Your vehicle maintenance and cleaning
160Vehicle exterior maintenanceAutomatic car washing tunnelThe vehicle paintwork is so durable that the car can normally be washed
without problems in an automatic car washing tunnel. However, the paint-
work wear depends to a large extent, on the kind of the car washing tunnel,
the brushes used, its water filtering and the type of cleaning and preservative
products.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to take the usual precautions such
as closing the windows and sunroof. There is nothing to note apart from that.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as spoilers or a roof carrier or two-
way radio aerial, etc., it is advisable to consult the car washing tunnel oper-
ator.
After washing, the brakes could hesitate to respond as the brake discs and
pads could be wet, or even frozen in winter. “Dry” the brakes by braking
several times.
WARNING
Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of acci-
dent.
Caution
Before putting the vehicle through the car washing tunnel, do not tighten the
aerial if it is folded because it can be damaged.
Washing by handVehicle washing
– First soften the dirt with plenty of water and rinse it off.
– Clean your vehicle from top to bottom with a soft sponge, a glove or a brush. Use very light pressure.
– Rinse the sponge or glove often with clean water.
– Special car shampoo should only be used for very stubborn dirt.
– Clean the wheels, sill panels etc. until last with a different sponge or glove.
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.
– Dry your vehicle surface gently with a chamois leather.
–When temperature is cold , dry the rubber seals and its surfaces
to prevent them from freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber
seals.
After washing
– Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. “Dry” ⇒page 152, “Braking effect and braking distance”the brakes by
braking several times.
WARNING
•Wash your car with the ignition switched off.•Protect your hands and arms from cuts on sharp metal edges when
cleaning the underbody, the inside of the wheel housings etc. Risk of
injury.
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Your vehicle maintenance and cleaning161
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
•Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of
accident.Caution
•Never remove dirt, mud or dust if the vehicle surface is dry. Never use a
dry cloth or sponge for cleaning purposes. This could scratch the paintwork
or glass on your vehicle.•Washing the vehicle in low temperatures: when washing the vehicle with
a hose, do not direct water into the lock cylinders or the gaps around the
doors, tailgate, or sunroof. Risk of freezing.For the sake of the environment
To protect environment, the car should be washed only in specially provided
wash bays. This prevents toxic, oil-laden waste water entering the sewerage
system. In some districts, washing vehicles outside wash bays is prohibited.
Note
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.Washing the car with a high pressure cleaner
Be particularly careful when using a high pressure cleaner!– Always observe the instructions for the high-pressure cleaner, particularly those concerning the pressure and the spraying
distance. – Increase the spraying distance
for soft materials and painted
bumpers.
– Do not use a high pressure cleaner to remove ice or snow from windows ⇒page 162.
– Never use concentrated jet nozzles (“rotating jets”) ⇒.
– Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. “Dry” ⇒page 152 the brakes by braking several times.
WARNING
•Never wash tyres with a concentrated jet (“rotating nozzle”). Even at
large spraying distances and short cleaning times, visible and invisible
damage can occur to the tyres. This may cause an accident.•Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of
accident.Caution
•To avoid damaging the vehicle, do not use water that is hotter than 60°C.•To avoid damage to the vehicle, keep a sufficient distance from sensitive
materials such as flexible hoses, plastic, soundproofing material, etc. This is
also important for bumpers painted as the paintwork. The closer the nozzle is
to the surface, the greater the wear on the material.Vehicle paint maintenance requirements
Regular waxing protects the paintwork.You need to apply wax to your car if water does not form small drops and run
off the paintwork when it is clean.
WARNING (continued)
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Checking and refilling levels
188Brake fluidChecking the brake fluid level
The brake fluid is checked at the intervals given in the service
schedule.– Read off the fluid level at the transparent brake fluid reservoir. It
should always be between the “MIN” and “MAX” marks.The position of the brake fluid reservoir is shown in the corresponding engine
compartment illustration ⇒page 230. The brake fluid reservoir has a black
and yellow cap.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the vehicle is being used as the
brake pads are automatically adjusted as they wear. However, 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 56.
WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and observe
the warnings ⇒page 176.Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Program indicates the brake fluid change
intervals.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 176 in
section “Safety notes for working in the engine compartment”.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. In the course 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.
It is important that you use only brake fluid compliant with 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.
Fig. 120 In the engine
compartment: Brake fluid
reservoir cover
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Checking and refilling levels189
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
•Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and
observe the warnings ⇒page 176.•Brake fluid should be stored in the closed original container in a safe
place out of reach of children. There is a toxic risk.•Complete the brake fluid change according to the Maintenance
Program. 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.
BatteryWarnings on handling the battery
WARNING
Always be aware of the danger of injury and chemical burns as well as the
risk of accident or fire when working on the battery and the electrical
system:•Wear eye protection. Protect your eyes, skin and clothing from acid and
particles containing lead.•Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Wear protective gloves and
eye protection. Do not tilt the batteries. This could spill acid through the
vents. Rinse battery acid from eyes immediately for several minutes with
clear water. Then seek medical care immediately. Neutralize any acid
splashes on the skin or clothing with a soapy solution, and rinse off with
plenty of water. If acid is swallowed by mistake, consult a doctor immedi-
ately.•Fires, sparks, naked lights and smoking are prohibited. When handling
cables and electrical equipment, avoid causing sparks and electrostatic
WARNING (continued)
Wear eye protection
Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Wear protective gloves
and eye protection!
