
Airbag system
26Airbag systemBrief introductionWhy wear a seat belt and assume the correct sitting position?
For the inflating airbags to achieve the best protection, the 
sea t b el t  m u st  al w ay s  b e  w o rn  p ro p e rly  a nd  t h e  co rrec t  s i tt i n g  
position must be assumed.For your own safety and the safety  of the passengers, please ensure 
the following before you drive:
– Always wear the seat belt properly.
– Adjust the driver seat and the steering wheel correctly.
– Adjust the front passenger seat correctly.
– Adjust the head restraint seat correctly  ⇒page 12.
– Use the correct child restraint system to protect children in your  vehicle.The airbag deploys in fractions of a second and with a high velocity. If you 
have assumed an incorrect seating po sition at that moment, you could 
sustain critical injuries. Therefore, it  is essential that all occupants maintain 
a correct sitting position while travelling.
Braking heavily the moment before an accident may cause an occupant not 
wearing a seat belt to be thrown forwar d into the area of the deploying airbag.  In this case, the inflating airbag may infl
ict critical or fatal injuries upon the 
occupant. This applies particularly to children.
Always maintain the greatest possible distance between yourself and the 
front airbag. This way, the front airbags can completely deploy when trig-
gered, providing their maximum protection.
The most important factors that will trigger an airbag are: the type of acci-
dent, the angle of collision and the speed of the vehicle.
Whether the airbags are triggered depends primarily on the vehicle deceler-
ation rate resulting from the collision an d detected by the control unit. If the 
vehicle deceleration occurring duri ng the collision and measured by the 
control unit remains below the specifie d reference values, the front, side 
and/or curtain airbag will not be triggered. Take into account that the visible 
damage in a vehicle following an accident, for whatever reason, are not an 
indication as to why the airbags were triggered.
WARNING
•
Wearing the seat belt incorrectly or assuming an incorrect sitting posi-
tion can lead to critical or fatal injuries.
•
All occupants, including children, who are not properly belted can 
sustain critical or fatal injuries if the airbag is triggered. You should always 
transport all children up to 12 years of age on the rear seat. Never transport 
children in the vehicle if they are not restrained or the restraint system is 
not appropriate for their age, size or weight.
•
If you are not wearing a seat belt or  if you lean forward or to the side or 
assume an incorrect sitting position, the risk of injury is increased 
substantially. This increased risk of injury will be further increased if you 
are struck by an inflating airbag.
•
To reduce the risk of injury from an inflating airbag, always wear the 
seat belt properly.
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Seats and stowage
104Seats and stowageThe importance of correct seat adjustmentProper seat adjustment optimi ses the level of protection 
offered by seat belts and airbags.Your vehicle has  five passenger places, two individual front seats and three 
places on the rear seat. Each seat is equipped with a three-point seat belt.
The driver seat and front passenger seat can be adjusted in many ways to suit 
the physical requirements of the vehicl e occupants. The correct seat position 
is very important for:•
fast and easy operation of all controls on the instrument panel,
•
relaxed posture that does not cause drowsiness,
•
safe driving  ⇒page 7,
•
and to ensure that the seat belts and airbag system provide maximum 
protection  ⇒page 16.
WARNING
•
If the driver and passengers assume improper sitting positions, they 
may sustain critical injuries.
•
Never transport more people than there are seats available in the 
vehicle.
•
Every occupant in the vehicle must properly fasten and wear the seat 
belt belonging to his or her seat. Children must be protected with an appro-
priate child restraint system  ⇒page 42, “Child safety”.
•
The front seats and all head restraints must always be adjusted to body 
size and the seat belt must always  be properly adjusted to provide you and 
your passengers with optimum protection.
•
Always keep your feet in the foot well when the vehicle is moving; never 
rest them on the dash panel, out of  the window or on the seat. This also 
applies to passengers. An incorrect sitting position exposes you to an 
increased risk of injury in the event of a braking manoeuvre or an accident. 
