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Technical Specifications
Brake 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 235. 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 58.
WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and observe 
the warnings  ⇒page 183.Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Programme 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 183 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. 123  In the engine 
compartment: Brake fluid 
reservoir cover
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charge. Never short the battery terminals. High-energy sparks can cause 
injury.
•A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when the battery is 
under charge. The batteries should be charged in a well-ventilated room 
only.•Keep children away from acid and batteries.•Before working on the electrical system, you must switch off the 
engine, the ignition and all consumers. The negative cable on the battery 
must be disconnected. When a light bulb is changed, you need only switch 
off the light.•Deactivate the anti-theft alarm by unlocking the vehicle before you 
disconnect the battery! The alarm will otherwise be triggered.•When disconnecting the battery from the vehicle electrical system, 
disconnect first the negative cable and then the positive cable.•Switch off all electrical consumers before reconnecting the battery. 
Reconnect first the positive cable and then the negative cable. Never 
reverse the polarity of the connections. This could cause an electrical fire.•Never charge a frozen battery, or one which has thawed. This could 
result in explosions and chemical burns. Always replace a battery which 
has frozen. A flat battery can freeze at temperatures around 0 °C.•Ensure that the vent hose is always connected to the battery.•Never use a defective battery. This could cause an explosion. Replace a 
damaged battery immediately.•For vehicles with the battery in the luggage compartment: Check that 
the battery gas ventilation hose is securely attached.Caution
•Never disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched on or if the engine 
is running. This could damage the electrical system or electronic compo-
nents.
•Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight over a long period of time, as 
the intense ultraviolet radiation can damage the battery housing.•If the vehicle is left standing in cold conditions for a long period, protect 
the battery from freezing. If it freezes it will be damaged.Checking the electrolyte level
The electrolyte level should be checked regularly in high-
mileage vehicles, in hot countries and in older batteries.– Open the engine bonnet and the battery cover  ⇒ in “Safety 
instructions on working in  the engine compartment” on 
page 183  ⇒ in “Warnings on handling the battery” on 
page 196. For vehicles with the battery under the spare wheel, 
open the tailgate and lift the floor covering. The battery is located 
next to the spare wheel.
– Check the colour display in the "magic eye" on the top of the  battery.
– If there are air bubbles in the window, tap the window gently until  they disperse.The position of the battery is shown in the corresponding engine compart-
ment diagram  ⇒page 235. The location of the battery in the luggage 
compartment can be seen in  ⇒page 235, fig. 160 .
The “magic eye” indicator, located on the top of the battery changes colour, 
depending on the charge state and electrolyte level of the battery.
There are two different colours:•Black: correct charge status.
WARNING (continued)
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Checking and refilling levels199
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– 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 must be run in ⇒ page 158.
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 vehicle 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 during the first 500 km. Drive 
particularly carefully to avoid possible accidents.•Never drive with damaged tyres. This may cause an accident.•If you notice unusual vibrations or if the vehicle pulls to one side when 
driving, stop the vehicle immediately and check the tyres for damage.
Checking tyre pressure
The correct tyre pressure can be seen on the sticker on the 
inside of the tank flap.1. Read the required tyre inflatio n pressure from the sticker. The 
values refer to Summer tyres.
2.  The tyre pressures should only be checked when the tyres are  cold. The slightly raised pressures of warm tyres must not be 
reduced.
3.  Adjust the tyre pressure to the load you are carrying.Tyre pressure
The correct tyre pressure is especially important at high speeds. The pressure 
should therefore be checked at least once a month and before starting a 
journey.
WARNING
A tyre can easily burst if the pressure is too low, causing an accident!•At continuously high speeds, a tyre with insufficient pressure flexes 
more. In this way it becomes too hot, and this can cause tread separation 
and tyre blow-out. Always observe the recommended tyre pressures.•If the tyre pressure is too low or  too high, the tyres will wear prema-
turely and the vehicle will not handle well. Risk of accident!For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel consumption.
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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.New tyres and wheels
New tyres and wheels have to be run in.The tyres and wheel rims are an essential part of the vehicle’s design. The 
tyres and rims approved by SEAT are specially matched to the characteristics 
of the vehicle and make a major contribution to good road holding and safe 
handling  ⇒.
