2012 Seat Leon 5D brake

Table of Contents
Manual structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Sitting position for vehicle occupants . . . . . . . . . 10
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Storing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Seat belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Knee airbag* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Side airbags* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Curtain airbags* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Deactivating airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Securing child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Operating instructions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Controls and displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Instruments and warning/control lamps . . . . 61
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Driver information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Introduction to the Easy Connect system* . . . 79
System settings (CAR)* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Opening and closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Anti-theft alarm system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Emergency locking and unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Rear lid (luggage compartment) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Panoramic sliding sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Sun blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Windscreen wiper system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Rear vision mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Seats and storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Seat functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Heating, ventilation, cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Driving
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Kick-down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Hill hold assist* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Speed warning function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Start-Stop system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Automatic gearbox/DSG automatic gearbox* . . . 154
Driver assistance systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Cruise control system (CCS)* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Lane Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
SEAT Drive Modes* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Tiredness detection (break recommendation)* . 173
Tyre monitoring systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Parking aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Practical Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Intelligent technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Electro-mechanical steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Information recorded in the control units . . . . . . 189
Driving and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Running in the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Driving through flooded roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Installation of exhaust gas filtration systems . . . 190
Economic and ecological driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Environmental friendliness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
3
Table of Contents

Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Retrofitting a towing bracket* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Care and cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Care of vehicle exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Care of the vehicle interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Checking and refilling levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Windscreen washer reservoir and wiper blades . 220
Wheels and tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Accessories and modifications to the vehicle 230
Accessories, replacement parts and repairs . . . . 230
Technical modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Radio transmitters and business equipment . . . 230
Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Tyre repair kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Towing and tow-starting the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 244
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Electrical fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Changing bulbs in headlight unit . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Changing bulb for front fog light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Changing tail light bulbs (on side panel) . . . . . . 257 Changing tail light bulbs (on rear lid) . . . . . . . . . 259
Changing number plate light bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Technical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Technical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Important . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Vehicle identification data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Information on fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Dimensions and capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
4Table of Contents

10Safe driving
Sitting position for vehicle occupants
Introduction
WARNING
● The front seats, head restraints and seat belts must always be adjus-
ted to the size of the vehicle occupant to provide you and your passen-
gers with the greatest possible protection.
● Ensure your correct sitting position before setting off, and do not
change this during the journey. Also advise your passengers to ensure
their correct sitting positions not to be changed.
● A vehicle occupant sitting in an incorrect position is at risk of serious
injury in the event that an airbag is activated.
● If the passengers in the rear seats are not sitting in an upright posi-
tion, they are more likely to be injured due to the incorrect position of the
seat belts.
● It is important that the driver keeps at a minimum of 25 cm from the
steering wheel. It is important that the passenger keeps at a minimum of
25 cm from the dash panel. The airbag system will not be able to give the
required protection if the minimum distance is not observed. This can
cause a risk of fatal injury!
● When driving, always hold the steering wheel with both hands on the
outside part at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions. Never hold the
steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position, or in any other manner (e.g. in
the centre of the steering wheel or along its interior edge). In such cases,
if the airbag is triggered, you may sustain injuries to the arms, hands
and head.
● The backrests must not be reclined too far back while driving. This
could limit the effect of the seat belts and the airbag system. Risk of in-
jury!
WARNING (Continued)
● Objects must not be placed in the footwell, as they could move to the
area of the pedals in the event of a braking manoeuvre or change of direc-
tion. This would prevent the clutch, brake or accelerator from being
pressed.
● Always keep your feet on the footwell when the vehicle is moving;
never rest them on the dash panel, on the window or on the seat! An in-
correct sitting position exposes you to an increased risk of injury in case
of a sudden braking or an accident. If the airbag is triggered, you could
sustain severe injuries due to an incorrect sitting position!