If the airbag is triggered, you could sustain severe injuries due to an incor-
rect sitting position.
•
It is important for the driver and front passenger to maintain a distance 
of at least 25 cm from the steering wh eel or dash panel. Failure to respect 
the minimum distance means that the airbag will not protect you. Risk of 
fatal injury. The distance between the driver and the steering wheel or 
between the front passenger and the dash panel should always be as great 
as possible.
•
Adjust the driver or front passenger seat only when the vehicle is 
stationary. Otherwise your seat could move unexpectedly while the vehicle 
is moving. This could increase the risk of an accident and therefore injury. 
In addition, while adjusting your seat, you will assume an incorrect sitting 
position. Risk of fatal accidents.
•
Special guidelines apply to installing a child seat on the front 
passenger seat. When installing a chil d seat, observe the warning note in 
the  ⇒page 42, “Child safety”.WARNING (continued)
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Checking and refilling levels199
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
easier to choose the correct tyres. Radial tyres have the tyre designations 
marked on the sidewall, for example:
195/65 R15 91T
This contains the following information:
195 Tyre width in mm
65 Height/width ratio in %
R Tyre construction:  Radial
15 Rim diameter in inches
91 Load rating code
T Speed rating
The tyres could also have  the following information:
•
A direction of rotation symbol
•
“Reinforced” denotes heavy-duty tyres.
The manufacturing date is also indicated on the tyre sidewall (possibly only 
on the inner side of the wheel).
“DOT... 1103...” means, for example, that the tyre was produced in the 11th 
week of 2003.
We recommend that work on tyres and wheels is carried out by an Authorised 
Service Centre. They are familiar with the procedure and have the necessary 
special tools and spare parts as well as the proper facilities for disposing of 
the old tyres.
Any Authorised Service Centre has full information on the technical require-
ments when installing or changing tyres, wheels or wheel trims.
WARNING
•
We recommend that you use only wheels and tyres which have been 
approved by SEAT for your model. Fa ilure to do so could impair vehicle 
handling. Risk of accident.
•
Avoid running the vehicle on tyres th at are more than six years old. If 
you have no alternative, you should dr ive slowly and with extra care at all 
times.
•
Never use old tyres or those with an unknown “history of use”.
•
If wheel trims are retrofitted, you must ensure that the flow of air to the 
brakes is not restricted. This could cause them to overheat.
•
All four wheels must be fitted with radial tyres of the same type, size 
(rolling circumference) and the same tread pattern.For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of accordi ng to the laws in the country concerned.
Note
•
For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to use the wheels from 
other vehicles. This can also apply to wheels of the same model. The use of 
wheels or tyres which have not been approved by SEAT for use with your 
model may invalidate the vehicle's type approval for use on public roads.
•
If the spare tyre is not the same as the tyres that are mounted on the 
vehicle - for example with winter tyres - you should only use the spare tyre for 
a short period of time and drive with extra care. Refit the normal road wheel 
as soon as possible.
Wheel 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 
WARNING (continued)
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Checking and refilling levels
200heads 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 172.
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 198, “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 198, “New tyres and wheels”.
WARNING
The maximum speed for the winter tyres must not be exceeded. Otherwise, 
this could lead to tyre damage and thus, an accident risk.
For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres in good time. They are quieter, do not wear so quickly 
and reduce fuel consumption.
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If and when203
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Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Tool box only for 17 inch wheel* - Cupra VersionOn-board tools*/Jack*The vehicle may also have:
Screwdriver with handle (including hexagonal interior) for the wheel 
bolts. The screwdriver blade is reversible.
Jack. Before replacing the jack in it s compartment, fully insert the arm. 
Then, push the crank against the side of the jack.
Wire hook
Box spanner for wheel bolts
Towing eye
WARNING
•
The jack supplied by the factory is only for this model. It must never be 
used for other heavier vehicles or for other loads.
