
Table of Contents
Manual structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Content  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Safety First  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safe driving  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Proper sitting position for occupants  . . . . . . . . . 10
Pedal area  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Storing objects  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Seat belts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Why wear seat belts?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Seat belts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Belt tensioners*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Airbag system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Front airbags  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Side airbags  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Deactivating airbags*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Child safety  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Securing child seats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Operating Instructions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Cockpit  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Overview  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Instruments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 LPG system*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Digital instrument panel display  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Warning lamps  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Steering column controls*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
General information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Audio Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Audio + Telephone Control  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Unlocking and locking  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Central locking  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Keys  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Radio frequency remote control*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Anti-theft alarm system*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Tailgate  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Windows  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Panorama tilting sunroof*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Lights and visibility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Lights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Interior lights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Visibility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Windscreen wipers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Rear view mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Seats and storage compartments  . . . . . . . . . . 110
The importance of correct seat adjustment  . . . . . 110
Head restraints  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Front seats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Rear seats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Storage compartment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Ashtrays, cigarette lighter and power socket  . . . 120
First-aid kit, warning triangle, fire extinguisher* 122
Luggage compartment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Air conditioning  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Heating  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Air conditioning*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Climatronic  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
General notes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Driving  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Steering  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Safety  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Starting and stopping the engine  . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Start-Stop function*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Manual gearbox  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Automatic gearbox*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Handbrake  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Acoustic parking aid system*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Cruise speed* (Cruise control system)  . . . . . . . . 157
Practical Tips  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Intelligent technology  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Brakes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Anti-lock brake system and traction control ABS 162
Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)*  . . . . . . . . 163
Driving and the environment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Running-in  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Exhaust gas purification system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Economical and environmentally friendly driving 168
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Trailer towing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning  . . . . . . . . . 174
General notes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Care of the vehicle exterior  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Vehicle interior maintenance  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
3
Table of Contents 

147
Driving
Driving a car with an automatic gearbox
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatically as the vehi-
cle moves.
Fig. 106  Automatic gear-
box
Starting
– Start the engine with the selector lever in position  P or N.
Driving
– Hold the brake pedal pressed down.
– By holding the lock button (button on the left in the selector lev-
er), select  R, or D.
– Release the lever and wait a little for the gearbox to engage the
gear (a slight movement can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator  ⇒ 
.Stopping briefly
–
If stopping for a short time, keep the vehicle stationary by
pressing the foot brake hard to prevent the car moving back-
wards on a slope or “creeping” forwards, e.g. at traffic lights.
The selector lever does not need to be put into the positions  P
or N.
– Do not press the accelerator.
Parking the vehicle
– Press and hold the brake pedal until the vehicle comes to a
standstill  ⇒ 
.
– Apply the handbrake.
– By pressing the lock button down, move the selector lever to  P
and release the lock button.
Driving up and down hills
– Press the selector lever from position “D” to the right into the
tiptronic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever back to change down.
Holding the car on a hill
– The brake must be always pressed down to prevent the vehicle
from “rolling backwards” ⇒ 
. Do not try to prevent the vehicle
from rolling backwards by increasing the engine speed while a
range of gears is selected.
Starting the vehicle up hills
– Apply the handbrake. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications    

148Driving
–With a selected gear, accelerate slowly and at the same time,
release the handbrake.
The steeper the slope, the lower the needed gear. This increases the brak-
ing effect of the engine. For example, when driving down a very steep slope
in third gear. If the engine brake effect is not enough, the vehicle will speed
up. The automatic gearbox automatically changes up to prevent the engine
over-revving. Use the foot brake to reduce speed and change into 3rd gear
again using tiptronic* ⇒ 
.
Your vehicle has an automatic interlock which prevents the selector lever
from being put into a position for driving forwards or in reverse from posi-
tions  P or N if the brake pedal is not depressed.
The ignition key cannot be removed unless the selector lever is in position
P.
Warning lamp “Pressing brake pedal” 
When the warning lamp next to the selector lever lights up, press the brake
pedal. This is necessary when the automatic gearbox selector lever is
moved out of positions  P or N. At the same time, a text message or the in-
structions to perform necessary operations may appear on the instrument
panel.
WARNING
● As a driver, you should never leave your vehicle if the engine is run-
ning and a gear is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle while the
engine is running, you must apply the parking brake and put the selector
lever in position P.
● If the engine is running and D or R are engaged, you will need to hold
vehicle stopped by depressing the brake pedal. The car would keep on
creeping forward as the power transmission is not fully interrupted even
when the engine is idling.
WARNING (Continued)
● Never accelerate when moving the selector gear or you may cause an
accident.
● Never move the selector lever to R or P when driving. Risk of accident!
● Before driving down a long, steep slope, it is advisable to reduce
speed and change into a lower gear.
● If you stop the vehicle up hill, always hold the foot brake strongly de-
pressed down to stop it from rolling back.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use the brake pedal too often
or for long periods. Constant braking will cause the brakes to overheat
and will considerably reduce the brake effect. This increases the braking
distance and could cause the brake system to fail.
● Never allow the car to roll down a mountain or a slope with the lever
in the N or D position, regardless of the engine is running or not.
CAUTION
● If you stop the vehicle up hills, do not attempt to stop it from rolling
back by depressing the accelerator when a gear has been selected. Other-
wise, the automatic gearbox may overheat causing damage. Pull the hand-
brake up or fully depress the brake pedal to prevent the vehicle from rolling
away.
● If you allow the car to roll when the engine is not running, or with the
selector lever in position N, a lack of lubrication in the automatic gearbox
will damage it.      

150Driving
Changing gears in the normal or sport programme using the steering wheel
paddle levers
If the paddle levers  ⇒ fig. 108 are used in the normal or sport programme,
the system switches temporarily to tiptronic mode. To exit  “tiptronic” mode
again, press the right paddle lever  +
 towards the steering wheel for approx-
imately one second. You will also leave tiptronic mode if the paddle levers
are not moved for a certain time.
Note
● The gear paddle levers on the steering wheel can be operated with the
selector lever in any position and with the vehicle in motion. 
Selector lever positions
The selector lever positions and gears are shown on the in-
strument panel screen.
Fig. 109  Automatic
gearbox: Instrument
panel display Selector lever positions
The selected gear is displayed on the side of the selector lever and on the
instrument panel screen. The currently selected gear for the automatic gear-
box will also be shown on the display.
Tiptronic gear indicator
If the automatic gearbox is shifted manually, the selected gears are shown
on the screen.
P - parking lock
When the selector lever is in this position, the drive wheels are locked me-
chanically.
Position P on the lever must only be selected if the vehicle is stationary.
To move selector lever from position P, the locking button on the selector
lever handle must be pressed and the brake pedal depressed at the same
time while the ignition is switched on.
To put the selector lever in position 
P, simply press the lock button down
and, if necessary, depress the brake pedal down.
R - Reverse gear
The reverse gear is engaged in this position.
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the vehicle is stationary and the
engine is idling.
To move the selector lever to position R, press the lock button down and, at
the same time, press the brake pedal down, with the ignition switched on.
With the selector lever in position R and the ignition switched on the follow-
ing occurs:
● Reverse lights light up.
● The air conditioner automatically changes the air recirculation mode.   

151
Driving
● The wiper starts if the windscreen washer is on.
● The parking distance warning system switches on.*
N - Neutral (idling)
If this position is selected, the gearbox is in neutral. Power is not transmit-
ted to the wheels and the engine does not have a braking function.
Never use the N position to drive down a hill. The engine does not function
as a brake and the brakes are subjected to excessive stain.
You could damage the automatic gearbox if you drive down hills with the
gear lever in position N and the engine switched off.
D - Drive (forward)
In this position the gearbox automatically changes to a lower or higher gear,
according to the engine's requirements, the driving style and speed. The
braking effect of the engine when driving downhill is very limited when the
selector is in this position. The instrument panel displays the selected gear
as well as the selector lever in position  D.
If position  N has been selected and you wish to select  D, you must press the
foot brake if the vehicle is stationary, or travelling at under 5 km/h.
S - Standard driving position (Sport programme)
When the selector lever is in position  S, it will automatically change up into
a higher gear later, and change down into a low gear, if compared with posi-
tion D. This way, it is possible to take full advantage of the engine reserve
power, depending on the engine demand, driving style and speed. The
braking effect of the engine when driving downhill is very limited. On the
instrument panel display the selected gear is shown as well as the selector
lever to position S.
To select gear range  S, press the lock button on the selector lever.
WARNING
If the vehicle moves with no control, an accident and serious injury may
occur.
● As a driver, you should never leave your vehicle if the engine is run-
ning and a gear is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle while the
engine is running, you must always apply the handbrake and engage
parking lock P.
● If the engine is running and if D or R are engaged, you will need to
hold the vehicle stopped by depressing footbrake down. The car would
creep forward as the power transmission is not fully interrupted even
when the engine is idling.
● Never accelerate when moving the selector gear or you may cause an
accident.
● Never move the selector lever to “R” or “P” when driving. Risk of acci-
dent.
● Before driving down a very steep slope, reduce your speed and shift
to first gear.
● Always hold the vehicle on the foot brake if you stop on hills. Other-
wise, the vehicle could roll back.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use the brake pedal too often
or for long periods. Constant braking will cause the brakes to overheat
and will considerably reduce the brake effect. This increases the braking
distance and could cause the brake system to fail.
WARNING
Never switch the engine off until the vehicle is stationary. You could lose
control of your vehicle. This could cause an accident and serious injury.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not work when the ignition is
switched off. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications   

153
Driving
Always apply the handbrake when you leave your vehicle and when
you park.
Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up firmly  ⇒ fig. 110.
Releasing the handbrake
– Pull the lever up slightly and press the release knob in the di-
rection of the arrow  ⇒ fig. 110 and guide the handbrake lever
down fully  ⇒ 
.
Always apply the handbrake  as far as it will go in order to prevent you from
driving with the handbrake applied by mistake  ⇒ 
.
The handbrake warning lamp  lights up when the handbrake is applied
and the ignition switched on. The warning turns off when the handbrake is
released.
WARNING
● Never use the handbrake to stop the vehicle when it is in motion. The
braking distance is considerably longer, because braking is only applied
to the rear wheels. Risk of accident!
● 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. This also causes premature wear on the rear brake pads.
CAUTION
Always apply the handbrake before you leave the vehicle. The first gear
should also be selected. Parking
The handbrake should always be firmly applied when the
vehicle is parked.
Always note the following points when parking the vehicle:
–
Use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Select first gear.
– Switch the engine off and remove the key from the ignition. Turn
the steering wheel slightly to engage the steering lock.
– Always take you car keys with you when you leave the vehicle
⇒ 
.
Additional notes on parking the vehicle on gradients:
Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle rolls against the kerb if it started
to roll.
● If the vehicle is parked facing  downhill, turn the front wheels so that
they point  towards the kerb .
● If the vehicle is parked facing  uphill, turn the front wheels so that they
point  away from the kerb .
● Secure the vehicle as normal by applying the handbrake firmly and se-
lecting first gear. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications      

154Driving
WARNING
● Take measures to reduce the risk of injury when you leave your vehi-
cle unattended.
● Never park where the hot exhaust system could ignite inflammable
materials, such as dry grass, low bushes, spilt fuel etc.
● Never allow vehicle occupants to remain in the vehicle when it is
locked. They would be unable to open the vehicle from the inside, and
could become trapped in the vehicle in an emergency. In the event of an
emergency, locked doors will delay assistance to occupants.
● Never leave children alone in the vehicle. They could set the vehicle
in motion, for example, by releasing the handbrake or the gear lever.
● Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or
cold inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.
Hill-start assist*
This function is only included in vehicles with ESP. This device helps when starting uphill.
These are the basic operation conditions: doors closed, brake pedal press-
ed down and vehicle in neutral. The system gets activated on engaging
gear.
After removing your foot from the brake pedal, the braking force is main-
tained for a few seconds to prevent the vehicle from moving backward when
putting into gear. This short space of time is enough to start the vehicle
with ease.
This system also works when reversing uphill.
WARNING
● If you do not start the vehicle immediately after taking your foot off
the brake pedal, the vehicle may start to roll back under certain condi-
tions. Depress the brake pedal or use the hand brake immediately.
● If the engine stalls, depress the brake pedal or use the hand brake
immediately.
● When following a line of traffic uphill, if you want to prevent the vehi-
cle from rolling back accidentally when starting off, hold the brake pedal
down for a few seconds before starting off.
Note
The Official Service or a specialist workshop can tell you if your vehicle is
equipped with this system. 
Acoustic parking aid system* Rear parking aid
The parking aid system will use an acoustic signal to warn of
the approach of any object towards the rear of the vehicle.
Description
The acoustic parking aid system will measure the distance between the rear
of the vehicle and any possible obstacle using four ultrasonic sensors loca-
ted on the rear bumper. The measuring range of the sensors starts  approxi-
mately and depending on the nature of the obstacle  at a distance of:
● side of the rear bumper: 0.6 m
● middle of the rear bumper: 1.6 m     

224If and when
Note
● If a newly replaced fuse blows again after a short time, the electrical sys-
tem must be checked by a specialised workshop as soon as possible.
● If you replace a fuse with higher-rating fuse, you could cause damage to
another location in the electrical system.
● Always keep some spare fuses in the vehicle. These are available from
SEAT dealers. 
Fuses on left side of dash panel
Fuses
NumberConsumerAmps1Power steering/Engine operation/Flow meter7,5
2
Diagnostics/Heater/Autoclimate/Climatronic/
Electric anti-dazzle mirror/Navigator/Air condi-
tioning pressure switch/ Climate fan/AFS Control
unit/Coming home relay/Soundaktor/CCS
10
3Petrol engine control unit/Diesel engine control
unit/Relay coils/Engine operation/Bi-turbo fuel
control unit5
4ABS-ESP Control unit/RKA Switch/Gateway con-
trol unit/ESP Relay/Rotation sensor10
5Reverse light/Heating nozzles106Instrument panel57Retro fog light/Start-Stop relays7,5
8Paddle levers on steering wheel for automatic
gearbox2
9Headlight lever/Windscreen wiper switch1010BCM Electronic control unit power supply511Airbag control unit5
NumberConsumerAmps12Automatic gearbox/ LPG system1013Exterior mirror control514Left-hand AFS headlights1515Right-hand AFS headlights1516Vacant 17Number plate light518Clean pump7,519Electronic control unit520Indicators/Brake lights1521Lights control, instrument panel522Heated mirrors5
23Engine injection module/ Rain sensor/ Automat-
ic gear lever/ Main petrol relay7,5
24Luggage compartment light, interior light, glove
compartment light10
25Parking aid526Towing hook 27Headlight control528Lambda probe1029Vacuum pump/LPG power supply15, 20 a)
30Engine solenoid coils/Additional heating relay/
Pressure sensor/AKF Valve15
31Petrol engine operation/Glow plugs/Relay coil/
Electric fan/Secondary water pump relay10
32Engine control unit15, 20,
30 b)
33Clutch switch sensor/Additional heating relay
coil/ Servo sensor5
34Fuel control unit / Vacuum pump1535Vacant