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!
31
Airbag system
Airbag system
Brief introduction Why wear a seat belt and assume the correct sitting
position?
For the inflating airbags to achieve the best protection, the
seat belt must always be worn properly and the correct sit-
ting position must be assumed.For your own safety and the safety of the passengers, please en-
sure the following before driving:
– Always wear the seat belt properly ⇒ page 20.
– Adjust the driver seat and the steering wheel correctly
⇒ page 11.
– Adjust the front passenger seat correctly ⇒ page 12.
– Adjust the head restraint correctly ⇒ page 14.
– Use the correct child restraint system to protect children in your
vehicle ⇒ page 48.
The airbag is deployed at high speed in fractions of a second. If you have an
incorrect seating position at the time the airbag is deployed, it could cause
you critical injuries. Therefore, it is essential that all vehicle occupants as-
sume a correct sitting position while travelling.
Sharp braking before an accident may cause a passenger not wearing a seat
belt to be thrown forward into the area of the deploying airbag. In this case, the inflating airbag may inflict critical or fatal injuries on the occupant. This
also applies to children.
Always maintain the greatest possible distance between yourself and the
front airbag. This way, the front airbags can completely deploy when trig-
gered, providing their maximum protection.
The most important factors that will trigger an airbag are: the type of acci-
dent, the angle of collision and the speed of the vehicle.
Whether the airbags are triggered depends primarily on the vehicle deceler-
ation rate resulting from the collision and detected by the control unit. If the
vehicle deceleration occurring during the collision and measured by the
control unit remains below the specified reference values, the front, side
and/or curtain airbag will not be triggered. Take into account that the visible
damage in a vehicle involved in an accident, no matter how serious, is not a
determining factor for the airbags to have been triggered.
WARNING
● Wearing the seat belt incorrectly or assuming an incorrect sitting po-
sition can lead to critical or fatal injuries.
● All vehicle occupants, including children, who are not properly belted
can sustain critical or fatal injuries if the airbag is triggered. Children up
to 12 years old should always travel on the rear seat. Never transport
children in the vehicle if they are not restrained or the restraint system is
not appropriate for their age, size or weight.
● If you are not wearing a seat belt, if you lean forward or to the side
while travelling or assume an incorrect sitting position, there is a sub-
stantially increased risk of injury. This increased risk of injury will be fur-
ther increased if you are struck by an inflating airbag.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
268Wheels and tyres
To ensure that the wear is equal on all tyres the wheels should be changed
round from time to time according to the system ⇒ Fig. 162. The useful life
of all the tyres will then be about the same time.
Replacing wheels and tyres
It is important to use the correct wheels and tyres when re-
placement is necessary.
– All four wheels must be fitted with tyres of the same type, size
(rolling circumference) and preferably the same tread pattern.
– Tyres should be replaced at least in pairs and not individually
(i.e. both front tyres or both rear tyres together).
– Do not use tyres whose effective size exceeds the dimensions
of the factory-approved makes of tyre.
– If you wish to fit the vehicle with rims or tyres that are different
to those installed in manufacture, it is advisable to consult a
SEAT Official Service before purchasing them.
The tyres and wheel rims are an essential part of the vehicle's design. The
tyres and rims approved by SEAT are specially matched to the characteris-
tics of the vehicle and make a major contribution to good roadholding and
safe handling ⇒
.
The sizes of the rims and tyres approved for your vehicle are listed in the
vehicle documentation (e.g. EC Certificate of Conformity or COC docu-
ment 1)
). The vehicle documentation varies depending on the country of resi-
dence. A knowledge of tyre designations makes it easier to choose the correct
tyres. The following wording can be read on the sides of the tyre:
205/55 R16 91V
This contains the following information:
205Tyre width in mm55Height/width ratio in %RTyre construction: Radial16Rim diameter in inches91Load rating codeVSpeed index
The manufacturing date is also indicated on the tyre sidewall (possibly only
on the inner side of the wheel): DOT... 2212...
means that the tyre was produced in the 22nd week of 2012.
Please note that with some types of tyre, the actual tyre size can differ from
the nominal size marked on the tyre (for instance 205/55 R 16 91 W), and
there may be significant differences in the contours of the tyres, even
though the tyres are marked with the same nominal size designation.
When replacing the tyres, it is therefore important to make sure that the
actual size of the new tyres does not exceed the dimensions of the factory-
approved makes of tyre.
Failure to observe this requirement can affect the clearance needed for the
tyres. This could result in contact between the tyres and suspension com-
ponents or bodywork causing damage. The brake lines could also be dam-
aged and vehicle safety could be severely impaired ⇒
.
1)
COC = certificate of conformity
269
Wheels and tyres
If you use tyres that are approved by SEAT you can be sure that the actual
tyre dimensions will be correct for your vehicle. If you decide to fit a differ-
ent type of tyre, you must obtain the appropriate manufacturer's certificate
from the tyre retailer to confirm that the tyres are suitable for your vehicle.
Keep this certificate in a safe place.
Your SEAT Official Service will be able to advise you on which tyres may be
fitted to your vehicle.
It is best to have all servicing of wheels and tyres performed by a special-
ised workshop. They are familiar with the procedure and have the necessary
special tools and spare parts as well as the proper facilities for disposing of
the old tyres.
WARNING
● It is very important to ensure that the tyres you have chosen have ad-
equate clearance. When selecting replacement tyres, do not rely entirely
on the nominal tyre size marked on the tyre; with some makes of tyre the
effective tyre size can differ significantly from the nominal dimensions,
even though the tyres have the same size designation. Inadequate tyre
clearance can result in damage to the tyres or the vehicle, causing a seri-
ous safety risk. It may also invalidate the vehicle's registration for use on
public roads.
● Avoid running the vehicle on tyres that are more than 6 years old. If
you have no alternative, you should drive slowly and with extra care at all
times.
● If wheel trims are fitted after the car is purchased, ensure that there
is an adequate flow of air for cooling the brake system.
For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of according to the laws in the country con-
cerned.
Note
● Never mount used tyres if you are not sure of their “previous history”.
● For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to use the wheels from
other vehicles. In some cases, this may also be true for the same model of
wheel.
Wheel bolts
The wheel bolts are designed to suit the rims on your car.
The wheel bolts are matched to the rims. When installing different wheels
(for instance alloy wheels or wheels with winter tyres) it is important to use
the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped bolt
heads. This ensures that wheels are fitted securely and that the brake sys-
tem functions correctly.
The wheel bolts must be clean and turn easily.
A special adapter is required to turn the anti-theft wheel bolts*
⇒ page 279.
Winter tyres
Winter tyres will improve the vehicles handling on snow and
ice.
– Winter tyres must be fitted on all four wheels.
– Only use winter tyres that are approved for your vehicle.
– Please note that the maximum permissible speed for winter
tyres may be lower than for summer tyres.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
270Wheels and tyres
–Also note that winter tyres are no longer effective when the
tread is worn down.
– After fitting the wheels you must always check the tyre pres-
sures. The correct tyre pressures are listed on the sticker on the
inside of the fuel tank flap ⇒ page 265.
In winter road conditions winter tyres will considerably improve vehicle han-
dling. The design of summer tyres (width, rubber compound, tread pattern)
gives less grip on ice and snow. This applies particularly to vehicles equip-
ped with wide section tyres or high speed tyres (code letters H, V or Y on
the sidewall).
Only use winter tyres of the correct type approved for your vehicle. The sizes
of the winter tyres approved for your vehicle are listed in the vehicle docu-
mentation (e.g. EC Certificate of Conformity or COC document 1)
). The vehicle
documentation varies depending on the country of residence. See also
⇒ page 268.
Winter tyres lose a great deal of their properties when the tread is worn
down to a depth of 4 mm.
The performance of winter tyres is also severely impaired by ageing, even if
the tread is still much deeper than 4 mm.
Winter tyres are subject to the following maximum speed limits according to
speed rating code letter: ⇒
Speed rating code letter
⇒ page 268Maximum speed limit
Q160 km/h (140 mph)S180 km/h (140 mph)T190 km/h (140 mph)
Speed rating code letter
⇒ page 268Maximum speed limit
H210 km/h (140 mph)
V240 km/h (150 mph)
(note restrictions)
Vehicles capable of exceeding these speeds must have an appropriate
sticker attached so that it is visible to the driver. Suitable stickers are availa-
ble from the SEAT Official Service and specialised workshop. Please note
regulations to this effect in your country.
“All-weather” tyres can also be used instead of winter tyres.
Using winter tyres with V-rating
Please note that the generally applicable 240 km/h (150 mph) speed rating
for winter tyres with the letter V is subject to technical restrictions; the max-
imum permissible speed for your vehicle may be significantly lower . The
maximum speed limit for tyres with a V-rating depends directly on the maxi-
mum axle weights for your car and on the listed weight rating of the tyres
being used.
It is best to contact a SEAT Official Service to check the maximum speed
which is permissible for the V-rated tyres fitted on your car on the basis of
this information.
WARNING
Exceeding the maximum speed permitted for the winter tyres fitted on
your car can cause tyre failure, resulting in a loss of control of the vehicle
– risk of accident.
1)
COC = certificate of conformity
308Technical specifications
Note
We recommend that you ask your Technical Service for information about
appropriate wheel, tyre and snow chain size.
Balanced (wheels) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Ball coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260Assisted starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Charge Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Disconnecting/Connecting . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Winter conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Before starting the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Bench seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
New brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Braking Brake assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Hill driving assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
C
Carbon components: Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Care of vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Care (paint care) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
CD-ROM player (navigation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Central locking Anti-theft alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Central locking switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Remote control key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Selective unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Sliding/tilting sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Manual locking in an emergency . . . . . . . . 99
Rear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Cetane number (Diesel fuel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Changing Windscreen and rear window wiper blades . .263
Changing a bulb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 Bulb sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Changing gear Engaging gears (manual gearbox) . . . . . . 172
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Changing main headlight main beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
turn signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Changing main headlight bulbs daylight bulb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Dipped beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Changing the battery of the vehicle key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Child-proof lock Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Child seat Categorisation in groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Group 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Group 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Group 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Groups 0 and 0+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 ISOFIX system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
on the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Top Tether system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55, 56
City emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Alcantara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Carbon components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Display/Easy Connect control panel . . . . . 242
Exhaust pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Plastic parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240, 242
Radio display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Trim parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Trims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Washing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Windscreen and rear window wiper blades . .263
Cleaning/De-icing the windows . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Cleaning the rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Cleaning the upholstery Natural leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Closing Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Panoramic sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Panoramic sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
326 Index