2013 Seat Leon 5D warning light

260Checking and refilling levels
WARNING
● Brake fluid should be stored in the closed original container in a safe
place out of reach of children. Risk of poisoning!
● If the brake fluid is left in the system for too long and the brakes are
subjected to heavy use, vapour bubbles may form in the brake system.
This would seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes and the safety of
the vehicle. This may cause an accident.
CAUTION
Brake fluid should not come into contact with the vehicle paintwork, as it is
abrasive. 
Battery General information
The battery is located in the engine compartment and is almost mainte-
nance-free. It is checked as part of the Inspection Service. Nevertheless,
check the terminals are clean and have the correct tightening torque, espe-
cially in summer and winter.
Disconnecting the battery
The battery should only be disconnected in exceptional cases. When the
battery is disconnected, some of the vehicle's functions are “lost” ( ⇒ table
on page 260). These functions will require resetting after the battery is re-
connected.
Deactivate the anti-theft alarm* before you disconnect the battery Other-
wise the alarm will be triggered.
effectReprogrammingOne-touch function of the electric
windows⇒ page 104, One-touch opening and
closing*
Remote control keyIf the vehicle does not respond to the
key, they should be synchronised
⇒ page 91
Digital clock⇒ page 63
ESC warning lampAfter driving for a few metres, the
warning lamp goes out again.
If the vehicle is not used for long periods
The vehicle has a system for monitoring the current consumption when the
engine is left unused for long periods of time ⇒ page 226. Some functions,
such as the interior lights, or the remote door opening, may be temporarily
disabled to prevent the battery from running flat. These functions will come
back on as soon as the ignition is switched on and the engine started.
Winter conditions
During the winter, the starting power may be reduced, and if necessary, the
battery should be charged ⇒ 
in Important safety warnings for handling a
vehicle battery on page 261 
Important safety warnings for handling a vehicle battery
All work on batteries requires specialist knowledge. Please refer to a SEAT
Official Service or a workshop specialising in batteries: risk of burns or ex-
ploding battery!
The battery must not be opened. Never try to change the fluid level of the
battery. Explosive gas is released from the battery that could cause an ex-
plosion. 

264Checking and refilling levels
Cleaning windscreen wiper blades
● Raising the wiper arms.
● Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the windscreen wiper
blades.
● If the blades are very dirty, a sponge or damp cloth may be used ⇒ 
.
Changing the windscreen wiper blades
● Raising/lowering wiper arms
● Hold down the release button ⇒ Fig. 159 1
while gently pulling the
blade in the direction of the arrow.
● Fit a new wiper blade of the same length and design on to the wiper arm
and hook it into place.
● Rest the wiper arms back onto the windscreen.
Changing the rear wiper blade
● Raising/lowering the wiper arm.
● Turn the blade slightly ⇒ Fig. 160 (arrow A
).
● Hold down the release button 1 while gently pulling the blade in the
direction of the arrow B.
● Insert a new blade of the same length and type in the rear wiper arm in
the opposite direction to the arrow B
and hook into place button 1.
● Replace the wiper arm on the rear window.
WARNING
Worn or dirty wiper blades reduce visibility and increase the risk of acci-
dent and serious injury.
● Always replace damaged or worn blades or blades which do not clean
the windscreen correctly.
CAUTION
● Damaged or dirty windscreen wipers could scratch the glass.
● If products containing solvents, rough sponges or sharp objects are
used to clean the blades, the graphite layer will be damaged.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint thinner or similar products to
clean the windows. 

266Wheels and tyres
–The tyre pressure should only be checked when the tyres are
cold. The slightly raised pressures of warm tyres must not be re-
duced.
– Adjust tyre pressure to the load being carried by the vehicle.
– In vehicles with a tyre pressure indicator, save the pressure of
modified tyres ⇒ page 214, ⇒  page 265.
– Avoid fast cornering and hard acceleration.
– Inspect the tyres for irregular wear from time to time.
The useful life of your tyres depends on the following factors:
Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure values are indicated on the inside of the fuel tank flap.
Insufficient or excessive pressure greatly reduces the useful life of the tyres
and adversely affects vehicle performance and ride. Correct inflation pres-
sures are very important, especially at high speeds.
If you want a more comfortable ride, you can inflate tyres to the pressure
corresponding to the normal vehicle load (up to 3 people) if the vehicle is
carrying a normal load. If the vehicle is going to carry the maximum load,
the tyre pressure should be increased to maximum value indicated.
The tyre pressure must be adjusted according to the load the vehicle is car-
rying. We recommend adhering to the tyre pressure specifications for a max-
imum load.
Do not forget the spare wheel when checking the tyre pressures: Keep the
spare wheel inflated to the highest pressure required for the road wheels.
In the case of a minimised temporary spare wheel (125/70 R16 or 125/70
R18) inflate to a pressure of 4.2 bar as indicated on the tyre pressure label
on the fuel tank flap. Driving style
Fast cornering, heavy acceleration and hard braking (squealing tyres) all in-
crease tyre wear.
Wheel balance
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, certain circumstances
may lead to imbalance (run-out), which is detected as vibrations in the
steering wheel.
Unbalanced wheels should be rebalanced, as they otherwise cause exces-
sive wear on steering, suspension and tyres. A wheel must also be reba-
lanced when a new tyre is fitted or if a tyre is repaired.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment causes excessive tyre wear, impairing the safety
of the vehicle. If you notice excessive tyre wear, you should check wheel
alignment at a SEAT Official Service.
WARNING
● Always adapt the tyre pressure accordingly when the vehicle load
changes.
● A tyre with low air pressure has to flex a lot more when the vehicle is
heavily loaded or at high speeds, therefore causing overheating to occur.
Under these conditions, the tyre bead may be released or the tyre may
burst. Risk of accident!
For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel consumption. 

274Emergencies
Emergencies
General information
– If you have a flat tyre or puncture, park the car as far away from
the flow of traffic as possible in a safe place. If you have a punc-
ture, stop the vehicle on a horizontal surface. If you are on a
slope, take extra care.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Switch on the hazard warning lights.
– Always wear a reflective vest ⇒ page 274.
– Set up the warning triangle.
– All vehicle occupants should leave the car. They should wait in
a safe place (for instance behind the roadside crash barrier).
WARNING
Always observe the above steps and protect yourself and other road
users.
 Equipment
Reflective vests
Wearing a reflective vest makes you more visible to other road
users.
Note
● Always wear a reflective vest when you get out of the vehicle in moving
traffic (for example, in the event of breakdown or to load/unload the vehi-
cle).
● Observe the applicable legislation for each country. 
Vehicle tools/Tyre repair kit/Compressor*
The vehicle tools, the tyre repair kit and the compressor* are stor-
ed under the floor panel in the luggage compartment.
To access the vehicle tools:
– Lift up the floor panel by the plastic handle until it is fastened to
the tabs on both sides.
Depending on the vehicle equipment, you will find the tyre repair set and
the compressor* under the floor panel cover. 

280Emergencies
WARNING
Slightly loosen the wheel bolts (one turn) before raising the vehicle with
the jack*. If not, an accident may occur.

Raising the vehicle
Fig. 169 Crossbar:
marks
Fig. 170 Strut: mounting
the jack on the vehicle
– Place the jack* (vehicle tools) on a firm surface. If necessary use
a large, strong board or similar support. If the surface is slip-
pery (for example, tiles), use a non-slip base underneath the
jack (for example, a rubber mat) ⇒ 
.
– Find the support point on the strut (sunken area) closest to the
wheel to be changed ⇒ Fig. 169. The jack* support point is be-
hind the mark on the strut.
– Turn the jack*, located below the strut support point, to raise it
until tab A
⇒ Fig. 170 is below the housing provided.
– Align the jack* so that tab A
“grips” onto the housing provi-
ded on the longitudinal member and the mobile base plate B
is resting on the ground. The base plate B should fall vertically
with respect to the support point A.
– Continue turning the jack* until the wheel is slightly lifted off
the ground. 

285
Emergencies
6. Position the leads in such a way that they cannot come into contact with any moving parts in the engine compartment.
Starting
7. Start the engine of the vehicle with the boosting battery and let it run at idling speed.
8. Start the engine of the vehicle with the flat battery and wait two or three minutes until the engine is “running”.
Removing the jump leads
9. Before you remove the jump leads, switch off the dipped beam headlights (if they are switched on).
10.Turn on the heater blower and heated rear window in the vehi- cle with the flat battery. This helps minimise voltage peaks
which are generated when the leads are disconnected.
11.When the engine is running, disconnect the leads in reverse or- der to the details given above.
Connect the battery clamps so they have good metal-to-metal contact with
the battery terminals.
If the engine fails to start, switch off the starter after about 10 seconds and
try again after about half a minute.
WARNING
● Please note the safety warnings referring to working in the engine
compartment ⇒ page 251.
● The battery providing assistance must have the same voltage as the
flat battery (12V) and approximately the same capacity (see imprint on
battery). Failure to comply could result in an explosion.
● Never use jump leads when one of the batteries is frozen. Danger of
explosion! Even after the battery has thawed, battery acid could leak and
cause chemical burns. If a battery freezes, it should be replaced.
● Keep sparks, flames and lighted cigarettes away from batteries, dan-
ger of explosion. Failure to comply could result in an explosion.
● Observe the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the jump
leads.
● Do not connect the negative cable from the other vehicle directly to
the negative terminal of the flat battery. The gas emitted from the battery
could be ignited by sparks. Danger of explosion.
● Do not attach the negative cable from the other vehicle to parts of the
fuel system or to the brake line.
● The non-insulated parts of the battery clamps must not be allowed to
touch. The jump lead attached to the positive battery terminal must not
touch metal parts of the vehicle, this can cause a short circuit.
● Position the leads in such a way that they cannot come into contact
with any moving parts in the engine compartment.
● Do not lean on the batteries. This could result in chemical burns.
Note
The vehicles must not touch each other, otherwise electricity could flow as
soon as the positive terminals are connected. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

286Emergencies
Towing and tow-starting the vehicle
General information
Points to observe when tow-starting or towing away If you use a tow rope:
Notes for the driver of the towing vehicle
– The tow rope must be taut before you drive off.
– Release the clutch very carefully when starting the vehicle
(manual gearbox), or accelerate gently (automatic gearbox).
Notes for the driver of the towed vehicle
– The ignition should be switched on so that the turn signals,
windscreen wipers and washers can be used. Please ensure
that the steering wheel is unlocked when you switch on the ig-
nition, and that it moves freely.
– Put the gearbox lever in neutral (manual gearbox) or move the
selector lever to position N (automatic gearbox).
– The brake servo only works when the engine is running. Consid-
erably more effort is required on the brake pedal when the en-
gine is switched off.
– Remember that the power steering only works when the ignition
is switched on and the vehicle is moving 1)
. Otherwise, consider-
ably more strength than usual will be required when steering. –
Ensure that the tow rope remains taut at all times.
Tow rope or tow bar
It is easier and safer to tow a vehicle with a tow bar. You should only use a
tow rope if you do not have a tow bar.
A tow rope should be slightly elastic to avoid damage to both vehicles. It is
advisable to use a tow rope made of synthetic fibre or similarly elastic mate-
rial.
Only attach the tow rope or the tow bar to the towing rings ⇒ page 287.
Driving style
Towing requires some experience, especially when using a tow rope. Both
drivers should be familiar with the technique required for towing. Inexper-
ienced drivers should not attempt to tow.
Do not pull too hard with the towing vehicle and take care to avoid jerking
the tow rope. When towing on an unpaved road, there is always a risk of
overloading and damaging the anchorage points.
WARNING
If the vehicle has no electrical power, the brake lights, turn signals and
all other lights will no longer function. Do not have the vehicle towed
away. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
CAUTION
If there is no oil in the gearbox or no lubricant in the automatic transmission
the car may only be towed with the driven wheels lifted clear of the road, or
transported on a special car transporter or trailer. 
1)
Important: the battery must be correctly charged.

287
Emergencies
Note
● Please observe legal requirements when doing so.
● Switch on the hazard warning lights of both vehicles. However, observe
any regulations to the contrary.
● The tow rope must not be twisted. Otherwise the front towline anchor-
age could be pulled off the vehicle. 
Towline anchorage at the front of the vehicle
The front towline anchorage is only mounted if the vehicle
has to be towed.
Fig. 174 Right side of
the front bumper: towline
anchorage screwed in
There is a cover with an opening into which the towline anchorage
is screwed on the right part of the front bumper.
– To remove the bumper cover, just press the upper left side in-
wards. –
Take the towline anchorage out of the vehicle tool kit
⇒ page 274.
– Screw the towline anchorage into the screw connection as far as
it will go ⇒ Fig. 174 and tighten with the wheel brace.
After use, unscrew the towline anchorage and fit the cover back on the
bumper. Put the towline anchorage back in the vehicle tool kit. The towline
anchorage should always be kept in the vehicle. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications