
Unlocking and locking
116
NoteThe sliding/tilting sunroof rotary knob remains in the last position selected if
the roof is closed using convenience closing from outside the vehicle and will
have to be re-positioned the next time you drive.Roll-back function of the sliding/tilting sunroof*
The sliding/tilting sunroof has a roll-back function which prevents larger
objects getting trapped when the roof is closed. The roll-back function does
not prevent fingers getting pinched against the roof opening. The
sliding/tilting sunroof stops and opens again immediately if it is obstructed
when closing.
If the sliding/tilting sunroof has been opened again by the roll-back function,
it can be closed only by pressing the rotary button at the front in position
⇒ fig. 69 until the sliding/tilting sunroof has closed fully. Please note that
the sunroof will now close without the roll-back function.
Operation in the event of a breakdown
In case of a breakdown, the sunroof may be closed manually.•Remove the plastic cover by inserting a screwdriver in the rear section.•Remove the lever from the cover fastening, insert it in the opening as far
as possible (pushing against the spring) and close the sliding roof.•Fit the lever back into position.
Fig. 69 Roof lining
description:
sliding/tilting sunroof
rotary knob
Fig. 70 Emergency
closing handle
AA
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Lights and visibility125
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
•The main beam headlights can only be switched on if the dipped beam
headlights are already on. The warning lamp
then comes on in the instru-
ment panel.
•The headlight flasher comes on for as long as you pull the lever – even if
no other lights are switched on. The warning lamp
then comes on in the
instrument panel.
•When the parking lights are switched on, the front and rear side lights on
the corresponding side of the vehicle light up. The parking lights will only
work if the key is removed from the ignition. If the lights are switched on, an
acoustic signal will be emitted while the driver door is open.•If the turn signal lever is left on after the key has been taken out of the
ignition lock, an acoustic signal sounds when the driver door is opened. This
is a reminder to switch off the turn signal, unless of course you wish to leave
the parking light on.
Interior lightsFront interior light The switch ⇒fig. 77 is used to select the following positions:
Courtesy light position
o
Rocker switch in flat position (not activated). The interior lights are automat-
ically switched on when the vehicle is unlocked or the key removed from the
ignition. And turn off approx. 20 seconds after closing the doors. The interior
lights are switched off when the vehicle is locked or when the ignition is
switched on.
Interior light switched on
Push the switch to position
.
Interior light switched off O
Push the switch to position O ⇒fig. 77.
Fig. 77 Interior roof trim:
front interior lights
AA
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Lights and visibility
126
NoteIf not all the vehicle doors are closed, the interior lights will be switched off
after approx. 10 minutes, providing the key has been removed and the cour-
tesy light position selected. This prevents the battery from discharging.Front reading lights Switching on the reading light
Press the button to switch on the reading light.
Switching the reading lights off
Press the button to switch off the reading light.
Rear interior and reading lights* The switch ⇒fig. 79 is used to select the following positions:
Interior light switched off 0
In switch position ⇒fig. 79 , the interior and reading lights are switched
off.
Switching on the reading light
Turn the switch to position (left reading light) or to position (right
reading light).
Courtesy light position
o
Turn the control to position . The interior lights are automatically switched
on when the vehicle is unlocked or the key removed from the ignition. The
light turns off about 20 seconds after closing the doors. The interior lights are
switched off when the vehicle is locked or when the ignition is switched on.
Interior lights or both reading lights switched on
Turn the control to position .
Fig. 78 Interior roof trim:
front lights
ABAB
Fig. 79 Interior roof trim:
rear interior lights and
reading lights.
AC
A1A2
A4
A3A5
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Lights and visibility127
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Note
If not all the vehicle doors are closed, the interior lights will be switched off
after approx. 10 minutes, providing the key has been removed and the cour-
tesy light position selected. This prevents the battery from discharging.VisibilitySun visorsThe sun visors for the driver and the front passenger can be pulled out of their
mountings in the centre of the vehicle and turned towards the doors ⇒fig. 80
The vanity mirrors in the sun visors have covers. When you open the cover
a light* in the roof turns on. The light* in the roof lining will go out when the vanity mirror cover is pushed
back or the sun visor is pushed back up.
Note
The roof lamp* will turn off about 10 minutes following the removal of the
ignition key. This prevents the battery from discharging.Windscreen wipersWindscreen wipers
U
The windscreen wiper lever controls the windscreen wipers
and the automatic wash and wipe.
The windscreen wiper lever ⇒fig. 81 has the following positions:
Fig. 80 Sun visor on the
driver side
A1
A2
Fig. 81 Windscreen wiper
and windscreen wash
lever
Leon_EN.book Seite 127 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18

Seats and storage compartments147
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Rear shelfRemoving the shelf
– Unhook the loops ⇒fig. 105 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 rear shelf, because they will
endanger the vehicle occupants in case of sudden braking.
Caution
•Before closing the tailgate, ensure that the rear shelf is correctly fitted.•An overloaded boot could mean that the rear shelf is not correctly seated
and it may be bent or damaged.
•If the luggage compartment is overloaded, remove the tray.Note
•Ensure that, when placing items of clothing on the luggage compartment
cover, rear visibility is not reduced.Roof rack*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 rack 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 Technical Data section.•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
increased wind resistance must be taken into account. For this reason, a suit-
able speed and driving style must be used.•For those vehicles fitted with a sunroof*, ensure that it does not interfere
with the load on the roof rack system when opened.
Fig. 105 Rear shelf
AB
AA
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Air conditioning159
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
comfort for the vehicle occupants and prevents misting of the windows when
the ambient air humidity is high.
If the air conditioning system cannot be switched on this may be caused by
the following reasons:
•The engine is not running.•The button is disconnected.•The outside temperature is below +3 °C.•The air conditioning system compressor has been temporarily switched
off because the engine coolant temperature is too high.•The air conditioner fuse is faulty.•Another fault in the vehicle. Have the air conditioner checked by a special-
ised workshop.Caution
•If you suspect that the air conditioner is damaged, switch it off with the button to prevent further damage and have it checked by a specialised
workshop.•Repairs to the air conditioner require specialist knowledge and special
tools. Therefore, we recommend you to take the vehicle to a specialised work-
shop.Note
•If the humidity and temperature outside the vehicle are high, condensa-
tion can drip off the evaporator in the cooling system and so forming a puddle
underneath the vehicle. This is completely normal and there is no need to
suspect a leak.•Keep the air intake slots in front of the windscreen free of snow, ice and
leaves to ensure heating and cooling are not impaired, and to prevent the
windows from misting over.
•The air from the vents flows through th e vehicle interior and is extracted
by slots designed for this purpose. Therefore, do not cover these slots with
items of clothing or other objects.•The air conditioner operates most effectively with the windows and the
sliding/tilting sunroof* closed. However, if the temperature inside the vehicle
is excessive because of the sun, the air inside can be cooled faster by opening
the windows for a short time.•Do not smoke while air recirculation mode is on, as smoke drawn into the
air conditioning system leaves a residue on the evaporator, producing a
permanent unpleasant odour.•It is advisable to connect the air conditioning at least once a month, to
lubricate the system gaskets and prevent leaks. If a decrease in the cooling
capacity is detected, an Authorised Service Centre should be consulted to
check the system.
AC
AC
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Driving and the environment
196reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%. Some tips on how to help you reduce
pollution while saving money are listed below.
Drive anticipating the traffic situation
A vehicle uses most fuel when accelerating. When you anticipate the situa-
tion, you have to brake less often and, thus, accelerate less. If it is possible,
let the vehicle roll with a gear engaged, for example, if you see a red light
ahead. The braking effect achieved in this way helps to reduce the wear of
brakes and tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are reduced to zero
(disconnection due to inertia).
Change gear early to save energy
An effective way of saving fuel is to change up quickly through the gears.
Running the engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses an unnecessary
amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox: Change from first to second gear as quickly as possible. We
recommend that, whenever possible, you change to a higher gear upon
reaching 2000 rpm. Follow the recommended gear indication that appears on
the instrument panel ⇒page 62.
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 - 40seconds is greater than the amount of fuel needed to restart the
engine.
The engine takes a long time to warm up when it is idling. 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 normalise until having
driven approximately four kilometres. This is why we recommend avoiding
short trips whenever possible.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an adequate pressure saves fuel. If the
tyre pressure is just one bar too low, fuel consumption can increase 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 year round as they increase fuel consumption 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 rack is often left in place for the sake of convenience, even when it is
no longer needed. At a speed of 100-120km/h your vehicle will use about
12% more fuel as a result of the extra wind resistance caused by the roof rack
even when it is not in use.
Leon_EN.book Seite 196 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18

Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
204Care of the vehicle exteriorAutomatic car wash tunnel
The vehicle can normally be washed without problem in an
automatic car wash.The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the vehicle can normally be washed
without problems in an automatic car wash tunnel. However, the paintwork
wear depends to a large extent on the kind of the car wash tunnel, the
brushes used, its water filtering and the type of cleaning and preservative
products.
Before going through a vehicle wash, be sure to take the usual precautions
such as closing the windows and sunroof.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as spoilers or a roof rack or two-
way radio aerial, etc., it is advisable to consult the car wash tunnel operator.
After washing, the brakes could take some time 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
If an automatic car wash tunnel is used, before entering the tunnel, put the
aerial down parallel to the roof and do not tighten to avoid damage.
Washing by handVehicle washing
– First soften the dirt and rinse it off with water.
– 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.
– Leave the wheels, sill panels etc. until last, using a different sponge or glove.
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.
– Dry the vehicle surface gently with a chamois leather.
–In cold temperature , dry the rubber seals and their surfaces to
prevent them from freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber
seals.
After washing the vehicle
– After washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. Dry the brakes by braking several times ⇒page 193, “Braking capacity and
braking distance”.
WARNING
•Wash your vehicle 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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