17
Safe driving
– Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
– Place heavy objects as far forward as possible in the luggage
compartment.
– Place the heavy objects first.
WARNING
● Loose luggage and other objects in the luggage compartment could
cause serious injuries.
● Always put objects in the luggage compartment.
● During sudden manoeuvres or accidents, loose objects can be thrown
forward, injuring vehicle occupants or even third parties. This increased
risk of injury will be further increased if a loose object is struck by an in-
flating airbag. If this happens, objects can be transformed into “mis-
siles”. Risk of fatal injury.
● Please note that the centre of gravity may shift when transporting
heavy objects; this may affect the vehicle's handling and lead to an acci-
dent. Therefore, it is essential to adjust your speed and driving style ac-
cordingly, to avoid accidents.
● Never exceed the allowed axle weights or allowed maximum weight.
If the allowed axle load or the allowed total weight is exceeded, the driv-
ing characteristics of the vehicle may change, leading to accidents, inju-
ries and damage to the vehicle.
● Never leave your vehicle unattended, especially when the tailgate is
open. Children could climb into the luggage compartment, closing the
door behind them; they will be trapped and run the risk of death.
● Never allow children to play in or around the vehicle. Close and lock
all the doors and tailgate when you leave the vehicle. Before you lock the
vehicle, make sure that there are no adults or children in the vehicle.
● Never transport passengers in the luggage compartment. All passen-
gers must have their seat belt fastened ⇒ page 19.
Note
● Air circulation in the vehicle helps reduce fogging of the windows. Used
air escapes through ventilation slits in the side trim of the luggage compart-
ment. Ensure that the ventilation slits are never covered.
Fastening rings
There can be four fastening rings in the luggage compart-
ment for fastening luggage and other objects.
– Always use suitable and undamaged straps to secure luggage
and other objects to the fastening rings ⇒
in Loading the lug-
gage compartment on page 17.
– Pull up the fastening rings to attach the straps.
During a collision or an accident, even small and light objects can build up
so much energy that they can cause very severe injuries. The amount of ki-
netic energy depends on the speed of the vehicle and the weight of the ob-
ject. The most significant factor, however, is the speed of the vehicle.
Example: An object weighing 4.5 kg is lying unsecured in the vehicle. Dur-
ing a frontal collision at a speed of 50 km/h, this object generates a force
corresponding to 20 times its weight. That means that the effective weight
of the object increases to about 90 kg. You can imagine the severity of the
injuries which might be sustained if this object strikes an occupant as it
flies through the passenger compartment. This increased risk of injury will
be further increased if a loose object is struck by an inflating airbag.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
58Cockpit
Digital clock*
–To set the hour, press button 4 ⇒ fig. 30. The “hour” option
flashes on the digital display and is set using button 5 “set”
⇒ fig. 30.
– To set the minutes, press button 4
again and select the mi-
nute option. Set from button 5 “set”.
Once the operation has been carried out, the system memorises the time.
Outside temperature display
The outside temperature is displayed when the ignition is
switched on. At descending temperatures between +4 °C down to -7 °C and at ascending
temperatures from -5 °C up to +6 °C, in addition to the outside temperature
display, an ice crystal is displayed, and if vehicle speed is over 10 km/h an
acoustic buzzer is heard.
The illumination of the crystal symbol aims to warn the driver of the risk of
ice, so that he/she proceeds with due care.
When the vehicle is stationary or travelling at very low speeds, the tempera-
ture displayed may be slightly higher than the actual outside temperature
as a result of heat coming from the engine. Recommended gear display*
This display helps to save fuel.
Fig. 33 Gear display
Use the gear display to save fuel. If you are not in the correct gear, a triangle
will appear next to the gear display indicating whether you should change
up or down ⇒ fig. 33.
Note
The gear change indication should not be taken into account the accelera-
tion is required (for example when overtaking).
62Cockpit
SEAT distinguishes between services with engine oil change (e.g. Mainte-
nance Service) and services without engine oil change (e.g. Inspection Serv-
ice). The service interval display only indicates the dates of services that in-
clude engine oil change. The dates of all other services, such as Inspection
Service or brake fluid change, appear in the sticker on the door pillar or in
the Service Schedule.
Vehicles with service intervals dependent on time/distance travelled al-
ready have certain service intervals set.
The intervals are calculated separately in vehicles with LongLife service
Technical progress has made it possible to considerably reduce servicing re-
quirements. With the LongLife System, SEAT ensures that your vehicle only
has an interval service when it is necessary. To calculate this (max. two
years), the conditions under which the vehicle is used and the individual
driving style are also taken into account. The service pre-warning will ap-
pear at 20 days or less prior to the corresponding service. The distance trav-
elled is rounded off to the nearest 100 km and the time to full days. The cur-
rent service message can only be consulted 500 km or more after the last
service. Until that time, only dashes are displayed.
Service warning
A service warning will appear when the ignition is switched on if a service is
due soon.
The instrument panel display will show the “spanner symbol” and the
“km” indication, along with a clock symbol with the days remaining until
the date of the next service. The figure indicated is the maximum number of
kilometres remaining before the date of the next service. The indication
changes after a few seconds. A “clock symbol” appears and the number of
days until the service appointment should be carried out.
Service
If a service is due, a gong signal will sound and the flashing “spanner”
symbol will be shown along with the fixed text SERVICE.If
no service is carried out following the indication on the instrument panel,
the excess distance travelled and the excess time following the SERVICE
warning will be displayed.
Reading the service message
The current service message can be consulted with the ignition on, the en-
gine switched off and the vehicle at a standstill:
● Press the
button on the instrument panel as often as necessary until
the spanner symbol is displayed.
An overdue service is indicated by a minus sign in front of the mileage or
day information.
Resetting service interval display
If the service was not performed by a SEAT dealer, the display must be reset
as follows:
● Switch the ignition off.
● Press and hold the 0.0 / SET
button.
● Switch ignition back on.
● Release the 0.0 / SET
button and press the button within 20 seconds.
Do not reset the display between service intervals, as the display will other-
wise be incorrect.
If the display is reset manually, the next service interval will be indicated af-
ter 15 000 km or one year and will not be calculated individually.
Note
In LongLife Service vehicles, if the battery is disconnected for a long period,
the days remaining until the next service cannot be calculated. Therefore,
the service message indications may be incorrect. In this case, bear in mind
the maximum service intervals permitted in the ⇒ Booklet Service Schedule.
103
Lights and visibility
Note
● The battery will run down if the hazard warning lights are left on for a
long time, even if the ignition is switched off.
● The use of the hazard warning lights described here is subject to the rel-
evant statutory requirements.
Turn signal and main beam headlight lever
The turn signal and main beam lever also operates the park-
ing lights and the headlight flasher.
Fig. 60 Turn signal and
main beam headlight lev-
er
The turn signal and main beam headlight lever has the following
functions:
Switching on the turn signals
– Move the lever all the way up ⇒ fig. 60 1
to indicate right, and
all the way down 2 to indicate left. Signalling a lane change
–
Push the lever up 1
or down 2 to the point where you incur
resistance and then release it. The turn signal will flash several
times. The corresponding warning lamp will also flash.
Switching main beam on and off
– Turn the light switch to position .
– Press the lever forward ⇒ fig. 60 4
to switch on the main
beams.
– Pull the lever back towards you to switch the main beam head-
lights off again.
Headlight flashers
– Pull the lever towards the steering wheel 3
to operate the
flasher.
Switching on parking lights
– Switch the ignition off and remove the key from the lock.
– Move the lever up or down to turn the right or left-hand parking
lights on, respectively.
WARNING
The main beam can dazzle other drivers. Risk of accident! Never use the
main beam headlights or the headlight flasher if they could dazzle other
drivers.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
107
Lights and visibility
short intervals. Four wiper interval stages can be set using
switch A
.
Slow wipe
– Move the lever up to position 2
.
Continuous wipe
– Move the lever up to position 3
.
Short wipe
– Move the lever down to position 4
to give the windscreen a
short wipe.
Wash and wipe automatic system
– Pull the lever towards the steering wheel - Position 5
, the
windscreen washer is activated.
– Release the lever. The wipers-washers will keep running for ap-
proximately four seconds.
WARNING
● Worn and dirty wiper blades reduce visibility and safety levels while
driving.
● In cold conditions, you should not use the wash / wipe system unless
you have warmed the windscreen with the heating and ventilation sys-
tem. The washer fluid could otherwise freeze on the windscreen and ob-
scure your view of the road.
● Always note the corresponding warnings on ⇒ page 209.
CAUTION
In icy conditions, always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the
glass before using the wipers for the first time. If you switch on the wipers
when the wiper blades are frozen to the windscreen, you could damage
both the wiper blades and the wiper motor.
Note
● The windscreen wipers will only work when the ignition is switched on.
● The heat output of the heated jets* is controlled automatically when the
ignition is switched on, depending upon the outside temperature.
● In certain versions of vehicles with alarms, the windscreen wiper will on-
ly work in interval/rain sensor mode when the ignition is on and the bonnet
closed.
● When the interval wipe function is on, the intervals are directly propor-
tional to the speed. This way, the higher the vehicle speed the shorter the
intervals.
● If you stop the vehicle with the windscreen wiper in position 1 or 2, it
will automatically change to a lower speed. The set speed will be resumed
when the vehicle pulls away.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
140Air conditioning
Air recirculation mode
Air recirculation mode prevents fumes or unpleasant smells
from coming from the outside.
– Press the button
to switch air recirculation mode on or off.
This is ON if the symbol ⇒ fig. 104 is displayed on the
screen.
Air recirculation mode prevents strong odours in the ambient air from enter-
ing the vehicle interior, for example when passing through a tunnel or in a
traffic jam.
When the outside temperature is low, air recirculation mode improves heat-
ing performance by heating air from the interior instead of cold air from the
outside.
When the outside temperature is high, air recirculation mode improves cool-
ing performance by cooling air from the interior instead of warm air from
outside.
For safety reasons, the air recirculation should not be switched on when the
air distribution control is set to the windscreen setting .
WARNING
In air recirculation mode, no cold air from the outside enters the vehicle
interior. If the air conditioner is switched off, the windows can quickly
mist over. Therefore, never leave the air recirculation mode switched on
for a long time (risk of accident).
Note
When engaging reverse gear, the air recirculation is connected automatical-
ly to prevent the entrance of exhaust fumes in the vehicle on travelling back-
wards. In this case the symbol
for air recirculation is not displayed. General notes
Pollution filter
The pollution filter (a combined particulate filter and active carbon filter)
serves as a barrier against impurities in the outside air, including dust and
pollen.
For the air conditioner to work with maximum efficiency, the pollution filter
must be replaced at the specified intervals in the Maintenance Programme.
If the filter loses efficiency prematurely due to use in areas reaching very
high pollution levels, the pollen filter must be changed more frequently
than stated in the Service Schedule.
CAUTION
● If you suspect that the air conditioner is damaged, switch it off with but-
ton AC
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
workshop.
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 pud-
dle 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 the vehicle interior and is extracted
by slots designed for this purpose. Therefore, do not cover these slots with
items of clothing or other objects.
154Driving
Driving a car with an automatic gearbox
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatically as the vehi-
cle moves.
Fig. 115 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.
155
Driving
– 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 third 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.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications