2013 Seat Leon SC clutch

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 without lifting your back from the seat.
– 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 20.
– Keep both feet in the footwell so that you have the vehicle un-
der control at all times.
Adjustment of the driver seat ⇒ page 129. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

16Safe driving
injury due to incorrect seat belt position. As the driver, you are re-
sponsible for all passengers, especially children.
–Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect sitting position in
the vehicle while travelling ⇒ 
.
The following list contains examples of sitting positions that could be dan-
gerous for all vehicle occupants. The list is not complete, but we would like
to make you aware of this issue.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is in motion:
● Never stand in the vehicle.
● Never stand on the seats.
● 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. 

17
Safe driving
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!

Floor mats on the driver side
Only floor mats may be used which can be securely fastened
in the footwell and do not impair operation of the pedals.
– Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened during the trip
and do not obstruct the pedals ⇒ 
.
Only use floor mats which leave the pedals clear and which are secured to
prevent them from slipping. You can obtain suitable floor mats from a speci-
alised dealership. Fasteners* for floor mats are fitted in the footwells.
WARNING
● If the pedals are obstructed, an accident may occur. Risk of serious
injuries.
● Ensure that the floor mats are always securely attached.
● Never lay or fit floor mats or other floor coverings over the original
floor mats. This would reduce the pedal area and could obstruct the ped-
als. Risk of accident.

Storing objects Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other loose objects must be safely secured
in the luggage compartment.
Unsecured objects which shift back and forth could impair the driv-
ing safety or driving characteristics of the vehicle by shifting the
centre of gravity.
– 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.
– Secure heavy objects to the fitted fastening rings ⇒ page 18.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

69
Instruments and warning/control lamps
To familiarise yourself with the gear-change indicator, we recommend driv-
ing in the normal way to start with. A gear change will be recommended if
the gear you are in is not the most economical choice.
If no gear-change is recommended, you are already in the most economical
gear.
Vehicles with a manual gearbox
The following display symbols ⇒ Fig. 41 mean:
●  Change to a higher gear: The suggested gear appears to the right of
the current gear when a higher gear is recommended.
●  Change to a lower gear: The suggested gear appears to the left of the
current gear when a lower gear is recommended.
The gear recommendation may occasionally skip a gear (2nd  4th).
Vehicles with an automatic gearbox*
The display is only visible in tiptronic mode ⇒ page 178
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 87
⇒ page 100
⇒ page 251
Parking brake on.⇒ page 166
⇒ page 224

 Do not continue driving!
The brake fluid level is too low or there is a fault
in the brake system. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

164Driving
–Turn the ignition key to position 1
to switch off the ignition.
Preheating is produced in Diesel vehicles  when the ignition is
switched on.
Starting up the engine
– Manual gearbox: Press the clutch pedal all the way down and
move the gearbox lever into neutral.
– Automatic gearbox : Press the brake pedal and move the selec-
tor lever to position P or N.
– Turn the ignition key to position 3
. The key returns to position
2 automatically. Do not press the accelerator.
Diesel engines can take a few seconds longer than usual to start
on cold days. Therefore the clutch pedal (manual gearbox) or the
brake pedal (automatic gearbox) must remain pressed until the en-
gine starts up. During preheating, the warning lamp  remains lit.
The preheating time depends on the coolant and exterior tempera-
tures. When the engine is at operating temperature or at outside
temperatures above +8 °C (46 °F) the warning lamp  will only
light up for about one second. This means that the engine starts
immediately.
If the engine does not immediately start up, interrupt the starting process
and try again after 30 seconds. To start the engine again, return the key to
position 1
.
Start-Stop System*
If the vehicle is stopped and the Start-Stop system* switches off the engine,
the ignition remains switched on.
Automatic gearbox: Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the ignition
is switched off and the selector lever is in position P. Driver messages on the instrument panel display
Press the clutch This message appears on vehicles with a manual gearbox if the driver tries
to start the engine without having the clutch pedal pressed. The engine will
only start if you press the clutch pedal.
Press the brake
This message appears on vehicles with an automatic gearbox if the driver
tries to start the engine without having the brake pedal pressed.
Select N or P
This message appears if you try to start or stop the engine when the selec-
tor lever of the automatic gearbox is not in position P or N. The engine can
only start or stop in these positions.
Engage position P; the vehicle can move; doors can only close in position P. For safety reasons, this driver message appears and an audible warning
sounds if the selector lever of the automatic gearbox is not in position P af-
ter you switch off the ignition. Otherwise the vehicle could move.
Gear change: selector lever in the drive position!
This driver message is displayed and a buzzer is sounded when the selector
lever is not in the position P when the driver door is opened. Put the selec-
tor lever in position P; otherwise the vehicle can roll away.
Ignition is switched onThis driver message is displayed and a buzzer is sounded when the driver
door is opened with the ignition switched on. 

168Driving
Hill driving assistant*
This function is only included in vehicles with ESC.
The hill driving assistant helps the driver to move off and upwards on a hill
when the vehicle is stationary.
The system maintains brake pressure for approximately two seconds after
the driver takes his foot off the brake pedal to prevent the vehicle from
lurching backwards when it is started. During these two seconds, the driver
has enough time to release the clutch pedal and accelerate without vehicle
moving and without having to use the handbrake, making start-up easier,
more comfortable and safer.
These are the basic operation conditions:
● being on a ramp or hill/slope,
● closed doors,
● vehicle completely stationary,
● engine running and foot on the brake,
● besides having a gear engaged or being in neutral for manual gear
change and with the selector lever at positions S, D or R in vehicles with au-
tomatic gearbox.
This system is also active in 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. 
Speed warning function Introduction
The speed warning function can help prevent you exceeding
a particular pre-set maximum speed.
The speed warning function will warn the driver if a pre-set maximum speed
is exceeded. The system gives an warning buzzer signal if the set speed is
exceeded by about 3 km/h. The warning lamp  and the driver message
Speed limit exceeded! will be displayed simultaneously on the instrument
panel display. The warning lamp  switches off when reducing speed be-
low the stored maximum limit.
You are recommended to store this speed limit warning if you always wish
to be reminded of a particular speed limit. This could be when driving in 

170Driving
WARNING (Continued)
● Always take the ignition key with you whenever you leave the vehicle,
even temporarily. This is particularly important if there are children in
the vehicle, as they might otherwise be able to start the engine or use
power-operated equipment (e.g. the electric windows), which could
cause injuries.
● To avoid injury, make sure that the Start-Stop system is switched off
when working in the engine compartment ⇒ page 171.
CAUTION
The Start-Stop system must always be switched off when driving through
flooded areas ⇒ page 171. 
Stop/Start the engine
Vehicles with a manual gearbox
– When the vehicle is stopped, put it into neutral and release the
clutch pedal. The engine will switch off. The warning lamp 
will appear on the instrument panel display.
– When the clutch pedal is pressed the engine will start up again.
The warning lamp will switch off.
Vehicles with an automatic gearbox
– Use the foot brake to bring the vehicle to a stop and keep the
brake pedal pressed down with your foot. The engine will switch
off. The warning lamp  will appear in the display.
– When you take your foot off the brake pedal the engine will start
up again. The warning lamp will switch off. Additional information related to the automatic gearbox
The engine stops when the selector lever is in the positions P, D, N and S, in
addition to when in manual mode. With the selector lever in position P, the
engine will also remain switched off when you take your foot off the brake
pedal. In order to start the engine up again the accelerator must be press-
ed, or another gear engaged or the brake released.
If the selector lever is placed in position R during the stopping phase, the
engine will start up again.
Change from position D to P to prevent the engine from accidentally starting
when changing and passing by position R.
Note
● You can control whether the engine should switch off or not by reducing
or increasing the brake force applied. While the vehicle remains stopped,
the engine will not stop if the brake pedal is slightly pressed, in traffic jams
with frequent stopping and starting for example. As soon as strong pressure
is applied to the brake pedal, the engine will stop.
● In vehicles with manual gearbox, during the stopping phases the brake
pedal must remain depressed to prevent the vehicle from moving.
● If the engine stalls in vehicles with manual gearbox, it can be directly
started up again by immediately pressing the clutch pedal. 
General notes
The system can interrupt the Start-Stop mode frequently for
different reasons.
The engine does not switch off
Before the stopping phase, the system verifies whether certain conditions
are met. The engine does not switch off, in the following situations for ex-
ample: 