2012 Seat Leon 5D check engine

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

66Instruments and warning/control lamps
Reading a service notification
With the ignition switched on, the engine off and the vehicle at a standstill,
the current service notification can be read:
Press and hold the button ⇒ Fig. 36 4
for more than 5 seconds to consult
the service message.
When the service date has past , a minus sign is displayed in front of the
number of kilometres or days. In vehicles with text messages the following
is displayed: Service --- km (miles) or --- days ago .
The time can also be set via the 
key and Setup function button in the
Easy Connect system ⇒ page 79.
The service interval display is reset
If the service was not carried out by a SEAT dealership, the display can be
reset as follows:
● To reset the service interval display, turn the ignition off and press and
hold the button ⇒ Fig. 36 4
.
● Switch the ignition back on.
● Release the button 4
and press the button 4 again for the next 20
seconds.
Note
● The service message disappears after a few seconds, when the engine is
started or when OK/RESET
is pressed on the windscreen wiper lever, or OKon the multifunction steering wheel.
●
In vehicles with the LongLife system in which the battery has been dis-
connected for a long period of time, it is not possible to calculate the date
of the next service. Therefore the service interval display may not be correct.
In this case, please check the maximum permitted service intervals ⇒ Book-
let Maintenance Programme. Rev counter
The rev counter indicates the number of engine revolutions
per minute.
Together with the gear-change indicator, the rev counter offers you the pos-
sibility of using the engine of your vehicle at a suitable speed.
The start of the red zone on the dial indicates the maximum engine speed
which may be used briefly when the engine is warm and after it has been
run in properly. Before reaching this range, you should change to a higher
gear for vehicles with a manual gearbox or for automatic gearboxes put the
selector lever in “D” or take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
We recommend that you avoid high revs and that you follow the recommen-
dations on the gear-change indicator. Consult the additional information in
⇒  page 68, Gear-change indicator.
CAUTION
Never allow the rev counter needle 1 ⇒ Fig. 36 to go into the red zone on
the scale for more than a very brief period, otherwise, there is a risk of en-
gine damage.
For the sake of the environment
Changing up a gear early will help you to save fuel and minimise engine
noise. 

121
Lights and visibility
● Damaged blades: A film of water on the damaged blades may lengthen
the activation time, reduce the washing intervals or result in a fast and con-
tinuous wipe.
● Insects: insects on the sensor may trigger the windscreen washer.
● Salt on roads: in winter, salt spread in the roads may cause an extra
long wipe when the windscreen is almost dry.
● Dirt: dry dust, wax, coating on glass (Lotus effect) or traces of detergent
(car wash) may reduce the effectiveness of the rain sensor or make it react
more slowly, later or not at all.
● Cracked windscreen: the impact of a stone will trigger a single wipe cy-
cle with the rain sensor on. Next the rain sensor detects the reduction in the
sensitive surface area and adapts accordingly. The behaviour of the sensor
will vary with the size of the damage caused by the stone.
WARNING
The rain sensor may not detect enough rain to switch on the wipers.
● If necessary, switch on the wipers manually when water on the wind-
screen obstructs visibility.
Note
● Clean the sensitive surface of the rain sensor regularly and check the
blades for damage ⇒ Fig. 67 (arrow).
● To remove wax and coatings, we recommend a window cleaner contain-
ing alcohol. Checking and topping up the windscreen washer reservoir
with water
Fig. 68 In the engine
compartment: wind-
screen washer reservoir
top
Check the water level in the windscreen washer reservoir regularly and top
up as required.
● Open the bonnet 
⇒  page 209.
● The washer reservoir is marked with the symbol  on the lid
⇒ Fig. 68.
● Check there is enough water in the reservoir.
● To top up, mix water with a window cleaner recommended by SEAT
⇒ 
.
Please follow the instructions for use found on the packaging.
● In cold weather, a special antifreeze should also be added to prevent
the water from freezing ⇒ 
. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

