
Never drive with damaged tyres. This may cause an accident.
•
If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side when
driving, stop the vehicle immediately and check the tyres for damage.
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Checking and refilling levels225
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Wear indicators
The original tyres on your vehicle have 1.6 mm high “tread wear indicators”
⇒
page 224, fig. 167 , running across the tread. Depending on the make,
there will be six to eight of them evenly spaced around the tyre. Markings on
the tyre sidewall (for instance the letters “TWI” or other symbols) indicate the
positions of the tread wear indicators. The minimum tread depth required by
law is 1.6 mm (measured in the tread grooves next to the tread wear indica-
tors). Worn tyres must be replaced. Different figures may apply in export
countries ⇒.
Tyre pressure
Incorrect tyre pressure causes premature wear and could cause tyre blow-out.
For this reason, the tyre pressure should be checked at least once per month
⇒ page 224.
Driving style
Fast cornering, heavy acceleration and hard braking all increase tyre wear.
Changing wheels around
If the front tyres are worn considerably more than the rear ones it is advisable
to change them around as shown ⇒page 224, fig. 168 . All the tyres will then
last for about the same time.
Wheel balance
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various factors encoun-
tered in normal driving can cause them to become unbalanced, which results
in steering vibration.
Unbalanced wheels should be rebalanced, as they otherwise cause excessive
wear on steering, suspension and tyres. A wheel must also be rebalanced
when a new tyre is fitted.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment causes excessive tyre wear, impairing the safety of
the vehicle. If tyres show excessive wear, you should have the wheel align-
ment checked by an Authorised Service Centre.
WARNING
There is a serious danger of accidents if a tyre bursts during driving!•
The tyres must be replaced at the latest when the tread is worn down to
the tread wear indicators. Failure to do so could result in an accident. Worn
tyres do not grip well at high speeds on wet roads. There is also a greater
risk of “aquaplaning”.
•
At continuously high speeds, a tyre with insufficient pressure flexes
more. This causes it to overheat. This can cause tread separation and tyre
blow-out. Risk of accident. Always observe the recommended tyre pres-
sures.
•
If tyres show excessive wear, you should have the running gear checked
by an Authorised Service Centre.
•
Keep chemicals such as oil, fuel and brake fluid away from tyres.
•
Damaged wheels and tyres must be replaced immediately!For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel consumption.Puncture-proof tyres
Puncture proof tyres will usually allow the vehicle to continue
even when one of the tyres has a puncture.Vehicles that are factory-fitted with puncture proof tyres
21)
indicate
on the instrument panel when there is a loss of tyre pressure.
21)According to version and country.
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Checking and refilling levels
228Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be tightened to the correct torque.The design of wheel bolts is matched to the rims. If different wheel rims are
fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped bolt
heads must be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted securely and that the
brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you may not use wheel bolts from a different car -
even if it is the same model ⇒page 199.
WARNING
If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly, the wheel could become
loose while driving. Risk of accident.•
The wheel bolts must be clean and turn easily. Never apply grease or oil
to them.
•
Use only wheel bolts which belong to the wheel.
•
If the prescribed torque of the wheel bolts is too low, they could loosen
whilst the vehicle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tightening torque is
too high, the wheel bolts and threads could be damaged.Caution
The prescribed torque for wheel bolts for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm.
Winter tyres
Winter tyres will improve the vehicles handling on snow and
ice.In winter conditions winter tyres will considerably improve the vehicles
handling. The design of summer tyres (width, rubber compound, tread
pattern) gives less grip on ice and snow.
Winter tyres must be inflated to a pressure 0.2 bar higher than the pressures
specified for summer tyres (see sticker on tank flap).
Winter tyres must be fitted on all four wheels.
Information on permitted winter tyre sizes can be found in the vehicle’s regis-
tration documents. Use only radial winter tyres. All tyre sizes listed in the
vehicle documentation also apply to winter tyres.