•
Never start the engine when the car is raised. Risk of accident.
•
When work is being carried out underneath the vehicle, it must be 
secured using suitable frames.Note
Never use the inner hexagon of the sc rewdriver for loosening or tightening 
the wheel bolts.Compact temporary spare wheel* 
If provided as part of the vehicle's equipment, the compact 
temporary spare wheel is only intended for temporary use 
over short distances.The temporary spare wheel is stored under the floor panel in the luggage 
compartment and is attached by a thumbnut.
How to use the compact temporary spare wheel
Should you ever have a punctured tyre, the compact temporary spare wheel 
is only intended for temporary use until you can reach a workshop. The 
standard-size road wheel should be replaced as soon as possible.
Please note the following restrictions when using the compact temporary 
spare wheel. This spare wheel has been specially designed for your vehicle, 
thus, it cannot be changed with the spare wheel from another vehicle.
No other type of tyre (normal summer or winter tyre) may be fitted on the 
compact temporary spare wheel rim.
Snow chains
For technical reasons, snow chains must not  be used on the compact tempo-
rary spare wheel.
Fig. 136  Tool box
A1A2A3A4A5
WARNING (continued)
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If and when205
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Taking out the spare wheel
7)
– Lift the carpet, then remove the plastic nut anticlockwise.
– Take out the tool box* and remove the spare wheel*.
Securing the defective wheel in the spare wheel well
– Put the defective wheel into its housing, and then put the tool 
box* into the hollow in the wheel.
– Turn the plastic nut clockwise until the defective wheel is well  secured.
– Unhook the carpet and place it on the floor.
WARNING
Check the spare wheel and the tools ar e firmly held to avoid injury to 
passengers in the event of sudden braking or collision.Tyre repair kit*
The tyre repair kit (for vehicles not including a spare wheel) is 
stored under the floor panel in the luggage compartment.Your vehicle is equipped with the Tyre Mobility System “Tyre repair kit”.
The tyre repair kit consists of a contai ner with sealing compound to repair the 
puncture and a  compressor to generate the required tyre pressure. The kit will 
reliably seal punctures up to a size of  about 4 mm caused by the penetration 
of a foreign body into the tyre.
Note
•
Seek professional assistance if the repair of a tyre puncture is not 
possible with the sealing compound.
Wheel changePreparation work
What you must do before changing a wheel.– If you have a flat tyre or puncture, park the vehicle as far away  from the flow of traffic as possible. Choose a location that is as 
level as possible.
– All passengers should leave the  vehicle. They should wait in a 
safe area (for instance behind the roadside crash barrier).
– Switch off the engine. Switch on the hazard warning lights.
–Apply the handbrake  firmly.
– Engage the first gear , or put the selector lever to position  P for 
those vehicles with an automatic gearbox.
– If you are towing a trailer, unhitch it from your vehicle.
– Take the  vehicle tools  and the spare wheel  out of the luggage 
compartment.
7)The 17 inch spare wheel is only carried if the "SEAT racing brakes" option is chosen.
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General notes on the technical data 241
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Snow chains
Snow chains are only permitted on the front wheels and only for tyres 155/80 
R13; 165/70 R14 and 185/80 R14. Snow ch
ains must have fine-pitch links 
which do not protrude more than  15 mm, including tension device.
Remaining tyres can be fitted with chains no thicker than 9 mm.
Wheel bolts
After the wheels have been changed, the  tightening torque of the wheel bolts 
should be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench  ⇒. The tight-
ening torque for steel and alloy wheels is  120 Nm.
WARNING
•
Check the tyre pressure at least once per month. Correct tyre pressure 
is very important. If the tyre pressure is too high or too low, there is an 
increased danger of accidents, particularly at high speeds.
•
If the 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.Note
We recommend that you ask your Authorised Service Centre for information 
about appropriate wheel, tyre and snow chain size.
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