135
Air conditioning
CAUTION
● Switch the air conditioner off if you think it may be broken. This will
avoid additional damage. Have the air conditioner checked by a specialised
workshop.
● Repairs to the air conditioner require specialist knowledge and special
tools. SEAT recommends visiting a SEAT Official Service.
Note
● When the cooling system is turned off, air coming from the outside will
not be dried. To prevent fogging of the windows, SEAT recommends leaving
the cooling system (compressor) turned on. To do this, press the button 
.
The button lamp should light up.
● The maximum heat output required to defrost windows as quickly as
possible is only available when the engine has reached its normal running
temperature.
● 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. Air conditioner controls
Fig. 81 In the centre console: Climatronic controls
To switch a function on or off, press the appropriate button. Press the but-
ton again to switch off the function.
The LED on each control lights up to indicate that the respective function of
a control has been switched on.
Control but- tonAdditional information. Climatronic.
1 Temper-
ature
 ... The left and right sides can be adjusted separately. Rotate
the control to adjust the temperature accordingly.
2 Fan
The power of the fan is automatically adjusted. The fan is al-
so adjusted manually by turning the control.
3 Air dis-
tributionThe airflow adjusts automatically for comfort. You can also
switch it on manually using the buttons 3.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

140Air conditioning
● Turn the air distribution control to the required position.
● Press the button 
to switch on the cooling system. The button will
light up.
With Climatronic
● Press button 
.
● Set the temperature to +22 °C (+72 °F).
● Open and direct all the air outlets in the dash panel.
Climatronic: change the temperature unit on the screen of the radio or on
the factory-fitted navigation system
Changing the temperature display from Celsius to Fahrenheit on radio or on
the factory-fitted navigation system is done using the menu on the instru-
ment panel ⇒ page 73.
The cooling system cannot be activated
If the air conditioning system cannot be switched on, this may be caused by
the following:
● The engine is not running.
● The fan is switched off.
● The air conditioner fuse has blown.
● The outside temperature is lower than approximately +3 °C (+38 °F).
● The air conditioner compressor has been temporarily switched off be-
cause the engine coolant temperature is too high.
● Another fault in the vehicle. Have the air conditioner checked by a speci-
alised workshop.
Special Characteristics
If the humidity and temperature outside the vehicle are high, condensation
can drip off the evaporator in the cooling system and form a pool under-
neath the vehicle. This is normal and does not indicate a leak!
Note
After starting the engine, any residual humidity in the air conditioner could
mist over the windscreen. Switch on the defrost function as soon as possi-
ble to clear the windscreen of condensation. 
Air vents
Fig. 84 On the dash panel: air vents Air vents
To ensure proper heating, cooling and ventilation in the vehicle interior, air
vents ⇒ Fig. 84 1
should remain open.
● Turn the corresponding thumbwheel (detail) in the required direction to
open and close the air vents. When the thumbwheel is in the  position, the
corresponding air vent is closed.
● Change the air direction using the ventilation grille lever. 

156Driving
The selector lever lock only works if the vehicle is stationary or driving at
speeds up to 5 km/h (3 mph). At higher speeds the selector lever lock in
the N position is disengaged automatically.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if the selector lever is moved quickly
through position N (e.g. when shifting from R to D). This makes it possible,
for instance, to rock the vehicle backwards and forwards if it is stuck. The
selector lever lock engages automatically if the brake pedal is not de-
pressed and the lever is in position N for more than about two seconds.
Interlock button
The interlock button on the selector lever handle prevents the driver from
inadvertently engaging certain gears. Press the button in to disengage the
selector lever lock. The selector lever positions in which the interlock button
has to be pressed are shown in the illustration, highlighted in colour
⇒  Fig. 90.
Safety interlock for ignition key
Once the ignition has been turned off, the key may be removed only if the
gear selector is in position P. While the key is not in the ignition, the selec-
tor lever is locked in position P.
Note
● If the selector lever lock does not engage, there is a fault. The transmis-
sion is interrupted to prevent the vehicle from accidentally moving. Follow
the procedure below in order for the selector lever lock to engage again:
● >With a 6-speed gearbox: press the brake pedal and release it again.
● >With a 7-speed gearbox: press the brake pedal. Move the selector lever
to position P or N and subsequently engage a gear.
● Despite a gear being engaged, the vehicle does not move forwards or
back. Proceed to the next mode: ●
When the vehicle does not move in the required direction, the system
may not have the gear range correctly engaged. Press the brake pedal and
engage the gear range again.
● If the vehicle still does not move in the required direction, there is a sys-
tem malfunction. Seek specialist assistance and have the system checked. 
Driving tips
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatically as the vehi-
cle moves.
The engine can only start with the selector lever in the position P or
N. At low temperatures, below -10 °C (50 °F), the engine can only
start with the selector lever in the position P.
Starting the vehicle
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Press and hold the interlock button (the button in the selector
lever handle), move the selector lever to the desired position,
for instance D ⇒  page 154, and release the interlock button.
– Wait for the gearbox to engage the gear (a slight movement can
be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator ⇒ 
.
Stopping briefly
– Apply the foot brake to hold the vehicle when stationary (for in-
stance at traffic lights). Do not press the accelerator. 

