Child safety
46Child seatsCategorisation of child seats into groups
Use only child seats that are officially approved and suitable
for the child.Child seats are subject to the regulation ECE-R 44. ECE-R. It means that:
Economic Commission for Europe Regulation
The child seats are grouped into 5 categories:
Group 0 : Children up to 10 kg
Group 0+ : Children up to 13 kg
Group 1 : from 9 to 18 kg
Group 2 : from 15 to 25 kg
Group 3 : from 22 to 36 kg
Child seats that have been tested and approved under the ECE R 44 standard
bear the test mark on the seat (the letter E in a circle with the test number
below it).
Group 0 and 0+ child seats
A suitable child seat and a correctly adjusted seat belt can
help you to protect your child.Group 0: For babies from about 9 months old and 10 kg in weight the most
suitable seats are those appearing in the illustration ⇒ fig. 27.
Group 0+: For babies from about 18 months old and 13 kg in weight the most
suitable seats are those appearing in the illustration.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats.
We recommend you to include together with the on-board documentation,
the manufacturer's Child Seat instructions manual.
WARNING
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use of
child seats ⇒ page 45.
Fig. 27 A group 0 rear-
facing child seat fitted on
the rear seat.
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Child safety49
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Securing child seatsWays to secure a child seat
A child seat can be secured differently on the rear seat and on
the front passenger seat.You can secure a child seat to the rear seat or front passenger seat in the
following ways:•Child seats in groups 0 to 3 can be secured with a seat belt.•Child seats for groups 0, 0+ and 1 with the “ISOFIX” system can be
secured, without fastening seat belts, with the “ISOFIX” securing rings
⇒ page 49.
U: Suitable for universal approved restraining systems for use in this age category (universal retention systems are those fitted using the adult
seat belt).
*: Move the passenger seat as far to rear as possible, as high as possible and always deactivate the airbag.
L: Suitable for retention systems using the “ISOFIX” anchors.
WARNING
•When travelling, children must be secured in the vehicle with a
restraint system suitable for age, weight and size.•Never install a child seat facing backwards (or rear-facing) on the front
passenger seat unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. This
could lead to a risk of potentially fatal injuries to the child! However, if it is
necessary, in exceptional cases, to transport a child in the front passenger
seat, the front passenger airbag must always be disabled ⇒page 42,
“Deactivating airbags*” and move the seat to its highest position, in case
it has this adjustment.•Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use
of child seats ⇒ page 45.
Securing child seat with the “ISOFIX” system
The child seat with “ISOFIX” system can be secured quickly,
easily and safely on the rear outer seats using the system
Category
Weight
Seat locations
Front
passenger
Rear outer
Rear centre
Group 0
<10 kg
U*
U/L
U
Group 0+
<13 kg
U*
U/L
U
Group 1
9-18 kg
U*
U/L
U
Group 2 / 3
15-36 kg
U*
U
U
Fig. 30 ISOFIX securing
rings
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Seats and stowage
132 Front seatsAdjustment of the front seatsThe control elements in ⇒fig. 91 are mirrored for the front right-
hand seat.
Adjusting the seat forwards and backwards
– Pull up the grip and move the seat forwards or backwards.
– Then release the grip and move the seat further until the catch engages.
Adjusting the seat height*
– Pull the lever up or push down (several times if necessary) from its home position. This adjust s the seat height in stages. Adjusting the backrest angle
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn the hand wheel.
Adjusting the lumbar support*
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn the hand wheel to adjust the lumbar support.
The backrest curvature of the cushioned area is determined by the settings
made in the lumbar region. This supports the natural curvature of the spine
very effectively.
WARNING
•Never adjust the driver or front passenger seat while the vehicle is in
motion. While adjusting your seat, you will assume an incorrect sitting
position. Risk of fatal accidents. Adjust the driver or front passenger seat
only when the vehicle is stationary.•To reduce the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger in case of
a sudden braking or an accident, never drive with the backrest tilted
towards the rear. The maximum protection of the seat belt can be achieved
only when the backrests are in an upright position and the driver and front
passenger have properly adjusted their seat belts. The further the back-
rests are tilted to the rear, the greater the risk of injury due to improper
positioning of the belt web!•Exercise caution when securing the seat height into forwards/back-
wards position. Injuries can be caused if the seat height is adjusted
without due care and attention.
Fig. 91 Front left seat
controls
A1
A1
A2
A3A4
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Seats and stowage
136
WARNING
•The drawers will hold a maximum weight of 1.5 kg.•Do not drive with the drawer cover open. There is an injury risk for
passengers if the cargo is released in case of sudden braking or an
accident.