11
Safe driving
Correct sitting position for driver
The correct sitting position for the driver is important for
safe and relaxed driving.
Fig. 1 The correct dis-
tance between driver and
steering wheel
Fig. 2 Correct head re-
straint position for driver For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of
an accident, we recommend the following adjustments for the driv-
er:
–
Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a distance of at least
25 cm between the steering wheel and the centre of your chest
⇒ Fig. 1.
– Move the driver seat forwards or backwards so that you are able
to press the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals to the floor
with your knees still slightly angled ⇒ 
.
– Ensure that you can reach the highest point of the steering
wheel.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper edge is at the same
level as the top of your head, or as close as possible to the
same level as the top of your head ⇒ Fig. 2.
– Move the seat backrest to an upright position so that your back
rests completely against it.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ⇒ page 19.
– Keep both feet in the footwell so that you have the vehicle un-
der control at all times.
Adjustment of the driver seat ⇒ page 125. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

16Safe driving
● Never kneel on the seats.
● Never tilt your seat backrest far to the rear.
● Never lean against the dash panel.
● Never lie on the rear bench.
● Never sit on the front edge of a seat.
● Never sit sideways.
● Never lean out of a window.
● Never put your feet out of a window.
● Never put your feet on the dash panel.
● Never put your feet on the surface of a seat.
● Do not allow anyone to travel in the footwell.
● Never travel without wearing the seat belt.
● Do not allow anyone to travel in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
● Any incorrect sitting position increases the risk of severe injuries.
● Sitting in an incorrect position exposes the vehicle occupants to se-
vere injuries if airbags are triggered, by striking a vehicle occupant who
has assumed an incorrect sitting position.
● Before the vehicle moves, assume the proper sitting position and
maintain it throughout the trip. Before every trip, instruct your passen-
gers to sit properly and to stay in this position during the trip ⇒ page 10,
Sitting position for vehicle occupants.
 Pedal area
Pedals
The operation of all pedals must never be impaired by ob-
jects or floor mats.
– Ensure that you can always press the accelerator, brake and
clutch pedals unimpaired to the floor.
– Ensure that the pedals can return unimpaired to their initial po-
sitions.
Use only floor mats which leave the pedal area free and can be securely fas-
tened on the footwell.
If a brake circuit fails, the brake pedal must be pressed down thoroughly in
order to stop the vehicle.
Wearing suitable shoes
Always wear shoes which support your feet properly and give you a good
feeling for the pedals.
WARNING
● Restricting pedal operation can lead to critical situations while driv-
ing.
● Never place objects on the driver footwell. An object could move into
the pedal area and impair pedal operation. In the event of a sudden driv-
ing or braking manoeuvre, you will not be able to operate the brake,
clutch or accelerator pedal. Risk of accident!


59
Controls and displays
Operating instructions Controls and displays
Overview
Door handle
Central locking switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Electric control to adjust exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Air outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Control lever for:
– Turn signals and main beam headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
– Lane Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
– Main beam assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
– Cruise control system (CCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Depending on equipment fitted:
– Lever for cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Steering wheel with horn and
– Driver airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
– On-board computer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
– Controls for radio, telephone, navigation and speech dia-
logue system ⇒  Booklet Radio
– Paddle levers for tiptronic gearshift (automatic gearbox) . .159
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Control lever for:
– Windscreen wipers and washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
– Wipe and wash system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
– On-board computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
12345
6
7
89
Depending on equipment fitted: Radio or display for Easy
Connect (navigation, radio, TV/video)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Depending on the equipment, buttons for:
– SEAT driving modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
– Start-Stop system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
– Park assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
– Hazard warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
– Airbag off display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Glove compartment with CD changer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Depending on the equipment:
– Multimedia interface* ⇒ Booklet Radio
– Tyre pressure switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Front passenger airbag switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Front passenger airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Passenger seat heating control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Storage compartment
Depending on gearbox fitted, gear lever or selector lever for:
– manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
– automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Depending on the equipment, controls for:
– Heating and ventilation system or manual air conditioner .138, 137
– Automatic air conditioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Driver seat heating control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
10
11
1213
1415161718
19
2021
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

65
Instruments and warning/control lamps
WARNING
Although the outside temperature is above freezing, some roads and
bridges may be frozen.
● At an outside temperature of above +4 °C (+39 °F), even when the
“ice crystal” is not visible, there may still be ice on the road.
● Never rely on the outside temperature indicator!
CAUTION
Failure to heed the control lamps and text messages when they appear may
result in faults in the vehicle.
Note
● Different versions of the instrument panel are available and therefore
the versions and instructions on the display may vary. In the case of dis-
plays without warning or information texts, faults are indicated exclusively
by the warning lamps.
● Depending on the equipment, some settings and instructions can also
be carried out in the Easy Connect system.
● When several warnings are active at the same time, the symbols are
shown successively for a few seconds. The symbols will stay on until the
fault is rectified. 
Service interval display
The inspection message appears on the instrument panel display
⇒ Fig. 36 4.
SEAT makes a difference between services with engine oil change (Interval
Service) and services without engine oil change (Inspection Service). The
service interval display only gives information for service dates which in-
volve an engine oil change. The dates of the remaining services (for exam- ple, the next Inspection Service or change of brake fluid) are listed on the
label attached to the door strut, or even in the Maintenance Programme.
In vehicles with
Services established by time or mileage , the service inter-
vals are already pre-defined.
In vehicles with LongLife Service , the intervals are determined individually.
Technical progress has made it possible to considerably reduce servicing re-
quirements. The technology used by SEAT ensures that your vehicle only
has an Interval Service when it is necessary. To establish when the Interval
Service is due (max. 2 years), the vehicle's conditions of use and individual
driving styles are considered. The service pre-warning first appears 20 days
before the date established for the corresponding service. The kilometres
remaining until the next service are always rounded up to the nearest 100
km (miles) and the remaining time is given in complete days. The current
service message cannot be viewed until 500 km (miles) after the last serv-
ice. Prior to this only lines are visible on the display.
Inspection reminder
When the Service date is approaching, when the ignition is switched on a
Service reminder is displayed.
In vehicles without text messages , a spanner is displayed on the instrument
panel  with a figure given in km. The number of kilometres shown is the
maximum number that may be driven until the next service. After a few sec-
onds, the display mode changes. A clock symbol appears and the number
of days until the next service appointment is due.
In vehicles with text messages , Service in --- km (miles) or --- days is dis-
played on the instrument panel.
Service due
After the service date, an audible warning is given when the ignition is
switched on and the spanner displayed on the screen flashes for a few sec-
onds . In vehicles with text messages , Service in --- km or --- days is dis-
played on the instrument panel. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

69
Instruments and warning/control lamps
Vehicles with an automatic gearbox*
The display is only visible in tiptronic mode ⇒ page 159
The following display symbols mean:
●  Shifting up a gear
●  Shifting down a gear
CAUTION
The gear-change indicator is intended to help save fuel. It is not intended to
recommend the right gear for all driving situations. In certain situations, on-
ly the driver can choose the correct gear (for instance when overtaking, driv-
ing up a steep gradient or towing a trailer).
Note
The display disappears from the instrument panel when you press the
clutch pedal. 
Control lamps Control and warning lamps
The control and warning lamps are indicators of warnings, ⇒ , faults ⇒ or certain functions. Some control and warning lamps come on when the ig-
nition is switched on, and switch off when the engine starts running, or
while driving.
Depending on the model, additional text messages may be viewed on the
instrument panel display. These may be purely informative or they may be
advising of the need for action ⇒ page 61, Instruments. Depending upon the equipment fitted in the vehicle, instead of a warning
lamp, sometimes a symbol may be displayed on the instrument panel.
When certain control and warning lamps are lit, an audible warning is also
heard.
Red symbols
SymbolMeaning ⇒ See
Central warning lamp: additional information
on the instrument panel display–

Symbol on the instrument panel display:

Do not continue driving!
With the corresponding indication: door(s), rear
lid or bonnet open or not properly closed.⇒ page 86
⇒ page 98
⇒ page 209
Parking brake on.⇒ page 147
⇒ page 185

 Do not continue driving!
The brake fluid level is too low or there is a fault
in the brake system.

Lit up on instrument panel display: a)
 Do not continue driving!
Engine coolant level too low, coolant tempera-
ture too high
Flashing on the instrument panel display: a)
Fault in the engine coolant system.
⇒ page 215

On the instrument panel display: a)
 Do not continue driving!
Engine oil pressure too low.⇒ page 211

Lit up or flashing:
 Do not continue driving!
Fault in the steering.⇒ page 186
Driver or passenger has not fastened seat belt.⇒ page 19 
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