189
Intelligent technology
Information recorded in the control units
Your vehicle is fitted at the factory with a series of electronic control units
responsible for the engine and gearbox management. In addition, the con-
trol units supervise the correct performance of the exhaust gas system and
the airbag systems.
Therefore, while the vehicle is being driven, these electronic control units
are continuously analysing the vehicle data. In the event of faults or devia-
tions from the theoretical values, only this data is stored. Generally, the in-
strument panel warning lamps indicate whether there are any malfunctions.
This data can only be read and analysed using special equipment.
The storing of the data allows specialised workshops to detect and repair
faults. Stored data may include:
● Important data about the engine and gearbox
● Speed
● Direction of travel
● Braking force
● Seat belt check
The vehicle control units never record conversations held by passengers in
the vehicle.
If the control unit records an accident with airbag activation, the system
may automatically send a signal. This will depend on the network operator.
Normally, transmission is only possible in areas with sufficient coverage.
Event Data Recorder
The vehicle is not fitted with an event data recorder.
An event data recorder temporarily stores the vehicle information. There-
fore, in the event of accident, it is possible to obtain detailed information
about how the accident occurred. For example, in vehicles with airbag sys-
tems, data relating to speed of impact, seat belt status, seat positions and airbag activation times may be stored. The volume of data depends on the
manufacturer.
Event data recorders can only be mounted with authorisation from the vehi-
cle owner and, in some countries, they are governed by local legislation.
Reprogramming control units
On the whole, all the data required for the component management is stor-
ed in the control units. The programming of certain convenience functions,
such as the turn signal convenience mode, individual door opening and dis-
play indications can be modified using special equipment at the workshop.
If the convenience functions are reprogrammed, the Instruction Manual in-
formation and descriptions will not coincide with the modified functions.
Therefore, SEAT recommends that any changes are recorded in the “Other
workshop notes section” of the Service Plan.
You can find out about possible reprogramming at your SEAT Official Serv-
ice.
Event recorder
In the footwell on the driver side you will find the diagnostics connection
socket for reading the event recorder. The event recorder stores operating
data and data on the status of the electronic control units. The events re-
corder should only be read and deleted by a SEAT Official Service or special-
ised workshop.
WARNING
The diagnostics connection socket must not be used for private purpo-
ses. Improper use can cause malfunctions: risk of accident!

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

190Driving and the environment
Driving and the environment
Running in the engine
A new vehicle should be run in over a distance of 1500 km (1000 miles). For
the first 1000 km (600 miles) the engine speed should not exceed 2/3 of
the maximum permissible engine speed. In doing so, do not accelerate at
full throttle and do not drive with a trailer! From 1000 to 1500 km (600 to
1000 miles) you can gradually increase the engine rpm and road speed.
During its first few hours of running, the internal friction in the engine is
greater than later on when all the moving parts have bedded down.
How the vehicle is driven for the first 1500 km (1000 miles) influences the
future engine performance. Subsequently, also drive at a moderate rate, es-
pecially when the engine is still cold: this will lead to less engine wear and
tear and will prolong its useful life.
You should also avoid driving with the engine speed too low. Change down
to a lower gear when the engine no longer runs “smoothly”. If the engine
revs too much, cut fuel injection to protect the engine. 
Driving through flooded roads
To prevent damage to the vehicle when driving through water, for example,
along a flooded road, please observe the following:
● The water should never come above the lower edge of the bodywork.
● Drive at pedestrian speed.
WARNING
After driving through water, mud, sludge, etc., the braking effect can be
delayed slightly due to moisture build-up on the discs and brake pads.
Applying the brakes carefully several times will remove the moisture and
restore the full braking effect.
CAUTION
● Driving through flooded areas may severely damage vehicle compo-
nents such as the engine, transmission, running gear or electrical system.
● Whenever driving through water, the Start-Stop system* must be switch-
ed off ⇒ page 149.
Note
● Check the depth of the water before entering the flooded zone.
● Do not stop in the water, drive in reverse, or stop the engine in any sit-
uation.
● Note that vehicles travelling in the opposite direction may splash water
that could exceed the maximum permitted water height for your vehicle.
● Avoid driving through salt water (corrosion). 
Installation of exhaust gas filtration systems
Catalytic converter
Applies to vehicles with petrol engine: The vehicle must only be used with
unleaded petrol, otherwise the catalytic converter will be irreparably dam-
aged. 