Wheels and tyres243
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be tightened to the correct torque.The design of wheel bolts is matched to the rims. If different wheel rims are
fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped bolt
heads must be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted securely and that the
brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you should not use wheel bolts from a different
vehicle, even if it is the same model ⇒page 212.
After the wheels have been changed, the tightening torque of the wheel bolts
s ho uld b e ch ecke d as so on as possi ble wi th a to rq ue wre nch. ⇒ The tight-
ening torque for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm.
WARNING
If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly, the wheel could become
loose while driving. Risk of accident.•The wheel bolts must be clean and turn easily. Never apply grease or oil
to them.•Use only wheel bolts which belong to the wheel.•If the torque of the wheel bolts is too low, they could loosen whilst the
vehicle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tightening torque is too high,
the wheel bolts and threads can be damaged.Caution
The prescribed tightening torque for wheel bolts for steel and alloy wheels is
120 Nm.
Winter tyres
Winter tyres will improve the vehicles handling on snow and
ice.In winter conditions winter tyres will considerably improve the vehicle’s
handling. The design of summer tyre s (width, rubber compound, tread
pattern) gives less grip on ice and snow.
Winter tyres must be inflated to a pressure 0.2 bar higher than the pressures
specified for summer tyres (see sticker on tank flap).
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 242, “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 242, “New tyres and wheels”.
Leon_EN.book Seite 243 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18
Wheels and tyres
244
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 are only permitted on front wheels and only for tyres 195/65R15
and 205/55R16. These tyres may only be fitted with fine-pitch link chains
which do not protrude more than 15 mm ⇒page 276. For 235/35R19 tyres,
the use of snow chains is not permitted.
Other tyres may use fine-pitch links which do not protrude more than 9 mm,
including tension device.
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.•We recommend that you ask your Authorised Service Centre for informa-
tion about appropriate wheel, tyre and snow chain size.
Leon_EN.book Seite 244 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18
If and when245
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
If and whenTools, tyre repair kit and spare wheelVehicle Tools
The vehicle onboard tools are lo cated under the floor panel in
the luggage compartment.– Lif t the cover of the luggage compar tment, by pulling it up with a
finger in the fitting.
– Take the on-board tools out of the vehicle.The tool kit includes:•Jack*•Hook for removing wheel covers* or hub caps*•Box spanner for wheel bolts*•Reversible screwdriver with handle (including hexagonal interior) for the
wheel bolts. The screwdriver is a combination tool.•Towing eye•Adapter for the anti-theft wheel bolts*
Some of the items listed are only provided in certain model versions, or are
optional extras.WARNING
•Do not use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver handle to tighten
the wheel bolts as with this it is not possible to tighten the bolts to the
required torque. Risk of accident.
•The factory-supplied jack* is only designed for changing wheels on this
model. On no account attempt to use it for lifting heavier vehicles or other
loads. Risk of injury.•Use the jack* only on firm, level ground.•Never start the engine when the vehicle is on the jack. Risk of accident.•I f w o r k is t o b e ca r r ie d o u t un d e r n ea t h t h e v e h ic l e , t h is m u s t be s e cu re d
by suitable stands. Otherwise, there is a risk of injury.WARNING (continued)
Leon_EN.book Seite 245 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18
If and when
246Compact temporary spare wheel* (emergency wheel)
The compact spare wheel (emergency wheel for vehicles
without the anti-puncture kit) should only be used when
strictly necessary.The temporary spare wheel is stored under the floor panel in the luggage
compartment and is attached by a thumbnut.
How to use the temporary spare wheel
Should you ever have a punctured tyre, the temporary spare wheel is only
intended for temporary use until you can reach a workshop. The standard-size
road wheel should be replaced as soon as possible.
Please note the following restrictions when using the temporary spare wheel.
This spare wheel has been specially designed for your vehicle, thus, it cannot
be changed with the spare wheel from another vehicle.
No other type of tyre (normal summer or winter tyre) may be fitted on the
compact temporary spare wheel rim. 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.
The emergency tyre pressure for dimensions 125/70R16 125/70R18
135/90R16 is 4.2 bar; for all other tyre dimensions please refer to the label
on the fuel cap. Failure to do so could result in an accident.•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.Note
•Vehicles with Brembo brakes must never use emergency wheels. These
vehicles are supplied with a tyre repair kit.
Fig. 154 Luggage
compartment. Access to
the spare wheel
Leon_EN.book Seite 246 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18
If and when247
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
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.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 off the engine. Switch on the hazard warning lights.
–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.
WARNING
Put the hazard warning lights on and place the warning triangle in position.
This is for your own safety and also warns other road users.
Caution
If you have to change the wheel on a gradient, block the wheel opposite the
wheel being changed by placing a stone or similar object under it to prevent
the vehicle from rolling away.
Note
Please observe legal requirements when doing so.Changing a wheelChange the wheel as described below
–Pull off the hub cap. See ⇒ page 248, fig. 155 .
– Slacken the wheel bolts.
– Raise the car with the jack at the corresponding point.
Leon_EN.book Seite 247 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18
If and when
250
WARNING
Loosen the wheel bolts only about one turn before raising the vehicle with
the jack, loosening the wheel bolts more than one turn can result in an acci-
dent.
Note
•Do not use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver handle to loosen or
tighten the wheel bolts.•If the wheel bolt is very tight, you may be able to loosen it by pushing
down the end of the spanner carefully with your foot. Hold on to the vehicle
for support and take care not to slip.Raising the vehicle
In order to remove the wheel, the vehicle must be raised with
a jack.
– Locate the jacking point under the door sill closest to the wheel to be changed ⇒ fig. 157.
– Place the jack under the jacking point and turn the crank until the arm of the jack is directly below the vertical rib under the door
sill.
– Align the jack so that the arm of the jack fits around the rib under the door sill and the movable base plate of the jack is flat on the
ground ⇒fig. 158 .
– Raise the jack until the defective wheel is just clear of the ground.Recesses at the front and rear of the door sills mark the jacking points
⇒ fig. 157. There is only one jacking point for each wheel. Do not fit the jack
anywhere else.
An unstable surface under the jack may cause the vehicle to slip off the jack.
Therefore, the jack must be fitted on solid ground offering good support. Use
Fig. 157 Jack position
points
Fig. 158 Fitting the jack
Leon_EN.book Seite 250 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18
If and when251
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
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. 159 .
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. 159 Changing the
wheel: Hexagonal socket
in screwdriver handle to
turn the wheel bolts
Leon_EN.book Seite 251 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18
If and when253
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
You will also find instructions for operating the compressor.
WARNING
•Do not attempt to repair a puncture with the sealing compound if the
tyre has been damaged by driving the vehicle after the tyre has lost its air.•Always observe warnings and follow 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 specialised workshop.For the sake of the environment
If you have to dispose of a sealant can, go to a specialised waste ser vice or to
a SEAT Technical Service, where the product can be recycled in an appropriate
waste container.
Note
•If sealant should leak out, leave it to dry. This way 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 specialised workshop.•Seek professional assistance if the repair of a tyre puncture is not
possible with the sealing compound.
Preparation work
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 possibl e 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
Put the hazard warning lights on and place the warning triangle 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.
Leon_EN.book Seite 253 Mittwoch, 1. September 2010 6:16 18