Fires, sparks, naked lights and smoking are prohibited!
A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when the battery
is under charge.
Keep children away from acid and batteries!
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If and when
198Snow chains
For technical reasons, snow chains must not be used on the compact tempo-
rary spare wheel.
If you have a puncture on one of the front wheels when using snow chains, fit
the compact temporary spare in place of one of the rear wheels. You can then
attach the snow chains to the wheel taken from the rear and use this wheel to
replace the punctured front wheel.
WARNING
•The tyre pressures must be checked and corrected as soon as possible.•Do not drive faster than 80 km/h. Higher speeds can cause an accident.•Avoid heavy acceleration, hard braking and fast cornering. Risk of acci-
dent.•Never use two or more compact spare tyres at the same time, risk of
accident.•No other type of tyre (normal summer or winter tyre) may be fitted on
the compact temporary spare wheel rim.
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 container 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 the engine off. Switch the hazard warning lights on and place the triangles.
–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.
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If and when
204It also contains the instructions for using the compressor.
WARNING
•Do not attempt to repair a puncture with the sealing compound if the
tyre has been damaged by driving the car after the tyre has lost its air.•Always observe warnings and follow safety instructions concerning
compressor and sealing compound carefully.•Do not drive faster than 80 km/h, avoid heavy acceleration, hard
braking and fast cornering.•Tyres which have been repaired with sealing compound are only suit-
able for temporary use over a short period. Therefore, please drive carefully
to the next available qualified workshop.For the sake of the environment
•Used sealing compound containers should be disposed of at a proper
facility.•The bottle containing sealing compound must be recycled in its correct
container.Note
•If sealant should leak out, leave it to dry. When it has dried, you can pull
it off like a piece of foil.•Observe the expiry date stated on the sealing compound can. Have the
sealing compound exchanged by a qualified workshop.•Seek professional assistance if the repair of a tyre puncture is not
possible with the sealing compound.
What to do first
Certain steps must be taken before repairing a tyre.– If you have a flat tyre or puncture, park the vehicle as far away from the flow of traffic as possible.
–Apply the handbrake firmly.
–Engage first gear, or put the selector lever to position P.
– All passengers should leave the vehicle. They should wait in a
safe area (for instance behind the roadside crash barrier).
– Check whether a repair is possible using the Tyre Mobility System “General information and safety notes.”
– Unscrew inflation cap from the affected wheel.
–Take the tyre repair kit out of the luggage compartment.
WARNING
Switch on the hazard warning lights and place the warning triangles in
position. This is for your own safety and also warns other road users.
Caution
Take special care if you have to repair a tyre on a slope.
Note
•Please observe legal requirements when doing so.•Remember to replace the sealing compound as soon as possible.
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If and when
206The individual electrical circuits are protected by fuses. The fuses are located
behind a cover at the left-hand end of the dash panel. When the steering
wheel is on the right, the fuses are on the right-hand side of the dash panel,
behind a cover.
The electric windows are protected by circuit breakers . These reset automat-
ically after a few seconds when the overload (caused for example by frozen
windows) has been corrected.
Fuses colour code
WARNING
Never “repair” damaged fuses and never replace them with fuses with a
higher rating. Failure to comply could result in fire. This could also cause
damage to other parts of the electrical system.
Note
•If a newly replaced fuse blows again after a short time, the electrical
system must be checked by a qualified workshop as soon as possible.•If you replace a fuse with higher-rating fuse, you could cause damage to
another location in the electrical system.
•Always keep some spare fuses in the vehicle. These are available from
SEAT dealers.Fuses on left side of dash panelFuses
Colour
Amperes
Beige
5
Brown
7,5
Red
10
Blue
15
Ye ll ow
20
Natural (white)
25
Green
30
Number
Consumer
Amperes
1
Power steering/Engine operation
7,5
2
Diagnostics/Heater/Autoclimate/Cli-
matronic/Electric anti-dazzle mirror/Naviga-
tor/Air-conditioning pressure switch/ Climate
fan/ Kisi/ AFS Control unit/Coming home
relay/Soundaktor
10
3
Petrol engine control unit/Flow meter/Diesel
engine control unit/Relay coils/Engine opera-
tion/Bi-turbo fuel control unit
5
4
ABS/ESP switch (turning sensor)
10
5
Reverse light heating nozzle
10
6
Dash panel
5
7
Rear fog light
5
8
Vaca n t
9
Headlight lever
10
10
Headlight lever/Clutch (Petrol)/Brakes (all)
5
11
Airbag control unit
5
12
Automatic gearbox/ Headlight lever
10
13
Wing mirror control
5
14
Left-hand AFS headlamps
15
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If and when215
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Rear pilot lights Indicators
Side and Brake lights Side light
Retro-fog light (left pilot light)
Reverse light (right pilot)
Note
In countries driving on the right (left-driving), both D and E headlamps are
placed the other way round (Retro-fog light on driver's side and reverse light
on passenger side).Access to rear pilot lights–Open the tailgate.
– Turn the bolt in the direction of the arrow, by hand or with a
screwdriver ⇒fig. 144 .
Fig. 142 Left pilot lightFig. 143 Right pilot light
AAAB
ACADAE
Fig. 144 Access to rear
lights
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