Winter tyres lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to a depth
of 4 mm.
The speed rating code ⇒page 226, “New tyres and wheels” determines the
following speed limits : ⇒
Q max. 160 km/h
S max. 180 km/h
T max. 190 km/h
H max. 210 km/h
In some countries, vehicles which can exceed the speed rating of the fitted
tyre must have an appropriate sticker in the driver’s field of view. These
stickers are available from your Authorised Service Centre. The legal require-
ments of each country must be followed.
Do not have winter tyres fitted for unnecessarily long periods. Vehicles with
summer tyres handle better when the roads are free of snow and ice.
If you have a flat tyre, please refer to the notes on the spare wheel
⇒ page 226, “New tyres and wheels”.
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Technical Data
268Te c h n i c a l D a t aChecking fluid levelsFrom time to time, the levels of the different fluids in the
vehicle must be checked. Never fi ll with incorrect fluids, to do
so may cause serious damage to the engine.
Radiator expansion tank
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir
Engine oil filler cap
Engine oil dipstick
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery (underneath the cover)
The checking and replenishment of the service fluids are carried out on the
components mentioned above. These operations are described in the
⇒ page 206. Overview
Further explanations, instructions and restrictions on the technical data are
contained as
of ⇒ page 263.
Fig. 200 Diagram for the
location of the various
elements
A1A2A3A4A5A6
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Index
278Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Braking distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Bulb changes
general notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Bulb defect warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Buzzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116, 161CCar care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Car care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Car phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Car washes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Automatic speed dependent locking and un-locking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Emergency unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Locking system for invo luntary unlocking . . 95
Selective unlocking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Central locking button Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Central locking system Automatic speed dependent locking and un-locking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Centre arm rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Cetane number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Changing gear
See Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Changing the lamps Main headlight lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
rear lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Changing the main headlight lamps dipped beam lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
main beam lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
turn signal lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Changing the rear light lamps Position light, fog ligh t and rear light on the
tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Changing the rear lights Indicator, side and brake lights on the bodywork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
luggage compartment lights . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Changing windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . . 217
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Checking battery electrolyte level . . . . . . . . . . 222
Checking engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Categorisation in groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Group 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Groups 0 and 0+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Child seats
ISOFIX and Toptether system . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
on the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Cigarette lighter* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Cleaning alloy wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Cleaning and caring for your vehicle . . . . . . . . 190
Cleaning chrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Cleaning cloth seat covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cleaning dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Cleaning engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Cleaning fabric trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cleaning leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cleaning plastic parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Cleaning seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Cleaning steel wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Cleaning windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Cleaning wooden trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Climatic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Climatronic General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Clothes hook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Control Light switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Control lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Controls Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
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Index
280Engine
Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Engine compartment Working in the engine compartment . . . . . 206
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Engine fault Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Engine management Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Checking level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Engine oil pressure Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64, 78
Environmental tip Avoiding pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
ESP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81, 179
Example of menu use Open the configuration menu . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Program a speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . 67
To activate and deactivate the speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Examples of menu use Open the main menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Open the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
To close the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 External aerial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
FFastening rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Fire extinguisher* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Folding table* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Folding the seat backrests down . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Foot brake
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Front interior light type 1 Switching light off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Switching light on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Front interior light type 2 Switching light off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Switching light on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Front passenger airbag deactivation . . . . . . . . . 44
Front reading lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Front seat adjustment Lumbar support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Fuel Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Fuel level Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Fuel Tank Opening the fuel tank flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Fuel tank See Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
GG 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Gear shift pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
General overview of the engine compartment 268
Glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Glow plug system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81HHandbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77, 171
Hazard warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
head restraints Adjusting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128, 129
adjustment of the head restraint angle . . . 129
Removing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
head restraints, correct adjustment . . . . . . . . . 13 In-use and non-use positions . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Headlight flasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Headlight range contro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
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