2011 Seat Exeo ECO mode

188Intelligent technology
Brakes
General notes
New brake pads
New brake pads do not provide optimal performance during the first 200
km; first they must be “run in”. However, the reduced braking capacity may
be compensated by pressing on the brake pedal a little harder. Avoid over-
loading the brakes during run-in.
Wear
The rate of wear on the brake pads depends a great deal on how you drive
and the conditions in which the vehicle is operated. Negative factors are, for
instance, city traffic, frequent short trips or hard driving with abrupt starts
and stops.
Wet roads or road salt
In certain conditions, such as in heavy rain, or after washing the vehicle or
driving through water, the full braking effect can be delayed by moisture (or
in winter by ice) on the discs and brake pads. In this case the brakes should
be dried by pressing the brake pedal several times.
When the speed is over 80 km/h and the windscreen wipers are on, the
brake system moves the pads towards the brake discs for a few seconds.
This occurs - without the driver knowing - at regular intervals and allows a
faster response from the brakes when driving on wet roads.
The effectiveness of the brakes can also be temporarily reduced if the vehi-
cle is driven for some distance without using the brakes when there is a lot
of salt on the road in winter. In this case, the layer of salt on the brake discs
and pads has to wear off before braking.
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for corrosion to form on the discs and dirt to build
up on the brake pads if the vehicle is used infrequently or the brakes are
not used very often. If the brakes are not used frequently, or if rust has formed on the disks, it is
advisable to clean off the pads and disks by braking firmly a few times at a
moderately high speed
⇒ 
.
Faults in the brake system
If the brake pedal travel should ever increase suddenly, this may mean that
one of the two brake circuits has failed. Drive immediately to the nearest
specialised workshop and have the fault repaired. Drive there slowly and re-
member that you will have to apply more pressure on the brake pedal and
allow for longer stopping distances.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the brake fluid level is too
low. The brake fluid level is monitored electronically.
WARNING
When applying the brakes to clean off deposits on the pads and discs,
select a clear, dry road. Be sure not to inconvenience or endanger other
road users. Risk of accident.
CAUTION
● Never let the brakes “drag” by leaving your foot on the pedal when it is
not necessary to brake. This overheats the brakes, resulting in longer stop-
ping distances and greater wear.
● Before driving down a long, steep gradient, it is advisable to reduce
speed and change to a lower gear (or move the gear lever to a lower gear
position if your vehicle has automatic transmission). This makes use of en-
gine braking and prolongs the service life of the brakes. If you still have to
use the brakes, it is better to brake firmly at intervals than to apply the
brakes continuously. 

193
Driving and the environment
Diesel engine particulate filter*
The diesel engine particulate filter eliminates soot produced
by burning diesel.
The diesel engine particulate filter eliminates most of the soot from the ex-
haust gas system. Under normal driving conditions, the filter cleans itself. If
the driving conditions do not allow the filter to clean itself (for example,
multiple short trips) the filter will be obstructed by dust and pollen and the
indicator  for the diesel engine particulate filter indicator will light up.
This does not represent a fault, it is a warning that indicates that the filter
has not been able to regenerate automatically and that you must carry out a
cleaning cycle, as indicated in ⇒ page 80.
WARNING
● The diesel engine particulate filter may reach extremely high temper-
atures; the vehicle should be parked so that the exhaust pipe does not
come into contact with flammable materials underneath the vehicle. Oth-
erwise there is a risk of fire.
CAUTION
● Your vehicle is not designed to use biodiesel fuel. Never, under any cir-
cumstances refuel with biodiesel. The use of biodiesel fuel could damage
the engine and the fuel system. The addition of biodiesel to diesel by the
diesel producer in accordance with standard EN 590 is authorised and will
not cause damage to the engine or the fuel system.
● Using diesel fuel with a high sulphur content may significantly reduce
the working life of the diesel particulate filter. Your Authorised Service Cen-
tre will be able to tell you which countries have diesel with a high sulphur
content. Economical and environmentally friendly
driving
Economical and environmentally friendly driving
Fuel consumption, environmental pollution and wear to the engine, brakes
and tyres depends in large part on your driving style. By adopting an eco-
nomical driving style and anticipating the traffic situation ahead, you can
easily reduce 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 (dis-
connection 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 ap-
pears on the instrument panel ⇒ page 73.
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. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