Other stowage areasOther stowage areas can be found:•in the centre console,•in the side trims of the luggage compartment,
The hooks for hanging are found on the pillar between the front and rear side
windows.WARNING
•Do not store loose objects on the dashboard. These objects could be
flung through the passenger compartment when the vehicle is moving (e.g.
while accelerating, braking or cornering) and distract the driver. Risk of
accident.•Ensure that no objects can fall from the centre console or other stowage
areas into the driver foot well while the vehicle is moving. In the event of a
sudden braking manoeuvre, you will not be able to use the brake, clutch or
accelerator. Risk of accident.•Clothing hung on the coat hooks must not restrict the driver's view.
Risk of accident. The coat hooks are intended only for use with light arti-
cles of clothing. Do not leave any hard, sharp or heavy objects in hanging
articles of clothing. During sudden braking manoeuvres or accidents, espe-
cially those involving airbag deployment, these objects could injure the
vehicle occupants.
Front drinks holdersOn the centre console, in front of the gear lever, there are two drink holders
⇒ fig. 98.
WARNING
•Never place hot drinks in the bottle holder. During normal or sudden
driving manoeuvres, sudden braking or an accident, the hot drink could be
spilled. Danger of scalding.•Never use rigid materials (for example, glass or ceramic), these could
cause injury in the case of an accident.
Fig. 98 Front drinks
holder
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Seats and stowage141
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Luggage compartment coverRemoving the cover
– Unhook the loops ⇒fig. 106 from housings
– Extract the cover from its slot, in its rest position and pull outwards.
WARNING
Do not place heavy or hard objects on the open stowage compartment,
because they will endanger the vehicle occupants in case of sudden
braking.
Caution
•Before closing the tailgate, ensure that the stowage compartment tray is
correctly fitted.
•An overloaded boot could mean that the rear stowage tray is not correctly
seated and it may be bent or damaged.•If the boot is overloaded, remove the tray.Note
•Ensure that, when placing items of clothing on the luggage compartment
cover, rear visibility is not reduced.Roof carrier*Please observe the following points if you intend to carry loads on the roof:•For safety reasons, only luggage racks and accessories approved by SEAT
should be used.•It is imperative to precisely follow the fitting instructions included for the
rack, taking special care when fitting the front bar in the holes designed for
this and the rear bar between the marks on the upper part of the rear door
frame while respecting the correct direction of travel indicated in the installa-
tion manual. Not following these instructions may damage the bodywork.•Pay special attention to the tightening torque of the attachment bolts and
check them following a short journey. If necessary, retighten the bolts and
check them at regular intervals.•Distribute the load evenly. A maximum load of 40 kg only is permitted for
each roof carrier system support bar, the load must be distributed evenly
along the entire length. However, the maximum load permitted for the entire
roof (including the support system) of 75 kg must not be exceeded nor should
the total weight of the vehicle be exceeded. See the chapter on “Technical
Data”.•When transporting heavy or large objects on the roof, any change in the
normal vehicle behaviour due to a change in the centre of gravity or an
Fig. 106 Stowage tray
AB
AA
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Driving
176
NoteIf the fault is not corrected before you switch off the ignition, it will only be
indicated by the flashing LED on the switch
the next time you switch on
the parking aid.
Cruise control* (GRA)Description
The cruise control system is able to maintain the set speed in
the range from approx. 30 km/h to 180 km/h.Once the speed setting has been saved, you may take your foot off the accel-
erator.
WARNING
It could be dangerous to use the cruise control system if it is not possible
to drive at constant speed.•For safety reasons the cruise control system should not be used in
dense traffic, in sections with bends or where roads are in bad conditions
(e.g. aquaplaning, loose chippings, slippery surfaces, snow). Risk of acci-
dent.•Always switch the CCS off when finish to use it in order to avoid an
involuntary use.•It is dangerous to use a set speed which is too high for the current road,
traffic or weather conditions. Risk of accident.
Note
The cruise control cannot maintain a constant speed when descending down-
hill. The vehicle will accelerate due to its own weight. Use the foot brake to
slow the vehicle.Switching the cruise control system on and offSwitching on the system
–Push the switch ⇒fig. 132 to the left to ON.
Switching off system
– Either push the switch to the right to OFF or turn the ignition
off when the vehicle is stationary.W h en the cr uis e cont rol is o n an d a sp ee d is pr ogra m m e d, the in di cato r on
the instrument panel is lit.
21)
Fig. 132 Indicator and
main beam headlight
lever: switch and rocker
switch for the cruise
control
AB
AB
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Driving and the environment191
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Avoid driving at high speed
We advise you not to drive at the top speed permitted by the vehicle. Fuel
consumption, exhaust emissions and noise levels all increase very rapidly at
higher speeds. Driving at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine when waiting in a traffic jam, at level
crossings or at traffic lights with a long red phase. The fuel saved after only
30 - 40 seconds is greater than the amount of fuel needed to restart the
engine.
The engine takes a very long time to warm up when it is running at idling
speed. Mechanical wear and pollutant emissions are also especially high
during this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore best to drive off immediately
after starting the engine. Avoid running the engine at high speed.
Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that, before beginning a journey, you
will not consume more than the required amount of fuel. A well-serviced
engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel efficiency as well as maximum
reliability and an enhanced resale value.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to 10% more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of polluting gases, the engine and
the exhaust filtration systems should reach the optimum
service tempera-
ture .
With the engine cold, fuel consumption is proportionally higher. The engine
does not warm up and fuel consumption does not regularise until having
driven some four kilometres. This is the reason why we recommend avoiding
short trips wherever possible.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an adequate pressure saves fuel. If the
tyre pressures are just 1 bar too low, this can put the fuel consumption up by as much as 5 %. Due to the greater rolling resistance, under-inflation also
increases
tyre wear and impairs handling.
The tyre pressures should always be checked when the tyres are cold.
Do not use winter tyres all through the year: they will increase fuel consump-
tion by up to 10 %.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Every kilo of extra weight will put up the fuel consumption, so it is worth
checking the luggage compartment occasionally to make sure that no unnec-
essary loads are being transported.
A roof carrier is often left in place for the sake of convenience, even when it is
no longer needed. At a speed of 100-120 km/h your car will use about 12%
more fuel as a result of the extra wind resistance caused by the roof carrier
even when it is not in use.
Saving electrical energy
The engine activates the alternator, which produces electricity. With the need
for electricity, fuel consumption is also increased. Because of this, always
turn off electrical equipment when you do not need them. Examples of equip-
ment that use a lot of electricity are: the fan at high speeds, the rear window
heating or the seat heaters*.
Environmental friendlinessEnvironmental protection is a top priority in the design, choice of materials
and production of your new Seat.
Design measures for economical recycling•Joints and connections designed for ease of dismantling•Modular construction to facilitate dismantling•Increased use of single-grade materials
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Trailer towing193
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Trailer towingInstructions to followYour vehicle may be used to tow a trailer when fitted with the correct equip-
ment.
If the car is supplied with a factory-fitted towing bracket it will already have
the necessary technical modifications and meet the statutory requirements
for towing a trailer. For the after-market fitting of a trailer towing bracket see
⇒ page 195.
Connectors
Your vehicle is fitted with a 12-pin connector for the electrical connection
between the trailer and the vehicle.
If the trailer has a 7-pin plug you will need to use an adapter cable. This is
available in any SEAT dealer.
Trailer weight / draw bar loading
Never exceed the authorised towing limit. If you do not load the trailer up to
the maximum permitted trailer weight, you can then climb correspondingly
steeper slopes.
The maximum trailer weights listed are only applicable for altitudes up to
1,000 m above sea level. With increasing altitude the engine power and
therefore the vehicle's climbing ability are impaired because of the reduced
air density. The maximum trailer weight has to be reduced accordingly. The
weight of the vehicle and trailer combination must be reduced by 10% for
every further 1,000 m (or part thereof). The gross combination weight is the
actual weight of the laden vehicle plus the actual weight of the laden trailer.
When possible, operate the trailer with the maximum permitted draw bar
weight on the ball joint of the towing bracket, but do not exceed the specified
limit. The figures for
trailer weights and draw bar weights that are given on the
data plate of the towing bracket are for certification purposes only. The
correct figures for your specific model, which may be lower than these figures
for the towing bracket, are given in the registration documents ⇒Section
“Technical data”.
Distributing the load
Distribute loads in the trailer so that heavy objects are as near to the axle as
possible. Loads carried in the trailer must be secured to prevent them
moving.
Tyre pressure
Set tyre pressure to the maximum permissible pressure shown on the sticker
on the inside of the fuel tank flap. Set the tyre pressure of the trailer tyres in
accordance with the trailer manufacturer's recommendations.
Exterior mirrors
Check whether you can see enough of the road behind the trailer with the
standard mirrors. If this is not the case, you should have additional mirrors
fitted. Both exterior mirrors should be mounted on hinged extension
brackets. Adjust the mirrors to give sufficient vision to the rear.
WARNING
Never transport people in a trailer. This could result in fatal accidents.
Note
•Towing a trailer places additional demands on the vehicle. We recom-
mend additional services between the normal inspection intervals if the
vehicle is used frequently for towing a trailer.
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