Driving
170•The brake servo and the power steering system work only when the
engine is running. You need more strength to steer and brake the vehicle
when the engine is switched off. Given that you will be unable to steer and
brake as usual, this could lead to a risk of accidents and injuries.Caution
If the engine has been running under high load for a long time, there is a risk
of heat building up in the engine compartment after the engine has been
switched off; this could cause engine damage. Therefore, you should let the
engine idle for approximately 2 minutes before you switch it off.
Note
After the engine is switched off the radiator fan may run on for up to 10
minutes, even if the ignition is switched off. It may also start running again
after some time if the coolant temperature rises due to a build-up of heat
under the bonnet, or if the engine is already warm and the engine compart-
ment is heated up further by direct sunlight.
HandbrakeHandbrake
The handbrake should be applied firmly to prevent the
vehicle from accidentally rolling away.Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up all the way.
Releasing the handbrake
– Pull the lever up slightly and at the same time press in the release
button ⇒fig. 138 -arrow-.
– Keep the release button pressed and push the lever all the way down ⇒ .
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 138 Detailed view of
the centre console: Hand-
brake on
exeo_EN.book Seite 170 Montag, 30. August 2010 4:45 16
Driving171
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
If you drive by mistake with the handbrake still applied, you will hear a
warning buzzer and the display will show the message:
Handbrake on
The handbrake warning switches on after driving for 3 seconds at speeds
above 5 km/h.
The handbrake warning lamp
H lights up when the handbrake is applied
with the ignition on.
WARNING
Please note that the handbrake should be released all the way. If it is only
partially released, this will cause rear brakes overheating, which can
impair the function of the brake system and could lead to an accident.
Caution
Once the vehicle has come to a standstill, always apply the handbrake firmly
and then, on a manual gearbox, engage a gear, or select P on an automatic.Parking
The following points will ensure there is no risk of the vehicle
rolling away accidentally after it is parked:– Use the foot brake to stop the vehicle.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Switch the engine off.
– On a manual gearbox engage 1st gear or on an automatic move the selector lever to P ⇒ .
When parking on slopes:
Turn the steering wheel so that the, if the vehicle moves, it will do so towards
the curb.
WARNING
•Do not leave anyone (especially children) in the vehicle when it is
locked. Locked doors could delay assistance in an emergency, potentially
putting lives at risk.•Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. They could release
e.g. the handbrake or gear lever, moving the vehicle and causing an
accident.
Parking aid acoustic systemGeneral notesVarious systems are available to help you when parking or manoeuvring in
tight spaces, depending on the equipment fitted on your vehicle.
The SEAT Parking System gives an acoustic warning if there are any obstacles
behind your vehicle ⇒page 172.
When you are parking, SEAT Parking System Plus warns you acoustically and
optically about obstacles in front of and behind the vehicle ⇒page 172.
Note
To ensure the acoustic parking aid works properly, the sensors must be kept
clean and free of snow and ice.
exeo_EN.book Seite 171 Montag, 30. August 2010 4:45 16
Driving173
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Activating/DeactivatingActivating
– Engage reverse gear or
– Press the button
on the centre console ⇒fig. 139 or on the
gear selector gate. You will hear a brief confirmation tone and the
LED on the switch will light up.
Deactivating
– Drive forward faster than 10 km/h, or
–Press the
button or
– Switch off the ignition or
– Disengage the reverse gear.
WARNING
•The parking aid is not a replacement for driver awareness. The driver is
personally responsible for safe parking and other manoeuvres.•The sensors have blind spots in which obstacles are not registered.
Always look out for small children and animals because the system will not
always detect them. Always pay attention when reversing to avoid acci-
dents.•Always keep a close eye on the area around the vehicle and make full
use of the rear view mirrors.Caution
Please note that low obstacles detected by the system may no longer be
registered by the sensors as the vehicle moves closer, so the system will not
give any further warning. Certain kinds of obstacles (such as wire fences,
chains, thin painted posts or trailer draw bars, etc) may not always be
detected by the system, so take care not to damage the vehicle in such cases.
Note
•Please refer to the notes on towing ⇒page 173.•There is a slight delay in the picture display.To w i n g b r a c k e t *In towing mode, the rear parking aid sensors are not enabled when you select
reverse gear or press the switch
. This function may not be guaranteed on
towing brackets that are not factory fitted. This results in the following restric-
tions:
Fig. 139 Centre console:
switch for parking aid
exeo_EN.book Seite 173 Montag, 30. August 2010 4:45 16
Driving
174SEAT Parking System*
There is no distance warning.
SEAT Parking System Plus*
There is no rear distance warning. The system will still give a warning when
obstacles are detected while driving forward.Fault messages*If you hear a long beep for a few seconds and the LED on the
button* starts
flashing when you switch on the parking aid, a system fault has occurred.
Please have the fault corrected by a Dealer or qualified workshop.
Note
If 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*Introduction
The cruise control system allows you to maintain a constant
speed.Using this system, any speed over 30 km/h can be kept constant, as long as
the engine power allows it. This is subject to power output and braking ability
of the engine. This helps to reduce fatigue, especially on long journeys. The indicator lamp
on the instrument panel lights up when the cruise
control system is operating.
WARNING
For safety reasons, the cruise control system should not be used in dense
traffic or poor road conditions (with ice, slippery surfaces, loose grit or
gravel), as this could cause an accident.
Caution
In vehicles with a manual gearbox: do not go into neutral if the device is
enabled without previously releasing the clutch, as the engine will increase
its revs and, under certain conditions, could break down.
Note
The cruise control cannot maintain a constant speed when travelling down
steep hills. The vehicle tends to accelerate under its own weight. Change
down to a lower gear or use the foot brake to slow the vehicle.
exeo_EN.book Seite 174 Montag, 30. August 2010 4:45 16
Driving177
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Manual gearboxDriving with a manual gearboxEngaging the reverse gear
– The vehicle should be stationary with the engine idling. Press the
clutch down thoroughly.
– Place the gear lever into neutral and push the lever downwards.
– Slide the gear lever to the left, and then into the reverse position shown on the gear lever.The reverse gear can only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary. When
the engine is running and before engaging this gear, wait about 6 seconds
with the clutch pressed down thoroughly in order to protect the gearbox.
The reverse lights light up when the reverse gear is selected and the ignition
is on.
WARNING
•When the engine is running, the vehicle will start to move as soon as a
gear is engaged and the clutch released.•Never select the reverse gear when the vehicle is in motion. Risk of acci-
dent.Note
•Do not rest your hand on the gear lever while driving. The pressure of your
hand could cause premature wear on the selector forks in the gearbox.•When changing gear, you should always depress the clutch fully to avoid
unnecessary wear and damage.•Do not hold the vehicle on the clutch on hills. This causes premature wear
and damage to the clutch.Automatic gearbox*Introduction
multitronic
®, tiptronic (7-speed gearbox)
Vehicles with multitronic
® gearbox
The vehicle is equipped with an electronically controlled continuously vari-
able transmission (multitronic®). Unlike conventional automatics, the gear
ratios are not shifted in fixed steps but continuously variable. This gives
smoother transmission and makes for better fuel economy.
The gearbox selects the gear ratio and shifts up or down automatically
according to the gear change programmes stored in the control unit
⇒ page 182.
Fig. 142 Detailed view of
the centre console: gear
shift pattern of a 6-speed
manual gearbox
exeo_EN.book Seite 177 Montag, 30. August 2010 4:45 16
Driving
180To move the selector lever to position R, press in the interlock button and at
the same time press the brake pedal. Depending on the model, one or two
reverse lights will come on in selector lever position R (when ignition is
switched on).
N - Neutral (idling)
In this position the gearbox is in neutral ⇒.
D - Drive (forward)
In this position, the gearbox selects the optimal transmission ratio
depending on the engine load, speed and the dynamic gear regulation
programme (DRP).
Press the brake pedal when moving the selector lever from N to D if the
vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 5 km/h ⇒.
Under certain circumstances (e.g. when driving in mountains or towing a
trailer or caravan) it can be advantageous to switch temporarily to tiptronic
mode ⇒page 183, so that the gear ratios can be selected manually to suit
the driving conditions.
S - Sport position
To drive in sports mode, select the position S. The engine power reserve is
used to its maximum. When accelerating the gear shifts will be noticeable.
Press the brake pedal when moving the selector lever from N to S if the
vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 5 km/h ⇒.
WARNING
•Never move the selector lever to R or P when driving. Failure to do so
could result in an accident.•In selector position D or S the vehicle must always be held with the foot
brake when the engine is running. This is because an automatic gearbox
still transmits power even at idling speed, and the vehicle tends to “creep”.
The throttle must on no account be opened inadvertently (for instance by hand from the engine compartment) when a gear is engaged with the
vehicle stationary. The vehicle could otherwise start moving immediately
(in some cases even if the parking brake is engaged) and possibly cause an
accident.
•To avoid accidents, apply the parking brake and put the selector lever
in position P before opening the bonnet and working on the vehicle with
the engine running. Please observe the important safety warnings
⇒ page 224, “Work in the engine compartment”.Note
•Applies to vehicles with tiptronic gearbox:•If the lever is moved accidentally to N when driving, release the acceler-
ator and let the engine speed drop to idling before selecting D or S again.•For the sake of fuel economy (and the environment), the gearbox ratios on
some models are designed so that maximum speed is only obtained when
the gear lever is in position S.WARNING (continued)
exeo_EN.book Seite 180 Montag, 30. August 2010 4:45 16
Intelligent technology
186If required, the ESP can also be enabled and disabled manually by briefly
pressing the button ⇒ page 185, fig. 149. The ESP warning lamp lights
up when the system is switched off, see ⇒page 68.
In general, the ESP should be left switched on at all times. In particular
circumstances where a certain amount of wheel slip is desirable, it may be
advisable to switch off the ESP. Examples:•when driving with snow chains•when driving in deep snow or on loose surfaces•when rocking the vehicle backwards and forwards to free it.
The ESP should be switched on again afterwards as soon as possible.WARNING
The ESP is not able to overcome the physical limits of adhesion. Even with
ESP, you should always adjust your speed to suit the conditions. Please
b ea r t h is i n m i n d , e s p e ciall y o n w e t o r s l i pp e r y roa d s u r fa ces . D o n o t l e t t h e
extra safety features tempt you into taking any risks when driving. Failure
to do so could result in an accident.Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up under braking.The anti-lock brake system (ABS) is an important part of the vehicle’s active
safety system. However, the ABS will not necessarily guarantee shorter stop-
ping distances in all conditions. For instance, on loose gravel or fresh snow
on top of an icy surface (conditions which anyway require extreme care and
reduced speed), the stopping distance with ABS may even be slightly longer. How the ABS works
The system runs an automatic self-check when the vehicle reaches a road
speed of about 6 km/h. This may be accompanied by a noise from the ABS
pump.
When one of the wheels is turning very slowly in relation to the road speed
and is close to locking up, the system will reduce the brake pressure on that
wheel. The driver is made aware of this adjustment process by a vibration of
the brake pedal
and an audible noise. This is a deliberate warning to the
driver that one or more of the wheels is tending to lock up and the ABS control
function has intervened. In this situation it is important to keep the brake
pedal fully depressed so the ABS can regulate the brake application, but do
not “pump” the brake pedal.
WARNING
The grip provided by ABS is still subjec t to the physical limits of adhesion.
Always bear this in mind, especially on wet or slippery roads. If you notice
that the ABS is working (to counteract locked wheels under braking), you
should reduce speed immediately to suit the road and traffic conditions. Do
not let the extra safety features tempt you into taking any risks when
driving. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
Note
If a malfunction should occur in the ABS, this is indicated by a warning lamp
⇒ page 67.
ESP
exeo_EN.book Seite 186 Montag, 30. August 2010 4:45 16
Intelligent technology
188
NoteIf the ABS warning lamp lights up, this can also mean there is a fault in the
EDL. Please take the vehicle to a qualified workshop as soon as possible.Traction control system (TCS)
The traction control system prevents the drive wheels from
spinning when the vehicle is accelerating.General notes
The traction control system (TCS) is one of the functions incorporated in the
Electronic Stability Programme (ESP).
The traction control system (TCS) helps the vehicle to start moving, accelerate
or climb a gradient in slippery conditions where this may otherwise be diffi-
cult or even impossible.
How it works
The TCS acts automatically, without the driver’s intervention. With the aid of
the ABS sensors ⇒page 186, the TCS monitors the speed of the drive
wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine speed is reduced automatically
to match the amount of grip available. The system is active across the entire
speed range.
The TCS works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction occurs in the ABS,
the TCS will also be inoperative.
Note
To ensure that the TCS works properly, all four wheels must be fitted with
identical tyres. The difference in size of the wheels may lead to an undesired
reduction in engine power. Also see ⇒page 244.
exeo_EN.book Seite 188 Montag, 30. August 2010 4:45 16