195
Driving and the environment
Environmental friendliness
Environmental 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 easy dismantling
● Modular construction to facilitate dismantling
● Increased use of single-grade materials
● Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in accordance with ISO 1043,
ISO 11469 and ISO 1629
Choice of materials
● Nearly all materials used can be recycled
● Similar types of plastics grouped together for easy recycling
● Recycled materials used in manufacture
● Reduction of volatile compounds in plastics
● CFC-free refrigerant in air conditioner
Compliance with prohibited materials regulation : cadmium, lead, mercury,
chrome VI.
Manufacturing methods
● Use of recycled material for manufacturing plastic parts
● Solvent-free cavity sealing
● Solvent-free wax for protecting the vehicles in transit
● Solvent-free adhesives
● No CFCs used in production
● Surplus materials used extensively for energy conversion and building
materials
● Overall water consumption reduced
● Heat recovery systems
● The use of water-soluble paints Driving abroad
Observations
To drive abroad, the following must be taken into consideration:
● For vehicles fitted with a catalytic converter ensure that unleaded petrol
is available for the journey. See the chapter “Refuelling”. Automobile organ-
isations will have information about service station networks selling unlea-
ded fuel.
● In some countries, it is possible that your vehicle model is not sold, and
therefore spare parts are not available or the Authorised Services can only
carry out limited repairs.
SEAT importers and distributors will gladly provide information about the
technical preparations that you vehicle requires and also about necessary
maintenance and repair possibilities. 
Adhesive strips for headlights
If you have to drive a right-hand drive vehicle in a left-hand drive country, or
vice versa, the asymmetric dipped beam headlights will dazzle oncoming
traffic.
To prevent dazzling, you must apply stickers to certain parts of the head-
light lenses. Further information is available at your Authorised Service Cen-
tre.
In vehicles with adaptive headlights, the rotation system must previously be
disconnected. To do this, please go to a specialised workshop. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

242Wheels and tyres
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating code
Speed 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 Author-
ised Service Centre. They are familiar with the procedure and have the nec-
essary special tools and spare parts as well as the proper facilities for dis-
posing 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.
● Avoid running the vehicle on tyres that are more than 6 years old. If
you have no alternative, you should drive slowly and with extra care at all
times.
● Never use old tyres or those with an unknown history of use.
● If wheel trims are retrofitted, you must ensure that the flow of air to
the brakes is not restricted. This could cause them to overheat.
● All four wheels must be fitted with radial tyres of the same type, size
(rolling circumference) and the same tread pattern.
15
91
TFor the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of according to the laws in the country con-
cerned.
Note
● For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to use the wheels from
other vehicles. This can also apply to wheels of the same model. The use of
wheels or tyres which have not been approved by SEAT for use with your
model may invalidate the vehicle's type approval for use on public roads.
● If the spare tyre is not the same as the tyres that are mounted on the
vehicle (e.g. winter tyres) you should only use the spare tyre for a short peri-
od of time and drive with extra care. Refit the normal road wheel as soon as
possible. 
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 215.
After the wheels have been changed, the tightening torque of the wheel
bolts should be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench. ⇒ 
The tightening torque for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm. 

257
If and when
Fuse assignment
This list shows the fuses which can be replaced relatively
easily by the owner.
No.ConsumerAmps1Air conditioner102Footwell lamps53Heated washer jets54Radiator fan55Parking aid, automatic gearbox106Air conditioner (air purity sensor), pressure sensor5
7Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), brake light
switch, clutch pedal switch, steering angle sensor10
8Telephone59Vacant 10Adaptive headlights right5
11Airbag and disconnection of the front passenger air-
bag5
12Diagnostic socket1013Steering column unit1014Brake lights1015Instrument panel1016Vacant 17Tyre pressure control, rain/light sensor1018Adaptive headlights left519Vacant 20Vacant 21Vacant 22Driver door / front passenger door1523Rear doors15
No.ConsumerAmps24Central electrics unit for convenience equipment2025Heater blower3026Rear window heater3027Power socket for trailer (control unit)3028Fuel pump, auxiliary pump for diesel2029Vacant 30Sliding/tilting sunroof20
31Diagnosis connection, automatic anti-dazzle interior
mirror, reverse light, automatic gearbox15
32Towing socket1533Lighter2034Lambda probe heater1035Luggage compartment power socket*2036Wiper system30
37Pump for windscreen washer and headlight washer
system30
38Luggage compartment illumination, alarm1539Radio, Amplifier2040Horn2541230 volt socket3042Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)2543Engine management1544Seat heating35
Some of the electrical items listed in the table are only fitted on certain
models or are optional extras.
The electric windows and electric seat adjusters are protected by circuit
breakers. These reset automatically after a few seconds when the overload
(caused for example by frozen windows) has been corrected. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