Tyres should be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (i.e. both front 
tyres or both rear tyres together). A knowledge of tyre designations makes it  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 %
RTyre construction:  Radial
15 Rim diameter in inches
91 Load rating code
TSpeed 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 be 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. Failure to do so could impair vehicle 
handling. Risk of accident.
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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 201, “New tyres and wheels” determines the 
following  speed limits  for winter tyres:  ⇒
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 201, “New tyres and wheels”.
WARNING
The maximum speed for the winter tyres must not be exceeded. Otherwise, 
this could lead to tyre damage and risk of accident.
For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres again as soon as possible. They are quieter, do not wear 
so quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
Snow chainsSnow chains may be fitted only to the front wheels, and only for the following 
tyres:
Remove wheel hub covers and trim rings before fitting snow chains. For safety 
reasons cover caps, available in any Authorised Service Centre, must then be 
fitted over the wheel bolts.
WARNING
Snow chains should be correctly tightened in accordance with the manu-
facturer’s instructions. This will prevent the chains coming into contact 
with the wheel housing.
Caution
Remove the snow chains to drive on roads without snow. Otherwise they will 
impair handling, damage the tyres and wear out very quickly.
Note
In some countries, the speed limit for using snow chains is 50 km/h. The legal 
requirements of the country should be followed.175/70R14 
185/60R15
Chains with links not exceeding 15 mm (including the 
chain closure)
215/45R16
Chains with links not exceeding 9 mm (including the 
chain closure)
215/40R17
Chains with links not exceeding 7mm (including the 
chain closure)
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Snow 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.In the event of a punctured tyre, your vehicle is equipped with the Tyre 
Mobility System.
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.Changing a wheelPreparation 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 warning triangles in position.
–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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Wheel covers*
The wheel covers must be removed for access to the wheel 
boltsRemoving
– Remove the wheel cover using the wire hook  ⇒fig. 126 .
– Hook this into one of the cut-outs of the wheel cover.
Fitting
– Fit the wheel cover onto the wheel rim by pressing it firmly. Put  pressure initially on the point of the cut-out for the valve. Next fit 
the rest of the hubcap
Loosening the wheel bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before raising the vehicle.Loosening
–Fit the  box spanner  as far as it will go over the wheel bolt.
– Grasp the box spanner by the end turn it about one full turn to the  left  ⇒ fig. 127 .
Tightening
– Fit the box spanner as far as it will go over the wheel bolt.
– Grasp the box spanner close to the end and turn the bolt to the  right until it is secured.
– An adapter is required to unscrew or tighten the anti-theft wheel  bolts.
Fig. 126  Remove the 
complete hub cap
Fig. 127  Changing the 
wheel: loosen the wheel 
bolts
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a large and stable base, if necessary. On a hard, slippery surface (such as 
tiles) use a rubber mat or similar to prevent the jack from slipping.
WARNING
•Take all precautions so that the base of the jack does not slip. Failure to 
do so could result in an accident.•The vehicle can be damaged if the jack is not applied at the correct 
jacking points. There is also a risk of injury since the jack can slip off 
suddenly if it is not properly engaged.
Removing and fitting the wheel 
For removal and fitting the wheel, the following tasks must be 
completed.After loosening the wheel bolts and raising the vehicle with the jack, 
change the wheel as described below: Removing a wheel
– Unscrew the bolts using the 
hexagonal tool in the handle of the 
screwdriver (vehicle tool) and place them on a clean surface 
⇒ fig. 130 .
Fitting a wheel
– Screw in the wheel bolts and tighten them lightly using the  hexagonal socket in the screwdriver handle.
The wheel bolts should be clean and easily screwed. Before fitting the spare 
wheel, inspect the wheel condition and hub mounting surfaces. These 
surfaces must be clean before fitting the wheel.
The hexagonal socket in the screwdriver handle makes it easier to turn the 
wheel bolts. The reversible screwdriver blade should be removed when the 
tool is used for this purpose.
If tyres with a specific direction of rotation are fitted, note the direction of 
rotation.
Note
Do not use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver handle to loosen or 
tighten the wheel bolts.
Fig. 130  Changing the 
wheel: Hexagonal socket 
in screwdriver handle to 
turn the wheel bolts
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