258If and when
Note
Please note that the above list contains all data at the time of going to
press, so it is subject to modifications. If discrepancies should occur,
please refer to the sticker on the inside of the fuse cover for the correct in-
formation for your model. 
Bulbs
General information
You can change the following bulbs for exterior lights yourself:
● Main headlights: all bulbs (except xenon headlights)
● Tail lights: all bulbs
● Side turn signal bulb
The following bulbs can only be changed by a qualified workshop:
● Main headlights: Xenon* bulb ⇒ page 265
● Front fog lights: Bulb
As a rule, you require a certain degree of practical skill to change defective
bulbs. This applies in particular to those bulbs which are only accessible
from the engine compartment.
If in doubt, we recommend that you have defective bulbs changed by a
qualified workshop or qualified mechanic.
If you do decide to change bulbs in the engine compartment yourself, be
aware of the safety risks involved ⇒ page 221 ⇒ 
in Types of bulbs on
page 259. The name of many of the lamps fitted by SEAT ends in "LL". This means Long
Life. These lamps are used for functions with a long service time (dipped
beam, side lights, daylight driving, etc.). This does not apply to lamps with
a shorter service time (turn signals, etc.). A lamp with the same name ex-
cept for the last two letters, "LL“ or “SLL”, is compatible, but will have a
service life of approximately half of the LongLife lamps.
When replacing lamp bulbs, the same type of bulb as originally fitted
should always be used where possible.


Index
Numbers and Symbols
230 V socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
A
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Adaptive headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Faulty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Airbag Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Airbag covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Air conditioner 2C-Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Air distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Air outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Air purity sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Air recirculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Air recirculation (automatic) . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Automatic mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Blower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Defrosting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
ECON Mode (economy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Economical use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Key settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Solar-powered blower/sunroof . . . . . . . . . 163
Temperature selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Air duct Fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260, 267
Removing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260, 266
Air purity sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Alternator Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Ambient lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Anti-lock brake system How it works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Anti-theft alarm system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Interior monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Antifreeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Aquaplaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Armrest Storage compartment in front armrest . . . 142
Armrests Adjusting the front armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Ashtray Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Athermic windscreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Auto-check system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Automatic car wash tunnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Automatic gearbox
Dynamic gear control programme . . . . . . . 181
Kick-down feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
multitronic® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Paddle levers (tiptronic mode) . . . . . . . . . 183
Safety interlock for ignition key . . . . . . . . . 166
Selector lever lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Selector lever positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Steering wheel with paddle levers . . . . . . 183
tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
tiptronic mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Automatic headlight control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Auxiliary heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Battery voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Disconnection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Long periods of non-use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Replacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231, 232
Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Winter operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231, 232
Bicycle rack Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Biodiesel fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
301
Index

The environmentHeated rear window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Leaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Warming up the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Tightening torque of wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . 289
tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
tiptronic mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Tow-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196, 283 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Notes on towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196, 197
Removable towing bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Technical requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Towing bracket, fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Towing eye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Towing eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tow starting General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Traction control system Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Trailer weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Trip recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Turn signal lamps Hazard warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Trailer turn signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Turn signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Turn signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Tyre mobility system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Tyre Mobility System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 Tyre pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66, 90, 235
Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Tyre pressure monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Tyre pressure monitoring system . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Tyre repair kit Tyre Mobility System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Tyres and wheels Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Tyres service life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Tyres tread depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Tyres with directional tread pattern . . . . . . . . 235
U Underbody protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
V Vehicle data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Vehicle identification data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Vehicle identification number . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Vehicle keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Vehicle modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Vehicle paintwork Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Products for vehicle maintenance . . . . . . . 206
Vehicle washing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Ventilation slits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 W
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Alternator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Warning lamps Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Anti-lock brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Electronic differential lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Electronic Stability Programme . . . . . . . . . . 68
Engine management (EPC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Exhaust emission control system . . . . . . . . 66
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Red symbols in central display . . . . . . . . . . 77
Seat belt warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Yellow symbols on central display . . . . . . . 79
Warning lamps - overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Washer fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Washing by hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Washing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Washing with high pressure cleaners . . . . . . . 208
Wear indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Wearing suitable shoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 Tightening torque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235, 289 Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Why assume the correct sitting position? . . . . . 28
Why should head restraints be correctly adjus- ted? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 19, 28
Windows Defrosting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
308 Index